THE TREMORS: BIG White Lies

The Tremors

BIG White Lies

© 2006 Cory McDaniel (837101124942)

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Acoustic blues/jazz and cabaret band with a ragtime gospel edge.

notes

'They made the whole place swing'
Tremors celebrate 16 years together
by Susan Anderson for the Casper Journal

"When The Tremors from Casper, Wyoming entered the stage they made the whole place swing," said one reviewer of the band's appearance last month at Mettmann Bluesweek in Germany.

Cory McDaniel, Dale Bohren, and Paul Lange are back -- playing to a hometown audience on Friday, April 26, with a special performance that's part vaudeville, part celebration of their 16-year history together.

"An ARTCORE performance should be something more," says bassist Dale Bohren, "and this is about the art itself, the steps we've gone through to become who we are."

The band started in the '80s with the three Casper natives. Then through the next 10 years, they tried adding a drummer, a horn section, a keyboard player and many guest singers at various times.

"About three years ago, we decided we were best just as ourselves, as the trio," says Bohren, "and that's when our music began to take off again."

Fans and reviewers in Germany applauded the trio in March.

"Finest Blues made in Wyoming," headlined one article that went on to say, "The band's refreshing manner infected the audience."

Still another article, calling them "one of the Bluesweek's most successful acts," described their enthusiastic reception when they brought their instruments to a high school to tell the music students about American blues, jazz, scat and folk music.

McDaniel says the warm reception abroad made them a better band. "When the focus is really on you, you have to play better," he says.

This second trip to Europe had a dramatic beginning. The trio arrived after 18 hours of traveling to find their instruments hadn't made it. They had to rise to the occasion, and they did.

"We showed up with no equipment, I had one harmonica in my pocket," says McDaniel. "We drove straight from the airport to the gig, they brought us a guitar, we hadn't slept for 20 hours, and we powered through it - played everything in the key of 'A.'" They got rave reviews for that performance, and returned to their hotel to find five donated guitars and two amps.

"It was heartwarming," says McDaniel.

Silly and sublime
In the Casper concert, the Tremors will take the audience through the band's years together, with guest artists from the past, and the kind of mix of old and new songs they have always performed.

Highlights are the sometimes rowdy, often profound original lyrics and music by soloist and guitar player McDaniel. "I've Changed," "You've Gotta be Nice," and "Carry the Word" show the range of his writing, from the silly and salacious to the wise and sublime.

Then there's the vaudeville part.

After two CDs and two successful European trips in the past few years, The Tremors must feel like celebrating. Because scattered throughout the wild mix of bluesy songs on April 26 will be juggling, an Elvis impersonator, two child performers, baton twirling, a singing groom and "other surprises."

The concert is at 7:30 p.m. on April 26 in Durham Hall at Casper College. Tickets are $9 adults, $8 seniors, $6 students, $4 for children 12 and under, and may be purchased at the door or outlets Hill Music Company, Flower Gallery, The Shade Tree, Sophie's Espresso and Sonic Rainbow, and in Douglas at Mullinix & Co. For more information, call ARTCORE at 265-1564.

Fair Warning: The author of this article is married to the bass player in The Tremors band, but she tried to write with reasonable impartiality.

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