THE BEAT
Wishes for the New Year
by Seth Rogovoy(WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., Jan. 16, 1997) -- It's still January, so it's not too late to put our wishes for the New Year out into the ether, where the mere power of suggestion has been known to take on a life of its own.
In 1997, it would be really great if:
- Tanglewood had five Popular Artists concerts in addition to the Independence Day festivities, and none of them included Peter, Paul and Mary, James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Natalie Cole or Arlo Guthrie. Nothing against Arlo, of course -- we think he's AMAZING -- but enough is enough!
- instead, Tanglewood presents the likes of Sting, Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, the Dave Matthews Band and Counting Crows, all safe acts that fit well within the unofficial, Popular Artists series guidelines of soft-rock that appeals to baby-boomers.
- the Night Shift Cafe in North Adams reopens for business.
- the Studio in Pittsfield presented some acts whose artistic peak came after 1976. Some of them are drawn from a list including Soul Coughing, Luscious Jackson, Cake, Crash Test Dummies, Cracker, Lemonheads, Wallflowers and Beck.
- the National Music Center in Lenox presented ANYTHING of artistic merit and integrity.
Spotlight -- BR5-49
It's no news to anyone that country music has been in a rut the last few years, having strayed far from its honky-tonk roots in favor of twangy pop tunes sung by hunks in hats. As a result, country has lost some clout at the record-store counter, as fans are fed up with the denatured stuff being passed off as real country. Enter BR5-49, the unfortunately-named group that has come from out of nowhere (Nashville, actually) to be touted as country music's salvation. As heard on its eponymously-titled debut on the Arista Nashville label, the group -- nominated for a Grammy Award last week -- plays classic- style rockabilly and honky-tonk, split evenly between original compositions and vintage tunes by the likes of Mel Tillis and Webb Pierce. Dobros, fiddles, mandolins and high lonesome harmonies -- the classic ingredients of hard country -- vie with guitars, bass and drums on these gloriously retro tracks that are contemporary not only in spirit but in their subject matter. Where else are you going to find a song that name-checks Emmylou Harris AND Patti Smith? "Her punk rock records are gathering dust/Little Ramona's gone hillbilly nuts," they sing. You will, too, after hearing them at the Iron Horse in Northampton on Monday night at 7.
Spotlight -- Pen Pal
Back in the ancient days before some marketing turd invented "alternative rock," there was an authentic musical movement called "post-punk" that combined the energy of first-generation punk-rock and the pop tunefulness of new-wave to make for a new kind of power- pop exemplified by bands like the Replacements, the dBs, and a group called U2 -- before Bono went nuts. Pen Pal, a new, New York trio led by Allen Ginsberg protege David Greenberg, harkens back to that style on "Best Boy" (Evil Teen), a giddy collection of melodic tunes that boasts the sonic impact of the Clash and recalls early U2. Plus, like Yo La Tengo and the Velvet Underground before them, they boast a chick drummer. Catch Pen Pal at Club Metro in Northampton on Saturday night.
Backstage bits
Life of some sort returns to the Studio in downtown Pittsfield beginning on Jan. 25, when the nightclub in the former England Bros. building hosts a '70s theme party featuring two tribute bands: The Machine imitating Pink Floyd and Physical Graffiti mimicking Led Zeppelin. The Marshall Tucker Band brings its Southern brand of rock to the Studio on Feb. 15. On Feb. 21, Blue Oyster Cult will once again defy the reaper, and on Feb. 22, Max Creek will reprise its neo-hippie soundtrack for Deadheads. The Studio will also branch out into comedy, with an evening of New York comedians on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. The question remains, when will the Studio feature music made post-1980? To say nothing of this decade....Ken Swiatek, the host of "FolKENS.uch," a folk-music show on WJJW-FM in North Adams, sent in a list of his favorite albums of 1996 that arrived too late to be included in our roundup a few week's back. Swiatek named Dan Bern's "Dog Boy Van" and Susan McKeown's "Bones" as the top two albums of the year, followed by John Stewart's "Airdream Believer" and Peter, Paul and Mary's "Lifelines Live." Swiatek also liked CDs by Iris Dement, Susan Werner, The Kennedys, Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen, Catie Curtis, Lucy Kaplansky, the Foremen and Margo Hennebach....
Birch Tree Music at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield starts up again on Friday night with a show by Betty and the Baby Boomers. Upcoming shows include Kim Trusty on Feb. 21, Wintergreen on March 21, Dana Robinson on April 18, Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen on May 16, and Birch Tree Voices on June 20. Call (413) 623-5526 for more info.....
[This column originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on Jan. 16, 1997. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1997. All rights reserved.]
Seth Rogovoy
rogovoy@berkshire.net
music news, interviews, reviews, et al.
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