Split Lip Rayfield and Kris Lager Band | Photo Essay

by Shannon Claire

Split Lip Rayfield, a dynamic bluegrass trio from Witchita, Kan, played to a large grass-loving crowd Friday, Feb. 23, at the Bourbon Theatre. The Kris Lager Band opened with an hour-plus set as a great way to start the night and get the folks jived up.

Kris Lager Band (Omaha) are almost always on tour. They play to a "get down" kind of crowd, and if there isn't a crowd in the beginning, they know how to rally them. The main floor of the theater was a little sparse early in their set, but by a quarter of the way through, you had the onlookers and "Lager Heads" twirling and shimmying away.

By the time Split Lip took the stage, the main room was packed with people from all ages and all styles. You get a homemade gas tank tub, a mandolin and a banjo in front of me, and you'd better believe I'm going to make my way right up front. I was glad to be wearing my boots that night because before I knew I was foot stompin' to every song.

Jeff Eaton is probably one of the meanest bass players I have come across yet. I thought I was caught staring at Lager drummer John Fairchild earlier. With Eaton, I didn't care if someone caught me. Eric Mardis (banjo) and Wayne Gottstine (mandolin) add just the right amount of beauty and sass to accompany Eaton's beat-down bass. I would love to see these guys at The Zoo Bar. It'd be one hell of a time.

Check out the photos from the night below: