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Arts & Entertainment

Red Molly Brings Bluegrass and Soul to Emelin Theatre

The all-female trio wows a sold-out crowd Saturday night.

The Americana string band Red Molly delighted a sold-out audience of 200 at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck Saturday night, its onstage banter and up-tempo bluegrass twang keeping toes 'a tappin.

Entering to enthusiastic applause, the all-female trio quickly proved dark doesn't have to be downbeat.

With a propensity for writing murder ballads, Dobro player Abbie Gardner relented among laughter—and her own infectious smile—that she would someday write a happy song. "Just don't listen to the words," she said, of "Honey on my Grave."

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Though influenced by such greats as Peter Paul & Mary, Billie Holiday, the Bee Gees and Led Zeppelin, Red Molly made a unique impression with their sound on 2008's Love and Other Tragedies, which was listed in the Top 100 Albums for 2008 by the Americana Music Association.

They are also determined to be accessible to all. Usually charging $10 per album, the group allows listeners to "pay what you want," said Carolann Solebello. Of course, with the intent of getting their music out there, Gardner equated the good will a bit to playing the lottery.  "Someone out there must know Oprah," she joked.

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Red Molly sparked into being in 2004 around the campfire at The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. They knew each other from the New York singer/songwriter scene and just started casually playing for the large group of friends they were with.

They started practicing together a few weeks later and released their first CD, Never Been to Vegas in 2006.

Red Molly was joined Saturday night by local musician Fred Gillen and Abbie's keyboard playing father Herb. Easily keeping up, especially on the soulful finale, "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning," Mr. Gardener also did his due diligence as a dad, according to MacAllister. "It's great to have a dad here," she said. "He came up to me and said, 'The bolts on the toilet seat were loose' – so I fixed them.'"

Either way, with no tragedies reported in that regard and more laughter abound, Ms. Gardner encouraged the crowd to waive their lighted cell phones and sing along to the end–even if the lyrics were not familiar. "You can mumble the words," she said.

Filing out, the obvious uplift that pervaded the scene was not the only thing on the rise. "With so much emotional soul, it made my hair stand on end," said Steven Ingalls of Long Island.

The energy also cemented the band's appreciation for the venue. 

It's one of the best places to play in the Northeast, said Laurie MacAllister, guitar player. "It's not too large but big enough to feel real."

For tour dates : http://redmolly.com/

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