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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
by Tom Lounges / Editor
CONGRATS & THANKS!
I want to say – “Congratulations!” – to all the wonderful musical folks
who took home awards last month after BEAT readers and local club
patrons voted them as among their favorites in our 2005 Reader’s Poll.
Thank you to the many artists who took the time to come out and attend
the event, acknowledging your fans’ appreciation of you.
I know that a Saturday is a prime gig night, but I think highly of those
musical artists who opted to keep the awards night open on their
schedule. I showed class to personally accept the award granted them,
not by me, but by their loyal fans who cast votes and invested in stamps
to get their ballots counted.
Kudos to those area musicians who put a higher priority on their
gratitude to the fans than to a paycheck on that night. This year’s
Midwest BEAT Regional Music Awards Night was the most attended – by
artists and the public – to date.
I hope everyone enjoyed the free food spread. A very special thanks to
the fine folks at Hungry Howie’s Pizza in Schererville for coming
through for us at the last minute. Hungry Howie’s supplied us with a
slew of mighty tasty and piping hot pizzas. The general consenses among
the party-goers was – Yummy!
“STARRY NIGHTS” TURNS 20!
Every summer for two decades now, the folks at the Homewood-Flossmoor
Park District have brought top-notch entertainers to their town’s Marie
Irwin Bandshell, located in Irwin Park at Ridge Road and Highland Avenue
in Homewood. The event is their “Starry Nights” festival.
Last year, my wife Julie and I caught Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees at a
“Starry Night” performance and hung out with him following his autograph
session and meet ‘n’ greet with fans.
This June—the “Starry Nights” concert series celebrates its 20th
anniversary—by once again taking us on a trip back to the 1960s. Only
this time it will be with The Buckinghams on Friday, June 23, and
Beatles tribute band, American English, on Friday, July 28.
For more information, call Homewood-Flossmoor Park District at (708)
957-0300 or visit
www.hfparks.com
CHEAP TRICK READIES “ROCKFORD”…
Cheap Trick is set to release the highly anticipated new studio album
named after their hometown – Rockford – on June 6th via their own
nationally distributed imprint, Cheap Trick Unlimited/Big3 Records.
The first single “Perfect Stranger” –– produced by Linda Perry and
co-written by Cheap Trick and Perry –– will be released to radio on
April 3rd.
“This new record has all the best elements of our entire catalogue. It’s
by far our best work yet,” says bassist Tom Petersson.
From the sweet simplicity of “O Claire” to the boisterous anthem
“Welcome To The World,” the album Rockford exemplifies the best of Cheap
Trick.
The remainder of the album includes some songs that the band has been
performing in their live show, that are already becoming fan favorites
–– “If It Takes A Lifetime,” “Come On Come On Come On,” “This Time You
Got It,” “Give It Away,” “One More Day,” “Every Night And Every Day,”
“Dream The Night Away,” “All Those Years” and “Decaf.”
TRISTEN GETS BUSY…
Lansing native and current Chicago-residing singer/songwriter, Tristen,
is busy writing and recording songs for her third CD of original music.
Tristen said she expects have the still untitled album available by the
holidays. It will be the follow-up to her 2004 CD, Among The Crowd,
which featured guest contributions from members of the Ides Of March and
the Dennis DeYoung Band.
If the two songs she performed live on my Night Rock radio program last
month –– “Crystal Calvary” and “Real To Me” – are any indication of the
rest of the album, we are in for a real treat.
Tristen recently spent a week in Los Angeles shooting a music video for,
“Real To Me”, with director Danny Buday, an American Film Institute
graduate, once mentored by Hollywood film legend, Clint Eastwood.
More info:
www.tristen.com
BAND BITS…
• Bonfire, the popular South Side AC/DC tribute act that disbanded last
summer, have officially regrouped according to frontman Jim “Bon”
Hillegonds, though they will play on a much more limited basis than in
the past.
A key factor in the group’s reformation is the return of guitarist Zeke
“Angus” Rongers, whose departure from the line-up a few months before
they disbanded was sorely felt.
Bonfire is already booked for their annual X-ROCK 103.9-sponsored
concert during the Lake County Fair in August.
More info @
www.bonfireband.com
My condolences to Bonfire drummer Gary Grimler and his very close
family, on the passing last month of his father, Robert Grimler of
Highland, age 73.
• Condolences also to Rodney Langel – owner of both Rodney’s and
Langel’s Pizza in downtown Highland, Indiana – on the loss of his
father, Eugene J. Langel. The senior Langel, of Highland, was age 82
when he passed away on Friday March 10.
• After a long absence from the scene, this writer was among those eager
to see Chicago folk music icon Bonnie Kolac make a highly anticipated
hometown stage comeback in February at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn.
That show and others were understanadably cancelled when Kolac’s mother
took ill.
Sadly, Bonnie’s biggest fan passed away on February 27. My sympathies to
Bonnie and her family on their loss.
Kolac’s date at FitzGerald’s will be rescheduled for May 19. The live
concerts coincide with a recently released 34-track/2-CD historical
anthology of Kolac’s music – Timeless – comprised largely of demos and
live recordings at the old Earl Of Old Town, which sound surprisingly
good considering the artist had the source tapes packed in boxes in her
house for the last 30 years.
• Scott DuBose, band leader and front man of red hot country group, 101
Ranch, continues to make changes in his band’s line-up.
Lead guitarist Michael Kranicke joined 101 Ranch last month. Keyboardist
Allan Evett was brought into the group in late 2005, after having
previously played with Western Haze, the alma mater of current 101 Ranch
drummer Mark Price and bassist Curt Durham.
• Local party rocker Styrofoam Giants has formally announced the
addition of Stephen “Strawberry” Fields on drums. Fields replaces the
recently exited Mike Kasky and comes to the group with a resume that
includes having logged in time with such area groups as FIL, Paging
Raymond, and River Oaks.
Guitarist/vocalist Matt Valuckis noted that the down time spent working
Fields into the group, has allowed the band to revamp their song list
and show.
• South Side guitarist Dave Bellah who currently performs as half of the
acoustic duo – Puppet Show – reports that he is also in the process of
assembling a full blown electric rock band.
• Singer/guitarist Steve Vansak of Gary, Indiana may be best known these
days as a solo artist, but the man can rock when he wants to, and right
about now he wants to.
Vansak has re-assembled his electric group with longtime bassist Aaron
Yakovetz and new drummer Zach Malasto, as he makes ready to release The
Other Side of America, his third full length CD.
Recorded this winter with all instruments played by Vansak, the CD
features guest shots by TimePeace vocalist Robby Celestin and Freek
Johnson keyboardist Waz Lisek.
More info online at:
www.stevevansak.com
• Bob Feddersen, former frontman/singer of the late, great South Side
band, Loudmouth, has put together a new group at long last called –
Metalhead. The band’s debut CD, Metal Bands Only has just been
completed.
• Region singer/songwriter/recording artist, Randy Moore, is wrapping up
his new solo CD, Adrenaline Rush.
Moore, armed with his Flying V guitar, has released a steady series of
original albums over the last decade. Hear Moore’s new songs at:
www.randymooremusic.com
Catch Moore live on April 29 with his full band, The Camel Toes, at Home
Plate Pub on 165th Street in Hammond, Indiana.
SMOKIN’ HOMEGROWN…
Speaking of local artist CDs...there is some smokin’ homegrown stuff
coming across my desk lately.
Yeesh...now I know what everyone’s been doing all winter. I’ve barely
dented the stack of discs that has flooded in over the last month or so,
but I promise each will get at least one spin in my CD player.
Husband/wife acoustic duo, Tony & Cheryl, found time in their busy
performing schedule to lay down ten of their original tunes on a new CD
release called, Abandon. Tracks I favored were “Queen Of The Bar” and
“Things Change.”
Not every CD that lands in my disc player leaves a good impression, but
here are two that did...
New Element’s outstanding Celtic music excursion All Four One, has an
“Advisory” sticker warning how the music may cause one to clap hands,
tap feet and drive a little faster. The warning is well advised -- it
did all three to me.
The CD is a nice mix of traditional folk songs from the Emerald Isle and
original compositions, such as “Kathy’s Jig.” Good stuff that brings the
Irish side of my bloodline out in a big way.
Pour a pint, push “play” on the song “Drunken Sailor” and watch me go!
Another regional release that left me smiling was October Sunset by
singer-songwriter Bob Hall. While I very much enjoyed the seven original
compositions on Hall’s 10-track CD, I had a hard time not hitting
“repeat” after each spin of his delightful covers of Lennon/McCartney’s
“Blackbird” and George Harrison’s “Here Comes The Sun.” Hall’s take on
the Classics IV chestnut, “Stormy”, ain’t shabby either.
• Speaking of George Harrison... Thanks to local composer and cable talk
show host, Ruben Alexander, for splashing this columnist all over
Comcast Cable last month via his monthly arts and entertainment program,
“The Hitmakers”.
Ruben’s program aired throughout the entire month of March on Comcast
outlets all over Lake and Porter Counties. The episode included footage
of me on stage leading a tent full of Beatle fans at the Lake County
Fair in singing “Happy Birthday” to Louise Harrison, the charming and
vibrant elder sister of my all-time favorite Beatle – George.
THE CURTIN CLOSES ON BILL BLUM
On April 1st the region and the world lost a very funny and fun-loving
man, when the curtain finally closed on the life of Bernard “Bill” Blum,
age 86.
I was fortunate to have known him casually through his son, my good
friend, Charlie Blum, the Star Plaza Theatre’s CEO/President and Talent
Buyer.
The senior Blum was a lifelong patron and participant in community
theatre –– from his native Atlantic City, to Las Vegas, to right here in
Northwest Indiana. He loved entertaining and making people laugh – on
and off stage.
Charlie has always credited his parent’s love of Broadway musicals and
their taking him to live theater as a child, with inspiring his own
successful career in the music business, both behind the scenes and on
stage as an actor/singer.
While I did not know his father very well, I knew him well enough to
steal his jokes while doing emcee work at area venues.
His one-liners were the old vaudeville kind best served up with a rim
shot, but they always got me laughs.
“You’ll get my bill, Tom”, Mr. Blum would tease after hearing me recycle
one of his bits.
At the time of his death, Mr. Blum and his wife of 64 years, Lorraine,
resided in Merrillville and was often found chatting up patrons at the
Star Plaza shows.
A World War II veteran and a former Chairman of the Atlantic City County
Democratic Committee, Mr. Blum was instrumental in the Presidential
campaign of John F. Kennedy.
Along with his wife and son, he is survived by daughter, Deede Blum, and
daughter-in-law Karen Blum.
I invite everyone who treasures the arts, to join me in honoring Bill
Blum with a memorial donation in his name to the local theater group he
championed.
Those so inclined can send donations to: “L’arc en Ciel” Theatre Group
c/o The Bill Blum Theatre Fund, 1125 Royal Dublin Lane, Dyer, Indiana
46311.
In closing, I would like to invite everyone to please join me for our
next Midwest BEAT Bash on April 28th at 2nd Dimension on US 30 in
Schererville. This one is our now annual “Chick Rock Bash” featuring
female-fronted bands. Our line-up will be NAWTY, ZODIAC and CENTERFOLD.
Don’t miss what is sure to be a great time!
Until next month...get out and support live music!
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