Formed in Portland, Ore., in 2008, the eclectic Americana unit Fruition made its Mountain Stage debut back in February at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, W.Va.
Host Larry Groce noted that while the band is typically categorized as "roots rock or Americana, you hear a lot of different flavors in their music. Great harmonies, too."
Bearing the most recent fruit of its labors, Fruition shared five songs freshly picked from the band's latest full length recording, Broken At The Break Of Day. The road-tested trio of lead vocalists and instrumentalists Jay Cobb Anderson, Mimi Naja and Kellen Asebroek blend harmoniously to make what Asebroek joked with the audience is "happy-sounding songs that are really depressing."
Flavored with a piano, guitar and mandolin breakdown, "Where Can I Turn," offered a cool slice of blue-eyed soul with lyrics that gnawed at the bone of finding connection and our place in this world.
After an introspective ballad by Naja called "Counting The Days," drummer Tyler Thompson and bassist Jeff Leonard expertly shifted gears and laid forth a hypnotic traveling beat to "Dawn," a song joyfully filled with playful lead vocal changes and hand claps — showing a spirited audience why Fruition has become a favorite at festivals like Telluride Bluegrass, Bonnaroo, and DelFest.
Giving a nod to their busking roots, the members of the band laid their electric instruments and burdens down to quietly scatter stardust across the stage on "At The End Of The Day." True to the studio cut of this beautiful song, Thompson and Leonard stepped away from their respective drums and bass and took up brooms, swirling them percussively as Fruition's trio of vocalists melded together in an offering of comfort to a thankful audience.
In the wake of canceled tour dates, Fruition is holding its own "Fruition Drive" for fans to make contributions to its cause, with the promise of a special "thank you" from the band.
Set List:
Musicians:
Jay Cobb Anderson: guitar, vocals; Mimi Naja: guitar, mandolin and vocals; Kellen Asebroek: piano, vocals; Tyler Thompson: drums, broom; Jeff Leonard: bass, broom.
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