Born
in Mexico and reared in Brazil and Venezuela, singer/songwriter Erika
Luckett continued her international upbringing with extended stays in
France. She sings in Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English on her latest
CD, Unexpected (2005,
Birdfish Records), tossing in flourishes of world music as fluently as she
soars through the various languages. Luckett aptly explains this: “I
think of language as a musical texture — sounds and colors that work
with the groove and feel of a song.” Come and see Saturday, March 26,
at 7 p.m. at Robbie’s (4 Old State Capitol Plaza, 217-528-1901).
When
was the last time you saw a nine-piece band playing mostly original
funk/rock fusion? Really? Did they have raplike vocalizing, scratching
turntables, a blazing four-piece horn section, and a rhythm team
funktifying all who come within earshot? Oh yeah? Well, you must have been
time-traveling to Friday, March 25, at Marly’s Pub (9 W. Old State
Capitol Plaza, 217-522-2280) and seen Public Display of Funk. That’s
the only explanation.
St.
Louis’ Eli Stone has opened for everyone from Slipknot to Kid Rock,
has worked with producer Barry Conley at Paramount Recording, and was
thisclose to getting a big push from the majors in 2002. Now the band is
back, with a new CD scheduled for a June release, and hitting the Midwest
scene more determined than ever to break into the big time. Catch them
while you can at Viele’s Planet (126 E. Jefferson St., 217-525-9029),
Friday, March 25, with All That Remains and Salem’s Cradle.
Looks
as if Easter weekend will be covered in bluegrass as singing
multi-instrumentalist Drew Emmitt of Leftover Salmon fame plays Saturday
and Sunday at the Hoogland Center for the Arts (420 S. Sixth St.,
217-523-2787). Emmitt has a new CD, due out in early June, loaded with
luminaries such as Sam Bush, Del McCoury, and Jim Lauderdale. He’s
sending the Underground City Tavern (700 E. Adams St., 217-789-1530) into a
flurry of bluegrass activity with Woodfire Bluegrass on Friday and the
River Ramblers on Saturday. Beats the heck out of that plastic grass in
your Easter basket, huh?
Backyard
Tire Fire is finally back in town after the booking misfires of a couple of
months ago. Local music wags were sizzling with compliments after the
energetic rock trio smoked the house during their 2004 Springfield shows.
Watch them burn at Jazz Central Station (700 E. Adams St., 217-789-1530) on
March 26, Easter Eve.
This article appears in Mar 24-30, 2005.
