District 97

Good evening once again fellow progheads!  The trip back from Peru was long, but the music on the flight was most enjoyable...Supay definitely put a fire in my belly for some deep, dark, adventurous prog that pays strong homage to the standard bearers.  Yes it's true--despite my zeal for the new I still have an addiction to the tried-and-true.  My search for all things prog has unearthed many gems and exposed an ever expanding prog garden with so much to offer I could get lost in the growth.

However, this week I need to feed my "classic" addiction...surely there is a band on the prog horizon with the energy and exuberance of youth coupled with the wisdom, ability, and professionalism of a band having decades in the studio and on the road.  With that thought process marinating in my head, it only makes sense that the Concert Closet should end up in the land of the blues--Chicago--for a seven day indulgence into the sounds of District 97.

District 97 is not your average up-and-coming progressive rock band.  Don't let their fresh innocence fool you; these kids have been around the block.  District 97 refers to themselves as "...the most musically adventurous band on the planet to feature an American Idol singer!"  I will admit that I was almost completely put off by that bio...but...District 97 has been endorsed by Bill Bruford, Roine Stolt, and John Wetton.  Mr. Wetton also performed with the band recording a live set that is available on CD.  Alright, I'm starting to be impressed...

This week there is a little extra "giddy" in my giddyup as I stride to the buffet to make my first selection.  I take a chance on a song called "Termites" and it happens to be a dandy.  The music comes right at you from the start, much like the onslaught of rushing water as the levee breaks. Intense is a fair descriptor; District 97 blows the doors wide open, steps back to survey the damage, and then proceeds to blow the doors wide open again.  This mood roller coaster careens around the perimeter of your cranium for just over six minutes--and ends as abruptly as it began.  District 97 oozes with passion and gusto; it is officially "wild ride week"!

The next tune offered up at this prog feast is called "Open Your Eyes."  Searing vocals hit you like rabbit punches and the pulsating drums put a little extra wallop in the fists--but no worries here...District 97 knows how to hit without hurting.  Guitar work that smooths the entire piece out while continuing to come at you from all sides melds perfectly with those vocals.  The song lands at your feet like a message in a bottle washed ashore after a storm...and you can't wait to tear into it.

District 97 has strong aromas of Transatlantic, Spock's Beard, and Liquid Tension Experiment wafting through their sound.  With additional top notes of Alan Parsons Project and Be Bop Deluxe, District 97 cuts a wide path through the prog garden.  Of course touring and cutting an album with John Wetton certainly adds a little "street cred" to the band's resume...

Liner Notes...brought to being in Chicago 2006, District 97 is the brainchild of drummer Jonathan Schang, keyboard player Rob Clearfield, Patrick Mulcahy on bass, and Sam Krahn on lead guitar. Sam ultimately left the band in 2009 to be replaced with current guitarist Jim Tashijian.  Realizing the need for "just the right" vocalist, the quartet decided on Leslie Hunt, she of the top 10 American Idol class of 2007.  I admittedly am not a fan of that show, but I can honestly say Leslie made the right move into prog when the world of pop handed her walking papers--this lady can sing...

My final selection for review this week is a cover of "21st Century Schizoid Man," from District 97's live 2014 release, "One More Red Night: Live in Chicago."  Featuring John Wetton on lead vocals, this version of the King Crimson classic has a bit more funk than the original yet captures the raw intensity KC put on vinyl back in '69.  Jonathan owns that drum kit and every member of the band not only holds their own, they come together as a solid unit beautifully.  District 97 is here to stay...

For the video clip this week, I chose a tune that brings together many of the parts making up the whole; a song called "Snow Country."  The acoustic opening and brief interludes throughout belie the strong foundation on which this song is built.  Heavy drumming and hard-hitting guitar work frame the dark, haunting vocals that cut through your skull like a circular saw working its way though masonry. Learn more about District 97 and make a purchase of their music at http://www.district97.net/ and http://district97.bandcamp.com/.  District 97 can also be followed on both Twitter @District97 and Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/District-97/177600119086194.

OK fellow progheads, time once again to wrap up a seven day stint with an amazing band.  District 97 represents the past and future of progressive rock right here in the present.  While preferences, likes, and dislikes remain subjective, I have always been a firm believer that talent will ultimately trump opinion--and District 97 has the talent to meet the challenge.  Bridging the distance between the classic prog acts of yesterday and the up and coming prog bands of today is no easy feat--but it does help to have John Wetton on stage with you and Bill Bruford manning the PR machine.

This was a fun stop on the journey; while the music has soul and burns into the feeling part of your brain, it also has depth and that pre-requisite mind-grabbing ability.  Chicago is home to more than the blues, and now it is time to extend the search for all things prog...until next week...