Eric Cassidy, Ward Son, Robert Young, Dan Toohey, Wild Forrest Blakkberri, Dan Raridan
south park tavern
Big Beers gets even Bigger!
A preview to the annual rare beer festival, this time with no ABV cap.
Dayton has a lot of great festivals, but there’s one that stands above the rest in terms of selection of rare beers. Big Beers and Barley Wines, which returns this Saturday, October 1, to the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Roundhouse, is a festival for beer geeks, put on by beer geeks. Organizers work for months in advance with breweries and distributors to cherry pick the line-up of nearly 90 beers, carving out one-off beers, pub exclusives, and limited releases and combining them with vintages of old favorites, beers seeing their festival debut, and beers created exclusively for the event.
This year promises to be the biggest yet. While previous Big Beers have showcased giant barley wines and imperial stouts, those beers were capped at 12% alcohol by volume (ABV) by Ohio law. Not so in 2016—the cap was lifted on August 31st. Mike Schwartz, a founding member of the event team and owner of Ollie’s Place, Belmont Party Supply, and BrewTensils, drove the planning team to think big for this year’s line-up. “Big Beers and Barley Wines’ goal is to bring as many rare beers to the beer connoisseur as possible,” Schwartz explains. “This year with the alcohol cap removed, we have put the emphasis on Big Beers!”
Big Beers and Barley Wines will be the first regional festival to present these huge beers, and Gus Stathes, the main beer buyer for the event (and beer guru at Ollie’s Place) has been like a kid in a candy shop, lining up beers that were not available in Ohio before. “We’ve always focused on securing the most exciting and special beers that we can get our hand on for this festival,” explains Stathes. “This year’s list is more exciting in that without an ABV cap, we have access to a much more broad spectrum of options.” Beers like Hebrew Jewbelation 17 and Deschutes Abyss 2015 are scheduled to see their Ohio festival debut, alongside local and regional giants like Hoppin’ Frog T.O.R.I.S. The Tyrant triple oatmeal imperial stout, Dayton Beer Company’s Midnight Dream Raspberry Imperial Stout and a Evil Twin’s Molotov Heavy, an enormously hoppy triple IPA.
But don’t let the focus on huge beers prevent you from trying those with a more “modest” ABV. Look for cellar projects from Green Flash like Oculus Savage and Nocturna Morta Boysenberry. Quaff Brothers killed it last year with their Orange Melvin and are promising more of the same in 2016. This year, they’ve teamed up with MadTree to create Gus Juice, a Gnarley Brown barrel-aged variant with honey, cocoa nibs and cinnamon named after one of the festival’s organizers. MadTree also has three rarities on the docket under their own name: a brown ale called Ford the Mill, a wild ale named Chamomile Levanto, and a 2015 BA Coffee Axis Mundi.
Want to go even more local? Nearly all of the Miami Valley local brewers will be attending. Warped Wing BA Abominator was a hit last year and returns this year, this time infused with Maple. Toxic’s Barrel Aged Night Ender is also scheduled to make an appearance—a boozy variant on an already deceptively boozy imperial stout. Fig Leaf, which is opening in Middletown the first week in October, will debut their Ponderous Porter—try it at the festival days before you’ll be able to try it at the taproom. And when you’re ready for dessert, seek out Eudora’s Mother Fuggle on chocolate covered bananas—a dessert beer indeed.
What makes the event even better than the fantastic beer line-up is the worthwhile cause it supports. “Not only is Big Beers & Barley Wines the premier craft beer tasting event in the region, 100% of the proceeds benefit the Resident Home Association of Greater Dayton, Inc.,” explains Peter Roll, RHA Executive Director. “Resident Home provides services to people with developmental disabilities where the primary source of funding is Medicaid dollars. Those dollars do not fully meet the needs of the people we serve. Events like Big Beers help us provide for those unmet needs. This helps us buy clothing, pay for uncovered dental services, purchase new eye glasses, pay for leisure activities and other things on our clients’ wish lists.”
Established in 1966 by a group of parents with developmentally disabled children, RHA has expanded to now provide homes, daily living support and services to around 80 adult individuals in the community. Pam Skelly is the event organizer with RHA. She notes that, “Big Beers is near and dear to my heart as it is with so many other participants—Big Beers gives us the chance to enjoy and talk beer with fellow beer geeks.” Skelly also emphasizes how the event funds the RHA wish list: “The RHA wish list helps us to support the hobbies and individual interests of the people we serve. The people we serve derive so much joy from the little things in life—a country concert, a night out for pizza and a movie, jewelry-making parties and so much more; supporting these hobbies and interests is so very important. We could not do any of this without the support of the Dayton beer community.”
The Dayton-based non-profit employs a staff of full- and part-time resources and works with other organizations such as Sinclair Community College and Choices in Community Living to extend their reach into the community. The web of support that RHA provides their clients through their various programs and partnerships gives their clients the assistance to live and work with a high level of autonomy within the community. Roll adds, “When you support Big Beers, you are supporting a very worthy cause and we very much appreciate our patrons.”
All proceeds from the event go to the RHA. This year, Big Beer and Barley Wines Beer Fest will be held inside the Roundhouse at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds on October 1, 2016 from 4 to 8pm.
Early ticket sales have surpassed previous years’ numbers, so the organizers are expecting a possible sellout and they are advising would-be attendees to get tickets as soon as possible. Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the door (if available). Tickets may be purchased at Ollie’s Place, Belmont Party Supply, BrewTensils, 5th Street Wine & Deli, The Barrel House, Bee Gee’s Market, Chappy’s Tap Room, Kings Table, Lucky’s Tap Room, South Park Tavern, Thai 9 and Trolley Stop or on the web at www.bigbeersdayton.com.
Monday Pizza Lovers Deals in Dayton
Pizza is a $30 billion industry in the United States and while Chicago and New York may get a lot of buzz for their pizza, Dayton is right up there for pizza lovers.
Smart Asset compared 137 U.S. cities and determined the top 25 cities for pizza lovers by looking at “factors which would matter most to a true pizza-lover,” according to its website. Dayton ranked 7th in their most recent rankings. Those factors included the cost of living, the number of pizza places per 10,000 residents, the average Yelp score for pizza places, and the percentage of pizza places on Yelp with a rating higher than 4.4.
Approximately three billion pizzas are sold in the United States every year, plus an additional one billion frozen pizzas. Pepperoni is the most popular topping in the United States, found on 1/3 of pizzas. The average American eats 23 pounds of pizza each year.
For Dayton pizza lovers Monday is bargain night -check out these 5 great pizza deals offered every Monday night in the Miami Valley:
1/2 off pizza
Get half off any large deep dish or tavern cut pizza every Monday, dine in only. BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
Monday August 29, 2016 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
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1/2 price pizza Half price all Large & Extra-Large pizzas all day every Monday. You can’t beat that! South Park Tavern
Monday August 29, 2016 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
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Buy one, get one FREE any 12, 14, or 16 Pizza
Carry out only. Pizza Factory
Monday August 29, 2016 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
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Just $6.99 for adults and $1.99 for children 10 and younger gets you
all the pizza, salad, and bread & pretzel bites you can eat. Beavercreek Pizza Dive Monday August 29, 2016 4:30 PM – 08:00 PM
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Our Legendary Pizza’s are 25% OFF every Monday starting at 5pm!
Dine in only! Oregon Express Monday August 29, 2016 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
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The Mitchells: Coming Over To Visit Dayton
Joseph William Mitchell, Marc Aiello, Carlos Mitchell, Nick Mavridoglou-who make up the Cincinnati band The Mitchells-have been in their share of bands. When the foursome joined together to make up the current group, they all vowed that they wanted to make this special. They grew tired and unhappy with making music that they weren’t happy with it. “You just always know where you missed…you were slow on the beat, you didn’t rushed it just to get it to a point that worked. At the end of the day, you have all these albums that you are genuinely are unhappy with,” guitarist and lead singer for The Mitchells’ Joseph Mitchell says. “As a musician, you start to think what I’m leaving behind a legacy. You want something to be proud of.”
The Mitchells released their first EP in November 2012. Earlier that year, the band formed when Joseph and Carlos started developing the desire to expand their sound. Playing around establishments like the classic Arnold’s in the summer, Joseph and Carlos enlisted Mavridoglou and Aiello to join them. Bird Feather was a fantastic introduction to the music scene for The Mitchells -highlighting gorgeous violin and cello play, rich harmonies, soft vocals. It was well- received to the point that the organizers of the annual Bunbury Music Festival and the MidPoint Music Festival added The Mitchells to the lineups in 2013, and the band had a successful Midwest tour.
When the band returned from their tour, there was some talk of rushing and getting another album out. After some discussion amongst the band, they all realized that by speeding up the process and getting something out, it wouldn’t be in the best interest for them. They felt that by releasing it quickly, it wouldn’t be as satisfying. “A lot of times you kind of want to record something to show people what you have. We already had the EP out there. We felt it would be better for the LP to really take our time with it,” Mitchell said.
The Mitchells went on to record the LP in Lebanon at All Nighter Studio, the album’s engineer’s Tommy Cappell and Aiello’s studios. The Mitchells also wanted to release the LP on vinyl, so they spent a significant amount of time doing research on how to have the sound of it be spot-on and perfect. Overall, the freshman LP took The Mitchells over a year to craft. In the end, the band was pleased with how everything came together. “I don’t know if it’s the right way, but for us it was worth it,” Mitchell says.
The Mitchells self-titled album is a beautiful, open piece of work that truly captures the spirit of alluring storytelling, along with irresistible composition. Throughout the album, a flawless weave between classical and indie rock comes alive in the album, and offers a little bit of everything. “Driving In Cars”, the album’s opener, blends pop and roots rock seamlessly with singer/songwriter Caroline Kingsbury offering a softness to it. The eight-plus minute dreamy “Absalom” slows everything down so effortlessly, and gets picked right back up with the rocker “Denmark”. Guitarist virtuoso Noah Wotherspoon adds some grit to “Willie Mays”.
In the meantime, The Mitchells have plans on releasing a book next summer containing the lyrics to the album. Mitchell explained that each song on the album has a specific little story that goes along with the lyrics. They crafted the stories after putting the music together. Once the book is released, the band plans to give it as a gift when someone buys an album. This fall, The Mitchells also plan to release some work with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.
To hear the self-titled album from The Mitchells, and even get a copy of it on the custom marbled vinyl they released it on, go to the band’s Bandcamp site: http://themitchells.bandcamp.com/album/the-mitchells.
The Mitchells will be performing at South Park Tavern on August 16 with Dayton’s own The 1984 Draft and Tender Mercy (Louisville). Doors open at 9pm.
‘On The Way To The Punchline’ Gives Smug Brothers Boost For 2014
When it comes to the Dayton music scene, Kyle Melton and Don Thrasher are in knee deep with their involvement. Along with their daily obligations, the two are currently in the middle of working on setting up this year’s forthcoming Dayton Music Fest. For many, the Dayton Music Fest is a yearly welcome party of sorts, a chance to observe all the bands that perform around town on a nightly and/or weekly basis. For Melton and Thrasher, it’s an opportunity for them to showcase the marvelous talent that continues to grow each and every year. The duo also works closely together on signing talent to Thrasher’s local record label Gas Daddy Go.
It’s no small task to tackle what these two take on, but they wouldn’t have any other way. Melton and Thrasher also make up half of the group Smug Brothers. The band, which got its name from Motel Beds guitarist Darryl Robbins during a recording session, will be releasing On the Way to the Punchline February 25th. Since the inception of the group 10 years ago, On the Way to the Punchline will mark Smug Brothers first time they are physically releasing a full-length album.
On the Way to the Punchline has been in development for over two years now. Starting in the friendly confines of Melton’s basement, Smug Brothers started going to work on the album in the Spring of 2012. Melton, Thrasher, bassist Shaine Sullivan, and guitarist Brian Baker teamed up with Darryl Robbins to record a session. The album was finished and was ready to be released in June/July of 2012.
“We hit a rough patch”, Melton explains when asked about the delay of releasing Punchline. “[Don and I] got tied down with the Music Fest stuff…it just kinda fizzled.” Sullivan at the time had his hands full with his involvement with South Park Tavern and working on purchasing what would become Canal Public House. “In early 2013, we wanted to regroup and let’s get back together. Shaine said that he was going to bow out,” Melton added.
With an opening for a bassist, Thrasher spoke to Larry Evans, who most people would recognize for his contribution to the dazzling local rendition of The Band’s ‘The Last Waltz’. Thrasher learned the Evans was very attracted to the idea of joining up with a band somewhere around town.
“I really wanted to get back into playing while I was between bands, and I really loved Smug Brothers’ previous work”, Evans said during a recent interview. At around the time Sullivan exited the band, Thrasher mentioned to Melton that Evans was interested in joining a band. “I saw Larry at a show in South Park Tavern, and I said that I heard was interested. I asked him if he wanted to be in Smug, and he said yes.”
With the void of Sullivan filled and Evans eager to get rolling, Smug Brothers went back to work and released the EP Strictly Triggers. “Larry brings a lot of enthusiasm, and he is a great fit”, Thrasher explained. One thing you will notice when you listen to Strictly Triggers is the EP’s single ‘We Are Fluid’ is Sullivan’s fuzzed-out play. “It just wouldn’t be the same song without Sullivan playing it”, Melton said.
When you dive into On the Way to the Punchline, you immediately catch the band’s signature sound. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of hearing the band, expect to catch on to Smug Brother’s dreamy mid-fi rock sound. For those who have followed Dayton legends, and indie rock darlings Guided By Voices much, you will quickly catch onto Smug Brothers. The opening track, ‘A Guest Not A Passenger’, starts off with Thrasher getting the drums to move onward to a nice, steady march into the brass guitar riffs. Other gems like the acoustic guitar-driven, breezy ‘Over and Outside’ to the indie rocker ‘A Thing For English’ highlight the bands’ expansion of its sound, much like an artist continues to bring various paints and tools to their palette. Melton’s vocals are soft and welcoming, while Thrasher’s drumming in enthralling and exciting. Don’t sleep on Baker and Evans. Their work on bass and guitar throughout the album and EP Strictly Triggers are attention-grabbing as well. On the Way to the Punchline presents listeners to ability to take a glimpse into the gratifying times of 90s indie rock. And with the album’s songs being tight and short, it keeps the clarity and focus that the band strives for.
The band will be taking part of the inaugural event Cabin Fever, and they be performing at South Park Tavern this Saturday night with The 1984 Draft, Human Cannonball, and The Turkish Delights. Show time is 9pm, with the doors opening at 8pm. $5 cover gets you in the show.
Recap: Big Brews & Blues.. and FOOD !
Drinking craft beers while listening to a regional blues man hum away on his harmonica. What better way to raise money for Diabetes Dayton? The annual Big Brews & Blues event was held last weekend at Carrillon Park and hundreds of attendees enjoyed dozens of craft beers. There were Big Brews, there were Blues, and of course, there was food. We were on hand for another Food Adventure supporting a local charity. Pouring beer in full force were the staff of Dayton Most Metro and Lisa Grigsby with Dayton Dining. Tickets were $30 in advance or $35 at the door. The event went from 5pm – 9pm and each guest received a souvenir beer tasting glass. Full pint tickets were also available for a special price.
The crowd danced and drank. They ate and socialized. They sipped and quipped. So which brews were our favorites? What food items blues.. (ahem) blew us away? All that is coming, but first a summary.
If you didn’t attend Big Brews & Blues…
HERE IS WHAT YOU MISSED:
—Endless samplings of almost 50 craft beers from local and national breweries. A detailed list of the beers may be found HERE.
—Blues acts with roots from Chicago, Tennessee, Detroit, Cincinnati and Columbus. It was an incredible night of good blues music. Groups included Joe and Jack Waters, Them Bones, Johnny Mack & the Heavyweights, and finally Big Joe Blues.
—Food Vendors. This is our thing, so we enjoyed the likes of Brock Masterson Catering, Hickory River Smokehouse, Fressa Food Truck and Kaimelsky’s Food Cart.
— Breweries Represented:
Dayton Beer Company, Yellow Springs Brewery, Valley Vineyards, Weasel Boy, Listermann, Mt Carmel, Rivertown, Christian Morlein, Hoppin Frog, Barley’s, Ohio Brewing Company, Jackie O’s, Great Lakes, Erie Brewing, Thirsty Dog, Triton, Anderson Valley, Hinterland, Fathead’s, Revolution, Two Brothers, Stone Brewing, Brew Kettle Taproom, Bell’s, Southern Tier, Founders, Troegs, Ommegang, Uinta, 21st Amendment, Atwater Brewery, Elevator, Finch’s Beer Company, Anchor Brewing, Kona, Redhook, Shocktop, Widmer Brothers, Goose Island, Boston Beer Co., Leinenkugel, Harpoon, and Ace Premium Hard Ciders.
There were so many good beers and decent food, that we were pressed to pick just one favorite, but here we go…
OUR FAVORITES FROM THE FESTIVAL:
HUNGRY JAX’s FAVORITE BIG BREW: The Sam Adam’s Honey Queen Braggot was her top pick. It is made with 3 types of honey, and had a nice hoppy flavor. They tapped the keg right in front of her, and she was in heaven. It was one of those “Damn, this is good!” moments.
HUNGRY JAX’S FAVORITE FOOD OFFERING: What goes better with beer than a Nathan’s hot dog from Kaimelsky’s Food Cart? This hot dog was topped with spicy mustard, onions and Sriracha sauce. It was worth it.
THE BIG RAGU’s FAVORITE BIG BREW: Whippet Wheat from Thirsty Dog Brewery gets his vote for its crisp taste with touch of banana flavor. It was the first time we had a Thirsty Dog beer on tap since the mid 1990’s. It was like a flashback, so we put on some MC Hammer pants and danced in the tent until security showed up.
THE BIG RAGU’s FAVORITE FOOD OFFERING: Hickory River’s Pulled Pork Sandwich is Ragu’s pick. The slow cooked pork was great, but the real secret was the incredible BBQ sauce. Choices of topping were Sweet, Hot or Mixed sauce on your sandwich. We chose mixed, and that made all the difference.
This was a fun filled night. We poured a few beers for MostMetro. We had delicious crab cakes from Brock Masterson’s catering, and some tasty buffalo chips with blue cheese dip from Fressa Food Truck. We talked at length with the owners and managers of Star City Brewery, which will be opening in the former Peerless Mill site before the end of 2013. Event photographer Sarah Browning, also chatted with us, while snapping a few pics of The Big Ragu.
We even had an ‘America’s Got Talent’ moment, when we were getting our groove on near the stage with the blues band. We even snapped a photo of the lead singer during one of the blues sets. You won’t see that anywhere else, unless they copy our soulful dance moves.
The best part of this event is that it benefits Diabetes Dayton each year. Proceeds from the Big Brews & Blues help uninsured local residents with diabetes. Funds pay for desperately needed supplies. Diabetes Dayton also educates people in the Miami Valley who are suffering from diabetes, as well as paying for summer camp for diabetic children who just want to lead a normal, active life. Thank you to Diabetes Dayton Executive Director Susan McGovern for welcoming us as special guests to this benefit. Canned Soft Drinks and Bottled Water were for sale benefiting the Dougie Apple Tree Memorial Scholarship Fund. Dougie was a local resident, who passed away from diabetes at just 26 years old.
If you missed Big Brews & Blues, make sure you catch it this time next year. Stay tuned to Dayton Most Metro for info! The Big Ragu will be there in 2014, at this Food Adventure for a good cause. It will be another ‘blast in a glass.’ We promise not spill any beer or BBQ sauce on you.
BROWSE THROUGH THE PHOTO ALBUM BELOW FOR ALL THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS of BIG BREWS & BLUES !!
BREWERIES REPRESENTED INCLUDED:
Dayton Beer Company, Yellow Springs Brewery, Valley Vineyards, Weasel Boy, Listermann, Mt Carmel, Rivertown, Christian Morlein, Hoppin Frog, Barley’s, Ohio Brewing Company, Jackie O’s, Great Lakes, Erie Brewing, Thirsty Dog, Triton, Anderson Valley, Hinterland, Fathead’s, Revolution, Two Brothers, Stone Brewing, Brew Kettle Taproom, Bell’s, Southern Tier, Founders, Troegs, Ommegang, Uinta, 21st Amendment, Atwater Brewery, Elevator, Finch’s Beer Company, Anchor Brewing, Kona, Redhook, Shocktop, Widmer Brothers, Goose Island, Boston Beer Co., Leinenkugel, Harpoon, and Ace Premium Hard Ciders.
Want more Food Adventures? “Like” us on Facebook by clicking HERE !
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Team Void: Dayton’s Own Lucha Libre
Before you start to dive into the article, please start the music…
The Mexican culture has various lures to it. From the Meso-American ruins that cover all around the land, the fantastic climate that awaits you at any time, to the rich beauty of the country’s art. Mexico is a true gem to the world that we live in. One of the country’s most unique, interesting, and pleasurable attributes that it brings is the history of the lucha libre.
The lucha libre (aka luchador) is Spanish term for “free fighting” in the wrestling community. The luchador travels all around the countryside getting rid of the crime and corruption that plagued the townspeople. The masked hero would showcase an aerial display of high-flying maneuvers, along with a dazzling display of moves learned from the Greco-Roman wrestling world. In 1942, El Santo (“The Saint”) came to the ring and changed the complexion of the masked fighters. During his career, which spanned over 50 years, El Santo became a huge star in and out of the ring, becoming the symbol of the lucha libres all around Mexico, with several movies and comic books with him as the subject. That appreciation has landed here in Dayton, Ohio with the lucha libre’s of rock and roll Team Void.
Team Void comprises of lead guitarist Louie Bean Lerma (“El Muerto”), bassist El Bean Lerma (“Infinity”), rhythm guitarist Nate Beam (“Cruzado”), Jon Mercier on drums (“Johnny X”), Gregory Hall (“Blaster”) on trumpet and keyboard. Team Void also has a couple of musicians as part of the ‘Lucha Superstars’-Gary King (“Slide”) on trombone, Derek Strouse (“Sandman”) on drums, and on congos Greg Schultz (“La Marmota”). The band’s trademark is the lucha libre masks that they wear while they are playing live. “It’s something that you have to get used to”, Beam mentions. “It takes some time, without question.” El sums it up nicely. “We become part of a role when we wear the mask. It’s fun and exciting.” The masks, along with the meaning behind the band’s name are simple: “We won’t to make sure that we void the problems that cause bands to not last. We want to have a corrupt free style with us”, Louie stated. Seeing the band will throw you off at first, seeing everyone in their character modes, but you quickly adjust. It’s seeing them without the masks that will catch you off guard. “We have had people at our shows not realize that we just played on stage”, Gregory says. “One guy saw me at the bar, and started talking about how the band on stage sounded good. He totally didn’t realize that I was part of the band. So, I just agreed. We find it funny.” No lie-it took me to have a second look also when I first saw the band live.
To understand how the band got together, we have to go back years ago. In the 90s, Louie was heavy involved with the music scene in the Dayton area, being in two bands that are forever engraved in the town’s history. He played in one group The Tasties, and he was in The Amps. The Amps was fronted by The Breeders lead singer, and local native Kim Deal. The band saw some success nationally, opening for Foo Fighters and playing on ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’ show. However, it was directing, and editing that sparked Louie’s interest more. As time went on, Louie met his wife El at Canal Street Tavern. Then, Louie and El met the band throughout the next couple of years. The group of friends started playing music together, and realized that they had something special. When you spend 10 minutes with them its crystal clear of the chemistry. They spoke of the time the band went overseas and played (they have a pretty nice size following over the pond). They joked around about setting up an organ in the headquarters. They spoke highly of the love of Dayton, and how it’s exciting to be seeing the music scene going through rejuvenation.
There is one unique aspect of the band that you don’t see much anywhere is that they don’t have a lead singer on the band. In fact there isn’t any singing on their songs. “We didn’t want to have any singing in our music because we want to have people just enjoy what they are listening to”, explained Louie to me during my meeting with the band. “We felt with the music we were creating, we didn’t want to have one lead person in the band. We want people to just take in the music. By having someone singing, it just distracts you from that.” The band’s first EP, Gone With The Werewolves is a perfect example of how this concept works. Each member brings their own specialty into the mix, presenting a surf rock opus with layers of Mexican influence that simply will stop you at your tracks. The EP also offers the listener sound bites of what appears like they are taken from classic horror films from the 70s. Gone With The Werewolves is utterly mind blowing with the level of detail. The lucha libre vibe appears on each song, especially when you hear the playing of the trumpet and trombone. Listening to the EP, you also feel grateful that there isn’t any singing. It would simply take away from the dance that the band is executing. The EP is a shy under 20 minutes, which only leaves you wanting more.
Currently, Team Void is working on their new album, Robot Killer. The album was intended to be an EP, but the band feels that all the music they are laying down is too good to leave out. “Get ready for this album. It’s going to blow some minds”, Beam glowingly stated to me. After listening to Gone With The Werewolves, I can’t help but agree. To see the band live, you have a couple of times here soon. This Saturday at Omega Music at 6, the band will be performing with Five Year Mission, and Sport Fishing USA. On February 16th at South Park Tavern, Team Void will be hitting the same on the same night with The Madeira. These are two shows that you simply can not miss.
Open Mic Nights – A Musicians Beginning
When I was in college, I thought that it would be cool to fool around, impress the ladies, and pick up the acoustic guitar. Sadly with classes, hanging with friends, and pretty much being lazy-I never learned how to play. I would never give up the guitar, however. I always kept it in its black travel bag and placed it in my closet. Recently-I decided that it’s the right time to unpack the instrument and develop a plan. I will learn how to play, and perform in front of an audience during an open mic night. If you are someone that is like me, and what’s to follow through on an idea, or if you want to start their journey on becoming a musician, open mic nights are a great start. Here in Dayton, there are a couple of great open mic events throughout the week that you can perfect your craft at, and even get your name started.
The first open mic night we will discuss takes us to a small shopping center that is across Wright State University. On Sunday nights at One Eyed Jacks in Fairborn, the RnR Playdate, hosted by Jay Madewell and Todd the Fox is held. Their concept of the open mic is very different than most. For a 25 minute set, you can play with a drummer (Madewell), guitartist (Todd), bassist (Chris Barnett from the local band Mayliner). If you choose to play solo, that’s fine. Between sets, there are five minute comedy sets. My first experience with this open mic night featured seeing what seemed like a reserved, coy woman named Mandy Jewell. She walked up to the podium, and plugged in her guitar. She sat down, took a deep breath, and waited to be introduced. Todd grabbed the microphone and explained to the crowd that Jewell was in the process of having a largely successful Kickstarter campaign that would give the funds to travel to Nashville to record her first professional demo. After hearing this, I couldn’t help but be intrigued to hear her play. What took place for the next 25 minutes was something that I didn’t think I would expect. This tiny framed young lady that seemed to be the person that would be considered a perfect example of being a wallflower proved me and everyone in the crowd otherwise. Her guitar play and singing revealed a woman that has had sadness in her life, and that she is now rising from the wreckage. She is stronger than most would give her. Her voice was like if Mazzy Star decided to morph into someone else’s body. Jewell spoke softly, which only built her charm level up more and more. I can’t wait to see where Mandy takes her music. She is truly a gem that Dayton better be ready for. The whole concept, the performers, the location-RnR Playdate is a great start for anyone that wants to get started in their musical journey. The crowd is very loyal, and will follow you wherever you go.
Our next stop is the South Park Tavern. Every Wednesday night, the fantastic bar that offers some of the best pizza and beer in town also presents their open mic night. This establishment is actually the birthplace of an idea. On a chilled October night in 2011, a young man was sitting at one of the tables with some friends. The group was sitting around catching up on what has been happening with one another. The young man has enjoyed the music that was being played in Dayton, and wanted to show his appreciation by starting a page people could go to and read about his adventures and his accounts of seeing the local shows. He explained this vision to his friends, telling them that we would write reviews on the shows he attended, and hopefully meet some great people along the way. That young man was me. Over a year later, and continuing to move forward with Dayton Most Metro, I can’t begin to express my love to this open mic night.
Starting at 9, each act has 25 minutes to set up and perform. At 11, the stage opens up for any upcoming rock band to come up and perform till the doors close. The tavern on Wednesdays nights also offers up some acts that you would never think would happen. Just a couple of weeks ago, an artist was penciled in to play. The performer was labeled on the schedule as ‘K.D’. What the people who were in attendance didn’t expect was that ‘K.D.’ was no other than The Breeders lead singer and bassist for the Pixies Kim Deal. She performed a solo electric version of “Cannonball” but also another Breeders fan favorite “Fortunately Gone” from 1990’s Pod among others.
Travel over to the great Oregon District, and you will notice that some of the great establishments to run up and down the area also host fantastic open mic nights. On Thursday nights, the Trolley Stop and Blind Bob’s each will give you the forum to come and sing your heart out. Both venues also give you a great intimate crowd that will be looking forward to hearing good music played by you.
So, if you are ready to start embarking on a journey that you have been thinking of going on from some time, you always have to start somewhere. If music is in your blood, and you want to become part of the great group of artists and musicians that call Dayton home, then go to one (or all) of the open mic nights the town offers you. Maybe, just maybe, you will fulfill a lifelong dream of yours. Or if you are like me-you will knock something off the bucket list. Either way-have fun doing it. If you don’t play any instruments, just sing only in the shower, or you just love seeing music, then go and support the people playing at the open mic nights. Show them your appreciation. Who knows-you just may see the next big star to come out of town…
A Summer Groove: Jah Soul and Soul Rebels to perform at South Park Tavern
If you haven’t experienced Jah Soul’s live show, then you owe it to yourself to visit South Park Tavern on Friday night for an evening of great summer jams. The eight members of Jah Soul create a family vibe onstage that’s easily translated to their audience. They combine classic Dayton funk with reggae , soul and even a little disco for a sound that’s super catchy and highly danceable.
Joining them onstage is Soul Rebels, a 5 piece reggae band that mixes lots of jam influences. The result is a nice groove with a highly positive message.
As with most shows at South Park Tavern, this one is all-ages, and these two bands will make for a good listening experience for music fans of all ages. The music starts at 9:30pm.
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Mad Hatter Bar Crawl Takes on Oregon District
Michigan’s New Holland Brewing Company is celebrating their 15th anniversay by hosting their 2nd annual Mad Hatter Bar Crawl this Saturday, June 30th in the Oregon Arts District. Each of the five scheduled bar visits will tap a different style of IPA. Since the first year of New Holland Brewing Company’s existence, “Mad Hatter” India Pale Ale has been a flagship for the brewery. It is the top-selling beer and Gold Medal winner in the 2004 Great American Beer Festival for Strong Pale Ales.
Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite hat to get in the spirit of things! The tour kicks off at 2pm at Thai9, where the White Hatter which brings spice, hops, and fermentation notes together flavorfully and goes great with seafood, fennel, and mushrooms will be the first beer tapped on the tour.
At 3pm the party moves down to Blind Bob’s where the dark malted Black Hatter will be tapped. One reviewer describes the aroma of pine, citrus rind and roasted malt, arising from the glass. Pine and citrus rind dominate the opening of this brew which transitions to a mild dark chocolate roastiness, and then finishes dry with citrus-like bitterness and a touch of roasted malt.
The 4 o’clock hour will bring on an IPA that’s been aged in bourbon barrels- Oak Aged Hatter at Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery. Round, smooth wood character brings a new dimension to dry-hopped, aromatic hoppiness.
As 5pm rolls around it will be time to tap Rye Hatter at Trolley Stop. This beer showcases it’s grain-bill, made up of rye and barley malt. The rye adds a slight spiciness to the caramel-malt base, while also creating a creamy texture. Dry-hopping contributes a fresh citrus finish
The final stop on the tour will present the Belgian-styled Farmhouse Hatter at South Park Tavern! Farmhouse Ales were originally brewed as “Provision Beers” by farmers in Belgium and France, brewed in the winter months to be consumed during hot summer work days. They were traditionally brewed light and refreshing to aid in both hydration and energy. Wheat and Pilsner malts were used to lighten up the body of this Mad Hatter version. It was also fermented hot with a strain of Belgian Saison yeast to develop flavors of green apple, pepper and fresh cut hay.
No reservations or pre-registration is necessary to participate in the Mad Hatter Crawl. Just grab some friends, arrange a designated driver and meet up at Thai9 to kick things off. Or feel free to just show up at one of the other stops!
Show Review: Todd the Fox, Anatomy of Frank, Sam at Eleven at South Park Tavern-May 19th
On Wayne Avenue, just about a couple of miles away from the Oregon District lays South Park Tavern. The tavern was introduced to me when I first started to becoming a Dayton native. The selection of beer and micros that South Park offers is incredible. The taps are always in rotation, which can always make any avid beer fan come back time and time again. Also, the establishment has been labeled by many to have some of the best pizza in the entire Dayton area. What makes South Park so charming, however, is the atmosphere. The people who work there are engaging, and nice. Its no shock to anyone that the people who visit soon become good friends with the staff. Patrons also become friends with each other. They share their thoughts of the beer being served, their world views, and stories about their journey thru life among other topics.
South Park Tavern also hosts music on a regular basis. On May 19th, the tavern hosted two local acts, Todd the Fox, and Sam at Eleven. Anatomy of Frank, originating from the state of Virginia, also performed this night.
First up was Todd the Fox. Alongside Todd during the set was Lisa Bunny, who played on a washboard. Yes-a washboard. The crowd wasn’t sure what to think when they saw Todd, dressed in all black (vest, shirt, pants) and Lisa, holding a washboard that looked like it was well broken in. And that’s exactly how they wanted it.
The minute Todd strung the first chord on his guitar, you felt like the tavern became an intimate venue for bluegrass and folk. Todd’s southern voice was textbook blues and soul. Lisa strummed on the washboard as flawless as you can get. Both played fast, and played loud. Their chemistry was impeccable. Both fed of each other’s emotions. Todd and Lisa played some of his original work, including one that I’m thinking about titled ‘I’m Feeling Fine’. The duo also added some blues-injected covers of The White Stripes ‘Seven Nation Army’ and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s ‘Pride Joy’. You just could see and sense the two were just having the time of their lives. Both playing in front of packed establishment. Both realizing that we were in the palm of their hands. At the beginning of the night, Todd and Lisa came in with just a guitar, and washboard. At the end of their set, they left with their two instruments, along with everyone’s appreciation and attention.
The second act of the evening was Anatomy of Frank. The band, as mentioned earlier, hailed from the state of Virginia. As the lights turned to a very low dim, the band came out to having a festive display of lights on their fingers. Anatomy of Frank goes outside of the box when it comes to their sound. Their show was jam-packed with experimental sounds, with the banjo, and synthesizers overlapping each other so perfectly. Their possibilities were endless with their play. The band took the audience into a fantasy. All of us in the crowd and jumped onto clouds and took a flight into the sky. Their songs were catchy. ‘Saturday Morning’ is still tossing around in my head to this day. The finale of their set was wild and free. The lead singer started to climb over the
tables and chairs. Another member of the band grabbed a drum and started wailing on it. Wild display of freedom. Dayton showed them the love they deserved.
Last act to hit the stage at the tavern was Sam at Eleven. In April, I saw these guys play at Blind Bob’s for a benefit show. It was their first live in over a year, and they had no signs of rust. And this night didn’t differ from that night in April. Sam at Eleven plays effortlessly. Their music has such a way of grabbing you and not letting you go. The band’s broad punk feel has you almost convinced that they listened to the band’s before them (Iggy Pop, Alkaline Trio), and perfected their spin of the sound. One thing I have noticed from watching two of their sets is just how raw they are. The emotion coming from them when they playing each song are hard to touch. Their songs, which are about their lives, their families, are some oft he most catchiest I have ever heard in a local band. They are simply just cool guys that love playing music together.
South Park Tavern had three amazing bands take their stage, and took the crowd on a journey thru all kinds of different types of music. From bluegrass to punk, the night seemed to blend together beautifully. The three acts gave praise to one another, and admired what they witnessed. Overall, the night was awe-inspiring. Truly, the night was one of those nights that had Dayton’s best foot forward.
Tapping In!
You may not be aware of it, but we live in a Golden Age of beer. Outside of the major players in the beer game, there are just fewer than 2,000 craft breweries in the United States. It is estimated that majority of Americans live within ten miles of one of them. In the not too distant future, that will be true of Dayton as well, with the opening of the Toxic Brew Company. That number has come a long way since the 1970’s, when there were around forty breweries in the United States, and the dominant beer was the German style lager in the tradition of Budweiser. If you were looking for anything outside of that, you would have to find an expensive import. That is why the week of 14th to the 20th of May has been declared American Craft Beer Week by the Brewer’s Association. It is a time to celebrate craft brewing in all of its small batch glory.
There are three major criteria for what the Brewer’s Association considers a craft beer brewery. The brewery in question has to be small, producing six million barrels of beer or less. To give you some idea of that size, Anheuser-Busch InBev sold 17.7 million barrels of Budweiser in 2011. Almost 18 million barrels of just one beer. Sam Adams, in comparison, sold 2.5 million barrels of all their fifty four beers released in 2011 combined. The brewery has to be independent, meaning that less than 25% of the brewery can be owned by a member of the alcohol industry. Goose Island ceased to be a craft brewer when it became part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev Empire. Even if the holding company does nothing to the beer, it is not independent. It should also be traditional, having its flagship beer be all malt, or at least half of all its beers being malt-based. They also look for innovation, making sure that brewers are always pushing the edges of the styles to improve the product. And most craft brewers, since they depend on locaholics to spread the word of their product, tend to be very heavily involved in their community. This blend of distinct characteristics (small, independent, traditional, and passionate) creates a blueprint for a typical craft brewery.
The craft beer movement really did not begin until the 1980’s. In colonial times and up to the late 19th century, all breweries were local. They may have spread a little further than their own county, but with the limited technology of the day, they did not keep well and they did not travel quickly. It was not until the birth of the railroad and the advent of the refrigerated car that a beer was able to jump up and take over the country. Adolphus Busch was the man that made this leap (as well as a few others), and created a beer that was the same from New York to San Francisco. The big breweries, like Miller, Coors, Pabst, and others, grew from this point, crowding out all of the smaller competition. This downward spiral, aided by Prohibition, killed small breweries until 1965, when Fritz Maytag revived the Anchor Steam Brewing Company. Ken Grossman started to cobble together (literally) the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, using his passion for brewing and his knowledge of chemistry and engineering to create his beer. It was not until 1980 that the world saw its first drinkable batch of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Six years after that, the Boston Brewing Company was born, and Samuel Adams became part of a wave of breweries that swept the nation. That wave has been building over the last fifteen years, and does not show any sign of stopping. It has grown so big there are even social sites where people can share the beers they love, one of the bigger ones being Untappd, where you can check in to each beer, rate it, tweet it, and even include where you are enjoying it so others may try it.
Of course, you are going to want to celebrate this week. Before you start celebrating, you should write down that Ohio Brew Week is June 22-30 in Athens, OH and our own Dayton Beer Week is August 18-25. For this coming week, there are plenty of great places to check out craft brews in Dayton. Downtown, the Trolley Stop has a wonderful selection of craft beers, as well as a beer tasting on the first Wednesday of every month. If they seem a little full, you can walk down the street a little and check out Lucky’s Tap Room. They have eighteen beers on tap, and a hand book they give you to make sure you have an idea of what each one tastes like. Blind Bob’s also has a marvelous selection of craft beers and food, and is also within stumbling distance in the Oregon District. If you are looking for something a little further afield, the South Park Tavern has an amazing selection of craft beers on tap and by the bottle, as well as a fairly extensive selection in bottles and live music most days of the week. Traveling further south and closer to the Dayton Mall brings you to Chappy’s Tap Room and Grille. While Lucky’s has a good sized book of beers, Chappy’s has a novel. They also have some beer clubs you can join, so you can benefit from trying their rotating beer taps and work your way onto their Beer Wall of Fame. If you are looking to travel a little north of the city, there is Boston’s Bistro, “where bier tasting is an art.” They have an extensive and always rotating list of bottle and draught beers, as well as food specials every night of the week. If you are looking to just bring some beers home to try, Belmont Party Supply is the place to go. They offer a wide variety of six packs and single bottles of beer, and they are the ones that run the beer tasting for the Trolley Stop. So they really know their brews.
You can even go out next week and have fine craft beers for a good cause! The Big Brews and Blues Festival will be going on Friday, May 18th to benefit Dayton Diabetes. There will be over thirty craft beers for you to sample, as well as good food and live blues music to listen to. It is a great way to end the work week and support local charity. You can even get the heads of this esteemed website serving beer to you! Celebrity bartending at its finest. With all of these options for the week of the American Craft Beer week, what is going to stop you from broadening your beer palate? And if you have a beer you think people should be trying next week, leave a note in the comments. Cheers!
Music Video Monday: March 12, 2012
A few weeks ago, we told you about Oh Condor’s new cassette EP, Reflector, out now on Gas Daddy Go Records. What we didn’t tell you is that the band also has a new music video. You can catch them live on March 24 at South Park Tavern with the Lab Partners and The Flesh Pets.
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Gas Daddy Go! Records Celebrates Releases from Motel Beds, Oh Condor
Founded in 1989, Gas Daddy Go! Records had been mostly inactive for the past 10 years. However, after the label’s relaunch in late 2011, the label has wasted no time in putting out some great local music. Their first release was the Smug Brothers’ Treasure Virgins EP, which coincided with the label’s relaunch. Treasure Virgins was the first in what will be a series of EPs released on cassette and accompanied by download codes.
“I’m excited to have the label up and running again,” said Don Thrasher, found of Gas Daddy Go! Records, upon the label’s relaunch. “I’m even more stoked that we’ve returned to our roots and are once again releasing new projects on cassette. Of course, now we have added the modern twist of being able to include a free download with each tape we release so we can offer the perfect balance of analog and digital.”
Thrasher has teamed up with Smug Brothers bandmate and Dayton Music Fest co-organizer, Kyle Melton for this incarnation of the label.
Saturday, February 25th, will mark two more releases from Gas Daddy Go!: new EPs from The Motel Beds and Oh Condor, both on the cassette/download format. Both EPs are currently available for pre-order at the official Gas Daddy Go! website. There will be a release party for the “Low Noise” and “Reflector” on February 25th at South Park Tavern featuring performances by the Motel Beds, Oh Condor, Roley Yuma and Pretty & Nice (Boston).
Look for more local releases from Gas Daddy Go! later this year including music from King Elk, Astro Fang, Me and Mountains, Roley Yuma, and The Esther Caulfield Orchestra.
Music Video Monday: February 20, 2012
It’s funny when things work out. I spent all morning trying to find the perfect Presidents’ Day music video to no avail, but luckily, our friends at The Music Seen tipped me off to a great show happening this week with a slight presidential or rather First Lady connection. Hailing from Louisville, KY, The Ladybirds will perform Thursday night at South Park Tavern with local openers, Army of Infants. Check out our events calendar for more info.
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Music Video Monday: December 19, 2011
Just in time for the holidays, Henrique Couto and Flannel Bear have released a new ep called Yule Be Sorry. Not for faint of holiday heart, it’s a very look at the season set to some fantastic music. Here’s the first music video:
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Henrique Couto and Flannel Bear will be joined by Todd the Fox at South Park Tavern this Thursday, December 22nd for a holiday show.