Railroad Earth barrels cathartically over Crown Room audience

Railroad Earth performs at Crystal Bay Casino. Photos: Larry Sabo

January 2025

Railroad Earth returned to rock Crystal Bay Casino’s Crown Room on Wednesday, January 22nd for a very excited crowd waiting to party!

Railroad Earth is a quintessential locals’ favorite bluegrass jam band that often travel through the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe areas. For many years in the past, they’ve headlined music festivals, including the Hangtown Music Festival in Placerville and WinterWonderGrass. Railroad Earth fans are a very dedicated bunch with the band having spent years building up an excitedly loving following! Some of their fans follow them around the country to experience the band’s unscripted and unique set at each show.

Their wonderful music is might be summed up as classical jammin bluegrass that contains lots of emotion, with an endearing ability to bring a smile to your face and keep you dancing all night! This is a very talented, band of seven musicians which includes a banjo, violin, steel guitar, three mandolins, four keyboards, both a stand up and electric bass, and a drum kit. All of these instruments together with Todd Sheaffer’s voice, one that at times brings to mind a vocal sound similar to Bob Dylan, created a magical evening for the packed room.

They opened up their first set with an original tune, “Long Way To Go,” which immediately set the room into motion! It was a great tune with excellent banjo and mandolin solos! They followed up with a jam around an oldies song from The Byrds, 1966’s “Eight Miles High.”

Their second set started off with a high energy tune, alternating between deft guitar, tenor mandolin, violin, and keyboard solos, lending a particularly fun air to the evening. Their talent really was showcased with this tune and throughout the night and was mesmerizing to experience.

As Railroad Earth left the stage at the end of the evening, a feeling of joy cast over the audience as they had spent the evening sharing something special with friends new and old. Goodnight Railroad Earth, thank you for returning to visit Crystal Bay Casino’s Crown Room.

Railroad Earth fills the Crown Room at Crystal Bay.
Todd Sheaffer fronting Railroad Earth
Like a well oiled locomotive
Tim Carbone, violinist for Railroad Earth
Mike Robinson alternates between guitar and pedal steel duties
Dave Speranza playing stand up bass
The room aglow
John Skehan performing with Railroad Earth

View Larry Sabo’s full gallery of photos from Railroad Earth at the Crystal Bay Casino.

More on Railroad Earth:

ABOUT Marcia Schultz

Picture of Marcia Schultz
Marcia Schultz is a longtime Tahoe resident who has followed the music scene for many years. She has enjoyed different music genres from the West Coast to Nashville. She has been working with Tahoe Onstage since 2019.

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