WOODSHED RED: Young, Funky, Untamed, Fond of Improv, and Danceable To Boot

"Upbeat, positive, grassy, and intertwined with funky, untamed improvisation." Oh...and "danceable." Just one reviewer's description, but it captures the essence of a unique band with a memorable name: Woodshed Red.

The young (formed in 2013) quartet is remarkable in another way. They found Americana and Bluegrass the way they found each other: by chance. All grew up playing and listening to other types of music, from punk and indie to classic rock and classical Celtic.

"We don't spend much time modeling our sound after other bands," says guitarist and vocalist Rob Fulton. "We play mostly what feels good on the spot."

Sometimes what feels good on the spot is not what you're likely to hear anywhere else. Such as a mind-bending jam medley of Pink Floyd, The Who, Louis Armstrong, and Gnarls Barkley. What feels good on the spot is a plus for both audiences and critics, watching each show unfold with no set playlist.

As one reviewer puts it: "Inspired by bluegrass, blues, funk and rock, spanning eras of music both old and new, the band members have incorporated their individual styles to create their own unique sound."

And as another reviewer has said, "They deliver high-energy artistic performances."

They write a lot of their own music as well, such as this warning about the perils of white powder called "Roll Up Your Sleeves": "I got a visit from the candyman / He had a present for me / It was some sugar in a big brown bowl / And he said, 'Boy, the first round's for free..." / A long day, no pay, my friend / A man needs his relief / All day I've been slugging away / Just let me end my night in peace / And I said 'Roll up your sleeves, take a load off this man / It's been a long day working in the burning sun / My feet are tired and my back is tan'..."

There's also "Take It from Me," a number about the aftermath of love gone wrong: "You came around that winter / I heard you was asking 'bout me / I thought your damaging agenda was over / But you're still stomping on the debris..."

There's also a kinder and gentler love song called, "The Woman I Love": "I left the upstairs window open through the night / I left the front door open too / Shamelessly hoping that you'd break into my house / Come up to bed and rest your body next to mine / But the woman I love / Loves someone else..."

The group is comprised of guitarist Rob Fulton, fiddler Deirdre McCarthy, upright bass player Craig Haughton, and drummer Skye Lewis. "We all met in the Colorado Springs area," says McCarthy. "It fell together, started small and has been growing steadily ever since. It's hard to say what we would consider our biggest accomplishment, but anytime we can connect with a large group of people and surprise them and ourselves with our music, we feel like we're on the right track."