Folk tales
spike mcguire
july 22 the wingfield park amphitheater opening act:
canyon white
SpIKe McGuIre by Kent Irwin
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“I’ve just learned how to do these things out of necessity. No matter what I’m doing, the goal is to put on a show.”
o Spike McGuire, folk music means family, community and friendship. His love of the genre began at an early age. His first concert was John Prine. The first CD he bought with allowallow ance money was Free Wheelin’ by Bob Dylan. Folk music instantly stood out to him. He felt its energy, its honesty, its rawness. Its direct, earnest approach to songwriting left a lasting impact on McGuire, and he remains devoted to the style today. McGuire considers himself lucky. He was able to sidestep that painful adolescent period, where finding a voice to relate to often meant thumbing through the “alternative rock” section at Barnes & Noble, picking whichever CD had the most badass cover. Instead, he was treated to the deep cuts of folk and rock icons by his parents. “My mom was a rock journalist back in the ’60s, met everyone, was everywhere,” McGuire recalled. “She was at the Monterey Pop Festival when Hendrix burned his guitar, was super on the pulse. Listening to my mom’s old records was one of my first musical memories.” It was McGuire’s dad who took him to see John Prine at the age of 6. As his son grew up, he was ready to brace Spike’s burgeoning rebellious spirit with albums from The Clash and Rancid. As he began to develop a musical style of his own, his father turned him onto yet another influential performer, Todd Snider, who happened to be playing in town, at the Rollin’ On The River festival in Wingfield Park. “I was so surprised,” McGuire said. “Here was one guy, one guitar, great stories, all these people having a good time in the park.” McGuire went on to perform at that event—but as a juggler, rather than a songwriter. Now, in 2016, he makes his musical debut at what he considers to be a personal mecca of sorts. “I think Reno is the greatest city in all space and time,” he said. “As much as I’ve toured around, I’m
a sp e ci a l s u p p l e me n t to th e r e n o n e w s & r e view • j une 2 3 , 2 016
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really excited to get to play in my favorite city.” McGuire was able to gain valuable perspective on touring at an early age. At the age of 15, he went on tour with his first circus. In those days, he said, he gained a lot of experience in performing directly to people on the street. “My dad was on Ringling Bros. and was the entertainment director at Circus Circus for 15 years,” saidMcGuire. “I grew up around all that circus stuff—gave me an appreciation for live performance.” The circus tour landed McGuire in Chicago, where he attended Columbia College and received a degree in acting. He felt that the schooling would be a good way to hone his chops in the world of performance. The years following university brought a plethora of jobs in the entertainment field—as a marketing director for a theater company, a television stuntman, and a Radio DJ. All along the way, McGuire gained his bearings in the world of entertainment. “People refer to me as a promoter, but I’m really not,” McGuire admitted. “I’ve just learned how to do these things out of necessity. No matter what I’m doing, the goal is to put on a show.” One skill in particular that McGuire gained from his job experience was managing people with disparate talents. A prime example is his monthly music event Loud As Folk. Started in 2011 as a songwriters showcase, the event moved to Pignic Pub & Patio in 2014, expanding to include a touring review. Now, in 2016, it’s time to expand again, with a new studio space and plans to start a label. McGuire feels strongly about building a sense of community around Loud As Folk. He’s done it locally, by bringing food trucks, musicians, artists and crowds to Pignic once a month to hear up-and-coming folk singers. Abroad, he’s built a network of touring musicians, to give the community a wider scope. “It’s about doing something that’s greater than the sum of its parts,” he said. Ω
2016
