THE MEKONS

Website
www.mekons.de

Myspace page
myspace.com/mekons

Youtube videos

GARY LOURIS

Website
jayhawksfanpage.com

Myspace page
myspace.com/garylouris 

Youtube videos

GARY LOURIS: The Jayhawks’ leader/guitarist/vocalist/songwriter GARY LOURIS brings his heartfelt and soothing alt-country sound to the Barrymore on Thursday, March 27.  The Jayhawks emerged from the teeming Minneapolis, MN music scene as one of the first critically acclaimed “alternative country” bands in the mid-80’s.  Gary Louris moved the Jayhawks toward a very accessible, mellow country rock sound in the 1990’s and 2000’s with albums such as the dual-natured ‘Sound of Lies’ (1997) and the rootsy ‘Rainy Day Music’ (2003).  Louris has used his talent for writing endearing, melancholy, yet hopeful tunes with Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and members of Soul Asylum and the Replacements in the “supergroup” Golden Smog.  Gary has also written songs for other artists, including the Dixie Chicks and Nickel Creek.

THE MEKONS: The diversely creative British punk/alternative rock band THE MEKONS will share the bill with Louris in March.  This collection of Leeds University art students garnered an intensely allegiant fan base by releasing raw, unconventional, blusterous singles that challenged the boundaries of popular music during the late 70’s and early 80’s.  They continued to hone their sound by infusing honest, Hank Williams-era country sound into their recordings with their 1987 release ‘The Mekons Honky Tonkin’.  Other releases include ‘The Curse of the Mekons’ (1991), ‘Fear and Whiskey’ (1985), and their 2007 release ‘Natural’, an album which “certainly fits in with the group’s great tradition of intelligent ranting.” (allmusic.com) 

Whether you like quirky alt-country, raucous guitar menace, or simple folk insight, there’ll be something for everyone on March 27 at the Barrymore!