Your future, our focus
P O W E L L, W y o. - The Red Elvises stormed Powell last year on their Russian Rokenrol Revolution Tour and were so well received, they're coming back for a Wednesday, April 25, concert in the Nelson Performing Arts Center Auditorium at Northwest College in Powell.
Opening for the Red Elvises at 8 p.m. is Settled in Silence, a Powell-based heavy metal band. The Red Elvises claim the stage at 9 p.m.
At last year's performance, mild-mannered audience members were dancing the conga up and down the aisles. One of those was Mary Baumann, NWC's multicultural coordinator. In describing the group, Baumann said, "Their lyrics are funny and the music is infectious. You cannot sit in your seat."
The band is recognized beyond Powell for its upbeat sound that has escaped any formal classification. It's been called rockabilly, surf music, rock, jazz, disco, Mediterranean and ethnic.
Billing themselves as "kick-ass rock 'n' roll from Siberia," the group combines humor, cover tunes and original scores. They were influenced by the Stray Cats, Ventures and some British bands, including the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, but aren't retro, according to music critics.
Red Elvises co-founder Igor Yuzov, who grew up in Russia listening to "illegal and forbidden music from the West," said the group's sound is "about enjoying life, no matter what it is. Happy music - upbeat, party music. People come and have fun. That's the whole idea behind it."
Settled in Silence features the musical stylings of Tim Schoessler, who calls himself a "classical pianist by day and heavy metal guitarist by night;" his wife, Lindsey, who handles keyboards and synthesizer; drummer Kyle Hinshaw (also known as "stix") from North Pole, Alaska; and Mitch Skiles of Colstrip, Mont., who's heavy on bass. The foursome started playing metal together in November 2005 and so far has one CD laid down with eight songs they call "hard-rockin'."
The April 25 concert, sponsored by the Northwest College Student Activities Board, is open to everyone. General admission is $10; NWC students pay $3.