{"id":1815,"date":"2014-05-15T11:40:37","date_gmt":"2014-05-15T15:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=1815"},"modified":"2014-05-15T10:52:03","modified_gmt":"2014-05-15T14:52:03","slug":"coatesvilles-fiorenza-dowlin-trio-at-shadyside-sat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=1815","title":{"rendered":"Coatesville’s Fiorenza-Dowlin Trio at Shadyside, Sat."},"content":{"rendered":"

Aztec Two Step headlines at The Flash, Fri. night<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>,\u00a0Correspondent, The Times<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"FiorenzaDowlin\"<\/a>

The Fiorenza-Dowlin Trio headlines at the Shadyside Tavern, May 17.<\/p><\/div>\n

For\u00a0music fans that attend Aztec Two Step\u2019s show at The Flash in Kennett Square on May 16 and still want to hear more two-voice, soft rock music performed live this weekend, there is a good option.<\/p>\n

They can enjoy another evening of listening to the easy-on-the-ears music they like by visiting the Shadyside Tavern in West Bradford on May 17. Starting at 8 p.m., the entertainment at the Shadyside Tavern (formerly known as the West Bradford Grill) will be provided by the Fiorenza-Dowlin Trio.<\/p>\n

The Coatesville-based band features Dave Fiorenza and Wayne Dowlin sharing vocals and trading duties on guitar, harmonica and mandolin along with Dave Brown on drums.<\/p>\n

Local roots figure prominently in the three musicians\u2019 backgrounds. Dowlin is a descendant of the Dowlin family — the family that established a local industrial community known as Dowlin Forge in Downingtown back in the early 1800s. Fiorenza is a resident of East Fallowfield while Brown is a Coatesville native.<\/p>\n

\u201cDave and I played together in a musical group — a choir actually — when we were in grade school at Our Lady of the Rosary which is up on the hill on 18th<\/sup>\u00a0Street in Coatesville,\u201d said Fiorenza, during a phone interview this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis month, we\u2019ve been together for 15 years. It\u2019s always been the three of us. If we play smaller venues like coffeehouses, it\u2019s just Wayne and me. Dave gets added for the bigger venues with bigger stages.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur musical influences are acts like James Taylor and Cat Stevens — an acoustic soft sound. We also play songs by the Beatles, the Beach Boys and bands like the Go Go\u2019s and Flock of Seagulls. We also have some original songs that we perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

The local trio has released a pair of CDs over the years — \u201cLive at WCHE Radio\u201d and \u201cLive at Wagonstock.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the Shadyside Tavern, we\u2019ll do two long sets about an hour-and-a-half each,\u201d said Fiorenza. \u201cWe start out slow with country songs — like Willie Nelson songs — and then build to Creedence Clearwater, James Taylor and Cat Stevens. We even do songs by the Greg Kihn Band and the Alan Parsons Project.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Shadyside is a good place to hear music. It has the restaurant with live music, two spots for family dining, well-lit parking and an outdoor dining area that is pet-friendly. And, there is no cover charge for the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Shadyside Tavern is located at 1548 Shadyside Road between Route 322 and Strasburg Road just west of West Chester. For more information, call (484) 593-4496.<\/p>\n

\"AztecTwoStep\"<\/a>

Aztec Two-Step brings their unique sound to The Flash in Kennett Square, May 16.<\/p><\/div>\n

Aztec Two Step, which has been making music almost three times as long as the Fiorenza-Dowlin Trio, is a musical anomaly — a group whose longevity defies logic.<\/p>\n

There are a number of musical acts — a very large number — that can be classified as \u201cOne Hit Wonders.\u201d The roster spans decades from the 1950s to the 2010s and ranges from Ivory Joe Hunter with his 1956 hit \u201cSince I Met You Baby\u201d to Swedish House Mafia, which had its lone hit \u201cDon\u2019t You Worry Child\u201d early last year.<\/p>\n

Obviously, many of the \u201cOne Hit Wonders\u201d have faded into well-deserved oblivion but some have persevered.<\/p>\n

Somewhere, Modern English is still onstage singing \u201cI Melt with You.\u201d \u00a0Actually, the band has shows listed for later this month in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Nena, who had a worldwide hit with \u201c99 Red Balloons\u201d in 1984, is still playing to enthusiastic audiences in Europe.<\/p>\n

Then, there is Aztec Two Step — a group that formed in1982 and is still going strong. The duo of Neal Shulman and Rex Fowler has a touring schedule featuring 21 shows over the next three months — including a concert at The Flash in Kennett Square on May 16.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re trying to remember any of the band\u2019s charting singles over the course of its 42-year career — good luck. There are none.\u00a0In 1999, Aztec Two Step was the subject of the documentary \u201cNo Hit Wonder,\u201d which was aired on PBS stations across America.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it is a little odd that we\u2019ve kept going for so long without ever having a hit song — especially with the way bands break up so frequently,\u201d said Shulman, during a recent phone interview from his home in Manhattan.<\/p>\n

\u201cRex and I met in 1971 in Boston at an open mike at a club called the Stone Phoenix. I was in a small school in Boston and Rex was devoting his time to being a full-time folk singer.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 1972, they began performing together as Aztec Two-Step, which got its name from a poem by beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started by having a few local gigs lined up,\u201d said Shulman. \u201cA month-and-a-half later, we moved to New York. One year later, we were in Los Angeles doing our first album for Elektra Records.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Elektra album (\u201cAztec Two Step\u201d) started it. Our second record (\u201cSecond Step\u201d), which was released by RCA Records, solidified our career. That album stayed in print with RCA for 17 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the earlier days, we were on a path — but it was always our path to something else. We established our audience. But, with Elektra and RCA, it was always about the hit record. That\u2019s where I came up with \u2018No Hit Wonder.\u2019 I thought it was a clever idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even without a hit, Aztec Two Step was able to build a dedicated following — a fan base that has allowed the duo to release more than 15 albums and a number of live DVDs. Additionally, Fowler has recorded six solo albums and seven sports CDs including \u201cA Baseball Fan\u2019s Christmas Carols\u201d and \u201cA Golfer\u2019s Nursery Rhymes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re putting together our set lists for shows, there is a group of songs that people want to hear that we draw on,\u201d said Shulman. \u201cAfter that, it becomes kind of random.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just kind of wing our way through it. We just go out and we have fun. People tell us all the time that we sound better than ever. It\u2019s always about the songs. There is no hope without the songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aztec Two Step will perform at 8 p.m. on May 16 at\u00a0The Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0www.kennettflash.org<\/a>). Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door.<\/p>\n

This weekend, The Flash will offer a varied lineup of live\u00a0entertainment.<\/p>\n

RUST, a Neil Young tribute band, is set to perform on May 17 at 8 p.m. with tickets listed at $18 in advance and $22 at the door.\u00a0 On May 18 at 8 p.m., The Flash will host Nik Everett\u2019s \u201cCD Release Party\u201d featuring The Nik Everett Band with special guests, David Uosikkinen (The Hooters), Cliff Hillis and Sharon Sable. Tickets for the Delaware rocker\u2019s show are $15 in advance and $19 day of show.<\/p>\n

Other musical offerings around the area this week include A.J. Croce on May 16 and John Gorka on May 17 at the Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043,www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Mary Fahl, well-known as the vocalist of October Project, will do a solo show on May 17 at Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110,\u00a0http:\/\/chaplinslive.com\/schedule<\/a>).<\/p>\n

At the Burlap & Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547,\u00a0www.burlapandbean.com<\/a>), Amy Speace with Jarrod Dickenson are scheduled for May 16.\u00a0 Kyle Swartzwelder along with Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards will perform on May 17.<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will be rocking hard over the next few days with\u00a0The New Orleans Suspects featuring Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett from Little Feat on May 15, \u00a0The M&Ms featuring John Medeski, Papa Mali, Stanton Moore \u00a0and Galactic\u2019s Rob Mercurio on May 16,\u00a0 and Eddie from Ohio along with Jake Armerding on May 17.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s schedule for Downstairs at the World Caf\u00e9 Live at the Queen (500 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware,\u00a0302-994-1400,\u00a0queen.worldcafelive.com<\/a>) features headliner Built to Spill along with The Warm Hair on May 16, The Rackett Boys on May 17, and former Moody Blues guitarist\/vocalist Justin Hayward on May 23.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aztec Two Step headlines at The Flash, Fri. night By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Correspondent, The Times For\u00a0music fans that attend Aztec Two Step\u2019s show at The Flash in Kennett Square on May 16 and still want to hear more two-voice, soft rock music performed live this weekend, there is a good option. They can enjoy another evening […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1813,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8],"tags":[1299,1300,1301,1302,1023],"class_list":["post-1815","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-featured","tag-aztec-two-step","tag-fiorenza-dowlin-trio","tag-rust","tag-shadyside-tavern","tag-the-flash"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1815","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1815"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1815\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1815"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1815"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1815"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}