04 Mar 2010

A Charmed Path: Regan, March 11 at the Redstone Room

By Jeff Ignatius

ReganOn the song "Superstar," Regan sings that "I'll pay the price for fame / I'll even change my name" and "I've worked really hard and I've paid my dues."

Regan performs using her middle name, so that's already done. But the senior at Bettendorf's Pleasant Valley High School is (and sounds) 18 years old, which is too young to have paid many dues in the music industry.

Yet the biggest irony is that Regan -- who will perform at the Redstone Room on March 11 -- has had a charmed path in her burgeoning music career. She was selected -- based on songs on her MySpace page -- for the Crash Course to Stardom program in which she spent a week in Los Angeles learning the ropes of the music business; that's the kind of experience and advice that most singers would kill for at the start of their careers. Her debut EP was shaped by established producers and has songs with the hooks and attention to musical detail that would sound right at home on mainstream country or pop radio.

03 Mar 2010

Farming the Middle Ground: Head for the Hills, March 19 at RIBCO

By Jeff Ignatius

Head for the Hills

The self-titled album by Head for the Hills opens with "One Foot in the Grave," and its instrumentation and twangy harmonies are classic bluegrass. The next track is "Solar Bowling Shoes," and the title alone is a clue that the Colorado-based band has interests beyond tradition.

But the band really establishes its newgrass credentials on the instrumental "Nooks & Crannies," which -- aside from its eloquent melodies and nimble digressions -- brings in an electric mandolin at the four-minute mark. Its introduction offers a hint of rock-and-roll distortion, and it later adds some feedback, and finally it breaks away from any sense of tradition with a soaring solo. The instrument's use is transcendent, creating a bridge between bluegrass and rock.

The blending of those two genres is of course a hallmark of newgrass, and Head for the Hills -- performing March 19 at RIBCO -- is particularly adept at farming that expansive middle ground. There's nothing else on the album as quintessentially bluegrass as "One Foot in the Grave," and there's nothing as nontraditional as "Nooks & Crannies," but the remainder of the album is a testament to the band's alchemic skills.

24 Feb 2010

A Lot with a Little: Laura Veirs, March 1 at Huckleberry's

By Jeff Ignatius

Laura Veirs

The leanness of singer/songwriter Laura Veirs' new album, July Flame, was born of considerations both practical and artistic.

On the logistical side, her band "fell apart" since she moved to Portland, Oregon, she said in a phone interview this week. So one goal with this set of songs was "getting back to the root of just a guitar and a voice and seeing what I could do with that again."

Her last album -- 2007's Saltbreakers -- was "really heavily dependent on everybody else being there for the songs to work," she said. Crafting tunes that could be performed in a solo setting meant she could tour the album on the cheap, and with a band if she had the money. (When she plays her Daytrotter.com show on Monday at Huckleberry's in Rock Island, she'll be bringing her band.)

But on an artistic level, "I really like sparse music that still hits you in the gut and does a lot with a little."

23 Feb 2010

Photos from the Rascal Flatts/Darius Rucker Concert, February 20 at the i wireless Center

By Chris Jones

Images by photographer Chris Jones from Saturday's Rascal Flatts/Darius Rucker concert at the i wireless Center. Click on any photo for a larger version.

Rascal Flatts:

17 Feb 2010

Odd Band Out: Mondo Drag, February 20 at the River Music Experience

By Jeff Ignatius

Mondo Drag

When Mondo Drag drummer/singer Johnnie Cluney says that "we're kind of bringing in more of a pop element" to the band's new songs, take that with a giant rock of salt.

The Quad Cities-based band released its full-length debut, New Rituals, on the Alive Naturalsounds Records label last month, and it's a hazy, sludgy affair - bluesy psychedelia borrowing heavily from the 1960s and recalling the contemporary sounds of Dead Meadow.

Yet there are indeed hints of accessible melody in the massive riffs and thick keyboards. "Love Me" hides on its downslope a compelling ascending chorus with heavy vocal emphasis on the downbeat. Calling it poppy is a stretch, but it opens the door to the remainder of the song. "True Visions" has a similar late revelation, with moaning layers of keyboards and guitars as its extended coda.

The quintet - celebrating the release of New Rituals on Saturday at the River Music Experience's Performance Hall - has begun to build a national profile. The band had its Daytrotter.com session released last week, and even though that Web site is based in the Quad Cities, it certainly doesn't play favorites with hometown bands.

10 Feb 2010

Do the Blues: The Ellis Kell Band's 20th-Anniversary Concert, February 20 at Rascals

By Mike Schulz

The Ellis Kell BandConsidering that the ensemble's front man is the director of programming and education for Davenport's River Music Experience, the decision to instead perform the Ellis Kell Band's forthcoming 20th-anniversary concert at the Moline live-music venue Rascals might seem like an odd one. As Kell himself explains, however, it's not.

"We hadn't played there for a long time, but that's kind of where we owned it," says the blues vocalist/guitarist, who will jam with present and former bandmates on Saturday, February 20.

04 Feb 2010

New Chops: Dr. Dog, February 9 at RIBCO

By Jeff Ignatius

Dr. Dog

To understand some of what makes Dr. Dog sound like it was preserved in amber in the mid-1960s, listen to singer/guitarist/songwriter Scott McMicken talk about drums.

The quintet -- performing a Daytrotter.com show at RIBCO on February 9 -- has a new record (Shame, Shame) due out April 6, and for its sixth studio album it finally enlisted a producer, holing up in a New York studio for nearly a month.

"The real crux of the problem in New York was the drums," McMicken said last month. On previous Dr. Dog albums, which regularly sound 40-plus years old, "the drums aren't really dominant ... very muted."

But on the New York recordings, the drums had a modern microphone configuration -- overkill, in McMicken's view. "The real problem was that you were hearing all 16 microphones at once. I knew if I could put my hands on that console and turn off 75 percent of the mics, we'd probably be getting to hear a really cool drum sound."

04 Feb 2010

Growing on the Road: Gov't Mule, February 9 at the Capitol

By Jeff Ignatius

Gov't MuleWarren Haynes joined the Allman Brothers Band in 1989, and was a member of the Dead for its 2004 and 2009 tours.

But Haynes, who was 23rd on Rolling Stone's 2003 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time, suggested in a phone interview this week that Gov't Mule is dearest to his heart, despite the legendary status of his other bands. He co-founded Gov't Mule in 1994 as an Allman offshoot, and he said it offers an unparalleled freedom.

"Gov't Mule is our laboratory to create anything musically that we want to create," he said. "We're still establishing the parameters. In in a band like the Allman Brothers or the Grateful Dead, they're pretty open-minded about what the music can be, but there are parameters that were established a long time ago ... ."

Gov't Mule will perform at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Davenport on Tuesday, February 9, and Haynes said the quartet has a newfound energy. It's evident on the band's album from last year -- By a Thread -- and in its live shows, and he credited that change to bassist Jorgen Carlsson, who joined a year and a half ago.

27 Jan 2010

Out of the Past: Leon Redbone, January 30 at the Capitol Theatre

By Jeff Ignatius

Leon RedboneLeon Redbone sounds like a relic.

It's not just his repertoire -- mostly songs from the 1910s to the '30s -- but his attitude. Asked in a phone interview last week about the appeal of music that preceded his birth, he gave a curmudgeonly answer. As one moves back in time with music, "you realize that it's not getting any better," said Redbone, who will co-headline a show with guitar whiz Leo Kottke on Saturday at the Capitol Theatre. So he plays songs from the dawn of recorded popular music.

22 Jan 2010

MVBS Presents Jim Suhler

By Administrator

MVBS Presents Jim Suhler, George Thorogood's Guitarist, on Sunday Jan. 31

The Mississippi Valley Blues Society presents guitarist Jim Suhler and his band, Monkey Beat, on Sunday Jan. 31 at Creekside Bar and Grill, 3303 Brady Street in Davenport. The show starts at 5 p.m. and admission is $8, $6 for Blues Society members. Since 1999, Jim Suhler has been George Thorogood's guitar player live and on recordings. He tours with Monkey Beat when Thorogood is on break. Suhler and Monkey Beat's latest CD, Tijuana Bible, has been nominated for a Blues Music Award in the category of best blues-rock recording. The Atlanta Constitution has noted that "Suhler is a monster guitarist, tossing out slide riffs and power chords with the exuberance of a Page or Hendrix." Noted producer Jim Gaines (Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Miller) says of Suhler that he's "a wonderful songwriter and an electrifying performer." Suhler was born in Dallas, Texas, December 30, 1960, where his first exposure to music was by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and British Invasion bands. He began playing guitar at age 14 and was influenced at that time by Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, ZZ Top, Johnny Winter, Led Zeppelin and others. Suhler was also influenced by Rory Gallagher, AC/DC and the Ramones. During these formative years, Suhler was exposed to Texas guitar talent like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Anson Funderburgh, and Jimmie Vaughan. He played in an array of cover and original bands during these years, initially backing other vocalists or guitarists. At this time, Suhler was playing traditional blues in the style of T-Bone Walker, Magic Sam and B.B. King. During this period Suhler was a DJ at Dallas' KNON radio station, hosting a three-hour weekly blues show called "Radio Mojo", every Tuesday night. Suhler was playing a gig at Huey's in Memphis when George Thorogood dropped by the club during a break from a recording session. He was impressed with Suhler's playing, arranging and songwriting skills, so the two struck up a friendship. In mid-1991, Suhler formed power trio Monkey Beat, with drummer Paul Hollis and bassist/vocalist Carlton Powell. At that time, Suhler sent a four song demo to Thorogood producer/engineer Terry Manning, after Thorogood told Suhler, "Terry would love you guys." Radio Mojo was released in February 1993. Several tours opening for Thorogood & the Destroyers across North America in 1993-95 followed. In early 1994, Suhler & fellow Dallas blues guitarist Mike Morgan convened to record Let The Dogs Run, a collection of originals and songs by blues greats Magic Sam, Lazy Lester, and Howlin' Wolf, for Black Top records. For the next few years, Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat toured throughout the United States and Europe, playing clubs, theaters and festivals for a burgeoning fan base. Bad JuJu, which was produced by Jim Gaines, was released on Lucky Seven records in 2001. Texas rock 'n roll, zydeco, Tex-Mex, hip hop and blues influences were evident on the songs on Bad JuJu. The acoustic Dirt Road was released in 2002, coming on the heels of the death of Suhler's daughter Brittany in a tragic accident. Suhler started the Brittany Suhler Memorial Foundation in her honor, a charity which continues to this day. The newest CD, Tijuana Bible, was recorded in Nashville, and includes guest artists Elvin Bishop, Jimmy Hall and Joe Bonamassa. Tijuana Bible has covers by Rory Gallagher, AC/DC, and Elvin Bishop, as well as 13 Suhler originals. Suhler has also played on and contributed songs to George Thorogood DVD and CD releases since 1999. Also on Suhler's resume is having his compositions used in major motion picture releases and television worldwide. He has played onstage with Les Paul, James Cotton, Duke Robillard, Peter Wolf, Willie Nelson, Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Pinetop Perkins, Lazy Lester, Steve Miller, Elvin Bishop, Son Seals, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Rivers, Joe Bonamassa, and others.

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