#tim carbone

Song Review: Holly Bowling, Mike Robinson and Tim Carbone - “Brokedown Palace” (Live)

One needn’t know Robert Hunter’s words to hear the melancholy in Jerry Garcia’s melody on “Brokedown Palace.”

Especially when Holly Bowling, Mike Robinson and Tim Carbone are playing it.

The pianist Bowling brought pedal steeler Robinson and Railroad Earth violinist Carbone on stage to play the Grateful Dead’s sweet song of woe and gratitude with her. And the result is almost too good to believe.

A masterful interpreter of Dead songs for solo classical piano, Bowling outdid herself in painting this seven-minute, instrumental masterpiece. Slowed to a trickle of sound, the song unfolds gently as Bowling sticks to the vocals’ cadence while Robinson picks out gentle tears on steel against Carbone’s mournful violin; there’s no fiddling here.

Folks who do know the words can hum them silently in their minds. Folks who do not can marvel at Garcia’s ability to write such a piece of music. And we can all be grateful for musicians like Bowling, Robinson and Carbone for carrying the torch and playing sweet songs to rock our souls.

Grade card: Holly Bowling, Mike Robinson and Tim Carbone - “Brokedown Palace” (Live) - A+

Photo Gallery: Railroad Earth with Matt Anderson at Water Street Music Hall – June 5th

photos by Jeremy Chiarelli

Additionally, the band dished out some cool covers — I’m particularly looking forward to re-hearing “Walls of Time” and “The Wheel”. There were more than a few flashes of virtuosic brilliance exhibited throughout the show and it’ll be a treat to relive this night once the recordings surface.

Check out the setlist and gallery below.

Railroad Earth New Year’s Eve 2014 @ Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA || Photo © Wesley Hodges

Set 1: Monkey Saddle of the Sun Happy Chains The Forecast Long Walk Home Any Road Dance Around Molly Dandelion Wine Lovin You Cuckoo Donkey For Sale Everything Comes Together

Set 2: Walls of Time Drag him Down Countdown to midnight Midnight Special Jiggy Buddha Give That Boy a Hand #12 Warhead Boogie Black Bear H Ape Stillwater Getaway The Wheel

Encore: El Cumbanchero

A special thanks to Tim Carbone and the Railroad Earth team for allowing me the special opportunity to photograph the band from on-stage around midnight, what a memory!