AUBURN, Maine — Don’t miss Bald Hill’s show here at Side By Each Brewing Co. this Saturday night, March 11. And don’t miss the new and distinctive splash of color behind the band.

Area quilt artist and BH super fan Sharon Vandermay has fashioned — for the common musical good — a sound-absorbing backdrop of riotous color that debuted late in January, the last time Bald Hill played SBE. On that occasion, the expansive coverlet was suspended in rusticated-but-not-so-efficient fashion between two ladders. On Saturday, like the band, it will perform to its full breadth and capabilities, thanks to a custom stand.

As Fernando Lamas made clear, it’s more important to look good than to feel good. It’s better still to sound good, and the new quilt will play a vital role there.

Bald Hill, those surprisingly hep purveyors of blues-inflected newgrass, folk rock and Americana, prefer to perform around a condenser microphone or two, moving back and forth in the old-time, Appalachian style. No need to plug in each instrument, or multiple “dynamic” mics: The condenser picks everything up and relays a pure, unadulterated sound to the audience.

Condenser mics are very sensitive, however. They pick up every little sound in a room, even those that might have ricocheted off walls and ceilings back toward the performers. This results in the feedback. The new quilt will serve to absorb those ricochets from behind, and reduce feedback, even when BH deploys common/dynamic mics. While all the while looking totally fabulous. Click on the picture to enlarge and better appreciate its detail.