Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn

Clawhammer banjo. I don’t know about you, but I had to look up what this was, as it was the description of Abigail Washburn’s technique when playing the banjo. Apparently, it is just the opposite of the traditional style banjo technique, making your hand seem like a claw instead of just a normal. This intrigued me more, and made me want to see a live show by the Illinois born folk musician. Watching her live set is truly a unique experience. Accompanying her are a guitarist, drummer, standing bass player, and a violinist, while she is front and center. It is very down home, folk/southern music that just makes you feel good inside, no matter what your emotion is prior to watching the live set. It’s a guaranteed good time. Watching Abigail’s technique is not quite as garish as I had imagined, and while I understand the concept of the name “claw” it looks quite the opposite. Her hands move so smoothly, and picks strings so quickly that you can’t even see her fingers move, making playing the banjo seem so easy. Her vocals were also a pleasant surprise. They were soft and warm, homely, just so befitting to the music that she plays.