If there's one thing to do to celebrate July Fourth in the Wood River Valley, it's to go hear live music. All valley stages will be filled throughout the weekend with bands, touring acts and orchestras. Even bars have a full schedule of musicians, and there's music for everyone's taste, including jazz, country, folk and rock, and plenty of it is family friendly as well as for over 21 only.
SV Pavilion to present the American Festival Chorus & Orchestra with special guest Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera, a valley resident and the former lead singer and bassist of Chicago as well as a Grammy Award-winning singer and song writer, will perform in Sun Valley for his first show ever in the valley with the American Festival Chorus & Orchestra.
The American Festival Chorus consists of 260 singers who live within a 50-mile radius of Logan, Utah, including students from the music department at Utah State University and several local high school choral conductors. The American Festival Orchestra is composed of USU music faculty, musicians in the community and the Northern Utah region, and top senior USU students. Principal strings are the Fry String Quartet, hailed by The New York Times as "a triumph of ensemble playing."
As special guest for the evening, Cetera will take the pavilion stage with the orchestra as well as on his own. Cetera wrote some of the biggest hits of the rock music era, including "If You Leave Me Now," "Baby, What a Big Surprise," "You're the Inspiration," "Stay the Night," "Feeling Stronger Every Day" and "Hard To Say I'm Sorry." He has just released his fourth solo album, "One Clear Voice," and the first single, "Forever Tonight," has skyrocketing up the charts. The single features Cetera with Crystal Bernard of NBC's hit series "Wings."
The show will take place at the Sun Valley Pavilion on Friday, July 2, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $39, $79, $112 and $150. For tickets, visit seats.sunvalley.com or call 622-2135.
Ketchum to celebrate Fourth on Fourth
Ketchum's Independence Day party starts on Friday, July 2, with Tony Furtado. Furtado will be joined by the valley's own singing siren Kim Stocking and the rest of the members of The Kim Stocking Band on the pool deck at the Clarion Inn. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The Kim Stocking Band will play at 6:30 p.m. Furtado will take the stage at 8 p.m. Furtado is a Ketchum mainstay and comes to the valley via Portland, Ore. His strong stage presence and intense guitar playing make him a must see. Furtado is an acclaimed banjo player and accomplished slide guitar musician, among his many talents as a singer and songwriter. He blends rock music with elements of Americana, folk and pop music. Tickets are $11, available at Ketchum Dry Goods on Sun Valley Road or visitsunvalley.com/store. For details, call 725-2105.
The live music party continues on Saturday, July 3,with the official Fourth on Fourth celebration, created and presented by the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau and Mountain Events. Families can bring the kids for a free concert with a kids carnival and music by valley bands Up A Creek, FourStroke Bus and headlining rockers from Dallas, Texas, Jonathon Tyler and the Northern Lights.
FourStroke Bus began with husband and wife Wade and Lisa Port as a singing and guitar-playing duo and today is a full-fledged band with Corey Ballentine on drums, Ken Martin on guitar and Chris Clark on bass.
"My vocals are inspired by country music," said Lisa. "I learned to sing by listening to The Judds and recording myself. I am completely self taught in singing and guitar playing."
The addition of Martin to FourStroke Bus brings a legacy of 30 years of playing music in the Wood River Valley. As a member of The Heaters, Martin is a hard-playing rock 'n' roll musician, and he brings a certain edge to the FourStroke Bus sound.
"I liked what Wade and Lisa were doing as a duo," Martin said. "Wade is from Atlanta, Ga., and brings the jam band influence of Widespread Panic, Phish and the Grateful Dead to the band and takes the band in a different direction."
As drummer, Ballentine takes the folk style of Lisa and Wade and combines his beat with Martin's rock style and adds a New Orleans flavor and funk sound.
"We all get invested, and we take the band seriously," Ballentine said.
The band members are most excited about their youngest member, Clark, who will attend the University of Idaho in Moscow in the fall. Clark can play most any instrument and has a legacy of music in his family, including his grandfather, who was a jazz musician.
"It's in his blood," Martin said. "None of us play bass well and a good bass player is important."
The FourStroke Bus members said they look forward to playing big dates this summer, including the Sawtooth Music Festival in Stanley and the Northern Rockies Folk Festival in Hailey.
"This is our second summer," Wade said. "We have been cutting our teeth and gaining confidence playing in the valley and now we have a bigger level of commitment."
FourStroke Bus is recording its first CD with original songs, including "Glad to Go," "GA-Get Down To It," "Delicate," "It's Your Life" and "Green Grass (Pioneer Cabin)."
"The songs are about the evolution of being human," Lisa said. "And, in the most part inspired by Idaho."
Headlining band Jonathon Tyler and the Northern Lights plan to play their family show for Saturday, July 3, after an evening of rocking out at Whiskey Jacques' on Friday, July 2.
"It's been a good year," said Tyler. "Playing 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' and lots of dates in the last three years, things have gone fast with really rapid growth."
The band has had a great deal of success this year and has only released its first album this summer.
"I like honest and authentic lyrics that I connect with and understand," Tyler said. "Similar to Bob Dylan is lyrically what I think I am trying to do."
At 25, Tyler comes from a musical family and has been playing guitar since age 12. He said the band focuses on the blues and is similar to R.L. Burnside, only with drums and an organ thrown on top.
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"Our big influences are the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin," Tyler said. "We like old rock 'n' roll bands like Muddy Waters, and we like the blues."
Tyler said he would like to experiment with psychedelic blues when finished touring. The band plans to play the songs from their first album.
Big Wood Folk Music Festival is family entertainment
Celebrating four years, the Big Wood Folk Music Festival is a two-day festival Friday, July 2, and Saturday, July 3, in Bellevue Memorial Park. It will include a lineup of several valley bands and musicians with Boise headliner the Bill Coffey Band playing on Saturday, July 3.
"We try to be a family-oriented event," said festival organizer Michael White. "It's friendly and happy, exciting music."
Celebrating the folk music style, the lineup of bands includes Slow Children Playing, Captain Dano and the Kim Stocking Band, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. The Kim Stocking Band will headline Friday's performances at 8 p.m. On Saturday, gates will open at 11 a.m. and the festival will kick off at noon with Up a Creek, Rick Hoel, Boulder Brothers, Spare Change, No Cheap Horses, Michael White, Headwaters Band and the Bill Coffey Band at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the gate for Friday and Saturday. Tickets are available at Riverbend Coffee House in Bellevue, Notes Music Store in Hailey, Golden Elk Café in Hailey, Chapter One Bookstore in Ketchum, Iconoclast Books in Ketchum and at the gate.
"People came to me to play," White said. "I only went after Rick Hoel, who is very excited to play for the first time."
White said the festival gets better every year and more popular, which is less work for him.
"There are lots of musicians who live in the valley that people don't know about," White said. "And they are awesome musicians. The festival is one of the valley's best-kept secrets."
White said he is giving exposure to many bands and musicians who would like to play a venue different than a bar or restaurant.
"Bellevue needs the festival," he said. "Bill Coffey wants to play here because he wants to have a memorable experience. He has his own folk-rock style and plays original songs."
Reckless Kelly, Micky and the Motorcars are Sorry for Partyin'
As if there weren't enough live music already scheduled for the valley, the Fourth of July celebrations only get bigger the farther south a music fan travels. Fairfield is the location for an Independence Day party hosted by Reckless Kelly and Micky and the Motorcars on Saturday, July 3. The concert will take place off U.S. Highway 20 behind Fairfield's Iron Mountain Inn. Gates will open at 3 p.m. and the music will start at 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the gate. Kids under 12 are free. To buy tickets, visit sfpidaho.com.
Roots-rockers Reckless Kelly and Micky and the Motorcars are two of Idaho's most well known musical entities, especially since it's a family tradition with band members Cody and Willy Braun of Reckless Kelly and Mick and Gary Braun returning to their native Idaho to play. The concert will also feature country-rock and pop talent George DeVore and Sound Country.
"We had a lot of time to prepare for our latest CD, 'Somewhere in Time,'" Willy said. "All the songs are by Pinto Bennett. We have been fans of him for a long time and have known him since we were kids."
Willy said making the CD was easy for him because there was no writing to do and several of Bennett's band members came to the recording sessions.
"Everyone had a real good appreciation for the music," he said. "It was the most fun we had in the studio in a long time."
Reckless Kelly has a very loyal fan base and this show is something band members said they are looking forward to because it brings them home and together with Micky and the Motorcars, which also has a new CD, "Micky and the Motorcars: Live at Billy Bob's Texas."
"We have done this show for the last four or five years," Willy said. "We did one in Hailey, but this one will be different. We will have George DeVore from Austin."
Willy said it will be a laid-back family day, which is what the bands love about coming home to Idaho.
"We keep people guessing and keep things lively," Willy said.
The four Braun brothers are third-generation musicians and will continue the concert train at their annual Braun Brothers reunion show in Challis, Aug. 12-14. In addition, Micky and the Motorcars will play a show in Bellevue on Tuesday Aug. 10, at the John Alan Partners Outdoor Pavilion, just south of Atkinsons' Market.
Sorry for Partyin' attendees are encouraged to stay overnight after the concert. Parking will be available on the west side of the inn.
Hailey will have local music
Hailey will have live music beginning this evening with the Back Alley Party at the Wicked Spud on Main Street, which will feature FourStroke Bus from 6-9:30 p.m. with proceeds benefiting the Northern Rockies Folk Festival. On Thursday, July 1, the music continues with live music by Aaron Baker at the Hailey Farmers' and Artists' markets from 2:30-6 p.m. Businesses will kick off Independence Day celebrations for First Thursdays on July 1, with many businesses keeping their doors open after 5 p.m. and featuring local live musicians on Main Street. The Sun Valley Brewery will feature live music Thursday, July 1, and Friday, July 2. See the Calendar in the C Section for more live music.
And the live music never stops for July Fourth
More live music is scheduled throughout the week with live music at the Duchin Lounge in Sun Valley with the Bruce Innes Trio this evening from 8:30 p.m. to midnight and the Joe Fos Trio Thursday through Saturday, from 9 p.m. to midnight. In addition, the Leana Leach Trio will play Sunday, July 4, from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. Leana Leach will perform on piano for the Lodge Dining Room brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 4.
In Ketchum, Papa Hemi's Hideaway will feature live music by George Marsh and The Swampcats Blues Band on Friday, July 2, Justin Wells on Saturday, July 3, and Spare Change on Sunday, July 4. All shows are 6:30-9:30 p.m. and are free. Whiskey Jacques' in Ketchum will have live music by Trampled by Turtles on Thursday, July 1, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights on Friday, July 2, and The Matt Lewis Band on Saturday, July 3. All shows start at 10 p.m. and tickets are available at the door.
Other live music in the valley will be George DeVore on Thursday, July 1, at Mahoney's Bar and Grill in Bellevue from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Also in Bellevue at the Silver Dollar will be Run 4 Cover on Friday, July 2, Karaoke with Dena Brunker on Saturday, July 2, and a dance party with DJ Marlene on Sunday, July 4. All shows start at 9 a.m. Alan Pennay and Cheryl Morrell will play at Cosi in Ketchum on Friday, July 2, from 6-8:30 p.m.
Those headed to Stanley can catch Music From Stanley at Redfish Lake Lodge, featuring Bill Coffey with Poke on Sunday, July 4, from 4-7 p.m.
In addition, Alan Pennay and Cheryl Morrell will perform on Sunday, July 4, from 6-8 p.m. at Jazz in the Park at Rotary Park on Warm Springs Road across from the YMCA.
For more live music listings, see the calendar in Section C.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights will play a free concert at Fourth on Fourth in Ketchum on Saturday, July 3.
Courtesy photo Photo by
