Down On The Corner

By Paul Moffett

• I've been hearing from folks about the matter of insufficient audiences. Everyone's opinion reflects their point of view, as is only natural. The early returns show some trends. particularly from the folks who would be an audience member.

Number one on the list is a desire to have shows start earlier. Please note that this comes mostly from people who are over twentyfive, who are music fans and have money to spend.

Second on the list is a wish for less ear-shattering volume, both by the band and from the canned music played in between the sets. One club owner commented to me that apparently owners think that a horrendously loud volume equals a perception of activity by customers. I think the activity it encourages is getting up and leaving.

Comments are still encouraged. Send em to us at LMN, 7505 Cambridge Dr., Crestwood, KY 40014, or LouMusNews@aol.com or fax 'em to 241-2291. We may have some effect yet!

• Not Every Show Starts After You've Gone to Bed. Out in the East End, Red, Hot and Blue Memphis BBQ on Hurstbourne Lane is booking blues acts on Saturday nights in March. Show time is 7:30 p.m.! (Do blues musicians get out of bed by then?) There is also no cover charge. Could this be the start of something?

Downtown, Stevie Ray's has been having bands starting at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays for some time. There goes your excuse.

And. of course, the Palace starts their shows at 8:00 p.m.

• Are you MIDI-illiterate? Ursuline is offering a four-week class in MIDI and Computer music software, specifically Master Tracks and Finale, plus brief looks at Note Play and Play It by Ear MIDI software, on IBM machines and Kurzweil or Yamaha keyboards. The course costs $75 and will he held on Tuesdays in March, from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. For more info. Call 897-1816.

• Empty those closets, look under the bed. Music-Go-Round has opened in the Taylorhurst Shopping Center. This is a franchised, used musical instruments and gear store, run by Doug Carlson. The store will be open seven days a week and will pay immediate cash for quality instruments and gear.

Carlson points out that no other store in Louisville routinely buys used school band instruments, so that all those parents whose kids have given up on clarinet, tuba, saxophone, piccolo, ctc., now have a place to recycle the instruments and get some of that money back. and parents whose children are starting (or advancing) in various school band programs can now pick up excellent quality instruments at 30-60% off their new cost.

Musicians also should take note, as the store will deal in professional gear as well.

The hours are: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m., until 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. 6 p.m. and Sunday. noon -4 p.m. The phone number is 495-2199.

• Sparrow Records sent a press release informing LMN that Kentuckian Steven Curtis Chapman has received five nominations for Dove Awards. (The Dove Awards are presented by the Gospel Music Association). Chapman picked up nominations for Artist of the Year; Male Vocalist of the Year; Songwriter of the Year; Long Form Video of the Year for his contribution to Christmas Carols of the Young Messiah; and a nomination for Special Event Album of the Year My Utmost for His Highest.

Chapman has won Artist of the Year awards four times and Songwriter of the Year seven times. The Dove Awards will be simulcast on The Family Channel, the Faith and Values Channel and Family Net on April 25, at 9 p.m. EST.

• Tim Krekel is earning enough money to "stay in the business another year," he says. Patty Loveless' cut of "You Can Feel Bad If It Makes You Feel Better," co-written by Krekel and Matraca Berg, continues to climb on the charts, reaching #4 with a bullet at the time of this writing. He also has a song on Martina MeBride's latest album, Cry on the Shoulder of the Road, which he says may be released as a single. Besides that, he will be playing with Sam Bush on the March 4 benefit for Jim Hubacher at the KCA. Bush has recorded Krekel's "All Night Radio" for an as-yet-unreleased solo album for Sugarhill Records.

Oh, yes, and he just finished up recording an album with Nashville singer/songwriter Marshall Chapman, who will be playing at the Backstage Cafe for a St. Patrick's Day show. Krekel toured with Chapman last summer, opening for Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Reefer Band, some of whom will be at the Backstage St. Patrick's show, playing with Peter Mayer.

Whew.

• Stealin' horses fans take note: the band is planning a reunion tour this spring, with Kiya Heartwood on acoustic guitar/vocals, Kelly Richey on lead guitar! Vocals, Kopana Terry pounding drums, and Tony Nagy on bass. The first Louisville date is April l3 at MAIN EXCHANGE on Main.

• Bloomington's The Why Store has just released their first CD on MCA Records. This after they had sold some 25,000 copies of their earlier, independent products. That's what I like about the major record labels — they're so willing to take a chance on an unproven band.

• The Backstage Presents Original Music. Beginning on Thursday, March 7, the Backstage Cafe at Coyote's will be hosting an ongoing Original Music Forum. They will be presenting performers doing their own stuff, of course. Check page 10 for the lineup for March. Let's hope they succeed.

• Who Said the Drummer Never Gets Any Recognition? Joe Peebles faxed us a couple of reviews from the Feb/Mar Blues Review magazine, both of which mention Louisville drummer Jeff McAllister in a positive way. The reviews are of Duke Robillard's Duke's Blues and John Hammond's Found True Love.

• Who Knows What Evil Lurks in the Hearts of Persons? The Alley Theater, 919 Baxter, is reviving radio drama in the Louisville area. Beginning in mid-March, "Live from the Alley Theater" will be broadcast on WFPL FM 89. The shows will be taped in front of a live audience, with co-owner Greg "Crash" Sanders performing the necessary sound effects. Open stage fans might remember Sanders performing under the nom de théritre of Biff Banger.

Alley co-owner Scott Davis; Scott Dowd, host of D'lnner Space on WFPK and Studio Z on WFPL; and Carol Dines, a New York actor, are the shows producers; Dines will direct. Dowd is a fan of old radio theater. Initial scripts will come from the Cherokee Writers Round Table; other writers are encouraged to submit material. Call them at 4596478.

The Alley is also booking live music, and since it's a nifty little theater, it is an excellent spot for live music in a non-smoking, non-bar setting. Check the calendar for their dates. Big band fans are no doubt happy about the regular Sundays with the Jerry Tolson Big Band.

• Free Directory of Independent Music Distributors. Those promotional nuts at Disc Makers are again offering free stuff, in this case a directory of independent music distributors, until April 30. Disc Makers has done this before, offering a free brochure on publicity that was pretty cool and useful. Of course, you also get their advertising but, hey, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

For this directory, call them at 800-468-9353. Tell 'em saw it in Louisville Music News.

• I Just Keep Trying to Find Singers. The Derby City Chorus will hold six weeks of free professional voice lessons and open auditions for women interested in joining the chorus. They will hold an open house on Tuesday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Thoroughbred Hall, 10609 Watterson Trail, Jeffersontown. For more info, call 493-6684.

• Let No Marketing Opportunity Pass Them By. The Martin Guitar Company has introduced the limited edition Martin "MTV Unplugged" Acoustic Guitar. Is this instrument different from the regular Martin acoustic instruments? They sent us slides, even.

• Speaking of Ads Dept. Wm. Rexroad, a performer from Hutchinson, Kansas, has devised the Prompter. a plastic set list holder that clips onto the mike stand and includes a digital clock. He offered to let us print a picture of the device but we declined. Phone him at 3l6-663-9749 if you really want to find out more.

• The Waterside Art and Blues Festival will be held on July 5-7, a little off their regular date, because July 4 falls on a Thursday. Lf you are in a local blues band and are interested in playing the Festival, get your package together and send it to: Media Events, PO Box 4126, Louisville, KY 40204.

• Rockpress Publishing has announced the publication of Releasing an Independent Record, written by Gary Hustwit, plus Book Your Own Tour, by Liz Garo. We haven't seen either one yet, so all we can do is tell you that they're available through the Mix Bookshelf, at 800-233-9604.

• The Kentucky Opera Guild Book Fair is set for April 11-14, at Trinity High School Alumni Hall, 40ll Shelbyville Rd. In the meantime. they need your books, CDs, videos and cassette tapes. Contributions are tax deductible. They'll pick them up if you call 584-4500.

Festivals and Showcases

• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. April 26 through May 5. This festival is all about all kinds of music and music workshops, not just Cajun. For info, write NOJ&HF, PO Box 53407, New Orleans LA 70153-3407 or call 504-941-5100.

• Out in St. Louis, the 4th Annual Regional Music Showcase is scheduled for June 6-8. Lots of chances to network in the music biz, old buddy, just call them at 314-781-0400, or write RMS, 7350 Manchester #200, St. Louis, MO 63143, or email then at SpotLt@aol.com.

• South By Southwest will be rolling along on March 8-17, in Austin, TX. Those who have made this event will testify that there is no other like it for sheer intensity. Lots of record people and bands all over the place. For info, write SXSW HQ, PO Box 4999, Austin, TX 78765, or call 512-467-7979, fax 512-451-0754, or email 72662.2465@compuserve.com. Finally you can visit their Web site at: http://monsterbit.com/sxsw.html. My, my.

• The I996 25th Annual New Folk Concerts at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, Texas is scheduled for May 25 & 26 and June 2. Songwriting classes, performance training and all like that. For those who want to play this event, a cassette is in order and by early May. (They don't specify a deadline in their brochure.) Call them at 210-257-3600 for information.

(Carrie Newcomer's armpit publicity photo is the cover shot of the brochure.)

• The Kerrville Folk Festival proper run May 23 - June 16, a veritable orgy of folk music. Call 210-257-3600 for information.