Birmingham News
08/23/02
MARY COLURSO
News staff writer
On Wednesday at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre, the Down From the Mountain tour operated like a ramshackle talent show with some mighty talented contestants.
An almost full moon shone on the outdoor stage in Pelham, where a loosey-goosey atmosphere prevailed during three-and-a-half hours of old-time, bluegrass, country and blues.
On a no-frills stage set with microphone stands and monitors, Birmingham native Emmylou Harris, Ralph Stanley, Alison Krauss & Union Station, the Del McCoury Band, Rodney Crowell and several others entertained a near-sellout crowd with songs from the soundtrack of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
They also performed tunes of a similar spirit that weren't in the movie or its companion documentary and CD, both titled "Down From the Mountain."
In case you've been hiding out in a remote holler, "O Brother" and its byproducts have been bona fide hits since last year, introducing millions of people to authentic American roots music.
This summer's concert tour has been equally successful, creating massive excitement in about 42 cities.
Some musicians who appeared at the other stops didn't make it to Alabama, the final date on the official tour, aside from a Thursday benefit performance in Nashville.
As a result, the Oak Mountain audience couldn't hear Patty Loveless, the Fairfield Four or Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, but most of the other famous folks were present and accounted for.
Not everyone reached stratospheric heights of excellence during the casually uneven show, but there were plenty of stellar moments to savor.
Standouts included the McCoury Band's wonderfully twangy cover of Richard Thompson's "1952 Vincent Black Lightning," Krauss & Union Station's reverently beautiful rendition of "Down to the River to Pray" and a mega-powerful mini-set by Ralph Stanley that featured "O Death" and "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow."
Harris, a woman of constant appearances, did her hometown proud as she teamed with almost everyone else on the program. Her duets with Crowell were especially fine, and her sweetly twangy vocals were essential to the blend on "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby."