Article for March 31, 2010

There are several big concerts in the area and quite a few smaller shows to mark on your live music entertainment calendar this week. Many of the national touring acts are pairing up with locally-based musicians and bands. To broaden your musical circle and become familiar with local acts too, here’s where to be when.

Tonight, Wednesday the 31st, the rock / pop / post-punk band Drop Dead, Gorgeous is in concert a The Icon, N. Main Street in Pocatello, with the locally-based rock group Danny the Skeleton Horse and many more. Tickets are $13; show starts at 7:00 p.m.

Drop Dead, Gorgeous (comma required to get the play-on-words) is a post-hardcore band from Denver, Colorado. They have released three studio albums and two EPs since January 2006 and have toured the country extensively, a favorite on the main stage of Van’s Warped Tour. For more, visit www.myspace.com/dropdeadgorgeous.

In Idaho Falls tonight, Sherwood is in concert with Black Gold and Reece, Seabird, Neon Trees, the locally-based pop group Madison Lights and the Boise-based rock band, Bank. The concert is at the Idaho Falls Civic Center; tickets are $10 and doors open at 6:00 p.m.

Also in Idaho Falls, the metal band Hemlock is playing with the locally-based alt. rock band 2am Logic tonight at the 840 Club. Doors open at 8:00 p.m.

On Thursday, April Fools Day, the Pocatello-based acoustic rock band, The Kratz Bros. Band, is playing at Senang Wine Bar. No Foolin’! Music starts at 7:00 p.m.

At the Flipside Lounge on Main Street in Pocatello, the Thomas Paul Trio is scheduled to play indie folk music, starting at 8:00 p.m. Cost is $3 and the show is open to those 21+.

Thomas Paul is an eclectic singer-songwriter, composer, bandleader and part-time music teacher from Boise, Idaho. His 2009 release, "House On Fire," available for sale at the show, combines elements of swing, funk, country, indie-rock, bluegrass, jazz, blues, folk and Latin music.

Listen for some Thomas Paul Trio crowd favorites: “Uncle Bill,” a fast bluegrass-style number that people love; “House On Fire,” an indie-style trippy rocker that people sing along with, and “Summer's Indiscretion” get a lot of positive crowd response. Thomas Paul has played locally at the brewery and at the Vinyl Perk.

Front man and vocalist Thomas Paul will be joined by bassist Bob Nagel and Louis McFarland on drums and percussion at the Flipside. The trio has played together on and off for several years. Paul has been a member of the Boise-based but locally popular folk group, Hillfolk Noir.

“Pocatello is a great town, said Paul, “and we're glad to get a chance to do our thing for all the cool people we've already met and the cool people we're about to meet.” For more, visit slowloosegravel.blogspot.com for a full interview or for more on Thomas Paul, visit www.thomaspaulmusic.com.

Speaking of trios, Portneuf Valley Brewing has a trio of shows this weekend. On Thursday the 1st, a special show in the loft with Claire Roche & Celtic Dreamtime, free and open to all ages. The Celtic music and folklore starts at 7:30 p.m. For more on what to expect, visit www.celticdreamtime.com.

On Friday at the pub, Elvis Has Left the Building will be on stage starting at 8:30 p.m., playing Americana and original folk music. And on Saturday the 3rd, return to Portneuf Valley Brewing for Soul Full of Blues with vocalist Ramona Awes, no cover and open to all ages.

For the 21+ crowd this weekend, the Idaho Falls-based rock cover band, Stiff Richard, is scheduled at Taps Bar on Garrett Way both Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9:00 p.m.

And the Green T Bar & Grill is goin’ back to their roots, goin’ country with the Salt Lake-based country band, Mountain Pacific, playing this weekend and again the weekend after the Rodeo. During the rodeo next week, expect to see concerts with Hillbilly, Rocky Watson and Country Gold. It’s time to put on your hat ‘n boots ‘n head back to the Green T to check it out.

And last but not least on my list of live music concerts to catch this week, the Sludge Metal Fest at the Shilo Inn in Idaho Falls, Saturday the 3rd, with doors opening at 7:00 p.m. Denots and Ixxion headline the show with many more bands; tickets are $8 in advance, available at CD World in Idaho Falls or from the bands; $12 at the door.

Linda Alexander
a.k.a. Lana Banana for Idaho Live Music
slowloosegravel@yahoo.com
slowloosegravel.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/showmetheband