Music Tonight: It's a slow night for touring acts, but a good one to catch a few local acts in a more laid-back-Tuesday-evening atmosphere. For example — Zach Mechlem of local "Alt-Western" group Mack West (pictured; Zach is second from the front) plays a free show at the Northside Tavern tonight with a pair of bandmates (officially, it's being billed as the Mack West Trio). Mack West's latest album, The Goodnight Trail, was one of the best local releases of 2011 and the best showcase yet of Mack West's unique, evocative spin on American Roots music. Mack West tunes have been used on History Channel's American Pickers, Discovery Channel's Auction Kings and in a commercial for AMC's The Man With No Name mini-series. Check out the title track from The Goodnight Trail below and read my review from when it was released here. Mechlem performs around 10 p.m. in the Tavern's front room. —-
Momentous Happenings in Music History for January 24
On this day in 1965, Ferry Cross the Mersey, a vehicle for "the next Beatles," Gerry and the Pacemakers, premiered. The film stars the band members as themselves, playing art students whose band wins a talent show and hits the big time (whacky capers ensue throughout, of course). It was clearly designed to be the Pacemakers version of The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night, though, while successful, the Pacemakers never quite achieved the same kind of fame (come to think of it, who did?). If anyone were to become the next Beatles, you can't blame people for putting money on the Pacemakers. The band was from Liverpool, played a similar style, was managed by Brian Epstein and George Martin produced them.
Here's the original trailer for Ferry:
Born This Day: Musical movers and shakers born Jan. 24 include: Legendary songwriter (and not a bad singer and performer himself) Neil Diamond (1941); late Rock legend Warren Zevon (1947); bassist and co-founder of modern Prog giants Dream Theater, John Myung (1967); and British pianist/singer/TV host Jools Holland (1958).
Holland came to the public's attention as a member of Squeeze, the New Wave/Pop band he co-founded in 1974. Holland did two stints with Squeeze, initially playing until 1980 with the group, then rejoining for a stint between 1985-1990.
But Holland (whose heart is really in old American R&B, Boogie Woogie and other Jazz/Blues stylings) is best known today, particularly in the U.K., as the host of the fantastic live music program Later … with Jools Holland. Representative of Holland's ongoing musical curiosity, the show features several musical acts each week, drawn from a wide variety of genres. While the show occasionally pops up on some cable network or other every now and then, it would be amazing to be able to watch it on a regular basis (on TV and not a crappy computer monitor).
Here's a clip of current Indie darlings (and Grammy nominees) Bon Iver on the show last October.
