The Brothers Comatose - 5/13/26 - Fresno, CA - Fulton 55

Brothers Comatose is a bluegrass (or as they would say, golden grass, which is an allusion to all the string bands that have come out of the Golden State recently) band from the Bay Area, and according to them this was the first time they’d been in Fresno for 12 years. Guitarist is main vocalist with mandolin, bass, and banjo providing backing vocals. In typical bluegrass (golden grass) fashion, they harmonize extremely well. 

As far as instruments go, they had the full string band lineup. From left to right they were a mandolin, stand up bass, guitar, banjo, and fiddle. The bass, guitar, and banjo provided the rhythm for the songs, giving the mandolin and fiddle the foundation to fly above everything else, which they did effortlessly. The numerous solos from the mandolin and fiddle, tossing the melody to each other, catching it, building on it, and then tossing it back across the stage, were the highlights of the show. They delivered the kind of technical warp speed musicianship that you go to a golden grass (bluegrass) show for. 

I have no reason to say this, because I don’t know many of the bluegrass standards, but I get the feeling that they’re playing a lot of covers. Maybe I was a little influenced in this line of thinking by a song called Blue Mountain off their newest album (album title: Golden Grass) that has the same melody as Sunny Side of the Street by The Pogues. Major cool points awarded to Brothers Comatose for this.