motel beds

Motel Beds LP Release Party

October 15, 2015 By Dayton Most Metro

Friday night, October 16. Mark it down. The Motel Beds’ new album, Mind Glitter will be unleashed upon the world! Motel Beds is one of Dayton’s most beloved local bands, and this album has been highly anticipated. Don’t miss out on this celebration party!
To make the evening even awesomer, special guests Brat Curse, from Columbus, will be opening the festivities, and then Moira will be releasing THEIR new album as well! The Beds will close out the night in a blaze of glory and spilled drinks. You really kind of have to be there, right?

How to go? Blind Bob’s – Friday Oct 16th – 9pm – $5 cover. Get there early! This is going to be a packed show!

Top Ten for Dayton Visual Arts, 2014

December 28, 2014 By Guest Contributor

For the second year in a row, Shayna V. McConville, Cultural Arts Manager for the City of Kettering, has put together and shared with us her look back at the best of 2014. We hope you enjoy it!

Another year of amazing art exhibitions, artists and events! Although I couldn’t make it to everything and even putting this list together was challenging because of the many, many terrific activities of 2014, this does offer a glimpse of a great year of creativity in Dayton. Enjoy!

The Motel Beds and We Care Arts
January 18
Yellow Cab

We Care Arts, a nonprofit organization supporting artists with disabilities, and The Motel Beds, a Dayton-based rock/indie band, collaborated on an art/record series that would in turn support the WCA mission. WCA clients created 500 unique LP covers for the release of the Motel Beds’ “These are the Days Gone By.” A fundraiser, live performance and exhibition, the record release/art exhibition celebrated the musical and visual community in an accessible, meaningful evening, celebrating so many things that are great in Dayton.

Benjamin Entner and Steven H. Silberg
April 21 – May 16, 2014
Rosewood Gallery

The artwork of Benjamin Entner and Steven Silberg were refreshing examples of artwork not meant to hang on a gallery wall or sit on a pedestal. Entner’s singular piece Colossus was a larger-than-life, realistic inflatable black marker drawing of the artist, the figure’s feet crushing against one gallery wall and his head another. Floor to ceiling, the sculpture’s unexpected scale was awe-inspiring, as was encountering the subject himself, clad only in socks. Silberg, on the other hand, works primarily with the pixel, transforming vernacular pieces of technology into interactive artworks. When a viewer entered the gallery, a video camera activated and recorded movements throughout the space. These movements were translated into layers of color and form on a projection, thrown onto a large gallery wall. The longer the visitor was active in the space, the more complex the composition became, capturing layers upon layers of imagery. Read more about the exhibitions here.

Migiwa Orimo, Adornments
Dayton Art Institute’s Experiencenter
May 10, 2014 – April 12, 2015

Ordinary household items find transformation into beautiful, fancy objects, in the series Adornment. Migiwa Orimo, an artist known for her work exploring humanity and narrative through thoughtful, carefully constructed installations and paintings, created a subtle and exquisite body of work with these altered, everyday objects. Tassels, gemstones and ribbons adorn gloves, mop head yarn and mirrors; a carefully constructed cape and a banner; all pieces perfectly neutralized in immaculate white and frames.Architecture Week Kettering Art Tour
May 12, 2014

AIA Dayton celebrated Architecture Week 2014 with many activities, including a night of contemporary art and mid-century modern design. Organized by AIA member and artist Terry Welker, the private mid-century home of painter Susanne Scherette King was opened to participants, with architectural details, period furnishings, and her own contemporary paintings on display. Following King’s home, Studio 4095 at Town & Country Shopping Center, one of the first suburban shopping centers of its kind in the US, highlighted both the revitalization of an older Kettering landmark as well as the artwork of painter Ron Rollins and sculptor Terry Welker. Read more here.

Third on Third
Front Street

Rediscovering a place lost in the busy hum of a city is an exciting moment, particularly when it’s assets and vitality are brought into focus by a fresh, timely resurgence of activity. This is the beauty of the monthly Third on Third events, taking place both in an outdoor market on Third Street and also the Front Street Warehouses. With studios open to the public, the third floor of Front Street is suddenly a lively, creative place, allowing access to established and new artists and gallery spaces. Spearheaded by Peter Bekendorf of the Collaboratory, Third on Third is creating a new momentum for this arts destination.HWD Regional Sculpture Competition
August 25 – September 26, 2014
Rosewood Gallery

Featuring sculpture by artists from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, this year’s HWD Regional Sculpture Exhibition was an incredible variety of materials, techniques and concepts. Particularly interesting where the sheep rug, bear skin, aviation inspired sculptures and the use of common materials transformed into dense, lovely sculptures. Read more about the exhibition here.

Variations on Likeness: Keliy Anderson-Staley, Glenna Jennings, Julie Jones and Daniel McInnis
September 5 – October 18, 2014
Dayton Visual Arts Center

A curated selection of photographic portraiture including tintypes, installation, and large format pieces, the exhibition was thoughtfully selected and interesting in content, technique and formats. Anderson-Staley’s tintypes were mesmerizing visions into the faces of people from around the country, through the use of an intimate, romantic process; McInnis’ large format portraits captured individuals and couples in their own environments in great detail with clarity and vulnerability. Read more about the exhibition here.

Mary Ellen Croteau and Locked-In
Yellow Springs Arts Council Gallery
October and November 2014

Chicago-based artist Croteau inspired many artists and visitors this fall with her installations created from found plastic objects. Collecting thousands of bottle caps and disposable shopping bags, Croteau has built new worlds out of plastic waste, drawing attention to the excessive materials utilized for each installation. Bottle cap paintings and recreations of a corral reef out of woven plastic bags were exciting and easily translatable to DIY art projects (although perhaps not at the same level of Croteau’s mastery). As Croteau’s exhibition came down, “Locked In” began. Three artists were selected to live in the gallery space with the following rules: 3 Days Locked In to Create an Art Installation, 3 Art Tools Each, 3 Boxes of Unknown Stuff to Work From, 1 Videographer 24/3 Filming It All. It was an unusual premise with incredible negotiations, ideas and processes, resulting in a successfully unique experiment. Read more about Croteau’s exhibition here.

Dick Black Estate Sale
October 24 – 25
Dayton Visual Arts Center

For over five decades, Richard Black churned out illustrations, graphic designs, paintings and drawings as a prolific artist and arts educator. When he passed away early in 2014, he left behind a massive collection of thousands of artworks. A weekend sale purged this collection—walls were filled from floor to ceiling with paintings, tables were layers deep in illustrations and sketches, and portfolios were bulging with graphic design work. The sale was a remarkable event, an uncurated view into the reality of an artist’s lifetime of production. Oddly, we were witness to work that was never meant to find an audience alongside work that put Black on the national art scene. The display of the bad, mediocre and the gems made this artist suddenly vulnerable but also allowed us a deeper understanding of his world.4th Annual Art Off
November 14
K12 and Tejas

An annual fundraising event for the K12 and Tejas scholarship program, Art Off was a lively, participatory event featuring artists of all ages. Painting over the course of a few intense hours, spectators watched and even voted for their favorite artist. Finished pieces were auctioned off, with an elementary school and high school “artist” taking first and second place for their innovative, unexpected and passionate paintings. Proclaiming this as the “Iron Chef” style battle for visual artists, the energy, variety of skills, diversity of participating artists and clear passion for art made this event dynamic and celebratory.Bonus Picks:

Beth Holyoke
Dayton Visual Arts Center
January 17 – February 28

Whimsical, funny, dramatic and sincere, Holyoke’s ceramic portraits touched upon a multitude of ideas of self, ethnicity, origin and color. A part of the REACH conference, which explores cultural similarities and differences, Holyoke’s work was a testament to the diversity of humanity, beyond her masterful ceramic techniques. Read more here.

Materialized
October 27 – December 7
Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries at Wright State University

McArthur Freeman II, “Pine App,” 2014. Cast bronze from 3D

Featuring 58 artists incorporating three-dimensional printing into their artwork, this exhibition was a glimpse into the present and future of this tool.Deco Japan
November 15, 2014 – January 25, 2015
Dayton Art Institute

A traveling exhibition featuring the decorative arts from an era marked by cultural shifts and Western influence, Deco Japan brought another world to life through prints, textiles, ceramics, metals, jewelry, painting and sculpture.

Looking Forward to Days To Come

January 30, 2014 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

There are bands that become successful because of intense and expensive record company promotion that repeatedly tell us that this entertainer is a musician, regardless what your ears may tell you. There are bands that dominate the radio, the ‘net stream, and iTunes because they have a look. There are bands that become well known because of the producer that records the music, even before we hear that first chord. And there are bands that become successful for the simple reason that they are good, they successfully write music that captures the often ignored inner need we all have for a great song. Dayton’s own Motel Beds are one example of a band that is simply a good band that consistently delivers great songs.

With the Misra Records recent release of their recent collection, These Are The Days Gone By, PJ Paslowsky, Tommy Cooper, Ian Kaplan, Derl Robbins, and Tod Weidner remind us that even without the music industry machine, without some hypoallergenic created look, great music can not only be consistently created – it can be created in your home town.

Days starts with the eponymous album track, a rocking reminder that art and commerce should connect when the time is right. And for this band, the time is right with every song you hear on this collection. These are the Days Gone By – a standout track from the ‘Beds Tango Boys album – demonstrate the way that the guitars-bass-drums approach of rock and roll can still be made fresh and exciting. If you do not start to sway when you hear the twin guitars of Cooper and Robbins, you should check your pulse; and if the bass does not make you dance… “Well, how you feeling right now? Are you still with us?”

The next song Ocean Flows from the ‘Beds 2009 EP Go For A Dive connects the listener to the best in high intensity yet rocking lofi-ish sound. Songs such as this recall the early and best of bands like R.E.M. when the vocals did not have to be so highly mixed as to over-power the music. While this lesson is repeatedly ignored by Top 40 radio, The ‘Beds are able to make the most out of a mix that encourages the listener to feel the different instruments of the song. It is important to note that the current arrangement of Ocean Flows illustrates the impressive drop-your-jaw drumming of Ian Kaplan that becomes a full out attack on later ‘Beds recordings such as Sunfried Dreams and Dumb Gold. And live, wow… you will wonder how Kaplan can lift his arms after a show.

With Skymade Suit and Cactus Kiss the band reveals early ideas that will be more fully realized on later work. Skymade Suit was the first track on the ‘Beds 2003 EP Hasta Manana and show a different side to the band. Suit was recorded with only Paslosky, Cooper and Kaplan before being joined by current members Derl Robbins and Tod Weidner. The evolution of the band is demonstrated when comparing songs such as Skymade Suit and more recent work such as Surfjerk, Smoke Your Homework, and Valentimes. Cactus Kiss originally appeared on the 2007 collection Local Losers – a release to benefit WWSU radio — and then on The ‘Beds Moondazed album and more importantly helps place The ‘Beds into a constant evolving swirl of Beach Boys influenced rock psychadelia.

The alternative version of Sunfried Dreams is a welcome visit into the creative process of the band. It is one of only two songs on the album to include keyboards; the alt version of Dreams has a different all around feel than the version that ended up on the album of the same name. One has to wonder if this alternative version is a glimpse of a band that would have moved along a different path than the road taken.

Standouts on the record include Tropics of the Sand that include the vocals of the always terrific Kelley Deal (R. Ring, The Breeders), Surfjerk, Lights On and Smoke Your Homework – Songs that have long been featured on local radio, all four songs in rotation on WUDR. It is impressive how Paslosky and Deal wrap their vocals around the song. They sing and sound as if they have been singing together for years! When their cascading vocals hit the song title together, you believe that they are yearning for a tropic somewhere together. You feel it. With Lights On and Surfjerk you hear the welcome addition of Tod Weidner (Shrug and heck too many projects to list here). The additional strength on bass and on vocals on other tracks greatly strengthens the overall sonic texture of The Motel Beds. And if you have seen the band live, you know firsthand how much Weidner adds to the performance!

One of the best discoveries on the album is the cover – and it is the only cover on the album – of Matthew Sweet’s I’ve Been Waiting, an often overlooked track from his terrific album Girlfriend! The ‘Beds demonstrate their understanding of indie-college music by tacking the song and infusing urgency in the song that Sweet’s focus on classic indie-pop melody understates. The Motel Beds make the song feel more immediate and more plaintive than Sweet ever could. And considering that Matthew Sweet once had an indie hit with a song called Sick of Myself – that is really saying something.

Throughout all twelve tracks on this album you almost miss noting the captivating vocals of PJ Paslosky. Instead of grand standing and singing in some strange grandiose manner, Paslosky extends his voice in ways that draw the listener into the songs. Whether listening to an early song by the band or something from their latest album of new material, Dumb Gold, you find yourself drawn to him. Drawn not because of an industry manufactured buzz or some odd notoriety, but a gravity that a gifted vocalist creates.

Do not miss this collection – part retrospective, part review, and part exploration – consider this a road map of good songs for your music loving soul.

Information about the band can be found at motelbedsmusic.com and misarecords.com.

Track List for These are the Days Gone By:

1. These are the Days Gone By
2. Ocean Flows
3. Skymade Suit
4. Cactus Kiss
5. Surfjerk
6. Valentimes
7. Lights On
8. Western Son
9. Tropics Of The Sand
10. Sunfried Dreams (alternate version)
11. I’ve Been Waiting
12. Smoke Your Homework

Cross posted at Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative

Motel Beds ‘These are Days Gone By’ Vinyl Pre-Release show

January 13, 2014 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

The fantastic Motel Beds are presenting a rare opportunity for Dayton and Miami Valley music fans on January 18th (doors open at 7pm and show starts at 8pm sharp — so get there early)!

In conjunction with We Care Arts and Misra Records, The Motel Beds invite you to join them as they review their musical career with friends and musical allies Smug Brothers and Good English at an All Ages show at the Yellow Cab building on Saturday, January 18!

The ‘Beds are doing what we call a soft, limited release of a retrospective that they are titling after one of their best songs, “These are the Days Gone By.” 500 hand-painted LP covers will be available at the show. The artists at We Care Arts who will receive a portion of the proceeds — created the unique and distinctive covers (some of which you can see on the poster to the right). This is a soft, pre-release — meaning you cannot get this anywhere else — for the first 500 LPs and only the first 5oo; they’ve all been hand-painted by the artists at We Care Arts (“changing disabilities into possibilities”) you can learn more about WCA at their website – http://www.wecarearts.org/. The album will be released internationally later in 2014 on Misra Records.

According to the band, “These are the Days Gone By” is a collection of Motel Beds singles, outtakes, and live favorites that represent the history and development of the band. The songs have been remastered by Carl Saff (Dinosaur Jr, GBV, etc) and include added bass parts by local Dayton music legend, Tod Weidner. This is a musical experience not to be missed!

BIO FOR MOTEL BEDS “THESE ARE THE DAYS GONE BY” (courtesy of The Motel Beds)

MOTEL BEDS are a rock & roll band from Dayton, Ohio – a delightfully detached underdog city nestled in the heart of The Heartland. Seasoned veterans, Beds have worked alongside local music advocates Kelley Deal (Deal duets on the lusciously hushed “Tropics of the Sand”) and Robert Pollard (guitarist Derl Robbins has recorded Guided By Voices). Allies aside, when it comes to rock & roll, The Motel Beds speak for themselves.

“These Are the Days Gone By” reveals the fruits of Beds’ labor these latter years. The album is an electrifying collection of “hits,” remastered by Carl Saff (GBV, Dinosaur Jr., etc.) and featuring added bass parts by new(est) member and local ace Tod Weidner. Over a 12-song cycle, the proficiency with which Tommy Cooper and P.J. Paslosky (Motel Beds’ core songwriting duo) augment a solid hook is clearly set on display.

While “Days” largely finds Ian Kaplan at work as one of the finest rock drummers around today (not an embellishment), Beds demonstrate their versatility with two never-before-released tracks: a poppier version of 2011’s “Sunfried Dreams” and a beautiful acoustic cover of Matthew Sweet’s “I’ve Been Waiting”; the latter proving Paslosky to be much more than a rock vocalist. In addition to recording Motel Beds in a visionary manner, guitarist Derl Robbins adds his own unmistakable style and sound.

True to Dayton (see GBV’s “Propeller”), the first 500 LPs are all one-of-a-kind. Each cover was individually hand-painted by the artists at We Care Arts: a non-profit dedicated to “changing disabilities into possibilities.” A portion of the proceeds from these first 500 will go to benefit WCA.

In his glowing review of “Dumb Gold” (2012), AllMusic Senior Editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted, “[This] is an album that deserves to break them out of the Rust Belt and onto the larger stage; it’s one of the best straight-ahead indie rock records of 2012.” “Days” takes all of “Dumb Gold’s” assets – song writing, hooks, musicianship, energy and ups them ad infinitum. It’s a remarkable rock record and one that finds Motel Beds carrying the torch for Dayton, Ohio’s independent music scene.

Track List:

Cross posted at Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative

Motel Beds Gives Dayton More ‘Sunfried Dreams’

July 25, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

Living in Dayton, Ohio throughout the summertime is pretty standard. You have the ability to enjoy the sun longer than the other seasons. Kids are outdoors longer. People take their much needed vacations more often during this period of time. The local and private pools are visited frequently. Cookouts replace cooking indoors. We celebrate the nation’s birthday by gathering around and watching fireworks litter the night’s sky. There is a sense of freedom when it comes to the season.

Another summer staple is the rising temperatures. A recent Tuesday evening provided uncomfortable conditions. The sweltering heat wave that Dayton was experiencing didn’t let loose of its grip. In town, six individuals gathered together in a small locale that didn’t provide any escape. The meeting spot had two air conditioners. One was in a small area where a beaten down, black leather couch sat. In the same space was a computer and soundboard for recording. As you walk out of the small area and into the larger section of the room, another air conditioner sits atop the wall farther down at the end. There are three fans that are scattered about. Two of them are your typical pedestal fans. Sadly, they have become decorations because they no longer work. The other fan is a box version and its down at the other side of the room. The lime green color makes it look like it’s been rocking and rolling since the early 70s. The heat inside the space was unreal. The ice cold cans of Miller Lite helped some, but it wasn’t going to solve the problem. The heat wave had taken over the room. However, the group that consisted of six individuals couldn’t care less. The collection of people was myself and the Dayton rock band, Motel Beds.

Photo by Chris Corn)

Guitarists Tommy Cooper and Darryl Robbins, drummer Ian Kaplan, singer PJ Paslosky, and bassist Tod Weidner make up Motel Beds. This Saturday, the band will be releasing their 2011 album Sunfried Dreams. The reissue will be released on CD and for the first time on vinyl. The LP will include a bonus track. The band will be having a show at Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District. Joining Motel Beds will be The Harlequins, Speaking Suns, and Holy Smokes. Label and design studio Brain Candy will helping with the release of the special release. “The guys over there love the album and wanted to do something special”, Kaplan explained when asked why this album was choose above the others.

Motel Beds was formed in 2003, with the Kaplan, Paslosky, Cooper, and bassist John Lakes. The band released their first EP, Hasta Mañana. Hasta Mañana features dreamy, surf rock songs that are driven with acoustic guitar play. The band would dissolve in 2005, and remerged in 2009, with Robbins joining the group. That same year, the band released a much different sounding EP, the rock heavy Go For A Dive. Shortly after that, Moondazed was released. The 29 song, lo-fi album ranges from rough demos to polished rock gems that show the band’s range bouncing all over. In 2011, Weidner joined the band and the group marched forward by releasing Feelings, an fantastic collection of indie rock songs that continue to highlight the band’s continuing growth at that time.

Immediately following Feelings is the album that will be celebrated this Saturday night at Blind Bob’s. Sunrise Dreams is the band’s most solid and most different to this point in their musical journey. “It was one of the fastest and most fun albums we have done”, Robbins mentions. “Everything just came together smoothly with this album”. The album’s sound shows the band reaching back to their first EP, and expanding it. The songs on the album each have a blend of influence from 60s rock to garage rock. ‘Western Son’ is a slow moody song that will creep up on you without notice with Paslosky’s vocals. ‘Bat Naps’ has a British punk rock feel to it. The influence of The Clash roars through the song with the resounding drum play of Kaplan and the thrashing guitar play of Robbins and Cooper. To continue with the British rock theme, ‘Obey Your Lunch’ really highlights that. The Who-influenced track really shows off Weidner’s bass playing skills. Sunrise Dreams is truly a beautifully made album that is destined to be a staple for vinyl lovers.

Motel Beds didn’t stop working on perfecting their craft with Sunfried Dreams, which started to see some critical acclaim throughout the US. In the same year, the band released another marvel Tango Boys. Tango Boys is a quick, 34-minute album that resembles what you come to expect with another band that Dayton calls their own. Some of you may have heard them-Guided By Voices. Once again, Tango Boys is filled with British punk, but an added element of lo-fi and hi-fi presents the album with a different spin. The album also features local Daytonian/guitarist for the alternative rock band The Breeders Kelley Deal on the song ‘Tropics Of The Sand’. The song with Deal got spun extensively on Sirius XM, nationwide on terrestrial radio stations, and gave the band a chance to perform at 2011’s CMJ Music Marathon, 2012’s SXSW, and the 2012 Downtown Dayton Revival Festival. Dumb Gold is their recent album, having been released last year. Dumb Gold continues to showcase the band’s growth. Staying true to their British indie influences, Dumb Gold keeps pushing the envelope. ‘Smoke Your Homework’ is an exemplary garage rock song. Dumb Gold just proves that the band continues to strive to be a better band with each album.

The band strives to make sure that their music is as accessible as possible. “You can easily find most of our music all over the internet”, Weidner says. “YouTube is amazing. It truly is one of the best search engines to find music”, added Kaplan. “If you have someone tell you about a band, you can easily go to the website and find all this music on that band. It’s so easy to have your music on there.” The band stands by that statement by doing what most local bands don’t do-present music videos. One of the recent music videos the band released was for ‘Smoke Your Homework’. The video shows the band visiting a neighborhood, and looking into purchasing some equipment from a creepy man. The humorous video is one of many videos that are easily accessible videos that you can find from the band.

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Another exciting event will be coming up soon for Motel Beds other than the reissue of Sunfried Dreams this Saturday. On August 27^th, the band will perform at the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio. The outdoor amphitheater will be one of the greatest accomplishments that the band has experienced. The venue will also give folks from all walks to come and witness a local band taking the stage at larger scale. “It’s going to be a true honor to be playing there”, Kaplan said.

Motel Beds are one of the many bands in Dayton to continue to be another reason for music to be noticed in town. Saturday night, the reissue release party of Sunfried Dreams will be happening at Blind Bob’s Bar. Showtime is 9pm. For more details, click on the Dayton Most Metro event calendar link here.

Presenting The Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival

April 17, 2012 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

John Legend

The Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival has just been announced along with the initial lineup for its inaugural year – including performances by several acts with local ties, like John Legend (a Springfield native), Guided by Voices (based in Dayton), Motel Beds (based in Dayton) and the Heartless Bastards (Dayton/Cincinnati area natives) . This two day street festival is scheduled for September 8th & 9th, 2012 and will have 3 stages in key locations in downtown Dayton.

Confirmed acts include:

Several more performers will be announced in the coming weeks, and as DMM is a Media Sponsor we will have festival updates right here as they happen!

Guided By Voices

“We are very excited to fill the streets of downtown Dayton with exceptional music from a wide variety of artists. From Grammy winners to local talent, and everything in between this will be a weekend to remember,” said Matt Luongo, President, Downtown Revival, LLC. A Dayton native himself, Luongo graduated from the University of Dayton in 1998 and is enthusiastic about creating this music fest right here in Dayton.

The Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival is to be a mix of national and local talent, with several slots still open for local acts. If you are interested in playing this event, send them your info at [email protected]. In addition to over 30 bands, festival organizers are planning family friendly events as well as other activities to be announced.

Two day passes will be available at www.downtownrevival.com beginning April 24th, 2012 at 10:00a.m. A limited number of discounted early bird ticket will also go on sale on April 24th and will include entry into a contest for a VIP package upgrade including reserved seating, VIP hospitality tent, invitations to a Friday night preview party, artist meet and greet and more.

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The Motel Beds Assist in a Takeover of New York City

November 20, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

A couple of weeks ago, New York City was under occupation. No, it’s not what you’re thinking, but good job keeping up with the news! I am talking about a completely different group of people. On Tuesday, October 25th, NYC was overrun by college radio staff, DJs, bands, various artists, and many more people from the music industry. So began the CMJ Music Marathon 2011, and Dayton was not without representation.

The CMJ Music Marathon is a chance for those breaking into music, whether from the business side or the performance side, to learn about the current state of the scene. It is also a chance for smaller
unsigned or indie-label bands to be exposed to a vast audience from all over the United States (and, in some cases, the world). I have been in attendance for the past two years, and the Dayton music scene has been represented in both. In 2010, local act Vanity Theft played one of the showcases. This year brought a greater number of southern Ohio acts: major label band Skeletonwitch, bands from other major cities like Walk the Moon (representing Cincinnati!) and, of course, Dayton representation in the form of The Motel Beds.

Back from CMJ and just coming off a recent performance with Bonneville over at WO Wrights, I had a quick chance to catch up with Ian from The Motel Beds and ask them about themselves and their experience at CMJ…

The Motel Beds performing at CMJ Music Marathon (Photo by Francesca Tamse)

Josh McGrath: How long have you guys been playing together?

Ian Kaplan [The Motel Beds]: Tommy, PJ and I have been playing as Motel Beds since 2003 or so… Derl joined in 2006, I believe and Tod joined last year around this time.

JM: What kind of successes have you seen thus far band-wise?

IK: We’ve had quite a few successes, hopefully which will combine into some kind of success Voltron[…]A few years ago, we were asked to be on a compilation for “The Artist’s Den,” The Huffington Post has mentioned us a few times in a column edited by Phil Ramone (who produced Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, etc. etc.). That was really amazing… we grew up listening to the records he produced and it was pretty insane to think he heard us at all, let alone liked us enough to talk about our music. Of course, playing CMJ this year was a huge success for us and the fact that we were hand- picked by the powers that be at CMJ to be included on the 2011 CMJ downloadable “mix tape” was incredible. Our label was invited to showcase at SXSW 2012 and so it looks like we’re going to that as well… We had an interview in “Ghettoblaster” magazine; we were selected by “Turntable Kitchen,” this really great blog that pairs music with food, to be the first band included in their new “Pairings Box,” which also yielded us our first 7” record. Ultimately though, it’s so fun to make music with these guys… it sounds really corny but I consider that a huge success. Very seldom do you have situations where all the members of a band are like gears in a machine, each one interdependent and each one equally as important as the others.

JM: How did you get involved in this year’s CMJ?

IK: Earlier this year, after we released “Sunfried Dreams” our good friend Shelly hooked us up with
Misty at No More Fake Labels[…]She loved our record and wanted to work with us… the next thing you
know we were playing CMJ. She’s really great and works really hard for everyone on her label.

The Motel Beds performing at CMJ Music Marathon (Photo by Francesca Tamse)

JM: What showcase/show did you play, when and where?

IK: We played at the No More Fake Labels showcase on 10/20/2011 at The Bowery Poetry Club.

JM: Did this show differ at all compared to other shows you have played?

IK: Yes, definitely… we’ve had a couple of good shows in New York, but I think this was definitely the best of all of them. Attendance was great, Doug Gillard came out and told us he loved our music, we had a really good pizza, Kelley Deal was on stage with us… it was really, really cool.

JM: Any other experiences at CMJ you’d like to mention?

IK: The whole trip was such a blur that I don’t really recall anything but being in the van for 12 hours…being in the van for 12 hours was an experience. We also went to Cracker Barrel twice.

Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to catch the band during their showcase. Being in the biggest city in the US during the one of the biggest music festivals in the country makes you lose track of time…and mind. The Motel Beds, along with the hundreds of other bands that played during the festival, went out to accomplish one thing: to get their music heard by the masses. Judging from the sheer crowd at the festival this year, I would have to say they accomplished their goal.

I asked Ian one last question: Is there anything the band would like to say to those that attended the marathon this year? He took the chance to plug the bands newest album, “Tango Boys,” coming out later this month, give thanks to those who saw the show and have supported the band and left some words of assurance:

“No matter what the CDC says, you cannot catch syphilis from handling our CDs anymore.”

The Motel Beds will celebrate the release of Tango Boys on December 9th with a show at Canal Street Tavern. They’ll perform with the Buffalo Killers and Chocolate Horse.

This Week on Kaleidoscope: The Fervor

February 23, 2011 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

The Fervor / Photo by Frankie Steele

Louisville’s The Fervor have been making a name for themselves here in Dayton having performed at Canal Street Tavern and more recently, South Park Tavern. The band will return to SPT tonight to celebrate the release of their new album, Arise, Great Warrior on Karate Body Records. They’ll share the bill with the Smug Brothers and the Motel Beds, who recently finished their new album, Sunfried Dreams and are currently streaming it on their bandcamp site. You can find show details at the DMM events calendar.

Before heading over to South Park Tavern, The Fervor will swing into Yellow Springs for an interview on tonight’s Kaleidoscope on WYSO. The show runs 8-11pm and will also include ticket giveaways to several local shows. In the Miami Valley, you can tune in at 91.3FM or you can listen online anywhere in the world at www.wyso.org.

Live Music on Friday: Two Best Bets

January 13, 2011 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

If you’re looking to see a great show on Friday night, there are quite a few options. Here are two shows that I’m especially looking forward to:

The Dirty Socialites are playing Blind Bob’s along with M y Latex Brain and Columbus’ Lollipop Factory. These three bands put on a really solid rock show on their own this bill promises to be a lot of fun. Full details here.

Earlier this week, I shared a promo video for Friday night’s show at Canal Street Tavern. This is another great three band bill featuring The Motel Beds along with Floods and Amnesia. Full details here.

Are you planning on seeing some live music on Friday night? If so, what shows are you looking forward to?

Music Video Monday: January 10, 2011

January 10, 2011 By Juliet Fromholt 1 Comment

I had originally planned on doing something else for this week’s video, but once in a while something comes along that’s too good to pass up. This Friday night, January 14th, the Motel Beds are playing a show at Canal Street Tavern with Floods and Amnesia. It promises to be a great show, and you can check out the details at the Dayton MostMetro events calendar.

In addition to the traditional show flier, the Motel Beds took the promotion one step further and created a radio spot which morphed into a video over the weekend. It’s short, but super fun. So check it out, and check all these bands out on Friday at Canal Street.

Smug Brothers, Motel Beds, and John Gassett Unveil New Albums at Blind Bob’s

February 3, 2010 By Juliet Fromholt 1 Comment

It’s certainly a cause for celebration whenever a local artist releases a new album, but on Saturday, February 6th, the excitement will be tripled. The Smug Brothers, the Motel Beds and John Gassett will each be releasing a new album that night at Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District. Toads and Mice will round out what’s sure to be a great night of live music.

20537_243124511706_117612601706_3725853_794707_n Whether you’re a longtime fan of Dayton’s music scene or this will be your first show downtown, Saturday is going to be a great opportunity to add 3 local albums to your music collection. I’ve mentioned before that I think 2010 is going to be a big year for music in Dayton, and this seems like a really solid start.

The Smug Brothers and the Motel Beds will also be playing an acoustic set live on Kaleidoscope on Wednesday, Feb 3rd beginning at 8pm and talking about their new albums. You can catch Kaleidoscope every Wednesday night (8-11pm) on WYSO 91.3FM or online at wyso.org.