Weekend of Local CD Releases
February 25th, 2010
Posted in Rarely is there a time when a handful of some of Cincinnati’s finest musician’s are hosting releases parties all on the same weekend.
First, there’s 500 Miles to Memphis. Led by a Cash/Ramone-like Ryan Malott, the country-punk outfit recently released the highly-anticipated/long-awaited We’ve Built Up to NOTHING, which sees the addition of a backing orchestra to their sound this time around. They’re taking over the entire Southgate House this Friday, with a big list of bands like the Kentucky Struts, duppy a jamba, Shotgun Lover, Underground Saints, De Los Muertos, Six Nights Alone, The Mudpies and Paul K. I’ve heard that over a hundred tickets have already been sold, but there should be plenty left at the door. A hundred tickets may not sound like much, but keep in mind that most people buy their tickets at the door. Get there early, as I’m expecting a couple hundred more to show up. Doors open at 8 pm and the music begins at 9 pm.
That very same night, at Covington’s Mad Hatter, the young seven-piece rap-rock band, Small Time Crooks, are releasing their second full-length album, along with metal/hardcore six-piece, I Am the Messenger, who are releasing their second EP, Humans. They’re bringing along their friends Pilot Around the Stars, Let It Happen, All Out Best and Conditional Comprimise. Again, here’s another show that should be packed wall to wall. Doors open at 7 pm and it’s only $5 to get in.
Lastly, there’s Pop Empire. They’re a duo that I’m still trying to figure out, because the songs from their debut EP, Rainy Child, jump back and forth from garage blues, to indie rock to electro-synth pop. The band consists of newcomer Henrie Wilson and longtime local musician and producer, Cameron Cochran. Cam’s done everything from the solo acoustic singer/songwriter thing (Diary, A Days is one of my all-time favorite local releases), to working in and with The Lion’s Rampant, to leading The Sheds on a short-but-sweet ride with Chris Haubner. After hearing these new songs, it should be quite interesting to see how they translate in the live setting.
And as if the show couldn’t get anymore interesting, it certainly does indeed. Not only will the Southgate House’s Art Gallery feature the work of local artists, who were inspired by the songs of Pop Empire, but both The Seedy Seeds and The Lion’s Rampant will be performing. Did I mention this show is taking place in the parlour? Yeah, that’s right. Get there early, not just to check out the artwork upstairs, but you’re going to want to grab a good spot up close, as I’m sure this room will fill up fast. The art show starts at 8:30 pm, and the music is scheduled to begin around 9:30 pm. $5 for 21 and up, $8 for 18-20.
Make sure to keep The Lion’s Rampant on your mind too. They’ll be releasing their highly-anticipated/long-awaited debut full-length, It’s Fun To Do Bad Things, on Saturday, March 13 at the Mockbee with The Guitars, DJ Gerald and DJ Iceburg.
Riverbend Summer Concert Updates
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers have just announced plans for their upcoming summer tour. The legendary heartland rock band from Gainesville, Florida who have churned out more than thirty hit singles, have revealed dates that include shows with Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joe Cocker, My Morning Jacket, the Drive-By Truckers and an appearance at Milwaukee’s Summerfest. They’re returning to Cincinnati’s Riverbend Music Center with the Drive-By Truckers on Thursday, July 15. Tickets go onsale to the public on Monday, March 15, but there’s a presale on Monday, March 8 at 10 am.
In other Riverbend news, tickets for Dave Matthews June 15 show with Robert Earl Keen go onsale to the public tomorrow morning at 10 am. Pavilion seats are priced at $70 plus fees, while the popular lawn ticket is priced at $40 plus fees. I can remember the very first Dave show I went to back in ‘97 at Riverbend, and pavilion seats were just $25. My how times have changed!
The Road to Bonnaroo: Round One
Last night, round one of the Road to Bonnaroo took place at Nashville’s Mercy Lounge. It’s a battle of the bands style competition, where a panel of judges decide the final vote based on what kind of a performance a band is able to cook up with just a few songs, and what bands appeared to be the crowd favorites. Over thirty Tennessee bands (mostly from the Nashville area) are competing for four spots to perform at this summer’s Bonnaroo Music Festival, on one of the smaller cafe stages.
Last night’s competition featured alternative/indie rock from Heypenny, MONA and Parachute Musical; classic rock from Ponderosa; singer/songwriter Kyle Andrews; rock bands The Privates, Moon Taxi and Born Empty. But it was the Non-Commissioned Officers, a six-piece indie rock outfit, who ultimately stole the show and won round one, thanks to a “tight set and good use of the video screen.”
To read about one writer’s very critical perspective on how the whole thing went down, check out the Nashville Cream blog here.
The remaining three rounds take place over the next three months, featuring quite a handful and variety of bands in each round. Here’s the remaining schedule:
March 22
Brenn
Hillbilly Casino
How I Became the Bomb
Modoc
The Silver Seas
Tristen
Pico vs. Island Trees
The Kicks
April 19
AutoVaughn
Dozen Dimes
Leslie
Majestico
Mikky Ekko
Nobility
The Effects
Caitlin Rose
May 17
Cassino
Cortney Tidwell
Delta Saints
Heartbeater
Space Capone
Tesla Rossa
My Tyger
Cheer Up Charlie Daniels
Congratulations to the Non-Commissioned Officers, and good luck to all the band’s competing in this year’s Road to Bonnaroo! See you in June!
CincyPunk Festival Turns Nine
CincyPunk Fest 9 is slowly but surely coming together. The event, which has raised $25,500 for local charities since 2005, is taking place Friday, April 9 and Saturday, April 10 at the Historic Southgate House in Newport, Kentucky. This year, proceeds will benefit the Animal Adoption Foundation and Cincinnati’s Friends of the Children.
All three stages at the Southgate House will be utilized for the event, featuring twenty bands each night. The event is $7 for those over twenty-one years old and $10 for those under twenty-one. More details for the event will be released exclusively through BrokenMic.com in the coming weeks.
For further information on the festival and its charities visit CincyPunk on MySpace, Animal Adoption Foundation and Friends of the Children.
State Radio: Not Just Your Average Rock Band
It’s no secret that, for some, a life in rock and roll can result in a seemingly glorious road of excess, full of fame and fortune. Mainstream media would have you believe that the prettiest of rockstars often sleep in beds made of dollar bills, drive pimped out rides made of gold and have millions of friends. Unfortunately, far too many are driven over the edge and end up losing their lives because of their chosen profession. It’s sad that we live in such times, where a band with a good heart isn’t making all the headlines and covers of music magazines. Meet State Radio.
The Boston-based band was formed by Chad Urmston, formerly of Dispatch, who left the band at the height of its popularity in 2002. Later that same year, with friends Pete Halby, Chuck Fay and Mike Greenfield, they would form a band driven by a punk rock sound and political activism. However, soon after the debut release of the Flag of the Shiners EP, State Radio would go on hiatus due to Urmston’s throat surgery. When the time was right to regroup in 2004, the band was with a new drummer, Brian Sayers, who would ultimately leave the band in the next couple of years.
Although a few members have come and gone, and their sound has, at various times, focused more closely on styles of pop punk, reggae and ska, there is one thing that has always remained the same with this band; Urmston and his bandmate friends have found the way to remain grounded and close to their roots and ideals. In an industry where too many bands have songwriter’s write short, catchy jingles for them, State Radio are doing things on their own terms, speaking for themselves and sending out important messages to the masses. They even managed to sell out Madison Square Gardens in 2007, not an easy task by any means, especially for a band with very little mainstream popularity, with proceeds going to benefit Zimbabwe.
By creating a group called Calling All Crows, the band and their fans have racked up thousands of hours of community service spreading globally. They’re also working with Oxfam America’s Stoves for Sudan Project, where they hope to raise enough money for five-thousand stoves for five-thousand different women in Sudan. The members of the band have worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters and Amnesty International, they’ve ridden their bikes to gigs benefiting the environment, and their always hosting food and clothing drives at their shows looking to help out programs like the Learning Center for the Deaf.
Related show
South by Southwest: The Ultimate Festival
While Austin, Texas may be just another city on the map, I can’t help but think that maybe they’re putting something in the air or water that makes you believe you are in another world. At least this thought holds true for festivals like South by Southwest and Austin City Limits. I like to think that most passionate music lovers, and even outsiders like myself, are aware of things such as the city’s musical reputation and nickname (“The Live Music Capital of the World”), and that it is also home to artists like Willie Nelson, the late Stevie Ray Vaughn, Elvis Costello and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac, all of whose careers took off here. The 6th Street District is undoubtedly the city’s most hopping spot, and there is said to be some two-hundred clubs, bars and music venues just around town. If you look at any concert calendar for any given day, chances are you will find at least one band playing in town that night that you will probably like. It’s almost like this musical paradise is spoiled rotten.
Austin will be especially hopping in a few weeks, when the world’s biggest music, art and film festival takes over the city. From March 12-21, the city will be taken over by over music lovers, music industry reps, artists, film makers, comedians and over two-thousand bands, coming from every continent in the entire world. Although I’m not attending the festival, I always find it fun to look over the lineup and schedule to see what I could’ve experienced. I have no problem checking out bands I’ve never heard of. In fact, that’s half the fun. All styles of music will be represented, with everything from the undiscovered acoustic singer/songwriter’s you may see in small coffeehouses, to some of the biggest names and legendary artists of all time. Some of the names on this year’s lineup include the legendary Smokey Robinson, indie bands like Spoon, Broken Social Scene and Band of Horses, electronica trip-hop outfit The Crystal Method, the Latin and funk sounds of Ozomatli, and singer/songwriter’s like John Hiatt and Jakob Dylan. There’s even a few collaborations lined up that are sure to be some of the best performances all week long. These include the son of Bob Marley, Damian ‘Jr. Gong’, with rapper Nas, Roky Erikson with Okkervil River and Jail Guitar Doors featuring Tom Morello, Billy Bragg, Wayne Kramer and Chris Shiflett.
Cincinnati Does SXSW
For us Cincinnatians, whether you’re going or not, there are a few reasons that you too can get excited about South by Southwest. The Cincinnati music scene will once again be represented well with bands like Bad Veins, The Seedy Seeds, Daniel Martin Moore with Lexington native Ben Sollee, Pomegranates and Julie Neumark, all performing at the festival this year. But if you are taking the trip out west this year, and want to show your love for the hometown bands, I’ll fill you in on when they’ll be playing. Bad Veins are scheduled for the night of Thursday, March 18, playing at Red 7, with bands like I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness and Grand Atlantic. The Seedy Seeds will also be playing Thursday, March 18, at BD Riley’s Irish Pub, with bands like So What, Drive Like Maria and Eldorado. Martin and Sollee, also playing Thursday, will be at the Central Presbyterian Church with Gonzales, Timber Timbre, Sally Seltmann and Dan Mangan. The Poms, also on Thursday, are at Maggie Mae’s with Rural Alberta Advantage and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. Julie Neumark will be the headliner on Wednesday, March 17, at the Victorian Room at the Driskill, with Girls, Guns and Glory, Brandon Jenkins and Josh Charles.
For the music schedule and a complete list of bands performing this year, visit here.
As far as the film showcases go for this year, you’ve got every type of film you can imagine. From short narratives to documentaries, you’re sure to find something you like whether you’re into art films, comedies, documentaries, drama or everything in between. Some of this year’s highlights include I’m Here by Spike Jonze, Four Lions by Chris Morris, American Grindhouse by Elijah Drenner and When You’re Strange, a film about The Doors by Tom DiCillo.
For a complete list of all of this year’s film showcases and show times, visit here.
So there you have it. A brief look into this year’s South by Southwest Festival. Kind of like Sundance wrapped inside a record store that has come to life.
If you’re still thinking about going to South by Southwest this year, you can find all your travel needs right here. And if you’ve already got your plans set for this year, have an awesome time and let me know how your experience was by emailing me at nate@brokenmic.com
New to Bonnaroo in 2010
New to Bonnaroo this year, is the addition of Tent City. Tent City is a designated area of tents that are already set up and in close proximity to the festivals entrances of the main grounds, known as Centeroo. In Tent City, you have the option of up to four cots, complete with sheets, blankets and pillows. Each rental unit has an additional cost of $750 plus a $300 damage deposit. The deposit will be refunded the following weekend of the festival, as long as there is no damage to the tent. If you’re looking to experience the first ever Tent City at Bonnaroo 2010, you’ll find everything you need to know, including pictures of what these tents look like, right here.
Bonnaroo Tickets Going Fast
Tickets for this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival are selling very fast, much like the highly-popular cheese-filled arepas and the infamous $1 grilled cheeses you’ll find vendors selling at the festival. I’ve been following this festival for the past five years, and I can’t remember a time when it seemed tickets were going this quickly. Tickets are always sold in several tiers, or different price ranges, usually ranging somewhere between $200 and $300. The presale began in late November, and the first two tiers were gone before Christmas. The third tier went onsale once the official lineup was announced on February 9, and sold out a few days ago. There are only a few options left for purchasing tickets for this year; the fourth and final tier which are priced at $249.50 plus charges which are $23.10 this year. You’ve also got the option to go VIP, where you’ll experience a different side of the festival, or the ticket payment plan. The VIP tickets include five payments, each being $285, for a total of $1,425. The additional fees for VIP tickets are $76 per ticket. The ticket payment plan includes five payments, the first being $90.90 which includes $28.90 in fees, and four remaining payments of a flat rate of $50. If you’re thinking about going to the country’s biggest and best festival this summer, act now and get your tickets soon! All the ticket information can be found here.
Sollee and Moore’s Dear Companion Tour
A couple of good ol’ Kentucky boys done well. Ben Sollee, the acclaimed cellist who got his start with Abigail Washburn’s Sparrow Quartet (featuring banjo wiz Bela Fleck), has teamed up with Cold Spring native, Daniel Martin Moore, for one of the most exceptional musical collaborations I can think of in recent years. The duo recently kicked off their tour, which will take them all over the country, including shows at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, and NPR’s World Cafe Live with David Dye in Philadelphia. They spent the day yesterday on Hamilton Avenue in Northside, for an intimate in-store performance at Shake-It Records and later packed the Northside Tavern just across the street.
They’re playing the songs off of their new record, entitled Dear Companion. Benefiting Appalachian Voices, the songs come from the issues facing mountaintop coal mining removal while inspiring to put a stop to it. The problem is most known in the Appalachian Mountains, where explosives are used to remove the mountaintops and dumping the excess rock and soil into valleys and hills. Studies have shown that by doin this, there are serious environmental and health impacts.
The album was written and recorded in 2009, and produced by none other than Jim James of My Morning Jacket, who also plays on a few tracks. They’ve assembled a full band, which includes Cheyenne Mize on the violin and guitar, and Dan Dorff on drums and piano. Familiar with the solo efforts of both artists but having not yet heard this new album, I wasn’t exactly sure what these songs would sound like. But any fan of either could’ve guessed it would bring a little of each’s sound and that it would surely be something special.
The foursome played a short but sweet set, Moore standing tall and still for most of the evening, while Cheyenne and Dorff kept the rotation going on their number of instruments, even seeing Sollee jump in on the drumkit at one point. Although the packed room made it difficult to see what each musician was doing with their fingers on their instruments, the main focus of this sound I was hearing for the first time appeared to be in the beautiful four-part vocal harmonies. What each musician brought to the stage complemented each other throughout, never too much of one thing, seemingly spread as close to perfect as possible. Moore with his signature soft-spoken voice and gentle plucking of his acoustic guitar strings, and Sollee bringing the blues and soul alive in both his voice and the way he played the cello.
Sasquatch Exists (as a music festival)
The initial lineup for the ninth annual Sasquatch Music Festival was released early this morning…and it’s a good one…actually it’s great. The three-day festival will take place May 29-31 at the beautiful Gorge Amphitheatre which sits above the Columbia River Gorge in George, Washington. Quite possibly the best outdoor music venue in the country.
My Morning Jacket
Massive Attack
Pavement
Ween
Vampire Weekend
MGMT
Band of Horses
The National
LCD Soundsystem
Tegan & Sara
Broken Social Scene
Passion Pit
Deadmau5
She & Him
Public Enemy
Nada Surf
The New Pornographers
The Hold Steady
The xx
Dirty Projectors
OK Go
Drive-By Truckers
KiD CuDi
The Long Winters
Minus the Bear
The Mountain Goats
Quasi
Camera Obscura
Fruit Bats
Brother Ali
Midlake
Dr. Dog
Caribou
Simian Mobile Disco
City & Colour
No Age
The Temper Trap
Vetiver
Miike Snow
Portugal. the Man
Telekinesis
Mayer Hawthorne
Why?
Girls
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
Wale
The Lonely Forest
Japandroids
Boys Noize
Yacht
Freelance Whales
Laura Marling
Patrick Watson
Past Lives
Cymbals Eat Guitars
The Low Anthem
The Very Best
Phantogram
Neon Indian
Nurses
The Tallest Man on Earth
Fresh Espresso
Mumford & Sons
Jets Overhead
tUnE-YarDs
Shabazz Palaces
Fool’s Gold
Morning Teleportation
Z-Trip
Dam-Funk
Hudson Mohawke
The Middle East
Local Natives
Avi Buffalo
Booka Shade
A-Trak
Yes Giantess
Craig Robinson
Rob Riggle
Garfunkel & Oates (not that Garfunkel and Oates…it’s a comedy/folk act of Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome)
Luke Burbank
