Rhiannon Giddens (above) is one of the three members of Carolina Chocolate Drops, which performed at the Hop on Jan. 16. Photos by Kenficara.

Under the gaze of a projected moon, the sparse twang of a banjo resonates through Spaulding Auditorium interlaced with the sounds of the fiddle, jug, and snare. A distinctive Appalachian air graced the Hop, one that seemed out of place in Northern New England.

It was nothing short of revelatory.

The Carolina Chocolate Drops are an old-time string band consisting of Phoenix, Arizona-native Dom Flemons and Piedmont, North Carolina-natives Justin Robinson and Rhiannon Giddens.

Besides the group’s ostensible technical skill, versatility and range in instruments, the trio is undeniably unique as one of the few remaining African-American string bands.

Old-time music has its roots in the traditional music of Great Britain. But with the migration of immigrants to the United States that sound mingled with others in the proverbial American “melting pot”. In this case, this British music merged with traditional African music to create an entirely unique, distinctively North American, sound.

Despite its roots in African-American music, old-time music has generally been characterized as white. For instance, The New Lost City Ramblers is an old-time string band formed in 1958 consisting of Mike Seeger (Pete’s brother), John Cohen, and Tom Paley, all of whom are white. There’s also the contemporary Old Crow Medicine Show—again, all white.

But aside from merely their race, what made Carolina Chocolate Drops so exhilarating was the enthusiastic audience participation in the music. Giddens and Flemons encouraged the audience to sing along, clap and dance.

Giddens was particularly engaging; she flirted shamelessly with the audience, imploring members to holler when they knew a particular artist or song they were about to play. Her vocals carried many of the songs performed; far beyond soulful, Giddens’ voice is gravelly and powerful—perfectly suited to the songs, many of which were originally performed in the 1920s and 1930s.

One particular standout was “Old Black Annie”, an extraordinarily fast-paced banjo tune; Giddens’ vocals were ideal for its frantic pace. Another great song was the powerful “Arkansas,” performed by Flemons, featuring no instrumentals. The silence that accompanied Flemons’ voice only enhanced the melancholy of the song. Its starkness stood out among the more involved and frenzied stylings of other songs.

The show culminated in the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ rendition of “Genuine Negro Jig.” Gidden elaborated on the purported origins of the jig, which is attributed to Dan Emmett, but may in fact have been written by an African-American family living in Emmett’s Ohio town. Nevertheless, the song, which features Giddens on the fiddle, is haunting. Like “Arkansas,” the song is melodic and somewhat mournful, with long lamenting fiddle strokes.

The trio ended the show with a rendition of 2001’s “Hit ‘em Up Style (Oops!)” by Blu Cantrell, perhaps an improbable anachronism, given the group’s focus on 70- and 80-year-old music. However, the ending seemed rather appropriate—it highlighted the importance and relevance of old-time string music in the modern age.