Never Come Down

Weaving together modern and traditional styles of bluegrass and Americana, Never Come Down is a Portland, Oregon-based five-piece composed of Joe Suskind (guitar), Crystal Lariza (vocals), Brian Alley (banjo), Kaden Hurst (mandolin), and Ben Ticknor (bass). Their dedication to thoughtful songwriting and dynamic arrangements highlight polished technical skills and a commitment to listening to each other. The group crafts spare, moving tunes that are often melancholy. The quintet harmonizes, and they are often so in sync that Hurst’s mandolin and Alley’s banjo sound in perfect lockstep (The Spokesman Review). Sonically, Never Come Down prefers a vintage vibe – which they achieve using instruments of a certain age. “I’m obsessed with guitars, but I never had a new guitar,” Suskind muses. “Old guitars have a story to tell.”

Never Come Down has built a fan-base around their unique blend of musical styles, and has been compared to Watchhouse, Alison Krauss & Union Station, John Prine and Crooked Still. They’ve toured internationally and have found acclaim at festivals and venues such as Iceland Airwaves, John Hartford Memorial Fest, Americanafest, FreshGrass, and Wintergrass, where they were named the 2022 “Spark” Band. With a new album forthcoming, the band might just preview some new songs. “We find playing the songs before we record them to be really helpful. Playing the songs live will tell us what direction to go with them. It’s good to get a reaction from the audience.” Join them in June to see what they’ve got up their sleeves.

Stream this show live at caffelena.tv. Enjoy one week of access with your live stream ticket.