Cast Iron Filter

Charlotte-based Cast Iron Filter reunites for its first string of shows in more than a decade. From 1998 until 2005 Cast Iron Filter (CIF) released five full-length albums and toured the country sharing its unique combination of Americans, rock, and bluegrass dubbed by fans as “Irongrass.” CIF sings original songs full of gritty characters, southeastern landscapes, life on the road, and sing-along choruses. Earning its reputation as a working band with a blue-collar work ethic that consistently delivers high-energy, boundary-pushing shows, CIF has shared the stage with the Avett Brothers, Train, Railroad Earth, Edwin McCain, and Better than Ezra. The Charlotte Observer once reported: “Cast Iron Filter cranks out like bluegrass roots rock on steroids.” While Relix Magazine describes “Cast Iron Filter has a roots sound that skips across genres in an electrifying amalgam of Americana sounds.” Cast Iron Filter originated on the campus of Davidson College during the undergraduate years of its founding members, Dustin Edge (guitar/vocals), Randy Culbertson (guitar/vocals), and Mike Orlando (mandolin/banjo). Edge and Culbertson shared songwriting duties with Orlando contributing a roster of original instrumental compositions that are often the highlight of the shows. The current version of CIF includes former members Tim Helfrich (drums) and Mason Bissett (bass) who formed the rhythm section of the band for the bulk of its busiest years. With a background in jazz, Bissett brings a surprising dynamic to the band, playing off of and dueling with the lead mandolin while Helfrich’s front-footed playing drives the music forward and keeps it between the lines. While the band stopped touring in 2005 and its members have scattered around the east coast, they have remained busily involved in music. Edge, Culbertson, and Orlando have each released a series of solo albums and the band’s various members have shared stages with a variety of outfits including Heidi and the River Down, Billy Jones and the Pocket, Hart Roper, and the Broken Arrows. The 2024 version of CIF promises to deliver just as much muscle as the early days with songs from each of its albums and the debut of a few new songs that will feel both urgent and timely but also vintage Cast Iron Filter.

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