Photos and Review by: Jason Robey
January 30, 2025: Hot on the heels of the release of their first full-length studio album Girl Dinner, just last week, Colorado bluegrass quartet Big Richard made an early tour stop at the Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte. The intimate show started with a 45-minute set by alternative-folk group The Wild Shoats. The quartet’s music focused on storytelling, painting a mental picture of their life traveling between the small West Virginia and Pennsylvania towns where the members live. The centerpiece of their performance was their first single, “Moonshining,” released just a week prior to the show.
Big Richard took the stage in style, as their usual. Wearing various types of gowns and dresses, the four women, who each have a male alter-ego on stage, wasted no time showing the audience what they had to offer this evening. Over the course of nearly two hours, the group played nearly every song from Girl Dinner, as well as a handful of covers.
Their set brilliantly weaved haunting original tunes like “It’s Gonna Fall” and “The Devil’s Outside” with their take on traditional favorites such as “Cold Rain and Snow” and “Dreadful Wind and Rain.” It’s easy to see how much the members of the group have on stage, as they joke around with each other between songs, and interact with the audience, adding to the experience of their live show. As they got into the home stretch for the evening, Big Richard brought the members of The Wild Shoats back to the stage for a two-song punch of Patti Page’s “Tennessee Waltz” and the classic Appalachian fiddle tune “Cluck Old Hen.”
Big Richard closed out their set with a beautiful cover of Pink Floyd’s “Time,” before briefly leaving the stage. When they returned for their encore, they surprised the audience by standing in the middle of the floor and having the crowd gather around them. Check Big Richard’s social media for upcoming tour dates and find Girl Dinner on vinyl, CD, and the usual streaming platforms.
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