The Varnish Cooks do not let dust settle on old-time music. They are committed to the passion, improvisation, and mystery at the heart of the old-time tradition. The music is not pure; it is stained with clay and the blood of peoples, and stubbornly holds onto an integrity that could only grow from the celebrated and dark American story.

In this post-modern age, media distracts us incessantly with fleeting information and entertainment. The Varnish Cooks yearn with their audience for transcendent simplicity. They retell the ancient songs without altering them, joining their voices with the musical ancestry that has passed down the music for hundreds of years. All music emerges from the vernacular, and a return to our roots is a crucial response to the fractured escapism of our day. Although the context for old-time music has changed, its relevance to the longing and joy of the heart has not.

Thank you to all who came out to last nights show, brought to you in part by the key of A major. In case you were curious, here is the set list for our second set with the full band lineup:
Cluck Old Hen
Honeybabe
Rovin' Gambler
John Henry
Shady Grove
Texas Bells
Sow 'Em on the Mountain
Salt Creek
Elzic's Farewell
Policeman
Darling Corey
Georgia Railroad
In the Pines

The Varnish Cooks just added a bassist Ryan Griffith to the line-up. Here are some photos from Ryan's first gig with band, the Golden Link Showcase (sans Aaron, who was galavanting about North Carolina, and forgive Golden Link for their misspelling of the band name).