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Barnes is probably best known as the banjo-playing frontman of the Bad Livers, who barnstormed the country during the ’90s proselytizing a sometimes-punky, always-cockeyed blend of bluegrass and other indigenous American forms. Their lively shows and unquenchably dry irreverence earned them a sturdy grassroots following, but they disbanded in 2000 on the brink of the Americana outbreak. Barnes has remained busy and eclectic—scoring Richard Linklater films, recording an opera with avant-jazz composer Wayne Horvitz, collaborating with Bill Frisell and recording a handful of solo discs. While many of the releases explore similar off-beat bluegrass territory—like the humorous what’s-yours-is-mine ethos of “Junkie Math” or his “Sympathy for the Devil” cover—the most recent disc, Barnyard Electronics, refashions Americana with the help of loops, fulfilling his self-described dharma to “bring American roots forms into contemporary expression.” He’s a wonderfully creative artist/performer who doesn’t take himself too seriously.
Wed., May 20, 9 p.m., 2009
Wed., May 20, 9 p.m., 2009
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