Jon Stickley Trio: “Darth Radar” Song Premiere

With Lost at Last, the Jon Stickley Trio (with Lyndsay Pruett on fiddle and Patrick Armitage on drums) combine the ethos of a newgrass power trio with the energy and dynamics of a runaway train. Stickley’s powerful flatpicking gathers influences from the greats such as Tony Rice, but also allows for other, more modern, sounds to creep in. “Darth Radar” is a rapid-fire take that moves from a serious ska beat to burning surf-style runs that would make Dick Dale proud.

The tune combines two of Stickley’s favorite techniques—alternate picking and harmonics. “I used an alternate picking pattern that incorporates the open string with a pentatonic scale,” describes Stickley. “I also use the guitar's natural harmonics to create a melody over fretted bass notes that define the chord progression," mentions Stickley. Combine that with some EDM elements from Skrillex and deadmau5 and you will soon realize why this jam has become a crowd favorite at JST gigs.