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Few bands can transport an audience to another state the way Mipso can, making the Chapel Hill, N.C., four-piece a true marvel. Using a cello, a fiddle, and the occasional banjo, the band’s music firmly plants scenes of the Appalachian Mountains and the Old North State in the minds of its listeners. By combining simple string arrangements with complex vocal harmonies, Mipso’s debut album, Dark Holler Pop, displays a youthful, more upbeat take on the folk rock and bluegrass proffered by the likes of Nickel Creek and James Taylor. With every word and strum, Mipso keeps to the mountain gospel—but that’s not to say the band adheres blindly to tradition. Its original ballads pack an emotional punch, and its cover of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home” makes the song far more fun with the addition of a mandolin. In an intimate setting like AMP, Mipso’s skills will shine even brighter. Mipso performs at 7:30 p.m. at AMP by Strathmore, 11810 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda. $20–$27. (301) 581-5100. ampbystrathmore.com.