City Dwelling Nature Seekers will offer their sweet, soothing and subtly twangy perspective on bluegrass at 10 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Bullfrog Brewery, 229 W. Fourth St.
The Pittsburgh-based band is comprised of Mike McCormick, vocals and guitar; Lee Hintenlang, vocals and guitar; Matt Booth, bass; Chris Parker, drums; Mike Borowski, electric guitar; Dan Barrett, keyboards; Pete Freeman, pedal steel guitar; and Jim Relja, electric guitar.
According to Williamsport native Borowski, their music is steeped in a deep love for their music's rustic origins. The band's name, therefore, reflects "more a love of Americana - folk music, bluegrass and old country - rather than actual nature," Borowski explained.
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Pittsburgh-based bluegrass band City Dwelling Nature Seekers will perform at 10 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Bullfrog Brewery, 229 W. Fourth St.
Claiming influences that include The Band, Neil Young and Ryan Adams, the Nature Seekers bring bluegrass out of the attic and into the spotlight with their pleasantly poppy tunes.
It all began in a bar near Duquesne University (the alma mater of its members), where the guys developed skills, set lists, friendships and an ever-expanding fan base. With eight players on the roster, one could expect the stage to get crowded, but Borowski assured the Sun-Gazette that there never are too many cooks in the kitchen since the guys perform on a rotating basis.
"It's kind of nice because if we book a gig and one of us can't do it, we can get someone else to easily fill in," he said. "We haven't played on stage with more than six people."
From the mellow country-boy blues of "Will and a Way," to the crisp and cheerful rhythms of "Rainclouds," City Dwelling Nature Seekers capitalize on their own internal chemistry to create beautiful, tightly woven soundscapes.
Borowski said audience members can look forward to experiencing "great musicianship" at any Nature Seekers gig.
"We put a lot of work into these songs, trying to deliver a great product," he said.
It's a sophisticated product, yet one that doesn't take itself too seriously. Like their folk music predecessors, Borowski and his mates view music as the ultimate method of bringing people together - a philosophy that is evident at any Nature Seekers show.
And the guys are not afraid to get down and dirty in the pursuit of an old-fashioned good time. One of Borowski's favorite performing memories took place in a barn - an experience he described as "rowdy, crazy fun."
"Those shows are crazy; people go nuts at those things, just drinking and having a good time. It was definitely one of the highlights," he said. "With any show, you can just tell which people are really liking it - and we've had a lot of great shows like that. It's always a good experience."
He expects nothing less from the band's upcoming performance at the Bullfrog Brewery.
"Just come out and have a good time," he said. "We like to have a good time at our shows and I guess the music kind of reflects that."
In addition to numerous live performances, the band has been building its discography. Last month, the Seekers released their second album, a full-length self-titled LP reminiscent of Ryan Adam's "Heartbreaker," which is available on iTunes.
