The Rowans return to Cafe at Adele’s Thursday, to perform an acoustic set from 6 to 8 p.m. Depending on the weather, this will either be a continuation of the Summer Veranda Series, or will be moved into the lounge.
The last time brothers Chris and Lorin Rowan played here was Aug., 2012. Those who attend Thursday, should be prepared for a musical feast that features everything from Americana and Folk to Roots Rock and beyond. With these two, the possibilities are endless.
“Adele’s is always a wonderful place to play,” Charlie’s an old hippie who has always welcomed us and endorses our art by having us,” said Lorin about Adele’s co-owner Charlie Abowd.
Chris and Lorin, who have spent their lifetimes creating music by way of several different incarnations (The Rowan brothers — with brother, Peter; Rowan Cunningham Band, with Sue Cunningham; and San Francisco Music Club, co-founded by Lorin and Jimmy Dillon who Lorin played with in The Edge, a Marin County rock/reggae band) have stayed prolific and relevant not only because of their writing and performing skills, but by staying open to new avenues of expression.
Chris has been pursuing independent projects as has Lorin with a new line-up, Lorin Rowan’s Rattlebox, with Barry Sless and Doug Harman. His latest offering is a CD recorded during a live performance at Studio D in Sausalito, Calif.
“Things have been going good ... we’ve been writing music, sending it to Nashville, and I have been writing music for television shows and such, including Sons of Anarchy and The Young and the Restless,” Lorin said. “Chill music, Buddha Bar (a venue with many locations that originally began in Paris and became known for its eclectic music) ... There are many new subgenres of music to explore, and shows are always looking for new music.
“The way music is distributed has changed, and this is a way to see money for our music; T.V. pays for the work and gives the artist exposure.”
In keeping with their “everything is possible” philosophy, they have successfully adapted as technology has evolved and the market has shifted and opened in ways that empowers artists.
Lorin explained there are now “music supervisors” who have their own connections and are always looking for talent to do things like write music for television, and who have the avenues to get the music distributed.
“I just followed up on my own, and I work with a couple other writers, because two heads are better than one and there is joy in that,” Lorin said. “Chris and I have also been working on new songs for our duo and spent some time back east touring and of course, we have the gig we do with Sue and have opened for Taj Mahal.
“We have a history with the audience and they support us. The Boomer generation, they’ve been with us from the beginning (The Rowan Brothers opened for The Grateful Dead in 1971) and others have come along after hearing our later work, which is gratifying.”
Of course, neither one of them has any intention of stopping.
“If I can bring some goodness to the world, and knowing a lot of joy, healing, entertainment and fun can come from this, then I will keep on,” Lorin said. “I think I can speak for us both when I say I feel as much or more creativity now as I did when I was young, because we can always create. It is a freeing of the spirit that keeps us young; this is our dream, our passion and we gotta get into the passion. Gotta follow it.”
Chris and Lorin will also perform Oct. 5 with Peter Rowan & Free Mexican Airforce at The Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, Calif. Visit rowanbrothers.com, Lorinrowan.com and chrisrowan.com for their latest music and scheduled events.
For more information, visit adelesrestaurantandlounge.com or call 775-882-3353. Café at Adele’s is located at 1112 N. Carson St., Carson City.