Marty Stuart is a true legend in the country music industry. As a teenager, he toured with artists such as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and, the king of blue grass, Lester Flatt. Stuart played a rare show in San Francisco at the intimate Great American Music Hall. The same place he'd last played over thirty years ago. Although the country music format may have changed dramatically in the last few decades, Stuart has not. He was joined on stage by his band, The Fabulous Superlatives, and gave the audience what they wanted, 90 minutes of true country music.

The Greencards are a mix of bluegrass, country, rock and pop. The trio opened the show with a solid 30 minutes on the hallowed Music Hall stage which left the audience clamoring at their merch table after the set for cd's and a chance to meet the band members. The band's sound is certainly unique, but mostly bluegrass. Kym Warner's mandolin accompanied vocalist Carol Young's voice perfectly and left the audience on their feet. The group had just dropped a new album "Fascination," and the bulk of the material was from the disc. Performances of "Here You Are, " and "Waiting on the Night," were met with large ovations form the audience.

Speaking to band member Kym Warner before the show about the new album and their strong, diverse fan base he said "We have kids, young kids, come to our show and 75 year olds come to our show. It comes hand in hand with the style of music we play. It's not certainly one thing. Bluegrass is a strong part of what it is, but it's way more contemporary then most bluegrass acts. There's pop things in there and rock influences. You get people from all those areas that might be into it."

The Greencards, which are not nearly mainstream, are definitely worth a listen. The band already has a strong following and a fan base which is growing rapidly.

When Marty Stuart walked on to the small stage the mood inside the venue changed dramatically. The audience was immediately on it's feet and Stuart launched right into the music. Stuart, who is a staple at the Grand Ole Opry, performed, new material as well as classic songs. Performances of both "Tempted, " and the opening song, a Johnny Cash cover "Orange Blossom Special," were both memorable.

Stuart who donned all black stood out, fronting his band that were in pure white. The front man had no problem letting his band take some of the spotlight away from him though. The Fabulous Superlatives took over during "Walk Like That," reducing Stuart to a backup singer. Stuart intertwined stories from his past in between songs. From being on the road with Cash and in writing sessions with Merle Haggard, Stuart certainly has a lot to talk about. It was truly a great night, fans both young an old packed the venue and witnessed an up and coming act as well as a legendary artist.


Concert Review By: Tyler Sobie