PACKWAY HANDLE BAND

Sounding like a camp meeting preacher, fiddler Andrew Heaton jumps up to the mic and in a voice that’s grating warns the sinners, ”they better get ready” as he kicks off the set for the Athens, GA. based Packway Handle Band in concert at the Podunk Winter Music Series held in East Hartford CT. The line comes from their blistering rendition of “Sinner, You Better Get Ready, “ a Monroe Brother’s tune that’s sure to make some rethink their behavior. The Packway Handle Band is a high energy group to say the least, packing lots of action into the delivery of their music, very exciting. I don’t believe the audience expected such a dynamic performance, they seemed to be in awe after the first tune and the set continued to be fast paced and supercharged. The band’s musicianship is outstanding and the four part harmony is near-perfect. They use a two-condenser mic and the movement to and from the mic is a show in itself. Their music, much of which is original, is edgy, energetic and decidedly entertaining. Besides Heaton on fiddle and vocals there is Michael Paynter, mandolin and vocals, Josh Erwin guitar and vocals, Tom Baker banjo and vocals and Zach McCoy on bass. To the delight of the audience, with the last song of the set they started jumping off the stage, one after the other, while singing and playing, and ran up about five rows into the audience and finished up their set among the fans. The people I talked to at the end of the performance had nothing but praise for the band.

Andrew Heaton, Michael Paynter, Tom Baker, Josh Erwin and Zach McCoy

Michael Paynter, Tom Baker and Josh Erwin

Josh Erwin

They jumped from the stage and ran up the aisle to perform up close to the audience
The next show in the series at Podunk Winter Concerts is Laurie Lewis And The Right Hands on December 4 in East Hartford CT.