So, Split Lip Rayfield played the Old Rock House last weekend and once again put on an amazing show. Anyone who hasn’t seen SLR since Kirk passed away in 2007 is missing out. Not to be confused, they were an amazing band fo 4 with Kirk, my point is that they are now an amazing band of 3. The energy that these guys bring to the stage is probably the main reason that this punk-rock oriented music fan has found himself at the concert of a Bluegrass band from Kansas. SLR is what I think would happen is punk and bluegrass had a few too many cocktails and made a baby. I have heard this referenced as Cowpunk and also Stage Five music, which wikipedia has explained to me, and you can read about here.
To answer your first question, yes, the bass is made from the gas tank of a 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis and there is only one string and it is made from a weedwhacker cord, its name is Stitchgiver. A lot a bassists can’t play as fast or true as Jeff Eaton with four strings, but he makes it happen with one string (and a lot of what appears to be household clear-tape, which he uses to wrap all the cuts that his contraption gives him during the course of a show). Here is a little better pic of the bass.
I can’t say enough about the show that these guys put on. The level of energy that they play with for a set length that is a crazy bang for your buck is breathtaking. As a little bit of back story, I first saw SLR in 2002 on a snowboarding trip to Colorado in a small venue in downtown Breckenridge when they opened for the Reverend Horton Heat. As always the Rev. was great, but SLR was completely captivating. This was one of the first trips that I took with my partner in crime, so maybe it has a soft spot in my memory, but I recall this show as kind of an awakening of what the right band could do with traditionally acoustic instruments to have the same energy and weight as a rock-show. Since that day I have tried to catch SLR whenever possible, if anything, since these guys formed in Wichita I use it as one of the few reasons that I can think of to recognize Kansas.
Here is a youtube video of a song to introduce anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure:
ziphoodielife 
I love these guys! Saw them for the 2nd time 2 years ago and was impressed with them as a 3 piece as well.
If your band gets within 150 miles of the STL I will become at least your 8th biggest fan. Planning to be in your hood in early August if you have time for a few drinks and/or food to catch up.
So……… can this gentleman slappa da bass?
Absolutely, he can totally slaaapa-the – basssss.