The Crawler knows. You just got through returning all those clunker presents from the office Secret Santas. Now here comes scene stalwart Henning Ohlenbusch, playing sonic Santa.
“As physical copies of music are becoming more and more obsolete, we feel this is an excellent way to remind people of the pleasure of holding a crafted, solid collection in their hands,” Ohlenbusch says of what will be his seventh annual Great Mix-CD Mix-Up this Saturday, Jan. 17.
The concept is simple enough. In advance of the show, attendees create mix CDs of their own. They then bring the CDs to the venue — moved this year from the now defunct Elevens to Luthier’s Co-Op in Easthampton, drop it into the Great Mix-CD Mixer, and pick out someone else’s mix.
“It’s really a fun way to discover new music collections by people you may not even know,” Ohlenbusch adds. “Some people get very creative with their mixes, making colorful artwork and choosing specific themes. It’s nice to sit back and watch people excitedly show each other the little treasures that they leave with.”
In addition to the recorded product transfer, there will be live sets throughout the evening as well. Among those confirmed include Ohlenbusch’s own Gentle Hen as well as Beach Honey, The Fawns, Bunwinkies and Philip Price (of Winterpills fame) solo.
“The night really is about the concert,” the Great Mix master concludes. “People love to share music.”
Luthier’s becomes an, ahem, CD place starting at 7 p.m. Jan. 17. There is no cover charge.
In other news, former Gone By Daylight frontman Eric Paquette checked in to report a French connection that has the rocker/singer/songwriter on an electronic dance music bent of late.
“I’ve been working with some big publishing companies who helped me land a song on the French dance charts last year,” he reports. “The track then ended up on a compilation that went platinum. I’ve since written a follow-up track that will be released in France soon, and have another song being placed with a female artist in the U.K. Never thought edm/dance music in foreign countries would be my way into the business, but I definitely am going to run with this and use my connections to move things forward.”
Despite his solo success, Paquette adds that he will be unveiling a new alt-rock/pop band proper in a couple of months as well.
“It was time to move forward and leave my Gone By Daylight days in the past,” he notes. “Although it looks like many of the members of that band will actually be in my new project.”
More details on that as they come to light.
Meanwhile, regional rockabilly artist Jeff Potter revealed that he will be holding court at the Elks in Leominster this Sunday, Jan. 18 — backing his betrothed, no less.
“My wife, Bee Dee [Betsy Dawn Williams, of Girl Howdy fame], will be performing an evening of everything from dance to swing that night,” Potter says. “We’ve also just finished a whole CD of her music that I helped sing and play piano on, too.”
For updates on any and all things Potter, kindly point your browser to his cyber home at jeffpotter.homestead.com.
Last but not least, bassist Pete Duprey says to expect more of the same when his band Change Up takes to the stage at The Blackboard Cafe (blackboardcafe.com) in Windsor Locks, Conn. this Friday, Jan. 16.
“The band has been doing this four years now, but we’ll never change,” he says. “Our slogan is, ‘We’ll play something you like.’ And whether it’s Michael Jackson or Sevendust, we’ll do just that.”
Bloomfield, Connecticut’s Stop Leo gets the opening nod on this one.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.
