Alison Krauss and Union Station

Tuesday, March 1; Fox Theatre (527 North Grand Boulevard)

Feb 23, 2005 at 4:00 am
Life must've been hectic for Alison Krauss early in her career. After all, most fourteen-year-olds don't have to balance puberty with band practice, awards ceremonies and recording first albums. Krauss has been in the spotlight (albeit the more muted spotlight of bluegrass music) since her talent-contest days at age eight. But she has weathered her celebrity well and advanced her career beyond youthful success. If Corey Feldman played bluegrass, he would still be stuck in the genre's twangy traditions (if it's even possible to fiddle on that much blow), but Krauss and Union Station mix adult contemporary and pop without being sucked into formulaic mainstream country. Even her look has been progressive: From the awkward, teased-out twentysomething on the cover of 1995's platinum-selling Now That I've Found You to her current incarnation as a blond bombshell on Lonely Runs Both Ways, Krauss has made bluegrass beautiful in more ways than one.

Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40.25 to $45.25; call 314-534-1678 for more information.