Photos and Review by Ellen Eldridge
Eddie’s Attic, quietly nestled into the heart of Decatur, perfectly suited Cumberland Collective’s set. If fans enjoy an intimate environment with tasty food and drinks among friends, one would be hard pressed to find a better band to get intimate with. Eddie’s Attic feels like a coffee shop with liquor, and comfortably fills the air with music in a smoke-free environment. Even the outdoor patio remains smoke free so those who choose to dine before the show began felt the moist cool air wave by.
The band took the stage a few minutes after 8 p.m. and laughed off a false start as the announcement to turn off cell phones came after introducing the band. That intimate feeling surged through the audience as Nashville’s Cumberland Collective with the opening lyrics in “Lost In You.” The atmosphere seemed to open up and drink in the country soul with artful vocal harmonies and accompanied by saxophone, fiddle and mandolin. At times, listeners could hear The Band and at other times Tom Petty, but the most magnetic attraction came from the charisma and confidence of these friends on stage. The band even took turns singing in a round what drinks they’d like brought to the stage–“On Connor’s tab.”
The Cumberland Collective describes itself as a community and regular guest artists appear alongside the permanent band. The first time the saxophone player unleashed his talent, the rest of the band joked that they should have waited to showcase the sax. The guys joked as they asked the saxophone player to play “like a butterfly” and soothing sounds emanated. Then, they asked for “like a mad butterfly” and the sax notes flew frenzied.
Dynamically, the Cumberland Collective cruised in and out of a variety of love songs, but the personality and camaraderie made each instance of a song like “Who Left Who” feel light-hearted because so many friends surrounded. Other songs included “Earned the Right” and “The Small Stuff” and those who haven’t seen Cumberland Collective live (on via Internet as the band joked several times about the show being streamed live—even changing lyrics to call attention to it) should make a point to check them out as soon as possible.
Full Gallery After the Jump!
