Column for June 2, 2010

The Bannock Civitans host a weekly concert series free in downtown Pocatello every Wednesday, 5 pm - 8 pm, starting last week and continuing through the first of September. Concerts are held at the Old Town Pavilion, 420 N Main St., Pocatello (view on map). The Civitans raise funds which are reinvested in the community: a four-day youth seminar, financing the Jr. Civitan clubs, an annual Christmas party and snowmobile ride in support of the South Eastern Idaho Community Action Agency, and more.

At each Revive @ Five weekly Wednesday concert, expect giveaways, T-shirts and drawings from the different weekly sponsors, great food, local music and lots of fun. Visit www.orgsites.com/id/bannockcivitans for more information.

This week’s Revive @ Five has The Market Band, a Dixieland jazz band, taking the stage at 5:00 p.m. Food is catered by the Texas Roadhouse with a ribbon cutting ceremony by sponsor Dorsey Hill.

Also tonight, Good Old War headlines a show at The Icon on N. Main St. in Pocatello (view on map), with Yukon Blonde, Audra Mae and Mess of Me. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; tickets are $10 advance through smithstix.com.

Good Old War is an acoustic indie rock band based from Philadelphia, PA. Their sophomore effort, a self-titled album receiving “love it” reviews, is available for purchase at www.AmazonMP3.com.

The band gets their name from an amalgam of members’ names: Keith (Good)win, Tim Arn(old) and Dan Sch(war)tz. Two guitars, one drummer / accordion player, all three share in the vocals. Find out more at www.goodoldwar.com.

A bit atypical for a Wednesday night, The Vinyl Perk, S. Main St. in Pocatello (view on map), has scheduled a special concert tonight with Tyler Fortier, an Americana, country folk acoustic singer / songwriter from Eugene, OR. The show is from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., free, and open to the public of all ages.

Fortier is currently on tour in support of his fourth CD release, “This Love Is Fleeting,” featuring the single, “Tennessee (Ain’t That Lonely),” available for purchase at the show, or download from Amazon, CDBaby or iTunes. It follows on the 2008 heels of “Pale Moon Rise,” “Drunk” from 2007 and “When the Sun Hits the Water” from 2006. Find out more at www.tylerfortier.com.

Thursday’s evening outdoor concert at Idaho State University (view on map) features the lovely Shevy Smith headlining, with the local indie ambient Nyr Lif opening at 6:00 p.m. The concert is scheduled outside on The Quad, and will be moved inside the Student Union Building in case if poor weather.

Shevy Smith is a solo, acoustic singer and guitarist from Southern California. In 2008, Smith was voted Best Female Performer by the Campus Activities Reader’s Choice. Find out more at http://shevysmith.net.

Pocatello is best known for their indie acoustic music. Nyr Lif has been on the scene for years, continuing to delight music lovers and critics alike. Casey Cathey and Shawn Barkdull play music that is at once experimental yet listenable, folk roots with a modern music take.

The duo recently announced their music has been featured on the iPhone App, FlyLoop. If you i-app, check it out. Their CDs are available on CDBaby. You can see them again at Marigolds Wine in North Pocatello on June 14 and at the Gateway Theater on September 2nd. Find out more at www.myspace.com/nyrlif.

Marigolds Wine, on Flandro Drive in N. Pocatello, has weekend live music on both Friday and Saturday nights, this weekend: Corsettie & Davis. Call (208) 237-9463 for more information.

And a local favorite rock cover band, American Steel, plays the Blue Moon Bar in Lava Hot Springs (view on map) this weekend. Music entertainment starts at 9:00 p.m.

American Steel is fronted by guitarist Tracy Turner and vocalist Kat Whitnah, backed by Marcy Ridley on keyboards, Ray Rodriguez on bass and Darrell Martin on drums.

“I think we most appeal to our fans as a band having fun,” Turner said, “that is the secret for us - fun.” Find out more at www.myspace.com/americansteel4u.

Portneuf Valley Brewing on S. 1st Ave. in Pocatello (view on map) has a wild schedule of live music this weekend. On Friday the 4th, The Wild Coyotes, playing acoustic bluegrass, classic and contemporary folk, take the pub’s stage starting at 8:30 p.m.

The Wild Coyotes are Vince Crofts on fiddle and mandolin, guitarist Sallie Sublette, Carrie Bean on bass and featuring Rick McCracken on the old-time banjo. Find out more at http://wildcoyotes-stringband.com.

And on Saturday the 5th, HOT Flash, an all-woman band from Pocatello (formerly Girls Night Out) is set to play country rock at the pub, no cover and open to all ages.

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