Setlist: Furthur – Murat Theatre November 21, 2011
SET 1:
Celebration >
Born Cross Eyed
Scarlet Begonias >
Colors of the Rain
Playin’ in the Band >
Crazy Fingers >
Playin’ Reprise >
Cumberland Blues
Doin’ That Rag
SET 2:
Mountain Song >
All Along the Watchtower >
Fire on the Mountain >
Lady With a Fan >
Terapin Station >
Terrapin > Terrapin Transit > At a Siding > Terrapin Flyer > Refrain >
Blues for Allah >
The Other One >
Morning Dew
Uncle John’s Band >
And We Bid You Good Night
ENCORE:
Touch of Grey
Album Stream: Laura K. Balke ‘Rumors & Legends’
Anyone who knows me well has heard me speak of my soft spot for female singer-songwriters. Abigail Washburn, Jessica Lea Mayfield and even Norah Jones are all artists that I keep in steady rotation. So to find endearing qualities in Laura K. Balke’s latest album, Rumors & Legends, was no stretch. The songs fell nicely within my comfort zone.
The album is the third full-length release from the Princeton, IN native. It was produced by John Autry and recorded in whatever quiet space proved convenient – a piano warehouse, an empty art gallery, and a variety of apartments. The efforts resulted in eleven songs that underscore Balke’s strengths as a writer.
Though not an overriding theme, there is an element of pop in Rumors & Legends. She carves out a character of defiant confidence, not unlike the ones portrayed in songs by Top 40 starlets Taylor Swift or Kelly Clarkson. However, a darkness is present here that’s lacking for those artists. Her emotions translate in the writing, never missing a syllable, she is clearly a musician that values the lyric. This comes as no surprise, unlike the bulk of Swift’s work, these songs were written entirely by the singer.
Also departing from the Top 40 formula is Balke’s refusal to dress her songs up. There’s no layering of choruses with a dozen vocal tracks or a fifteen-man backing band. Though her band complements nicely, Balke’s acoustic guitar and voice lie at the core of every song on Rumors and Legends.
Saturday night, Balke and her band debuted songs from Rumors & Legends at an album release party at Earth House. Listen to the album in its entirety below. Purchase the album via Balke’s bandcamp page. Hard copies include beautiful artwork that corresponds with each individual track.
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 
Do317 Launches As Indy’s Premier Events Calendar
The day has finally arrived. Do317 is here. No more hunting and scavenging from site to site, newspaper to gig poster. No more, how did I miss that? No longer will my social life revolve around Ted, our resident office in-guy, who spends entirely too much time at the water cooler talking about what he saw (and what we missed.)
Do317 lists every event, gathering, pow-wow and rendezvous in the greater Indianapolis area. The site will serve as much more than a simple calendar. Users are invited to “like” the events that interest them or that they plan to attend. This will allow each day’s most popular events to rise to the top of the page. With a few clicks, Indy residents can tell promoters and event planners what they want from the social scene in this town.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of things to do. Who knew, in a city called Naptown that any given night offers a worthwhile reason to leave the couch and explore? I look forward to discovering new watering holes, new faces and new bands.
Hoosiers are a surprisingly talented and creative bunch. Many of our artists deserve a wider voice and a larger audience. Do317 should lead to just that. We are also the beneficiaries of a position at the crossroads. Our location at a hub of highways in the Midwest results in a steady stream of the country’s most talented entertainers.
No more excuses, folks. Never again can you say, “Well shit, I would’ve gone but nobody told me.” It’s all here for the taking. Thanks Do317.
Log in. Interact. Participate.
Written by Rob Peoni