The best thing to come out of a fish tank since sushi!

As I've already blabbed on our facebook page, our Spring line-up at CCA is decorated with electrifying examples of good music and genre-crossing local art (e.g. Solo Duo, live/all local paint-jazz-dance performance at The Recycled Art Opening Reception, Boulder Acoustic Society...and the FISHTANK ENSEMBLE!) The group was a little but of a bugaboo to me a couple months ago; I started to hear about this musical "experience" referred to as "Fishtank" followed by chronicles like "legitimately old-timey gypsy," or "tosses his bass in the air like a circus clown." A few of these recounts were described to me by those who were lucky enough to see Fishtank Ensemble last summer at the Arboretum, when the group proved that local monsoons can't keep a good band down - it merely moved them inside.

Also puzzling is the groups moniker. Here at work, I was aware months ago that I would eventually do press for "Fishtank" and I assumed it to be the name of an event, or some annual occurrence. A great article was passed on to finally bring me into light. In short, the members of Fishtank Ensemble trekked some serious mileage between Eastern Europe and the States to find each other at a studio deemed "the Fishbowl" for its mostly glass exterior. The ensemble had a greater knack for making music and attracting crowds than it did for naming itself. According to history (er, the internet), when pressed for a name at a show, it was only fitting that the band's leading lady-vocalist reportedly "blurted" the alias 'Fishtank.' And it stuck.

In case you're still just as clueless as I was about how Fishtank Ensemble looks, feels and sounds, you're in for a treat. In short, Fishtank plays gypsy music but also restores gypsy fashions, customs and musicianship in modern times and can play a myriad of instruments with only four sets of limbs. They also put on a hell of a show. Still not convinced? Come experience Fishtank for yourself here at CCA on April 10, at 7pm!