There's nothing unique—or even really very amusing at this point—about an announcer proclaiming "Elvis has left the building" after any given Presley impersonation these days.
If such words are uttered at the conclusion of Russell Brooks' Queen Elvis: The Musical this Saturday, April 18 at the Northampton Center For The Arts, however, they will certainly bear special and, unfortunately, sad significance.
"This will be my last Northampton performance," said the Valley veteran who, in addition to his Elvis-emulating, is probably best known for fronting the psychedelic pop-rock outfit Aloha Steamtrain around these parts. "I really miss palm trees and beaches… so my girlfriend and I are moving to Miami in May. Not to mention there are millions of Elvis fans down there for me to sing to, and hundreds of cool clubs to put on my Queen Elvis musical."
In the latest iteration of his King-cloning (the first, dubbed Elvis Encore, was a straightforward rendering), Brooks' Queen ponders the prospect of a Presley with a penchant for cross-dressing in a decidedly Rocky Horror-esque style. Tickets for Brooks' farewell performance are $12 at the door and available by calling 584-7327.
Other than that, the man commonly referred to as "Lord Russ" says he will also fulfill his commitment to the Sierra Grille and continue to host the venue's Wednesday night open mic series through month's end.
"The open mics have been particularly fun, and I am really sad to leave it," Brooks says. "But that being said, the shows this month have been the best so far, so I'm anticipating some amazing performances as it draws to a close."
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Meanwhile, as Brooks readies for his impending personal/musical migration, Phil Price of current Winterpills fame revisits his pop-rock roots this weekend.
The prolific performer is re-forming his seminal Valley project The Maggies for one show only this Friday, April 17 at the Iron Horse. The prickly power-pop darlings of the '90s circuit last reunited at the Sierra Grille this past November—effectively marking the members' first time on stage together in more than half a decade.
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In other news… what was once solely known as a showcase for up-and-coming decibel-delivering bands now reads like a who's who of the extreme music industry—with Lamb of God, The Acacia Strain, All That Remains, members of Shadows Fall and more lending their talents to the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival April 16-18 at Worcester's Palladium.
"Obviously, this is the best lineup we've had in a very long time in terms of music," declares local promoter Scott "Ogre" Lee. "But this year, we also have the added allure of some great 'extra-curricular activities.'"
As examples of that claim, Lee cites the event's "pre-party" on April 16, where a screening of the Iron Maiden doc Flight 666 and rare performance footage of Anvil are among the planned festivities. The following afternoon, the second annual Metal Insider Summit takes place. Billed as an "interactive educational conference where fans and the metal industry can engage," the Summit will utilize a panel format and feature brass from Metal Blade and Roadrunner records, Jason Bitner of Shadows Fall and much more.
"I don't know what else to say other than it's all there," Lee says. "If you are a fan of extreme music and want to broaden your horizons, attendance seems mandatory."
For more information on MassConcerts' mandatory metal fest, summit and more, kindly point your browser to metalandharcorefestival.com.
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Lastly, speaking of The Acacia Strain, congrats to the local metalmeisters on their recent Revolver Golden Gods award. The band nabbed the highly coveted Myspace Reader's Choice honors at the event in L.A. earlier this month. Further, after this weekend's local engagement, the Strain-gang have also been tapped to perform at The Bamboozle, a multi-band, multi-day fest in New Jersey that also includes No Doubt, Fall Out Boy, Third Eye Blind and G.W.A.R., among countless others.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
