The Concrete Cowboys aim for big time, release tightly produced original CD, book top venues
where the Concrete Cowboys are playing ? by K.R. Laurent
photo by Mark Warye
"It's great to be in a band that can play the music I hear in my head", states Travis Dow, songwriter and guitarist for the entertaining local "hard" country band The Concrete Cowboys.
Together little more than a year, this group has already put together an impressive string of successful shows at top-notch area venues and events. They just released a tightly produced CD featuring songs penned mainly by Dow. With seasoned vocalist Chad Kessner acting as pointman, this band of veteran performers is definitely aiming for the big time.
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Bass player extraordinaire Lisa Mann releases 2nd awesome CD, celebs cheer
by Steve Rodin
Lisa Mann is one of Portland's most decorated and well-known bass players. She is also a dynamic songwriter who just released her second CD last month. Mann opened a week of celebration by performing in-store at Music Millennium, Portland's most respected seller of CDs, new and used vinyl.
Born in West Virginia, Mann spent most of her youth growing up in Portland. She wanted to be a bass player long before ever holding one in her hand. A huge Gene Simmons fan, she had posters of him all over her walls. "Cooler than Fonzie," she wanted to be just like him. She saved her lunch money for a year to put it down on a copy of a Beatles-Hofner violin-style bass, her first at age 11. She has always looked up to women like Ann and Nancy Wilson and Joan Jett because they represented the "fearless images of what women can do in a male-dominated industry." Read More
The Catillacs
Versatile power trio releases new CD
by Kurt "Swingcat" Johnson
The Catillacs are a power trio that is versatile and can play blues, roots and rockabilly and a taste of country without breaking a sweat.
With their new CD release, Meow Mix, a take-off on their Catillac band name, they serve up all original material with only two covers on the CD. They celebrated their CD release party at the Cascade Bar and Grill in Vancouver with a full crowd. Special guests in the house played before and later in their sets, The Catillacs offered up a solid evening of entertainment.
To start the show, Lisa Mann did a fine solo set with just her custom-made bass to accompany her lovely voice. Later, guitar legend Jim Mesi joined in to offer up choice chops and sizzling leads to light up the crowd. All in all, a fine show!
The Catillacs have played together for about a year-and-a-half and are from Washington State. Richie Bean is the bandleader, vocalist, songwriter and guitarist. He arranges and writes the bands' original material. On the scene for over 25 years, Bean played all the major festivals and was a founding member of the Hudson Rocket Band and bandleader of King Juju and the Beats.
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