Yes! Itap that .
Itap the Steve Martin who broke his own record for hosting Saturday Night Live (15 times). The Steve Martin who spooned Alec Baldwin in a spoof of the movie “Paranormal Activity” while co-hosting the 2010 Academy awards. “Roxanne,” “All of Me,” “!The Three Amigos!”? Yeah, thatap him too! He’s the author, the actor, the playwright and the comedian, and the lesser-known juggler.
On Tuesday at the , Martin played the role of recently Grammy Award-winning recording artist and banjo player.
Or, as Martin joked, “I’m combining two of my favorite things tonight: One: Comedy. And Two: Charging people to hear music.”
Those people being charged to hear music were getting their money’s worth, and the weather couldn’t have been better for the crowd of mainly 40-somethings. The Denverites surrounded the stage on all four sides and oddly all seemed to have received a memo to bring their lawn-stake wine holders. Along with the Botanic Garden’s scenery, the audience also took in a show that has been honed, refined and improved r.
Musically, the evening was similar to the show in October of 2009. The set was shorter, but it had the same essentials. There were quick-paced bluegrass-filled instrumentals like “Pitkin County” with playful mandolin and fiddle arrangements, along with more sentimental songs like “Daddy Played the Banjo,” and comedic numbers like “Jubilation Day.”
Similar to last year’s show, Martin left the stage mid-set while the Rangers played a few of their original tracks. Most notable to the crowd was “I Can’t Sit Down” — a stirring a capella number that underscored the Rangers’ vocal prowess. Returning to stage, Martin chided the group, “When you learn to play your instruments with that, itap going to be great.”
So, whatap different? Martin’s banter with the Rangers for starters. This time around, Martin seemed to accept the fact that he’s a big-time name breaking into a music scene known for its humble roots. Many of his jokes played on this theme. “On the tour bus there’s laughing, and crying and stories get told. I know this because they tell me about it when I call from my private plane,” Martin quipped.
When Martin talked of his introduction to the Rangers, he noted that “When I’m in Hollywood I say I met the Rangers in rehab.” In another moment of honesty Martin talked about how many banjos he had on stage. As a setup to the joke he asked banjoist Graham Sharp how many banjos he played. When Sharpe stated “One,” Martin jokingly said, “Thatap pathetic!”
It was this humor that added a new layer to an already tightly-packed show. Making the show great was how Martin seemed more in touch with his celebrity and how it related to a bluegrass tour.
It should be noted that the Rangers are no slouches either. Their album is currently ranked No. 2 on the Bluegrass Unlimited Album Chart. Charts aside, all four were remarkable and at times stole the show.
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Troy Markgraf is a Denver-based writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
is a Denver photographer and a regular contributor to Reverb.
