Wichita Eagle: Music

Orpheum goes country with John Anderson, Old 97’s

Joe Stumpe — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:06 CDT

It’s a big, varied week for country music at the Orpheum Theatre, with John Anderson and the Old 97’s appearing within a few days of each other.

Anderson is a classic country artist with five No. 1 hits to his credit, while the Old 97’s were in the vanguard of the alt-country movement. The latter show is a benefit for brain cancer research.

John Anderson

Led Zeppelin tribute band Zoso in its 18th year

David A. Maurer — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:04 CDT

By the mid-1990s, rock ’n’ roll gigs in and around Los Angeles were getting harder to find.

For a blues-based, straight-ahead rock band like the one Matt Jernigan was fronting, the future was looking, if not bleak, certainly not rosy.

“We were working with a management company in L.A. trying to get a gig going,” Jernigan said. “They weren’t signing our kind of band anymore, and they suggested we might want to try being a tribute band.

Jason Aldean hits a high note after early struggles in the country music biz

Wayne Bledsoe — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:33 CDT

Jason Aldean is just about to be inducted into a very special club. He’s one of the few country artists in recent years to graduate to performing in stadiums. Just a few days before Aldean was set to perform his first headlining show in front of 60,000 fans at Stanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., Kenny Chesney gave him some encouragement.

“He actually called me ... to wish me good luck and said, ‘Hey, enjoy it, man,’ ” Aldean said in a call from his Nashville home. “He said, ‘You may never do it again, so enjoy it and have fun with it. It’ll be one of those shows you’ll never forget.’ I thought that was pretty cool.”

Chesney surely must see some similarities between himself and Aldean, who is set to perform Thursday at Wichita’s Intrust Bank Arena. Both fought their ways to the top slowly and had a few serious derailments before catching on big with country fans.

Fans get the full Pink Floyd experience with tribute band

Tom Lavis — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:35 CDT

Brit Floyd’s success has hinged on delivering the music, mood, emotion and excitement of a Pink Floyd concert.

There is little doubt about the tribute band’s success in achieving that goal.

Brit Floyd brings its world tour to Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre on May 1 with “P-U-L-S-E 2013, The Pink Floyd Ultimate Light and Sound Experience.”

Elephant Revival likes to mix it up with various genres of music

Ed Condran — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:56 CDT

Ellie Goulding, The Joy Formidable and Elephant Revival were just some of the fledgling recording artists who turned ears at South By Southwest in 2011.

The massive Austin music festival can help change a band’s course.

“It was amazing,” multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Sage Cook said while calling from Santa Fe. “It’s funny talking about it since we’re on the way to Austin before we play Wichita. It was a madhouse, but it was a madhouse of music. We got some serious exposure, and we benefitted from it. Some might look at that as a starting point.”

Big or small, Zac Brown Band loves performing music for an audience, drummer says

Wayne Bledsoe — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:28 CDT

The Zac Brown Band spent a lot of time performing in small venues before the group began headlining theaters and arenas. But when the song “Chicken Fried” became a hit in 2008, things happened fast.

“We’re very blessed in that regard,” Zac Brown Band drummer Chris Fryar said in a call from his home in Birmingham, Ala. “There are artists who struggle for their entire careers and never get to enjoy that kind of a leap in terms of fan attendance at a show. We love playing music, and we’d be making the same kind of music and doing what we do in front of 500 people at a bar or at a venue with however many people decide to show up.”

The group, which will perform Saturday at Wichita’s Intrust Bank Arena, was started in Dahlonega, Ga., in 2002 by singer-songwriter Zac Brown. The band’s first album, “Far From Einstyne,” was self-released in 2004. The following year the group released the album “Home Grown,” which contained the original version of “Chicken Fried.” However, it was in 2008, when the group released “The Foundation” after signing with Atlantic Records, that things really began to take off. That disc yielded the country radio hits “Chicken Fried” (re-recorded), “Whatever It Is,” “Toes” and “Highway 20 Ride.” That same year, Fryar replaced the group’s original drummer.

Upcoming concerts (April 18)

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:11 CDT

Visit events.kansas.com for additional information on upcoming entertainment options — including concerts, music events and festivals — in the Wichita area and beyond.

David Sedaris, Friday, Stiefel Theatre, Salina ($55, $49, $38, www.ticketmaster.com)

Asking Alexandra, Friday, Cotillion ($25-$28, www.thecotillion.com)

There’s a soul at the heart of Awolnation’s high-tech music

David Menconi — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:47 CDT

Electronic music isn’t generally thought of as folk music, and yet that’s kind of the best way to appreciate Awolnation’s full-length debut “Megalithic Symphony” (Red Bull Records). High-tech but not mechanical, it plays like a modern-day version of a vintage field recording. Amid the high-volume beats-per-minute workout, you’ll find quasi-gospel flourishes and spoken-word intervals that seem like found-sound objects.

But Aaron Bruno, the mastermind of the California-based group that will perform at Wichita’s Cotillion on Friday, is loath to spell out too many details.

“I really strongly believe that music is meant to be interpreted by the listener and not taken literally,” Bruno said. “Oftentimes I’ll find out what a song ‘really means,’ and more often than not it’s disappointing. I’ll think it’s about one thing, cherish that concept in my head, then find out it’s not as deep as I thought, or crying out to my exact issue.

Grammy-nominated Royal Tailor to open Winter Jam

Denise Neil — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:52 CDT

Famous Christian rapper TobyMac will hit the Intrust Bank Arena stage at Friday’s Winter Jam — eventually.

But before the headliner performs at the Christian-palooza of a concert with a $10 general admission ticket, a whole lot of well-known and up-and-coming bands will get the crowd warmed up.

Among them is Royal Tailor, a group of young musicians with a Michael-Jackson-meets-Maroon-5 pop sound.

Stiefel Theatre shows include Cheap Trick, Baez and more

Denise Neil — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:16 CDT

Salina’s historic Stiefel Theatre, which has developed a reputation over the past several years for drawing big-name acts, announced this week a summer lineup filled with notable performers.

Tickets for the new shows, which run May 28 through July 28, go on sale at 10 a.m. March 22 at www.stiefeltheatre.org, ticketmaster.com or by calling 785-827-1998.

The shows are:

Charismatic singer-songwriter’s star on the rise

Ed Condran — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:51 CST

The red dirt scene out of Stillwater, Okla., is certainly vibrant: Jason Boland, Mike McClure, Cody Canada and Stoney LaRue are among those kicking up red sonic dust.

The latter arguably is the most dynamic of the bunch. It wouldn’t be surprising if LaRue, who will perform Friday at Wichita’s Cotillion, were to start breathing the rarified air of upper echelon players.

LaRue is a charismatic singer-songwriter who combines the direct, rootsy sound of country with the larger-than-life spirit of rock and tosses in enough hooks that his work has a strong pop element as well.

Review: Texas Tenors bring country-opera blend to Wichita

David Baxter — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:40 CST

The Texas Tenors – Marcus Collins, J.C. Fischer and John Hagen – brought their signature blend of country music and opera to Wichita, as they joined the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Daniel Hege in concert in the Century II Concert Hall on Thursday evening.

After a rousing overture of themes from “The Magnificent Seven,” the charismatic Texas Tenors took the stage. Beginning with “O Solo Mio,” the trio moved on to John Denver favorites. Their presentation was laced with good-natured banter, which the audience enjoyed.

The gospel segment that came next began with an adaptation of Londonderry Air, tenderly sung and played but over-amplified.

The Quiett Band is making a big noise in blues world

Ed Condran — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:46 CST

The Terry Quiett Band, which will perform Saturday at Wichita’s Cotillion, has played throughout the country. The blues band has jammed in Chicago, Memphis and Colorado. But the act made considerable noise playing Austin, Texas, which will host the massive music festival South by Southwest again later this month.

“You get revved up when you play a great music city like that,” Quiett said. “But we get excited about playing every city. It was fun playing Austin. The fans there take music seriously. You do what you can to put yourself on the map.”

The band, which also includes bassist Aaron Underwood and drummer Rodney Baker, is emerging thanks to tight play and virtuoso turns by Quiett, a gritty vocalist and accomplished guitarist.

Upcoming concerts (Feb. 21)

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 07:53 CST

Visit events.kansas.com for additional information on upcoming entertainment options – including concerts, music events and festivals – in the Wichita area and beyond.

Jamey Johnson, Friday, Cotillion ($29-$33, www.thecotillion.com)

Terry Quiett Band, March 2, Cotillion ($12.50, www.thecotillion.com)

Tributes, original songs on Jamey Johnson’s playlist

Ed Condran — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:40 CST

Fans are finding Jamey Johnson — raw, edgy and uncompromising — to be a refreshing blast of fresh air in Music City.

The Alabama native, who will perform Friday at the Cotillion, sounds like he’s been at it for a half-century. But he hit creative pay dirt with his first album, 2006’s “The Dollar.”

Singles “Rebelicious” and “She’s All Lady” gave country music fans a hint of what they would receive in the future.

John Denver sings ‘live’ in tribute concert

John J. Moser — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:32 CST

Alan Deremo, who played bass in John Denver’s band in the 1990s, said he was preparing more than a year ago to play at the opening of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame when Denver’s estate approached him about joining a touring stage tribute to the late singer.

The show, they said, would have a live band and string section playing along to vintage videos of Denver performing his biggest hits, ballads such as “Take Me Home Country Road” and “Rocky Mountain High.”

Deremo said he was hesitant, if not outright skeptical.

Sunday show to be Kid Rock’s 4th concert in Wichita

Denise Neil — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 17:19 CST

Kid Rock should be fresh, his Harley well-oiled and his American flag still sparkly clean when he arrives Sunday night at Intrust Bank Arena.

The star, known for his long hair and American-rock anthems, will arrive only eight days and five stops into his “Rebel Soul” tour, which launched Saturday at Kansas City’s Sprint Center and will be on the road through early April.

If the Detroit-bred rocker’s Wichita show follows the pattern it established on opening night, it will include nearly two and a half hours of songs spanning his career, which caught fire in the late 1990s with the release of his 1998 album “Devil With a Cause.” That album spawned his first big radio hits, with hip-hop-laced songs such as “Bawitdaba” and “Cowboy” — both of which were included on Kansas City’s 22-song set list.

Hairball gives the ’80s the big-hair treatment

Hannah Coen — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:04 CST

For the first time in Wichita, Def Leppard, KISS, AC/DC, and Alice Cooper will perform together all in one high-intensity concert.

Well, sort of.

The Minnesota-based ’80s tribute band Hairball recreates more than 20 legendary rock bands by using elaborate costumes, props, and pyrotechnics. The group performs at the Cotillion on Friday.

Rascal Flatts reschedules Saturday concert in Wichita

Denise Neil — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:22 CST

Rascal Flatts is rescheduling its concert scheduled for Saturday at Intrust Bank Arena because of illness, arena officials announced.

The new show date is Friday, Aug. 9. Opening act The Band Perry will be at the rescheduled show.

All original tickets will be honored Aug. 9. Ticket holders who can’t attend the rescheduled show can get a refund at the point of purchase.

Wichita Symphony gives breathtaking performance

David Baxter — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:52 CST

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra gave a breathtaking performance of a dazzling array of works Saturday evening, under the direction of guest conductor Christopher Wilkins in the Century II Concert Hall.

The program began with Gioacchino Rossini’s Overture to The Italian Girl in Algiers. The orchestra performed with a sinuous energy that brought Rossini’s notes to life. From Andrea Banke’s expressive oboe solos to Chastity Pawloski’s luminous piccolo sound, the wind section’s playing was ebullient, and the strings rollicked through this lively piece.

The Rossini provided a perfect prelude to internationally acclaimed guitarist Elliot Fisk’s performance. Fisk’s presentation was at once eloquent and lively; the man is clearly in bliss as he plays. For his performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in D Major for Guitar and Orchestra, the orchestral forces were trimmed to twenty, making for a beautifully intimate texture. Orchestra and soloist created a glowing quality of sound.