If you ask the Rabalais (say “Rab uh lay”) brothers how their band Utopia Park won the award for Best Musical Act 2009 in Fairfield on FairfieldVoice.com, Phillip will tell you they stole it, with a grin on his face.  Dominic jumps in quickly to point out that while other local favorites The Jefferson County Green Band were leading the poll at the time the brothers discovered they were in the running, all it took was a few emails, Facebook and blog posts to mobilize their established fan base into voting them the winners.

Brothers “their whole lives”, Phil and Dom both got into making music in their mid-teens.  About two and a half years ago, they wrote their first original track, and they’ve been steadily producing, performing and refining their high octane, catchy electro-pop ever since.

Starting out with the band name Porno Galactica “pretty much as a joke”, the Rabalais brothers recently decided to change it to Utopia Park.  They feel the name speaks to the magic of their childhood growing up in a local trailer park of the same name.  Plus they were looking to match the aesthetic that evolved as they began to take themselves a little more seriously as a band.  What began as mostly a “laptop DJ” show has expanded to include live guitar and keys over their programmed backbeats.

Still, while their commitment to making music may have gotten more serious, the only thing serious about a Utopia Park show is the amount of fun to be had!  To quote the brief write-up in Fairfield Voice when the winners were announced, “If you don’t start dancing by the time Porno Galactica (Utopia Park)’s song Sea Best Released is over; then you just might be dead.”

Utopia Park recently returned from their Deep Chill tour of the Southern US, starting off this March in Austin, and looping back there again in time for SXSW by way of Houston, Louisiana, Georgia and Arkansas and a few other places in-between.  They played lots of shows, learned lots of things, made lots of friends and chronicled it all in their funny and irreverent blog (warning, it does contain occasional not safe for work language).

Since returning home, the brothers haven’t even stopped to catch their breath.  Between promoting and hosting shows in Cafe Paradiso, The Beauty Shop, and their house, they started a new label called Sweat Power Records.

Sweat Power Records is bringing back the cassette tape for limited edition releases by Utopia Park and several of their friends.  The novelty concept is sparking creative ideas among the bands releasing music on the label.  Some want to create a whole package deal where you buy the cassette with a walkman and headset.  Others want to do split EP’s with Utopia Park.  The beauty of it is that Phil and Dom have that, “Why not? Let’s do it!” attitude that not only supports creative ideas but actually makes them happen.

To me, that is part of what makes Utopia Park so deserving of their award for Best Musical Act.  Not only do they make great music and put on great shows, they serve the younger generations in Fairfield through their examples of how to take an idea and follow it through to reality.  In a small town where you aren’t as likely to have your entertainment handed to you on a platter, creating the environment you want to experience can be the difference between happiness and boredom.  I applaud their generosity, energy, and ingenuity and look forward to whatever the Rabalais brothers may come up with next!

In fact, I know the very next thing they are doing is this Saturday, May 8th at The Beauty Shop. Utopia Park will be playing their first Fairfield show since returning from their March tour.  They are sharing the bill with several other artists, including two bands who will be releasing their Sweat Power Tapes on the same night.

Check out the line up:

Valley Tounges from Iowa City — SWEAT POWER TAPE RELEASE!

Tall Too and Maid Marian from Ames — SWEAT POWER TAPE RELEASE!

Alex Body from Iowa City

Utopia Park

The show starts at 9pm at The Beauty Shop.  Cover is $2.

After a one season hiatus due to construction, the Live on the Square Concert series will be back on the Square starting on June 5th!

Graciously supported by the City of Fairfield, The Convention and Visitors Bureau, sponsors, and private donors, the Live on the Square committee is actively pursuing additional sponsors so they can continue to bring Fairfield free music.

For details on how you can sponsor or contribute, contact Tammy Jones at KMCD Classic 96 – tjones@fairfieldiowaradio.com

Every concert will be held on the square and start at 7PM. However in the event of rain, they will move indoors to the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center Expo Hall.

The schedule is as follows:
Saturday, June 5th – Bambu – The season opens with  local favorite Bambu, featuring danceable music with distinctive Afro-Carribean overtones.

Friday, June 25th - BYU Vocal Point – Brigham Young University’s premiere contemporary a cappella ensemble.Under the direction of James Stevens, Vocal Point’s nine-man vocal firepower propels harmonies far beyond traditional four-part possibilities. With inventive arrangements, humor, and remarkable vocal percussion, Vocal Point continually invigorates audiences and generates fans.

Saturday, July 24th – One Nite Stand Band - Voted one of the best bands in Des Moines three years in a row, One Nite Stand Band plays a wide array of dance and party music.

Saturday, August 14th – Rodeo Down – Rodeo Down is a country western band featuring originals and recent country and western covers.

Saturday, September 18th - Steve McClain and the Jefferson County Greenband - Local favorites Steve McClain and the Greenband close out the season with their special brand of “roots rock with an outlaw flair.”

The music, comedy and fun of Branson Missouri returns to the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center April 3^rd when You’re Hometown Station 1570 KMCD present “The Sweethearts of Branson”.  A fixture on the Branson entertainment scene for many years, the Sweethearts of Branson features the award-winning performances of Denny and Sheila Yeary.

The Yearys are joined on stage by their daughter McKayla, who adds her youthful beauty and championship clogging skills to the show along with her instrumental and vocal skills. Branson’s one and only cowboy comedian, “Tucker,” rounds out the show with his crazy antics and wonderful renditions of great cowboy classics, and is always a crowd favorite.

This “Award Winning” powerful show brings the audience to their feet, with love, laughter, harmonies, dance and incredible vocals. They continue to have sold out shows everywhere they go from Florida to Louisiana, to Minnesota and now to the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center April 3^rd.

People cannot stop talking about this trip down memory lane with the music of Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, The Oakridge Boys, Alabama and many more.

KMCD General Manager Tammy Jones says “We are very luck to have this show which features the two time Branson Entertainers of the Year come to our theater”  This night of family friendly will not only entertain you but will forever be in your heart as one of the best shows you have ever seen.

Come see why Branson has proclaimed the Yeary’s  “The Sweethearts of Branson”.  Ticket prices are $18 General Admission, $13 Group (10 tix or more) and may be purchased at the FACC box office or or online here.

We’re fortunate to have so many great venues for playing and listening to music in Fairfield.

A new website, the Fairfield Music Gallery provides  you with a place to sample the richness and depth of local songwriting and musical talent.

The site provides musicians, songwriters, singers, engineers and the like with personal profiles and a place to store and promote mp3s, videos, podcasts, create discussion forums – and more.

Unlike MySpace or Facebook, this site is only for Fairfield and the surrounding area. Our mission is a simple one, to provide a place for local musicians and their fans to promote themselves, meet each other, and possibly even work together as a result of their interactions on the site.

Sign up as a member and join the appropriate group (songwriter, musician, singer, recording engineer, fan, etc) You can put a few photos on your page, load a few of your original songs (mp3), load a video of your original music performance and redirect people to your own website if you’d like.

Some of the local talent who have joined includes: Sharon Bousquet, David Seagull, Owen Blake, Aaron Blum, David Bordow, Theo Shier, Joe Toth, Mark Soth, Mike Scanlon, Laura Cohen, Beth Payne and Stevie Ray Jeffries.

For those of you who do not have the ability to record your work, Mark Soth of Blue Cat Alley can arrange for the recording of one or two pieces depending on the complexity/ length etc – at no charge -  from his home studio (which provides very decent quality.)  Contact  Mark at mrf@mchsi.com and he can arrange for a recording session.

Please check out the site and enjoy!

Saturday Night at the Sondheim series and FMC Productions is pleased to present “Motown R & B,” Friday, January 29th and Saturday, January 30th at 7:30 featuring Fairfield’s own “Soul Revue Orchestra.”  This event is being produced by FMC Productions who brought you concerts such as Woodstock!,  Good Die Young and Fairfield Unplugged.  Motown R&B will feature many of the musicians from these past productions as well as some fresh new talent.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased on line or at the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center Box Office.

This production of Motown R&B is being co-sponsored by FMC Productions and KRUU-LP 100.1 FM, an open source, grassroots community radio station.

The Saturday Night at the Sondheim Series is part of a monthly program designed to raise funds to support the Stephen Sondheim Theater and the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center.

The Chamber Singers of Southeast Iowa will present “Seasonal Songs of the Spirit”, on Saturday and Sunday, December 12 and 13, at 8:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church at 200 South Main in Fairfield.

The beautiful choral works in this year’s program express the deep spiritual values that uplift our lives and give rise to joy, love, and praise. The songs extend from the Renaissance to the present day, representing seven countries and a wide range of musical styles and inspiration, including gospel, Hebrew, and African pieces. Composers include Renaissance masters di Lasso and Phillips and contemporary icons Stephen Paulus and Moses Hogan. The concert explores spiritual experience in individual life, in seasonal traditions, in different cultures, and in community.

“This year our program explores how spirit affects and shapes our lives in the world,” says Elaine Reding, director of the Chamber Singers. “Throughout history and around the world, people have always gathered together in song to celebrate and enliven the deep spiritual bonds of love that connect us to each other, to our community, and to the divine, and this year’s choral program expresses these more lasting spiritual connections between us all. We hope everyone will join us at this year’s concerts for music that beautifully captures this spirit of the season.”

In lieu of ticket sales, the Chamber Singers will rely on your generous good-will offering at the door. For more information, please call 641-472-1539.