Join the DPO Principal String Quartet for an afternoon of chamber music at the Dayton Art Institute on April 28. DPAA’s second chamber concert explores musical and philosophical depth. The afternoon launches with Jessie Montgomery’s Strum. The journey deepens with Jessica Meyer’s Of Being. The concert reaches its heartfelt finale with Bedřich Smetana’s String Quartet No. 2. This concert promises an immersive experience, inviting the audience into a shared exploration of the communal spirit of music.
Dayton Music
WYSO Presents snarls, Jess Lamb and the Factory with Siri Imani, and Dos.Grandiose
WYSO 91.3 FM and The Brightside are teaming up to celebrate the southern hemisphere of Ohio music — Dayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati representing — with a benefit show to support WYSO on Friday, May 3, 2024.
Indie rock’s snarls (Columbus), soul’s Jess Lamb and the Factory with Siri Imani (Cincinnati), and hip-hop’s Dos.Grandiose are set to perform, blending an eclectic and electric night of live music.
The show coincides with the release of snarls’ second LP, With Love; a two-fer-one in an already three-fer-one show! See the music video for snarls’ single “Heavy Drinker” for the VHS-era fun video-pop vibes they’ll surely bring to Dayton. They were also deemed Five Guys’ Artist of the Month for April 2024. (Yes, the burger restaurant.)
snarls is Chlo White, Riley Hall, and Mick Martinez, who are all worthy of capital letters, even if their collective name is spelled otherwise. (Though the sources on that capitalization do vary.)
Jess Lamb can simultaneously harness a quivering, devastating voice like Tracy Chapman and command a room like Janis. (Yes, that one.) Lamb received worldwide recognition with an appearance on American Idol, though the Over-the-Rhine dream pop-soul tunes Jess Lamb and the Factory make would’ve caught our attention regardless of J-Lo’s input.
Alongside Lamb at the Brightside show is Siri Imani who can spit out the perfect amount of words within the ideal amount of syllables, stamping exclamation marks on everything she’s featured on.
Dayton’s performer/songwriter — and self-proclaimed cannabis connoisseur — Dos.Grandiose toys with trap and lo-fi beats while sprinkling in his brand of synth-based funk. To prep, check out the Bad Genes presents: Star Platinum EP with Dos.Grandiose and Zola182.
The three-act night is so mixed it’ll be like you’re listening to the radio — but in person. And what better way to do that than at The Brightside, for WYSO by WYSO?
**How to Go?**
Friday, May 3, 2024
The Brightside at 905 E 3rd St, Dayton
Doors 7 pm / Show 8 pm
All ages welcome!
Tickets $20 advance: https://www.venuepilot.co/events/99957/orders/new#/
There are limited VIP tickets available with reserved seating (includes 4 tickets)
Tickets available at the door: $25 day of show
Special thanks to our sponsors Yellow Springs Brewery and Emporium Wines and Underdog Cafe
Fleetwood Mac Tribute Band Coming To The Rose
Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, the world’s finest tribute to Fleetwood Mac, returns in 2024 with a brand-new show celebrating the very best of Fleetwood Mac. Hear all the legendary hits performed live at Rose Music Center at The Heights on Friday, August 2.
Channeling the spirit of Fleetwood Mac at their very best, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac offers a unique opportunity for fans, both old and new, to rediscover the songs and performances that have ensured Fleetwood Mac’s place as one of the most loved groups of all time.
Personally endorsed by Fleetwood Mac founding member, Mick Fleetwood, Rumours of Fleetwood Mac is the ultimate tribute to one of rock and roll’s most remarkable groups.
“An extraordinary emotive performance of Fleetwood Mac” MICK FLEETWOOD
“A stunning and incredibly accurate snapshot of the World’s first Super Group” SUNDAY TIMES
“They do Fleetwood Mac better than Fleetwood Mac.” MAIL ON SUNDAY
Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 26 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.
Onyx Black Artist Showcase
The Greatest Piano Men
Spend an evening with the music and magic of The Greatest Piano Men! This electrifying production (from Jeff Davis, Executive Producer of Broadway’s “Rock of Ages”) debuted to rave reviews at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, and celebrates the world’s greatest pianists and showmen, from Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles to Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Liberace, and Billy Joel… all in one fabulous show!
The Greatest Piano Men features great storytelling, video, a rockin’ band, three pianos, and 25 mega-hit songs including “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Superstition,” “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” “New York State of Mind,” and many more!
Alice Cooper’s Too Close For Comfort Tour at The Rose
Get ready for a night of shock and rock that will haunt your dreams. Legendary rocker Alice Cooper has announced additional dates for the Too Close For Comfort Tour, including a highly anticipated return to Rose Music Center at The Heights on Tuesday, August 6.
Alice Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horror-themed theatrics that he’s best known for.
With a schedule that includes six months each year on the road, Alice Cooper brings his own brand of rock psycho-drama to fans both old and new, enjoying it as much as the audience does. Known as the architect of shock-rock, Cooper (in both the original Alice Cooper band and as a solo artist) has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie, even in an era where CNN can present real life shocking images.
Cooper was born in Detroit Michigan and moved to Phoenix with his family. The Alice Cooper band formed while they were all in high school in Phoenix, and was discovered in 1969 by Frank Zappa in Los Angeles, where he signed them to his record label. Their collaboration with young record producer Bob Ezrin led to the break-through third album “Love It to Death” which hit the charts in 1971, followed by “Killer,” “School’s Out,” ”Billion Dollar Babies,” and “Muscle of Love.” Each new album release was accompanied by a bigger and more elaborate touring stage show. 1974 saw the release of a “Greatest Hits” album, and then Cooper, in 1975, released his first solo album, “Welcome to My Nightmare” in 1975, accompanied by the legendary groundbreaking theatrical Welcome to My Nightmare concert tour.
Associated with that album and tour was the ground-breaking network TV special Alice Cooper: The Nightmare. Other film and television appearances include The Muppet Show, Mae West’s last film Sextette, Roadie, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearst Club Band and appearances on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson and Tom Snyder’s Tomorrow Show. The original band also made an appearance in the movie Diary of a Mad Housewife in 1979, filmed the full-length feature film Good To See You Again Alice Cooper, and Alice appeared in a 1972 episode of The Snoop Sisters.
Alice’s solo career skyrocketed in the late 1970’s, with a succession of hit singles, including “You & Me,” and classic albums, including “Lace And Whiskey” and “From The Inside,” and bigger and even more elaborate concert tours.
In the ‘80’s Cooper explored different sounds, highlighted by the new wavish album “Flush The Fashion,” the heavy metal “Constrictor” and “Raise Your Fist And Yell,” and then 1989’s melodic hard rock album “Trash,” which featured the massive hit single “Poison” and became his biggest selling album and single worldwide. During this period Alice also appeared in the horror films Monster Dog and John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness, and recorded songs for the soundtracks to Roadie, Class of 1984, Friday the 13 Part VI: Jason Lives and Wes Craven’s Shocker.
Cooper’s most memorable movie appearance was as himself in Wayne’s World in 1991. He also played (fittingly) Freddy Krueger’s wicked step-father in Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, and appeared on Gene Wilder’s TV series Something Wilder as well as on That ‘70’s Show. The 90’s also saw the release of the albums “Hey Stoopid,” “The Last Temptation,” and “Fistful of Alice,” a live album.
Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 19 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office. Tickets will run from $53 – $83 for this show.
Sam King + The Suspects and Strange Ranger at The Brightside
Strange Ranger is pairing up with Sam King + The Suspects for a night of jazz, funk, rock, soul, and folk for a double-header show at the Brightside.
With an expansive repertoire like that, there’s gonna be a little something for everyone and a little of everything for someone — it’s like a three-day music fest packed into one night for the price of a couple of PBRs.
Dayton’s Strange Ranger — not to be confused with the Portland indie rock band of the same name — is, to borrow a word from the Romans, a badass triumvirate: Rob Brockman holds down the fort (the thumping backbeat); Rob Thaxton licks up his basslines; and Chris Coat commands the fretboard like a stoic.
Again, three for the price of one.
Sam King has a powerhouse voice further cemented by The Suspects she plays alongside. King wailed on the vocal solo in “The Great Gig in the Sky” in Black Jacket Symphony’s tribute to Pink Floyd and carved out a folky act back home, à la Joni Mitchell. Plus, opening up for Tommy Stinson’s Cowboys in the Campfire last year ain’t too shabby to have on a resume either.
Sam King + The Suspects have an acoustic set prepared as their drummer heals from an injury; Strange Ranger is the same as it ever was.
We’ve got a supportive music community here in Dayton; no band seems to step on another band’s toes to get ahead, and they often go the extra mile to say nice things about each other.
So, with that said, here is Strange Ranger on Sam King, and Sam King on Strange Ranger:
Strange Ranger: “Sam is an incredible musician supported by a group of other incredible musicians! They have such a great blend of soul, rock, and folk. We think it’s going to be an awesome mix that will highlight the similarities in our sounds but also showcase the diverse influences.”
Sam King: “It’s an honor to share an evening and stage with Strange Ranger. Their resumes are beyond impressive but beyond that, they’re incredible people who always put the music first. You can tell that they just dig every second of playing together and that’s a gift to witness. The Brightside has always done a sensational job of showcasing bands like that. I think the sets will be complimentary as some of our similar influences come through.”
There you have it, with a Brightside compliment to boot: nothin’ but good vibes, and nothin’ but a good time. How can you resist?
Sam King + The Suspects and Strange Ranger are playing The Brightside (905 E 3rd St, Dayton, Ohio 45402) on Thursday, April 18. Doors are at 7:30 p.m. Show is at 8 p.m. All ages are welcome. Presale tickets are $10 at VenuePilot, $15 at the door.
Strange Ranger + Sam King & The Suspects
Join us for a very special evening of local live music featuring Strange Ranger with special guests Sam King & The Suspects at The Brightside!
How to Go?
The Brightside, 905 E 3rd St, Dayton
Thur, April 18, 2024
Doors 7:30pm
Show 8pm
All ages welcome
$10 advance – https://www.venuepilot.co/events/99957/orders/new
$15 at the door
‘My, Oh My!’ Tina is a Powerhouse!
Tina, the Musical, packs so much energy, you’ll be exhausted just watching it. And it’s not all upbeat and bouncy. The show takes us through Tina’s life and times. Nothing is left to the imagination, and at times, you will feel the heartache and heartbreak that Tina Turner endured. From the time the curtain rises, we get a sense that there’s a lot to Tina….and from her early life as Anna Mae Bullock, to her brilliant rise to stardom as a single act, we get to cheer her on.
The perseverance, the passion and the push forward that she models is a good lesson for everyone. For most of us. we know the story…we saw the incredible movie that opened the door on Tina’s struggles and successes. But, as is always the. case, the stage brings an intimacy. You are there. At no other time in the musical is that more apparent then the scene right before intermission. ‘I Don’t Wanna Fight’ plays as Tina sees her way out. So Satisfying.
The musical features all the songs you know and love from Tina’s anthology and Ike’s as well. Most of the songs fit perfectly with the story’s progression (although ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’ pops in at a strange time.)
It’s really in the final moments of the actual show that you feel the audience sit-up as if to say, ‘There’s Tina!’ Do yourself a favor and hang in there after that curtain falls…you’ll thank me. You will be on your feet!
The cast is superb. Big, bellowing voices, high kicking dancers and acting that is more than run of the mill convincing. You feel it.
There are some magic moments, like ‘Let’s Stay Together’ and how it was fits in the script, and I really loved ‘River Deep, Mountain High,’ because it was pure, and poppy! OH, and of. course ‘Proud Mary!’ need I say anything about that quintessential favorite.
Faced with an unloving mother, a pompous husband and a world that wasn’t exactly ready for the star that was Tina Turner, the show is so incredibly redeeming, and, for the record, Tina will remain an inspiration to us all!
For More Information….log-on to: https://www.daytonlive.org/venues/schuster-center/
Crowed House “Teenage Summer” Tour Coming to The Rosse
Multi-platinum selling rock band Crowded House have released their new single “Teenage Summer” off the eighth studio album Gravity Stairs which will be released May 31 via BMG. The band also announced a 2024 North American headline tour – Gravity Stairs Tour – in support of the new album. The tour will include a stop in Huber Heights, OH for a performance at Rose Music Center at The Heights on Tuesday, September 10.
Produced by the band with Steven Schram (Paul Kelly, San Cisco), Gravity Stairs shows Crowded House’s current incarnation featuring Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, Mitchell Froom, Elroy Finn and Liam Finn.
The new single, played on stage in recent shows and formerly known as “Life’s Imitation” is now curiously renamed “Teenage Summer.” As Neil explains “My grandson Manaia told me “Teenage Summer” was one of his favorite songs. He’d identified the peak moment in the song and a light went on. It’s that simple, the children must be heard.”
Speaking about the album title Gravity Stairs, Neil says the name was inspired by an unnaturally heavy stone staircase near where Finn vacations. “The Gravity Stairs are symbolic of the struggle to ascend, acknowledging the opposing forces of weight on the mechanics of living. It’s an act of will every day.”
Crowded House have sold over 15 million records worldwide as well as earning a Brit Award, 13 Australian ARIA Awards and an MTV VMA, the band have generated billions of streams, consistently sold-out tours on multiple continents and have been captivating audiences for nearly four decades. Originally founded by Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, and the late Paul Hester, the group’s self-titled debut in 1986 went platinum, uplifted by worldwide smashes “Something So Strong” and “Don’t Dream It’s Over” which has been covered by everyone from Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande to U2, among others.
In 1996, the group delivered a legendary performance to an audience of over 150,000 on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, beginning a hiatus that finished in the wake of Paul’s passing in 2005. This led to albums Time on Earth (2007) and Intriguer (2010) and a return to the Sydney Opera House for three unforgettable nights. 2018 saw Neil join Fleetwood Mac as a full-time member, canvasing the globe on a massive world tour. Two years later, he and Nick led another era of Crowded House, forming the band’s current line-up. They issued their first full-length offering in eleven years, the unanimously acclaimed Dreamers Are Waiting (2021) and the band leapt into a rapturous world tour in support. From joining his brother Tim in the New Wave favorites Split Enz to leading Crowded House to his numerous solo efforts, Neil’s varied body of work is connected by his knack for penning meticulous, indelible melodies and impressionistic lyrics that demand multiple listens. It’s earned him devoted fans all over the globe.
Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 19 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.
A Tribute to ABBA Returns To The Rose Music Center
Many critics agree, The Concert: A Tribute To ABBA is the most amazing and authentic ABBA tribute show in the world. Come dance, come sing, having the time of your life at THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE CELEBRATION!
Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 12 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.
*The Concert: A Tribute To ABBA is not affiliated with the original ABBA group or Mamma Mia.
An Interview with Arland’s Greg Bowers
Greg Bowers is the vocalist and composer for the Dayton project, Arland. I sat down to chat with him in his Belmont home about the band, ballads, Black Sabbath, and his upcoming single, “The Day My Dream Comes True” (out April 8, 2024).
_______________________
Arland is your middle name?
GREG BOWERS: Yep, exactly. Exactly.
So with this project being mostly you, why not call it “Greg Bowers?”
BOWERS: I don’t know if you’ve ever searched Greg Bowers online but there is a jazz pianist who will come up. That’s my uncle. He releases music under that moniker, so I had to do something else. But, [Arland is] a very interesting name. It’s the single-name thing.
With building a band in the studio — without exactly having one — what does playing music ideally look like for you?
BOWERS: At this current stage, it’s not so much about playing music as it is the composing and writing of it, and eventually releasing it. I do need that band so I can actually start to go out and play music more consistently.
I think the beauty of what is happening with music right now is that bands can just exist on record. The live music aspect, as a form of getting the music out there, expands reach, but bands can exist without performing.
BOWERS: Yeah.
I know from the way you just said yeah that you wouldn’t want it that way.
BOWERS: It’s not so much that I wouldn’t want it that way, but I haven’t experienced it [as a band yet].
If you were able to make it work solely in the studio, would you do that?
BOWERS: I think I might. I consider myself a writer — a musician. So from that perspective, being able to focus on writing songs, composing songs — that’s what really appeals to me. Playing music is cool. But for me, the focus is really on telling these stories and getting them out there.
What kind of music were you influenced by?
BOWERS: I grew up in this very religious environment. And so we had a lot of your more traditional [Contemporary Christian music]-type stuff. Eventually, I started to move toward the crossovers. There were a few metalcore bands. Have you heard of August Burns Red? They’re metalcore.
No, but you can throw “-core” after anything and I generally understand what you’re saying.
BOWERS: So metalcore, from my understanding, tends to be very heavy: lots of uncleans, but also lots of cleans. High soaring vocals, and very melodic guitars, as well. I was, and still am, very focused on the vocal side of things. I used to listen to Josh Groban, as well. Very vocally-focused.
I know how [Reel Love Recording Company Producer] Pat [Himes] works in the studio; he likes to double a lot of things. And when I’m listening to your vocals, I believe that’s what’s going on. There are points when I think you sound a little like Ozzy [Osbourne].
BOWERS: Ozzy. Interesting.
Have you ever gotten that comparison?
BOWERS: I have never listened to Ozzy Osbourne or Black Sabbath.
Ever?
BOWERS: Ever. So that’s interesting.
That blows my mind.
BOWERS: I have a really weird musical background.
We’ve gotta listen to some before I leave.
BOWERS: Sounds good.
So you released “Islands” in January 2022, which, for lack of a better word, is a ballad. There are movements, but…
BOWERS: One thing I have trouble with is music genres. What is a ballad? What is a ballad to you?
When I think of ballads, I think of hair metal that goes soft. Guns N’ Roses doing “Patience” or “November Rain.” Softer songs, but whoever’s pushing it has a heavier oeuvre. It doesn’t always have to be like that. There are just sweet people… are you confused by the ballad label?
BOWERS: I am, yeah. It’s not like I mind it at all. To my extremely limited and miniscule understanding, I’ve always kind of perceived a ballad as a “piano ballad,” or it’s a literal piano song.
You say you have an extremely limited understanding, but it sounds like you have a firm grasp of music in general.
BOWERS: I guess my term is “rock opera.” Movements, stories you’re telling somewhat through the lyrics, through the sections of music, sometimes through the music itself, to introduce a different feel — those types of things. Structurally, I’m definitely doing things but I don’t have great terms for them.
It’s interesting that you say it like this because I thought your second release “Day Breaks” also felt like a ballad. Your new song, “The Day My Dream Comes True,” isn’t necessarily a ballad but it has elements of one. But when I first heard your music a couple of years ago [via a Google Drive link], I heard screamo. And maybe that’s another term you don’t agree with, but there was something on the verge of screaming happening. So with these three releases being so much softer than the other stuff, what’s the choice to frontload those softer sounds?
BOWERS: At this point, there’s no guarantee there’s actual metal coming out, but there might be. The idea of frontloading, I guess, is hinged upon that.
You don’t disagree with the metal label?
BOWERS: No. I guess I don’t understand the metal side of things for the piano ballad. I’ve talked about a lot of this artsy-fartsy stuff, but I view “Islands” in a sort of quantum superposition, of being chronologically placed after my first two albums. But if you listen to the story or the message, it works well as a debut song.
So you’re saying that what you’re doing right now is George Lucas making the first Star Wars movie.
BOWERS: I don’t know if this will be anywhere near as successful, but I guess.
But that’s the idea behind it: “Islands” could be a stand on its own, but to give context there is also a prequel series in the form of those first two albums.
BOWERS: So when I was thinking about my debut single, something that really gets out there, I was thinking about these first two albums and the story they tell and where it all leads. And so it does all tie together in that sense, narratively.
If you had to boil down that narrative thread, what is that narrative thread?
BOWERS: It’s just a general person’s philosophy changing as they go through things, eventually sort of culminating in “Islands.” So that’s the trick: The answer is out there, but it’s not going to be obvious what it actually means until you’ve heard those first two albums.
When are we getting the first two albums?
BOWERS: The plan is [to release] “The Day My Dream Comes True” on April 8. Hopefully then, within the next few months or so, I’ll get the album out. It’s all written, basically all the music is recorded. We’re trying to get some strings in. And then do the final mix, mastering, that sort of stuff. Second album, obviously the lyrics are all written. [I’m] in the midst of writing the music. So, two or three years. Something like that.
To have it all.
BOWERS: Or at least this stage of it all.
This new song [“The Day My Dream Comes True”] feels like a breakup — with someone or something. And that’s not definitive, of course; that’s just my interpretation. But do you think you’ll ever come out with the true meaning, or will you always keep things vague? Not just for this song, but for everything.
BOWERS: It’s hard to say whether that’d be a good idea or fits where I want things to be in five years when this story is done. There are other songs that are more explicit. Other singles, other album ideas. This one in particular is much more open-ended.
In a world where everything is quick and constant, does it concern you that this long-term plan will be lost on people?
BOWERS: I don’t really worry about it, but I recognize that it’s absolutely a possibility. People are going to consume things at their own rate, to their own interests, and that’s fine. I still think in this perspective of telling a grander story across songs, across an album. Ultimately, all I can do is put out what I feel like I need to put out. And if people like it, they like it.
_______________________________
After the interview, I gave Greg Bowers a tour of Black Sabbath’s catalog — from “Paranoid” to “Iron Man” to “War Pigs” but nothing seemed to catch on. I think he might’ve been confused by the whole comparison, and I suppose I was a little confused, as well.
Arland’s third single, “The Day My Dream Comes True,” along with its music video, will be released on the day of the Solar Eclipse, April 8, 2024. The significance of that is up for interpretation.
Multi-platinum artist Elle King makes her Rose Music Center debut July 20!
Elle King can do many things, ranging from exuberant alternative/punk to soul pop. She’s also been a compelling presence in country music; winning both Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music Awards and breaking the 30-year-old, glass-ceiling record for women on the radio charts with the lead single “Drunk (And I Don’t Want To Go Home).” She’s collaborated with Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde and been on tour with Chris Stapleton for the better part of 2022; it’s been an unbridled love fest with Nashville’s music community.
She made it country music official with 2023’s Come Get Your Wife, a dozen glorious tracks that run a gauntlet of styles and attitudes leaving King’s roots showing. The quadruple Grammy nominee co-produced the album with award winning songwriter Ross Copperman and the result is a collection that moves through all the topics. From being a hot mess, a glorious excess, and a woman coming into her own, King has created a very real, small-town frayed at the edges but solid at core missal.
“Even the album title, it comes from something some asshole said to my partner one night. Something thrown off in a bar, intended to put me in my place… and he probably didn’t think twice about it. But I did.”
Indeed, she did. Elle King, singular, swaggering, sardonic, is a musically and personally fearless woman. With Come Get Your Wife, she sharpens her gaze, digs into her roots, puts her banjo front and center, and creates a record that’s as alive and electric as she is. Taking all the pieces – the rock, soul, (blue)grass and country that she loves – she’s made an album that demands your attention, then delivers on all cylinders.
“There’s something about how you put the pieces together,” King offers of her first true country project. “This whole album is a crazy quilt of all sorts of moments and things that might not seem to go together, but because they’re me, they do. It’s very Southern Ohio, very who we are – and very much a lot of people who are just like me, because I know they’re out there.”
Tickets go on sale THIS FRIDAY at 10am. Get more info ➜ bit.ly/elleking-24
Doug Hart Live at Crooked Handle
Doug Hart is a long-time favorite local musician. He’s known for his blues and classic rock genres with his full band. Seeing Doug solo is just as expectantly outstanding! His talent behind the guitar and microphone is virtually unmatched!
Stray Cats To Strut Their Stuff at The Rose
STRAY CATS – original members Brian Setzer (guitar, vocals), Lee Rocker (upright bass, vocals) and Slim Jim Phantom (drums, vocals) – will rock their way across America this summer when they return to the road for a three-week tour. The multi-million selling band’s trek will include a stop in Huber Heights, OH for a performance at Rose Music Center on Monday, August 12. They’ll be joined by The Midnight Cowgirls as the support act.
These shows will mark the STRAY CATS’ first performances since the release of their critically acclaimed 2019 album 40 and subsequent reunion tour, which they followed with a live album ROCKED THIS TOWN: FROM LA TO LONDON in 2020. Concertgoers can expect to hear the band’s signature unparalleled virtuosity and red-hot rock & roll spirit via their classic tunes alongside their most recent material. Their setlists will include massive hits such as “Stray Cat Strut,” “Rock This Town,” “Runaway Boys,” “(She’s) Sexy + 17,” “I Won’t Stand in Your Way” and more.
BRIAN SETZER: “I’ve always said that we all grew up in the same neighborhood, so there’s an instant feeling between us when we play. It allows us to be confident and spontaneous. Man, that’s priceless.”
LEE ROCKER: “With just a string bass, a guitar and a drum, we have always had less instruments and gear, but more rumble, more twang, more shake, and more bang than anyone else. Now’s the right time to bring it back!”
SLIM JIM PHANTOM: “I’m thrilled to be doing shows in 2024 with Stray Cats in the U.S.A.! Playing drums with Brian and Lee in our rockabilly band is the best possible way to spend a summer!”
Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, March 29 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.
RAVE REVIEWS FROM THE STRAY CATS 2019 TOUR AND 40 ALBUM:
“It’s was definitely a swingin’, rockin’, and shoutin’ of a good time as the sensational, iconic and legendary band the Stray Cats prowled their way to the Greek Theatre…In no way, shape or form are the Stray Cats showing any signs of slowing down…” -DANIEL SEYUM, Music Connection
“All three are now virtuosos on their instruments, with Rocker and Phantom weaving together intricate rhythms while Setzer delivers wild guitar solos…The simplicity of their setup makes what they do with songs like “Rock This Town,” which becomes an epic anthem live with solos from Setzer and Rocker, all the more stunning.” -Glenn Gamboa, Newsday (New York)
“The beauty of this band is, even their new songs sound old. That’s always been by design. So those brand new tracks fit right into the set with ease.” -Brett Callwood, LA Weekly
“Thanks to Setzer’s wide-ranging guitar vocabulary, the trio has added more “abillies” — jazzabilly, bluesabilly, twangabilly, punkabilly, boogieabilly, surfabilly, swingabilly, even bluegrassabilly. At times Setzer, like Chuck Berry, would switch styles of music in mid-solo Sunday. He truly cut loose on the extended ‘Fishnet Stockings,’ fingers going full speed up and down the fretboard, downshifting to descending lines, jamming in any direction he wanted and, of course, giving Rocker and Phantom moments to solo…” -Jon Bream, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
ABOUT STRAY CATS
The STRAY CATS, the band that put Rockabilly music back on the record charts in the early ’80s, scored several big hits on both sides of the Atlantic thanks to a striking visual 1950’s style brought “up to date” with exaggerated pompadours and colorful tattoos and as well as genuine musical chops that evoked the best players of rockabilly’s original heyday. Formed by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer, upright bass player Lee Rocker and drummer Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, NY, in 1979, the trio shared a love for Rockabilly music. After banging around New York for a few months, in the summer of 1980, and seeing a pompadoured kid on the cover of UK magazine NME, they hopped a plane to London where a rockabilly revival movement was just beginning to emerge. Their massive hits and videos include “Runaway Boys,” “Rock This Town,” “Stray Cat Strut” “(She’s) Sexy + 17,” and “I Won’t Stand in Your Way.”
This Must Be the Party — A Tribute to the Talking Heads
This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no fooling around — except it is a party, it is a disco, and there is a fair amount of fooling around.
This Must Be the Party — a Dayton, Ohio all-stars celebration of the music of Talking Heads — is on Saturday, March 30 at The Brightside Music & Event Venue.
From its impetus at the now-defunct Oddbody’s in 2017 to the Brightside ballroom in recent years, this annual stage show recreates the frenetic mannerisms of David Byrne and the rest of the Heads from Jonathan Demme’s 1984 concert film, Stop Making Sense.
Then again, This Must Be The Party might be closer to a Heads’ show than Demme’s documentary since the Dayton stage show also includes “Cities” and the mashup of “Big Business/I Zimbra”: songs that were part of the Heads’ 1983 performance but not the theatrical release.
From setlist to wardrobe to props to choreography, This Must Be The Party is as faithful to the show as Byrne was to (allegedly) snorting stimulants. But filling the many big suits of David Byrne takes a certain level of commitment.
“Nobody wanted to be David Byrne all night,” said Libby Ballengee, booker for The Brightside and owner-operator at Venus Child Productions. “That’s when we cooked up the idea of having multiple David Byrnes, literally just for stamina because there’s so much running on stage.”
Donning the loose-fitting gray Byrne suits this year are Nathan Peters (Turboslacker), Eric Cassidy (Human Cannonball), Matt Byanski (Nasty Bingo), and Asche Pooler (Abertooth Lincoln) as the newest member of the group, graciously taking the place of the late Brian Spirk who passed away unexpectedly in October.
“Brian was an immensely talented and beautiful soul,” said Brian Hoeflich, drummer for This Must Be The Party. “We hope to honor him by continuing this show and spreading the joy that he spent so many years bringing to everyone.”
Here are a few David Byrnes on being David Byrnes:
Eric Cassidy: “I think that being David Byrne for the night is the most fun you can possibly have entertaining people. Just like actual David Byrne, the crowd will follow you to some weird places. And the more you give, the more you get back from the crowd. Walking out in front of one of the best bands that you have ever heard is so empowering. They got the crowd moving. They got ME moving. And I can ride that wave and use it to explore the stage with dance that is partly inspired by the original show, and also kind of my own thing. And the songs are just so good and well-known. It’s a blast!”
Matt Byanski: “It’s an honor and a challenge. The coat is great — the pants need to stay on! Suspenders are your friend!”
Asche Pooler: “I can’t tell you honestly in context just yet (because it is my first year) but I can tell you this: the rehearsals alone are so incredible to be a part of and watch, so I have an immense feeling that the actual show will be something to behold as well. I’m realizing that David and I have more in common as “weird” sort of musicians while doing it. So, in short, it feels good, man.”
Another addition to this year’s show is keyboardist Damien Dennis, alongside the return of backup singer Mykal who was an integral part of past performances.
Alongside the musicians mentioned above, the cast for This Must Be The Party includes Khrys Blank, Nathan Lewis, Patrick Himes, Chris Corn, and Erich Reith.
“We hope to eventually develop a theater stage version of the show,” Hoeflich said. “With projection screens and mobile instrument risers — just like Talking Heads did originally.”
Every year, the show grows nearly indistinguishable from Byrne’s original concept. So even if this is not your beautiful house and this is not your beautiful wife, This Must Be The Party. It’s once in a lifetime and it happens once a year.
This Must Be the Party — A Tribute to the Talking Heads, a Venus Child Production, is on Saturday, March 30 at the Brightside Music & Event Venue (905 E 3rd St, Dayton, Ohio 45402). Doors are at 8 p.m. Funky esoteric post-rock trio The Social Q opens the show at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and available at VenuePilot.