Originating from a chance meeting in 1971 at an open mic night in Boston – and with a band name lifted from a poem by beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti –
Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman spent a lifetime making music together as the folk-rock duo Aztec Two-Step.
Since Neal retired in 2018, Rex and his wife
Dodie Pettit – an accomplished musician in her own right and an original member of The Phantom of the Opera – are now the heart and soul of
Aztec Two-Step 2.0, coming to Rochester for a Golden Link concert on
Saturday, November 6 at 7:30 pm.
Together, with members of their new ensemble, they continue to expand and explore the band’s musical legacy with fan favorites, forgotten gems, and outstanding new original compositions. Dodie Pettit’s dazzling lead guitar continues where Neal left off and she and the band join Rex on two- and three-part harmonies. The stage patter is still as engaging, fun, and poignant as ever.
In addition to Rex (guitar/harmonica) and Dodie (guitars, keyboards), the band also includes
Steven "Muddy" Roues on upright bass and blues harmonica;
Peter Hohmeister on drums and percussion; and
Joe Meo on tenor and soprano sax, flute, and clarinet.
The concert will take place in the Rochester Christian Reformed Church, with
proof of vaccination required for everyone in attendance. We also require everyone in the audience to
wear a mask.
Please note that tickets for upcoming concerts will only be sold
online, in advance (by Friday 11/5), no tickets available at the door. This allows us to better track who is at the concert and clearly communicate the safety protocols ahead of time. With COVID-19 cases increasing with the spread of the Delta variant, we want to do everything we can to keep people safe.
Plans are also in the works for a concert by
The Christmas Céilidh Band on
Saturday, December 11 at 7:30 pm. Rochester’s Christmas Céilidh Band has been delighting holiday audiences with their varied program of traditional and contemporary Celtic music and song since 2001. Featuring Kevin Angus, Ben Ford, Pat Carey, Cathy McGrath, and Paul Gluchowski. Tickets for this concert will be on sale soon.
(Note that plans are subject to change closer to the concert date. Golden Link will be following CDC, state, and county guidelines for public gatherings.)
Keep on singing!
– Janice Hanson
Janice Hanson is Concert Chair of the Golden Link Folk Singing Society, which was founded in 1971 to present, promote, and preserve folk music in the Rochester area.