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Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival

Downtown Dayton Revival Festival Spotlight Volume 7: Heartless Bastards

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As you have been reading, the Downtown Dayton Revival Festival will be showing music from bands and artists that are from all walks of life.  Some of the bands that are performing arefrom the great city of Dayton.  Also, there are a few bands that started their journey here in town.  Heartless Bastards are one of these bands that I speak of.

Heartless Bastards lead singer, Erika Wennerstrom was born and raised here in Dayton.  Throughout her teenage years, Erika dove into music and songwriting.  With the influences of great local acts Guided By Voices and The Breeders, Wennerstrom wanted to add her name to the mix.  So, she continued to write, started to play guitar, and played in open mic nights.  In 2002, she decided to set up the band.  Heartless Bastards, which gets it’s from an incorrect answer to a trivia game that Erika was playing, toured regionally and signed with a record company.  In 2005, the band released their debut LP, Stairs and Elevators, immediately grabbed people’s attention with Erika’s haunting vocals, Kevin Vaughn’s thrashing on the drums, and Mike Lamping helping create hooks on the guitars that you just don’t hear.

All This Time, Heartless Bastards second album, was released in 2006.  The album continued to show Erika’s deep range, and the bands ability to continue stretches the boundaries.  The album helped the band gain more exposure, and more fans.  The band also saw the lineup come to an end.  Wennerstrom and Lamping dated for a period of time, and sadly the relationship came to an end.  “It was hard.  We were together for over 10 years”, explained Wennerstrom to me over a phone conversation.  The breakup made the band members move on.  Erika moved to Austin, Texas to separate herself from the situation. “We had a lot of same friends.  It wasn’t going to work.  So, I decided to move to Austin.  I had some friends and family there.  I knew that I would be around people that would love and support me”, Erika mentioned.

Erika Wennerstrom

With the move to Austin, Wennerstrom took some time to settle in and begun work on the third album under the Heartless Bastards name.  She called upon a group of artists around Austin, and recorded The Mountain.  The album went into a different path than the previous albums.  The Mountain featured country music, employing violin, banjo, mandolin and steel guitar.  Because the band she had were just hired to help with the album, Erika called up some friends to go and tour with her to support the album.  “I called Jesse Ebaugh who was part of the first lineup and asked him if he wanted to move to Austin.  I also ran into Dave Colvin.  He played in the original lineup as well.  It was very cool to have them back”, stated Wennerstrom.  The trio enjoyed the experience so much that Erika made it a point to keep the band intact.  “I just got to the point where I only want to play music with good friends”, explained Erika.  “There’s a comfortable feeling in that.”

When the tour for The Mountain ended, Erika took some time off, and when she started the new album, she developed some writers block.  So, she decided to take to open road.  “I decided to go and take a road trip.  I went and saw friends and family on the East Coast, went to the mountains, stayed in a friends cabin, and I went and saw some friends in the Texas area”, Erika told me.  She didn’t write much during her trip, but when she returned the writing process came very easy.

The band spent a month in the studio recording the new album.   They would experiment with different drum sounds, and try out chords on their guitars.  Wennerstrom wrote about her experiences of being on the road trip, and about relationships.  What the finish became is their best album to date, Arrow.  “We feel that this is our best album”, Wennerstorm said. She couldn’t be more right.  With Erika’s haunting, raspy vocals still intact, there is a peace to it now.  Each song is individually crafted to perfection.  ‘Marathon’ talks about being on the road.  ‘Only For You’ is a blues-inspired ode to falling in love with someone.  With the addition of guitarist Mark Nathan, the band has finally solidified a lineup that will be making great music for years to come.

The band is currently on tour that will take them all around the United States till the end of the year.  They will take some time off, and possibly do a West Coast trip, do some shows in Canada, and do a tour in Europe in the beginning of 2013.  The Downtown Dayton Revival festival is going to be special for the band as Erika has some family and friends still living in Dayton.  “They are coming to the show, so this is going to be so fun.  And I’m coming home, which is even better”, Erika told me.  Heartless Bastards-welcome home for the day!

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Downtown Dayton Revival Festival Spotlight Volume 6

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With the Downtown Dayton Revival Festival just days away, these three bands will be giving the crowd that will be attending the event.

Good English

With music being able to be accessed in so many different ways, with iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora among others, the younger generation is able to be influenced by such
great music.  This also gives people the ability to form bands, and play incredible music.  Good English is a great example of this trend.

The group from Dayton got their start into music by joining together and playing the Green Day song ‘Warning’.  Good English took to road in 2011 and went to Nashville to record their first EP, Take Control.  Take Control is an impeccable blend of indie-rock and punk that is mature and polished.  Its truly amazing to think that this band hasn’t even scratched the surface on the potential they have.  At the Downtown Revival festival, people will see for themselves this up and coming band.

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The Right Now

Chicago offers a lot to people.  From the fierce rivalry of the Cubs and White Sox, to their fantastic beer Old Style, Chicago is without question one of the best cities in the United States.  This town also brings us the band The Right Now.  The band recently released the album, Gets Over You, an album that deals with regrets, but overcoming them and becoming stronger.

Fans of Amy Winehouse will without question latch onto The Right Now.  The band’s soulful, club-like sound brings a fresh feel to the festival.  Stefanie Berecz, the lead singer of the band, has a gritty voice that is powerful and untouchable.  The band delivers during their live shows.  With horns and saxophones arrangements being put into play during their sets, The Right Now are emerging as band not to be missed live.

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Green Light Morning

Cincinnati, Ohio band Green Light Morning is poised and ready to tell the audience at the festival their stories from their life on the road.  The band formed when lead singer Aaron Bright and guitarist Aaron Patrick met while they were touring in other bands.  When their bands split, they thought it would be a great idea to form their own band.  Thus Green Light Morning was formed.

With their self-titled EP out, the band are poised to take the show on the road in the near future.  With their smooth rock that could be easily be dropped in the mainstream radio, the band also brings soul and melodic hooks.

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Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival Spotlight – Volume 3: Shake! Shake! Shake! with Bronze Radio Return

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The Downtown Dayton Revival Festival will be highlighting over 30 bands that are from all over the United States, including some from the great city of Dayton.  On September 8th and 9th, most of the festival goers will be given the first chance to see and hear a lot of the bands for the first time.  One band in particular is ready to make an imprint here in town.

Bronze Radio Return

The band’s name is Bronze Radio Return.  The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Chris Henderson, Bob Tanen on bass, Rob Griffith on drums, guitarist Patrick Fetkowitz, Matt Warner on keys, and guitarist Craig Struble.  The band helms from the city of Hartford, Connecticut.  The band got their name from Henderson.  When he was growing up in the picturesque state of Maine, Henderson would spend time in his father’s art studio, and music could be heard blaring through an old bronze radio.  The music played through the radio inspired Henderson to dig more into music. During a recent phone conversation, Henderson explained more in detail.  “I love listening to an album all the way through, over and over again.  I love finding all the different things that you discover with each listen.”

The band’s beginnings trace back to when Henderson, along with Griffith, Tanen, and Warner all attended the Hartt School of Music, which is located in Hartford.  “We studied all kinds of music, including the backgrounds of jazz, and blues players”, Henderson mentioned to me.  With the knowledge of the greats before them, the band wanted to incorporate those styles and influences it into their own music. So, the three guys recruited Fetkowitz and Struble, and headed to the studio.

The band released their first EP in 2008, followed by their full-length debut album ‘Old Time Speaker’, which they recorded in Nashville.  In 2011, the band released their sophomore album, ‘SHAKE!SHAKE!SHAKE!’.  The album, recorded in Oklahoma, shows the band’s evolving sound with the continue fusion of rock and soul.  Currently, the band is working on their third album.  The band recently spent 5 weeks on a farm in Virginia to record most of the album. “It’s good to go to different places to work on an album,” Henderson explained. “It keeps you focused on the music.”  The album is slated to be released sometime between January and February.

Listening to the band’s albums, you are instantly conscious of the band’s different elements.  Each member of the group brings their own flare to the band.  Whatever it’s the banjo being strummed passionately to the sweet sounds of the harmonica, Bronze Radio Return bring a sound that makes them stand apart from the rest.  And their live shows are no different.  The band makes it a point to make sure that their audience is having as much as fun as they are. Henderson added, “We will make sure that people are moving in the audience.  We want to see people swinging around.”

Bronze Radio Return will be embarking on a tour starting on September 5th.  “We are ready to get our stage legs going again”, Henderson says.  “We are excited about the atmosphere we are about to witness.”  The tour will take the band throughout most of the eastern seaboard, along with a few stops in the Midwest, including Cleveland.  The tour will end on October 27th at the Mercury Lounge in New York.

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Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival Band Spotlight – Volume 2: Werking Hard On The Duck Farm

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Catch The Werks At The Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival

Music. It has always been with us. It has been our healer, our voice, our stories as well as our histories. It has been an invitation to dance, a call of the community spirit and a spark to inflame one’s temperament. The ambiguous moniker of “jam band,” while conjuring up images of searing light shows, the untroubled writhing of bodies and feverishly hypnotic rhythms held together by intensely introspective melodies, it is also a signal for a shamanistic release. In the final analysis, it is an uncompromising unity of spirit that not only surpasses, but supersedes and envelopes the music itself.

The Werks, a Dayton original if there ever was one, have found themselves in possession of the perfect potion to create the perfect storm of music, ambience and spectacle that has skyrocketed them into the pantheon of progressive musical groups. Formed in 2007 by Dave Bartoletti, Rob Chafin, Chris Houser and Chuck Love the group has run through various permutations, ending up with their current line-up of Chris Houser (guitar and vocals), Dino Dimitrouleas (bass and vocals), Norman Dimitrouleas (keyboards and vocals) and Rob Chafin (drums, vocals, samples and percussion). Through their melding of various styles of rock, funk, psychedelia, jamtronica and other musical elements, The Werks has created what they have coined “psychedelic dance rock.”

Recently, I was able to speak with  Rob Chafin, the band’s drummer, to ask him about the band’s role in the upcoming Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival, how they have dealt with the band’s dramatic rise in popularity as well as the role the fans play in creating an exceptional show.

DMM: With the audience being just as much part of the show as the band, do you feel that it more about a communal event rather than just being about the band?

Rob: Oh, absolutely! We feel that the audience and that connection that we have between the audience and ourselves is great. We feed off the energy that they throw at us and the more people that are getting into it, the harder we play. It’s a cycle. That’s what makes the improvisation at our shows so unique every time. The crowds and the energy of the room has a lot to do with that.

DMM: Do you think that the audience being a very active member in the band keeps everyone’s egos in check?

Rob: Yes. We’re all very humble guys and we’re all really down to earth. We like to talk to everyone after the show, just to say hi and to thank everyone for supporting us.

DMM: I don’t know if you can speak for the band on this, but what would one of your ‘dream collaborations’ be for a jam session?

Rob: Ones that have already happened?

DMM: No. One that you would love to have happen. It can even be one that you know could never really happen.

Rob: Is this with living musicians today?

DMM: Yeah…well, hell…let’s throw in the dead ones too.

Rob: (Laughs) Well, that would be broadening the list quite a bit. I think I’ll stick with the live ones. I think it would be pretty cliché to say Phish. I’d really love to jam with David Grohl.

DMM: Now that was more of a personal one, right?

Rob: Yeah, definitely. Oh, it would also be great to jam with Santana.

DMM: What do you think is one of the more oddball covers that you guys have done?

Rob: The Power Ranger’s theme song.

DMM: That would be cool! I’d actually like a recording of that.

Rob: Trust me…no you don’t (laughing). We like to have fun onstage and for everyone to have a good time, so sometimes we’ll throw in something weird. We do a version of Killing In The Name by Rage Against The Machine, so that’s kind of an oddball cover for us. We’re kind of all over the place, so you never really know what to expect.

DMM: Aside from the musical aspects of the band, are there other elements that you guys want to incorporate into the live performances that you haven’t gotten to yet?

Rob: I’d like to get even crazier with the lights. That’s my goal: to get the light to where we’re even wearing LED suits. It would be fun. We feel that the visual aspect is very important to the show as well. When you go to a concert, you’re not just listening to a CD, but you’re going to see a show. Sometimes, you have to rely a lot on the showmanship and the visual aspect of the show just as much as the music, but we have been very successful because of that. There is something to be said for that, that’s for sure.

DMM: With the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival, are you guys going to be able to do a full set or is it going to be shortened?

Rob: Oh, it’s definitely going to be a shortened version of our usual shows. In a perfect situation, we would try and go for two or three sets, but I think that we are only going to be playing for an hour or an hour and fifteen minutes. It will be a quick little taste of what we do, as it is with any festival.

DMM: Is the band being recognized more readily outside of Dayton?

Rob: Dayton is definitely our home base, as is Columbus for me. I guess Columbus would be our biggest draw as of right now, but Dayton is where everyone else in the band is from, so there will always be strong roots in Dayton. Ohio in general is just great for us.

DMM: Now, you guys shot up in popularity incredibly quick. Are you all taking it in stride or are you still standing around trying to make heads or tails of it?

Rob: Everything in your life is relative. Every once in a while, you have to step back and take a look at the big picture. Sometimes, it’s funny. There are things that happen now that, if they had happened two or even three years ago, we would have just absolutely flipped out. Now, it’s like, ‘Oh! Cool!’ We’ve definitely been blessed with a lot of amazing opportunities and have met a ton of wonderful people who have helped us throughout the years.

After getting a “quick little taste” of The Werks at the Downtown Dayton Music Revival, make sure to catch them September 20th through the 22nd at the Werk Out Music And Art Festival being held at the Legend Valley Music Center in Thornville, Ohio. For more details about this and other upcoming acts appearing at the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival, go to http://www.downtownrevival.com. To learn more about the Werk Out Music And Art Festival, as well as The Werks other upcoming shows, go to http://thewerksmusic.com .

 

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Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival Band Spotlight – Volume I

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On September 8th and 9th, Dayton will be participating in the first annual Downtown Dayton Revival, a festival that will celebrate music of all kinds.  With three stages planned to be set up, people that attend the festival will be enjoying chart-topping entertainers, up and coming talent, along with some artists and bands that have become classics over the years.

Buffalo Killers

Andy Gabbard, Joe Sabaali, Zach Gabbard

One of the bands that will be taking the stage is the boys from Cincinnati, Buffalo Killers.  The trio consist of brothers Andrew (vocalist and guitarist) and Zachary Gabbard (bass guitarist), along with drummer Joseph Sebaali.  In 1999, Zach formed a garage rock band Thee Shams.  The band released four albums before disbanding.  In early 2006, Sebaali joined the brothers to form what the band is today.

Buffalo Killers have released four albums since their inception.  The first self-titled album was released in 2006.  The album was originally set to be a five-song demo that was going to be released independently.  However, the band received a call from Alive Records wanting the band sign with them.  The band agreed, and went to the studio and recorded an additional five songs.  The band quickly developed a following that included The Black Crowes lead singer, Chris Robinson.  Robinson loved the band so much he had the band open up for the The Black Crowes fall tour in 2007.  In 2008, Buffalo Killers released their second album, Let It Ride.  The album was produced by Black Keys guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach.  3, the band’s third album, was released in 2011.  And just recently, the band released Dig. Sow. Love. Grow.

Buffalo Killers’ undeniable sound is pouring with their influences from the music they grown up listening to-Neil Young, The Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones.  With their garage rock roots still embedded, they also have a Southern psychedelic sound with them.  Without question the minute you start to listen to the band’s music, you instantly become infatuated.

Burnt Sugar

Our second band that will be highlighted helms from the streets of New York.  In 1999, guitarist and writer Greg Tate wanted to start a band and experiment with playing music outside of the boundaries.  Burnt Sugar, as he named the band, started to dig into the libraries of great soul and funk legends Chaka Khan, Nina Simone, George Clinton and the P-funk All Stars, along with jazz musician Miles Davis, and big band great Duke Ellington.  As the band improvises while playing, Tate will direct them by doing conducting them.  The unusual 12 person mash-up themed band has seen over 40 musicians come and play.

Burnt Sugar has over 15 albums out, with their latest in 2011 All Ya Needs That Negrocity.  Each album highlights the bands distinctive sound of soul, jazz, funk, blues, rock, and reggae.  A perfect blend of styles soar through each album.

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Rusted Root

 

90’s music is still widely popular throughout the United States.  Many consider the decade to be the best time for music ever.  One band that is still seeing fans come in hordes for their live shows, and will see their share of fans at the Downtown Revival is the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania band, Rusted Root.

Rusted Root released their first major-label album in 1994, When I Woke.  Now, in the 20th year as a band, the band have released 7 albums and sold over 3 million records worldwide.  In the fall of this year, Rusted Root plans on releasing their new album, tentatively titled Fortunate Freaks.  “Send Me On My Way” has become the band’s most popular song, both commercially and with fans.  Rusted Root’s blend of acoustic and rock, mixed with influences from the many musical styles of the world have given the band a following that many compare them to the likes of the Grateful Dead and Dave Matthews Band.  Having talked to some people that have seen Rusted Root perform live, I have been told that their jam sessions during their live shows is simply poetic.

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 The Cliftones, Robert Randolph and the Family Band

The Cliftones

The Cliftones will be generating some dancing with the crowd at the Downtown Revival.  The 10 piece Cincinnati-based band will be supplying the masses with rich reggae music.  On the band’s website, they declare that ‘the crowd always leaves their show a sweaty mess every time’.   If you are a fan of The Gladiators, The Congos, and of course the best reggae singer possibly of all time-Bob Marley, then you won’t be disappointed with The Cliftones performance.

If Rusted Root, and The Cliftones are not simply enough to satisfy your appetite for soul music, Robert Randolph and the Family Band are going to make sure that changes in a hurry.

Randolph was trained as a pedal steel guitarist in his church at the age of fifteen.  By the age of nineteen, he started to get interested in listening and watching guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan.  The influence of the way Vaughan played gave Randolph the fuel to evolve his way of playing the pedal steel.  The change caused people to take notice quickly.

Randolph and the Family Band started playing together around 2000.  They started like most bands do small venues and local watering holes.  Rapidly, the band started to sell out clubs.  The band has played with great musical talent.  Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, B.B. King are some of the people who have had the pleasure of performing with the band.

According to Randolph, the group’s sound is inspired by successful 70s funk bands such as Earth, Wind & Fire and Sly & the Family Stone.  The live shows are legendary.  Randolph is known to bust a moves while the band’s go into a jam session.  Crowd involvement is greatly encouraged.  Dayton-you have been put on notice.  You better be ready to get down, and dance the day and night away as the smooth soul and vibrate funk come out of the band during their performance.

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Downtown Revival is without question going to be showcasing a lot of diverse music from all walks of life.  And that is why this is going to be an amazing weekend.  More highlights of the bands performing on the 8th and 9th of September headed your way…

See all of our Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival Band Spotlights