Partnership keeps music fans in tune

PALMER - By now it's become a seasonal tradition. Leaves fall, snow descends and national-caliber musicians begin wheeling into Palmer to play packed performances at Vagabond Blues.

Since the mid-1990s, Eagle River-based Whistling Swan Productions has booked countless American folk-rock, bluegrass, blues, and country singer-songwriters at the Palmer café. Legendary clubs, pubs and cafés exist in countless towns and cities across the country, where live music takes center stage. Vagabond Blues is just such a place in the Mat-Su.

Whistling Swan owner Mike McCormick credits Vagabond owners, past and present, for creating a music-friendly atmosphere.

"The owners are very accommodating,“ he said. "They put the music first by not making drinks when performers are playing. They let us rearrange seats and they just make performers feel at home - a lot of venues won't do that.“

From polite baristas who don't talk or bang dishes around, to ambient lighting and wood floors, McCormick said Vagabond has a warm feel that draws people together. It's an atmosphere owner Lorie Koppenberg works to maintain.

"We reserve the back room for the musicians and they can enjoy a meal if they are so inclined,“ she said. "We try to cater to them as well as to the guests.“

During performances, customers have a chance to order espresso drinks before the show and during intermission. When the music kicks in, however, people know to take a seat.

"The performers like the people at Vagabond,“ McCormick said. "They actually request to play there again.“

One such artist, Steve Forbert, is playing at Vagabond tonight (see Valley Life section for story). McCormick said Forbert, like most Whistling Swan performers, enjoys the experience, even if a sold-out crowd means an audience of considerably less than 200 people.

"The musicians just want to come back to Vagabond,“ he explained.

This year, Whistling Swan has scheduled five performances at the Palmer café. Now in its 12th year, McCormick said his company has tried to diversify the types of performers it brings up. This year's lineup features a lot of Americana and country-folk music.

In the past, the musical genres were limited, with the focus primarily on urban singer-songwriters.

"Now we do a wider range of music,“ he said. In the last few years, Whistling Swan has brought in spinoffs from the American folk tradition, such as folk-goth and folk-punk.

"We do everything from bluegrass to folk-punk,“ he added. &#8221It used to be the same people would come to every show. Now we have multiple audiences that come to certain types of shows.“

Apart from Vagabond's music-friendly environment, McCormick noted several other factors that contributed to the music tradition there. Many of the concerts at Vagabond are scheduled during the weekdays when high-paying performances are usually unavailable. This allows national-caliber performers the chance to play at smaller venues, especially if the shows sell out. The faithful Palmer crowds have allowed McCormick to book regular gigs there.

Most performers won't come to Alaska either, unless they have at least three gigs. Vagabond often fills that third slot.

Between Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Mat-Su, McCormick said Whistling Swan will book about 35 shows this year, down from a record 54 last year. While he doesn't see the end in sight, McCormick said he doesn't plan to own his business forever.

"We are trying to transition,“ he said. &#8221We want to set this up so that someone else can do it when we move on.“

For now, Mat-Su audiences have another season of music to look forward to.

"Music is really a part of this place,“ Vagabond owner Koppenberg said. "In the fall, people always ask when the music is starting back up. They look forward to it every year.“

Contact Joel Davidson at 352-2266, or joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.