Not many bands can say they opened for a U.S. president back in the day when the POTUS was merely a senator, but then, YMSB isn’t quite like other groups. The neo-bluegrass quartet, which opened for then-Senator Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National convention has a knack for selling out shows across the country, playing to standing-room-only audiences in venues such as San Francisco’s Fillmore, Stubb’s in Austin, Texas, and the House of Blues in Chicago.

And the band is keeping up the momentum in 2011. After wrapping up 2010 with two shows at The Pageant in St. Louis Dec. 30-31, Adam Aijala (guitar, vocals), Jeff Austin (mandolin, vocals), Dave Johnston (banjo, vocals) and Ben Kaufmann (bass, vocals) take a short break before climbing back onboard the tour bus to head to Baton Rouge, La., for a gig at The Varsity Theatre Jan. 26, play Tuscaloosa, Ala., at the Bama Theatre Jan. 20 and stop in Nashville for a night at the Cannery Ballroom Jan. 28.

The journey continues with dates in Knoxville, Tenn. (Jan. 29), Orlando, Fla. (Jan. 31), Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Feb. 4) and Atlanta (Feb. 12). Other towns on the routing include Gainesville, Fla., Asheville, N.C., Columbus, Ohio, Madison, Wis., and Urbana, Ill.

Although Yonder Mountain String Band is touring in support of its 2009 album, The Show, expect the band to give audiences a taste of its upcoming album scheduled for an early summer release. For more information, click here for the YMSB website.