A Spider in Your Guitar... or Just Happy to See Me?

by Doug MacRostie

Trying to fit bands and musicians into categories and genres is one of the trickiest parts of my job. You can either WAY over simplify and go with the basics like rock, folk, blues, et cetera. Or you can WAY under simplify...case and point, the last time I had Amy and Adams on Centerstage MN they suggested the genre name, "eclectic folk-rock tin-pan-alley bluesgrass," which sounded about right to me :D

Amy and Adams is the husband and wife songwriting duo of Amy and Mark Adams-Westin from St. Paul. They write and cover music with positive themes and will be debuting music from their still-being-recorded new CD due out by the end of the year. The focus will be enjoying some live music on Centerstage MN, but I'll also talk to them about what's changed since they stopped by last year and what's different as the approach their new album.

I'll also be talking with Les Crawford, an organizer with EvTAP, the Eveleth Venues in Technology, Arts and Performance group. EvTAP is working to re-open the Auditorium in Eveleth for music, arts and community events. They have a goal of supporting local artists and are community oriented. Mixed in with our conversation will be some Iron Range music with Colmekill, Virgil Caine and The Mojosaurus Blues Band.

Also, new music from The Pines hot-off-the-presses release "Tremelo" and a song from Bemidji folk-punker Shannon Murray.

My guests next week will be John Wozniak of Marcy Playground and Rich Mattson and Matt Ray from I.R.O.M.A. I'll talk with Wozniak about the new MP CD "Leaving Wonderland...In a Fit of Rage," a very personal and intimate album - it actually might be my fav Marcy album to date :D And then Rich and Matt are founders of I.R.O.M.A., the Iron Range Original Music Association, a non-profit organization comprised of musicians who are located on the Iron Range of northern Minnesota. I.R.O.M.A. performers all have two elements in common: most of them live, work, and reside on the Iron Range & they perform ORIGINAL music!! We'll talk about the organization and their upcoming fundraiser concert on Sat. Aug 29th in Chisholm.

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org and the show is rebroadcast Sunday mornings at 6.