Article for April 28, 2010

Today, Wednesday the 28th, Idaho State University’s Student Activities Board is sponsoring a free concert on the quad. The Dry Lake Band, from Logan, UT, is set to play on the Hutchison Quad from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as part of the “Stress Busters” dead-week activities on campus. In case of rain, the lunchtime concert will be held in the Pond Student Union Canoe room. A free BBQ lunch will be provided for students.

The Dry Lake Band is a country bluegrass band based from Logan, UT. Their music comes from the roots of Americana, pickin’, grinnin’ and singin’ both classic bluegrass tunes and originals.

Relatively new to the Utah music scene, the Dry Lake Band is a hard-working group, whose members draw on musical backgrounds as varied as classical, jazz, and punk rock. The band consists of guitarist Cory Castillo, Kelin Gibbons on banjo, Liz Woolley on mandolin, bassist Wally Gibbons and Lacy Johnson playing the fiddle.

Castillo has played guitar since the age of 14, and he includes both harmonica and autoharp when performing with the Dry Lake Band. Kelin Gibbons started his work on he banjo even earlier, at the age of 10. He is currently attending Utah State University, studying guitar education.

Woolley is also a student at USU. Her career began in classical piano and is currently studying Music Therapy. Johnson started playing the violin at two years old, kept it up through college and developed her fiddling style by performing with Liz and the Pretty Darns. Gibbons, who bears a striking resemblance to Santa Claus, has played piano, trumpet, cello and upright bass. He is currently a lead engineer at the Space Dynamics Laboratory.

Expect the Dry Lake Band to perform a driving, energetic set of bluegrass with passion, sweet harmonies and impressive musicianship. Listen for a few of their fans’ favorites: “Three Piece Suit,” “Dry Lake Shuffle” and “Sitting on Top of the World.”

For more on the Dry Lake Band, visit www.myspace.com/drylakeband.

This weekend, Portneuf Valley Brewing has two locally-based favorite bands scheduled for their stage. On Friday the 30th, Swingshift makes their regularly scheduled end-of-the-month, appearance at the pub. Swingshift plays jazz, pop and vintage rock.

On Saturday the 1st, (that’s May Day!), Soul Full of Blues plays the pub. Music entertainment starts at 8:30 p.m., free and open to the public of all ages. For more on Soul Full of Blues, visit www.myspace.com/soulfullofblues.

Also on May Day, two very popular rock bands will play at the Tattoo Expo in Idaho Falls, held at the Shilo Inn. 2am Logic and Denots provide music entertainment beginning at 6:00 p.m.

This is the 1st Annual Tattoo Expo at the Shilo Convention Center. Denots, a thrash metal band, takes the stage at 6:00 and 2am Logic closes out the night. The convention runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 30 – May 2, 2010.

Denots was, at one time in the early 2000’s, the southeast Idaho rock band to watch, but their popularity has waned. Once opening for Hed-pe and Hinder, they’re now opening for 2am Logic. Just reading the opening lines of their biography perhaps explains why: “Denots was smoked up along the south fork of the Snake River in Southeast Idaho. Lead singer/guitarist Jeremiah Peterson formed the band into a fused metal monster that haunted Darin Christensen (drummer) and Waylen Anderson (bassist) into joining this melodious metal machine.”

Uh, yeah. If you’re into moderately good thrash metal and the nostalgia of a decade-old style of music, Denots is for you. But for my part, it’s hard to hear the good music through the bluish haze of sweet-smelling smoke. For more or less, visit www.myspace.com/denots.

2am Logic is a modern rock band, a bit heavy, but far from heavy metal. I’d classify their music as heavy grunge, melody-driven with thick guitar riffs and deep, soulful vocals. Their most recent CD, “Shattered,” is a twelve-track, full-scale view of 2am Logic. The record is available at CD World, Hastings, Budget Records, The Record Exchange, and Barnes & Noble as well as iTunes.

2am Logic is currently in the studio recording a sophomore effort.

Fronted by vocalist Todd Thompson, 2am Logic includes guitarists Cody Scheer and Dustin Thueson, Kathy Brown on bass and drummer Shawn Ringel. 2am Logic has been building an ever-increasing and loyal fan base by opening shows for Pop Evil, Rev Theory, Great White, Alice Cooper, Korn and Royal Bliss. For more, visit www.myspace.com/2amlogic.

Linda Alexander
slowloosegravel@yahoo.com
slowloosegravel.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/showmetheband