Sparkling Scene

Bluegrass is a tired and archaic musical genre, right? Not so fast. Washington’s Seldom Scene might not have looked like five spring chickens on stage Saturday night at McCabe’s, but the sparkling show by this veteran group dealt with issues as contemporary as anything at a U2 concert.

The Scene--anchored by banjo player Ben Eldridge, dobro player Mike Auldridge and mandolinist John Duffey, who have been together since 1971--explores such issues as homelessness (“Only a Hobo”), the emotional and spiritual tolls of hard lives (“California Cottonfields”), and bad choices (“Darling Cory”).

The Scene brings to these tunes masterfully graceful instrumental work and stunning vocal harmonies that underscore the sense of tradition in them. That the show was peppered with excellent “modern” material (including rip-roaring runs through John Fogerty’s “Big Train From Memphis” and J. J. Cale’s “After Midnight”) and liberal doses of wit (the band donned wacky sunglasses for a version of Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally” that could best be described as Spinal Grass) gave it a quality that transcends tradition. Pickin’ and grinnin’ a-plenty--but so much more.