Mason Porter
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | SELF
Music
Press
“Mason Porter is capable of ramping up from a delicate three-part harmony to an all-out hand-clappin’ jam, to take the energy in the room from a whisper to a roar within seconds. This is the allure of Mason Porter that can only be experienced when you witness their show firsthand.” - Kevin Stanton, Ticket Entertainment
“Women, booze, drunks and hobos populate most of this West Chester quartet’s songs; so does mandolin, dobro guitar and upright bass, with which Mason Porter makes a rousing racket like a folk–bluegrass Replacements, offering humor and accomplished playing in equal measures.”
- Michael Alan Goldberg, Philadelphia Weekly
“The music of Mason Porter could be best described as alternative bluegrass, and while the instrumentation is acoustic, their music borrows from genres such as acid rock, jazz, and punk. In this debut recording, the eclectic trio show musical prowess that is difficult to overlook.”
- Les McIntyre, Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine
Mason Porter's six-track sampler CD is a great collection of folk and bluegrass songs, and definitely worth listening to before catching the band's show this Saturday at Steel City at 8 p.m.
While I'm not usually into bluegrass, Mason Porter's songs are incredibly catchy and affecting at the same time. I would have assumed they came straight out of Kentucky, and not from right here in West Chester, judging by their style and voices.
Still, every track, including my personal favorites "Ruby" and "Cold Rain," all contain great harmony from the band's four members, and not only tell great stories but are easy to sing along to as well.
I was surprised, pleasantly so, as I never really gave bluegrass a chance. But above anything else, Mason Porter is just plain fun. - PhoenixvilleNews.com
Discography
Mason Porter EP - 2008
Mason Porter 7in - 2009
Mason Porter Thunder In The Valley - 2009
Mason Porter Story Of The Rifle - 2010
Photos
Bio
From a whisper to a roar Mason Porter will take you by surprise. Combining lush harmonies with hand clapping sing-alongs and the unfiltered emotion of a hungry young rock band, Mason Porter is a force that evokes the spirits of each and every person whose life they touch. Blending folk, rock, blues and bluegrass with creative songwriting and constant experimentation; Mason Porter is a group of musicians working together to push the limits of American music. This is clearly evident in Story Of The Rifle (2010) and Thunder In The Valley (2009).
Since the release of their self-titled EP (2008) the band has steadily made a name for themselves and have spent the last year and a half playing clubs and festivals from VT to TN. They have shared the stage with many nationally recognized acts including Peter Rowan, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, The Hackensaw Boys, Enter the Haggis, Carrie Rodriguez, and Caravan of Thieves.
Their recent performance at the 2010 Philadelphia Folk Festival, (with headliners Jeff Tweedy and Taj Mahal) was testament to their hard work and was followed with great reviews. The band I was most impressed with, was Mason Porter says Dennis Bakay of Philly2Philly.com. And Helen Leicht of WXPN says They really rallied everyone at the Folk Fest around with their old timey folk feel but with a real indie spirit,.
The band came to together through late night jam sessions in West Chester, PA. Through this process the core of the band was born in late 2006 with Tim Celfo on upright bass, Joe DAmico on mandolin, and Paul Wilkinson on guitar. Since the band has grown to include Pat Hughes (drums) and Brad Hinton (Dobro); and if your catch the right show, Bob Beach (harmonica).
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