As part of the Ole Miss Alumni Association’s ongoing Football Friday Concert Series, Mayhem String Band will perform a free show at The Inn at Ole Miss on Friday, October 9. The show will take place from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. in the Stark Family Garden at the Inn. Drinks and hors d’ oeuvres will be available. In the event of inclement weather, the performance will take place in the lobby of The Inn.
The Oxford quartet is fresh off of a tour of the Western U.S. on the heels of the release of their sophomore album, Land Pirates. Produced by Jimbo Mathus, Land Pirates finds the band building on the success of their debut Rapscallions and Ne’er Do Wells by including guest fiddler Ferd Moyse of the Hackensaw Boys and ratcheting up the raw intensity they built their name on.
Characterized by their high-energy performances, outrageous stage antics and sometimes whimsical songwriting, Mayhem String Band has become a crowd favorite in Oxford and throughout the Southeast since their formation in 2005.
Centered on traditional bluegrass instrumentation that includes acoustic guitar, bass, mandolin and banjo, the Mayhem sound has expanded to include Cajun two-steps, Irish jigs and country blues influences. Their sonic toolbox has expanded too as the band often utilizes accordion, harmonica and even a leaf blower in their performances.
Bluegrass Now said of the band, “ The Mayhem String Band is living the life… playing music for the sheer unabashed enjoyment of it, and watching their brand of music weave its magic.”
The Mayhem String Band consists of: Chris Steiner (BBA 02): guitar, vocals; Ben Johnson (BBA 02): bass, vocals, leaf blower; J.T. Lack (JD 07) : banjo, vocals and Kevin Larkin: mandolin, accordion, harmonica and vocals.