Mark's Midnight Carnival Show

Several weeks ago, Pueblo West resident Mark Bush posted a note on Craig’s List, looking for other musicians to form a band with. His one-man show became a three-man band, and the trio is finding quick success.
Mark’s Midnight Carnival Show has taken on a variety of gigs, from nightspots in Colorado Springs and Pueblo to the local Chile & Frijoles Festival this weekend. Bush and his new band mates, Gavin Straub and Scott Bein, are enjoying themselves.
“As a band we’ve only been together about a month and a half,” Bush said. “It just kind of worked out perfectly. I didn’t talk to any other guitar players or drummers, and they didn’t try to play with anybody else. It just came together.”
Bush has been playing the guitar since he was a young teenager, back when his uncle showed him some chords and “taught me how to play a little music and pick up chicks,” he said, laughing.
He moved to Pueblo West about three years ago, and for the past two he’s been performing throughout the Southern Colorado area as a solo act. But he decided it was time to take his passion up a notch, and decided to form the band.
Bush has an album from his solo days available at Independent Records, something he recorded at home and is finding recent success with. Now he, Straub, the drummer, and Bein, who also plays guitar, are expanding on that.
“Genre-wise, I say that we’re indie-acoustic power pop,” he explained. “Original music is our focus. At some gigs we do covers if we’re asked, but we try to do the original music.
“We’re at the point now to where this has great potential with the way things have been going,” Bush said. “We’re getting 10 or 15 gigs a month, so we’re not just the ‘garage band’ anymore.”
It’s going so well, in fact, that Bush said in the next year or so, they hope to “make a go of it” and try to make a living on their music career. So far, things are looking good. Mark’s Midnight Carnival Show performs in Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Pueblo and already has a couple of gigs lined up in October on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder.
Although music has long been a love of Bush’s, he’s been committed in recent years to being a father to his four daughters, ages 14, 8, 4 and 3 months. He said he spent about 10 years not “actively performing,” but when he moved to Pueblo West he was ready to make some life changes and dig deeper into his music. With the help of a supportive fiance, he’s now able to perform more.
Locally, Mark’s Midnight Carnival Show made its debut in downtown Pueblo last weekend, and will perform in Pueblo West at Boondocks Coffee Company on Saturday. Colorado Springs-based singer Jeremy Facknits will open the show at 7 p.m., followed by Mark’s Midnight Carnival Show. - The Pueblo West View By KRISTEN M. WHITE

Mark’s Midnight
Carnival Show, self
titled record

At its essence, a song is nothing more than a melody with a musical backing. Local singer songwriter Mark Bush, aka Mark’s Midnight Carnival Show, captures this essence on this self-titled record. Featuring just one voice and one guitar, “MMCS” is nonetheless a full-sounding recording, thanks in large part to Bush’s tuneful acoustic guitar strumming and rich, resonant voice. While the nine songs are simple in structure, they convey a complexity in the emotion that fueled their birth. Standout cuts on the record include the Jack Johnson-ish “....A Place.... of My Own,” which is driven by bouncy acoustic strumming. “Stay,” a droning, hypnotic number, and the mid-tempo love song “A Song For Molly” are just as enjoyable. The record concludes with two live cuts, “Day Dreamer” and “Have You Seen My Girl?,” both of which showcase Bush’s sizable talent for performing in front of an audience. In fact, Bush’s voice sounds stronger and more emotive on the live songs than those recorded in the studio.

All in all, an enjoyable, recommended release for fans of alternative acoustic pop. Bush, a fixture on the ..Southern Colorado.. club circuit, can be reached at 252-6028. Interested persons may also visit http://www.myspace.com/themidnightcarnivalshow. - Beyand the Fold The Pueblo Chieftain by John Pompia

In Pueblo, Colorado this past Friday night, something unexpected happened. At the Art on South Main cooperative art gallery, a trio of musical performances, put together by the newly formed Monstar Promotions, rocked the normally subdued gallery. The three artists playing each brought their own individual genre and musical styles to the normally quiet environment. Located in the upstairs loft of the co-op, the intimate venue offered a cozy atmosphere that felt more like a friend’s living room than an impersonal concert hall. With the vibe of a jam session among friends, the night came complete with interesting art pieces to view in between sets, comfy couches and the warmth of good music.
Opening the evening was a local musician who is still honing her songwriting skills. Ellie Jaynes, a twenty-something from Pueblo, began the show with well-known soft-pop and country covers. From Sarah McLachlan to Johnny Cash, and a little Bob Dylan, Ellie seems to be able to cover some of the best in decent fashion. Her soft, soothing voice combined with the storytelling of the songs she chooses to sings showcase the free spirit of who she is. While the few originals she played have potential, they were only more of the same melancholy songs that she had been singing throughout. Her voice and guitar talent leave the listener with the feeling that there is something she has yet to tap into, something more upbeat and fun than the slow ballads she played for the crowd that evening.
Following Ellie, a singer-songwriter from Colorado Springs, John Strelec, brought his own version of Dylan, as well as many other well written and preformed originals, including the bluesy “World Wide Open” and one song that was unnamed save for a downward moving hand gesture. Humorous lyrics and a folk inspired guitar style lent a sound more rooted in moving the soul than tapping the foot. His mix of intricate picking and unique vocals brought an awakening to the audience and were the perfect progression to another immensely creative artist from Pueblo West.
Mark Bush, aka Mark’s Midnight Carnival Band, continued the upswing of the evening with his opening song, “Day Dreamer.” An upbeat song about something to do with losing your marbles and still moving forward in life, he pulled the audience in and brought the mood even higher. Local to the Pueblo music scene and a self described “indie-aggressive acoustic rocker,” Mark, his powerful vocals and rhythmic guitar style bring out the crowds, both those new to his music and those who have followed him from open mike night at Zipper’s to Tuesday’s at The Downtown Bar and now to his regular gig on Saturday’s at the First and Main Bar. With originals ranging from the toe tapping to the funny to the love story longing of “Stay,” Mark contributed more of an energizing feel to the night, somewhere along the lines of Dave Mathews or Bob Schneider. Though ending his set with the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” Mark’s Midnight Carnival Band completed the night with inventive originals, leaving the audience wanting more.
- Jessica Tiller

In Pueblo, Colorado this past Friday night, something unexpected happened. At the Art on South Main cooperative art gallery, a trio of musical performances, put together by the newly formed Monstar Promotions, rocked the normally subdued gallery. The three artists playing each brought their own individual genre and musical styles to the normally quiet environment. Located in the upstairs loft of the co-op, the intimate venue offered a cozy atmosphere that felt more like a friend’s living room than an impersonal concert hall. With the vibe of a jam session among friends, the night came complete with interesting art pieces to view in between sets, comfy couches and the warmth of good music.
Opening the evening was a local musician who is still honing her songwriting skills. Ellie Jaynes, a twenty-something from Pueblo, began the show with well-known soft-pop and country covers. From Sarah McLachlan to Johnny Cash, and a little Bob Dylan, Ellie seems to be able to cover some of the best in decent fashion. Her soft, soothing voice combined with the storytelling of the songs she chooses to sings showcase the free spirit of who she is. While the few originals she played have potential, they were only more of the same melancholy songs that she had been singing throughout. Her voice and guitar talent leave the listener with the feeling that there is something she has yet to tap into, something more upbeat and fun than the slow ballads she played for the crowd that evening.
Following Ellie, a singer-songwriter from Colorado Springs, John Strelec, brought his own version of Dylan, as well as many other well written and preformed originals, including the bluesy “World Wide Open” and one song that was unnamed save for a downward moving hand gesture. Humorous lyrics and a folk inspired guitar style lent a sound more rooted in moving the soul than tapping the foot. His mix of intricate picking and unique vocals brought an awakening to the audience and were the perfect progression to another immensely creative artist from Pueblo West.
Mark Bush, aka Mark’s Midnight Carnival Band, continued the upswing of the evening with his opening song, “Day Dreamer.” An upbeat song about something to do with losing your marbles and still moving forward in life, he pulled the audience in and brought the mood even higher. Local to the Pueblo music scene and a self described “indie-aggressive acoustic rocker,” Mark, his powerful vocals and rhythmic guitar style bring out the crowds, both those new to his music and those who have followed him from open mike night at Zipper’s to Tuesday’s at The Downtown Bar and now to his regular gig on Saturday’s at the First and Main Bar. With originals ranging from the toe tapping to the funny to the love story longing of “Stay,” Mark contributed more of an energizing feel to the night, somewhere along the lines of Dave Mathews or Bob Schneider. Though ending his set with the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” Mark’s Midnight Carnival Band completed the night with inventive originals, leaving the audience wanting more.
- Jessica Tiller