Live wire

Ricky Valente rips it up at Lupo's

by Bob Gulla

Ricky Valente

Live at Lupo's. Sounds good, doesn't it? Has a nice ring. Ricky Valente liked it so much he used the phrase for the title of his new disc.

"The place has been so good to us," says the kid from Cranston, "and we played so many good shows there that we had to make our first live recording on that stage."

Why live and why now? "Live is where the band is really strong," explains Valente, who leads a trio also consisting of drummer Don Culp and bassist Dave Amaral. "The studio CD is cool, but the vocals and everything sounded young." (Of course, it would sound young -- Valente was barely 18 when he recorded it.) "The live record is kind of stripped, and there are a couple of train wrecks, but we didn't fix anything. It's live and you don't want to screw with the vibe."

The vibe on Live at Lupo's, recorded at the hallowed venue October 27 of last year, is typical Valente. On the six-song, 37-minute work, there's an abundance of fleet-fingered fret buzz in the blues-rock mode along with a few poppy, melodic interludes ("Time"). One track, "Hold That Thought," is even in rotation on WHJY, a fact that thrills Valente. "It's great for a local act to get any radio play around here, and the fact that they put the song in rotation is so amazing. I can't even explain it to you."

Valente doesn't have to do much explaining. His guitar does all the talking. But at the CD release party, he won't be wielding the axe he normally wrestles with onstage. He recently made a switch from Fender to Paul Reed Smith, a change that even caught him by surprise.

"I've always been a Fender guy," he says, "and I had no intention of buying anything when I went into the Guitar Center." But when he saw a primo PRS Custom 22 staring him down from high on the wall, he snatched it up. "It was tough to dissuade me from my Strat, but I picked it up and I was like, `Yeah, yeah, it's nice and everything.' " But as soon as he started playing it, it blew him away. "It's got a fatter sound than a Strat and it's beautiful. It's got a special flame maple top where you can see the wood grain, but it's actually cobalt blue. And it has crescent moon inlays instead of fret dots. I go into a lot of music stores, but I haven't seen anything like this."

You'll be able to see the new axe and hear the new material, plus "lots of surprises," according to Valente, if you duck into Lupo's to hear our local guitar hero rippin' through songs Live at Lupo's.

Valente's CD release party will be held tonight (the 29th) at Lupo's. Doors open at 8; the band hits the stage around 9. All ages can attend.

BEST MUSIC POLL. So by now you've seen the Best Music Poll ballot around and you've had a chance to reflect on it a bit. You might even ask yourself, "Why no Roomful?" Or "Why no Amazing Crowns?" The fact is, these bands are shoo-ins to dominate their categories, and we desperately wanted to help other bands who would inevitably fall in the shadows of those giants and, in turn, earn valuable exposure from the BMP. In the future, perhaps we'll establish a Hall of Fame category in which we can retire the figurative jersey of a perennial winner and not seem like we're snubbing them. Anyway, in an effort to promote the BMP, the parent co. is sponsoring a few FNX/Phoenix BMP Ballot Nights. The promo team will be on hand giving out T-shirts and getting people to fill out ballots for Best Music Poll. The first two nights happen this weekend, on the 30th, where Medicine Ball returns to AS220, and the Century Lounge hosts an all-ages bash with Darkbuster, Meat Depressed, Turning Blue, Sinners & Saints, and Wedgie. The show starts at 8 p.m. On the 31st, the BMPhits the Green Room with the Fantastics.

THE FANTASTICS. And speaking of the Best Music Poll and the Fantastics (they are a nominee in the Best Local Breakthrough Act category), they'll be debuting a new interim drummer at the aforementioned Green Room show. Former drummer Todd Campisi moved to Atlanta last week and has been replaced by Miguel Souza, the former frontman for now-defunct glam-rock heroes the LUV's. Also for Fantastics fans, there's a weekly event -- the band DJs on Wednesdays at Liquid Lounge on Angell Street near Thayer. It's called "Passport," and it's presented by the Fox Point Soundsystem (aka the Fantastics). It's 21-plus and always free. According to Fantastic Bill Machon, the night starts out eclectic with downbeat, soul, acid jazz, dub, and even hip-hop, but evolves as the night progresses into more upbeat funky house, breakbeat, and UK garage. The formula gets results. "The night," Machon relays, "has been a tremendous success every week for the past 12 weeks," and with a state of the art sound system and dance floor, it's a can't-miss Wednesday. Also, be on the lookout for the band's new single called "We Got a Right," an electronic/rock anthem that has been the centerpiece of the band's live set for over a year. The single will feature a couple of B-sides and remixes by the band and popular trance DJ Josh Ryan.

WANDERING EYE. There's a new scoop regarding Rock Hunt finalists M-80. They've signed a deal with Jump Start Records. The State College, PA-based punk/ska label will re-release Don't Take It Away on their imprint as well as market, promote, and distribute it nationally. According to band guy Christian Blaney, Jump Start gets indie distribution through Choke, Revelation, and a few other channels and has a good on-line store. Jump Start also has its own booking agency, which will keep the band real busy this summer and beyond. Touring will include a couple of Warped Tour side stage visits and a couple of days in the southland with Less Than Jake. Blaney says, "We're very excited about the opportunity and look forward to getting out on the road."

Roger Vaughan informs Wandering Eye of another Martin Baker benefit. Baker, who is taking a break from radiation treatments and will go under the gamma knife sometime next week, is recovering from cancer. Despite a hassle from the Newport Town Council, Vaughan is throwing the bash on Friday (the 30th) at the Elk's Lodge on Bellevue Ave. in Newport. The bill will include Blue Rainbow, the Buddy Roach Trio (a.k.a. the Volcanic Skahunas), Mr. Chubb, the Ravers, and some special guests. There will be items up for silent auction, a Big Fun Raffle Prize, and a cute cigarette girl selling local artists' CDs and other good things. Tickets are $20 at the door, and folks will need to bring ID (18-plus). The show starts at 6:30.

As if there isn't enough to do, on Saturday one of acoustic music's most powerful singer-songwriters plays Stone Soup. Ferron, an artist who has played Carnegie Hall, Sanders Theater, the Roxy in LA, and has headlined the biggest folk festivals in North America, will be performing in the intimate setting of the Stone Soup Coffeehouse on March 31. The gig begins at 8 o'clock and admission is $16. It will likely be a sellout, so get there early or secure some tix in advance. They're available at Books On the Square (471 Angell St., 331-9097) for a buck extra.

Bob Gulla can be reached at b_gulla@yahoo.com.