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Wedding Showcase @ Presidential Banquet Center

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Presidential Wedding ShowcaseJoin us at the beautiful Presidential Center in Kettering for a unique opportunity to see custom-designed “event-scapes” created by some of the best wedding professionals in the Dayton and surrounding areas. Located in a private, park like setting, this beautifully remodeled, full service venue has four elegant banquet rooms to accommodate the size of your special event. The Event Connections is transforming the entire space for this special event so that you’ll be able to visualize great ideas for decor in actual reception settings, try food samples, hear music and experience DJ styles, and more.

You’ll also have the opportunity to register for the 2014 Wedding Package Give-Away and meet many of the wedding professionals who will be participating in this great prize.

Event Details

Sunday January 05, 2014
11:00 AM – 04:00 PM

Cost

$5 at the door

“Elvis” Live At Gilly’s

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qagjq7n505hqbjxfey8fbgtcmr2vhz9dInspired by an Elvis performance he attended when 10 years old, Ryan Roth has since steadily worked toward a professional singing career. He was headlining a rock oldies show at Cedar Point by the age of 20.

He won ‘Be a Star” performing on TNN in 1994. Since then he has devoted himself to performing as Elvis, his greatest musical influence, bringing the excitement and entertainment to Elvis fans across the USA with a powerful tribute to the King.

Even Date and Time: Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 8:00 pm.

Cost: $10

Come out and support this talented and fun performer!

 

 

Ring in the New Year with First Friday Fun

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First FridayJan. 3 First Friday to Feature Art Exhibits, Live Music, Ice Skating & More

Downtown’s next free First Friday event will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3. 

Several businesses will offer post-holiday shopping sales and discounts. Students can represent their schools during a School Pride Ice Skate at RiverScape MetroPark and the monthly Courteous Mass bike ride will seek to light up the night.

Details are below about other events taking place at participating locations during the Jan. 3 First Friday.

 

ArtDAI

• CADC, 45 S. St. Clair St.: Featuring an after-holidays close-out sale with appetizers and eggnog to snack on while shopping. Call 313-9883.

• Clash Consignment, 521 E. Fifth St.: Showing art exhibit Sight Sizeby Adam Mitchell and Stephanie Riolo with live music by the Left Hooks. Call 241-9434.

• Color of Energy, 16 Brown St.:  (Open until 8 p.m.) Reception with Abby Rose who will discuss her involvement in the art community and her new position as events director for Mike Elsass. Call 266-3491.

• Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park North: (Open until 8 p.m.)Showing the exhibits Object of Devotion and A Buckeye Abroad: Frank Wilcox in Paris. Call for cost. 223-4278.

• Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors, 48 High St.: (Open until8 p.m.) Exhbiting work from new members and serving light refreshments. Call 228-4532.

• Dayton Visual Arts Center 118 N. Jefferson St.: (Open until 8 p.m.) Exhbiting paintings by Zachary Armstrong. Call 224-3822.

• Gallery 510 Fine Art, 508 E. Fifth St.: Featuring new artwork and gifts by a variety of artists. Call 672-6717.

• Olive, an Urban Dive, 416 E. Third St.: Hosting “Buy It off the Wall,’ featuring the up-close nature photography of Diane Stava available for purchase, and offering Esther Price hot chocolate to go. Also featuring Olive’s new winter menu. Call 222-3483.

 

 

MusicMusic

• Blind Bob’s, 430 E. Fifth St.: Featuring happy hour from 4 to 8 p.m., $2.50 well drinks, 75 cents off bourbon and other drink specials. Music by Cherry Lee and the Hotrod Hounds, and The Sandwich. Call 938-6405.

• De’Lish Café, 139 N. Main St.: Featuring happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. during a mix and mingle with downtown business professionals. Call 461-2233.

• Dublin Pub, 300 Wayne Ave.:  Featuring happy hour until 6 p.m., a performance by the Miami Valley Pipe and Drum group starting at 6 p.m., and live music from Mothergrove starting at 9 p.m. Call 224-7822.

• Gilly’s, 132 S. Jefferson St.: Old Skool Groove Night from 8 p.m. to midnight. Call 228-8414.

• Oregon Express, 336 E. Fifth St.: Featuring half-price pizza from 4 to 8 p.m. and live music by Linda Prevo and South Side Slackers from8:30 p.m. Call 223-9205.

• Trolley Stop, 530 E. Fifth St.: Live music starting at 9:30 p.m. and happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. Call 461-1101.

 

Food and Drinksteak-dinner-glass-wine-13806878

• Deaf Monty’s Wine, 22 Brown St.: $2 tastings of select wines. Call 225-9463.

• Franco’s Ristorante Italiano, 824 E. Fifth St.: 10 percent off food. Call 222-0204.

• Lucky’s Taproom and Eatery, 520 E. Fifth St.: Dinner specials, along with the special tapping of a firkin of craft beer. Call 222-6800.

• Riff Raff Tavern on the Canal, 130 N. Patterson Blvd.: Drink specials offered throughout the night. Call 361-3131.

• Salar, 400 E. Fifth St.: DJ in the lounge and drink specials starting at10 p.m. Call 203-3999.

• Smokin’ Bar-B-Que, 200 E. Fifth St.: 10 percent off food. Call 586-9790.

• Thai 9, 11 Brown St.: 15 percent off food. Call 222-3227.

• Uno Chicago Grill, 126 N. Main St.: 10 percent off food. Call 910-8000.

 

 

Riverscape Ice RinkEntertainment

• Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, 220 N. Patterson Blvd.: The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet at 5:30 p.m. This month will be a glow-ride. Dress up your bike with lights, wear glow bracelets or necklaces — anything to make you glow. All tours are free and welcome any skill level.

• Grass Roots Enrichment and Wellness Center, 400 E. Fifth St., Suite C: (Open until 8 p.m.) Featuring teen artist Sarah Libassi, along with activities for families and light refreshments. Call 723-6747.

• The Neon, 130 E. Fifth St.: Call 222-SHOW (7469) for films and show times.

• RiverScape MetroPark, MetroParks Ice Rink, 111 E. Monument Ave: School Pride Night Ice skate from 7 to 10 p.m.; $7 includes admission and skate rental; half-priced admission available with student ID. Call 278-2607.

• Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub, 101 Pine St.: Featuring comedian Steve Lott. Shows begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person. Call 224-5653.

 

 

Shoppingshopping-bags

• American Pi, 41 S. St. Clair St.: Featuring a store-wide 50 percent off sale (contact store for details). Call 938-7890.

• Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.: Free makeup lessons. Call 903-3165.

• Found Treasures 4 You, 502 Wayne Ave.: Offering 20 percent off everything in the store. Call 580-8803.

• ReCreate, 438 E. Fifth St.: Sale on select items, including new and used instruments, other music-related items, and original artwork. Call 321-3517.

• Sew Dayton, 261 Wayne Ave.: Offering 10 percent off all independent patterns and sweet treats from the 2nd street market. Call 234-7398.

• Sherwood Florist, 444 E. Third St.: (Open until 8 p.m.) Offering 10 percent off all in-store items. Call 298-3655.

• Spice Paradise, 8 Brown St.: Offering samples of Indian food to visitors. Call 224-3227.

Come out to enjoy all the best that Dayton has to offer!

 

 

 

To Canal Street: With Love, Dayton

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photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

On Saturday night, Shrug will take the stage at 308 East 1st Street and when they are finished, the space will no longer officially be called Canal Street Tavern as founder Mick Montgomery’s association with the venue he founded over 30 years ago will end.  Right now reports say that the space will continue to host live music under its new ownership, and both fans and musicians will keep careful watch in the months to follow to see how this new reality for the space fits into our music community.

photo courtesy of Greg Simerlink/Grog

photo courtesy of Greg Simerlink/Grog

Like so many of us, Canal Street was the cornerstone of my musical education with side lessons in friendship and community.  I learned to be a listener in that room whether I was jumping up and down screaming along to the Luxury Pushers or finding truth in Tod Weidner’s lyrics in a room paying such close attention, you could have heard a pin drop.

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Mick tell the story of the founding of Canal Street a few times.  Once, I even got to sit on a panel with he and Jerry Gillotti about the Dayton music scene, an honor I still question whether I deserved.  Mick certainly succeed in his goal of creating a listening room, a place for music to be appreciated without pretense, but I wonder in those early days in 1981, if he knew that he was also creating a family as tight-knit and diverse and downright quirky as anything you’d see in a movie but a thousand times better.  This family would celebrate weddings on stage, send some of our best and brightest out into the world with one last show and welcome newcomers from near and far with open arms.

It’s in this spirit that I’ve invited some of my musical family, individuals who I met either directly or indirectly because of Canal Street, to share their thoughts, their memories and to say thank you to Mick for the time and energy he’s given our community.  It won’t be forgotten, and things we learned onstage and in the audience will carry on wherever we find ourselves playing or listening.

**UPDATE:  an online fund has been set up to help with bills from Mick’s Montgomery’s recent hospital stays.  More information on how to donation via the link.

 

photo by Juliet Fromholt

photo by Juliet Fromholt

Eric Cassidy

I played my first Musician’s Co-op, when I was 15 years old. Brian Wells, Thadd Brittain, and I played a bunch of Velvet Underground, Smashing Pumpkins, and Pearl Jam covers. We were probably terrible. Regardless, we were on a real stage, with real lights, PA, sound tech, listening audience…it was unbelievably cool. With King Droopy, Shrug, Human Cannonball, and solo performances, I’ve since been on that stage more times than I can count. KD did the Dayton Band Playoffs a couple of times. We got more votes than we deserved, and got to play with some great bands that blew our minds, and taught us about etiquette and connecting with audiences. When we got knocked out of the competition, we started getting show offers from the guy who counted the ballots. Enter Mick Montgomery.

If you love Canal Street Tavern, you love Mick Montgomery…the man behind the curtain. He has channeled passion, charm, elbow grease, and unrivaled stubbornness into the improbable anachronism that is CST. As a result of this work, he provided the community with an incubator for young performers, a reliable source of gigs for local bands, and intimate access to some of the best acts in the world. I’m very grateful to have been in this time and place to enjoy the spoils of Mick’s labor. I have shared that stage with incredible performers, who have often become incredible friends. I can’t express how much joy CST has brought into my life.

You want to sit 10 feet from Arlo Guthrie? Done.
You want to see Glenn Tilbrook stand on your table with no PA, singing your favorite Squeeze song? Done.
You want to hear Jay Bennett dish about Jeff Tweedy pretending to be sick in the Wilco movie (whether that’s true or not)? Done.
I could name drop all day. Just as special to me are the many weddings, birthday parties, and unforgettable events that I got to see and be a part of. The memory of hearing the words “This is for Gregg Spence” still sends waves of emotion over me.

Mick has also provided a place for like-minded and not-so-like-minded music lovers to get around the normal bar nonsense, and focus on the music. It’s such a great place to be a fan or performer; there are no TVs, blenders, games, or anything else that makes noise. If it’s a quiet performance, loud talking is not tolerated. The patrons enforce the rules as often as the staff. It’s just the right thing to do. Would you have a conversation during a movie? My CST friends replaced most of my school friends. The club is at least partly responsible for my wife and I getting together. Maybe it was the right time. It was certainly the right place. How many happy relationships can draw a path back to this room?

In return for giving us this special place, Mick has received very little.  He never made a fortune, sold out, or compromised (much) for anybody. I hope that he feels satisfaction of doing things his way, and the love of an obviously appreciative group of fans and friends. I can’t thank him enough.

 

photo courtesy of Greg Simerlink/Grog

photo courtesy of Greg Simerlink/Grog

Greg Simerlink/Grog

All Good Things…

Yeah, I know but still! I for one love change and really am not a fan of tradition, but Canal Street Tavern has been such a part of my life I have a hard time seeing it cease to exist as it has for so very long.

Among some of the most memorable moments for me:
– Playing my first show with The Oxymorons!
– Being the last place I played on stage (11/24/12)
– Having my first wedding & reception there (Mick gave away the bride!)
– Went on the first date there with my current wife
– Playing on stage to bring in the New Year
– Held several benefit shows there for my old zine Mutant Renegade
– Played my first sold out show

I’m sure I’ve played on that stage over 100 times and have seen hundreds of other bands there over the years. I’ve made countless friends with patrons, fans, employees & musicians at Canal Street. I have shared so many wonderful experiences there I cannot think anywhere else can ever replace it.

So, Mick it was great while it lasted. Thank you for doing so much for the Dayton music community. I for one really appreciated everything you did even if I didn’t always say it. Also thank you to all of the wonderful friends who have worked at Canal Street over the years.

R.I.P Canal Street Tavern…

 

Photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

Photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

Tim Pritchard

Canal Street Tavern is where I cut my teeth as a musician, bought my first (legal) drink, played my first sold out show, and basically came of age.  As a kid, it was the only place I wanted to hang out and my folks were gracious enough to make that happen once and a while.  I may have even snuck in under the radar from time to time on my own.  My teenage band landed a gig there when I was 17 and I accomplished what had perhaps been my most lofty goal to that point of my life.

I could go on and on about all the shows I’ve played and seen there since, but I’ll just mention a few of the moments that I’ll never forget.
-Playing Tod Weidner’s beat-to-hell Takamine for the first time at a Musician’s Co-Op, followed by “guess what I just got to do” type phone call to my best friend who’d moved to Nashville to go to school.  We both kind of idolized Shrug at that time.
-Flyaway Minion’s EP release in 2006 to a sold out bar sponsored by Camel (what the fuck?).  Crazy night.  Incredible.
-Seeing Chris Hillman and Herb Pederson a few years ago.  Still perhaps the best performance by a two-piece I’ve ever seen and completely enthralling as Hillman is a person hero of mine.
-Talking to Mick Montgomery for well over an hour, after closing time, about Donavan’s visit to Canal Street.

 

E. Ryan Roth

My fondest memory of Canal Street

I had been to my first show about a month earlier.  I had snuck into a Velour/Shrug show.  Shrug was just a 3 piece at the time, but I instantly was a fan. I liked the music, but the lyrics were pure poetry.  Such playful use of language used to paint Hemmngway-esque verbal pictures.  On my way out, an old hippy approached me.  I figured I was busted, but instead he asked me if I liked what I heard.  I of course said “yes”.  The man then told me if I liked that, then I should tell my parents to bring me back the next week to see a “Songwriters in the Round”.  I found a friend who was going the next weekend ( a member of Velour named Patrick Himes) who’s Dad would claim me as his own.  The next Sunday I entered the club legit for the first time in my life.  The first set of 3 songwriters wasn’t bad.  One guy wrote joke songs that were mildly funny, the other two were country guys….not my cup of tea.  At that point, I felt like the old hippy had steered me wrong.  Then set 2 happened.

photo by Sara Lynne Walsh

photo by Sara Lynne Walsh

The old hippy, now known to me as owner Mick Montgomery, introduced possibly the best set of music I have seen to date….and this includes Radiohead shows.  A possible giant named Tod Weidner was to play first.  I recognized him from the previous weekend.  A quite petite lady sat next to him.  Her name was Jayne Sachs.  Next to her was a pretty exotic looking lady named Phyllis Turner.

The sounds and words I was exposed to for the next hour rival the thrill of a skydive.  Tod played a song called “Drowsy” that instantly forced me to buy his album.  Jayne followed with a song called “Waiting”.  A beautiful melody and heartbreaking song that forced me to ask to buy her album as well.  She gave me both of her CDs for the price of 1 instead.  Phyllis lacked song titles that evening, but her voice cut through the other two like ginsu. “Disposable Soul”, “My Problem, “Special Neurotic Boy”, “On the Edge” and more followed.  I talked with Tod, possibly the most intimidating experience of my life the same night.  He and Mick told me about their musicians co-op on Tuesday nights if I liked what I heard that night.  In the years to come I would play a hundred or so times on that stage.  Some big shows, some for just a few people, some shows with bands, a ton of shows solo including a few dozen times getting to play a Songwriters in the Round, but like anything else in life, nothing burns brighter than the first time.  Thanks to Mick realizing that the 16 year old kid that just snuck into his bar was there for the love of music and not to get drunk, he made a fan for life.

Thank you sir.  The universe owes you at least three.

 

Chad Wells

photo by Ian Bonnett

photo by Ian Bonnett

You hear about those places… Magical musical venues where magical musical things happened – CBGB’s, The Fillmore, The Ritz, The Whisky A Go Go, The Troubador, First Avenue, The Bluebird Cafe, The 40 Watt Club and so many more – some still presenting music several nights a week – many fallen to history. Dayton, Ohio has Canal Street Tavern.

My first time stepping inside that building was around 1992 and I’ve played that wonderful little stage many times and whether the crowd was spilling over onto the stage and into the street or if we just played to a half dozen other singer songwriters at a Musician’s Co-Op, there has always been magic in that room. The historical location is likely beholden to some sort of energetic power spot or maybe it’s just the apparent amount of true love poured into that old wood through the years by Mick Montgomery and the myriad of musical spirits that have drifted up those steps and onto that stage.

There’s something about Canal Street that very few people understand – I had the awakening while attending a show at the Ryman in Nashville – all that old wood and organic material is, nightly, vibrated with the sounds that are pushed through the air and it retains an impression of that energy. Those old church pews and hard wood floor really are haunted by the songs that have been played there. If everything that exists is made of the same subatomic space stuff and the illusion of solidity is really just particles and waves acting and reacting at different frequencies then you have to imagine the intricate patterning inside that structure that we’ve come to know as Canal Street Tavern. Just like the graffiti and stickers that wallpapers the tiny backstage area, the sounds and spirit and love that has been shared and received at that particular longitude and latitude will be forever there. Whether the bank papers state the same name or even if that building eventually falls to the ages and some new, strange creature erupts from that corner… You will always be able to hear – or feel – the music that has been concentrated into that piece of ground. Thank you to Mick Montgomery and the countless staff members who made the room feel like home and kept the music playing.

 

photo courtesy of Shelly Huce

photo courtesy of Shelly Huce

Tod Weidner

Memories of Canal Street: Can’t choose. Won’t choose. Here are some, though. Meeting and becoming good friends with Peter Mulvey. Iodine, any time they played there. Christopher Corn’s co-op set after Tim Taylor died. The 93 and 95 Playoffs. The Monster Hops. Bill Frisell. Opening for the Aquarium Rescue Unit. Meeting Sharon A. Lane within minutes of walking in there for the first time. Opening for Richard Lloyd and listening to him reminisce about roller skating with Cheetah Chrome to a star-struck me and Jamy Holliday. Bill Kirchen. Opening for Ronnie Dawson. James McMurtry. Filling in as a janitor for a week for Will Dalgard. Going to the Century Bar and helping put in the bench seats along the walls. Hammel On Trial. Brian Cates. Settling up with Mick Montgomery and having him call me an “old rounder” (the highest compliment one can get from him). Songwriters In The Round. Gregg Spence. Hosting Co-op. Flying by the seat of my pants onstage more times than I can count. Being so pissed off at my performance one night that I punched a hole in the dressing room wall (it’s still there- I can show you). Hell, THE DRESSING ROOM WALL (and trying to remember where the perfectly-camouflaged electrical outlet is on it). Meeting girls. Meeting my wife. Weddings. Wakes. Learning how to be a musician and person over the course of 22 years and literally thousands of gigs on that stage.

 

courtesy of Shelly Hulce

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

Gladgirl Shelly Hulce

I invented myself there, many times over. And I witnessed the same of others.

It was my life in my early 20’s, then I dropped out of the scene to do the pregnancy/parenting thing.  When I was released from “baby jail,” I started revisiting my old identity to see if it was in tact.  Not long after re-entry, a band I was in entered the band playoffs. One night after a playoff session,  Mick pulled me in the office saying, “Good to see you back, kid. You look happy.” I said “Yeah, I guess I’ve come  full circle Mick.”  Mick, as usual, put things in perspective with one sentence “ Life isn’t one big circle Shell, it’s lots and lots of circles. You have lot’s of circles ahead.”  Mick is one of a few “gurus’ in my life. He and the late Greg Savage (Dingleberries founder) have big notches on the timeline of my life.

CST is home base for me. I was there watching the birth of GBV.  I was there watching the birth of The Breeders.  Had we only known what that would mean to the rest of the world….!

That room was everyone’s living room. The transition is like having your parents move out of your childhood home.  I always went there for comfort. I always felt safe, and there was never any trouble. It was my home. Not a lot of people have that luxury in their towns, a safe place you can go and be with your “family”. A very forgiving place where, if you fail, people help you back up. When you succeed, they lift you on their shoulders. This is where we got our news, and where we “made” our news.

Canal Street is a state of mind, a culture. It’s in Dayton’s DNA. (And most of Dayton’s DNA is in there as well.)  I witnessed many couple meet there for the first time. I’ve attended weddings there, and witnessed some break-ups and the awkward re-entry after those break-ups. That goes for bands too, not just couples.

From the outside, the place might not look like much, but for those who live and breath Dayton music, it’s romantic and gritty and real. It’s to Dayton what CBGB was to New York. I have many heroes locally, and in my mind they will always be bathed in the red glow of the CST stage. Some have aged and dropped out, others moved on to international fame, some are from the more current circle. I watched my heroes grow up there too: Tod Weidner, Jesse Remnant, Eric Cassidy, Dan Stahl. We, as a family, celebrated  the birth of many new voices, and clung to one another as some of our favorites fell silent.

If you’ve ever seen CST in the day time, or with all the lights on, it’s a real shocker. It’s like seeing your favorite performers at the pool or something. It messes with my perception. I like the dreamy mind set it created for me. I got most of my hug therapy there!  For me, the most beautiful and iconic piece of Dayton art is the dressing room of CST. The saying “If these walls could talk…” is fitting to say the least.

One personal favorite memory of mine is being in the Playoffs in 2003 ( I could be wrong on the year) .The band I was in, Ruetschley, advanced a few rounds and it was fun. We decided that I would transfer over to synth, and I was scared to death, having never played keys in a band before. So I took clear tape and wrote the chord on the keys and had a cheat sheet for which patch numbers to dial in for which songs. We had in ear monitors too (looking back, that was insane for that stage). So the first night I am to play keys in this band, during Playoffs, I put the monitors in my ears and I could hear my heart racing and every breath I took. This made me even more nervous, like I was ready to walk on the moon or something. Knowing I had all these notes and keys written was my safety net and my only source of comfort…..THEN they turned the house down and the red stage lights on. I couldn’t read a damn thing. I was terrified, but I faked my way through the first song. When it hit me that all the people in front of me were on my side, I was okay.

The biggest surprise to me when it came to playoffs was how supportive the bands were, at least the year I was in it.  When we would beat a band in a round, they would rally their fans to come support us, and we did the same when we got beat. It was then that I realized that Mick was a leader in building community.

As an events promoter, Mick taught me a lot too. I cut my teeth there by throwing shows. He knew I was there to learn. He has a lot of grace for people who care to keep learning. Must be the old school teacher in him.  I appreciated his love for antiques and whimsical things too. The styles of handwritten signs, the file they are kept in, the boards of THIS WEEK and  COMING UP that flank the stage…. I love those. Sharon’s piano, Rev. Cool’s big head, Woody Guthrie big as life, the crows nest with chairs that always ruined your pants, the creaky floor….. I love it all.  It’s home.

I love it that I could stand inches away from a guitar player and watch every pedal being used, read every note and setlist they had on the floor and feel the breeze come out of their amps. It’s magic and church and love and sex one song at a time.  I can truly say I have had a religious experience there many times over, especially with the Buffalo Killers. Those shows were every bit as Pentecostal as any alter call I experienced as a child raised in the church. The stained glass windows were no accident if you ask me!

 

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

Steven Gullett

November 30th is the last show at Canal Street Tavern. I worked there for 10 years and played onstage in 7 different bands, I grew up in that bar. It will always be a major part of who I am as a person musically and otherwise. I hope it gets a great sendoff. Thanks for everything Mick.

 

Angelle Haney Gullett

I knew about Canal Street as soon as I was old enough to read. The weekly ad in the newspaper seemed like a window into a rarefied and exotic world where people made lives around the most important thing in the world – music. I used to clip those ads, even though I didn’t know any of the bands, and paste them into a scrap book. It was the world I desperately wanted to be a part of.

When I was in grade school, my friend’s mom was a jazz and blues artist. I thought Sharon Lane was just about the most glamorous, amazing woman I had ever seen, and she worked at Canal Street Tavern.

When I finally got my job at Canal Street, I was neither glamorous nor amazing. I was 19, an unemployed high school drop out, and scared beyond belief because I had no idea what I was going to do with my life.

Canal Street Tavern had all my answers, even if I didn’t know it.

I watched my friends enter, lose, and eventually win the Dayton Band Playoffs. I got my high heels stuck in those hundred-year-old floorboards. I learned how to say no. I learned how to say yes. I met the man who would become my husband and the people who are my lifelong friends. I made the decision to get my GED. I started college. I waited tables, worked the day bar, remembered people by the drinks they ordered and saw hands-down the greatest live music of my entire life, night after night.

And I mean, I saw everything. Because Mick booked live, original music six nights a week, I found myself listening to everything from folk to alt-country to zydeco to Hawiaan slack-key guitar, all against the never-ending thrum of local punk, metal, and rock n’ roll. I only worked there for three years, but I kept coming back to see music, several nights a week, until I finally moved away. When I wanted to make my first movie, of course it was about Canal Street’s Musician’s Co-Op and how special it was.

Today, I live, work and see music in Los Angeles. I would like to say that I didn’t know how special Canal Street, and by extension the Dayton music scene was until I got away, but that would be a lie.

It was obvious to me that I was part of something very special the first time I stepped through those doors. I knew that bands like Iodine and Braniac and Shrug and Real Lulu and The Mystery Addicts were giving me the best nights of my life, even as it was happening.

And I owe that to Mick Montgomery, who always allowed 18 year olds in, because that’s the age when music matters to you so much you can’t survive without it. Who never let a blender, a pool table or a television screen through the door. Who always cared about the music first, the bar second, and the business third. Who made it very clear that, even though I was a cocktail waitress, I did not have to take a drunk’s disrespect, and neither did the people on stage.

Mick’s children are all grown now, and like them, I grew up in Canal Street Tavern. It made me who I am. It showed me what was possible, if people cared enough to make it happen. Whatever happens to the building and the bar, that’s a legacy that will grow and live on.

That’s Mick’s gift to all of us. And I will be forever in his debt.

Angelle Haney Gullett
Canal Street Tavern, Class of ‘94

This is for Mick, Sharon, Steven, Jamy, Amy, Heather, Rob, Cates, Stacy, Melissa, Elizabeth, Katy, Liz, Sandra, Doug, and Kimberly.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGkN2pjKGWw’]

REVIEW: Mushroomhead Bring 20 Years of Halloween Havoc to Dayton

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What’s cooler than one of Ohio’s own, Cleveland’s masked men playing doomsday in December last year coming back the following October and playing Halloween night? Dayton was the third to last show on Mushroomhead’s 40 date fall tour with returning vocalist JMann. Though mother-nature brought the rain and winds of fury, postponing several little demons and dragons’ stroll through candy land and once again darkened a few house lights, McGuffy’s House of Rock was packed and celebrating All Hallows Eve under the influence of Mushroomed metal.

Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Pagan New Year, Samhain and the night before All Saints Day. The harvest is over and the winter/darker half of the year begins. The name meaning ‘hallowed’ or ‘holy’ evening has origins in both Christian and Pagan history. To any devout horror or heavy metal fan, the 31st is definitely the scariest day of the year and deserving of all day worship. Even mask-wearing, heavy-breathing, knife wielding, silent fictional slashers deserve their own day too.

Forces of Nature

Forces of Nature

Dayton hometown heros Forces of Nature started the hallowed evening. Last year’s lone Armageddon playing partner to the headliner. Notwithstanding what mother-nature was doing outside. Forces played their patented Pantera meets Slayer mid-pit stomp pounding the piss out of each other sound, ripping open the metal kegger with the face smashing Magnus Lee. Tate Moore’s voice has the devil sandpapering his vocal chords. Since the Apocalypse didn’t happen on schedule last year, they decide to court global danger and play a heavy, angry, defiant song about it with a few guitar licking tastes of Morbid Angel for extra heavenly hierarchal rebellion.

ASOT (As Seen On TV) rips out Udo Dirkschneider’s soft vocals ramming them down Tate’s hoarse, coarse throat, and together they make beautiful music along-side Marc Godsey, Jimmy Rose’s ripping guitar-flesh playing and Johnnie Wallace’s vampiric bass blood wallop. Of course any foursome of metal beasts are lucky to have a fair beauty among them, and the drums are pleasantly hammered by metal matriarch Shannon Godsey. The Godsey’s were also celebrating their 23 year anniversary.

The second showing of local support comes from Dayton’s self-made Moshpits & Lighters creators, In The Cut, led by event marketing mastermind Daniel DeDoncker. Breaking right into Killswitch Engage’s Until the End, they’re each a silent army of one and collectively sold out McGuffy’s with all local talent.

They play a song about all the assholes, particularly the ones out on Halloween doing stupid sh- (present company excluded). Here’s some Hatred Divine. Aaron Noble poured out the power on keys with the black eyes of Alice. He also broke out the skull and bones keyboard decor using two freshly pulled spines courtesy of one ugly motherf-…..  They finish with a fun, fan friendly dip into the 80’s rock power ballad vault singing Separate Ways. There were a few zombies onstage that just happened to be in the band and the night couldn’t end without a cute and innocent love bite amongst monstrous brothers. The end also marked a first time event as DeDoncker stopped mid-song announcing McGuffy’s owner Julia’s birthday.

The Xmembers

The Xmembers

Next up, from the birthplace of the Mushroom, comes the answer of what Quentin Tarantino in a heavy metal band would sound like. The X Members are birthed in musical freedom, bathed in whiskey and bred to destroy. Self-described as a beautiful train wreck of punk, rockabilly, metal, swing and hard rock, they’re greasy, mean and good at it too. Comprised of current and former members of Cleveland talent Pitch Black Forecast, State of Conviction, The Missing, Keratoma and Horror Madonna, they’re equal parts Astro-Creep mixed with Horton Heat.

They opened with the fast, twitching high impact Swinging Neckbreaker. Whether demon alcohol fueled or play acting, singer Elliot Barry does the zombie stagger a bit too realistically. The musical head-bobbing concussion begins with a trip down the devil’s highway burning up the whisky fueled roadster. It’s Quarter To Three and time for some Seltzer’d rockabilly metal and a few hotrod smoking streaks from Ministry with the hard crunch of oiled up bike chains and greasy gears. Ladies, in the sweetest of southern (Cleveland) sincerity, they want to see your special F Hole, and they’re willing to play with hardcore punk speed, serenading with the most mosh friendly tune a bunch of cowboy hat wearing, slick styled, metal hillbillies from up north can play on Halloween, if you’ll be so kind to oblige. Just like Anthrax, they’re startin’ up a posse. Indrid Cold is a hard hitting, bass thump’n return home if Slayer, Buck Cherry and The Black Crowes were born in the same place.
Nothing More (Than a Dream) cruises down the road with a silver skull on the shifter, slick backed hair in the wind and a cigarette smile heading to the Black Flag show. It’s a windmill mosh pit come to life. Antemorten Overdrive cranks out the smoke induced haze with some skeletons from the closet riding shotgun in the Jesus built hotrod. Everyone’s got a Dirty Little Secret, they just choose to scream about theirs turning it into an amped up merry go round of punk chain fisted southern charred horse power.
The X Members are a blood drenched wild-west biker gang movie on stage. From dusk till dawn, they play their mosh pit twang faster than a hole in the wall one night stand in the making can pound down Jager, Jack and Jim and feel coyote ugly in the morning. They were also celebrating their tenth show in ten days with Mushroomhead.
Xfactor1

Xfactor1

Columbus’ XFactor1 is American blue collar passion and intensity with a second to none with do it yourself attitude and an unquenchable desire for success. They open with Break You.  Singer QBall is dressed for the evening in metal surgical scrubs ready for the scalpel and some bloodshed. With a sound combination of Hellyeah, Seether and Shinedown with hints of Staind and Creed, they Bring It On with every show, with deep dark powered background vocals, clean strong lead vocals and a muscle bound hard rock sound stringing the metal carrot at the audience.

The rap rock POD power punch of Parasite could blare over any PA system as a fighter walks toward the octagon. They finish with a classic cover because everyone wants to be like the Rolling Stones and Paint it Black.
Austin based co-headliner One Eyed Doll arrived onstage with the evening’s playful animated playmate, skeleton boned Kimberly Freeman.  She’s your friend to the end, but ‘she’ won’t kill you…yet. Formed in 2007 with Jason ‘Junior’ Sewell on drums, they’ve toured the country playing a unique brand of rock, punk, metal with vaudeville humor and stand up slapstick encompassing an all-around entertaining show. Freeman and Sewell have released five OED records with creepy comedic videos for You’re a Vampire, Envy, Committed and Be My Friend along with a special 90 minute gonzo tour rockumentary on YouTube. Freedman’s been featured as Revolver’s hottest chick in Hard Rock in 2011 and 2012 and is listed in Guitar Player Magazine’s top 20 most extraordinary female guitarists. She also has four solo albums under her name with Sewell producing and is a real life character in the game Adventure Quest Worlds.
One Eyed Doll

One Eyed Doll

Alanis Morissette with the dark side of Smurfette and a twitter of Tinkerbell, Freedman resembles a sweet swirling mixture of what made Babes in Toyland, L7, Courtney Love and the Cycle Sluts from Hell so alluring to kids and enduring to concerned mothers everywhere. With a raw performance style of The Great Kat and voice ranging from high pitched innocent girl next door to loud feminine roar, she’s her own switchblade banshee donning many hats on stage, including a cowboy and the pope. The demented dolls open with Committed. Freeman, the Chelsea grinned painted princess playing the bad seed asylum escapee roaming the empty roads and backwoods churches in search of her sanity. She could be a sideshow freak or a lost child of the corn.

Unbeknownst to many but the few they’re secretly an easy listening, smooth jazz, hip-hop, contemporary Christian, Kenny G inspired band. In fact the next song was covered by Celine Dion and Michael Bolton also appearing on the soundtracks of Titanic, My Little Pony: The Movie and Passion of the Christ. Crowd chants of Hail Satan were acknowledged but not endorsed by Freeman. So in honor of these musical/movie influences they get ‘Dirty’ with the Black Sabbath/Slayer inspired Plumes of Death.
Crowd participation from Dayton, Texas was needed and politely demanded for the next song. They brought out fellow misunderstood friends Michael Myers and some dead guys borrowed from The Walking Dead. Their show and message is all about friendship and just like touring bands and axe murderers, serial killers are people too. “If you take away the voices I’m just like you. I’ll hack you up and bury you in my yard. So why does making friends have to be so very hard?” She led the crowd though the hardcore metal, country twanged Yee-Haw sing along first verse. The second verse conversed about religion as Freeman sported His Holy Eminences’ head gear proclaiming our two choices (you’ll be forced or converted either way) Amen or….Hail Satan (despite the crowd’s heavily biased dark side, only half-heartedly endorsed by Freeman).
They finish as she proclaims her true calling and identity as a dedicated woman of the metal law threatening to arrest anyone (with a show of horns in the air) who wasn’t metal. It was time to Break… the law One Eyed Doll style with slow motion hard ramming speed. She finishes crowd diving, surfing her way back to the merch booth.
Next, the Cleveland masked men return after playing and escaping the Mayan apocalypse to play Halloween celebrating 20 years of shroom-influenced metal. They open playing heavily from XX and XII, going straight in for the keyboard lobe shattering mind hemorrhage and religious confusion playing like dog faced gods. The leeches and the lepers in the crowd start to salivate as the predator stalks its prey preparing to Kill Tomorrow.
We take a mind expanding music tablet trip and get Bwomp’d on history’s leaders and who’s trying to control us. Would we be better with the convicted maniacs in charge, creepy crawling the country forward?  Ever been offered candy by a water drum playing human Borg reindeer? Only on Halloween.
Mushroomhead

Mushroomhead

Mushroomhead count their blessings, being around/fan supported for 20 years and counting. They’re fed up with the status quo and ready to fight and kill for what they believe in. Do you really wanna f- with a band that looks like that tonight? The Sun Doesn’t Rise at all until the past is put behind.

We take a slower ballad like breather as they Save Us from the flawed masterpiece of humanity. There’s only one way, forward.  Inner torment, pain and memories fester inside bleeding your life away, Never Let It Go. Everyone has their own cards to play in life and the inner struggle of good VS evil, right and wrong and what you choose to self-deal.
Everyday life takes its toll on the road, Becoming Cold, missing home. They dedicated The Dream Is Over to lost friend and original guitarist JJ Righteous and called for a pit in his honor.
They encored, changing faces to pumpkin grins and maniacal cut out smiles filling the empty spaces on the floor with some Floyd, proving that every successful band with staying power is Born of Desire.
Forces of Nature photos courtesy of Tom Wilson.
All other photos courtesy of Nikki Forte Design & Photography.

REVIEW: Katz Goes Aces High on Halloween

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Aces High take the stage at Katz (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Aces High take the stage at Katz (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Saturday October 25 the Pre-Halloween bash was going full scare all over Dayton. Katz in Kettering trumped everyone bringing in Aces High, ‘The’ Iron Maiden tribute band playing homage to metal’s scariest and coolest mascot, Edward the Great. The night’s Yankee played British invasion included two, 90- minute sets with a costume contest in between and plenty of grisly ghouls, a major French Kiss and some very lovely iron maidens.

Aces High pulled out familiar classics, crowd favorites and a few vintage tunes. Bathed in the vibrant green illumination of Osiris and eye of Horus, they start the evening’s maiden voyage to Egypt walking the sands of time as the names of ancient hailed deities are whispered through the air, telling us why we have to be a Powerslave and a slave to the power of death. Well, you know what they say, if you’re gonna die…. Die With Your Boots On! We get another nicely sliced Piece of Mind as dawn breaks above the ground. The only escape is air-born on your wings like an eagle, fly as high and touch the sun with Icarus, yeah. 11:58 came early at 10:19 with the glamour, the fortune, the pain. For anyone who doubts the power of Maiden, we’ll show the unbelievers. They’ll go anywhere, even Bavaria Where Eagles Dare.

French Kiss (photo by Mike Ritchie)

French Kiss (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Singer of all things Dianno and Dickinson, Tony Oliver said hello to the crowd and costumed incognito members of ‘French’ Kiss. “The fake Kiss came to see the fake Iron Maiden,” he quipped. We get our first Number of the Beast, walking along-side the doomed Children of the Damned. We skip ahead a few years to the late-eighties and get cultish with old creepy Crowley with the seven deadly sins, seven ways to win, seven holy paths to see Aces High as the first song from Seventh Son begins. Then they return to the beginning, since no one brought their daughter to the slaughter they play the next best thing, the blood red instrumental about Dracula’s home turf. Speaking of old-school Killers, they play another Dianno drenched bloodlust tune.

We take a time warp forward into an Eddie’fied future but before we’re caught in time we have to go back to the golden coast across the seven seas and search for those Wasted Years. You might need a Clairvoyant to find them. Back to killers in the literal sense as we get pseudo Poe’d in the Rue Morgue. Whether it’s the Rue Morgue, Mockingbird Lane or the Whitechapel district, we’re Caught Somewhere In time. Time catches up to even the greatest of legendary man, even Alexander.

As the band rested, the creatures of the night have their moment in the spotlight. A robust personal trainer, some iron maidens, Joker and Batgirl, the Mighty Son of Hercules and his queen, the ‘French’ Kiss, a straight jacket laced zombie and a solo feminine Gene Simmons among others rounded out the party guests. Though French Kiss had the bread and Pierre, crazy’s always in and the insane zombie won the night.

Aces High (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Aces High (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The Book of Revelation opens as the ominous voice of Barry Clayton reads its verses: “Woe to you, oh earth and sea, For the Devil sends the beast with wrath, because he knows the time is short, let him who hath understanding, reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six.” The song partially inspired by Omen II starts its epic intro and iconic scream. Sticking with the beast we are labeled number six by the new number two but we proclaim our freedom as free men, not a Prisoner. We get medieval in Egypt witnessing the swordsman seeking vengeance.  Flash of the Blade is Oliver’s first Maiden song performed on stage. Dario Argento also used it in his 1984 film Phenomena.

The condemned is waiting in his cold cell when the bells begin to chime, at 5 O’clock he’s taken to the gallows pole.  The sands of time run low and he doesn’t have much time. Iced Earth, Cradle of Filth and Machine Head have each taken the walk. Hallowed be their names. Churchill rallies the troops for war, they shall defend their island and fight…everywhere, whatever the cost may be, and never surrender. Aces High lives to play the opener from the legendary Live After Death Tour. After the fighting’s done we head down to Acacia Ave for some well- deserved decadent debauchery.

Aces played an impromptu fan request of Good Times Bad Times before connecting with some Infinite Dreams. Then go straight to Boleskine House for some Sacred Magick rituals to bring about Revelations. Then we hear the most epic song written by metal heads, inspired by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. We’ll never look at birds the same way again. Five minutes later the stage is sprayed in laser light and smoke as the ship sails wayward. The timbers stretch and creak as the captain spins his tale of strange happenings followed by one of the coolest bass lines…ever, from Randy Gaines and the tale goes on and on and on.

We go from a seas tale to the Crimean War and battle back to back with The Trooper. Even the Mighty Son of Hercules and his fair lady worship at the stage of Maiden going crazy for The Wrathchild. The Evil That Men Do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones. So says mighty Caesar. We finish the evening with the iconic show closer of confrontation between Indians and Anglo-Saxons. Run To The Hills, run for your life!

Oliver thanked the crowd for coming as they only do a select amount of shows each year. He thanked the band, Dave McCarty, drummer Brian Harris and guitarist Dan Briley for upgrading/sprucing up the stage design and props and there is… no Iron Maiden tribute without Randy Gaines.  Till next time, scream for me Katz in Kettering, scream for me Katz in Kettering!

 

REVIEW: Club Panama Hosts 8th Annual For Love Of Sonny Juvenile Diabetes Fundraiser.

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On Friday October 4th and Saturday the 5th for the eighth straight year Susie Maynard and Springfield’s Club Panama have held the annual For Love of Sonny benefit show honoring her son that passed away from juvenile diabetes and raising money, awareness, knowledge and community support for disease research. This year’s event brought in over $1,300 which will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Prizes, raffles and auctions were held both nights featuring gift cards from Fazoli’s, Rudy’s Smokehouse, Red Lobster, Roosters, O’Charley’s, Cousin Vinny’s, Golden Corral, Cracker Barrel, Frickers and Olive Garden. Beth’s City Salon and Keg N Kork Liquor also donated prizes along with two chocolate cakes, Jell-O shots and sugar free cupcakes made by Janeen Naugle. This was the only sugar diabetics are able to eat and patrons were invited to try one. Over $150 dollars was also donated by Abby Rowley Execute Director of www.facebook.com/ShadesofPassionandRomance  and www.abbythefunlady.com.

Other popular spirited prizes included a bottle of Crystal Head Vodka and a half gallon of Jagermeister. Two high quality Viking pool sticks were donated by Donnie Propst , a Bud Light cooler/speaker system and homemade candles by Jessica Wallace. Featured auction items included two dream-catchers handmade out of bass/guitar strings by Springfield artist Nan Mitch of Nan’s Daydream Designs. Other contributors included Joel Naugle, Jeremy White, Heidelberg, Bobby Fisher Distributing for the event banner, Tod Panstingle for MC’ing the raffle and auctions and Shaffer Amusement & Vending.

The weekend show featured 12 bands performing an eclectic collection of music from rock, metal, electric acoustic and unplugged with bongos and a standup bass. Local talent included Element of Surprise, TBH (This Blessed Hatred), Fletcher Munson, Blackout Method, National Headcase, Killed By Art, The Defendants, Mothers Onion, Dead Beat, Gathering Mercury, Silver Skull and Abrade The Regal.

 

The Element of Surprise (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The Element of Surprise (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The Element Of Surprise is always a good advantage and handy weapon to have on the battlefield of music and war, but the Union Ohio benefit openers proved a ton of screeching, screaming noise head on can be even more devastating. The four man noise bashers gave the stage its first coat of sweat and dirt of the weekend, giving the crowd a little early evening dose of Regicide-Ragicide followed by Facebook/Reverb track “By Myself.” Singer/guitarist Brett Wheeler crushed boundaries immediately jumping stage into the crowd bringing them closer into their elemental Ssssnakepit.

Troy’s Fletcher Munson has experimented with sound and pitches on their own, paying homage to their audio term, test namesake, also claiming they’ll be the least heavy band of the evening, but…. they DID listen to Bolt Thrower and Suffocation on the way there. Even though they open Penny-less, it’s for a great cause. An empty bottle of gin can lead to broken noses and broken hearts as the ole Ball & Chain explains with a bluesy, jazz, jam band sound, a bit like Social Distortion gone country. Crystal puts on the shades, shimmering like a boozed up recording session between Foo Fighters, Skynyrd and Blues Traveler.  It’s a two guitar onslaught with bass and drums hard but mellow with a few whisky shots of heavy sound. We get an acoustic country twanged hangover with our only friend, the Ragin’ Alcoholic, no coffee just moonshine in the cup.

Springfield sons TBH (This Blessed Hatred) feature 2 bass players for that extra deep throated chord pounding as Chad Whaley’s cement coated throat spreads a heavy shellacking on the crowd. Delivering a darker, angrier Alice in Chains sound accompanied by bassist Jared Hooten’s red haired Erik Rutan appearance and sub guitarist Tim Estep’s finger playing, delivering a double thick wall of thudding sound, they start down the Dark Path with strong bass drags, twisting chords and frantic, frenetic fretwork. The Dead Seed is planted for the next death harvest.  The night got sophisticated with some moody bass and atmospheric Death meets Joe Satriani with some great sax on guitar, along with pummeling tempo with guitar expressionism and experimentation. Think jazz room mosh pits straightening up, taking a breather to enjoy the finer slower parts then moshing again. There’s a murky light in the distance walking through the mist to find safer ground. It’s a 100 fists smashing sound effect with strange Morbid Angel erratic, cathartic notes and alarming effect. Technical playing with an Opeth sound and Rush on metal guitar.

Now for some groove metal from the armpit of the Midwest, National Headcase, Dayton’s answer to a jam band consisting of Mastodon, Down and Red Fang.  Welcome to the Fallout opens with Chris Porter’s spoken word growls encompassing a more frantic, busier Crowbar sound with guitars having the all engines go on full Motorhead charge with freight train riffs. Continuing with Burning at Both Ends from their 2011 demo, it’s Alice in Chains on full prescription adrenaline with guitars that could split and rise up pavement, break out the concrete sledge. They go old-school on Brother’s Keeper playing some gasoline guzzling bearded brutality with a shovel headed kill beat. NHC is a drunken fist fight over the last beer music. Oracle lets the industrial hammer pummeling begin with stage shaking corrosion, finishing with the circling Vultures ready for the blitzkrieg swoop and devour scavenger hunt.

Mike Defendent (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Mike Defendant (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Another of Springfield’s pride and joy, Blackout Method came out swinging with some cool hard rock/metal covers with plenty of Rage, ready to kill diabetes in the name of Sonny and everyone else fighting for a cure and ready to throw down and Break Stuff to prove it. They got the crowd up and dancing to some sweet angst and Sugar courtesy of the System. After giving the crowd a nice Shinedown, we get Face to the Floor with Chevelle finishing off the Rage with the Bulls on Parade.

Friday’s headliners Killed By Art finished the late evening, early morning marathon. All they Ever Wanted was to make you happy. History proves, it repeats itself, so learn from it. Karma comes around for everyone so make it good. They played one of singer Kim Weiss’s favorites, One Last Bomb with its tribal Congo beat continuing into Roots’s swampy guitar groove. KBA also played new tunes Trouble and Dark Hero finishing up playing the numbers game with Clutch.

Saturday’s show started with Mike Defendant, the guitar playing, singing rebellious half of acoustic hardcore punk duo The Defendants. Defendant brings a one man acoustic jam to the stage playing the strings with more force and power than the instrument was built for. He plays Broken Mirrors about the evils and issues of government regulation carrying a street musician cred singing some solo social commentary. Kick the government when they’re down! He drives to speak the truth like his protest artist hero’s before him like a new age old-school throwback to the 60’s musical revolution. He threatened to pull a ‘GG Allin’ to close the show but there were youths in the crowd.  He sings a sad song about a girl that tried to go to LA to see the Ramones but never got there, damn hooded hoodlums.

Gathering Mercury (photo courtesy of Mike Stacey)

Gathering Mercury (photo courtesy of Mike Stacey)

Dayton’s Gathering Mercury played its first full band acoustic set with new bassist Jack Green on the standup along with two acoustics, two bongos and a stomp box. Giving listeners’ eardrums another cool dose of unplugged as I Give opens with Miss Stacey’s sweet husky voice, becoming the hard acoustic riffed Fixation of everyone there. Softer strung Give in to Me was followed by new tune Aamona and Bliss. They Break us out of the mercury trance finishing with final new tune Carousel.

The second night of metal begins with the unique chill of winters early embrace and the echoes of the forest seeping from Mena Popp’s keyboard. Franklin’s Deadbeat is a mixture of loud screaming metal, keyboard metaphor/ambiance and some sinister killer lyrics about the dark fantasies that some people have but would never ever do. Smoke poured with the creepy keyboard notes as Deadbeat needs to be seen to be Believed. Singer/guitarist Scott Wilson has a strong Randy Blythe inspired fury and focus, ferociously growling/screaming lyrics with a wide-eyed pissed off enthusiasm. Popp’s hands glide over the keys casting spells through the speakers taking listeners to the darkest parts of the forest for a special bonfire witches dance on the Sabbat. Sawed Off will make you laugh, cry and make your insides feel all fuzzy, right before they’re removed with a body truck chug pace. You’ll be ripped limb from limb with raged cruelty, body parts sawed off in your face with a masochist’s war cry. The blood reign continues with a short tribute to Slayer/Jeff Hanneman (RIP) as the blood rains down so bow your head and bang in reflection and respect as the keyboard growls. ‘Your Head is Mine’ yells Wilson with an evil grin as he prepares to unleash Daddy’s Little Psycho. Hell hath no fury like daddy’s little girl slightly agitated stalking in the woods with a stained pick axe surrounded by Euro horror movie music by Popp. I Murder rings out the basement psycho warning alarm before the lotion can be applied or hacksaw meets face. They finish with the thrash march of the walking dead on keyboards and the New Born King.

Englewood’s Mothers Onion is an eye watering cool collection of covers and originals. They break out the STP applying some elbow grease and Vasoline in case anyone in the crowd was getting Cumbersome. They peel out an original about The Night the Rain Came then pay homage to Bon Scott with some Springfield deeds done dirt cheap. They’re Never Gonna Stop raising money in Sonny’s name cranking out some Zombie then take a ride with Dr. Feelgood before drawing the Ace of Spades, but that’s the way they like it baby and don’t forget a jack and coke for Lemmy. Time for another original about all those Things You Say then pour some Gasoline on the guitar, Voodoo Chile style with Jimi. They leave us with a hard Godsmack to the face the Rocky Mountain Way.
Silver Skull (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Silver Skull (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Now one of the weekend’s highlights, with over 300 shows already under their bullet belts and a combined age of 33, the brothers Endres: 19 year old guitarist Josh and 14 year old drummer Justin of Silver Skull took the Panama stage as their own playing a solid, mystifying blend of black metal tinged with thrash and speed. No need for bass, Josh makes most of those sounds come out of his guitar with a deep, guttural, speaker vibrating feel while Justin plays the kit like a human mosh pit with Bonham strength and Peter Criss presentation. The crowd rose, edging closer watching the awe inspiring duo tear up the stage. With faces painted shiny bone pale, they’ve taken corpse paint to its most decayed form. Justin stands as the eerie intro plays raising horns praising Dimebag, Dio, Steele, Schlundiner, Hanneman and all metal gods that have passed on to the big stage in the sky. Josh pulls no punches opening with pure in your face Annihilation, the speakers and our eardrums are already Suffering but smiling. Straight from the netherworld’s depths comes the Hellbound Hate into the delicately brutal beginning of Destruction before the killer chugging and unholy spirit trapped in chains screeching/growling begins. If Slayer spilled the blood, Silver Skull Spread The Blood with crimson noise gushing from the guitar as Justin symbolically gives ceremonial blood rites. Josh gives the hair one more air windmill whiplash playing a solo straight to the Immortal gods of dark metal. Heavily influenced by Chimaira, they’re a two man, arena band that’s opened for Overkill, Obituary, Sepultura, Death Angel and Soulfly among many others. Destined for guitar god mastery status and drummer of the year/decade The Endres brothers are both experienced and professional at a very young age, if you book them, they will come.

The weekend for Sonny finishes with Springfield’s Abrade the Regal thrashing it out with some early Sunday morning loud grunge draining the last bits of predawn energy Club Panama had left. They took to the crowd, standing on tables, wailing on guitar in true rock star fashion cranking out Release, Erase and the dirt pit riffing of Nothing to Say. You can’t Walk Away from its soft tender notes/rocking melody without remembering it. For the eighth straight year Club Panama, all performing bands and benefit participants have Screamed at the World to help fight JD and find a cure. Their spirit and will Can’t Be Broken, and Sonny, they’ll continue the Fight for You.
Gathering Mercury pic courtesy of Mike Stacy.

‘The Spark’ Ignites Kevin Heider

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‘Patience is a virtue’

The quote above is more than just a phrase.  It’s something that most of us try to live by.  It is hard to patient.

Remember when you were a kid, and it was Christmas Eve?!  You placed a couple of chocolate chip cookies on a plate, along with a half-filled glass of milk on a table near the Christmas tree.  The sweet treat was for the jolly man who would shimmy down the chimney and drop off presents for you and your family.  Your mom and dad would tell you to head to bed, and you would just lay there-wondering when he would arrive.  Late in the evening, you would tip-toe down towards the tree just to see if Santa arrived earlier.

How about going for a job interview, and being told that you will be called within a couple of days.  This is the job that you have been waiting for since you can remember.  All the time you stayed in, studying your craft when you could have been out and about.  Putting in the extra work to make sure that when your name is called on, you were going to be ready to roll.  Now you have met with the one person that will make or break this dream.  Days feel like years.

It’s those moments in our lives that make having patience extremely difficult.  I will admit-I have struggles with being patient sometimes. When it comes to one of my favorite bands releasing new music, I can’t wait to get my hands on it.  It happens to all of us at one time or another.  You get excited.  You can’t wait to see what will happen.  However, we have to understand and come to grips with that whatever is supposed to happen will happen.  We have to remain calm and cool and the endgame will be worth it.

 This was the mindset that Kevin Heider had to have when he was courting his wife.  “It took me four years to have go on a date with me.    (Laughing) Four years!” Heider says to me during our sit down together recently at Ghostlight Coffee on Wayne Avenue.  “She didn’t think  that we could work, and she was coming off from a relationship.  I just had to wait.” Heider would make subtle comments along the way,  making playful remarks from time to time, mentioning that they are perfect for each other.  Heider was never pushy, though.  He knew that  patience was in order.  So after four years of waiting and wishing, the day finally came.  Heider finally got that date and the rest is now  history.

Kevin Heider is a hometown boy that is starting to get his feet back on the pavement here in town after recently living in the  Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area for a couple of years.  For the past few years, Heider has been traveling the United States, playing music full-time.  It was living in this area where he would meet the future Mrs. Heider.  As much as he enjoyed living in the area, the Dayton area just calling him back.  So Heider came home for the holidays.  The move back home quickly became a no-brainer for Heider and his new bride agreed.  “I always loved this city”, Heider says he slipped on his cup of coffee.  “It would take me over an hour just to meet up with friends who weren’t far away from me.  It was nice for a while, but I really wanted to get back home.  When we came to see my folks, my wife feel in love with the city also.”

Heider recently released his newest double album, The Spark back in March of this year.  His first album To Whom It May Concern was released in 2009.  The acoustic piano album provides a warm, heartfelt view of the world in his eyes.  The following year The Salzburg Revolution came out.  This album started to feature what is now Heider’s indie rock/folk sound.  In 2011, Ready, Set, Become… dove into the good and bad that is involved with families.

Recorded in Innovation Studios in Steubenville, Ohio, The Spark is the biggest album that Heider has done to date.  He dives into the human spirit, with the first half of the album diving into the dark side of a person who is dealing with some dark undertones.  ‘St. Brigit’s Fire’ is a fantastic Irish drinking song that should be added to all pubs around the United States.  One of the most powerful songs in the first half of the album is the bonus track ‘The Spark (A Reprise for the Folks in Newtown)’.  “I was in the studio when it all was unfolding”, Heider talked about when describing the unfortunate events that took place in Sandy Hook.  “I was like everyone else I am sure-completely horrified with what was unfolding.  So I went into the recording area and just starting playing.  I didn’t think much of it while I was recording it, but it turned out wonderful.”

The second half dives into the individual having a ‘spark’ fire up inside them, and finds the beauty and love in the world.  Some of the songs are actually pretty personable to Heider, for they are footprints from his life.  ‘Lonely In St. Louis’ starts with an acoustic guitar then builds to a crushing rush of guitars and organ play as Heider talks about not wanting to wait to see his love.  ‘Girl from Frederick’ explains his wife and his first date.  The French horn and mandolin add a beauty to the song that is written and ready to be placed in a romantic comedy.  Overall, the album is blistering with full-fledged folk rock to be sure to make everyone who enjoys national acts like The Lumineers and Phillip Phillips will for sure dive into The Spark with pure enjoyment.

Kevin Heider is about to embark the road again after getting married and settling in back home in Dayton.  Has I have learned from talking with Heider, and hearing about being on the road, meeting his wife and waiting for her to go on that first date-he’s not afraid of being patient.

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2013 Dayton Music Fest: 5 Bands To Checkout During The Weekend’s Event

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In 2004, the Dayton music scene was comprised of tremendous acts playing all around the town each and other night.  Problem was there were folks who lived in town that still didn’t know just how good the music was here.  Dan Clayton, Andy Ingram, and Shawn Johnson went to work and they wanted to showcase the extravagant talent in a unique way.  Thus the Dayton Music Fest was started.  Going in its 9th year now, Dayton Music Fest is now in the hands of Dayton’s own Don Thrasher and Kyle Melton.  The two have assembled 32 acts ready to perform in various locations throughout Dayton for Friday and Saturday night.  Each set will undoubtedly give the crowds that fill the venues a diverse collection of talent that shines brighter than most cities.  Here are 5 bands you need to check out.  For some, these acts are staples.  For others that haven’t seen these acts-you are in for a treat.

Noah + The Rescue Radio

 

Outstanding blues guitarist Noah Wotherspoon has built quite the resume, developing a following all around the world with his performances.  He also has opened for Leon Russell, Latimore, and Boz Scaggs.  Wotherspoon has multiple appearances at the Chicago Blues Festival, The Blues Masters at the Crossroads Festival in Salina, Kansas.  He has now expanded his mastery of blues and has added Tom Rastikas on bass and Josh Johnson on drums to make up Noah + The Rescue Radio.  The band’s lo-fi sound will feature influence from ’60s British pop/rock along with Wotherspoon’s signature guitar play.  Noah + The Rescue Radio will be performing at Canal Street Tavern, which will suit the band’s style just perfectly.  Showtime is tonight at 11.

 

 

 

 

 Tim Pritchard & The Boxcar Suite

 

Tim Pritchard and the Boxcar Suite’s shows are a music lovers dream.  Their jangly sound present a little bit for everyone.  Fans of  country and fans of rock will come together in unison with the incredible guitar play from Pritchard himself, along with Tony Moore  and bassist Phil Caviness.  The lyrics of the songs according to the band are ‘bittersweet and beyond’.  You can see and hear for  yourselves at Canal Street Tavern Saturday night at 10:30pm.

 

 

 

Red Hot Rebellion

 For those who to catch a set from a group that are low-key, chilled out-you aren’t going to find it with Red Hot Rebellion.  You are not  going to get anywhere near that.  You will be witness to a band that play at a frenzied pace, with no know having their shirts dry.  This  punk/metal hybrid, Ramones influenced band will be thrashing the stage, giving the audience all the more reason to rise up and let  their hair down.  For the faint of heart-you may want to stay away.  For those who want to rock-get yourself down to Blind Bob’s on  Saturday night.  Showtime is at 10:30.  

 

 

Meghna & The Majority

We can’t forget the ladies that will be highlighted during the Dayton Music Fest.  Meghna & The Majority’s sets have included mind-  blowing renditions of Adele’s Skyfall and Florence and the Machine’s Dog Days Are Over.  Don’t be fooled, however.  The band will  also play originals that will be infused with jazz, country, and folk.  Meghna’s lyrics dive into her relationships from the present and  the past, good and bad.  Each lyric sung oozes bluesy tones.  Meghna & The Majority is perfect for all ages to sit back and enjoy.  Catch  them 1pm Saturday afternoon at the Midwest Outdoor Experience.

 

 

TEAM VOID

TEAM VOID has recently released their second album ‘Robot Killer’, which is full of their vintage, surf rock sound.  These Luchador-  mask wearing quarter are simply a pleasure to listen to.  Nothing but instrumental play, expect to be dazzled with an onslaught of  seamless guitar play and superb horn play.  TEAM VOID will be nothing like you have ever seen.  The masks will unquestionably  throw off newcomers to the band, but will quickly forget it once you start to hear the band play.  The band will be closing out the  night at Oregon Express on Saturday around midnight.  Perfect timing for their set.

 

Admission for all the shows is $10, and $5 for any one venue.  For more info, click onto www.daytonmusicfest.com.

Club Panama Rocks for 7th Annual Juvenile Diabetes Benefit

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1231613_10200677179353441_1470829809_nFor seven years Club Panama owner Susie Maynard has held the For Love of Sonny Rock 4 A Cure, a juvenile diabetes fundraiser to raise awareness, educate and honor her son who passed away in 2004 from the disease. Maynard has owned the club for over 25 years, giving several area bands their start including ShovelHead, National Headcase, Devium and Mother’s Onion. In 1994 she was dubbed The Mother Of All Rock by the Springfield News & Sun. Panama was also one of the only clubs at the time to give original local metal bands a shot.

The club has received several awards from the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Over 3 million people die annually from the disease and it’s the leading cause of kidney failure, blindness, amputations, and a major factor in heart attacks and strokes, among other conditions. It’s a physically debilitating disease and no cure has been found.

On Friday October 4th and Saturday the 5th, 12 bands from Dayton and Springfield will volunteer their time and talent to help support the cause. Friday’s lineup includes Element of Surprise, Fletcher Munson, Blackout Method, TBH (This Blessed Hatred), National Headcase and Killed By Art. Saturday’s showcase features The Defendants, Mothers Onion, Dead Beat, Gathering Mercury, Silver Skull and Abrade The Regal. There will be raffles, auctions and drawings both nights. Both shows start at 8:00pm with a $5 cover. Club Panama is located at 951 James Street, Springfield OH 45503.

REVIEW: Curse of Cassandra, Evil Eye Gypsy, One Day Steady Rock McGuffys

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Saturday the 14th, the day captured in comedic horror parody in the early 80’s, brought the locals to the McGuffy’s stage and one extended Cincinnati local to play a unique variety show of inspirational/experimental tunes. Instead of the oft-accustomed loud thrash head-banging and mosh pits, the audience got some hot club swinging electronica, some southern rock n blues and some quirky-edged modern rock.

Curse of Cassandra (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Curse of Cassandra (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Opening the show was the new, new-wave dark ambient foursome Curse of Cassandra, electronic gothic rock with haunting vocals and enticing dance beats weaving songs from the synth, drums and keys about obsessive dominating relationships strung whip tight. Formed earlier this year, they’ve already gained considerable attention coming in second place garnering over 500 votes in the June’s featured band/artist of the month contest on Music Connection Dayton. C.O.C., not to be confused with Corrosion of Conformity, is a nostalgically fresh wave of dance floor domination and deviation harkening back to the downtown Goth/industrial era mecca of the 1470, Asylum, Foundry heyday. Their musical muse brings back black nailed, opaque memories of dancing in euphoric bliss till dawn then retiring to your sheeted coffin or rafter. In Greek mythology, the beautiful Cassandra was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo but after refusing his seduction, he cursed her so that no one would believe her predictions, a female Nostradamus of sorts.

They open the dance floor metaphor with the cold sweetened pain pricks of the Pins and Needles. Asher Black plays the first longing notes calling out to sweet, sweet Aurora, her soft daybreak eyes sparkle with twilight bringing the sun behind her. The classy burlesque clad tattooed Alexis Machine straddles the mic like a personal plaything, fondling its cold rail as she sings a low lunged serenade of Satiation. Electra’s Complex gives a hard boot-licking smash on keyboards so we can feel the deep, dirty throbbing moan of the bass. Alexis prances the stage playing nice on some tunes then getting right in the faces of her hordes of willing subservient followers. Their performance could be described as a husky voiced, musical striptease of sound encasing the cold fanged embrace of midnight and the warm slumber of dawn.  We’re immersed in the mysterious presence of the Unknown Woman as we watch her Stardance with a heavy bass groove down the rainy streets of London after midnight. You Complete Me’s robotic heaviness accompanies its techno, Goth, industrial brethren creating landscapes of all night bliss and lyrically obsessive romances.

Everytime I Feel Alone is a slow moving slice and dice of the heart with a wet butcher knife stained with some NIN self-loathing and disdained hope. Alexis pulls out some Maria Brink making it her moment under the smoky spotlight in her lounge singing salute. Dead of Night brings out the slinking serpent tongued Arabian delight reminiscent of The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove. Next we enter into a heavy breathing Binding relationship as Cassandra offers us an addicting taste of the whip and the accompanying pain, pleasure and ecstasy found within.  Miss Machine compliments her eurythmic presence with the vocal aura of Grace Slick, Jem, Christa Belle and Siouxsie spreading the curse for the rest of her banshees.

Evil Eye Gypsy (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Evil Eye Gypsy (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Next Dayton’s Evil Eye Gypsy protects us from the Maloik bringing its seven members onstage for its fifth trip to the house of rock. EEG resembles a family more than a band with three guitars, bass, drums, five guys, two women, four microphones, tambourines, morocco shakers and a good ole fashioned thunder-stick for effect. They play a unique version of psychedelic blues, alternative, hard rock and folk music. It’s Skynyrd meets Fleetwood Mac with some Credence in the Clearwater for this funky, southern prairie jamboree revival. They play the musical gospel that makes the body move.

Bitter Comedy plays like a surreal desert trip acid nightmare driving down the long dehydrated highways of discarded dreams hoping to meet the sun face to face as beautiful haunting voices remind you of your past life. All I Had to Say breaks out the lyrical attitude alongside some journeyman blues. Mojave’s introduction leaves us deserted, dry and stranded staggering in the sand under a scorching sun in a barren Pink Floyd landscape. Two minutes until the end we delve further and further in letting the desert plains tell us its deepest secrets and memories.

They played a nice lullaby to the tune of War Pigs possibly opening the first ever ‘dance pit’ for worshipping the Sabbath.  Playing three tunes off the Dirt Roads CD and a few new unreleased tracks they gave us something to look forward to hearing. Their music is available for free download on www.evileyegypsy.com.

One Day Steady (photo by Mike Ritchie)

One Day Steady (photo by Mike Ritchie)

From Cincinnati One Day Steady (we’re only the same for one day) starts Slurred and ready with an alternative, modern rock sound rocking the cradle with some punk tasting rockabilly and a 50’s greaser throwback style. The Dave Song’s a weird mixture of Dave Matthews and the Traveling Wilburys hanging out on the right side of the tracks waiting for the train to flatten pennies. They played a collection of new unreleased tunes and a heart breaking cover of Cold Hard Bitch. They Drove Through has a nice surprising Sabbath-like end breakdown and unique lyrical inspiration coming from rhythm guitarist/vocalist Ryan Peters bizarre dream of helping a stranger get revenge on their boss, then waking up and writing the song in three minutes.  Break Break’s a twangy, stringy breakup dance after an impassioned phone message. Just over a year old, the band’s earliest roots begin in 2008 with a band called Drop From the Top. In 2010 what would become ODS was formed, and they’ve already played with a list of accomplished musicians in the Cincinnati and Cleveland scenes and are ready to go anyplace, anywhere.

REVIEW: SITH, Horlet, King Stench, Zuel Bang Heads on Friday the 13th

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Horlet (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Horlet (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Friday the 13th has been associated with many bad things for a long time. Historically, theories suggest the combination of two superstitions claiming 13 as an unlucky number and Friday as an unlucky day are partially responsible for its original bad reputation. In numerology 12 stands for divine organized arrangements and completion (12 months, 12 hours of the clock). 13 is thought of as irregular, offsetting the pattern. There’s also a superstition possibly derived from the Last Supper that having 13 guests at the table meant the death of one, and Friday was the day of the crucifixion. Historical references are almost non-existent before the 1907 novel Friday, the Thirteenth where a shady broker takes advantage of the superstition creating a panic on Wall Street. There’s also a fear of Friday the 13th called friggatriskaidekaphobia, if you can pronounce it.

The most popular version of Friday the 13th aka ‘Jason Day’ began at the dawn of the early 80’s slasher era, introducing the world to one of the longest running film franchises in history, the creepy effect of two whispered one syllable sounds and the craziest mother since Norma Bates. According to some die hard horror fans, Friday the 13thshould be a national holiday worldwide and with a proven track record that nothing goes better with horror than heavy metal, a metal show on Friday the 13th is a machete to the head no-brainer.

SITH, Horlet, King Stench and Zuel fit the blood soaked bill delivering loud, killer performances providing the music for any screaming chase scene.

Shadows in the Hourglass take the stage at Blind Bobs opening with the eerie ambient trance of bass and drums. Zack Ryan plays bass like a lead guitar with effects pedals making it the center of attention and conversation, his fingers spelling out the intelligent intricacies of the strings.  Cliff Burton would be proud.  The Lovecraft-inspired Behind the Veil of Sleep is a high neck, frantic sounding interpretation of an MMA fighters walk to the cage.  Illusions of Serenity pour schizophrenic sweat down the face of a deep dark jagged cliff starring into the dark mirror of water below. Ryan turns his bass into a dark voiced reverberation of a tortured soul’s inner turmoil as drummer Travis Abling hits the skins providing the musical canvas for the two man tapestry of sound. They finish with namesake SITH, as Ryan plays the dark lord on bass.

Death metal lovers of Egypt, Horlet play next, promoting their new CD The Keys of Life and Death. Starting with the musical pile-driver Wings of Ariel, we walk through the hallowed Halls of Amenti. We’re Taken to a place where Iron Maiden and Amon Amarth coexist on the same stage at the same time. Next is the potential ‘CD single’ and hit Annabelle’s Curse, which might conjure up visions of evil but has nothing to do with raggedy dolls. We get a warning From the Clouds then they finish with their own special heretic anthem Children of the Light.  The band played as loud as Allen D. McCowan’s neon green bass strings.

Zuel (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Zuel (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The stench has arrived, worse than any bottom of the lake drowned body or stalking masked corpse. King Stench has come with their working class black/death metal legions. Hell Gates open with the hellacious blast beats of the hammering Eric Barnes with Slayer solos bringing the crowd up front and necks rapidly mobile. They deliver the electro shocks, shrieking notes of False Prophets and the down in the dirt on the knees riffs of Fight. They unleash the army of hungry, fanged mongrels on Hell Hounds. Visions of Death bring the violence of the battlefield to the stage. They finish with a Behemoth sized cover of Ov Fire in the Void.

Intelligent, instrumental thrash and pound masters Zuel headline starting with the neck power-bombing Facemelter giving out fast secondary beatings with the grunting, thudding concrete wallop of the S—thammer. Rapture’s heavy mechanic, destructive, industrial sound captures the human panic of a world without mobile technology, texting and computers for a few days. There’s a nice guttural mixture of Godflesh, Meshuggah and Morbid Angel without evil/violent vocal intentions. Though, lyrically silent Zuel showcased a healthy experimentation with the elements of the periodic metal table, finishing with the five minute chug juggernaut Johnny.

REVIEW: Slutfest 2013 at Screamin Willies

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Five Finger Donkey Punch (photo courtesy of Metal Splinter Promotions)

Five Finger Donkey Punch (photo courtesy of Metal Splinter Promotions)

Saturday August 24th marked the third annual local showcase of unsigned talent. Bands from around the state trekked to Columbus to play the coveted Slutfest stage. Though the morality of a musician can be called into question at any time, the local event is promiscuous only in title. Supporting Local Unsigned Talent is the brainchild of Oldschool Promotions’ Aaron Snyder. A current member of Five Finger Donkey Punch and former member of Severed, Snyder organized the all-evening, 12 band, nine and a half hour music fest bringing several genres together under one roof: hard rock, rap/hip-hop and various forms of metal. There was also a charity raffle, won by Oliver Chainsaw Gemmel, for an electric acoustic signed by the bands, a SLUT sign and other memorabilia held for O’Shecky’s staff member David Sheets to help cover medical bills for a kidney transplant.

Tonight was the last show in the venue’s history as Screamin Willies, ending its long 38 years of bringing the best local/regional acts and national artists in rock, metal, country and blues. The building will continue under a new name and management continuing to bring Columbus the best entertainment, including stand-up comedy, rap and hip-hop.

Main sponsors Lost or Forgotten Photography brought their unique art and images to help the show, including stylistic group shots for all performing talent. Bands from Columbus, Dayton, Cleveland, Canton, North Lewisburg and Newark earned their spot after being voted onto the show by fans out of over 200 Ohio bands that entered. This year’s hot SLUTS included Five Finger Donkey Punch, Second Sight, The Factor Project, Destracore, Padded Room, FHSP, Killing Khaos, Infidel, The New Black Jesus, Impending Lies, Cross Solder and Error 504.

To make sure everyone got their money’s worth, as soon as doors opened FFDP started playing a set of cool acoustic covers of the catchiest, recognizable rock tunes and radio friendly hits of today.

Second Sight (photo courtesy of Metal Splinter Promotions)

Second Sight (photo courtesy of Metal Splinter Promotions)

Columbus’ Second Sight started the early evening noise at 5:45pm, dinner time for normal folk, early breakfast call for the all-night partying rockstar. Starting with some serial crunchy guitar riffs, guitarist/vocalist Ben Robinson delivers a sincere Scott Stapp sound without the annoying ‘wharling’ but with a little gnarly snarl. Come Whatever May opens Slutfest. Heaven can’t save them and hell won’t take them but with the gift of the second sight they already knew that. Second Sight play with the ingredients of grunge, employing the darkness of Alice in Chains with angry/aggravated breakdowns and that gritty sound and hunger that takes bands from the basement to the arena.

Newark’s The Factor Project handled the sophomore set with their own self-made brand of rock-poetry fusion blending elements of punk, rock, blues and countless other inspirations. They start Buried Alive in their sound going from the garage rock noise of what Nirvana might’ve sounded like in the beginning to the sunshine punk vibe of a tattooed surfer riding the waves in and coming out a half-eaten brain-dead zombie. The mid-tempo blues burner Ten Thousand Voices messes with the brain.  The Factor Project captures the angst of Cobain, the melancholy moodiness of Tool and the sun drenched water spray of a beach hazard.

Destracore represents for the Dayton scene, bringing their screeching thrash and heavy groove up north to the capitol. The fury of The Beast is unleashed in the Hatebreed yell of belter Mr. Potter. Next the thick stringed, heavy bass groove, melodic Armageddon tale of the Final Act, followed by their loud, fast Reprise. What humbly started in a New Carlisle kitchen has come to the Columbus stage tonight.

From Canton comes the Padded Room, a band with enough hard, heavy groove and energy for an all-night one person mosh pit, slam dancing into the lining of a private cell. Padd Room is made up of five dedicated musicians who found a formula that works for their brand of stage rage, like the Chili Peppers on ‘roids with Fred Durst at the helm. Performing cuts from the Time Tells disc, they play with the soft sentiment of being wrapped in barb wire on the tracks with the train speeding at your face on Cry, Cry, Cry. Steve Chaney creates a unique mixture of growled words and soft spoken sighing with searing inner turmoil. F’n Sick starts with a POD riff and an impressive vocal range between Serj Talkin and Mushroomhead. Then comes the hard crunching meaty guitar/vocal hook of Natural Disasters. The rap, hip hop groovy mosh-friendly Room 3 is a well-organized cathartic blend of rapid revolving influences hitting you hard like a stage-flung body into the pit. They’re new school enough to keep the hip kids coming back and play old school showing respect to their forefathers. Their sound is best described as an unclassifiable guitar chug keg party which may be the best label a band can have.

Killing Khaos (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Killing Khaos (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The tag team rapid fire rapping lyricists F.H.S.P. took over the space, hitting club goers with danceable beats and a different kind of hardcore style showcasing the diversity that Slutfest is known for. They delivered a high energy, sweaty, tattooed performance rivaling the surrounding metal adrenaline around them. Winners of multiple local talent showcases, they open up with H.Y.F.R. Kaine and Regal start the insane amount of rhymes they’re able to spit out before inhaling. They can flow as fast as any ferocious blast beat. The dark cape crusader comes out Eminen style on I’m the Batman. They slow down the vocal speed and make most words audible and get modified, ending with some fast guitar on Power up. They gave respect to the US armed forces welcoming guest mic master J-Rush returning from a tour in Korea adding some extra energy to the ultra-sped up words.

North Lewisburg’s, Killing Khaos bring out the War Inside Your Head. High pitched, high octane yelling connecting like a chilled ice pick to the head, Joe Everhart has some Schuldiner inspired death screeching vocals. Drummer Ben Holtsberry has listened to a few Skipknot records a few times. They get out all the nasty anger and stress the healthy way in the Fight Song. With music played this loud and heavy some emotions are best left unspoken, channeled through the music and released on stage.  A fan was quoted as saying “one small step for a band and one huge step for heavy metal.”

Battle for ROTR alumni Infidel took stage next bringing some of the tunes that got them there including Hanging By a Thread and the dyslexia murder anthem Redrum. They got the first pit of the night but since it was an all ages show, everyone had to play nice. Larry Coake’s pit fighter yell threw him into the crowd, rubbing elbows and banging heads (not literary) with the gang. Playing everywhere they can, their star’s on the rise.

 

The New Black Jesus (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The New Black Jesus (photo by Mike Ritchie)

The New Black Jesus, the sound of urban noise, brought the hard living spirit of the street to the stage. Lazaar Williams brought the sleazy, mean and dirty riffs bringing the spirit of Jimmy with him playing tunes from 2012’s Ghetto Democracy. Think Suicidal Tendencies with Burton C Bell/Chad Gray on vocals.  Over My Dead Body opened its military march pace with guitar battle siren riffs about living the life of access and paying the price. The hungry undead creatures of the night come out for a shotgun blast Dance of the Dead. They bring out the goddamn electric on God Damn Its frenzy filled riffs that make you want to run the other way. The Gangster Soups poured into the dirty bowl, seasoned with meaty guitar gristle and tasty rusty chord crackers. They’ve put in five years playing (H.A.M) Hard as A Mother…and the meat just gets tougher, harder and tastier.

Straight from Cleveland Impending Lies bring a hard rock, melodic sound balancing a sound reminiscent of Disturbed adding background hints and winks of atmospheric industrial Fear Factory noise. James Skrtich’s vocals are a stained mixture of Dramain and Lewis.  Earlier this year When the Lights Burn Out was released, and with a new lineup they’ve hit the road ready to go wherever the gig takes them.  Starting with the lead mic sung/background vocals yelled Scream to Whisper. They make beautiful noise out of the Chaos they bring. Their sound shares musical influence and echoes with Linkin Park and Godsmack. Bringing the only songs truly song, showing that pain, anger, grief, sorrow can be translated through soft spoken lungs as much as guttural growls and screams. The melodic hooks of In Time take you to an almost spiritual place of salvation. It’s no accident their sound is unforgettable. They also gave a big 80’s shout out to Journey performing Separate Ways; the loudest and heaviest it’s probably been performed in Columbus.

Cross Solider (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Cross Solider (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Lancaster Battle for ROTR alumni Cross Soldier played next with top gun looking Chadd Lunn ready to Light Up the Sky with some old school Megadeth meets Metallica vocals and guitar work. Lunn carries the youth and aggression of Mustaine and Hetfield with a hard rock energetic bluesy formula. Playing their own metallic symphony, they bring out new tune Devil’s Eyes then What I believe from their first EP. They played Shameless and the new accompanying video can be seen on Facebook/Reverbnation.

Battle for ROTR winners and ROTR openers Error 504 came on stage around 2am ready to kick ass and show why they earned the coveted Jager spot at Crew Stadium, playing mid-tempo thumper Give it Away, the deep growler Little Red and Devil’s Angel. Unfortunately this wasn’t an all-nighter and the word/long arm of the law came down with last call, making the band’s set unexpectedly short. Though everyone who’s seen them play knows what the 504 can deliver when the spotlights on, the show had to end at the scheduled time but Snyder announced that next year’s Slutfest would be 2 days of performing bands. Check the Slutfest 2014 message board for more info and updates.

Five Finger Donkey Punch and Second Sight photos courtesy of Metal Splinter Promotions. 

CD Review: Citizen’s Brigade Pull Out 13 Shiny Guns

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Columbus’s hard rock, heavy blues playing five-some Citizens Brigade  have unleashed their debut album 13 Shiny Guns. The disc un-holsters 13 shiny new tracks filled with the working man’s ethic: hard earned, hard played blues and influences ranging from Black Sabbath to the Black Crowes. 13 Shiny Guns delivers the boozy blues and hard rock double fist fight of a backwoods brawl behind the woodshed. Troy Bennet’s vocals greet Elvis, Danzig and play Chris Isaak’s wicked game with a rockabilly twang.

The title track shoots off with a harmonica solo into a back-porch juke, jive and jam honky tonk’en on a XXX rated jug of shine. It’s a good ole cow tippin’ tune with an angry anthrax surprise. The Skynyrd-esque “Time Grow” is mid tempo enough to rock on the porch sipping some extra spicy strong ice tea then knocks the taste out of your mouth with a surprise ending sucker punch of thrash and speed. The tank’s a “Quarter Empty,” but there’s still plenty of diesel and gas to set the road on fire. “Noboy’s Cryin’” over you city fool so get back on the porch and mind yo’ damn business.

Memories of you are going 4 Feet Deep after drudging me through the emotional swamp muck and I’m burying the old powerful conjuring’s on a bed of liquid flowers flowing downstream to the currents deepest, darkest resting place.  “In My Mind” opens the page on some early Van Halen in a backwoods, barn rehearsal room mud stomper. “Rock in a Can” shakes with some clankin hard edged influence from Faster Pussy Cat, Black Crowes and Black Sabbath. Speaking of, Kyle Campbell starts “Yeah” with a riff straight out of Tony Iommi’s personal collection.  www.brigadenation.com

CD Review: Horlet Bring the Keys of Life and Death

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Horlet

Horlet

Dayton’s Horlet release their debut album, The Keys of Life and Death, a pulverizing blast of death metal slam-dancing your face into the cold concrete. With 17 tracks including four interludes that violate the ear yet make the brain want to hear more, Horlet takes us to ancient Egypt to hear the voices of the gods. We’re also warned of manmade Armageddon, the ancient curses of unknown dark entities and offered knowledge from the Tablets of Thoth.

87c78e47a6bfeaa8541279e68f2e3f87It’s solid, fast Nile-inspired death metal peppered and sprayed with Iron Maiden guitar soloing, a Norse drinking horn full of Amon Amarth inspiration and lyrics from the mysterious mouth of the Egyptian river. Jason Lyons’ vocals spend most of the album in the high pitch demon screech octave with the occasional morbid growling. He spits the acrid carcass over everything giving Egypt, the desert and the ancient Gods a new coat of fresh decay.

Opener “Wings of Aerial” starts blast beating into a guitar chug Viking metal roar. First instrumental interlude “The Fallen” is an enticing mixture of Middle Eastern keys and notes strummed with sitar, samisen and a string quartet. Then death “From the Clouds” comes with its icy frozen chill of Maiden-esque guitar notes.

The Godsmack sounding acoustic “Whisper of Solitude” melds into the building sheet metal buzz-saw guitar riffs of “So Far Away” with Lyons chewing nails on a mourning poem about a lost love/hate manipulative relationship and the emotional poisoning that’s still alluring. “Annabelle’s Curse” is the crunchy, munchy revenge circle pit tune.

“The Visit” breathes the breath of the gods into the speaker with a techno itch and uncertain feeling bleeding into “Taken” as the robotic godlike cyborg invasion cripples mankind.

“He Who Walks the Sands” allures with its seductive sand dance for the Pharaoh’s enjoyment. Then “Gypsy” pulls a Mercyful Fate riff straight out of hell’s ass.

“Those Who Follow the Kings” majesty march across treacherous dunes to do his bidding and please the will of Shu and Ra.

Horlet is a strong macabre mixture of veteran local talent with Lyons and guitarist Seth Mullins formerly of A Rogue’s Sorrow and Hollow Offering, bassist Allen McGowan of The Keep, Glitch and Cell 13. Guitarist Keith Byerman of Freq and the Jam Bandits and drummer Eric Barnes formerly pounded for The End, Leveled, Trioxin, Dead Broke, Darkness Undying and currently plays for King Stench, The Transylvanian HellHounds and Connection Ground. www.horlet.com.

Special Events Indoors and Out Part of Sept. 6 First Friday in Downtown Dayton

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CACD is one of many locations that will display artwork during First Friday.

Warm up for Urban Nights by attending downtown Dayton’s next First Friday, held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. Art exhibits, live music, dinner and drink specials, retail sales, and special events will be featured at a variety of downtown venues.

A complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday is available on the DDP website. Highlights include:

Internationally known artist Robert Walker will display work at Clash Consignment (521 E. Fifth St.).

The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet for two rides this month at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, (220 N. Patterson Blvd.). The first will ride leaves at 5:30 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m. This month’s route will go through the heart of downtown and tour part of East Dayton.

The Dayton Visual Arts Center (118 N. Jefferson St.) will be exhbiting Music for Teacups: Colagiovanni and Haviland, a selection of video, artist books and original prints by two artists from Athens, Ohio. The gallery will be open until 8 p.m.

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Several restaurants, including Lily’s Bistro pictured here, will offer dining specials and a food truck rally also will be held during First Friday.

Garden Station (509 E. Fourth St.) will be offering an introduction to herbal remedies class at 6 p.m., a compassionate communication workshop at 7 p.m. and live music by Meghna & the Majority at 8 p.m. The Urban Farmer’s Market begins at 5:30 p.m.

The Great Dayton Flood Walk will start at 7 p.m. View vintage photos of the flood, visit buildings that made it through the flood, see high-water marks from 1913 and more. $10 per person. Call 937-274-4749 or email [email protected] for required reservations and meeting location.

Synergy Incubators hosts a food truck rally at 200 S. Jefferson St., featuring many popular local food trucks, music, children’s activities, Hope Foundation Motorcycle Raffle, Inside Out 11M Photobooth and a local artisan marketplace.

The Yellow Cab (700 E. Fourth St.) will feature exhibit “The Art of Music,” with artwork created by musicians and inspired by music. University of Dayton professor Al Carrillo will read his poetry, and an open mic will be available for anyone who wants to perform.

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Steel drummer Joseph Glenn, pictured here with saxophonist Tyrone Martin, will again perform on the street during First Friday.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association and Rev. Cool’s “Around the Fringe” show that airs on Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight on WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more. Download the Find It Downtown mobile search tool for smartphones at http://mobile.downtowndayton.org.