Hartford roots outfit Wise Old Moon will appeal to fans of Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers. Going back further, one might hear connections to the Wallflowers or the Band. This is acoustic-minded rock music, with vocal harmonies, pedal steel, maybe even a yodel. Listen close and you’ll hear bits of Dixieland and gypsy jazz as well.
Rather than staying focused on music of the agrarian South, Wise Old Moon has adapted its roots sound to the industrial towns and cities, former manufacturing hubs whose glory days may have been in the 19th century, where they’re at home.
“I grew up in the heart of a shining city, I hadn’t seen the stars in my whole life,”goes the opening lines on “Skyscrapers,” a song that reverses the well-worn song pattern of a country boy having gone to the metropolis and looking back on his rural roots. The band is nobly committed to cultivating a fruitful network of bands, venues and listeners in Hartford. They have a winning hometown pride.
Wise Old Moon plays on its turf at The Arch Street Tavern, Arch St., Hartford, on Saturday, Dec. 30, at 10 p.m. Tickets are $7 to $10. 860-246-7610 or archstreettavern.com.
