John Butler Trio....they will make you smile.

Never have I walked away from a show with the same sense of happiness and accomplishment as I did the first time I saw The John Butler Trio, or JBT. If a bus had struck me as soon as I walked out, I really think that would have been fine by me (at the time). Some bands have this affect on people....it just makes them happy. From the opening notes of Used to Get High to the last lyric of Funky Tonight, no one had stopped smiling. Simply put, the show was spectacular!!

Setlist:
Used to Get High
Pickapart
Fire in the Sky
Gov Did Nothing
Caroline
Losing You (solo)
Ocean (solo)
Treat Yo Mama
Something's Gotta Give
Groovin Slowly
Daniella
Good Excuse (w/ Bass solo> keyboard solo> drum solo)
Zebra
Peaches and Cream (solo) - Encore
Better Than - Encore
Funky Tonight - Encore If you are a fan of JBT, then you are undoubtedly aware that the band's roots began in Australia where Butler gained a following as a solo act. This momentum continued throughout the year of 1998, which prompted the addition of two band members and the name John Butler Trio. Soon after, the recording of the band's first studio album, Three, was under way. The success of the album brought the trio to the US where they found a following through music festivals, such as Bonnaroo and South By Southwest. The band has since released two additional albums in Sunrise Over Sea and Grand National, both of which hit #1 on the Australian charts.

The John Butler Trio is referenced as a bluegrass jam band containing an eclectic concoction of acoustic, beat driven sounds with a Celtic ambiance. Headed by John Butler on lead vocals and an assortment of instruments (guitar, banjo, lapsteel, didgeridoo, etc.), with Shannon Birchall adding the bass and the occasional violin, and Michael Barker setting the pace on drums. The content of JBT tracks is a broad, yet narrow, view of personal discovery and overall togetherness.

I won't soon forget my personal encounter with JBT, nor the amount of joy their music has provided me....and will continue to do. The performance of Ocean, alone, was enough to solidify that night as one of my top five musical experiences. An experience that still keeps me smiling to this day.