Column for June 24, 2009

Tonight the Civitan’s Wednesday night Revive @ Five concert goes country with Country Drive taking the Old Town Pavilion stage, 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., corner of Main and Fremont Streets in downtown Pocatello (map). This week’s event is sponsored by PMS and catered by Relay 4 Life. (Full Revive @Five 2009 schedule)

Country Drive, the well-known house band from the 5-Mile Inn, plays a lot of old country, a little new, some older rock and even some blues. There's something for everyone. Some of their most requested songs include “Keeper of the Stars,” “I Love This Bar,” “Some Beach,” and their original “2 Sides to the Mirror.” (Interview with Country Drive)

Country Drive has been around for over 10 years with various members coming and going. They’re known to play private parties, weddings and community events. For more on Country Drive, including schedule, pictures and video, visit www.myspace.com/mycountrydrive.

Idaho State University continues their “pants free” summer concert series with Steve Means headlining at 7 p.m. on Thursday the 25th. Zombie At Heart opens at 6:00 p.m. The concerts are free and open to the public, located on the Quad outside the Student Union of ISU’s Pocatello campus (map). (Full ISU summer 2009 schedule)

Steve Means is a 21-year old acoustic singer/songwriter from Cincinnati, OH. He describes his music as “acoustic/soul or even ‘green-eyed, white-boy soul,’” blending smooth grooves with powerful, open lyrics. Some of his crowd favorites include Stevie Wonder's "Superstition," along with two new singles, "You and Me" and "Now or Never," both of which recently featured on MTV’s “The Real World” and “The Hills.” (Interview with Steve Means)

“People seem to connect to my music because it's honest,” Means says, “and makes you bob your head or even dance a little.” By using looping technology, the layering of multiple guitar parts, Means creates beats and background vocals in real time. Find out more at www.myspace.com/stevemeans.

Opening Means, Zombie at Heart is a powerpop / punk soloist, John Vieira, from Boise, ID, currently a student at the College of Southern Idaho. Vieira recently spent a month in Seattle, WA, recording a new EP called "V-necks And G-strings" that will be available for purchase at the concert. For more, see www.myspace.com/zombieatheart. (Interview with Zombie at Heart)

On Fridays the Vinyl Perk, downtown Pocatello’s newest coffee house and vinyl record mecca, features local and regional musicians at 7:00 p.m. (map) This Friday the 26th, Anodyne Red from Idaho Falls plays acoustic alt. rock at the Perk.

Formed six years ago, Anodyne Red has released two EP’s. They’re scheduled to play the ISU Quad on June 30 and on the Civitan’s stage in Idaho Falls on Fourth of July. Find out more at www.myspace.com/anodynered.

Speaking of Idaho Falls, the big event of the weekend for hard rockers is on Friday night when The Sammus Theory triumphantly returns for a CD release concert at The Tropics, 7:00 p.m. (map)Listen to KBER radio for an interview at 7 in the morning, then catch them at an in-store CD signing at CD World in Idaho Falls from 3 – 4:00 p.m. Southern Death Threat, The Unread and 2am Logic are slated to share the bill.

The Sammus Theory will follow up on Saturday the 27th with a concert at the First National Bar, W. Center St. in Pocatello for those 21 and over (map). Find more at www.myspace.com/thesammustheory.

And if bluegrass is more your speed, Idaho Falls has that too on Saturday with the 4th annual Bluegrass on the Greenbelt, a one-day festival of bluegrass in South Capitol Park, 1 – 9:00 p.m. (map) This year’s bands include the Wild Coyotes, Pickin’ Grass, New South Fork, Growling Old Men and Tradition. The event is free. (more information)

Also on Saturday, Pebble Creek opens its slopes for the Idaho Music and Wildflower Festival, a fund raising event for the National Ski Patrol (map). KYDJ and the Aaron Ball Band provide the music entertainment this year. Tickets are available in advance at Scott's Ski and Sports, Barrie's Sports, The College Market and The Raven's Nest. Tickets are $7.00 in advance and $10.00 at the gate. Children 12 and under are admitted free.

Botanists will be along the hiking routes to identify plants and wildflowers, lift rides are offered from 4:00 to 6:45 p.m. and beer and barbecue will be available for purchase. Learn more at www.pebblecreekskiarea.com.

The before-and-after-wildflower-party will be at the Blue Moon Bar in Lava Hot Springs, where Ande Conda plays favorite rock covers starting at 9:00 p.m both on Friday and Saturday nights (map). Back in Pocatello, Plain Jane is scheduled at Taps Bar on Garrett Way over the weekend (map).

For in-depth interviews and more information, visit http://slowloosegravel.blogspot.com. For a calendar of local live music, visit www.myspace.com/showmetheband.

Linda Alexander
a.k.a. Lana Banana for Idaho Live Music