Last March when I was in Melbourne, Australia attending the Worldcom conference, I asked a record store clerk to recommend some local music to take back to Chicago. Without hesitation, she urged me to pick up "Sunrise Over Sea" by the John Butler Trio. When Butler's band played at a tiny Chicago nightclub called Schubas recently, several of us from Tech Image were in the front row watching the Aussie rocker and his talented mates perform. We were among a handful of people who actually attended the show to see Butler. Most of the sold-out crowd was there to see the back-up act, a duo featuring Chad Stokes and Pete Francis from Dispatch, perform.

Butler's music is a fusion of folk and early 70s-era rock, in the same eclectic vein as Rusted Root, Jack Johnson, Phish, Incubus and even Ben Harper. Like Harper, Butler's a virtuoso guitarist and his music mixes instruments like the 11-string electric guitar with double bass, djembe and amplified lapsteel.

The music ranged from furious rockers like "Treat Yo Mama" and "Hello" to more reflective pieces like "Peaches and Cream," and all featured extended instrumental workouts from Butler, with terrific support from Shannon Birchall on upright bass and Nicky Bomba on percussion.

While the two-hour concert included many highlights, the only downside was Butler's somewhat dour personality. Apparently, his attitude is already at "stage four" of a rock star's career. At one point, Butler became annoyed with the noisy audience and asked people to stop talking or leave the room. What he didn't realize is that he was what they were talking about! Aggravated, Butler launched into a furious 15-minute solo that brought the din of noise down to a level where you could hear a pin drop. That's what I call making the best of a bad situation.

I've been lucky enough to see hundreds of major artists before they hit it big. The next time Butler's in town, I doubt very seriously that I'll have the chance to view him this "up close and personal." His self-produced CD has already gone double platinum in Australia and I suspect with a little promotion and a deal with a major US label, he has the chance to become a big star in the US.

For more information (including tour dates and how to buy his CDs), go to www.johnbutlertrio.com.