Dahme kicks off second half of Tunes at Twilight

Over a year has passed since Boston bassist and co-songwriter, solo recording artist, multipurpose songwriter and mother Kimberley Dahme set the Tunes at Twilight attendance record.

Since that time, the Tunes series has continued to grow and cemented itself as an entertainment destination in Cape Girardeau. But today, Dahme returns to the city with a new bag of songs and a yearning to see old friends.

Dahme talked to the Southeast Missourian Wednesday between writing new material she'll preview at her Tunes performance today -- at least four new songs -- and hitting the road to head to Southeast Missouri.

The concert will kick off the second series of the 2006 Tunes season.

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Q: Were you surprised by the turnout when you played last year in Cape Girardeau?

A: I hopes it's even better this time. I was thankful, and I guess I'm hoping for that again. I was delighted.

I sing to all size groups and I love it all. This is a family thing, and it's a great way to spend an hour. It gets back to the real entertainment. You're not stuck in front of a boob tube getting dumb.

Q: You set an attendance record last summer with somewhere close to 500 people. I guess the reaction was good enough that you decided to come back.

A: That's absolutely the reason. People there were kind, they were so nice, and to me, that's everything. So I want to give them everything I can.

The welcome I received and the people are the reasons I want to come back. The town, the love and energy, you can just feel it as soon as you get there. There are beautiful people there.

Q: Do little towns like Cape usually supply that kind of crowd?

A: I perform for all sizes. I'm fortunate -- I get good turnouts. Not always, but I think that was better than most, sure. Lately the crowds are growing again like that, and I love it.

Q: Do you think you gained some fans here?

A: Some of them, they have been so kind to join my fan club on my Web site. We do a Monday night chat and just keep in touch and share stories, and I share stories from the road now. I see people from Cape on there all the time.

They're out there supporting you, I mean I've got people driving all over to come to this show. How honoring is that?

Q: You call your fans "friends and family," right?

A: My fans even nominated three of my songs in the American Idol Underground (a Web site where fans rate the music of unsigned artists). It's really awesome, all the fans voted for my songs -- it took 100 votes just to get each song in.

So yeah, friends, family -- I couldn't do it without them.

I'd love to win, don't get me wrong, but I was so honored my fans felt that I should win.

Q: What did you think of the town? Did you do much while you were here or was it just a whirlwind tour?

A: Isn't that how it normally is? I didn't get to see a lot, but what I saw I loved. I'm trying to get out there a day early today [Wednesday]. I'm hoping to enjoy it this evening a little bit -- I'm trying to enjoy the places I travel to more this year.

Q: So what are you up to now? Are you still touring with Boston, or doing your own thing mostly?

A: We're recording a new album. It is awesome, I just went up and recorded. I'm so excited about that.

Then I'm writing for film and TV scores, as well.

Then I'm going to do a jazz show.

I'm getting ready to record another album in October. I want to do a few different ones, like an all-acoustic where I'm doing guitar, bass and singing, maybe with another person.

I have the liberty right now, thankfully, to record things in different fashions to find out what I'd like to present myself as in the future. I'm starting to get a chance to think about it. I'm starting to play more bass in my own shows, discovering myself. I'm still just teasing myself, trying to find out what I want.

I'm just going to try out some on you guys, some brand new ones, so I know what's good or bad. If it's bad I'll go on.

But I hope to have something recorded by the end of spring.

Q: So your next release, or releases, will sound different.

A: I'll probably do a jazz standards album. I've been doing that type of show with the full length gown, long gloves, stand up bass and an unbelievable piano player.

I'm also doing acoustic stuff and stuff with bands.

I'm just going to start recording and see what's good together.

Q: I have a feeling you'll try some of those songs out on the audience Friday.

A: This is what I live for. What I'm doing in Cape Girardeau is what I live for, because I write songs all the time, but I never get the opportunity to share them before I've moved on and written a new song and forgotten about it.

It let's me know if I'm on the right track or not -- the people and the crowd and their response is what gives me inspiration.

And the kids give me inspiration.

Q: They're better than adults because they don't have the inhibitions, right? If they feel like dancing, they dance.

A: That's right, absolutely. It's great to watch them.

Q: What's it like being a woman in rock 'n' roll? Do you think people sometimes are more concerned with your looks than your music?

A: I've had everything said about me. I've had people say that I'm a lesbian.

What I find being a woman in rock 'n' roll, honestly, is I'm privileged. I feel privileged to go up there and rock out, man, have fun, get people laughing. There's always gong to be somebody that doesn't like what you're doing, but there's thousand that love it.

Overall we're all the same. I don't listen to the bad stuff, I just feel happy and thankful to be a rock 'n' roller.

It's awesome looking at the people from the stage.

Q: I saw you did a benefit in Boston recently with sports players, including Boston Red Sox. Are you a Red Sox fan? That doesn't go over well in Cardinal country, you know.

A: That was sweet.

The Red Sox, they've allowed me with Boston to perform the national anthem at so many unbelievable games, playoff games, too. They've even given me a real jersey with Dahme on it. They have just treated me really good.

I'm from California, in San Francisco it was the Giants, that was my thing. But the Red Sox have won me over with how sweet they've been to me.

I'm more of a football girl. I love baseball, don't get me wrong. I love baseball, but as far as which team, lately, it's been the Sox.

I don't know if I should say that (laughing). I don't want to get them mad at me.

Q: So will Cape Girardeau be a regular stop for you?

A: I hope so. It depends on the crowd. If they like me, I will make it one.

I just hope everybody has fun. That's what it's about, just having fun. There's enough bad stuff going on in the world.

For more information on Dahme, check our her Web site at www.kimberleydahme.com.