Down in the holler: Fireside Collective releases latest album
Fireside Collective will play Asheville Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
File photo
Since its inception in 2014, Asheville-based Fireside Collective has evolved from a ragtag bluegrass act into one of the rising stars in the jam-grass and greater psychedelic music scene in Southern Appalachia and beyond.
Case in point; the band’s latest album, “The Seven,” leans harder toward the roots-rock realm, all while keeping its core tone anchored in the acoustic majesty of Americana music —the melodic bridge between the two being the group’s improvisational skillset and keen attention to sonic exploration.
Founded by Jesse Iaquinto (mandolin), Joe Cicero (acoustic guitar), Tommy Maher (dobro) and Carson White (electric bass), Fireside Collective won the band competition at MerleFest in 2016. That led to a nomination from the International Bluegrass Music Association for “Momentum Band of the Year.” In 2022, the group received another IBMA nod for “New Artist of the Year.” The following year, Michael Tillis (drums) was added.
And with this new, unknown chapter emerging in real time for Fireside Collective, so, too, is the musical platform by which the quintet is launching itself into the national landscape amid the likes of Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass, Molly Tuttle and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country.
Catching up with The Smoky Mountain News while on tour, Iaquinto spoke at-length about the road to the “here and now” for Fireside Collective, what he sees moving forward as the ensemble grows leaps and bounds, and why the live stage will always be the sacred space of possibility and purpose.
Smoky Mountain News: Fireside Collective celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Looking back, what really sticks out about those early years?
Related Items
Lonesome road blues: New album celebrates late Haywood banjo legend
Chatham Rabbits at Cowee School
Highlands Food & Wine Festival
Meade returns to Mountain Layers
Jesse Iaquinto: Moments like standing on the mainstage at Telluride Bluegrass [Festival] competing in the band competition finals, sharing the stage with Jerry Douglas at the first Earl Scruggs Fest and recording at Echo Mountain in Asheville. [And] we’ve had the opportunity to travel to so many beautiful and unique places.
The vibe at the start was very idealistic and full of wild dreams. There was an almost constant state of awe and a feeling of adventure in the early years. It felt like we were on a constant field trip, taking in new experiences and turning those experiences into inspiration and art.
The ethos in the beginning was to bring joy to the world and create memorable musical experiences for listeners and audience members alike. We’ve always wanted to help inspire positive change, and we truly feel that art is one of the best ways to accomplish this.
If anything, we feel that these initial values are more valuable than ever, and we hope to keep bringing smiles to people’s faces, [all while] creating a space where people can dance, congregate and be a part of something bigger than any individual.
SMN: Pushing into this next decade together, what’s the current landscape, either physically or sonically, look like to you? What do you see? What you do hear?
JI: Moving forward, we’re extremely excited about the sonic space that has opened up for us with the addition of drums. We’re already planning to do shows with a horn section, add more visual elements such as lights and build the show into a transcendent experience overall. Our music, while firmly rooted in bluegrass and roots, has taken on elements of rock, EDM and even world music.
We’re excited to let it evolve naturally and involve more collaborations with various artists. We’ve always been a collective with a desire to nurture community and work together with other artists in the broader music scene. We feel extremely honored to have had the experiences we did within the bluegrass world and look forward to taking that soul into new genres and musical territory.
At the core, we want to bring people together and celebrate this sacred experience we call life. So far, our fans and [the] greater Fireside family have reciprocated all of the love that we have put into this project. The thing that keeps us going is the feeling that this project can truly make people’s lives better and bring more joy and positivity into the world.
SMN: The jam-grass scene has exploded in recent years due to the “Billy Strings Effect.” We’re in this wild, surreal time, with the level by which the bands are playing, in venue size and the widening net that’s attracting these large audiences. What is it about jam-grass that’s connecting with so many folks in this exact juncture of time and place?
JI: I personally feel that jam-grass is very similar to the original philosophy and mission of bluegrass in its earliest days. From the start, bluegrass blended many different genres into a new hybrid and truly American art form.
The high level of improvisation and individual musical proficiency had a profound impact on Jerry Garcia and is heavily embedded into the music of the Grateful Dead. Since the Dead gave birth to the jam scene, in many ways bluegrass is the grandfather of the jam world.
I’ve felt for a longtime that bluegrass and jam music are perfectly intertwined, and I feel like Billy Strings tied those worlds together perfectly. It’s been exciting to see it grow and be embraced in such a big way in recent years. When I first discovered Yonder Mountain String Band in college, I had a similar experience. I was hooked right away, and it’s been awesome to watch it evolve and grow in recent years.
For Fireside Collective, this progressive approach and willing ness to blend many genres together is one main reason we felt comfortable bringing in drums to our string band. Everything is built on the progress that came before. We truly stand on the shoulders of giants, and bluegrass to us is the perfect blend of roots music and tradition with progress and innovation.
Want to go?
Renowned Asheville jam-grass act Fireside Collective will host its album release party for its newest record, “The Seven,” with a special two-night performance on Friday, Oct. 31, and Saturday, Nov. 1, at The Orange Peel in Asheville.
The ensemble will be opening for jam-grass group Kitchen Dwellers. Both shows begin at 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Ages 18 and over.
Tickets are $34.10 per evening or $57.11 for a two-day pass. There’s also a Kitchen Dwellers Unplugged VIP experience available for $119.02. Tax is included in all admission prices.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit theorangepeel.net.
