After nearly 20 years, Vinegar Creek Constituency to go on indefinite hiatus [photos, videos]

With an interactive cover of Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer," and a hat in hand over singer Leo DiSanto's heart, local Americana/bluegrass band Vinegar Creek Constituency started its indefinite hiatus after a nearly 20-year run.

The band, which started in 2005, held one last concert at Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse Saturday night, with every seat in the venue occupied, and every bit of standing room filled, too.

The band, missing mandolin player Jeff Bryson, played a variety of songs — some upbeat and rambunctious, some slower. Audience members danced and swayed to nearly every song.

The members of Vinegar Creek Constituency — singer Leo DiSanto, banjo player Mark Rast, fiddler Pete de Vitry, bassist Mike Vitale and mandolinist Jeff Bryson — recently decided to put the band on hold after Bryson endured a hand injury that leaves him unable to perform.

That news gave band members the time to think about the future of the band. They mutually decided, without any bad feelings, that it would be a good time for a hiatus.

"We still all really love each other and enjoy playing together," says DiSanto. "Maybe Vinegar Creek will play again in some other form. ... I just know we won't be actively booking for a while."

The Saturday concert was lively and featured popular guest performers Trixie Greiner and Corty Byron.

Vinegar Creek Constituency performed three encore songs, the second of which brought the crowd to a standing ovation as Bryson, who was in the audience Saturday, joined the band on stage for backing vocals.

That wasn't planned. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

"Saturday was the best," Bryson says. "Serendipitous."

One-night band

DiSanto never intended for Vinegar Creek to last for more than one performance, let alone nearly 20 years.

It was originally meant to be a one-night performance to open up for bluegrass musician Larry Keel, whom DiSanto admired. Through networking, DiSanto gathered a few musicians for a performance. They didn't practice beforehand.

DiSanto knew de Vitry, and de Vitry knew Rast. These three members would go on to stay in the band for the entirety of its run.

Given that it was only supposed to last for one performance, DiSanto says that it wasn't quite a band, but instead a loose constituency, or a group of people.

"So, I called it Vinegar Creek Constituency, and I knew very well it was a dumb and clunky name," DiSanto says.

But the band had fun together, so after a few months, they all got back together and started to practice and perform.

"I've always compared the band to a train with a crooked wheel or something," DiSanto says. "We have this energy of, it's fast, but it's kind of off-kilter."

In 2008, Vinegar Creek vied for a chance to perform at DelFest, a family-friendly music festival in Cumberland, Maryland that celebrates the music of York-native bluegrass musician Del McCoury. They entered the inaugural bluegrass band competition.

Unexpectedly, they won. DiSanto and Rast credit this concert as being one of their favorite experiences while being in Vinegar Creek.

"We really gelled, and we were like, this is working," says Rast. "And we all kind of felt it."

Since then, the band has performed in many different venues, from living rooms to the top of the Steinman Park Garage, to countless bars and restaurants. They have even toured in Ireland.

DiSanto humorously warns musicians to be careful what they name a one-night band. It may just last 20 years.

'Never seemed like work'

While Vinegar Creek won't be booking any more shows in the near future, all band members are open to seeing what the future holds.

That's, in part, because the band members have a lot of fun together.

"I can't tell you the number of times, including our last practice, where I was driving to a practice exhausted or in a crappy mood, and just hanging out and picking some tunes with the fellers lifted my soul," says Vitale.

It's much of the same energy on stage. De Vitry says that an enthusiastic fanbase made the concerts fun.

"Playing live shows never seemed like work," de Vitry says. "Just a good time with good friends."

In the meanwhile, DiSanto is about to release a new album, "To Fly So Low," and will continue to perform solo shows in the county and beyond. Vitale regularly performs as a house musician at the American Music Theatre.

Rast will continue on with bluegrass group Colebrook Road. De Vitry hopes to work on a solo album with his daughter, Maya, in Nashville. Bryson plans to release a book called "Tide's Core" on Dec. 17.

"The unknown produces all of the best art, possibly all art, because it all comes out of ... a silent room or a blank page," DiSanto says. "It's always an exciting time when one thing is winding down, because something else is going to start up."