When they officially joined as a duo 20 years ago, Chris and Oliver Wood were packing small rooms. But most folks who turned out for those early shows had been lured by the music the brothers had made separately: Chris, as the bassist for the successful jazz fusion trio Medeski, Martin & Wood; Oliver, as the lead singer and guitarist of the southern blues rock outfit King Johnson.
Now respected far and wide for what they do together, the talented sibling songwriters have established themselves as one of the nation’s most endearing and delightful roots rock bands, and appearances at a long list of festivals and tours all over the map have made them a household name and a welcome companion for any listener.
These days, the Wood Brothers are playing far bigger venues than likely ever anticipated, and on Nov. 16, they filled the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda for what was a jubilant Saturday night set featuring songs from almost all the band’s nine studio albums.
Listen to the Wood Brothers’ latest studio album, Heart is the Hero, via Spotify:
The Nov. 16 shindig showcased a couple of select tracks from the brothers’ latest release, Heart is the Hero, along with early tunes that have gradually become favorites over the past two decades, including a handful of hits from the Wood Brothers’ lasting premiere, Ways Not To Lose.
Along their journey, Chris and Oliver added multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix, who drums, plays a variety of other gadgets and has helped enhance the live sound and presentation, especially on extravagant stages like Strathmore’s.
With their downhome vibe and playful sense of humor, the Wood Brothers charmed the Music Center, bringing even the most senior ticketholders to their feet as the audience heeded Oliver’s advice to let loose, get up, and boogie.
“We got some people dancing up there, some shaking over there,” he pointed to the venue’s grand and upper tiers. “It’s ok. It’s a Saturday night … I think.”
Revisit the Wood Brothers’ 2006 premiere album, Ways Not To Lose, via Spotify:
Setlist
Between the Beats
Tried and Tempted
Little Bit Broken
Chocolate on My Tongue
One Drop of Truth
Little Bit Sweet
Happiness Jones
Heartbreak Lullaby
Keep Me Around
Lovin’ Arms
Alabaster
Atlas
Pilgrim
The Muse
Rock Island Line (Lonnie Donegan), with Lindsay Lou
Postcards From Hell
Honey Jar
Ophelia (The Band)
Encore
Luckiest Man
One More Day
Below are home-rolled/processed/scanned 35mm film photographs of The Wood Brothers along with the night’s opening act, Lindsay Lou, performing at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda on Nov. 16, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
The Wood Brothers
Lindsay Lou
