Collegiate Times

When The Waybacks take the stage, unpredictability rules. The band, which has become known for its “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to crowd pleasing will bring their acoustic mayhem to Blacksburg for a show at the Lyric.

Per band tradition, the performance will be uniquely crafted for the Blacksburg crowd.

“We always write a set list that reflects what we’re feeling about a particular day or what the audience is likely to be,” said bassist Joe Kyle Jr. “We really tailor each performance to the immediate surroundings.”

The Waybacks’ live performances are a throwback to a different era. Much like the Grateful Dead, an oft-cited influence, the band jumps from genre to genre to satisfy its experimental urges and keep the audience on its toes.

Warren Hood, lead fiddle and co-songwriter, is the newest addition to the group and enjoys the populist approach to concerts.

“We’re more concerned about showing the audience a good time than impressing them,” he said. “We’d rather them be dancing in the aisles then sitting back and going ‘ooh ah.’” 

Describing the band’s dynamic live shows, however, turns out to be a much simpler task than describing the band itself.

When asked to label the band’s sound, lead guitarist and co-songwriter James Nash admits they, too, struggle with the task.

“We have trouble with that,” Nash said. “Nowadays the copout answer is Americana ... because it’s possibly the broadest musical category out there.”

Nash prefers the more specific description of an “eclectic mess” of bluegrass, rock, jam and swing with jazz sensibilities.

With the exception of the relatively straightforward debut “Devolver,” genre hopping has been a fixture of The Waybacks since Nash co-founded the band in 1999.

And he can’t imagine making music another way.

“If the band sounds too similar song to song, you know after 20 to 30 minutes, no matter how good they are you’re like, ‘Ah yeah, this is great, but I kind of feel like hearing something else now,’” said Nash. “Bands that really have some diversity and real span in their music ... that always tends to interest me a little more.”

Nash described the first half of the decade as a period of gradual evolution in The Waybacks’ musical skill. The band received critical acclaim for its subsequent two albums, including praise from the Washington Post.

Following the departure of two founding members, a new lineup consisting of Hood and Nash, in addition to Kyle, who joined the band before the first national tour in 2001, and drummer Chuck Hamilton. In 2006, Hood began working on the band’s first album of fully original material.

With Nash and Hood, two accomplished songwriters at the helm, “Loaded” features more lyrical tracks than any previous album. Hood insisted the group’s styles mesh well despite their different musical experiences.

“It comes together because we are familiar with each other’s genres and backgrounds that we come from,” he said. “If I want to call a jazz swing tune, James can swing and if he wants to call a rock tune, I can play rock fiddle.”

The Waybacks have maintained a steady touring schedule since the release of “Loaded” in 2008. Plans for the summer include the group’s third annual Hillside Album Hour at Merlefest in Wilkesboro, N.C. — a special event where the band will play a mystery classic rock album in its entirety.

Nash confessed to tunnel vision regarding plans beyond that; he said the group hopes to take time off at the end of the busy touring season to relax and discuss a possible return to the studio.

For now, The Waybacks are looking forward to its visit to Blacksburg. Kyle said the southeast of the U.S. is the band’s biggest market — he attributes the success to the region’s musical passion.

“People seem to care a lot about music and live performances in that part of the country,” he said. “They are rabid music fans, and it seems to be a priority in their lives to go out and see live music, and we love that.”

A version of this article appeared in the Apr 23 issue of the Collegiate Times.