Yonder Mountain String Band

Like the similar-minded jamgrass acts Railroad Earth and Leftover Salmon, this quartet from over yonder (Nederland, Colorado, near Denver) shoots for the mythical sound of Bill Monroe fronting the Grateful Dead, though their music is clearly more in tune with the former. YMSB was formed by Illinois college buddies Dave Johnston (banjo) and Jeff Austin (mandolin), who then recruited Ben Kaufmann (bass) and Adam Aijala (guitar) once they relocated to the Rockies, in 1998. To date, the band has released four live volumes in its Mountain Tracks series, matching its four studio discs, and Saturday's no-opener, "An Evening With..." format most likely means even longer jams from its own catalog, as well as a smattering of Relix-approved covers. The group's most recent studio effort, 2006's Yonder Mountain String Band, ­gently adds drums and electric guitar to the mix, perhaps signaling a new direction for these mountain men.