The Midnight Noise Orchestra

The Midnight Noise Orchestra, from left, Timo Plays Bass, Matt Weaver, Derrick Mitchell and Weston Schick.

Singer/guitarist Derrick Mitchell says he doesn’t think music fans in the 21^st century are interested in genres or barriers. If he’s right, then the Midnight Noise Orchestra is well-suited for its time.

The Bismarck quartet has an eclectic sound – rock, country, jazz, a little blues.

And don’t forget the flute.

“We call our music an exciting adventure in moods and sounds,” Mitchell says. “… We’ve recently embraced the fact that we’re not one thing.”

Mitchell, drummer Matt Weaver and Timo Plays Bass – guess which instrument he plays? – came together to form the Midnight Noise Orchestra in 2008. Weston Schick – who contributes saxophone, flute and vocals – joined shortly thereafter.

The Orchestra morphed from what Mitchell describes as mostly acoustic and rockabilly to the multi-dimensional band it has become today. As one band member put it, when they play a typical show, TMNO essentially opens for itself. Its first set – which he calls its “fish taco set” – can differ so much from its second.

Give a listen to The Midnight Noise Orchestra catalog of 15 or so originals, and this shape-shifting becomes apparent, especially when Schick switches from sax to flute.

From left: Matt Weaver, Timo Plays Bass, Derrick Mitchell and Weston Schick

“Backyard Ghost” is meat-and-potatoes rock. “Lonely City” is an acoustic number with a great melody and pretty harmonies. “Turn It On” starts with a riff that recalls the Smithereens, until the flute kicks and the song takes a couple of left turns. “Set Me Free” is breezy and up-tempo, “Coal Train” jangly. Then there are the instrumentals. “Shed Thieves” features some slinky sax from Schick and, like the moody “Noise X”, is jazz-influenced, “Red Grass Shuffle” closer to bluegrass.

Mitchell, the Orchestra’s lyricist, is a huge Merle Haggard fan, but the band also loves 1980s metal.

The melding of such diverse influences – on display in the Orchestra’s excellent Prairie Public video below – is one part of the band’s appeal.

“First of all, they love us because we’re friendly,” Mitchell says. “Then they love us because we’re tight. Then they’re like, ‘They’re tight – what’s beyond that. Well, they play pretty good. And what’s beyond that?’ Now they come up to us and say, ‘I listened to that song, and those words are good, or I never caught that thing that Tim was doing on bass before.’ They start picking it apart.”

And Mitchell adds – somewhat tongue in cheek – that the Midnight Noise Orchestra has big plans for the year ahead.

“We are not a particularly rehearsed band. We are not a particularly studious band. We are not a particularly learned band. But we’re the best band from here to Timbuk 3. We’re the best damn thing since sliced bread,” he says with a grin. “… I really want to see 2013 finally be the year of the Orchestra.”

Prime Cut – Backyard Ghost

Anybody who has ever chased a dream, or been hounded by one, can probably relate to “Backyard Ghost” by The Midnight Noise Orchestra.

It’s a haunting (no pun intended) track. The song is propelled by a driving acoustic riff from singer/guitarist Derrick Mitchell and the rhythm section of drummer Matt Weaver and Timo Plays Bass. Weston Schick delivers a compelling sax solo.

Mitchell says his lyrics are always autobiographical, and “Backyard Ghost” centers on a move to California, the pursuit of a dream. But as with most of Mitchell’s lyrics, they’re abstract enough to be open to interpretation or adaptable to many circumstances.

If you want to be somebody
Got to give yourself away
And that ghost is chasing me
He won’t let up ’til I bleed

Check out the video or, for better sound quality, the audio link on Reverb Nation. We’ll have a full artist profile on The Midnight Noise Orchestra later this week.

Laughing Sun Brewing

Mike Frohlich has a passion for brewing, but fine craft beer is only one of the things he and Todd Sattler want to offer at the Laughing Sun Brewing Co., which opened in downtown Bismarck on Nov. 9.

“As I was thinking about this place – three years in the making – I wanted to be a live venue for music, because there’s not enough places in town and there’s a lot of great talent around here,” Frohlich said. “Todd and I both have a lot of friends that are local artists and local musicians, and we’ve

Mike Frohlich, left, and Todd Sattler have opened the Laughing Sun Brewing Co. in downtown Bismarck

always dug live music. We wanted to be a venue from the beginning.”

In its first week, Laughing Sun has already been host to two shows, one by Chris Cady and the other by Luke Graner. The Midnight Noise Orchestra is scheduled for Nov. 24. Following that, Laughing Sun will host weekly shows Wednesdays at 7 p.m. plus have live music on occasional weekends.

Frohlich and Sattler’s commitment to music and art is tangible. On display on one of the walls in the Laughing Sun is an art show by Mandan’s Terry Wiklund called “Boxes.” Frohlich said the art will be rotated every three months, and each project will include at least one live reception with the featured artist.

For musicians, a stage will begin construction next week. Frohlich also said that Laughing Sun will be the only place in Bismarck with its own PA, along with other equipment, a big plus for artists.

“Bands can just plug and play,” he said.

Of course Laughing Sun’s main calling card is its beer. Frohlich said the plan is to have five regular varieties on tap – Strawberry Wheat, Whippin’ Post Pale Ale, Hammerhead Red ESB, Feast Like a Sultan IPA and Black Shox Porter – plus rotate a sixth one through. Business has been so good so far that it’s been hard to keep up.

“Fresh ales, fresh music and fresh art,” Frohlich said.

The Laughing Sun – which is located at 107 N. 5th St. – is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4 to 11 p.m.

Prime Cut – The Muse

As a writer by trade, I’ve become all too familiar with the vagaries of the creative process. But songwriting is a completely foreign – and intriguing – endeavor. That’s why I was instantly drawn to “The Muse” by Mandan’s Ben Suchy.

Suchy captures that glimmer of inspiration that keeps you awake at night as you struggle to find the perfect way to express what you feel, even as what you’re trying to say remains elusive.

In the morning light, sometimes shining so bright
Amidst the wreckage tossed in the night before
She’ll be back again, swimming in his head
‘Til she finds what she’s looking for

In a strange way the lyrics brought to mind “Cecilia” by Simon and Garfunkel. I always interpreted that song literally, as being about an unfaithful companion. I only recently heard another interpretation, that “Cecilia” was actually about the fickleness of that songwriting Muse, which Suchy captures so well here.