February 18-24, 2021 THINGS TO DO IN FORT WAYNE AND BEYOND FREE Your source for local music and entertainment SWEETWATER ALL STARS MUSICAL DREAM TEAM PLAYS SOUL, R&B AT THE CLUB ROOM · PAGE 3 LOCAL CROSSWORD NATE UTESCH NOMADLAND PUZZLE FEATURES CLUES BASED ON WHAT’S LOCAL GRAPHIC FRANCES MCDORMAND STARS IN CAPTIVATING Give it up for ... GOING ON IN FORT WAYNE AND BEYOND / PAGE 14 DESIGNER CREATES ALBUM COVERS FOR MOVIE ABOUT Across 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 NATIONAL BANDS, TRANSIENCE, TRAUMA 1. Technical drawer 13 14 8. Go with the flow LIKE SMASHING starstarstarstarStar-half-alt 15 16 13. Shine PUMPKINS / PAGE 4 REEL VIEWS, PAGE 15 14. More tender 17 18 19 15. Rare 20 21 22 23 16. Latin word for horn 24 25 26 17. Dissolve 27 28 29 30 31 32 18. A doctrine that 33 34 35 the physical and mental universe is 36 37 38 39 40 41 composed of simple 42 43 44 indivisible minute particles 45 46 47 48 20. Arrangement 49 50 22. Tit for ___ 23. Big shot 51 52 24. Place for a boutonniere 26. Map abbr. 44. ___ vera 5. Fraternity letter 32. Ancient fertility 27. * "Bob Bailey, 45. Ness of "The 6. Pilot's goddess Lisa McDavid, and Untouchables" announcement, 35. "The magic word" Don Carr on __" 46. Attribute briefly 37. Sedans, 30. Swiss cottage 49. Copy 7. Pertain Compacts, etc. 33. Portfolio part, in 8. Fancy tie 39. Roswell crash brief 50. Quick fried 9. Dire fate victim, supposedly 34. Church recesses 51. Office aides, abbr. 10. Touchdown 40. Clothed 36. Canine command 52. Uses up, as energy 11. Dreamily 41. Top competitors, 37. With 38-Across, thoughtful often "The Sweetwater __ - Down 43. Work with mail __ ", noted nine-piece 12. * "Brett Kelsey on 1. * "Nick D'Virgillio the __" 47. * "And Chuck rhythm and blues on __" band from Fort 19. Soft minerals Surack on the __" Wayne. (And a hint to 2. Hindu queen 21. Buddy 48. Trophy, often the answers of the 3. Mature 25. Sacred hymn possible performance 4. An abnormal 27. Guts shout-outs you might connection between hear for the four two organs, often 28. A.L. East team starred-clues) from the result of 29. Addictions for 38. See 37-Across Crohn's disease or many a kitty 42. Use up ulcers 31. "For ___ a jolly ..." Volume 25, Number 28 FREE LIVE MUSIC Inside This Week Sweetwater MONDAY BLUES All-Stars JAM SESSIONS 3 MONDAYS | 7–10PM Weekly blues jam sessions hosted by G-Money & special guests 4Nate Utesch TUESDAYS | 6–9PM Featuring the best of classic hits, soft rock, and smooth tunes Columns & Reviews Calendars Out and About ⁄ 5 Road Notes ⁄ 9-10 Live Music & Comedy ⁄ 5-7 Thunderstruck powers up AC/DC in The Weeknd announces its new tour, WEDNESDAY JAZZ SESSIONS Fort Wayne but for 2022 On the Road ⁄ 9-12 WEDNESDAYS | 7–9PM News and Venues ⁄ 6 Screen Time ⁄ 14 Things To Do ⁄ 13 Weekly jazz sessions featuring the PFW hosts Black History Month Zoom Don’t miss these ten favorite biopics Stage & Dance ⁄ 13 Alicia Pyle Quartet & friends conversations Crossword ⁄ 14 Art & Exhibits ⁄ 13 Spins ⁄ 8 Foo Fighters, Accept, Reel Views ⁄ 15 The Besnard Lakes Nomadland: Captivating film on transience, trauma Backtracks ⁄ 8 John Lennon, John Lennon/Plastic Ono THURSDAYS | 7–10PM Cover photos by John Kuser The sounds of classic country, Band (1970) bluegrass, Americana & More FRIDAY NIGHT VIBES FRIDAYS | 7–9:30PM An array of regional artists and bands with WBOI’s Julia Meek SATURDAYS | 8–11PM Enjoy the best in pop, soul, R&B, and funk LATE-NIGHT DINING & COCKTAIL SPECIALS 1806 Bluffton Road Fort Wayne, IN 46809 ClydeClubRoom.com (260) 407-8530 2 WHATZUP FEBRUARY 18-24, 2021 Dream team of musicians brings soul, R&B to life Sweetwater All Stars to perform at Club Room BY STEVE PENHOLLOW WHATZUP FEATURES WRITER The Sweetwater All Stars have been around for a few years now, but from the very begin- ning, their goal has been clear. “Ultimately,” said guitarist Bob Bailey, “we want to have fun – and play some great rhythm and blues!” The Sweetwater All Stars are a ten-piece R&B band featuring some of the best play- ers and singers in Fort Wayne, most of them recruited from distant climes to work at Sweetwater Sound. The band, filled with musicians who dis- Photo by AmAndA boss tinguished themselves nationally and inter- nationally before coming to Indiana, each vocalist. Although guitar- SWEETWATER ALL STARS Martin said. “But we were looking for that brought decades of experience with them and ists Bob Bailey and Don ‘special something,’ and we found it in Lisa 8-11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 put that experienced to good use with the All Carr are known as rock McDavid.” 8-11 p.m. Saturday, March 6 Stars. and pop musicians, each “When Lisa sang the first line of the first has played more than 8-11 p.m. Saturday, March 20 song at her audition,” Bailey said. “Chuck and STARTING AT SWEETWATER their share of blues and The Club Room at The Clyde I looked at each other — I swear I’ll never for- The band’s origin story begins at Sweetwa- country guitar. 1806 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne get this — our eyes met and it was like, ‘Yeah, ter, of course, with a group of musicians in MORE ON It might not seem to No cover · (260) 407-8530 that’s it. That’s the one.’” Sweetwater’s Studio A working on a recording THE WEB make much sense at THEMED CROSSWORD Lead vocal duties in the Sweetwater All project featuring vocalist Kat Bowser. Use your phone’s first glance, but with the Stars are split between McDavid, drummer “It started as a blues record,” said Dave Sweetwater All Stars, This issue’s puzzle features clues about Nick D’Virgilio, and guitarist Bob Bailey. camera to scan the Sweetwater All Stars · Page 14 Martin, who was playing bass. “And basically, the QR code and there’s is a lot more to “Nick has an amazing range, Bob has a during the course of the recording process, it watch a recent them than what they’re wonderful texture to his voice, and Lisa is, became more of a band record.” performance primarily known for. make the All Stars special.” quite simply, a force of nature,” Martin said. At about the same time, Chuck Surack, and listen to “Each of the members While Surack is best known these days as “Between the three singers, the All Stars can their 2018 Sweetwater Sound’s owner, started thinking have had success in a wide the owner of Sweetwater, he’s been a profes- cover a huge amount of ground. From the album. that a horn-rich R&B band might be fun. variety of genres without sional sax player for more than 40 years. That Temptations to Chaka Khan, from the Isley Fortuitously, some of Sweetwater’s recent being pigeonholed by that success,” Bailey experience shows, whether he’s playing with Brothers to Sam and Dave, and from Aretha hires included exactly the right musicians said. “Here’s the thing. All the people who are the All Stars or working with Prime Time, a Franklin to Tower of Power, we do it all.” for this sort of project, and all the narrative in this band, myself included, have a pretty trio that he and trumpet player Kelsey have McDavid joined the All Stars in January threads came together. What started as Kat varied background. So what they’re known performed with for years. 2020 but got to play only a couple of dates Bowser’s CD became the first Sweetwater All for isn’t everything they’ve done. It’s just what Additionally, Farr is much loved as an edu- before the pandemic closed the doors of the Stars record. they got known for.” cator and band director in Fort Wayne. All Stars’ original home base, Don Hall’s Guest The members of the Sweetwater All Stars Yet this seemingly disparate group of musi- House. Fortunately, a few outdoor gigs opened rhythm section are musicians who are not pri- cians banded together to perform horn-driven ‘THAT’S THE ONE’ back up in the summer, and by fall, restric- marily known for playing soul and classic R&B. soul and R&B tunes. The last major change to the Sweetwater tions eased enough that the All Stars were Drummer Nick D’Virgilio built his reputation All Stars line-up happened at the beginning of able to play for a socially distanced crowd in playing progressive rock, keyboardist Jacob THE HORN SECTION 2020 when Kat Bowser, the All Stars original the newly expanded Club Room at the Clyde. Dupre is recognized as a great jazz musician, The All Stars Horns, with sax player Chuck vocalist, moved out of state. At the beginning of 2021, the All Stars began and bassist Dave Martin’s traditional country Surack, Brett Kelsey on trumpet, and trom- The Sweetwater All Stars auditioned 20 to playing twice a month at the new venue. and western swing credits are substantial. bonist Marcus Farr, bring magic to the Sweet- 30 singers. The All Stars will return to the Club Room The newest member of the All Stars, per- water All Stars’ sound. “Fort Wayne has some great singers and at the Clyde on Feb. 20 and on March 6. Reser- cussionist Will Brown, has an extensive “I love the sound of solid players playing there were quite a few that auditioned who vations are strongly recommended.