Yonder Mountain String Band kicked off their Winter Tour 2020 and a new era on January 6 at Park City Live in Park City, Utah. Multi-instrumentalist Nick Piccininni has joined the group as a replacement for mandolinist , who departed YMSB at the end of 2019. On Friday, the quintet paid tribute to the late Neil Peart during their show at The Rialto in Bozeman, Montana.

Piccininni plays mandolin, guitar and fiddle in Yonder and is best known for his long tenure in Floodwood. The five-piece have stuck to similar setlists, in terms of songs played, over the start of their tour in an aim to allow Nick to get up to speed. A big change came on Friday, January 10 — the same day the world learned Neil Peart died — as Yonder Mountain String Band worked a tribute to the Rush drummer into their second set in Bozeman.

The band played a portion of Rush’s beloved hit “Tom Sawyer” to introduce the song “New Dusty Miller.” Bassist Ben Kaufmann followed the bluegrass version of “Tom Sawyer” by telling the audience, “He was a modern day warrior. He had a mean mean stride. Do you know anyone like that? Today’s Tom Sawyer … mean mean pride.” Kaufmann then explained fans were witnessing, “A moment of musical honor for Neil Peart, the best drummer ever! Said the band with no drums.”


Park City, Utah — January 6

Set: Sideshow Blues, Chasing My Tail, Another Day, Brown Eyed Women, Winds Of Wyoming, Part 1 > Two Hits And The Joint Turned Brown, Black Truck, Jolene, 40 Years, Left Me In A Hole, White Rabbit, All The Time

Encore: Nowhere Next, Cherokee Shuffle, Idaho


Bozeman, Montana — January 10

Set One: Sideshow Blues, High On A Hilltop, I’m Lost, Jolene, Another Day, 2 Hits And The Joint Turned Brown, Sidewalk Stars

Set Two: Insult And An Elbow, Left Me In A Hole, 40 Years, White Rabbit, Part 1 > Winds Of Wyoming, Annalee, Hill Country Girl, Nowhere Next, Cherokee Shuffle, Neil Peart Tribute > New Dusty Miller > Traffic Jam

Encore: Walk On The Wild Side, Black Truck