JACKSON, Wyo. — What you see is not always what you get, and a casual glance at the stringband instrumentation of Pixie and the Partygrass Boys might conjure a traditional sound. They may have well created their own “partygrass” genre, an apt tag for this Utah-based quintet that brings an infectious energy of folk, pop, hippy grass, post-punk and Broadway. They’ll bring the party to the Knotty Pine this Saturday.
The video below of original song “Home” offers key insight to why this band was voted “Best Local Band/Group” in Salt Lake City’s City Weekly’s Best of Utah poll, stating “this local band earns their namesake over and over again—because they really do bring the party wherever they go.” Similar to other Western stringbands that have gravitated away from the twangy, virtuoso-driven aspect of traditional bluegrass, Pixie and the Partygrass Boys have found strength in the diversity of their songwriting that allows them to have a “damn good time,” as stated on the band’s website.
The group has gradually built a fanbase the old fashioned way—making records and being road warriors. Lyrically, one gets the impression the band has plenty of quirk and doesn’t take themselves too seriously. That collective mentality of hard work plus a party attitude has has paid off, with appearances at High Sierra, Delfest, WinterWonderGrass while releasing three albums and several singles. In the coming months, the trajectory will pair them with Yonder Mountain String Band for a run of shows up and down the west coast. They continue to support the songs from their latest record, Snake Creek (2021), and are reportedly in the studio working towards another.
Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, 10 p.m. Saturday at the Knotty Pine. $13/advance, $15/day of show. KnottyPineSupperClub.com.
