Candlebox brings new music to Daiquiri Factory

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By Stephanie De Pasquale | Wednesday, June 25, 2008 4:06 PM CDT | () comments

From left, Scott Mercado, Kevin Martin, Peter Klett and Adam Kurry form the band Candlebox (Photo courtesy of Nick Samartis) Buy this Photo

Taking a break in 1999 was the best thing that could have happened to Candlebox, frontman Kevin Martin says.

The time apart and experience gained in the meantime by working with other songwriters has enabled the group to produce what he feels is their best work.

“It feels pretty great,” he said. “The opportunity to be able to release another album at this stage of the game for us, having been a band now for 16 years and taking a break from 2000 to 2006, it’s a rare opportunity, so we really are fortunate.”

Candlebox’s first single in nearly 10 years, “Stand,” has climbed into the Top 20 on the U.S. mainstream rock chart in only five weeks. The band also has an album, “Into The Sun,” due out July 22. Quad-Citians can get a taste of the band’s new music this weekend at the Daiquiri Factory during an all-ages outdoor show following the fourth annual District Dodgeball Showdown.

“There are songs on there that sound like Candlebox, that they’re going to be looking for and go, ‘Yeah, that’s definitely Candlebox,’ ” Martin said. “But there’s three or four songs on this record that I think people are going to step back and go, ‘Wow. Where did this come from?’ ”

Candlebox, which made its debut performance after reuniting at the Daiquiri Factory in 2006, also will be performing for one of the first times the new songs off its upcoming album.

Martin joked that when the band plays the new material, he is just looking to see whether the crowd sticks around. But the songs to listen for that break from Candlebox’s traditional sound are “Miss You,” “Consider Us” and “Breathe Me In.”

“I think what’s going to happen is people are going to be pleasantly surprised,” Martin said. “They’re going to stand there, and when the song is done, they’re going to be like, ‘I can’t wait to buy this record.’ Because I, personally, can’t wait to buy this record, and it’s my album. I have a copy of it on my computer, but I want to go out and buy it it’s such a good album.”

Martin said the band is excited about the climb of its first single and hopes the record sells 4 million to 6 million copies. But even if Candlebox finds success a second time, the Quad-Cities will not necessarily have seen the last of the band that has played at the Daiquiri Factory following the dodgeball tournament the past two years.

“He’ll definitely have to sell a few more daiquiris if the record hits,” Martin joked in reference to the bar’s owner, Kyle Peters. “No, it would be our pleasure. They have always been really good to us. ... They’ve always shown us a really good time, and I think if we got invited back next year and our record is at 4 million copies, we definitely would play it.”

IF YOU GO

What: Fourth annual District Dodgeball Showdown. A concert follows with Candlebox, Small Town Sleeper, Kessler and Three Years Hollow

When: Saturday, June 28. The dodgeball courts open at 11 a.m., the tournament begins at noon; the concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Daiquiri Factory, 1809 2nd Ave., Rock Island

How much: Youth teams $80, adult teams $120. The dodgeball fee includes concert admission. For the concert only, it’s $19 in advance, $22 at the gate.

Information: daiquirifactory.com on the Web

Also on the Web: candleboxrocks.com, myspace.com/smalltownsleeper, myspace.com/kesslerband and myspace.com/hollowqc

Stephanie De Pasquale can be contacted at (563) 333-2639 or sdepasqale@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.