The WoodRiverValley has an insatiable appetite for live music, and in 2008 the music scene and performances grew in presence and attendance throughout the valley due to the opening of the Sun Valley Pavilion and the expansion of the second annual Big Wood Folk Festival in Bellevue. However, the unexpected tragedy of the Whiskey Jacques’ fire on the early morning of Sept. 15 left the valley without a live-music bar venue and has limited bands and touring acts from performing in Ketchum.
The year began with a performance by Bruce Innes and Jilla Web at the nexStage Theatre in Ketchum on Jan. 3. Innes, a valley resident, and Web have loyal listeners who came to hear Innes’ latest CD “Nothin But the Blues,” which features traditional and contemporary blues songs. The duo has been performing together for over 10 years.
The nexStage continued with legendary live music performances on Feb. 4, with 75-year-old Ian Tyson, who returned to Ketchum to perform his special brand of cowboy lyrics and songs.
The return of the Honda Ski Tour as 48 Straight not only brought a weekend of live music from the BaseCamp music experience concert venue, which featured a sold-out show of Michael Franti and Spearhead, but also featured two evenings of live music and DJs throughout Ketchum restaurants and bars. Unfortunately, 48 Straight could not survive a third year and was cancelled for 2009.
A special night of live music in Hailey on Thursday, April 10, featured a performance by Cape Verde Islands performer Lura, who performed her own blend of French Afro-pop, Brazilian rhythms and earthy, traditional African music at the Liberty Theatre, presented by the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. After Lura, The Mint brought down the house with Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, which played the best of New Orleans music, from jazz to funk.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the valley offered live music almost every night of the week. The fifth annual Back Alley Parties at the Wicked Spud on Main Street in Hailey featured bands every Wednesday for 13 weeks, raising $8,000 for area nonprofits.
The Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau sponsored the Ketch’em Alive Tuesday night live-music series in Ketchum’s ForestServicePark, which saw a record turnout of patrons and featured an opener and headliner band for each performance. Several longtime favorite local bands included the Heaters and the Bobos.
In addition, summer Jazz in the Park took place in Ketchum’s Rotary Park to a successful turnout every Sunday from June 22 through July 27 with local favorites such as Paul Tillotson and Boise’s Onomatopoeia.
The Rock ‘n’ Ride Music Festival 2008 brought eight bands to Hailey’s Lion’s Park for an all-ages, afternoon music bash. Alaskan band Matt Hopper and the Roman Candles, the Jeremiah James Gang and Darren Smith headlined the festival on June 28, and proceeds benefited the Music ‘n’ Me Sid West Scholarship fund and Road and Dirt.org.
The Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau also presented a free but filled-to-capacity concert by Reckless Kelly in Ketchum for the Fourth of July celebration.
The second annual Big Wood Folk Festival, with a mix of WoodRiverValley musicians and a few Boise artists, became an expanded two-day event in BellevueMemorial Park, July 18-19.
One of the biggest live-music celebrations this summer took place on Bastille Day, July 14, when the town of Hailey celebrated A Night of Music for its A Month of Art in July. More than 15 restaurants, bars and coffeehouses throughout the city hosted live music from 4-9 p.m. Over 1,000 people participated and the event was supported by the Hailey chamber and organized by the Hailey Arts Commission.
The Sawtooth Music Festival in Stanley on July 26 featured several WoodRiverValley bands, including The Damphools, and was attended by many valley music fans for an overnight festival. Its success is steeped in its location, the backdrop of the majestic SawtoothMountains, and with continuous consciousness-raising sponsors. This year’s proceeds supported the Salmon River Clinic in Stanley.
The biggest live music news for 2008 was the opening of the Sun Valley Pavilion on Aug. 3. A benefit concert on Aug.9 featured the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. The pavilion is the new home of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony. This summer it featured several guest artists for its opening season, including celebrated violinist Joshua Bell. The pavilion had sold-out performances throughout the month of August and free lawn seating was tough to find. The success of the Sun Valley Pavilion has given the valley a new and dynamic facility. Plans for the pavilion in 2009 include dance, the Sun Valley Opera, more diverse music performances and special events.
The 31st Northern Rockies Folk Festival on Aug. 1-2 featured the Gourds and Radney Foster. The festival hosted many folk singers and musicians from the Northwest and beyond, as well as local musicians such as Cheryl Mae Grace, The Damphools and indie rockers Finn Riggins. The festival has a long history of supporters and will continue next year with Lucas Hess as production manager.
The Trailing of the Sheep Festival, Oct. 10-12, had several live music performances throughout the weekend, including popular cowboy singer and songwriter Brenn Hill. The nearly weeklong Sun Valley Swing ‘n’ Dixie Jazz Jamboree on Oct. 14-19 proved to be another success in its 19th year.
The return of Grammy-nominated Perla Batalla on Dec. 5, presented by The Center, was a celebrated performance due to her most recent CD release, “We Three Kings,” which was inspired by her first visit to the area last year. She also participated in an artist residence program for valley students.
After Whiskey Jacques’ celebrated 30 years as Ketchum’s premiere live music venue, its destruction left valley bands and musicians feeling frustrated. In addition, the closure of The Mint in Hailey left the valley with very limited locations for live music. The Silver Dollar in Bellevue remains one of three area venues hosting live music. Acoustic evenings at the Roosevelt and at Papa Hemi’s Hideaway in Ketchum are also helping to fill the void on Fridays and Saturdays. Plans to host Whiskey Jacques’ live music events at the nexStage Theatre in Ketchum have proved difficult to liquor licensing. Visiting bands and musicians have become few and far between due to the valley’s lack of venues, leaving young people few options for weekend nights.
2008 arts and events highlights
· A sold-out and highly anticipated visit to the valley by author Michael Pollan is presented by the Sun Valley Centerfor the Arts on No
Michael Franti and Spearhead played to a sold-out crowd at 48 Straight’s Base Camp Music Experience in a tent in the middle of Ketchum. Photo by Willy Cook
