Special Consensus 25th Anniversary Concert, review

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2000

ARTS WATCH ROUNDUP

Special Consensus 25th Anniversary Concert

By David Royko

BLUEGRASS REVIEW: The Old Town School of Folk Music hosted a unique

bluegrass festival Saturday night--nine bands, each named Special

Consensus. To commemorate the group's 25th anniversary and 10th

recording, leader Greg Cahill staged a remarkable celebratory concert,

stretching--with only one short break--from 7:30 until midnight. With

23 out of the 36 musicians that have passed through Special C's ranks,

Cahill reassembled, or at least approximated, nine of the band's line-

ups for the standing-room only crowd. That the end result was even more

impressive for the music than the nostalgia it generated speaks to

Cahill's abilities as both a musician and talent scout.

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