Stringed instruments dominated the Cat in the Cream’s Friday night of bluegrass.

Oberlin’s own The People’s Republic of Gefiltestan opened the night with a selection of their usual light-hearted bluegrass.

Their line-up was traditional for a bluegrass band, featuring senior Evan “Bear” Kittay on guitar, and sophomores Sam Harmet on the mandolin, Alex Kramer on banjo, Kirsten Lamb on bass and Kira Silver on the fiddle. Despite the playful nature of their songs (“Oh Lord, that stick came from a tree”), it was difficult not to take their instrumentation and harmonies seriously.

As there was little information available on Gefiltestan’s performance at the Cat before the show, the audience was small but clearly enjoyed themselves nonetheless. Behind this writer, two students even commented that they thought Gefiltestan was the featured band rather than the opening act.

The four unassuming members of Greensky Bluegrass opened their set with an instrumental track. Almost immediately after they began playing, the energy in the room began to spark and crackle. A few songs into the concert, half the room was dancing, and it was clear why Greensky was, in fact, the featured band.

While Michael Arlen on banjo and Mike Devol on acoustic bass provided a musical backdrop for the band’s songs, it was the two brothers, Dave Bruzza on guitar and Paul Hoffman on mandolin, who dominated the landscape. At any given time, Hoffman would launch into an impossibly fast mandolin solo, compelling the throng of dancers into a greater frenzy.

The selections from Greensky Bluegrass’s new album, Tuesday Letter, were interspersed with older songs and several traditional bluegrass numbers, including a spirited rendition of “Groundhog.” Other rousing tunes included “Bound to Ride,” “Fox on the Run,” “New Rize Hill” and “Grow Bananas.”

Greensky Bluegrass were the winners of the band competition at this year’s Telluride Bluegrass Festival and are currently embarking on a tour of the Northern Midwest and West Coast.