Circus No 9, a relatively new progressive string band based in Knoxville, has released a video of a live performance of the song, Lost Mule In Texas. The quartet is among the bands selected to showcase this September as a part of the Bluegrass Ramble during the World Of Bluegrass convention in Raleigh, NC.
This song comes to the Circus through Atlanta rocker Col Bruce Hampton, and was written by mandolinist Matt Mundy. He and the Colonel had hooked up through their joint association with Widespread Panic.
The guys present it here acoustic style, on banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass – and it suits the string band quite well.
Thomas Cassell is on mandolin, Vince Ilagan on bass, and Daniel Thrailkill on guitar, with banjo player Matthew Davis handling the vocal.
You’ll find Circus No 9 on the road much of this summer, touring in support of their album, Modernus, released in March of this year. Given the band’s jammist tendencies, it’s only 8 songs, all but one originals from within the group.
They come to the group from all over the country. Cassell hails from southwestern Virginia, and Davis from Nebraska. The two met in Atlanta at Mike Marshall’s Acoustic Music Seminar, and became friends. The second time they both attended, a decision was made to start a group, and they met Ilagan while he was a student in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee. Thrailkill is a North Carolina boy.
They also play bluegrass style, which you can hear on their album.
Save time to catch this talented bunch during IBMA week in Raleigh.
