The Two Man Gentlemen Band at Deertrees August 24, 2010 8 PM. $20

Three short years ago, The Gentlemen were playing marathon sets for tips in New York City's parks and subways. These days, they traverse the country incessantly, playing hundreds of shows per year for legions of dedicated fans and even catching the attention of big-names like Bob Dylan & Willie Nelson, for whom The Gents opened a handful of shows last summer.

The Gentlemen's memorable, pithy compositions combine the sounds of hot jazz, vintage rhythm & blues, and tin-pan alley with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Andy Bean pounds out intricate, rapid-fire chord changes and melodies on an assortment of antique 4-string guitars and banjos. Bassist Fuller Condon dances around the fingerboard with a punchy, driving style that renders a drummer unnecessary. Their "keen vocal harmonies" (The New Yorker) recall 20s and 30s groups like the Mills Brothers and The Cats & The Fiddle while their lyrics are "so off the beaten path as to be virtually cliche free." (Bluegrass Journal) Few other songwriters so deftly address such a wide range of topics; from the familiar - love, fancy beer, reefer - to the utterly peculiar - William Howard Taft, mathematics, rabbit meat. The Two Man Gentlemen Band's live show - honed by three years of barnstorming from coast to coast - is an absolute must-see. Some reviews: "Terrifically entertaining!" (Mountain Xpress - Asheville, NC) "An unparalleled experiment in controlled chaos!" (Seven Days - Burlington, VT) "This kind of good time is rarely seen anymore!" (Valley Advocate - Northampton, MA). "Romping, outstanding fun!" (About.com)

Consummate entertainers, The Gents match their instrumental prowess with enough charisma to woo even the most skeptical listener. They very simply command your attention. Their improvised banter, with each other and the audience, is as entertaining as the music. And the stomping shout-alongs that pepper their shows whip crowds into a sort of frenzy not typically associated with acoustics duos. Their showmanship and panache transcend whatever niche their musical style suggests. "I don't like much old-fashioned music," The Gentlemen hear often from concertgoers, "but I love you guys!"

The Two Man Gentlemen Band has released four albums on New York City's Serious Business Records. Two more - a live recording and a studio release - will be available in early 2010.

Instrumentation Andy Bean - Vocals, 4-string Guitars & Banjos Fuller Condon - Vocals, Upright Bass