Local notable Tim Eriksen has worked on a film set and appeared on network television, but when it came to selecting the locale for his band’s CD release party, he didn’t need to enlist the services of any of the professional location scouts he has met along the way.
He and his Cordelia’s Dad will return to the scene of the crime, so to speak, to celebrate the freshly pressed Double Live—recorded in 2007 at the Iron Horse (iheg.com)—at the Iron Horse, this Friday, March 26.
“I guess it was the combination of opportunity and hitting the 25-year mark that helped motivate us to put this out,” the multi-instrumentalist explains. “But really, this is the disc we should have made first—just a straight-up live show, which has always been the band’s strong suit.”
Eriksen adds that while this weekend’s performance will undoubtedly focus on material from the highly anticipated recording, his recent collaboration with Bob Mould may very well spur a Husker Du cover or two, too.
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Meanwhile, as Eriksen and company return to toil in the acoustic/post-punk fields they first cultivated back in 1986, Valley staple Gary Phelps checked in to report the birth of his latest musical brainchild. And although Phelps himself claims responsibility for 100 percent of the new lyrics, melodies and arrangement, he is quick to note that when it came to finding accomplices to help him actualize the sonic sugarplums that had been dancing his head, he may very well have hit the Mutherload (myspace.com/mutherload) in terms of talent.
“I was running this small festival, Apple Jam, and I decided to track down some friends and see if they would help me perform a few originals I had penned,” the Muther-fronter said of the origin of his proverbial supergroup from the jam band set—Mutherload boasts former members of Electric Blue & The Kozmik Truth, Lobsterz from Marz, Ciderhouse and The Nightcrawlers, to name a choice few. “It turned out we had great musical chemistry and everybody wanted to move forward with the project, so here we are.”
Where they will be, this Saturday, March 26 at least, is the Black Moon Cafe in Belchertown, followed by turns at the Iron Horse (May 20) and then into the studio to record a demo proper.
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In other news, 2010 Grand Band Slam winners Truck Stop Troubadours (truckstoptroubadours.com) pull into Southwick’s Skybox this Saturday, March 26 with Ready Aimed Fired, The Company, Andy Has A Band and Classy White Trash in tow.
As Truck Stop singer/six-stringer Brian Chicoine explains, the multi-band bash is actually a benefit to support the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America—an organization that has been instrumental in supporting his girlfriend, Mickey Dyer, who was diagnosed with MS more than a decade ago.
“They helped me tremendously when I was in a wheelchair by giving me shower equipment, special kitchen supplies to assist with cooking, books, bed tables, canes and much more,” Dyer says. “After two years of chemotherapy and physical therapy, I am lucky enough to be doing better than ever expected. It is now my turn to give back.”
In addition to the all-day “outlaw-inspired” audio (2 p.m.-1 a.m.), the altruism is augmented by two 50/50 raffles and a Chinese raffle.
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Last up, though reportedly halfway through what will amount to his seventh studio offering, journeyman blues/slide guru Mark Nomad (marknomad.com) says he will once again be baring his “Soul”—or more specifically, featuring songs from his current calling card, Soul Proprietor—during his March 26 stop at Noho’s Basement.
While that work was recorded in the summer of 2009, Nomad is quick to break into… snowflake-speak? “No two shows are ever the same because every gig is a journey,” he explains. “You can dance or just listen. Blues is the foundation but it gets funky, psychedelic and rocks… from the Mississippi Delta to Martian Delta.”
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or e-mail: garycarra@aol.com.
