Acoustic oriented Bluegrass trio connected to Americana and Roots music. Expect a stock-piled repertoire of Bluegrass traditionals steeped in brother harmonies along with some acoustically arranged rock covers.
3 reviews
Thomas V.
March 9, 2026Josh was easy to work with and the band was professional, kind, and understanding in a pretty chaotic environment. They sounded amazing and really made our youth conference dinner special. Couldn't recommend them enough!
Hired as: Bluegrass Band
Amy L.
May 16, 2022Sans Abri played for our corporate retreat. Booking was a breeze and all communication was timely and effortless. They sent a songlist ahead of time and we were able to have a few favorites played that evening. They showed up on time, played the full time and couldn't have been nicer to work with. The music was fantastic. Truly talented bluegrass artists and would hire them again in a heartbeat.
Hired as: Bluegrass Band
Sans Abri
Thanks, Amy! Y'all were great to work with as well. It looked like everyone had a good time and enjoyed the music. I appreciate all the communication and hopefully we'll cross paths again!
All the best,
Josh E and Sans Abri
Sharman U.
October 19, 2020We really enjoyed having Sans Abri play for my dad's birthday. The music was amazing. They were on time, professional, and fun!
Hired as: Bluegrass Band
Sans Abri
Thanks so much! You were very easy to work with as well. Really appreciate the communication leading up to the party :)
Price range: Contact for rates
Languages: English
Gig length: 1 - 240 minutes
Bluegrass trio playing a wide repertoire of standards, traditionals, and a handful of acoustified rock/pop covers all steeped in brother harmonies. Instrumentation is guitar, mandolin, and upright bass and has years of history performing all types of events both public and private. All sound requirements and reinforcement can be provided by the band if required.
2016 BIO
The literal translation of “Sans Abri” is “without shelter.” The French use it as a term for “homeless”. In late 2011, Josh Erwin and Michael Paynter found themselves with a handful of new songs that didn’t have a home in The Packway Handle Band, the acclaimed bluegrass-based group from Athens, GA, that they co-founded. It has been described as alt-acoustic indie folk-pop songwritring [with a bluegrass backbone] that wide and transcendent appeal.
Sans Abri has toured intermittently since their creation hubbing out of their home base of Atlanta, GA. Troy Harris, the newest addition, has added a low-end thumpto the sound with his upright bass. 2016 holds more new material, more tour dates, and some new life breathed into some of the Sans standards and to solidify the bluegrass styles.
Lighting:
Per request of client.
Staging:
Per request of client. Minimum space required is ~8*8
Sound:
See below.
For events that provide sound+sound engineer:
Sans Abri requires lines for DIs that we will provide. We'll also need 3 onstage monitor wedges with separate mixes. Stage left is acoustic guitar (w/ LR Baggs Venue DI) and vocals [Josh], stage right is acoustic mando (w/ LR Baggs Venue DI) and vocals [Michael], up-stage is upright bass (w/ Maxxbass Preamp/DI) [Troy].
For events that require the band to provide sound:
We have an 800 watt PA head, two large 15" mains with horns, all mics, DIs, stands, and instruments. We will need access to a standard 110v power outlet
Saturday
Religious Celebration
5:00pm - 6:30pm
•
Woodstock, GA
Friday
Birthday Party
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Kennesaw, GA
Wednesday
Corporate Event
7:00pm - 9:30pm
•
Douglasville, GA
Saturday
Birthday Party
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Cumming, GA
This is a basic overview of songs. There are others we know. More info available upon request :)
Songs in A
9 pound hammer
Ain't gonna work tomorrow
Midnight Moonlight: Peter Rowan [Old & In The Way]
Pig in a Pen
Police Man
The Old Home Place
Unlce Pen
I'll Sail My Ship Alone
Songs in G
8 more miles to Louisville
Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone
How Mountain Girls can Love
I'll Stay Around
I'm Goin' to the Races
I've waited as long as I can
Jesus Walkin' on the Water: Violent Femmes
Louisiana Lou: Allman Brothers Band
On and On
Psyco Killer: Talking Heads
Ridin' on that Midnight Train
Stone Walls and Steel Bars
Georgia On My Mind: Ray Charles
Songs in B
Are You Tired of Me?
Big Spike Hammer
Carolina in the Pines: Michael Martin Murphy
Fox on the Run
Home is Where the Heart is
Your Love is like a Flower
Songs in C
American Music: Violent Femmes
I'm Walkin': Fatz Domino
Little Maggie
Never Tear us Apart [Am]: INXS
Saphronie
Shady Grove [major version]
Tell it to Me
The Sunny Side [Am]
Toy Heart
You are what I am: Gordon Lightfoot
You Better Get Right
Songs in Bb
Blue Night
Pretty Girl with Ebony Eyes: Stevie Wonder
Songs in E
In the Pines
Just what I needed: The Cars
Like a Prayer: Madonna
Nelly Cane
She's no Angel
Where is my Mind: Pixies
Songs in D
Catapult: REM
naïve Melody: Talking Heads
Instrumentals:
Angeline the Baker [D]
Beaumont Rag [C]
Big Sciota [G]
Bill Cheatham [A or G]
Billy in the Lowground [C]
Black Mountain Rag [C]
Blackberry Blossom [G]
Boys them Buzzards are Flyin' [A]
Chinkapin Hunting [A]
Clinch Mountain Backstep [A]
DeBuke [A]
Fisher's Hornpipe [D]
Goldrush [A]
Jerry's Farewell [D]
Old Joe Clark [A]
Rebecca [B]
Red Haired Boy [A]
Ride the Wild Turkey [A]
Roanoke [G]
Salt Creek [A]
Shanendoah Breakdown [A]
Soldier's Joy [A]
Soldier's Joy [A]
The Big Mon [A]
Whiskey Before Breakfast [D]
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Packway Handle Band
Hot Rize
Old and In The Way
Jim White
David Byrne
Allman Brothers
Del McCoury Band
For events that provide sound sound engineer: Sans Abri requires lines for DIs that we will provide. We'll also need 3 onstage monitor wedges with separate mixes. Stage left is acoustic guitar (w/ LR Baggs Venue DI) and vocals [Josh], stage right is acous
Bluegrass Band
