Photos by Mark Raker and Dan Rozman
Railroad Earth closed out their four-night New Year’s run at The Lincoln Theatre in Washington, DC, on January 3rd, putting on the kind of show that reinforced why they’ve built such a loyal following over 25 years. For a lot of folks in the crowd, it was their first chance to catch George Guthrie and Andrew Ryan playing with the group, and the chemistry was there from the first song.
The Lincoln Theatre has been Washington’s U Street landmark since 1922, originally built as a movie house that became the cultural heart of what locals called “Black Broadway.” Immortalized by poet Langston Hughes, the venue has hosted everyone from Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday to modern acts across all genres. It underwent a major restoration in the 1990s, and it has been run by I.M.P. since 2013. Sound engineer, Joel Rose made the historic venue sound like a concert hall, with the perfect balance allowing the fans to soak up every note.
Todd Sheaffer led the charge on vocals and acoustic guitar, Tim Carbone moved between soaring violin lines and electric guitar, John Skehan covered mandolin and piano, Carey Harmon drove the rhythm and added his trademark flourishes on drums, and Matt Slocum filled out the sound on keys. Guthrie added crisp banjo and guitar to the mix, while Ryan locked in the low end on bass. The band has been saying the vibe is getting into its groove with the new guys, and you could hear it.
They kicked things off with “Saddle Of The Sun” and kept the momentum going straight into “Happy Song.” “Chasin’ A Rainbow” ran over nine minutes and let the band stretch out. “The Hunting Song” went even longer at almost thirteen minutes, with Guthrie’s banjo work fitting right in with what Railroad Earth does.
Check out the gallery of photos from this night by Mark Raker here.
Alex Anderson put together some really cool visuals for this tour. Long time fan Allan Ronquillo wrote on the Railroad Earth Hobos Facebook page that the New Year’s run felt like a “Sphere-like experience” with all the moving backdrops. It added something extra without taking away from the music.
“Old Man And The Land”, and “Grandfather Mountain” kept people moving. The hobos (that’s what Railroad Earth fans call themselves) were singing every word to “Donkey For Sale.” Then the band launched into “Head” for seventeen minutes, and that’s when things really got cooking.
They came back with “Mourning Flies” and rolled through “It’s So Good” and “Dandelion Wine.” “Farewell To Isinglass” sounded tight, and “Captain Nowhere” went for twelve minutes of solid jamming.
“Elko” closed out the main set, and the crowd was ready. When Sheaffer sang “All alone, all alone, been so long on this dusty road, oh mama, I need a place to land. Need a card, I need a card, hit me lord, not too hard, oh mama, I need a winning hand,” playing cards went flying through the air and onto the stage. It’s a tradition at Railroad Earth shows, and the hobos at The Lincoln didn’t disappoint.
The encore was “Keep Your Eyes Open,” which is from a new album they’re working on. It’s cool to hear a band this far into their career still writing and still excited about where they’re going.
The crowd was into it all night. People were dancing, singing along, and just soaking it in. The show transformed DC into Hobo Heaven for the night.
Recorded by Alex Leary
The 25th anniversary tour rolls on with shows in Asbury Park on January 14th, then New York, Hartford, Ardmore, and Fairfield through the 18th. February hits the South: Atlanta, Charleston, Jacksonville, Birmingham, Pensacola, Raleigh, Charlotte, Asheville, and Pelham. March goes Midwest with Omaha, Des Moines, Stoughton, Chicago, Minneapolis, Little Rock, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Lexington, and Cleveland. April and May finish things off in Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York. The band said it best: “2026 is going to be a good one, we can feel it.” After watching them at The Lincoln, it’s hard to argue with that.
Check out the gallery of photos from this night by Mark Raker here.
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