November 2008 Archives

Saturday night, November 29th, Los Wunder Twins del Rap take the stage at The Old Court. Nominated for a Boston Music award for best hip-hop artist, LWT is part social commentary, part groove machine and part comedy show. For a chuckle, check out the short videos Corporate America and Feast of Steven on the band's myspace.

Leroy Brown (Electric Donkey), Tex MacNamara and His Bucking Broncos, and Tricycle round out the bill in what promises to be a celebration of diversity worthy of a David Lynch movie. Music starts at 9:00PM.

Say it ain't so! Dave Cleaves out? The handful of times I've seen Hot Day at the Zoo, I've always been impressed by the band's chemistry on stage. Four distinct personalities stomping and romping and bringing the house down. And though Jed and Mike were the focal point, founding member Dave Cleaves always provided an aura of authenticity and sincerity that I found most appealing. He looked like he came down from the mountain to play his mandolin. And what he lacked in movement he more than made up for with his heartfelt, soulful playing. Anyone got the dirt?

I wish Hot Day all the luck. They perform at the Christmas Stroll in Nashua this weekend. But I for one will miss Cleaves' calming presence amidst the mayhem.

The Bull Run continues to book some impressive shows for it's concert series. Thursday, December 4th, Leon Redbone croons his old timey mix of blues, jazz and ragtime at this Shirley restaurant and tavern. With his trademark baritone voice and Graucho Marx mustache, Leon has maintained his mysterious ways since bursting on to the scene in the mid 70's. He's acted along side Tom Waits, shared a microphone with Ringo Starr, and was featured on the Elf soundtrack. Should be a great show.

Friday the 5th it's the King of Dieselbilly and Lowell Folk Festival favorite Bill Kirchen who's touring behind his new album Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods. Guitar Player magazine called him the "Titan of the Telecaster." Anyone catch Bill trading licks with Red Volkaert at last summer's LFF? Mind blowing!

For a second there I was feeling obligated to write some white, fluffy flakes about the Jingle Ball at the Tsongas Arena. A big thank you to all those who shelled out the $100.00 a ticket; you spared me. Looks like a sold out show and considering the only name I recognized was Natasha Bedingfield, that's a good thing. I'll blame it on a generation gap or, more likely, a cultural one, but it sounds like a fun time. I'll keep my entertainment $$ on Aimee.

Shake off those winter blues at the warm and cozy Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, NH. December 5th Johnny A, master of tone and texture, brings his unique blend of blues, country, rock and jazz to the Granite State. December 13th Ronnie Earl promises to melt even the coldest heart with his hopeful and soulful six string slinging. (I saw him play at Boarding House and I swear I levitated. BB King once said he would be proud to call Ronnie his son.)

Finally, blues legend Johnny Winter slides into town for two shows on December 18th and 19th. Whenever I see Johnny Winter play I keep waiting for his guitar to either catch fire or just explode. The guy rips and rocks with the best of them.

And don't forget...it's BYOB!

Anyone else finding themselves tuning in to Nights with Alice Cooper on Manchester's the Mill 96.5? Last week I picked up Billion Dollar Babies after making sure no one was watching. But today I'm coming clean...with all the PC radio up and down the dial, Alice is winning me over with his shockingly refreshing 7:00PM- midnight show. Rare live recordings, trivia, Cooper's Covers; I'm eighteen all over again...AND I LIKE IT, LOVE IT, LIKE...sorry. But seriously, I haven't found myself this enamored with a radio personality since the Duane Glasscock days at BCN. So if you're feeling a little sedated by the River, give Alice a try. Where else are you going to hear Van Halen covering Won't Get Fooled Again?

Hot Day at the Zoo shared the Boardinghouse stage with Levon Helm in September. They opened for Ryan Montbleau this fall. And tonight you can catch their unique blend of Dead flavored, Dylanesque mountain music at Mickey's.

Saturday night it's Melvern Taylor at Nicks in Worcester and Lowell legend Bob Martin brings his undeniably impressive song catalogue to the Bull Run in Shirley.

All three promise to have you tipping your glass and singing along by the night's end.

I love the Lowell Memorial Auditorium:the architecture, the history, the acoustics. One of my favorite concert moments was seeing Tony Bennet there a few years back. At one point he chimed, "They don't build them like this any more. You're so lucky." He then politely asked Tom McKay to kill the PA. Without a microphone it sounded like Tony was serenading me in my own living room. And then it came...that magical moment when art and reality fuse together. It started somewhere behind my neck and surged downward. A little quiver. Ah... to be moved.

Appears the likes of Tony, Aretha, Springsteen, hek even Peter, Paul and Mary have been tossed aside in favor of over commercialized top heavy tribute bands. I mean one a season's OK but three in four months?

The fun starts tomorrow night when Dark Star Orchestra channels Jerry and the Dead and continues with the Pink Floyd Experience in January and One Night of Queen in March. Dare I ask...Who's Next?

If the thought of your retirement account being halfed isn't enough, you can jump start the merry making at Aimee Mann's third annual Christmas show at the intimate Somerville Theater in Davis Square. A variety show of sorts, this holiday concert has the melancholic troubador playing host to special guests including Glenn Phillps (Toad the Wet Sprocket). December 10th and 11th at 8:00PM. By past accounts this is one holiday show you don't want to miss.

Closer to home, Mannheim Steamroller plows into town at the LMA on December 7th and the Boston Pops swing by on the 20th. So deck the halls before trying to figure out how you're going to heat them!

A few weeks back I ventured to Wormtown, (Worcester for the non-locals) to catch Melvern Taylor and his Fabulous Meltones at a cool new joint called Nicks. With a moosehead behind the bar, a killer micro brew list, and a juke box cranking out the likes of Hoagy Carmichael and Gene Kupra, Nicks is the kind of neighborhood bar that would make any Lowellian long for the days of Evos and Capos. It wasn’t that long ago that Maria “Midnight at the Oasis” Muldaur graced the stage at Capos and sang her heart out to an appreciative but sparse crowd of twenty five to thirty people. After singing along to Melvern classics like “Working Stiff”, “Angel on My Shoulder” and “Salisbury Beach, we left the church pews of the listening room at Nicks and started back up I290. With the rain dancing on the windshield and Melvern’s CD blaring on the stereo the same thought began to haunt me like a scratched LP… I’m driving to freakin Worcester to see a Lowell musician! And next week I’m driving to Somerville to see Jen Kearney at Johnny D’s. And after that I’m driving to Cambridge to see Frank Morey at the Plough. Lowell is overflowing with talented singer/songwriters and they’re playing in every hip city EXCEPT Lowell. We need a Johnny D’s; we need a Toad; we need a Tupelo! And more than ever before we need Middle Street to be the music haven that it once was. Someone step up to the plate. I’m begging you. And maybe someday as loud as the screams for Kevin Youkilis at Fenway we’ll all be screaming for Melvern to take the stage for one more in some Middle St. bar. Uke , Uke , Uke…

Raise your pint of Guinness! Mickey's Bar and Grille, Lowell's newest watering hole, is booking live, original music on Saturday nights. With the average price of a beer hovering around $5.00 at other downtown bars, Mickey's could become the recession proof hang we've all been hoping for: cheap eats, $2.00 PBRs and a growing list of stellar musical acts. Could Mickey's provide the spark to ignite the DTL music scene? (Even the lime green walls don't look half bad at night.)

Hot December shows include Melvern Taylor, Audrey Can't Die and Marty Nestor. Music starts at 8:00PM. See you there!