Hot Rize 40th Anniversary

Renowned bluegrass band Hot Rize is bringing its 40th anniversary celebration to Raleigh, with a special opening set by Andrew Marlin (of Mandolin Orange) and Eli West!

In January 2018, Hot Rize hosted a three-night stand in their long-time home base in Colorado, at the Boulder Theater, featuring some of their favorite cohorts and collaborators. As one of the most respected and influential bands in bluegrass music, this brilliantly talented  foursome – Pete Wernick (banjo), Tim O’Brien (mandolin, fiddle), Bryan Sutton (guitar), and Nick Forster (bass) – captured an incredible weekend of music. Having selected the best of those unforgettable performances, the venerable quartet curated one super-charged, 19-song set for this historic release: Hot Rize 40th Anniversary Bash.

Tracing a line from the band’s 1978 self-titled debut to their most recent release, When I’m Free, this collection of classics, fan favorites, and latest hits touches on every significant entry on the Hot Rize timeline: From their signature nod to Bill Monroe with “Blue Night” and their ’80s chart-topper “Just Like You,” through the iconic song-of-the-year “Colleen Malone” from their IBMA Entertainer of the Year run in 1990, up to several tracks from their latest record, including “Western Skies.”

The opening set is a very special collaboration between Marlin and West, who is in all the way from Seattle. The two will come together to play a mixture of traditional instrumentals and “singin’ tunes.” The pair have gotten to know each other as both have crossed the country with their respective projects, and this show is a very rare opportunity to see the two players together in Marlin’s home state.

Many of you are already familiar with Marlin from his involvement with Chapel Hill, NC duo Mandolin Orange. As the songwriter for the band, Marlin has become known as a gifted lyricist, producing powerful yet subtle, thoughtfully crafted songs. With Mandolin Orange, Marlin has toured the world, gracing famous stages including the Ryman Auditorium, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and Newport Folk Festival, to name just a few. West is a Seattle-based acoustic musician. Known for his solo work and collaborations with Norwegian fiddler Olav Mjelva, Cahalen Morrison, and more, the singer and multi-instrumentalist oozes understated talent.