Matt Flinner Trio: Going for the brass ring

This is an unlikely story, part happenstance, part gamble.

I’m a mandolin player. Below is a picture of a mandolin. Sometimes the mandolin is mistaken for a ukulele, a banjo or a tiny guitar. This musical contraption is, however, a mandolin.

I play the mandolin in a couple of bands. Milltown is a bluegrass outfit. The Barley House Band plays Irish music and morphs into the Barely House Band when I type too fast.

We put on a monthly show at Davenport Junior Theatre, 2882 Eastern Ave., Davenport, Iowa, called The Bucktown Revue. The easiest way to describe the show is to say it’s a little like A Prairie Home Companion, but not in a way that would get me sued. The show features music and humor. The music is mostly of the folk variety, but the audience gets to hear a little bit of everything, from jazz to classical to barbershop quartet. It’s a big tent at Bucktown.

Over time, the cast, audience and guests have become family.

Now, back to the part about me being a mandolin player. As such, I waste a lot of time at a website called The Mandolin Cafe.

One day, while perusing discussions at the Cafe, I found a comment from Matt Flinner, saying his band, the Matt Flinner Trio, was looking for spots in South Dakota (I think) to play. The trio is trying to work its way through all 50 states, and had yet to visit South Dakota.

On a whim I emailed Matt saying that if they wanted to come to Iowa on their way to or from South Dakota, we could host them at the Bucktown Revue. Matt got right back to me and said they’d never been to Iowa, they’d love to come.

Exciting news, especially for a mandolin player. The Matt Flinner Trio is very, very good, and Matt Flinner is one of the best mandolin players working today. Check them out:

And so, in sum, The Bucktown Revue, in conjunction with The Dispatch/Rock Island Argus, are sponsoring And Evening with The Matt Flinner Trio, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, at the Davenport Junior Theater. You can reserve tickets here:

http://bucktown.rustmachine.com/reserve-tickets/

Here’s a poster promoting the event, suitable for framing:

We’re looking forward to a great night of music. I hope you can join us.

End of story.