Grain Thief

Formed in 2015, Grain Thief is an innovative 5-piece string band from Boston, MA. Their debut EP, Animal, showcased the band’s roots in folk, bluegrass, and old time music. They spent their formative years playing shows and residencies around New England before recording their first full-length release, Stardust Lodge, in 2018. In August 2020, the band released Gasoline, recorded mostly live-in-the-studio, demonstrating the band’s return to their true sound as a roots string band. “Old time music has always been a part of our live repertoire since we started the band” says Grain Thief’s Patrick Mulroy. There’s something about a record cut by a bunch of folks that have put as many miles on the fretboards of their instruments as they’ve put on their van’s odometer.

Grain Thief knows there’s no room to fake it when it’s just the band, acoustic instruments, and a microphone. “Our goal is to record everything as we would play it live, with as few overdubs as possible” Harmon says. “We recorded everything ourselves and worked up each tune differently, swapping instruments and recording around one microphone.” Americana UK adds: “Grain Thief are pushing bluegrass as a genre, looking forward and exploring new ways and new sounds … a modern-take on a well-worn style that proves there is still much to be discovered in bluegrass and string-band music.” In 2021 the band released an album of fiddle music, Something Sour, Something Sweet, recorded during the lockdown. This project is a return to their foundational influences. Whatever the bands come up with next, there’s little doubt it will find a place of honor in the ever-evolving canon of American music.

Stream this show live at Caffè Lena TV. Enjoy one week of access with your live stream ticket.