Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Column for August 4, 2010

Tonight, Southeast Idaho’s Rocky Watson plays genuine country at the Civitan’s Revive At Five fund-raising concert event at the Old Town Pavilion in downtown Pocatello. Starting at 5:00 p.m., food will be provided by the Texas Roadhouse, sponsored by Idaho Central Credit Union.

Watson, a solo performer, plays a variety of country, R&B, blues and rock from the 50’s through the 70’s. Some of his most popular cover songs are “Pretty Woman” and “Brown Eyed Girl.” Also listen for his signature song, “Cowboy,” and his original, “Mamma Told Me.” Find out more at www.rockywatson.com.

This weekend, from Friday, August 6 through Sunday, August 8, head up to Lava Hot Springs for the First Annual Portneuf River Bluegrass Festival, presented by Phil Meador Toyota.

Tickets are $15 per day; children 12 and under are free. Advance tickets are available at Budget Tapes & Records and Main Street Music in Pocatello, or at the White Wolf Restaurant in Lava.

Music entertainment includes local and regional bluegrass and folk music bands, including Portneuf Gap, Wild Coyotes, New South Fork, Chicken Dinner Road, Red Desert Ramblers and more.

The Portneuf River Bluegrass Festival kicks off Friday the 6th at 5:00 p.m. Saturday’s events run from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with an “All Star Jam” scheduled to follow at the White Wolf Restaurant in Lava. On Sunday, the festival starts at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. For more, visit http://portneufriverbluegrass.homestead.com.

There are several bands in a wide variety of genres playing in the downtown Pocatello area on Friday evening for First Friday Art Walk. Here are just a few:

At the Flipside Lounge, S. Main Street, singer / songwriter Dan Hillebrant provides his soulful vocals to some covers and originals starting at 5:00 p.m. And to follow, an intimate concert with The Unread, Southeast Idaho’s very popular grunge / hard rock band, starts a launch party for “The Bannock Alternative,” a new monthly publication highlighting the area’s edgier arts and entertainment.

For more on The Unread, visit www.myspace.com/theunread. And visit TBA at http://thebannockalternative.com.

And Portneuf Valley Brewing, S. 1st Ave., is welcoming the Taarka Band to their stage on Friday, starting at 8:30 p.m.

The Taarka Band, based from Lyons, CO plays what they call “indie-Gypsy chamber folk.” Their sound is a new millennia’s take on old world music. David Tiller plays mandolin and tenor guitar, with Enion Pelta-Tiller on five string violin. Ben Blechman plays baritone violin with Troy Robey on bass and percussionist Dale Largent round out the band.

Formed over ten years ago, Taarka’s fourth album, "Seed Gathering for A Winter Garden," released last March, is a collection of original instrumentals and lyrical tunes. Expect West meets and Eastern folk with jazz, rock, bluegrass, old-time, gypsy, Indian, and Celtic music

The members of Taarka have shared stages with members of the Grateful Dead, Phish, Garaj Mahal, Widespread Panic and more, and have performed at several well-known festivals, including the Telluride Bluegrass, Groovefest in Southern Utah, and the Yellowstone Music Festival. Find them online at www.taarka.com.

Also on Friday, but some distance from downtown, Somewhere In the Middle plays at Marigolds Wine on Flandro Drive. Music entertainment is free and open to all ages, starting at 7:00 p.m. For more on SIMT, visit www.myspace.com/aaronballmusic.

On Saturday the 7th, Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers make a return engagement at the Fort Hall Casino. Music is scheduled from 8 to 11:00 p.m., open to those 21 and over.

Currently living in Santa Fe, NM, Gary Farmer is an actor, musician and was the founder of Aboriginal Voices Magazine, a magazine which was devoted to Native Canadian issues. He attended Syracuse University and is of the Cayuga Nation and Wolf Clan of the Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Confederacy.

Since the early 80’s, Farmer has appeared in dozens of films and television programs including Police Academy, The West Wing, Friday the 13th, Smoke Signals and Delivering Milo. Farmer fronts his blues band on harmonica and vocals. For more, visit www.myspace.com/garyfarmerandthetroublemakers.

On Monday the 9th of next week, the heavy metal band, Straight Line Stitch, headlines a show at The Icon, N. Main Street in Pocatello. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; tickets available online at smithstix.com.

Formed almost 10 years ago and based from Knoxville, TN, Straight Line Stitch is fronted by Alexis Brown, a rare and talented female metalcore vocalist. The band plays upwards of 200 shows a year, with three EP’s and three full-length CD’s under their belts. Find out more at www.myspace.com/straightlinestitch.

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

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