Members of area bands come together to fill country void with Cloverdale

Despite the nasty weather outside, Cloverdale kept the inside of the Rude Dog Pub warm and easy last weekend with their blend of danceable country hits.

With a lineup that comprises active members of other local bands, Cloverdale is what bassist Pat Koetting jokingly refers to as a "supergroup."

The lineup is somewhat flexible, but after being together for a year, Cloverdale includes Mike Renick and Ian Bolton of the Mike Renick Band, Pete DeLuca and Brad Berry from the Intention, Koetting and Matt Pyeatte from the Tone Def All-Stars and Casie Mills. Frontman Brad Berry explained the reason for starting a band outside their respective groups was to fill a particular void in the local music scene.

"[Cloverdale] has been an idea of ours, me, Pete, Casie and Mike for a while now," Berry said. "We've traveled to Nashville a few times, and there isn't a kind of thing locally that's doing anything like us."

They have a type of mainstream appeal that's beyond the reach of other local outfits, offering an accessible and distinct Nashville sensibility in downtown Cape Girardeau.

"We're mostly interested in playing modern country with some older country mixed in, too," Berry said. "Most of the time, [our set list is determined] by just what's hot on country radio at the time. Or sometimes it's crowd-pleasers from the past, artists like Johnny Cash or Garth Brooks who are kind of timeless."

And one of the band's most impressive features is its vocal versatility. With so many singers, it can look crowded at times, but they keep things sounding smooth.

"Most bands around here, you'll have your main singer and someone doing backup vocals, but we're fortunate enough to have six singers," Berry said. "We could have a three-part harmony."

Which they often do. Having different options on the mic means the duets and different country sounds really liven up their shows. A Taylor Swift cover and a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band song play off each other to keep people moving.

Want to get footloose to Cloverdale's melodic country atmosphere? Catch them next when they open for the Mike Renick Band at Long Shots Bar and Billiards on April 3.

tgraef@semissourian.com

388-3627