John Henry and The Engine, Spinning Wheel

If Bruce Springsteen is the boss, then John Henry has to be at least the VP of Operations. These guys bring a ton of heart and soul to this four song EP that has been exquisitely produced to direct you to the heart of each song. Each tune possesses a note of truth that that will attach itself to every listener in a uniquely personal way. From the stirring beat of “Leave this Place” to the stark loneliness of “Other Side of Hope,” The Spinning Wheel EP plays like a narrative format with highs and lows each having their time (though I might suggest shuffling the order -I like happy endings). Perhaps my favorite tune is the title track. “Spinning Wheel” harkens some of the classic heartland rock anthems that are often the root cause of speeding tickets. And for some all-American cowboy rock, you can’t go wrong with “When Your Horses Tire.” All in all, you can’t go wrong with adding this one to your “driving tunes” playlist. Just remember that you were already warned about that heavy foot of yours.

John Henry and The Engine’s four song EP Spinning Wheel is now available on iTunes.

Find out more about John Henry and The Engine with this LINK.

Interview with Dr. Preston Hot of Hot Problems

I set out to interview who I thought was Andrew Volpe, frontman of LUDO, about his new dance party fun band Hot Problems, but soon figured out that the person I thought was Andrew wasn’t actually him at all.  I was talking to his grandson, Dr. Hot,  who had time traveled from the future back to 2012 (The resemblance is astounding. But somehow grandpappy is a little cuter.).  He had an important message and mission to share with the world.  Be a (Mc) fly on the wall during this conversation between Dr. Hot and interviewer Angie Knost, and find out just why dancing is so important to the future and the past….

Dr. Hot and D.J. Problems form Hot Problems. (Photo courtesy of Hot Problems.)

Angie:  Are you ready to get started?

Dr. Hot:  Yes.

Angie:  So, first question. Dr. Hot-

Dr. Hot:   One more thing. Before we begin, I have to reiterate that I will not be answering any questions about the future.

Angie: Okay….

Dr. Hot:   Just trust me on this. It would be bad.

Angie: I won’t ask any questions about the future.

Dr. Hot:   Okay, great. Then I’m good to go.

Angie: Can we begin?

Dr. Hot:   Ask away.

Dr. Hot:   First of all, Angie, I’d just like to say thank you for sitting down with me to do this interview. Believe it or not, the issues I’d like to discuss–partying, dancing, fun, what have you–are the most critical issues facing mankind today.

[Angie laughs]

Dr. Hot:   Okay, well, you’re laughing, but I assure you, there’s nothing funny or fun about it. The fate of civilization is at stake here.

Angie: Okay. I’m sorry. Let’s start again. Who exactly are you, and where did you come from?

Dr. Hot:   My name is Dr. Preston Hot. I am a theoretical physicist at Washington University in St. Louis, where I have been conducting research on particle acceleration for the past seven years. Actually, scratch that… to be clear, none of this has happened yet. And it won’t for another half-century. I’m not explaining this well. How can I put this…? Ah, yes. I’m from the future.

Angie: Uh… wow.

Dr. Hot:  Yeah, I know.

Angie: And how did you get here?

Dr. Hot:  You mean how did I get now? A wormhole. On April 9, 2067, against all known scientific ethics and my own sense of self-preservation, I stepped into one of my own experimental wormholes and traveled back through time to the year 1959. It was an extremely bad idea.

Angie: So why did you do it?

Dr. Hot:   Angie, I never wanted to be a hero. But it was the only way. It’s a long story, but suffice it to say, there’s an evil maniac wreaking havoc through time. And if I don’t stop him, no one will.

Angie: I’m sorry, who’s this you’re talking about?

Dr. Hot:   The evil maniac. Professor Magnibus. He’s actually a colleague of mine at Wash U. At least he was. At this point, I don’t think the university will keep him on as faculty if he ever comes back. What with him turning evil and all.

Angie: Oh my. What’s he trying to do?

Dr. Hot:   Cause World War III in 1959, alter our known timeline, and ultimately destroy life as we know it.

Angie: Okay. I’m gonna go ahead and change gears here a little bit….

Dr. Hot:   Did that get a little intense there?

Angie: It’s getting a little intense.

Dr. Hot:   Sure thing. I understand, let’s keep it light. Talk about my favorite color or something. Why would we dwell on the fate of mankind?

Angie: Let’s talk for a minute about your Partner, DJ Problems…who is he and how did you meet?

Dr. Hot:   David John Problems is a famous Megatek DJ, also from the future. In a fluke accident, he fell into the same wormhole that I went through and practically landed on top of me in the middle of the Cold War. At first, he just wanted to go home because he had some stuff to do in the morning and he had to feed his cat. But when I told him all about Professor Magnibus and the possible end of the planet, he decided to fight at my side.

Angie: And in the midst of all that, you guys decided you needed to start a pop group called Hot Problems, correct?

Dr. Hot:   As part of our mission, yes.

Angie: Why the name “Hot Problems”?

Dr. Hot:   Ummmm… I’m Dr. Hot, he’s D.J. Problems. It just kind of worked out that way.

Angie: What’s it like working together?

Dr. Hot:   I have to say, he’s the real talent, while I’m a relative newcomer. I mean, the guy’s famous in the future. So we knew he would be able to come up with great beats. But when we first started writing, we were both surprised to find that I had a knack for spitting rhymes and singing anthemic melodies.

Dr. Hot:   Of course. Why waste our time talking about the extinction of the human race?

Angie: This interview is for a music publication. So, sorry, I kind of have to ask about the music.

Dr. Hot:   No, I get it. Sorry, I get a little worked up. You’re just doing your job. Problems and I work well together. He drops the fat beats and I bust the flow. It’s a great working relationship.

Angie: And your goals?

Dr. Hot:   Simple: (1) make a record, (2) create worldwide Partyfundance, (3) harness the ramotons, and (4) save the world.

Angie: Without getting too technical, in layman’s terms, can you explain some of the scientific theory behind this “Partyfundance” concept and the idea of “harnessing ramotons”?

Dr. Hot:   Certainly, Angie. Ramotons are rare particles that are used to power weapons in the future. We need them for our weapon, the cryogenulum. But while in the middle of the fight, we ran out.

Angie: So now you need to find more ramotons?

Dr. Hot:   If we’re going to stop Professor Magnibus, yeah.

Angie: And where does one find ramotons?

Dr. Hot:   Unfortunately, you can only find them in two ways: one of them requires orbiting a black hole for a thousand years. The other way is to harness the power of Partyfundance.

Angie: What is that?

Dr. Hot:   Partyfundance? You’ve never heard of Partyfundance? I guess you guys haven’t figured this one out yet. Anyway, Partyfundance is a phenomenon that occurs whenever people are partying or dancing. The more fun a group of party people is having, the more ramotons they generate. And we’re trying to harness the power of those ramotons, so we can go back to 1959 and finish our battle to save the earth. It’s simple really.

Angie: So why didn’t you just go to a party in 1959 and gather your ramotons there?

Dr. Hot:   A party in 1959? What, like a sock hop? Seriously. No one ever had fun at a sock hop. In fact, as a decade, the 1950’s barely generated any ramotons at all. People just sat in their rooms and listened to records while looking out the window. No, we had to go to the time in history where we could find the greatest number of ramotons, where the Partyfundance was at its peak.

Angie: And that’s now?

Dr. Hot:   Yep. 2012: when people knew how to party balls.

Dr. Hot:  Oooo… sticky topic. I try not to have too much contact with him.

Angie: Why not?

Dr. Hot:  Temporal contamination. Plus he’s terrified of me.

Angie: He’s terrified of you?

Dr. Hot:  Because of the grandfather paradox.

Angie: What’s the grandfather paradox?

Dr. Hot:  If you go back in time and kill your grandfather when he’s young, then you would never have been born. So a time traveler killing his own grandfather is not possible, right? But think about it… what’s to stop me from just going over to his house in Chicago right now, rolling up with a gat, and putting a bullet in his brain? Nothing, right? Or will something stop me? It’s a paradox, see. Stephen Hawking thinks the universe will intercede and prevent me from doing it. I believe me killing him or performing any other catastrophic act would just split time into alternate realities. The “Back to the Future” trilogy posits that any major disruption to the timeline would lead to Michael J. Fox’s hand starting to disappear. The answer is no one knows for sure what would really happen.

Angie: Well, do you have any plans to kill him?

Dr. Hot:   No. At least not right now. Murdering my grandfather in order to solve a time travel paradox is the least of my concerns. I’m more into what’s happening with the impending End of Days.

Angie: Do you have any contact with him at all?

Dr. Hot:  Who? My grandfather? We e-mail. I follow what he’s up to online, but not much more than that. It’s fascinating watching him live at this point in history.

Angie: And? What’s he doing?

Dr. Hot:  Hanging out. His wife is pregnant right now. The baby could be my mother. Or maybe not. It could be my uncle. I’m not going to say. Because like I said, I’m not discussing the future.

Angie: And Ludo?

Dr. Hot:  I think they’re getting ready to play some East Coast shows at the end of April, including a huge NYC show. Other than that, they’re taking a break between records. I bet if you stay tuned though, you’ll see new music from them at some point.

Angie: That’s exciting.

Dr. Hot:  Yeah. We’re getting off topic though. Let’s talk about this whole “end of the world” situation.

Dr. Hot:  I’m not at liberty to say.

Dr. Hot:  You sure are into butts. The data is inconclusive, but yes, the numbers seem to indicate a high correlation between butt-shaking and ramoton generation.

Dr. Hot:  Partyfundance. We already covered this. It’s not the butt-shaking that causes Partyfundance. Partyfundance is what generates ramotons. And butt-shaking is just a natural by-product.

Dr. Hot:   Thinking too hard. It really lowers the level of Partyfundance.

Dr. Hot:  I thought we talked about this before the interview.

Angie: We did. I just-

Dr. Hot:  I’m not discussing the future, Angie.

Angie: Okay. But if you could just give us one little fact about what it’s like….

Dr. Hot:  Fine. In the future, the only people who wear stockings are children and prostitutes.

Angie: What?

Dr. Hot:  Bacon is sold on the black market, because pig slaughter is considered inhumane.

[long pause]

The Cardinals win the pennant in ‘22. Am I on the right track? Is this what you’re asking?

Angie: I was actually wondering about-

Dr. Hot:  When you’re gonna die?

Angie: What? No!

Dr. Hot:  Just kidding. I don’t know when you’re gonna die.

Angie: I just wanna know how life is different, like if there are flying cars or something.

Dr. Hot:  Yes, there are flying cars, but no one uses them. Next question.

Angie: That’s about all I got.

Dr. Hot:  Great. Great interview. I really feel like we glossed over the whole end-of-the-world thing though.

Angie: Really quick, I just want to clarify, then I’ll let you get back to your mission. You came from the year 2067. You were fighting in 1959 to save the world, but you ran out of ramotons. So you came to 2012 to make a pop record, so you can create worldwide Partyfundance, recharge your cryogenulum weapon, and save the world. Does that about cover it?

Dr. Hot:  Yes.

Angie: Well, I’m confused.

Dr. Hot:  Don’t be. We don’t need you to understand our mission.

Angie: Then what do you need?

Dr. Hot:  Just turn up the music and shake your booty. We’ll take care of the rest.

Find Hot Problems on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hotproblems

The Chevy Music Showcase launch party took place at Atomic Cowboy on Thursday, January 12, 2012. The following day, the mini-documentary TV series was to begin to air on the local CBS affiliate KMOV Channel Four. Powered by Chevy, the online community and TV program highlights our city’s original music artists in two-minute episodes, to be aired three times daily on Fridays.

The first episode featured Dear Genre. (Download their new song for free from the website listed in the footer of this article.) I spoke briefly with Dear Genre’s frontman Andre Cataldo about his thoughts on their placement in the series. He was excited and thankful. The group had battled for a spot on the Loufest festival and won. After that, they secured a spot for the first annual Rock U Fest, and Andre told me that it was through performing at that event that their group was discovered for this series. The concept is unique. It pairs up artists as they fellowship with each other, and it seems informative and real. It also captures live performance footage of each artist.  Below is the first episode, in case you missed it:

A performance by Beth Bombara kicked off the launch party. She performed two sets, and in between performances there were give-aways of branded materials and gift certificates from local business establishments like Cicero’s and Killer Vintage Guitars. Full-size posters were displayed along the wall inside Atomic Cowboy of each artist appearing in the first season of the showcase. It was truly impressive. It is good to see everyone getting behind this sort of thing. It is my belief that you will see brands experimenting more with this idea in the near future, and I think that what Chevy is doing really creates a community feel. Below are a few pictures of Beth performing inside the venue, along with one of her songs that you can stream while looking at them:

01 Rainbow by Beth Bombara

Beth Bombara performing live. Photo credit: ©Christopher Davis

Beth Bombara performing live. Photo credit: ©Christopher Davis

Beth Bombara performing live. Photo credit: ©Christopher Davis

Following Beth Bombara’s second set,  Chevy Music Showcase producer Tommy Smeltzer invited everyone into the Foxhole, nextdoor to the lounge, and did some additional gift-giving.  Next, John Henry & The Engine took the stage and went on to perform two sets of rock. Their next appearance will be at one of the venues that was involved with the series, Cicero’s in the Delmar Loop area. It will take place on Saturday, January 21, 2012. Below are a few pictures of John and his band playing at the Showcase launch, along with one of their songs that you can stream or download while looking at them:

John Henry & The Engine – Arizona Moon by stlmusiciansunite

John Henry & The Engine performing live. Photo credit: ©Christopher Davis

John Henry & The Engine performing live. Photo credit: ©Christopher Davis

John Henry & The Engine performing live. Photo credit: ©Christopher Davis

I think it is great to see a brand invest in artists. It is also a plus to see many St Louis area publications including the RFT, Eleven Magazine and blogs like I Went To A Show and the St. Louis Musicians Unite music blog supporting this. It’s just a matter of time, as the word spreads, until more and more people will join in supporting St. Louis local talent, as a direct result of the Chevy Music Showcase.

From the Lagwagon box set “Putting Music In It’s Place” comes a re-release of their 1998 release, Let’s Talk About Feelings. It comes along with fourteen extra tacks from the Let’s Talk About Feelings sessions, including acoustic renditions, previously unreleased tracks and b-sides that didn’t make the album but appeared on various compilation CDs. Let’s talk about the album…

The album starts off on the right foot with the track “After You My Friend” (the best song on the album, in my opinion). Next up is the slower paced “Gun In Your Hand”, which is a little more on the depressing side lyrically, but still a stellar song, nonetheless. The next few tracks keep the speed and catchiness that makes Lagwagon the great band they are. The album takes another break from the warp speed skate punk for the song “Train” which is definitely one of the better tracks. Other stand out tracks from the original album include “Love Story”, “Messengers” and “May 16″.

As for the bonus material, besides the music, there is a poster of various snapshots of the band on the reverse side of the lyrics sheet, and commentary on the album and on the inside of the case was provided by vocalist Joey Cape and guitarist Chris Rest.

As for the bonus tracks, the acoustic tracks just didn’t really stick with me; maybe it’s just that I’m not really one for acoustic versions of fast songs, or much acoustic music at all for that matter, but the others were great. Songs like “Losing Everyone, “Burn That Bridge When We Get There”, and “Want”, I think should have been on the original album because those tracks were some of the better Lagwagon songs I have heard. I guess with this box collection, everybody gets their dream Lagwagon album. I know I sure did.

The Chevy Music Showcase has filmed twelve St Louis based musical artists, starting the week of Nov 9, 2011, at various venues around the St Louis area. Mini-documentaries were made that began airing on local St Louis television and on the Chevy Music Showcase’s official YouTube channel in January of 2012. The episodes currently air each Friday on KMOV-TV / Channel 4 between 6:50 – 7:00 am, 11:25 – 11:30 pm and 11:54 – 12:00 midnight.

The Chevy Music Showcase being filmed at Sci Fi Lounge. Photo credit: ©Angie Knost

Scouting for talent to appear on the show began in June of 2011. A list of 70+ local acts was made behind the scenes, unbeknownst to the bands being considered, that were largely scouted based on their material that they had posted on the web. The list was narrowed in the following two months, and standout artists were contacted to ask if they were interested in participating.

An overwhelming enthusiasm has been echoed by all artists involved. Additional publicity for the St Louis music scene is being welcomed wholeheartedly. The mini-documentaries are increasing exposure of the wonderful talent in St Louis, and hopefully encouraging a growth of popularity and concert attendance for the local music scene as a whole. St Louis television viewers, including many of those who might not ordinarily consider seeking out local music, are becoming more aware of the immense variety of talent right here in their own “backyard”, just by flipping the channels and running onto this innovative program that lets artists showcase their talent through a private performance and their personalities through the interview segment. Local music venues also get the spotlight, as the interviews all take place in the area’s diverse live music clubs.

JR of Alyss and the Twin Chairs. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Artists appearing in Season 1 are:

Bruiser Queen
Beth Bombara
Dear Genre
John Henry
Geoff Koch
Union Tree Review
Tucker Booth
The Venice Cafe
The Feed
Bottoms Up Blues Gang
Tight Pants Syndrome
Filmore

Watch the episodes on the Chevy Music Showcase St Louis official YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ChevyMusicStLouis

Join the Chevy Music Showcase’s Facebook page with this LINK:

http://www.facebook.com/chevymusicSTL

Shopping for a car? Check out the official Chevy website:

http://www.chevrolet.com

Photo Credit: ©DW Photos

Looking for something to do? Check our calendar to find shows that are going on around town.

Bookmark this page for easy future reference.

Nelly at the 2011 Black and White Ball. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Grammy-winning hip-hop superstar Nelly hosted his 6th annual Black and White Ball on December 18, 2011 at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, Missouri.  This celebrity gala event celebrated the launch of the 2012/2013 Black and White Scholarship Program and awarded two students with full scholarships.

Scholarship awardees Chelsea Smith and Carmen Rhodes on the red carpet. Photo credit: © Angie Knost.

Carmen Rhodes and Chelsea Smith accepting their awards from Nelly. Photo credit: © Angie Knost.

Emcees Darius Bradford and Curt Copeland. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Special guests Marshall Faulk and Jermaine Dupri were in attendance, as well as members of the St Lunatics and many other local celebrities, including John Jay of the St. Louis Cardinals, Vickie Newton of Channel 4 News and Curt Copeland of radio station Z 107.7.  Performances by African acrobats Zuma Zuma (as seen on “America’s Got Talent”) and Johnny Gill entertained the crowd.  DJ Charlie Chan kept the dance floor moving, and later in the evening, Jermaine Dupri took over as DJ and crowd motivator.  Rapper Murphy Lee was also celebrating his birthday that evening, and made an appearance on stage to receive shouts of birthday greetings from the crowd.

Marshall Faulk and Nelly. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Fashion designer Ola Hawatmeh. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

John Jay of the St Louis Cardinals and guests. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

The amazing acrobatics of Zuma Zuma. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Zuma Zuma. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Johnny Gill, formerly of New Edition. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Johnny Gill giving roses to ladies in the crowd. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

DJ Charlie Chan. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Jermaine Dupri. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

The 2011 Black and White Ball was presented by Remy Martin with additional support from Superior Products, Alliance Sports, Plaza Cadillac and SYNERGY Productions, LLC.

Slideshow:

*Photos are not public domain.  Prints and digital files are available for purchase.  To inquire, email photo@stlmusicpress.com.

A Very Ludo Christmas 2011

“A Very Ludo Christmas” is the annual Holiday concert that Ludo gives in their hometown of St. Louis, MO, with more trimmings than Macy’s tree.  This year they took the celebration to the Metro in Chicago the following day, too.  The Midwest hasn’t seen so much Christmas since….well, I can think of no preceding celebration that would compare.

Ludo frontman Andrew Volpe at the Metro, Chicago. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

In case you haven’t been to one of these shows, you need to know that this is not just a concert, it’s a mega-celebration of all things Christmas.  It’s “Christmas for Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Pagans and Athiests”, and also for the eccentric, wacky and fun loving fans of the band that made ‘nerdity’ hot.

Ludo drummer Matt Palermo. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Ludo Guitarist Tim Ferrell. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

So much preparation went into the making of this show.  The stage was a crowded hodgepodge of Christmas lawn ornaments and trinkety decor, as if Kris Kringle’s yard sale exploded all over it, crowned by a giant inflatable candy-cane arch framing the scene.  Before the fans arrived, the venue was deliberately sprayed with pine scent, to give the feeling of walking smack-dab onto a Christmas tree lot.  Costumed characters including a snowman, Mrs Claus, a Christmas tree and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer mixed freely with the crowd and served cookies and candy canes.  There was a booth where attendees could get their portrait taken with Santa Claus for free.  During the show, confetti cannons fired, and the performance culminated with a balloon drop to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne”.  Wrapped tacky presents were tossed into the crowd by band members, which included cassette tape cases, Trivial Pursuit cards, Star of David print baby Onesies, a Hillary Duff CD, used clothing and more wacky items, probably better than the ones you’ll get from the in-laws.

Ludo's Andrew Volpe poses with Santa Claus and some very special helpers. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

A Very Ludo Christmas at the Pageant. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

All this action, and I haven’t even gotten to the part about the music yet!  The ice scene music from the movie Edward Scissorhands set the scene for an amazing set of Ludo-ness. They played favorites selected from all of their previous albums, including “Love Me Dead”, “Broken Bride”, “Whipped Cream”, “Girls on Trampolines”, “Save our City” and “Go Getter Greg”.  Somewhere near the middle of the show, the audience was asked to be seated on the floor while Ludo went acoustic and sang traditional Christmas songs with the fans.  Norman Rockwell himself couldn’t have created a more picturesque Holiday scene.

Ludo singing carols at the Metro, Chicago. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Ludo singing Christmas carols among the crowd at the Pageant, St. Louis. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Ludo fans are devoted, and these two concerts were an exceptional show of enthusiasm from the fans who joined in on the customary groin thrusting dance of “Whipped Cream”, waved their arms together in unison during the impassioned pleas of “Save Our City”, and went boingy-ballistic during the performance of the goodtime party tune “Girls on Trampolines”.  Even the humbuggiest of humbuggers left the place in love with Christmas, and probably with Ludo, too.

Ludo Moog player and crowd motivator Tim Convy. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Andrew Volpe at the Pageant, St. Louis. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Ludo's touring bassist Tom Cantillon. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Ludo balloon drop at the Metro, Chicago. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Relevant LINKS:

Ludo’s Official Website

A Very Ludo Christmas Santa photos at the Pageant in St. Louis, December 10, 2011

A Very Ludo Christmas Santa photos at the Metro in Chicago, December 10, 2011

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Barbra Wiseman

As Tom Rush quietly took the stage at the Old Rock House on October 27, the sixth game of the World Series was in progress at nearby Busch Stadium. Those of us who attended Tom’s concert were richly rewarded. This legendary folk singer performed a two hour set for the ages. Tom kicked off the set with “Hot Tonight”, a song from his latest CD entitled What I Know. The CD, which is Tom’s first studio effort in over thirty years, is a delight!
The CD was awarded Folk Album Of The Year. Other songs off the CD that were performed included “East of Eden”, “River Song”, “Fall Into The Night”, and the title track “What I Know”.

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Michael Wiseman

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Michael Wiseman

Much of Tom Rush’s charm as a performer lies in his quick wit and humorous storytelling abilities. A CD entitled Trolling For Owls showcased the aforementioned talents. Several songs were presented from this disc. Standouts included “Let’s Talk Dirty In Hawaiian” and “Making The Best Of A Bad Situation”; the latter he dedicated to himself. (The World Series, remember?).  Speaking of remembering, Tom did perform the “Remember Song”, a tune about the trials of growing older. It’s hilarious. The song was also a YouTube sensation, garnering thousands of hits….”Or perhaps it was just one guy who couldn’t remember”, as Tom likes to explain.

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Michael Wiseman

Tom Rush’s first attempt at writing a children’s song was also included in the set. “The Fish Story” is a delightful song that is being incorporated into a children’s video. Stay tuned.

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Barbra Wiseman

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Barbra Wiseman

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Barbra Wiseman

I suppose at this point I should confess to the fact that I have been a fan of Tom Rush for forty years. During that time I have compiled a wish list of songs to request at his shows. Somehow the audience must have gotten access to my list, as their shouted requests were one and the same. I can now take pen to paper and cross off four songs on the list:  “Urge For Going”, a melancholy song about the changing of the seasons, “No Regrets”, the song that reached a national audience, “Rockport Sunday”, a beautiful instrumental that showcases Tom’s abilities on guitar, and “Child’s Song” a song with lyrics that mirrored my situation at one point in life.  Maybe the next time in, my list will become even shorter. “Wind On The Water”, “Biloxi” and many others still wait in the wings.

Judging from the extended standing ovation that Tom Rush received upon the show’s conclusion, I would guess many in the audience felt as I did.
An old friend had come to town and provided two hours of musical magic. No one wanted to see it end.

Thanks, Tom!

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Michael Wiseman

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Barbra Wiseman

Tom Rush at Old Rock House. Photo credit: © Barbra Wiseman

Set List (Partial-No Particular Order)
1. Hot Tonight
2. East Of Eden
3. River Song
4. What I Know
5. Fall Into The Night
6. Urge For Going
7. Child’s Song
8. Let’s Talk Dirty In Hawaiian
9. Making The Best Of A Bad Situation
10. No Regrets-Rockport Sunday
11. Remember Song
12. The Fish Story Song
13. Mole’s Moan
14. Panama Limited
15. Galveston Flood

Find out more about Tom Rush with this LINK: http://tomrush.com/

of Into The Light Concerts

The Chevy Music Showcase  is filming twelve St Louis based musical artists the week of Nov 9, 2011,  at various venues around the St Louis area.  Mini-documentaries are being made that will air on local St Louis television and on the Chevy Music Showcase’s official YouTube channel, beginning in January of 2012.

The Chevy Music Showcase being filmed at Sci Fi Lounge. Photo credit: ©Angie Knost

Scouting for talent to appear on the show began in June of 2011.  A list of 70+ local acts was made behind the scenes, unbeknownst to the bands being considered, that were largely scouted based on their material that they had posted on the web.  The list was narrowed in the last two months, and standout artists were contacted to ask if they were interested in participating.  An overwhelming enthusiasm has been echoed so far by all artists involved.  Additional publicity for the St Louis music scene is being welcomed wholeheartedly.  The mini-documentaries will increase exposure of the wonderful talent in St Louis, and hopefully encourage a growth of popularity and concert attendance for the local music scene as a whole.  St Louis television viewers, including many of those who might not ordinarily consider seeking out local music, will become aware of the immense variety of talent right here in their own “backyard”, just by flipping the channels and running onto this innovative program that lets artists showcase their talent through a private performance and their personalities through the interview segment.  Local music venues will also get the spotlight, as the interviews will all take place in the area’s diverse live music clubs.

JR of Alyss and the Twin Chairs being filmed for the Chevy Music Showcase St Louis. Photo credit: ©Angie Knost

JR of Alyss and the Twin Chairs. Photo credit: © Angie Knost

Other artists scheduled to appear on the series are:

Bruiser Queen
Beth Bombara
Dear Genre
John Henry
Geoff Koch
Union Tree Review
Tucker Booth
The Venice Cafe
The Feed
Bottoms Up Blues Gang
Tight Pants Syndrome
Filmore

Join the Chevy Music Showcase’s Facebook page with this LINK:

http://www.facebook.com/chevymusicSTL

See the previous Chevy Music showcase series made to feature regional acts in Oklahoma with this LINK:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ChevyBricktown

Shopping for a car? Check out the official Chevy website:

http://www.chevrolet.com