Column for October 28, 2009

You may be gearing up for Trick ‘r Treating on Saturday the 31st, but save your Thursday and Friday nights for live music.

On Thursday night, the 29th, the Ah Holly Fam’ly stops in Pocatello while on tour with Ohioan at the Flipside Lounge, located at 117 S. Main Street in Pocatello (map). The locally-based Kratz Bros. Band is also on the bill. Music starts at 8:00 p.m.; cost is $5. For more, visit www.myspace.com/ahhollyfamly and Ohioan at www.myspace.com/oryne.

Also on Thursday, the Los Angeles-based acoustic alt. pop band The Silent Partner plays at Senang Wine Bar & Tapas on S. 1st Avenue (map) at 7:30 p.m. This is just the first of several performances by the group in this area.

On Friday the 30th, The Silent Partner will play at Goranson Hall on the Idaho State University campus in Pocatello (map), starting at 7:00 p.m. The free concert is a Parent’s Night Out, sponsored by ISU’s activities committee. On Saturday they play at Vino Rosso in Idaho Falls (map) and on Tuesday the 3rd, at The Cellar in Ammon (map).

The Silent Partner is a band centered on singer and songwriter Bradford Shaw. His debut album "Fall Away" was nominated 2005 Independent Rock Album of the Year for the Los Angeles Music Awards; it and a new EP release “Random” will be available for sale at the shows. Shaw also received a nomination for Singer/Songwriter of the Year in 2004 & won the award in 2007. He has been in several bands that have toured with The Go Go's, Brian Setzer Orchestra, and many more.

On tour, The Silent Partner is Brad Shaw and percussionist Fritz Zar. Expect a mix of piano, banjo, harmonica, and guitar looped for an acoustic rock sound. For more on this artist, visit www.sonicbids.com/thesilentpartner.

Also on Friday the 30th, The King’s Singers (website), a highly celebrated and Grammy Award-winning British a cappella voice insemble will be in concert at the Stephens Performing Arts Center at ISU (map). Concert starts at 7:30. Tickets are $28 to $32, online at www.isu.edu/tickets; call 208-282-3595 for more information.

The Benton Street Bar & Grill (map) is pleased to host the Salt Lake City-based rock group Drop Dead Julio on Friday the 30th, starting at 9:00 p.m. A local band will share the stage to finish out the night. Cost at the door is $5; concert is open to all ages, bar open to those 21+.

I met Gene Kennedy, of Drop Dead Julio, at a popular casual restaurant, The Blue Plate Diner, in Salt Lake City some three years ago, way Way WAY before Guy Fieri went there.

While waiting for a table, I noticed a gig poster hanging in the window and said to my dining companions, "Hey! Drop Dead Hoolio," I pronounced. "I've heard of those guys; they're getting really popular, playing at all the right local clubs and bars."

That's when Kennedy came over and corrected my pronunciation, "It's Drop Dead Joolio," with a "j," not with an "h" sound. We visited for a time and have stayed in touch. I thought then, and still think now, this is a band on the to-watch list.

Kennedy told me recently, “we write songs with (fans) in mind, songs that have energy and catchy choruses that people can sing along to.” DDJ is a rock band first and foremost, with a punk-pop side. Think Green Day meets Papa Roach. By popular vote, they played Warped Tour in Salt Lake City, sharing the stage with After Midnight Project. They’ve worked with The Lemonheads, Royal Bliss and 12 Stones, as well as being featured performers for several northern Utah radio stations.

Drop Dead Julio will have CD’s, “Lack of Direction” and “The Stories We Could Tell,” and t-shirts for sale at the show. For more, visit www.myspace.com/dropdeadjulio.

Back at the Flipside Lounge, No More Existence, Forgiveness Denied and Spawning Fondness are in concert on Friday at 8:00 p.m. And Portneuf Valley Brewing (map) brings the ever-popular Swingshift to their stage at 8:30.

Country fans will be pleased to hear that Moulton Jess will be playing at the Rubicon Bar in the Ramada Inn in Chubbuck (map) on Friday night. And Ande Conda will play rock covers at Taps Bar on Garrett Way (map) on both Friday and Saturday night, 9:00 p.m.

Considering an alternative to Trick Or Treating on Halloween? 7 Feet Below, Pocatello’s most popular band of under-17’s, is playing rock covers and a few originals in the loft of Portneuf Valley Brewing. Whew!

For in-depth interviews and more information, visit http://slowloosegravel.blogspot.com.

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