Five 1s add up to great music

COEUR d'ALENE - Fans of local musician Darin Schaffer can enjoy a couple hundred aha! moments on Tuesday while experiencing the unveiling of a whole new sound.

That day - 1/11/11 - Schaffer will perform at AHA! Creative, 414 Sherman Ave. in Coeur d'Alene.

Cost is $5 per person. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are not available in advance.

Schaffer, who initially gained local fame with Moments of Clarity, will begin by playing songs from some of his solo CDs, including several from his recently released "Places." Then Schaffer will introduce North Idaho to his latest creation: The debut of a band named Goodnight Venus.

One online reviewer called the work of Goodnight Venus "invigorating and uptempo," two adjectives not typically used to describe Schaffer's more mellow, harmonically infused tunes.

"I describe the music as soft and rough, loud and soft, sweet and salty," Schaffer said. "Brian Crain thought it sounded like Jane's Addiction meets Where the Wild Things Are."

Goodnight Venus features Schaffer on guitar, piano and vocals; Tony Farris on electric fretless bass; and Jesse "Bishnuts" Bishop on drums.

Schaffer has spent much of the past six months writing songs for Goodnight Venus and fine-tuning them in the studio, producing a high-quality demo CD that has earned praise from a variety of professional musicians. On the initial demo, Schaffer played every instrument - and unleashed a voice that many of his fans had rarely, if ever, heard in his instrumental-intensive array.

For more information about the 1/11/11 concert, call AHA! Creative owner Ali Koski at 292-4074.

To learn more about the music of Darin Schaffer, go to: reverbnation.com/darinschaffer

The reverbnation site includes some of Schaffer's music. You can also hear Darin by going to: myspace.com/darinschaffer

To hear Goodnight Venus, go to reverbnation.com/goodnightvenus