Skurfs Way Up, Pounding the Mountains

OK, so the 3D gizmo didn't perform as promised, but the Skurfs certainly did. It was a raucous party as the group released their CD, First Run, at the Top Hat on Friday, July 1, 2011.

Gavin McCourt says Skurf is a combination of ski and surf, and the sound is Montana surf music.

Sam Ore

Aaron Johnson

Dan Venturella, Aaron, Gavin and Sam

In the Independent, Jed Nussbaum said this wasn't the Beach Boys' Surfin' USA. No kidding! This sound is the Ventures, on crack, mating with the Beach Boys a'la Deliverance. The roots are there in the 60s surf music, but this music is here and now, without a whiff of anything old. It's also brilliant. 

If you see Skurfs on a marquee or in the ads, get out for some live and local music. 

Yes, I am returning to the "live and local" mantra, because it is important. Zootown is a hotbed of artistic creativity, and music is a huge part of the scene. Since government wants to cut the arts (because studying art teaches us how to think rather than what to think), we must assist artistic impulses where ever and whenever we can. 

Most local bands play for love of music, as they struggle to make ends meet. When they have honed their skills and produced the awesome sound they were after, Portland, Seattle, Austin, and even the city of Angels appear to be bigger, greener pastures. I have wanted to rant or weep when terrific local bands left town. Anybody been in touch with Thomas Pendarvis lately? What happened to the iNHUMANS?  Closer to the Skurfs, do you remember Arrows to the Sun?

Citizens who can afford it, please, pay the lowly cover charges for live and local, buy locally recorded CDs and assist in keeping some exceptional music in Missoula.

I, on the other hand, cannot afford cover charges. If I paid cover charges, my archive of Missoula music and musicians would only contain hundreds of images, instead of the thousands currently there. Just saying, if you want your image or venue to appear here in the kitchen, or on the stove, let me in. Do not ask me to deal in filthy lucre, since I have none. Disclaimer: I am slow, not from age; I've always been a bit that way. I cannot accept all invitations, can't be everywhere at once, and can't carry a tune in a bucket. Please, don't ask for a song and dance. 

There was a thunder shower just know, and I must go for a walk. I'll see you all along the way, down the road, and hopefully near some art, because I love the stuff and the people who make it.

Still to come:

Dumpstaphunk

Back in Zootown

And so glad to be here.

My road trip lasted six weeks, and by the end I was mighty homesick for Zootown. I drove back into Missoula Thursday, and the next day was First Friday, featuring art and music everywhere. Next day--Saturday Markets. Sunday, in addition to the market by the carousel, Higgins was closed from the Hip Strip to the Xs for all kinds of family activities.

I don't know the young man, but that is Bethany playing the saw and Caroline on the banjo.

Kate Davis with a red-tailed hawk from the Raptor Refuge appeared at Fact and Fiction on Saturday.

Jav performed second in a music show at Zoo City Apparel with art by Abe Coley on the wall. Pyro Spyders opened, and Goddammitboyhowdy finished that show.

Abe Coley hands on hips. Abe had art up in six venues around town for First Friday. He also has some pieces in a window at the old Macy's store. That must be some kind of record.

Meanwhile, Zeppo was playing over at the Union Club.

This batch of rascals are known as the Dodgy Mountain Men, and they produced their usual fun show at the Palace on Friday night. See the previous post for coverage of their appearance at the Top Hat with Hillstomp.

Not to be outdone, the Skurfs introduced a new look, as they capped the action at the Palace on First Friday, June 3, 2011.

Oh yes, there have been some additions over on the flickr archive. Check it out.

It's summertime in Zootown, and it doesn't get any better than this. I'll see you in the streets, at the markets and in the music venues.

Elks, Skurfs, Fun, Gavin, or is it Donny(?)

Gavin is new to me, since he returned to Missoula recently. Not long after I arrived in Zootown his previous band, Arrows to the Sun, held their final event at the Bike Doctor, I missed it, and Gavin headed to warmer climes. Now he's back with a band called the Skurfs, labeling their music mountain surf. This is the real deal. See them ASAP.

Gavin plays as Donny McBride. He and bandmate, Danny Venture, produced this show, where 15 bands performed on Friday, March 12, at the Elks Club. Minor glitches aside, this event was a spectacular success. Mike Avery covered sound, Gavin MC'd and a line up of Missoula new and different bands laid out some energizing music.

I arrived in time for the Chalfonts.

Next up, Bright Northern Light saw the trumpet and raised a French horn.

Love the Clerks t-shirt.

The audience was growing. I had to skip out to the Top Hat for Butter and the first few songs by Lukas Nelson, before returning in time for the Skurfs. The crowd was even larger. Only Hell's Belles at the Badlander had a bigger draw, and it wasn't nearly as much fun as what happened here.

Gavin was channeling Buddy Holly, and generally enjoying his work, which made the crowd happy to listen.

It was another great night in my hometown. There are 24 images of this event on flickr.

Butter Melts Hat

As I have matured over the decades, I have learned to keep my priorities straight. When four women I love are on stage at the same time, guess what my priority is? If you said getting my ass down to the Hat to see Butter, you would be correct. There was plenty of music in Zootown last night, and I have tons of material from the 13 or 14 band blow out at the Elks Club. Gavin of the Skurfs orchestrated that bash, which came off with a minimum of problems for an enterprise that big. Right now, I just want to give a shout out about some beautiful and talented women musicians. Well, shit, that's hardly fair. What do they call men like me who are prejudiced in women's favor? To be fair, there are two male musicians in Butter. Here is one:

Jesse Netzloff tuning his guitar, and below is Martin McCain.

Maria Kendra and Jesse Netzloff

Maria, Jesse and Lisena Brown

Hermina Harold

Bethany Joyce

Butter was opening for some national name...let me think...son of a real famous singer...what?

OK, dammit, it was Lukas Nelson, son of Willie. That's what the ads said, and then I walked into the Top Hat and saw a lot of promotion for "Promise of the Real." Turns out that's this young man's band, and the whole name is really Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real.

Hey, a bonus for the Kitchenpoet: this is a kick-ass outfit with attitude and style aimed for fun.

Drummers are often hard to photograph because they are behind everyone in the dark. This one also put up a half circle of cymbals right at head level for more protection from paparazzi.

So much music in Zootown, Kitchenpoet can't always keep up, and in my defense I say: no one could cover it all. All I can do is give it my best shot. Capturing the spirit of the moment is one of my many goals. Thank all you denizens of Zootown for welcoming me home, when I arrived.

Timeslip update: Now on flickr a full set of Butter. Click on the set, hit slideshow, let it play, and tell me what you think.  I'm processing a lot of material, again, as well as selling my photos on the street in front of Celtic Connections. I have to get some sleep. Still to come the 13 band blow-out at the Elks. It did wind up 13 didn't it? I'm not really sure, but it was a gas, and I've a bunch to work through.