Sacramento Bee
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by chowhall » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:19 am
Good ol' Styx and celebratin' the sticks
ShareThisPublished: Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009 | Page 17EXPLORE
A little old (that seems new), a little new, a veteran, a novice, some rock, some country – that sums up the lineup at Harrah's Tahoe this weekend.
Styx, playing Friday, may be a classic rock band, having formed in 1970, but many who have attended the band's recent concerts will proclaim the group better than ever.
Emerson Drive, performing Saturday, is an entirely new experience for northern Nevada.
Emerson Drive has actually been around since its self-named initial release in 2002 but that makes this group practically infants compared with Styx.
Since then, Emerson Drive managed four other releases with 2004's "What If?," 2006's "Countrified," 2007's "Songs 4 Worship: Country" and this past year's "Belongs to You," the video of which went directly to No. 2 on the Great American Country Top 20.
The arrival of Emerson Drive at Harrah's Tahoe has been keenly anticipated by the core of fans dedicated to the band. Its finest production so far has clearly been "Countrified," produced in alliance with several talents associated with the mega-band Alabama.
It contains probably the band's best song, "Moments," a country tune that dares to go beyond relationships and pickup trucks and into the bleak world of despair and loneliness. It is, however, not without hope. It is, after all, country.
The lineup for Emerson Drive includes lead singer Brad Mates, backup singer Dale Wallace, guitarist Danick Dupella, fiddler David Pichette and drummer Mike Melancon.
A grand illusion
The river Styx is the mythological pathway to Hades. Pay the boatman a coin and get transported to eternal suffering. Pay Harrah's and spend a couple of hours with Styx and discover the name is meaningless, just a throwback to the days when rock names had to be dark or unintelligible. Most who hear the band never think of suffering. They take a journey the other way.
The music has never been all that dark – "Miss America," "Blue Collar Man," "Come Sail Away" have mostly positive vibes.
Styx has actually has often been a feel-good band and in live performance it has proved time and again in northern Nevada that the band members enjoy entertaining.
They have played here often since 2001, both solo and in combination with other bands. In the latter instances, they have emerged, if not the best, then certainly the equal of the likes of Def Leppard, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Journey and Bad Company.
Styx breaks the stereotype of rock performance. It does things other bands, stuck in their rock-god worlds, wouldn't dream of doing. Founder James Young has actually said Styx had to move away from the aloofness that invariably comes along with initial big success.
And so … actually interact with an audience? Styx does that. Take requests? Styx does that. Perform covers from other bands? Yup.
Go ahead. Try Styx. Request its version of "I Am the Walrus."
Around the Silver Circle
When starting her career, Susan Tedeschi was no fool. She aligned herself with the backup band of Toni Lynn Washington, Boston-area blues singer, and then used those performers on nights when Washington wasn't playing.
Dedicated blues fans know Washington, but far more know Tedeschi, who broke through with her album "Just Won't Burn" and her combining of urban blues with gospel (she was once a member of the Reverence Gospel Ensemble) and R&B. Her close association with the Lilith Fair created a flock of fans.
Tedeschi appears for a Thursday night gig at John Ascuaga's Nugget, bringing along British singer James Hunter for his area debut.
• It's a big weekend at the Crystal Bay Casino, commencing with an irresistible dance party Friday with Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Joan Jones. It's a party show with standing room only. (Note: Todd's 2004 release, "Crimes of Passion," was recorded in a solar-powered studio, putting the band on the cutting edge of the green.)
Then Saturday it's free dance time with Keyser Soze, taking its name from a character in the film "The Usual Suspects" and emerging as a popular West Coast ska band.
• There's a sad sign of the times at the Eldorado. Its open cabaret has been closed. It never achieved the stature of the original cabaret where the likes of Pat Collins and Doug Kershaw were regulars (the Eldorado Showroom entrance is located where it used to be), but it provided some free entertainment that's needed these days.
Unfortunately, it wasn't free for the Eldorado. One of these clubs should take such unused spaces and open them to newcomers in some open-mike nights, nurturing some talents-to-be and providing some divertissement for the customers.
• The Carson Valley Inn hosts its 23rd annual Sporting Clay Shooting Outing and Game Feed this coming weekend.
There are 250 clay targets, the feast, $2,000 in cash prizes, competition at two shooting clubs, and plenty of other perks for participants who want to pay the $369, which includes three nights of lodging. Game feed tickets can be purchased separately. (775) 783-6665l; cvinn.comshooting)
Where do I put my requests in?
ShareThisPublished: Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009 | Page 17EXPLORE
A little old (that seems new), a little new, a veteran, a novice, some rock, some country – that sums up the lineup at Harrah's Tahoe this weekend.
Styx, playing Friday, may be a classic rock band, having formed in 1970, but many who have attended the band's recent concerts will proclaim the group better than ever.
Emerson Drive, performing Saturday, is an entirely new experience for northern Nevada.
Emerson Drive has actually been around since its self-named initial release in 2002 but that makes this group practically infants compared with Styx.
Since then, Emerson Drive managed four other releases with 2004's "What If?," 2006's "Countrified," 2007's "Songs 4 Worship: Country" and this past year's "Belongs to You," the video of which went directly to No. 2 on the Great American Country Top 20.
The arrival of Emerson Drive at Harrah's Tahoe has been keenly anticipated by the core of fans dedicated to the band. Its finest production so far has clearly been "Countrified," produced in alliance with several talents associated with the mega-band Alabama.
It contains probably the band's best song, "Moments," a country tune that dares to go beyond relationships and pickup trucks and into the bleak world of despair and loneliness. It is, however, not without hope. It is, after all, country.
The lineup for Emerson Drive includes lead singer Brad Mates, backup singer Dale Wallace, guitarist Danick Dupella, fiddler David Pichette and drummer Mike Melancon.
A grand illusion
The river Styx is the mythological pathway to Hades. Pay the boatman a coin and get transported to eternal suffering. Pay Harrah's and spend a couple of hours with Styx and discover the name is meaningless, just a throwback to the days when rock names had to be dark or unintelligible. Most who hear the band never think of suffering. They take a journey the other way.
The music has never been all that dark – "Miss America," "Blue Collar Man," "Come Sail Away" have mostly positive vibes.
Styx has actually has often been a feel-good band and in live performance it has proved time and again in northern Nevada that the band members enjoy entertaining.
They have played here often since 2001, both solo and in combination with other bands. In the latter instances, they have emerged, if not the best, then certainly the equal of the likes of Def Leppard, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Journey and Bad Company.
Styx breaks the stereotype of rock performance. It does things other bands, stuck in their rock-god worlds, wouldn't dream of doing. Founder James Young has actually said Styx had to move away from the aloofness that invariably comes along with initial big success.
And so … actually interact with an audience? Styx does that. Take requests? Styx does that. Perform covers from other bands? Yup.
Go ahead. Try Styx. Request its version of "I Am the Walrus."
Around the Silver Circle
When starting her career, Susan Tedeschi was no fool. She aligned herself with the backup band of Toni Lynn Washington, Boston-area blues singer, and then used those performers on nights when Washington wasn't playing.
Dedicated blues fans know Washington, but far more know Tedeschi, who broke through with her album "Just Won't Burn" and her combining of urban blues with gospel (she was once a member of the Reverence Gospel Ensemble) and R&B. Her close association with the Lilith Fair created a flock of fans.
Tedeschi appears for a Thursday night gig at John Ascuaga's Nugget, bringing along British singer James Hunter for his area debut.
• It's a big weekend at the Crystal Bay Casino, commencing with an irresistible dance party Friday with Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Joan Jones. It's a party show with standing room only. (Note: Todd's 2004 release, "Crimes of Passion," was recorded in a solar-powered studio, putting the band on the cutting edge of the green.)
Then Saturday it's free dance time with Keyser Soze, taking its name from a character in the film "The Usual Suspects" and emerging as a popular West Coast ska band.
• There's a sad sign of the times at the Eldorado. Its open cabaret has been closed. It never achieved the stature of the original cabaret where the likes of Pat Collins and Doug Kershaw were regulars (the Eldorado Showroom entrance is located where it used to be), but it provided some free entertainment that's needed these days.
Unfortunately, it wasn't free for the Eldorado. One of these clubs should take such unused spaces and open them to newcomers in some open-mike nights, nurturing some talents-to-be and providing some divertissement for the customers.
• The Carson Valley Inn hosts its 23rd annual Sporting Clay Shooting Outing and Game Feed this coming weekend.
There are 250 clay targets, the feast, $2,000 in cash prizes, competition at two shooting clubs, and plenty of other perks for participants who want to pay the $369, which includes three nights of lodging. Game feed tickets can be purchased separately. (775) 783-6665l; cvinn.comshooting)
Where do I put my requests in?
Chow
- chowhall
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by bugsymalone » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:58 am
Where do I put my requests in?
Just make sure it is for "I Am the Walrus."
Bugsy
Change your hairdo. Change your name.
Congratulations! You're still the same.
Congratulations! You're still the same.
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bugsymalone - Stereo LP
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