Jerry Douglas (Helsinki)

Jerry Douglas makes me angry, and he bores me to death. Simultaneously, because he never makes mistakes and plays cleaner than a chip fab plant. An opinion I formed based on prior experience watching him perform from a distant perspective at larger venues, mostly festivals, either with his own band or as support. From far away, it could be an animatronic dobro player. Ignorance formed from never actually seeing the man work up close; the expression on his face, fingers working each note. Whether it's originals, bluegrass standards or covering Hendrix, the intensity and good humor of his playing comes through in a smaller club. Alison Krauss called him one of the greatest musicians in the world, something I once thought was hyperbole.