South Mountain Witness/North Brother Island @ Jobot

Few things are as American as old-timey string bands. Maybe Huckleberry Finn and baseball, but it’s a difficult task to pick one. Two local string bands, South Mountain Witness and North Brother Island, will pick and bow at Jobot this weekend. The cafe’s wood floors and weathered charm should create a suitable backdrop for the two acoustic folkies. South Mountain Witness’ brand of Americana — you wouldn’t be faulted for wanting to clog during their set — is less moody than than that of North Brother Island (named for a spooky island in New York City’s East River), which may inspire mopey introspection. The bands share a fiddler, Megyn Neff, and a similar spirit, complementing each other well. By the way, wood floors make for good stomping.