Phone Zombies: Live shows to tear you from your screens

Okee dokee folks… I have no idea what Wordle is, nor do I care! Too much face in the screen time for a lot of you. I understand how a smartphone could be a useful tool, especially being a musician, but the need to be constantly tethered to these devices is just as bad as drug addiction. Because I have a flip phone I feel like the last non-pod person at the end of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. People with smartphones no longer live in the moment and are dangerously situationally unaware. Phone zombies are causing a real apocalypse and they walk among us now. Grrr…Read on…

Stone Soup Coffeehouse has weathered many a storm in its 40-year history. The organization has been uprooted, had to move multiple times and gone through periods of hiatus. Unlike other cherished music venues, Stone Soup has managed to endure the current COVID-19 crisis. On Feb 26, last year’s hosts of the RI Folk Festival’s Songbird Stage, Allysen Callery and Avi Jacob will be sharing the bill at Stone Soup’s current Music Mansion location. Callery’s blend of Sandy Denny and Nike Drake influences produces her own signature “Ghost Folk” sound while Jacobs’ sound merges old and new folk styles with his poignant lyrical touch and sometimes antagonistic point of view. The show starts at 7pm. All seating is first-come, first-served. For more, slurp over to: StoneSoupCoffeehouse.org 

The PumpHouse Music Works in Peacedale is keepin’ on and has a full schedule of February shows for your listening pleasure. The PumpHouse is one of the best LISTENING rooms in Rhode Island. Slated for this shortest month are Peace Collective, Rafay Rashid, Eclipse on Feb 4; Gary Cummings Band with Cross Rhode Blues Feb 5, Jazz with Moretti, Azzolina, Richards and Zinno Feb 6; Poppy Champlin’s Comedy Class Show Feb 11,Atwater-Donnelly Feb 12, Big Boom Daddies Feb 19, and Neal & The Vipers Feb 26. For more, impeller over to PumpHouseMusicWorks.com

When I was in high school one of the most popular songs that floated on the airwaves and through the hallways was “Amy” by Pure Prairie League. PPL was big in the 70’s and had five top 40 albums. Over the years the ever-revolving cast of players included Vince Gill, Fats Kaplin, and Curtis Wright. They disbanded in the late 80’s but regrouped years later and are still performing. Another great 70’s/80’s band, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, is also part of the same show. If you are of a certain age you will remember their hits: “Spooky”, “Imaginary Lover” and “So Into You”. I saw them as an opening act for Alice Cooper back in the 70’s and I remember it was a great set but an odd pairing. PPL and ARS are a better bill and you won’t want to miss this. Besides, isn’t it time you checked out this great Northern RI venue? Pure Prairie League  and The Atlanta Rhythm Section will be at Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket on Feb 11. For more, cruise the “Two Lane Highway” to: StadiumTheatre.com     

Tribute bands are big now. They keep the great music of bands that don’t tour enough or bands that no longer exist, alive.The New York Bee Gees tribute band will be at Bally’s Twin River Casino Event Center on Feb 11. The band includes present or former members of The Alan Parsons Project, Happy Together Tour, Meatloaf, Blue Oyster Cult, Herman’s Hermits, Enrique Iglesias and more. Look for my interview with the band at MotifRI.com. For more about this show, “ah, ah, ah, ah” to BallysLincoln.com. 

Arrival from Sweden arrives at The Garde Theatre in New London on Sunday, Mar 6. The band formed in 1995 in Sweden and very soon became one of the world’s most popular ABBA show bands. They have sold-out arenas and theaters in 60 countries, including 58 successful tours in the USA. Arrival is the only group that has been given a previously unreleased ABBA song – “Just A Notion” – directly from Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA. The Garde Theatre is hosting their only area appearance. It’s a quick drive from PVD and parking is a breeze! For more, “Waterloo” to GardeArts.org

Singer-songwriter and member of Cardboard Ox duo (with Tracie Potochnik), Steve Allain, has released a music video for his new single titled “Go To Glory”. The video – filmed and recorded live at Fort Foreclosure in Warren – gives the viewer a glimpse into the beautifully strange world that owner William Schaff has created. “Go to glory means to die, or to be destroyed. Much of Schaff’s art deals with death and loss, so I found it to be a perfect place to record this song, and to film the video,” noted Allain. To learn about Allain and check out the video, “Corner” over to SteveAllain.com

Thanks for reading. www.JohnFuzek.com