Ketch’em Alive and Jazz in the Park will begin
By Dana DuGan
One of the most quintessential activities in the Wood River Valley is the weekly event known as Ketch’em Alive. Held Tuesdays throughout the summer at Ketchum’s Forest Service Park, the free concert series will celebrate its 20 anniversary with an array of musical flavors. The weekly event is sponsored by the City of Ketchum and a variety of supporting businesses.
The dance party is something of a local tradition, in which partiers of all ages mix it up, dancing and socializing. Artist Will Caldwell, the longtime producer of the event, creates a lineup he hopes will appeal to everyone, featuring visiting musicians and some local favorites.
“Twenty years ago, in order to book bands, I had to have them send me a CD,” Caldwell said, referring to an old-fashioned mode of music known as a compact disc. “We also didn’t have e-mail, either. The Internet wasn’t even mainstream. Now I’m listening to bands online, and seeing their videos, which is helpful.”
There was no advertising budget or word of mouth back in 1999, either.
“I used to go live on the radio to get people to come out,” Caldwell said, laughing. “We started with local bands. A couple of bands from Boise and Twin Falls came early, too. They were all Idaho bands, mostly. The Heaters had taken a hiatus, and then they reunited for the show and now play every year.”
Some changes over the years include the addition of an opening band. Generally, youth bands or singing groups take the stage at 6:30 p.m., with the headliner coming on at about 7:30 p.m. Early vendors cooked onsite and sold beer and wine. Now, Washington Street is closed between the Limelight Hotel and Forest Service Park for food trucks and full bars. The size of the crowd has increased over the years, too.
“It was a small group at first,” Caldwell said. “Young people didn’t catch on right away, then they’d hang on the street but not come in. Now, all ages are mixed in. Kids and parents are dancing together. I put that on the poster, and that says where we are now. It’s the dynamic that’s unique to Ketch’em Alive.”
Caldwell is always excited about the lineups he creates for the season. This year he mentioned Kuinka.
“They really have high energy, great for dancing, and they play original music,” Caldwell said. “The Gene Avaro Band comes highly recommended. Scott Pemperton is a really good band from Portland. That’s big. Tumbling Dice is this year’s tribute show [local musicians who pick a different band each year to master] made up of Johnny Valenzuela, Chip Booth and Paul Gregory.”
Ketch’em Alive is only one of Caldwell’s projects, though; he also produces Jazz in the Park, held at Rotary Park alongside the Big Wood River in Ketchum.
Each week will feature another jazz band, usually from Boise or the Valley. On July 14, jazz singer Darynn Dean, from Los Angeles, will perform.
“One of our supporters who lives in L.A. is helping to bring her here,” Caldwell said. “That’ll be a treat.”
Caldwell has yet another project being introduced this season. In association with Mitzi Meacham of Music & Me, he will facilitate a jam session at the Hailey music studio on Bullion Street.
“We’ll jam with live chords and loops,” he said. “It’s an experiential guided jam session, and instructional for any age. People can bring their own instruments or use the keyboards and drums provided. It’ll be fun music on the streets of Hailey.”
The Guided Improv Jam will be held every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. It starts this week on Thursday, June 13.
Ketch’em Alive, Tuesdays
June 18 Pandas and People, from Boise, with Hurdy Gurdy Girls
June 25 Tumbling Dice — Rolling Stones tribute band
July 2 Swagger — Irish rock from Salt Lake City
July 9 Scott Pemberton Band — electric guitar virtuoso, from Portland, Ore.
July 16 Kuinka — modern Americana/electronic, from Southern California
July 23 Pixie and the Partygrass Boys — joyous folk pop, from Salt Lake City
July 30 Gene Avaro Band — soul, funk, electronic, from Arizona
Aug. 6 Lukewarm — Lost River Disco
Aug. 13 The Heaters — classic rock dance party
Jazz in the Park, Sundays
June 23 Alan Pennay and friends
June 30 Frim Fram Four, from Boise
July 7 Nicole Christensen Group, from Boise
July 14 Darynn Dean, from Los Angeles
July 21 Mitchell-Gregory Project
July 28 Idaho Falls Big Band
