In March of 2004, Jeff Austin released a series of duets with longtime Big Wu guitarist Chris Castino. Songs from the Tin Shed featured a number of original songs, as well as appearances from Sally Van Meter, Darol Anger and Noam Pickelny (Leftover Salmon), as well as all of Jeff’s Yonder Mountain comrades. While the paired performers only toured behind Songs from the Tin Shed for a short period of time, Austin and Castino revisited their occasional collaboration late last week. During Yonder Mountain String Band’s performance at Apple Valley, MN’s Zoo Amphitheater, Castino emerged on vocals and guitar for ‘Good News Blues.’ The same evening fiddler Zack Kline also performed with Yonder Mountain String Band on ‘Mother’s Only Son’ and ‘Dear Prudence.’ In other Yonder Mountain news, the bluegrass outfit has picked up a couple of opening dates for, surprisingly enough, Guster in Boston (8/12), Essex Junction, VT (8/16) and Holmdel, NJ (8/18).