Toe-tappin' and bluegrass-blazin' with Clay Street Unit at The Hamilton Live

The Hamilton is a "swanky place"—as Clay Street Unit’s frontman Sam Walker put it—but that didn’t stop anyone from getting on their feet, fueled by a few buckets of light beer and a whole lot of toe-tapping.

The Hamilton might be known for its dinner-table seating and polished vibe, but on Thursday, April 17, it quickly turned into a full-blown pickin' party. Clay Street Unit and Shadowgrass brought the house down with their high-energy bluegrass, and the crowd was hooked from the start.

Clay Street Unit, the Denver-based six-piece blending country, folk, and a modern bluegrass sound, kicked off their set with “Freightline Blues,” wasting no time getting the crowd grooving. While most folks started off politely seated, by the end of the show nearly everyone had abandoned their tables, pulled in by the kind of rhythm that’s impossible to ignore.

Halfway through, the band threw a curveball with their now-viral cover of MGMT’s “Kids.” They turned the indie-electronic hit into a banjo-fueled barnstormer, without losing an ounce of its original spark. Here's a clip from their Instagram teasing their version of the song:

A lot of the night had that jam-session feel, like the band was playing for themselves first and letting the crowd just ride the wave. The chemistry on stage made it feel like we were eavesdropping on an especially dialed-in living room session—tight, effortless, and totally unforced.

They wrapped things up with a couple of songs featuring Madison Morris (fiddle) and Kyser George (guitar) from Shadowgrass, blending both bands’ styles in a loose, joyful finale that left everyone smiling.

If Clay Street Unit is new to you, now’s a good time to get familiar. The lineup includes Walker, banjo player Jack Cline, Scottie Bolin (mandolin, vocals), Brad Larrison (pedal steel and dobro), Brendan Lamb (drums), and Jack Kotarba (bass). After signing with Monument Records earlier this year, they released Introducing Clay Street Unit, a collection of reworked tracks, with a full-length album on the way. After forming in 2021, they’ve built a solid following through word of mouth, festival slots, and some good old-fashioned hustle, and it feels like it’s the start of something special.