Original Publication Date: September 10th, 2009

Local music sensation, FourStroke Bus, closes the free Ketchum Town Plaza concert series this Thursday (Sept. 10th), from 5-7pm...

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In yet another reminder that summer is coming to a close, the endlessly-inventive and -energetic local band, FourStroke Bus, will close out that increasingly popular Thursday Ketchum Town Plaza concert series John Alan Partners (726-3411) have been gracious enough to sponsor all summer long this coming Thursday (the 10th), from 5 to 7pm ... conciding with this month's Business After Hours meet-and-greet.

REVIEW:

Even in its earliest incarnations, FourStroke Bus was always a verrry likable and entertaining folk-bluegrass band whom I always loved listening to and rooting for -- lead singers and guitarists Lisa, in particular -- and one that sometimes seemed to be on the cusp of genuine greatness. But it was ALSO one that seemed increasingly to be in dire jeopardy of being eventually relegated to the OMG, NOT ANOTHER ONE!! pile, where local folk-bluegrass bands are concerned.

Thankfully, they seem to have sensed that, and I think its verrry safe to say -- after having seen them twice this summer at the Sun Valley Brewery, poolside at the Zenergy Health Club, and, more recently, at that wickedly-wonderful and jam-packed Wicked Spud concert (during which they closed out THAT very popular Thursday summer concert series, also) -- that Bus CURRENT incarnation is nothing short of astonishing!! In fact, the only thing I can readily liken it to is comparing the band, HEART, back in the 1970s (when they were warbling Dog & Butterfly, Mistral Wind, Magic Man and Dreamboat Annie) ... with the now-legendary HEART of the 1980s and 90s (when they performing seriously home run hits like Alone, What About Love?, Who Will You Run To and Never) ... Bus transformation is THAT radical and powerful.

Which isnt to say that Bus doesnt still offer its share of quietly-beautiful low-key songs as well (because it DOES -- everything from traditional folk numbers like Love, I Shall Be Released, and What Can I say? to Freight Train, Farmhouse and Ill Fly Away ... the latter probably being the very first song of theirs which made we want to see them as often as possible, back when they were a regular fixture at Papa Hemis Hideaway a few years ago).

But OMG, when that stripped-down acoustics Bus pumps up the volume (and the repertoire) now, youre in for the ride of your life, because its radiantly clear this band is capable of a lot more than just Easy-Listening Folk-Bluegrass music ... as evidenced not only by their wildly-popular SV Brewery and Zenergy gigs this summer, but also at that Monday Music Night in Hailey, where they completeley wowed their very large and appreciative audience outside KBs/Wiseguy!!

Arguably, a big part of that new WOW!!! sound that Bus has in spades now is due to the wise additions of stellar guitarists Ken Martin (also of The Heaters -- another terrific local band that definitely should be on your radar if it isnt already!!) and Chris Clark (whose signature black-wool cap looks every bit as natural on his teenaged head as a guitar looks in his very capable hands) ... as well as the the addition of veteran drummer Cory Ballentine (whose work in local band The Cosmic Beans is almost legendary now, also).

Verrrry high on my ever-increasing list of FourStroke Bus faves are: Dear Mr. Fantasy (a jaw-droppingly powerful Traffic song thatd certainly stop traffic in a HEART-beat whereever Bus played it); The Grateful Deads Loser and Franklins Tower; Widespread Panics Makes Sense; Bus original compositions Better Day (I always knew you had in ya, Lisa!!!(LOL), Addams Family (a dazzlingly-inventive and elaborate instrumental arrangement that showcases the super guitar work the Ports, Martin and Clark are all obviously capable of, and which reminded me immediately of some of Bachman-Turner Overdrives 1970s-era soul-fusion guitar chords), Its Your Life and Glad To Go; Bob Dylans Dont Think Twice; I Know You Rider (a verrry uptempo musical chestnut featuring the Ports on lead vocals that happily harkens back to some of those genuinely loving and lovely onstage moments between Johnny and June Carter-Cash, the chemistry between Wade and Lisa is THAT poignant and poetic); You Cant Blame the Youth (an alternately hard-rock and jammin-reggae number that again superbly showcases the bands increasingly-eclectic and -powerful guitar work, as well as Ballentines justly-deserved legendary-drummer status); Sample In a Jar; GA; Deep Elem Blues, and the B.B. King-like And It Stoned Me (whose fiery riffs and mesmeric melodies keep you thinking about it hours after youve heard them play it).

Maybe this new, radically-revamped and pumped-up FourStroke Bus wont be to everyones liking. But its impossible for me, anyway, to listen to them now and not eagerly wonder what theyll be doing in even six months time -- theyve ALREADY made such tremendous, tenacious and courageous strides in their ongoing evolution as a band to be seriously reckoned with and otherwise not easily categorized. (And hey, it didnt exactly HURT Heart, either, now, did it???!!! (LOL)

FourStroke Bus will be performing across from Giacobbi Square (next to Leroys Ice Cream) on Thurs. Sept. 10th, from 5-7pm.

Feedback on this article-rave can be sent to John at: WriteStuffIdaho@gmail.com