Zootopia // U2 Tribute

By Robert Boyd

Zootopia U2 Tribute
November 8th 2008 at the Timberlane Performing Arts Center in Plaistow, NH

I have some trepidation when attending a band “tribute” show, as I always expect a band that is nothing more than a living “jukebox” playing some other band’s music, note for note. That seems to be the rule. Not that these shows aren’t fun, they can be, but the “real” experience, the emotion is usually missing. And the mere thought of a band trying to capture the emotion, passion and musical nuances of Bono and U2 is a daunting one.

New Hampshire-based Zootopia, however, is a band of seasoned performers and musicians, and they were pretty near astounding at a Pelham, NH performance. Not only did they play the music extremely well, they delivered the emotion of a U2 concert directly and personally to the audience. A very rare treat indeed.

As if to make their point immediately, Zootopia kicked off the show with one of U2’s most beloved songs, “Where The Streets Have No Name.” Mess that one up and the U2 fans would be streaming for the exits. Lead singer Brian Downes appearance as “Bono” was startling, immediately commanding the stage and captivating the audience. His vocals captured Bono’s subtleties and inflections, and he sounds exactly like U2’s lead singer. Dead-on perfect! A great beginning for a two hour show covering U2’s entire career through 25 songs.

But the music is just part of a U2 live concert as anyone who has seen U2 knows. Zootopia took excellent advantage of Timbelane’s superb auditorium and facilities. An extensive light show with rear screen graphics and live video completed the total U2 concert environment. When another U2 classic, “Gloria” enthralled the audience the band was joined on stage by the Timberlane Select Ensemble Choir, dubbed the “New Voices of Freedom,” for the refrain and then brought the house down with “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”

U2, of course, is much more than just Bono. It’s a band of superb musicians who let their instruments do their “singing.” From The Edge’s stinging and searing lead guitar, to Adam Clayton’s steady, thundering bass lines and Larry Mullen Jr.’s powerful drumming, U2’s music is always instantly recognizable to the listener. Zootopia clearly understands this and has assembled a group of musicians who individually pay homage to their Irish counterparts. Richard Cowdrey as The Edge, plays with a similar fiery passion, hitting all the right notes and cues. Tom Elliot as Adam Clayton consistently provided a solid musical bass line so important to the “anthem-like” presentation of many U2 classics. Rod McCarthy as Larry Mullen, Jr. provides the power and subtlety of a classic rock drummer. As the concert progressed one could easily close their eyes and “believe” they were at a real U2 show.

The second set opened with a stirring rendition of “Elevation” leading right into “The Fly,” but the best was yet to come. After lead singer Brian Downes returned to the stage from his wireless prowl throughout the auditorium, the opening notes of “Mysterious Ways” began to thunderous applause. As Brian came to the front of the stage a beautiful belly dancer- Mariem Ericson - joined him to the delight of the audience. A true U2 moment! Throughout the set, Downes continued with his magic, inviting some lucky concert-goers to join him on stage, dance and sing a chorus. “Game, set and match.”

I came to the concert expecting a living “jukebox” and got instead one of the best shows I have seen in years. Who are these guys? They are Zootopia, U2 Tribute and you can find them at http://www.zootopiau2.com/

- The TMR Zoo

(Boston, MA – Apr 7, 2009) – On Friday, April 17, 2009 The Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA. will host the red carpet premier of the movie "27 Down" directed by John Depew. Lowell natives Brian Downes (a.k.a. Downesy) and Richard Cowdrey, have a track, “Some Days” from Downesy’s new CD "Water From A Stone" that will be prominently featured on the movie’s soundtrack.

“I’ve known John (Depew) for many years”, explained Downes. “When we completed the disc I gave him a copy just because I thought he would enjoy the music. Shortly after I learned that he was planning to film the movie and we talked about the possibility of including one of the new songs.” Depew gave a long listen to the disc and was torn as to which song to include. He finally landed on the haunting melody of “Some Days” as he thought it best fit the lead character’s struggle with the truth. Depew wanted it to give it the best spot in the film, as it closes and the credits start to roll. The song is also featured on the official movie website.

“It’s a great opportunity to have the song featured in the film. It’s like all those years of playing music just got validated,” Downes stated. “Now the goal is to have the soundtrack available for sale once the movie gets picked up”.

Richard Cowdrey, who co-wrote and produced the songs on the CD "Water From A Stone" also worked as the film’s Sound Designer handling all of the audio effects and mastering. “The creative team that worked on this film was world-class” stated Cowdrey. “The experience has introduced us to new technologies that opened up several creative doors for Zen Ten Studio, which has traditionally been involved in music production. Sound design was a natural progression and a great fit for us. Our involvement with this project has not only been a tremendous learning experience it has really broadened our network and presented a number exciting opportunities for the “Z” team, added Cowdrey.

Cowdrey, Downes along with band members Tom Elliot (bass) and Rod McCarthy (drums) also wrote a humorous short tune for the script entitled “Canada, Maine” which is the theme song of the fictitious New England town and appear briefly in the film as a tavern house band. “It was a lot of fun being on set and actually experiencing how much time and effort goes into capturing a few seconds of film”, said Downes.

Besides the new CD the musician’s collective discography also includes a 2001 CD release titled "Zen Ten" which featured rocked up, guitar driven, solid songs with a diverse style and energy. Richard Cowdrey has also released two solo CD’s “Passcal” and “Sequel Server” which feature instrumental blues and jazz guitar. CD’s are available at CDBaby,com as well as for download at "iTunes.com".

Currently, Downes and Cowdrey perform together in the acclaimed U2 tribute show "Zootopia" and are writing material for their next CD targeted for 2010. - Wild Beagle Productions