The Claudettes at the Redstone Room -- May 16.
Thursday, May 16, 8 p.m.
The Redstone Room, 129 Main Street, Davenport IA
Touring in support of their most recent album that, according to No Depression, proves the band's "otherworldly qualities" make them "the quirkiest sound around," blues, rock, and pop ensemble The Claudettes headline a May 16 concert at Davenport's Redstone Room, with Americana Highways stating that in The Claudettes Go Out!, "Their tight approach to varied musical genres is adorned with no gimmicks, nothing superficial, and everything suited to inspiring melodies and spirited lyrics."
In late 2010, blues pianist and singer/songwriter Johnny Iguana formed the Claudettes, which he described as a "piano boogie, punk blues, and cabaret" rock-and-roll outfit. Originally, the group was an instrumental duo of Iguana and drummer Michael Caskey, both former members of the rock band Oh My God, who played a lively and boisterous style of piano blues at a diverse set of venues including Buddy Guy's Legends and a Staples supply store. In 2013, Yellow Dog Records released their debut album, the wholly instrumental Infernal Piano Plot... Hatched! The pair's music was then augmented by the Nigerian-American singer Yana Atim on 2015's No Hotel, after which both Atim and Caskey departed the ensemble. Iguana went on to recruit further personnel including Berit Ulseth (vocals), Zach Verdoorn (guitar), and Matt Torre (drums) for 2017's Pull Closer to Me: Live in the Piano Room, which encompassed the outfit tackling versions of tracks including Ruby & the Romantics' 1963 hit "Our Day Will Come." Pink Floyd's "Us and Them," and Otis Redding's "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay."
The following March, Yellow Dog Records issued Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium!, an album that showcased the group's movement into full rock- and pop-styled music, with Ulseth providing the vocals on the pop-based material. Further line-up changes ensued with Matt Torre replaced briefly by Danny Yost, before he departed and Michael Caskey rejoined the band, while another change took place as the Claudettes signed to Forty Below Records, who released 2020's High Times in the Dark. The lyrics for one of the album's tracks, "You Drummers Keep Breaking My Heart," relates to Iguana's unfortunate, career-long experiences in finding and losing percussionists. But last March, after the release of The Claudettes Go Out!, the band announced on their Web site that it was Ulseth himself who "moved on to new chapters in life, away from the Claudette' van," with the group now working alongside Chicago vocalist Rachel Williams.
The Claudettes play their Redstone Room engagement on May 16 with an additional set by Far Out 283, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is $12-15, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)326-1333 and visiting CommonChordQC.org.
