Veritable queen of the clawhammer banjo, Abigail Washburn showcases the modern elegance of a traditional instrument. And though she was up against Alison Krauss and Iron & Wine both performing on other stages during the same time slot, Abigail and her band, The Village pulled an enthusiastic crowd. Opening her ACL set with the hymn, “Bright Morning Stars” before a multitude of tunes from her latest record (“Last Train,” “Dreams of Nectar,” “Running Out of Time”), reflections on Kanye West (she has mixed feelings but they have a lot in common), a jazzy version of “Keys to the Kingdom” and a beautiful Chinese song before ending the hour with the most recent title track, “City of Refuge.”
Photos by Nichole Wagner
