'Six Mile Grove' chills out at Cafe Deluxe Courtyard
Date 5/10/2001 12:00 AM | Topic: Arts & CultureWith the urgency to chill out and to offer an outdoor performance before finals, Luther-based band 'Six Mile Grove' is ready to kick back and go unplugged this Saturday, May 12, at the Cafe Deluxe Courtyard in downtown Decorah. The acoustic show will start at 9 p.m.
Saturday's show will feature band members Brandon Sampson ('98) on lead vocals and guitar; Barry Nelson ('01) on guitar, keyboard and vocals; Brian Sampson ('01) on conga drums; and Dezi Wallace on bass guitar. They will present an entourage of original songs, most of which appear on their latest album, Friction.
'Six Mile Grove' may also add to their selection songs from previous albums, Long Distance Everything (1999) and A Day's Work (1997). All of their albums are currently available at regional Best Buy stores and will be available at their show.
After extensive touring throughout the five-state area over the past four years, 'Six Mile Grove' has recently started playing a variety of acoustic shows. Brandon Sampson and Nelson have been acoustically featured at the Fineline in Minneapolis, and Brandon and Wallace will play this Thursday night at a song-writing showcase at the Montana Coffeehouse in Minneapolis.
Brandon and Nelson have also contemplated recording an acoustic album.
Nelson commented on the perks and the intimacy of acoustic shows. He stated, "They're a great chance for people to see us play in a different setting. They also keep us honest as musicians and allow us to be a lot more intimate with our audiences." He also added that playing acoustic "keeps us up to par" as musicians because mistakes cannot be covered up by loudness.
Wallace and Nelson are also removed from their main musical elements as bass and keyboard players because they often play guitar at the acoustic shows.
Saturday night's performance will also be the last hometown, college show for Nelson and Brian Sampson. They have spent their last four years at Luther juggling full-time class schedules and touring every weekend.
Nelson also said that this show will provide "one last chance to play for a lot of our classmates and to give them a taste of what we've been doing for the past four years every weekend."
However, this show will be unplugged, a little more intimate than usual and possibly a bit more sentimental for Nelson and Brian, who both enjoy playing for their friends and the Luther community as current students.
The band plans to continue their song writing, recording and touring after Nelson and Brian graduate. However, according to Nelson, both plan on having "normal," full-time jobs that apply to Nelson's computer science major and Brian's MIS major.
A small cover will be charged outside of The Courtyard for admission to the performance.
Touring, merchandise and booking information, along with other fun stuff about 'Six Mile Grove,' is available on the band's Web site,
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Abbey Weis
Chips A&E Editor
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