One of the saddest shows of the week was the last one ever from Victoria bluegrass/country/folk trio the Gruff on April 14 at the Slice
 The girls — Phaedra Kemp, Terri Upton and Jenny Ritter were personable, cute and monstrously talented as always, sounding  a little like the Dixie Chicks if they’d stayed a bluegrass band. Chris Herbst added some beautiful dobro.

They had beautifully spine tingling vocal harmonies, great melodies and folksy songs. They told stories and opened their  second set with a country version of Enter Sandman.
Winnipeg country band the Crooked Brothers opened with a  strong set of laid back original country rock music. The trio switched between a variety of instruments including banjo, dobro and mandolin and joined the Gruff on stage for a last song to add some harmony vocals.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat editor

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