Serendipity

Musing on the Ocean State's music scene

by Bob Gulla

Rick Mendes & Blueswagon

I headed down to Peace Dale this past Sunday afternoon and chanced upon an installment of the baby burg's summer concert series. There, at the bottom of a gently sloping hill in the Town Common surrounded by willows, a gurgling brook, and lots of dancing kids, was Rick Mendes and his nine-piece cauldron of blues, aptly titled Blueswagon.

As I took it all in, feeling a gentle breeze brought on by the sun setting slowly behind the ancient oaks across the street, the crew's fresh blues vibes emerged crisply from a few small speakers. The sound was loud enough to feel the grooves, and pleasant enough not to overload the hearing aids worn by many of the audience's elderly. (They're freaks for free shows, those elderly.) Anyway, on this night, Mendes's oeuvre was like it is every night, with classics like "Blueberry Hill," "Lucille" and "Johnny B. Goode" slotted between impressive originals found on Jump Start, their new disc. Though it wasn't exactly a smoky, rockin' bar atmosphere -- quite the opposite in fact, with fresh air and sunshine -- Mendes and company gave it up for the crowd as if his very career depended on it. (Well, maybe not that much.) But the crowd, which numbered 200 or so, witnessed Mendes leaning into his melodramatic story-songs and exhorting his band to follow his lead.

Why am I recounting all this, especially considering my piece on Mendes and Blueswagon ran a scant few months ago? Well, truth be told, it's not exactly about the band, though they sounded fabulous even when they didn't have to. The night was about Rhode Island, about the music scene here, about what it means to love music in the Ocean State. (Stop me if I'm getting mawkish.) It was one of those dusky times when everything felt right, when the music and the ambience and the things that make a perfect night all align. The subtle smell of salty air, the caws of circling seagulls and, above all, the blues progressions that served as the score to such an ideal evening all came together at a most unlikely, but then rather typical Rhode Island locale. I mean, what's a more characteristically Rhode Island place than the common in Peace Dale?

When you're closely connected to the goings-on in the local music scene, you welcome serendipitous occurrences like this one, where the unexpected becomes a glorious surprise. Yet, just as there are surprises, there are disappointments as well. You know what it's like witnessing one of the many tawdry tribute or nostalgic rock acts that twist and shout their way through. (If only they'd "twist and shout.") And so too it is a disappointment to witness the utter paucity of local band slots at many of Downcity's nightspots. Booking those dance and DJ nights is a slap in the face to every local musician who believes they're paying their dues for a reason and wondering why they can't find places to play.

Turn around again and the feeling improves. You have all kinds of festivals happening in and around the state, many of which are inviting all manner of local bands to fill up good slots. Maybe you caught the New Bedford Whaling Blues Festival last weekend, or you're thinking of heading up to the Hatch Shell on Saturday to watch Planet Groove hit the big time in Beantown, if only for a single, shining moment. Elsewhere, over on Block Island there's the Third Annual Oyster Festival, with bands like the Nakeds and Roomful, and the 12th annual New England Reggae Festival at Stepping Stone Ranch this weekend (which will also host the all-local Stone House Music Festival; more on that later in these pages).

What does it all mean? Where does all this activity leave us? Of course, we'd like to purge the scene of some of the negativity, of some of the unfavorable (if lucrative) booking policies, but it's something we have to figure out how to live with. There are still adventurous nights at the Pork Chop Lounge at AS220, over at the Safari, and down at the Ocean Mist in Matunuck, which is perhaps the prototypical Rhode Island venue. If we can somehow focus on the greatness, and become a part of that greatness, as a spectator, an entertainer, or a supporter in some way, well, isn't that how we begin to tip the scales back in our favor?

WANDERING EYE. Chalk another one up for the locals. For the second year in a row, a band from Providence will be representing the Northeast in the Jim Beam Rock Band Search national finals. (In 2000, Grüvis Malt took the Northeast title.) This year, the Mockingbirds advance to the finals, beating out the other regional finalists, Clearview 77 of NYC, Pig Inc. of Philly, TEAR of Albany, and the Neural Groove from Syracuse. Judges at the Met last Friday included Michael Gaugan, publisher of Whatever magazine; Brandon Tessier, music ed. of Titan magazine; Phil Cahners, GM of Guitar Center and former Artist Relations rep at Relativity; Peter Cardoso, a "music industry poster artist"; and Tom Viveiros, owner of Stellar Records. The Mocks now travel to the finals at the Gothic Theater in Denver on August 24 and will vie against Tres Pistolas from Oakland, Battery Park from Denver (homers?!), the Green Scene from Milwaukee, and Tentilfour from Atlanta. The grand prize is a five-market tour aboard the Jim Beam tour bus, a $2000 equipment budget, a limited-edition Jim Beam customized guitar from Gibson, and a buncha swag. For so many bands, breaking into the music industry seems like a long shot. Let's, in the words of Burt Bacharach, say a little prayer for the Mockingbirds. It may be their next big chance.

Another festival on tap is the First Annual Save the Strays Benefit Concert organized by the good folks at Madness Records and the South Kingstown Pound. The show will begin at 1 p.m. and end 'round 9 this Saturday, July 28 at Marina Park. Tickets are only $8 and will be available at the gate the day of the benefit. Headlining is SK's Bridges Fell, a band voted Best Local Breakthrough Act in this year's Phoenix/FNXBest Music Poll, and M-80 from Kingston, who won the Best Punk Act category in the same poll. The lineup also features Overfiend from Warwick, Frontline from South Kingstown, Forget the Past from Pawtucket, State of Corruption from Providence, Hexerai from North Kingstown, and Rockettown from Charlestown. All proceeds will benefit the South Kingstown Pound (the rain date is August 4).

Elsewhere, word has it that Fat Buddah is planning on making the most of one of the Century Lounge's coveted Friday nights this week. And down at the newly managed Bon Vue Inn, the Complaints have secured a steady Thursday night gig. You could do lots worse than spend the night with Dean and the boys in that fine band. Check 'em out.

E-mail with music news at b_gulla@yahoo.com.