Joe 90 Touring, Learning With Crows
Joe 90 expected its debut album, “Dream This” to be just that, a debut album. But that was before the band met Adam Duritz of Counting Crows fame, who signed them to his own label, E Pluribus Unum Recordings.
“We went straight out with Counting Crows, pulled up to the Orpheum in Boston and people knew who we were,” says Chris Seefried, Joe 90’s singer and guitarist. “At the shows there was all this anticipation about us, which was really such serendipity.”
The L.A. rockers originally called themselves God’s Child, releasing “Everybody” and Aluminum” in the mid-‘90s. In 1997, Seefried and drummer Adam Hamilton wrote a Christmas single and jokingly credited the song to Joe 90 — in homage to a British kids’ TV show of the 1960s.
“Drive,” the first single off the band’s latest album has gotten some radio play in the region, with its catchy chorus, “Time doesn’t know when it’s time for us all to know.”
“When we set out to make this record we wanted to make something that kind of reminded us of the music we listened to as kids,” Seefried says. “The kind of music that would surround you and envelop you and put you in a place.”
And “Dream This,” does just that, with a nice mix of poppy melodies and dreamy, fragmented lyrics. Duritz sings on two tracks.
The Counting Crows leader shared some of his record-business advice with Joe 90, Seefried says. His most important tip? Tour, tour and tour some more.
“This label’s philosophy is, `Let’s put the money into getting you on the road and get a real solid fan base,’ ” Seefried says.
Joe 90 plans to stay on the road all year, doing their own shows and opening for Counting Crows.
“It’s a great experience to watch them every night,” Seefried says. “We’ve just gotten so much from this.”
Joe 90 will be at Outback Jack’s tonight starting about 9 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the door.
Local CD
For some ear-bleeding, head-pounding punk rock, check out the latest release by Spokane’s Trampoline Girl.
“Human Side Project” is the band’s third CD.
They’ll host a CD-release party tonight at Ichabod’s, with 50cc and Daryl’s also playing. The show starts at 9 p.m. and cover is $6.
Upperclass Racket comes back from Seattle to play at Ichabod’s Saturday, along with Fly Real and Faded. The show starts at 9 p.m. and it’s $5 to get in.
Jazz
While the after-hours portion of the Spokane Falls Community College Jazzfest takes over the Shilo Inn tonight and Saturday, jazz-lovers can wrap up the weekend with the Bill Reid Trio Sunday at Mootsy’s. They’ll play from 7 to 9 p.m. There’s no cover charge.
Around the clubs
* Spokane acoustic rock group Old Tale performs at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Mootsy’s. They’ll play from their recently released CD, “Under the Wind.” Cover is $3.
* If you’re too young to make it into some of these other venues, check out the all-ages show at D-Zone in NorthTown mall. Smudge and 5th Wheel play Saturday from 9-11:30 p.m. Cover is $4.
* Player’s & Spectators has a new house band, All Fall Down, which plays every Friday and Saturday night at 9 p.m.
* R&B dance band Charlie Butts and the Filter Tips play tonight at 9 p.m. at the Powerhouse Bar & Grill in Sandpoint. There’s no cover charge.
* The Trailer Park Girls play tonight from 7-9 at the South Hill Starbucks, 2525 E. 29th.