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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 Historical references are almost non-existent before the 1907 novel Friday, the Thirteenth where a shady broker takes advantage of the superstition creating a panic on Wall Street.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. 

Midwest Premiere of ‘Bayou Maharajah’ at Neon Profiles New Orleans Piano Giant

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Director Lily Keber’s acclaimed new documentary film Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker, will be shown on Wednesday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Neon (130 E. Fifth St., Dayton). Keber will be on hand to introduce the film and lead a discussion about the movie following the screening. Admission is $10. Advance tickets are available at the Neon.

James Booker, “The Piano Prince of New Orleans” who died 30 years ago this fall, was a mercurial figure in New Orleans, a prodigy who was leaving his mark on legendary R&B records while still in his teens. A spectacularly gifted pianist and vocalist whose style melded blues, jazz, soul, gospel and classical influences with New Orleans rhythms, his sound defied categorization.

Booker taught players like Harry Connick, Jr., and Dr. John, who described Booker as “the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced.” As a sideman during his career, Booker played with the likes of Fats Domino, King Curtis, T-Bone Walker, Ringo Starr, Maria and Geoff Muldaur, Labelle, Joe Tex (including on his big hit “I Gotcha”), The Coasters, and the Doobie Brothers. His outrageous solo career was characterized by virtuoso performance, his bigger-than-life personality, and onstage performances in his underwear, dishing out drug-fueled conspiracy theories.

The movie includes archival footage of Booker in performance plus reflections by fellow musicians, observers and collaborators from the Crescent City and beyond which include Harry Connick Jr., Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Charles Neville, Hugh Laurie, Douglas Brinkley and many others. The film was introduced at the 2013 South By Southwest festival, where its final screening sold out, and has subsequently sold out screenings at the Film Society at Lincoln Center, Outfest and the Melbourne International Film Festival.

“This winning doc features a can’t miss subject and plenty of performance footage,” said The Hollywood Reporter, calling it a “must see for aficionados of New Orleans music [that is] also accessible to viewers who don’t know a Professor Longhair from a Dr. John.”

For more information on the film, visit bayoumaharajah.com, and for more information on the Neon screening, visit neonmovies.com or call (937) 222-SHOW (7469).

 

Coming Up in Local Jazz – September 11 through September 24

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jazzSome Early Jazz History Coming To Dayton:

 

In the early history of jazz there was a young boy who learned to play his cornet while in  a New Orleans reform school and went on to become America’s Ambassador for Jazz throughout the world. This coming Thursday, September 12th Dean Simms will present his uncanny recreation of Louis Armstrong at the Dayton Art Institute from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm in the Shaw Gothic Cloister:http://tinyurl.com/lhaacyh

 

louie

Dean Simms – Louis Armstrong Tribute

If for some reason you can’t make it to the Art Institute, you’ll have a second chance to catch Dean’s tribute to Louie performance as the finale act of a great free concert at the David H. Ponitz Career Center on Saturday, September 28. We will be celebrating the 45 years of Clay “The Cooker” Collins being on Dayton Radio, the WDPS-FM 3rd annual Listener Appreciation Concert and Jazz Advocate’s 8th annual Community Jazz Festival. Check it out at: http://www.jazzcentraldayton.com/#05

 

shinsings

ShinSings Orchestra at Dayton Metro Library

 

Speaking of early jazz history, I noted two birthdays this week covering the spectrum from the very beginning to current times: Buddy Bolden was born on Friday, September 6th, 1877. Only one dim photograph of him survived but in the annuals of jazz history Buddy Bolden, while almost a mythical character, stands out as being accredited by many as the originator of jazz. Today we have none of his music to listen to because unfortunately he was institutionalized as mentally ill in 1906 before the advent of any practical form of recorded music. Testimony by the likes of Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong and many others who heard him play claimed him as the inspiration of those formative years of jazz in New Orleans. Jelly Roll was so inspired he wrote the tribute song Buddy Bolden’s Blues, which is performed regularly by Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers right here in Dayton, Ohio. Check out this cool Buddy Bolden Documentary:

http://tinyurl.com/mbr6ms4 and saxophone Colossus Sonny Rollins was born on Saturday, September 7th, 1930 has garnered many national awards for jazz including Kennedy Center Honors on his 81st birthday. Here is a recorded live in Sweden, 1959 video:http://www.jazzonthetube.com/page/11517.html

 

Two more quick items, both coming up in October: Jerry Gillotti tells they will be starting an open Jam Session every Thursday at Gilly’s. The house band will be Eddie Brookshire, Fenton Sparks & Kieago Hirakawa. In addition Charles Stone tells me JC and the Rowdy’s will be offering a Blues Jam every Friday at Jazz Central.

 

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:

 

Today Wednesday, September 11 – The Faux Frenchmen are starting a weekly series of jazz entertainment at the La Poste Eatery in Cincinnati.

Thursday September 12 – The Dayton Art Institute is the place to be when Dean Simms brings his tribute to Louis Armstrong to life at the Vectren Jazz and Beyond Series!  

Friday September 13 – The Shawn Stanley Trio plays every Friday at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville and they’re celebrating one year of Friday Night Jazz at the Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant in Cincinnati.

Saturday September 14 – Eddie Brookshire Quintet is at Gilly’s and Robert Sanae’s Indigo Blue CD Release Party is at Jazz Central, both in Dayton.

Sunday September 15 – Honk, Wail and Moan is at the Harrison Park Gazebo and Erik Augis, Woodson, Tsamous are at Third & Hollywood both in Columbus.

Monday September 16 – The John Taylor Trio is at Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek and Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra is at the Clintonville Woman’s Club in Columbus.

Tuesday September 17 – The Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus and the Marc Fields Quartet is at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati.

Wednesday September 18 –  The Eleven piece Different Hats Band is at the Dayton Event Connection and Ricky Nye & Bekah Williams are at Chez Nora in Covington, KY.

Thursday September 19 – The Generations Big Band returns to Jazz Central in Dayton and the Pete Mills Quartet featuring Matt Wilson is at Nighttown in Cleveland Heights.

Friday September 20 – ShinSings Orchestra is at the Dayton Metro Library and the Eddie Brookshire Quintet is at Serendipity Bistro for Urban Nights in Dayton.

Saturday September 21 – The NEW Ed Moss Trio w/special guests is at the Schwartz Point Jazz Club in Cincinnati and the Bobby Floyd Trio is at Boudin’s Bistro & Jazz Club in Columbus.

Sunday September 22 – The Jazz Jam Session with Kenny Baccus and John Hampton Wagner is at Jazz Central in Dayton and Bluesbent is at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati.

Monday September 23 – Mark Flugge, Derek Dicenzo & Jimmy Castoe is at Due Amici in Columbus.

Tuesday September 24 – Tony Monaco is at the Rumba Café in Columbus and the Derek DiCenzo Trio is at Local Roots in Powell, OH.

 

More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com

 

 

 

 

 

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

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photo

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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.

Coming Up in Local Jazz – August 28 through September 10

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image003-1What is C’est Tout?

 

I went with my wife, Rosemary and some friends last Saturday night to see James and Moore at the C’est Tout Bistro 2600 Far Hills Avenue in Oakwood, Ohio. This was the Gable’s second trip to this venue and I’ll have to say it’s a unique experience. Chef/Proprietor Dominique Fortin says “You know, the thing that we do here is a French bistro, good food, fresh food at the right price.” It truly has the ambience of a French bistro, a very meticulous setting for your dining pleasure. To say the food is outstanding is a gross understatement; that combined with the service and the entertainment (the reason I came) made our two evenings something way above our normal life style. I’ll be honest, two retirees living on a fixed income budget makes me very apprehensive about dining in a fancy restaurant but after two trips I found their prices affordable and when you consider the quality of their cuisine, very affordable. You might want to check out their website.

 

Now lets get back to the reason for the trip, you know the Jazz Advocate doesn’t like to pay the fare for a good image004-1meal without some good entertainment. We’ve been following James & Moore for a number of years and I’ve seen Lou James for many years before they formed their duo. Lou is a superb musician who can do magical things on that state of the art keyboard he plays. His song list is virtually unlimited. How many guys do you know who can play Tin Roof Blues, Honky Tonk and just about all of the Great American Songbook? As to the Moore part ot the duo; Pamela especially loves the music of the 30’s and 40’s, the Billie Holiday, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald tunes. The song’s that tell the stories of life and this young lady has the voice to deliver that kind of music. Pamela says “just 6 years ago I started to live out my dream to be a Singer” and I for one am glad she did.  

 

In summary, a great time was had last Saturday by our group of friends. Great food, great service (Steve the bartender was really something) and last but not least, great entertainment. Entertainment that I feel is the perfect fit for a French bistro style venue. I know the economy is tough and James and Moore will be completing their ten month run this Saturday August 31st. I’m thinking about one more trip to France this coming weekend.

 

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:

 

Today Wednesday, August 28 – The Sound Body Jazz Orchestra is at Greenhills Commons in Cincinnati and the David Murray Band with Macy Gray is at ShadowboxLive in Columbus.

Thursday August 29 – The Kim Kelly Orchestra plays RiverScape in Dayton and our friend Jeff Hufnagle, will be performing one song!  

Friday August 30 – The Shawn Stanley Trio plays every Friday at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville and there’s a Friday Night Jazz Show at the Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant in Cincinnati.

Saturday August 31 – James & Moore is at the C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood, OH and Randy Fankell’s Jazz Militia is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dayton.

Sunday September 1 – There is a new Sunday Night Jam w/ Deron Bell at the top of the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Jazz Central Jam continues both in Dayton.

Monday September 2 – The John Taylor Trio is at Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek and Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra is at the Clintonville Woman’s Club in Columbus.

Tuesday September 3 – A Brian Cashwell faculty recital with John Taylor and Chris Berg is at Wright State University’s Schuster Hall in Fairborn, OH.

Wednesday September 4 –  The Blue Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati presents Noah Wotherspoon followed by their long running Blue Wisp Big Band.

Thursday September 5 – The Jazz Central Big Band returns to Jazz Central in Dayton and Rick Brunetto Big Band is at The 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant in Columbus.

Friday September 6 – Jazz Violinist, Jack Shallat is Petrelli’s Italian Restaurante in Mason, OH and Matt Adams is at Dick’s Den in Columbus.

Saturday September 7 – The Wade Baker Jazz Collaboration is at the Chatterbox Jazz Club in Indianapolis, IN and the John Von Ohlen Trio is at Dee Felice in Covington, KY.

Sunday September 8 – The Jazz Jam Session with Kenny Baccus and John Hampton Wagner is at Jazz Central in Dayton and Phil DeGreg Trio is at Dee Felice in Covington, KY.

Monday September 9 – Mark Flugge, Derek Dicenzo & Jimmy Castoe is at Due Amici in Columbus.

Tuesday September 10 – Ed Moss & the Society Jazz Orchestra is at the Schwartz Point Jazz Club in Cincinnati.


More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com

Hog Jam VIII: Another Fun Weekend of Camping and Music

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Eight years ago, Tony Herdman was in a band that was part of the Dayton Battle of the Bands, which was taking place at Canal Street Tavern.  The competition ran throughout the summer, with numerous bands duking it out to win time to record in a local studio.  Herdman’s band reached the finals, but unfortunately losing.  Even though they lost, Herdman noticed the overwhelming support and love from family, friends, and fans of his band.  To show how much he appreciated seeing everyone coming out, he wanted to give back and throw a party for everyone.  So he found a location in Waynesville, and thus began the yearly event Hog Jam.   “We wanted to throw this party for everyone that came out and supported us throughout the summer”, Herdman explains.  “So, we roasted a pig, played some music, and had one of the best times of our lives.  We had a lot of people afterwards mention that we should do it again.”

Throughout the years since the first Hog Jam, Herdman has constantly tried to make the weekend bigger and better this than the previous.  This year, Herdman has enlisted another festival organizer and friend Jim Hamden to help make the eighth installment the best one to date.  “We both work so well together, even though we are completely different people”, said Herdman.  “I am just thrilled that we are actually doing this together, and plan on working together for a long time to come.”

The weekend will also be showcasing artists and bands from all ranges of genres and from the United States.  Some of the bands that will be performing include the local funk/rock fellas over at Magic Jackson to the Dayton version of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Emily and the Lost Cat Ramblers to the rich folk sound of Charlie Tipton Band to Herdman himself.  The music will be giving the festivals goers plenty of great music from the beginning of the afternoon to the wee hours at night.

Attendees will be able to camp out and hang out all weekend long.  Vendors will be also there for everyone to grab food.  Speaking of food, the roasting of the pig will be still take place.  And this year’s pig isn’t for the faint of heart.  “It’s going to be a 300 pound pig”, said Herdman.  Yep-300 pounds.  This year’s festival, like the ones before, will surely have everyone planning on attending next year.  “We have folks that come to me and tell that they plan on coming for the next year as soon as the event is done on Sunday (laughing)”, Herdman said.

As the end nears at each year’s festival, Herdman shared with me a tradition that he holds dear to him.  “Each year, I gather around some of family and friends, grab a shot of whiskey, bow my head down and say ‘here’s to another great year!”

Hog Jam 8 will be located this year at VFW Campgrounds on 8718 Claude-Thomas Road in Franklin, Ohio.  The event will be a two-day festival that will have two stages with 17 artists and bands for to play.  Tickets at the gates for the weekend are $35.  For more info, click on the Facebook page, located here.

 

Good English: Trio Riding The ‘Wire’ With New LP

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(Photo Courtesy-Brian Glass)

You know the expression-blood is thicker than water.  It’s a statement that is no truer when it comes to family.  Family is unbreakable.  Sure, you can get annoyed with them when they do something stupid.  Its family-you can’t be annoyed for long.  They are always going to be there for you.  Part of being in a band, you are in a family.  You have each and every one of the members of the group’s best interest far more than most.  You can have a disagreement, and minutes later hug it out.  The band Good English is no exception.  Good English comprises of sisters Elizabeth, Celia, and Leslie Rasmussen.  Elizabeth is the lead vocalist, and plays guitar, Celia is on bass and Leslie on drums.  The band is set to drop their first full-length album Radio Wires on Tuesday, August 27.  This Saturday, Good English will be throwing a CD release party at Blind Bob’s fifth anniversary weekend.

Good English got their start when the ladies were still children.  Elizabeth began to start getting interested in learning how to play the guitar and singing while she was in the eighth grade.  Celia had to choose between being in choir and being in the orchestra in elementary school.  She decided that she would be in the orchestra and started playing the cello.  The other sibling, Leslie, was banging away on the snare drum.  Their parents would soon after give them newer instruments.  Leslie replaced her snare with a drum kit, while Celia obtained the bass.  “The cello and the bass are pretty similar as most people know”, Celia explained.  “So my folks said give the bass a try.  If I didn’t like it-no biggie.”  The ladies began work on learning their new instruments and started playing.  “Our first song we wanted to learn was ‘Warning’ from Green Day”, added Elizabeth.  “We were big fans of Green Day and we wanted to learn their songs.”

To help gain a little more knowledge on playing their guitars and drums, the girls signed themselves up for Hauer’s Music Band Camp around 2008.  At the camp, they learned how to polish up their play and also had the experience to perform live at the legendary local music venue Canal Street Tavern.  The chance to play at Canal Street would be beneficial to the group as they started embarking on playing more and more live after the camp.  Good English added another member to their group and would start to perform at other local venues, with doing shows that were for all ages.  Still very young, the adolescents played as if they have been playing for many, many years.

In 2011, Good English felt they had enough good material and wanted to record their first songs.  The band packed their instruments and drove down to Nashville.  There, they recorded at Reel Love Recording Company.  The owner of the recording company is Dayton’s own Patrick Himes.  Himes produced an outstanding six track EP titled Take Control.  The opening track ‘Hollow Sound’ starts off with twang piano play and then takes a backseat while the guitar riffs.  The title song of the album ‘Take Control’ features a slick indie sound, with Celia’s bass line popping out.  Himes clearly saw what the band’s individuals bring to the table, and highlighted them all in each song.  The music leaps round from all different sounds.  You can hear the indie rock in one song, followed by some blues in another.  The band takes pride in the fact that they don’t have a specific style.  They love exploring all the different styles, and putting their own spins to it.  The result is a stylish rocking opus.

With Take Control released for the masses, Good English proceeded to play local gigs at the local taverns, and festivals.   One of the big breaks that the band has received to date was being part of the local acts that were able to play at last year’s Downtown Dayton Revival Festival.

Earlier this year, Good English went back to Nashville to work Himes again to work on the follow-up of Take Control.  They went down on back to back weekends, with the first weekend setting down the drums and the next weekend laying the vocals and guitar.  “I was really great to get away and work with Patrick again”, Elizabeth said.  “We know that wouldn’t have too many distractions and we could keep our focus on the music.”  The band would work throughout the weekend, bunkering down in the studio for 12 hour days.  Still, the experience of working with Himes, and laying down new music helped the band continue to march on.

Radio Wires promises to show Good English’s growth since the first EP was released.  The instrumental play is powerful and gritty, and is the main focal point in the trio’s mind.  The lyrics are open to interpretation for the listener, which always gives each song freshness.  “We want to have our songs to be like a story that involves characters”, Elizabeth says.  One thing is for sure-audiences and their fans will not be putting down their story anytime in the near future.

Radio Wires will be released on Tuesday, August 27th.  This Saturday, come celebrate the band’s album with their CD release party at Blind Bob’s.  Showtime is around 9pm.  For more info, click on the band’s website goodenglishband.com.

For those who want a taste of the band, click out the video below.  The song is off their EP, Take Control.

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

Dayton’s Newest Night Club Now Open: Riff Raff on the Canal

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riffIt’s been a long time coming, but for owner Mike Schmidt, the five years it’s taken to remodel the building, and wrestle with city  codes will be well worth it when he sees his Patterson Street Tavern filled with people enjoying the live blues music.

Mike credits his wife Bev for keeping him going when the rules and regulations of the zoning and the costs incurred to do things right became overwhelming. The bar is vintage, the original floor has been restored and Mike proudly calls his cook, Chef John Pope, the Pope of Riff Raff Village.  Just barely open, he’s already in competition for the best wings in town, up against longtime favorites Bunkers and Frickers according to DDNews Ken-yon Hardy.

Mike is quick to admit his food isn’t fancy, he calls it blue collar food, saying  it’s good and inexpensive.  The Tavern will offer burger baskets, ribs, sandwiches and of course wings.  No menu item is over $10.50.  And you can wash it down with $2 drafts specials every day.

Riff Raff Tavern on the Canal  will feature live music every Friday & Saturday without a cover charge, rb stoneexcept perhaps for some major special bookings.  The Hathaways are the featured opening band and Labor Day Weekend Nashville’s RB Stone will perform Fri & Sat night starting at 8pm.
Schmidt says he’s aligned himself with the Dayton Blues Society and plans to feature the best in local and regional blues and jazz.  But that’s not all- for football fans, starting Sept 8th, Sunday’s will be all about football, with the NFL Ticket allowing the bar to feature your favorite teams games.  As a Redskins fan I made need to be careful when Chef Pope’s Cowboys are playing, but hopefully by then the Sunday buffet they’ve planned will be the way to go.

The grand opening celebration for Riff R Raff Tavern on the Canal is this Friday night from 5-9pm.  You’ll be welcomed to the building, which is next to Southern Belle, by statues of the Blues Brothers.  Mike says he and his best friend from his Army days earned the nicknames Jake and Elwood, for their fun loving spirit and the pranks they used to pull.  He says that attitude is exactly what you’ll find at Riff Raff- great attitudes, fun and good times for all!

The hours of the tavern are still being worked out, but for now the plan is Wed – Sat, until football starts with lunches rolling out soon.  They’ll be open til midnight Wed & Thurs and til 2:30am on Fri & Sat.

 

 

 

 

 

C

Coming Up in Local Jazz – August 14 through August 27

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gabriel foundationWhat is the Gabriel Foundation?

 

     The Gabriel Foundation is non-profit operating under Jazz Advocate’s 501c3 and dedicated in supporting “Youth in Jazz” in our area.

     Back in September of 2011, I was talking to a lady who lived in my apartment building and she was telling me about her eleven year-old grandson who played alto saxophone in an event with a group from the Stivers School for the Arts jazz orchestra.  Of course she said he is very good and hoping to get into Stivers next year at age twelve.  She told me he was renting his horn through the school and needed his own saxophone and the family didn’t have the money to buy one.

     Since then Jazz Advocate started the Gabriel Foundation and partnered with WDPS-FM 89.5, the DABICO Artist Factory and Jazz Central. We held a number of concerts to generate funds to obtain and/or refurbish musical instruments for deserving local youth who otherwise could not afford one.  On Sunday, October 23, 2011 the Gabriel Foundation presented young Cade Stevenson an alto saxophone.  Turns out he later auditioned at Stivers and called me with the good news that he had been accepted into Stivers School of the Arts.

     Presently the Gabriel Foundation is working with Dayton area High Schools to produce a series of “High School Jazz Night” events at Jazz Central, who is donating the use of their club to us. This is a slight change of direction for the Gabriel Foundation and will be an addition to the obtaining musical instruments for youth in our area. The high school jazz nights will not only contribute to keeping jazz alive in our area but more importantly it will give our jazz students a chance to perform in an authentic jazz club in front of a live jazz audience, which is an educational experience they will not get in the classroom or a traditional school concert setting. In addition the event income goes to the school’s music program.

     On Friday, June 14, 2013 the Gabriel Foundation held a benefit concert for Stivers student odyssey comboDavid Jenkins, which was billed as the first “High School Jazz Night” at Jazz Central. We have several schools on board and will be offering the Odyssey Combo (students from Centerville and Alter), on Friday, August 16th. I have a list of prospective high school jazz band directors to contact but we are at the point where we need to generate some funds for operation and advertising for the series to insure the productions. If you’re a true jazz fan, you realize the “Youth in Jazz” is our future and if you’re so inclined to help us you can make a donation of any amount at: http://www.jazzadvocate.com/Member%20Page/

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:


Today Wednesday, August 14 – The Blue Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati presents Noah Wotherspoon followed by their long running Blue Wisp Big Band.

Thursday August 15 – The Generations Big Band isat Jazz Central and the Hal Harris Orchestra is at Riverscape MetroPark both in Dayton.

Friday August 16 – The Gabriel Foundation presents a benefit concert for “Youth in Jazz” featuring the Odyssey Combo at Jazz Central and Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers is at Jay’s Seafood both in Dayton.

Saturday August 17 – The music director from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Scott Belck brings a quintet featuring Phil DeGreg to Jazz Central in Dayton.

Sunday August 18 – There is a new Sunday Night Jam w/ Deron Bell at the top of the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Jazz Central Jam continues both in Dayton.

Monday August 19 – The John Taylor Trio is at Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek and Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra is at the Clintonville Woman’s Club in Columbus.

Tuesday August 20 – Cincy Blues Society – Bluesday Tuesdays is at Arnold’s Bar & Grill in Cincinnati and the Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus.

Wednesday August 21 – The Eleven piece Different Hats Band is at The Dayton Event Connection in Dayton and John LaIacona is at Eddie Merlot’s in Cincinnati.

Thursday August 22 – Grammy Nominated Gregory Porter in Partnership with Learning Through the Arts & Crown Jewels of Jazzis at Eden Park, Seasongood Pavilion in Cincinnati.

Friday August 23 – The Shawn Stanley Trio plays every Friday at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville and there’s a Friday Night Jazz Show at the Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant in Cincinnati.

Saturday August 24 – James & Moore will be at the C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood and The RL Big Band is at Legends in Cincinnati.

Sunday August 25 – The Jazz Jam Session with Kenny Baccus and John Hampton Wagner is at Jazz Central in Dayton and Phil DeGreg Trio is at Dee Felice in Covington, KY.

Monday August 26 – Mark Flugge, Derek Dicenzo & Jimmy Castoe is at Due Amici in Columbus.

Tuesday August 27 – Jazz Cab is at The Greenwich in Cincinnati and Tony Monaco is at the Rumba Café in Columbus.

 

More info and jazz listings can be found atJazzAdvocate.com

 

 

Davis Rogan Band Comes Marching in to Canal Street **Ticket Contest**

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6If you take the enthusiasm and playfulness of early New Orleans rhythm and blues, add to that the cynical wit of Randy Newman, the rock meets jazz sensibilities of early Steely Dan, and the mocking humor that runs through the works of Professor Longhair, Allen Toussaint, Frank Zappa, and Earl King, you begin to describe the music of “The Real Davis,” Davis Rogan.

Davis Rogan grew up in New Orleans, and even though he can cook a mean gumbo, he doesn’t sweat red beans and rice nor does he indulge in neon red drinks in glasses named for storms. He DJ’ed on both Tulane’s station WTUL and the New Orleans community radio WWOZ, and hustled for gigs in the early 1990s. In his head, he had an idea to start a band with “a blend of hip-hop sensibility and New Orleans brass band with some classic New Orleans funk,” as he said in an Offbeat article in 2002. “That, and a big ass horn section.” That band became the first and foremost funk/rap/New Orleans band, All That. The band was signed to roots music powerhouse Rounder Records and put out two great albums, Eponymous Debut and the Whop Boom Bam.

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Later he emerged with a bunch of songs that became his first solo record, The Once and Future D.J. The record was lost to the floodwaters of the Katrina levee failures, but another copy surfaced. And in the first issue that New Orleans music magazine Offbeat put out after the flood, critic John Swenson gave it a deservedly great review. Now here’s the twist in this story. Producer David Simon, head honcho of the rightly revered HBO series The Wire. reads the review and hears the record as he is researching a new series about post-Katrina New Orleans that he is going to pitch to HBO. He loves the record enough to base a character on Davis Rogan. That’s how we get to The Real Davis, in contrast to the “The Cable Davis” played by the great Steve Zahn on Treme.

Davis makes New Orleans tradition true to today, yesterday, and at least two weeks from today. But even if you don’t know that, you’ll still dig the record. It’s got that inimitable, indescribable thing that could be called heart. Or soul.

Davis Rogan  performs at Canal Street Tavern on  Friday, Aug 16th  at 8pm as  part of the “NOLA Summer in Dayton” Concert Series sponsored by Abita Brewing Company and presented by Yeah You Right Music Inc. Tickets can be purchased online or  by contacting [email protected].

MostMetro.com will be sending a lucky reader and a guest to the show.  To register just leave a comment on why you should win the tickets and  register below.  Winner will be randomly selected this Wed, Aug 1th.

Our contest has ended.

5 Bands To See At Miami Valley Music Fest 2013

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The Miami Valley Music Festival Association is hosting their annual event, Miami Valley Music Fest, this weekend at Eagle’s Campgrounds in Troy, Ohio.  The festival began in 2006 and has been growing ever since.  The weekend gives the attendees a weekend of camping, fantastic live music all day and night, food from local vendors, visual art displays by local artists, dance performances.  Also at the festival you will find informational booths hosted by local charities.  Throughout the weekend, the musical line-up will feature rock, blues, bluegrass, reggae, electronic artists and bands.  With so much great music being played, here are 5 acts to catch this weekend:

 

 

 

 

Such A Night

Jeff Opt’s version of the well-acclaimed documentary of The Band’s last live performance has taken the area by storm.  The first show at Gilly’s electrified the crowd.  The second show at Southgate House Revival at Newport, Kentucky gave folks outside of town an extraordinary view of what local music in Dayton is all about.  This next stop shouldn’t be any different.  There have been a few changes in the lineup, but the show is still top-notch.  The level of play that each musician brings continues to show the appreciation of the original.  For people who haven’t had the chance to see the show, this weekend’s act will be one to not miss.  For those who have seen the performance, expect the same excellence.

 

Lost on Iddings

All around the world, there are so many great jam bands.  The Grateful Dead and Phish are two that have seen their popularity continue to soar.  Dayton has their share of jam bands, as well.  One band in particular, Lost on Iddings, are starting to place their name into the jam bands to not miss when they perform.  The band comprises of individuals who according to their website allow each member to ‘express themselves fully through their own style of play’.  The festival location’s hometown band will give the festival patrons an infectious blend of ska and rock in some of their music.  The guitar play from the band is open and airy, very free-flowing.  Some of their music also incorporates some country influence.  Jam band fans will be craving for more once Lost on Iddings finish their set.

 

https://soundcloud.com/lost-on-iddings/greater-understanding

 

 

 

Stillwater River Band

For the folks who enjoy bluegrass, Stillwater River Band will give the audience what they are looking for.  To the folks that haven’t really immersed themselves in the genre, give these fellas a look while at the weekend festival.  SRB plays the classic American root sound beautifully while also giving it a present day feel.   The play of the strings and the vocals possess a wide range of emotion.  Festival goers will be watching a band that is heavily influenced from the music that is played in the mountains.  Grab a dance partner while watching SRB play, because their music will get you moving.

 

 

 

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Gin-Soaked Angels

Yellow Springs is a special place for those who know it well.  The town hangs it hat on being heavily centered on the arts.  Gin-Soaked Angels stem from the town, and are a great representation.  They consider their music genre ‘soul-rock/electric gypsy-punk’.  To the listener, they will hear a heavy dosage of electro-acoustic guitar play, hypnotic percussions with moody vocals.  Gin-Soaked Angels have a laid-back vibe to them to will suit the late night crowd perfectly.  The band has just started getting their feet with being a band, and playing at the Miami Valley Music Fest is just a great way to get some exposure.

 

The Repeating Arms

A set from The Repeating Arms cannot be missed.  The group has a sleepy folk sound that will undoubtedly leave people feeling as good as they will ever feel.  Each song maintains a simply assortment of rock that is has a Southern twist to it.  One of their best songs to date, the psychedelic-driven ‘Pigeon’, only bulks up their range.  The Repeating Arms, like the Gin-Soaked Angels, are still fresh in the music scene in town.  Be expecting this band to be a band that everyone will be talking about after the weekend is over.  They should be the show that will be one of the best of the event. To hear music from the band, click here.

 

 

 

The 2013 Miami Valley Music Fest will be taking place today and tomorrow at the Eagle’s Campgrounds in Troy, Ohio.  Tickets are on sale for $45/weekend, $35/Saturday only, and $25/Friday only.  For more on who is will be performing, click here.

REVIEW: Geoff Tate Brings Mindcrime to Columbus

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Wednesday June 19 the original voice of Queensryche, Geoff Tate brought the 25th Anniversary of the epic 1988 concept record Operation Mindcrime tour to Newport Music Hall for a night of Queensryche classics and the Operation Mindcrime experience start to finish.

Something Unto Nothing opened the show.

Something Unto Nothing opened the show.

For his version of the Ryche, Tate enlisted former Ozzy, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake and Dio bassist Rudy Sarzo, AC/DC, Something Unto Nothing skinsman Brian Tichy on drums, guitarist Kelly Gray of Queensryche/Myth fame, Hurricane’s Robert Sarzo, and keyboardist Randy Gane of Myth to help spread the Mindcrime to thousands of adorning fans across the country. LA’s Something Unto Nothing and Ireland’s The Voodoos warmed up the crowd.

S.U.N. opened the show proving that loud sound and intense musical power can come from two people with only a few instruments. The blond dancing swaying bayou queen Miss Sass Jordan came out to the beat of a Cajun groove, pouring her whisky strong voice into the mic over the crowd, like a mystic enchanting spell carried by silent swamp water. If Janis Joplin got in a cat fight with Grace Slick, Miss Jordan’s voice would be the winner. By the time they’re done, she’s Burned her image and performance into our minds and ears. She takes us on a trip down to Uncle Tom’s cabin to be Razed voodoo style with a little help from Zeppelin. Drummer Tichy can make thunder come out of one large kick-drum as the two person band make incredible music come out of a drum, cymbal, acoustic guitar, tambourine and Jordan’s voice. An electric acoustic never sounded so heavy. Jordan’s a tambourine shaking flower child as she foot stomps through tales of the mighty backwater river and the mysteries buried deep in the swamp muck. Once they go down that one way road over sacred, burial ground there’s No Way Home for these traveling Nomads. Tichy’s first show was Kiss’s Dynasty tour at age 10 inspiring him to hit the drums. Making a surprise early appearance the Ryche’s Kelly Gray came out to play Maybe I’m Amazed.

The Voodoos

The Voodoos

From Ireland comes a special kind of electric voodoo played by the five-some from Cork known as The Voodoos. Mark Daly brings a Dave Grohl/Chris Cornell look to his stage presence as they sprinkle some old fashioned rock n roll dust on the audience blending bluesy angst ridden rock with a jam band experience. The band opens with those sinister Black Walls, telling the audience there’s two sides to every story but there’s Nowhere to Run. Daly pulls out the Cobain anger and sorrow as his hearts Torn Apart. They finish with Don’t Listen.

Queensryche’s third record, considered both a concept album and a rock opera, follows the story of a drug addict who becomes disillusioned with the Reagan led society of his time and reluctantly becomes involved in a revolutionary group as an assassin of political leaders. In January 1989, it reached No. 34 on Kerrang magazine’s 100 greatest heavy metal albums of all time, certified platinum in 1991. I Don’t Believe in Love was nominated for a Grammy in 1990. During the Empire tour, Mindcrime was performed in its entirety with video footage, animation and a guest singer as Sister Mary and was released as Operation LIVEcrime. The story was also explored in a series of video clips that aired on MTV and in the 1989 VHS, Video: Mindcrime. It was re-released with bonus tracks in 2003 and as a box set in 2006.

Operation Mindcrime underway on the Newport stage

Operation Mindcrime underway on the Newport stage

The album begins with main character Nikki laying catatonic in the mental ward unable to remember anything from his past but snippets. In a moment of complete realization, everything floods back as he remembers being a heroin addict and political radical in the making manipulated into joining a secret new world order organization dedicated to starting revolution and used as a pawn for political assassination. Lead by the devious Dr. X, Nikki was manipulated by his addiction and brainwashed by the ‘good’ Dr., becoming his murderous puppet whenever he spoke the word ‘mindcrime’. Through one of the doctor’s associates, Father William, Nikki’s offered the services of Sister Mary, a prostitute turned nun. Through their association Nikki begins questioning the true nature of what he’s doing. Dr X notices, seeing the threat of clarity Mary represents he orders Nikki to kill her and the priest. Nikki kills the priest, and confronts Mary but doesn’t kill her after they both decide to leave the organization. He tells the doctor they’re done but is reminded that only he can provide Nikki with his fix. Nikki leaves to find Mary dead. Unable to cope with the loss or the unknown possibility that he might have done it under ‘mindcrime,’ insanity creeps in. He runs through the streets screaming until subdued by the police. A gun is found and he’s taken in under suspicion of the Dr. X murders. Suffering complete memory loss he’s placed in a bed until seeing a news report of the spree jogs his memory.

The lights go out as the crowd roars and the sounds of the disinfected, sterile, bland mental hospital room blend with the anticipation and tension of the crowd awaiting anarchy, revolution and mindcrime. Nikki is sufficiently sedated by the disgusted nurse leaving him to his tidal wave recall. His memories come through the speakers through Tate’s voice as he remembers how it started…

Master of Mindcrime ceremonies, Geoff Tate

Master of Mindcrime ceremonies, Geoff Tate

Gray and the Sarzo brothers start the soaring guitars as Gane hits the keyboard background, and Tichy marches the drumbeat bringing out the music of Anarchy-X as the doctor yells impassioned propaganda at the Columbus crowd from his loud audio podium. The guitars slowly build toward the entrance/appearance of Mr. Tate as Revolution’s Calling. The bald, goateed voice of the Ryche since ‘82 comes out eyes mysteriously hidden by trademark shades, decked in leather to speak the truth the media won’t tell us. For a price he’ll tell us the story, and we give him a pretty good cause. The years/decades may change but the cynicism and corporate/government greed stay the same, who do you trust when everyone’s a crook? The phone rings, Dr. X starts Nikki’s Operation:Mindcrime telling the drug riddled puppet it’s time to change the system and kill for the underground revolution with the sinister sounding guitars playing an early painting of the dramatic violence to come closing with Tate’s sorrow filled wail and the mob growing restless. Several months in, Nikki’s become the doctor’s most valuable colleague; his missions of murder/assassination have given him a godlike ego and he believes himself to be a one man trigger happy messiah of world change, disparaging the old system, completely submerged in Dr. X’s new global empire. The guitars speak of Nikki’s new life mindset/determination to ‘make a difference’ in his own way with their fast paced speed and heaviness while the bass underlines his new found power.  Speak the word: the word is revolution, it’s all of us. Speak! After Wright’s killer drum solo, they introduce former working girl Sister Mary into the story. She was pulled from the dead end nightly street walks by Father William who saves her and ordains her as a nun, seemingly freeing her from Spreading the Disease but soon after his true colors emerge, taking favors from her in payment for giving her ‘salvation’. The music has a treacherous feel as it’s played over dirty lyrics of sex and greed used to infect the masses. The pattern of love, sex and betrayal continues as it’s revealed that the good father is a close friend and supporter of Dr. X who offers Mary as a fringe benefit for Nikki’s loyalty. The Mission begins months later with Nikki sitting in his room, watching TV in the darkness, the evil of his deeds and guilt in his conscience catching up as the adrenaline and high of the kill have dissipated.  Moving illumination flickers from the victims’ candle light shrines he’s made in despair. Father William preaches as a bullet shatters the TV, starting a beautiful guitar melody as Tate’s vocals pour out pain and sorrow like rain shadowing the voices of Nikki’s victims then turning into the voice of his psyche. The guitars sear solos of his hopeless anguish. His humanity is slipping away, the only thing keeping his emotions alive is time spent with Mary. He is slowly falling in love with her. Doctor X decides that Suite Sister Mary and the priest are weak links in his plans and instructs Nikki to do the deed. More haunting melody as the Latin chants of judgment sound off in the background. New found clarity and morality conflict with obedience/obligation to his father figure. Tate’s voice serenades high telling Mary’s story. He confronts her and realizes he cannot kill the only happy thing in his life. He confesses why he came. Sass Jordan returns to the stage singing as Mary telling Tate/Nikki she wants to die for her sins yet he still can’t pull the trigger proving his true love and they share themselves on the altar as the thunder and rain pour outside.  The Needle Lies to every addict, and Nikki’s no exception as he goes to assassinate his final victim, Doctor X and start a new life with Mary. Unfortunately their experience left Mary struggling with the memories of Father William’s sins and she falsely sees Nikki as just another man who used her. The doctor holds the power of Nikki’s addiction over him and he leaves defeated, returning to the church to find Mary dead in her room.

The story never tells the specifics of Mary’s demise and remained an intentional mystery, with fans surmising their own theories, until the secret was revealed on 2004’s An Evening with Queensryche tour.  A quick Google search will yield both the “official” story and lots of fun fan theories.

Sass Jordan joins Geoff Tate onstage to sing the part of Sister Mary

Sass Jordan joins Geoff Tate onstage to sing the part of Sister Mary

Her Electric Requiem begins as he stares down at her body, the keyboard pouring dark waves of panic, shock and anger. High pitched guitar notes crack in his brain, slowly crumbling his sanity into the gutters. As madness seeps in, he runs through the streets screaming her name, his mind a flood.  With his frantic mind Breaking the Silence and psyche crumbling, he makes one last trip back to the church to try and find answers only to be swarmed by police. He’s connected to the political assassination they don’t know he’s guilty of yet and Mary’s murder which he’s presumably innocent of, his belief in love gone. He’s booked and convicted as the haunting guitars play a beautifully simplistic duet of Waiting for 22. He sits in his Empty Room, his mind weaving in and out of rational sanity trying to figure out what happened to Mary, his last moments of clarity and what used to be his life. He looks up at his reflection in the TV staring into the Eyes of a Stranger, his fate, repeating these memories over and over.

The band finishes the performance, leaving the stage in darkness and the crowd screaming for more.

They reappear after the livecrime to comfort with some Silent Lucidity, the best they can. They pull out a surprise new song from Frequency Unknown bringing the Cold. I’m American from Operation Mindcrime II ending with the Jet City Woman flying over the Empire Tate helped build since ’82.

REVIEW: Rock On The Range Weekend Sells Out Crew Stadium

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May 17th, 18th and 19th 2013’s Rock on the Range lineup played Columbus’s Crew Stadium to a jammed packed house each night. On three consecutive days the weekend music festival known for bringing in rock, metal and other diverse acts and talent jammed 20,145 hot, sweaty, sunburnt fans into its bleachers and floor for an all-day festival with bands performing on three stages.

Starting as a one day show in 2007 headlined by ZZ Top, Evanescence and Velvet Revolver, Rock on the Range’s success brought a two day show in 2008 featuring the return of Stone Temple Pilots with co-headliners Disturbed on Saturday and Kid Rock/Three Doors Down on Sunday. Since then it has delivered global headliners Slipknot, Alice in Chains, Korn, Motley Crue, Godsmack, Limp Bizkit, Rob Zombie, A Perfect Circle, Marilyn Manson and Megadeth. This year the event expanded to three days to include 50 bands on the Monster Energy Main Stage and the Jagermeister and Pabst Blue Ribbon Stages.

Friday’s first ever opening day included In Flames, Oleander, Mindset Revolution, American Fangs and Xfactor1 on the Jager Stage, with Love and Death, Hollywood Undead, Buck Cherry, Cheap Trick and Korn headlining. Saturday’s Jager Stage had Scorpion Child, Gemini Syndrome. Heavens Basement, Red Line Chemistry and Clutch while the Pabst Stage gave us Young Guns, Otherwise, Motionless in White, Black Veil Brides, Asking Alexandria and a Day to Remember. The Monster Stage played Pop Evil, All That Remains, Grammy Award winning Halestorm, Bullet For My Valentine, Papa Roach, Three Days Grace, Stone Sour and Smashing Pumpkins.

As an added bonus for fans who wanted to piss themselves laughing, the Old Milwaukee Comedy tent hosted stand up from 6pm-8pm featuring Bill Squire, Bob Cook, Big Jay Aokerson, That Metal Show’s Jim Florentine and Ari Shafir on Saturday and Bill Arrundale, Dan Swartwout, Rod Pauletta, Big Jay Oakerson and Jim Florentine on Sunday.

Error 504 (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Error 504 (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Sunday brought the weekend’s finale to a crowded, smoldering, loud close. The diversity that ROTR is built on was displayed in full force. Opening the morning’s festivities on the Jager stage was the 2013 Battle for Rock on the Range winners Error 504, who bested 6 other Columbus finalists and 36 other bands collectively to be there. They opened with Give it Away with vocal help from the lovely Miss Kelsey Mayer busting into The Reckoning then delivering the Lil’ Red devil when bassist Jon Banks got temporarily possessed by Satan on the mic. Alex Mayer takes a quick sight-seeing trip on the hot pavement playing the loud welcoming committee everyone came to see.

Atlanta’s O’Brother played a set from their Garden Window and new Disillusion CDs, noise heavy in ambience, effects and delivery. Lo is the opening rocker with hints of The Cure. O’Brother must be heard in the proper Context to be truly appreciated, such as the heavy grinding growling guitars and atmospheric tint of high vocals. Lay Down begins in a tricky sea of guitar sound submergence echoing sounds of whale notes from Johnny Dang’s guitar playing along an eerily calm Robert Smith sounding Tanner Merritt. They get spastically heavy for a few seconds then creepy composure’s restored until the heavy downpour hits and never stops. The next song is full of Perilous Love from a dangerous obsessed mind rocking in a dark corner somewhere. In conclusion, welcome my friends… welcome to The Machines Part I & II, two loud heavy breathing noise mashers. Stormy guitar sounds with a surrealistic melancholy Deftones feel and high pitch cooing to Bush like vocals. They’ll be touring with Native and Daylight through August and September.

Thousand Foot Krutch brought the icy chills from Ontario Toronto to the Columbus stage, letting the sparks fly. They get wicked with the crowd as the human body parts fly, bash around and run into each other. Next, the title track for their new release The End Is Where We Begin. They broke out the War of Change then it was time for the crowd and pit to Move and get a little sweaty kicking a hole in the sky. They have a bad case/habit of turning it up (too loud) so it was time to Fire it Up and excuse them while they Light Up The Sky.

Sacramento’s Middle Class Rut played some multi- dimensional tunes for fans unaccustomed to what a duo should be able to pull off, so they brought the band too. Zack Lopez poured out some Perry Farrell throated vocals singing about dear Aunt Betty then took things to a New Low. They’re busy touring and Busy Being Born into the scene. Then started the road race playing Alive or Dead from the Need for Speed: The Run soundtrack.

Ghost (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Ghost (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Deuce finished the day’s Jager fueled lineup playing a combination of rock, rap and Linkin Park meets Iggy Pop.  The former voice of Hollywood Undead opened with the Undead, then got the crowd Crackin, just like Mr. Cooper, Nobody Likes him either. He plays theater putting on the masked face revealing two sides to his ultra-ego, finishing with his tribute to America.

Popping open the Pabst Stage was Ontario’s Big Wreck playing some imported Northern hard rock starting with Inhale.  Ian Thornly brings out the Chris Cornel vox on Albatross.  Fans go oh yeah it’s That Song,  Thornly brings out the fast note swinging blues on Come Again, and a space aged solo from The Oaf.

Next straight from the dirty south of Nashville comes Red. They already spray painted and tagged the stage red, white and every other color, later on the whole f’n town. They Feed The moshing Machine with a speed limit of no less than 40 as everyone bounces to the Perfect Life. Fists pound on Let Go and Die For You, many Rangers used the mosh pits as a great way to Release The Panic of a large crowd environment. And the song that started it all was playing through the flames of Breathe Into Me.

Ghost (courtesy of Jessica Rhoades)

Ghost (courtesy of Jessica Rhoads)

Next the dark, unholy byproduct of a satanic blood orgy of black magic and carnal knowledge between King Diamond, Skeletor, Lilith and Anton LaVey. Now ladies and gentleman straight from the church burning chapels of Norway comes the new black pope incarnate. Papa Emeritus II emerged fully robed in his favorite Sunday papal blasphemy, his evil face painted skeletal worship blessed the crowd as Ghost took the stage with the Nameless Ghouls/Darth Vader Monks playing in black with eyes wide shut as the masked ball began. The church of the undead came to order as his disgrace Emeritus lead the congregation in a damned celebration spreading the foul stenched musical incense starting with sophomore set title track Infestissumam continuing into Per Aspera Ad Inferi. The biggest question when seeing Ghost isn’t particularly what’s under the robe or even WTF? The greatest corpse painted mystery of the proud Papa may be who’s under the robe, and despite speculation it’s not King Diamond or Mikael Akerfeldt. We join the Con Clavi Con Dio under the sign of the burning hot sun sealing our own Merciful Fate. We are witnesses of the lords of the dark arts proclaiming 2013 as Year Zero as Papa sings the praises of his evil eternal inflamed patriarch. Emeritus’s vocals are in the style of a blood coven sacrifice between Akerfeldt, Diamond, BOC’s Donald Roeser and Weird Al, slow, soft, soothing, calm with an unassuming serpents tongue delivery. The Ritual continues as rotting, wrenched bodies are stacked up neatly in the pit. The Monstrance Clock ticks down to the end of today’s show.

In This Moment (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

In This Moment (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Now time for one of the day’s most anticipated moments. Blonde tantalizing temptress Maria Brink standing tall above her baby-dolled mount grabs her skull headed polls, offers us a healthy dose of first aid after tasting the half eaten apple of temptation rising with her as she brings us In This Moment. We’re instantly adrenalized and addicted to this by her seductive wail hitting us with a Blazin hot-shot stream of her refreshing cool steam. The sirens roar as she mounts her disciplined stool, the hottest dunce in school. Ready to dish out wanted punishment to every hot sweaty Whore in the audience desperately crowd surfing their way to earn a few whacks. Afterwards it was time to Burn as our lovely angelic nurse spreads her white satin wings to the heavens offering up her tortured embrace as she unleashes the Beast Within with the help of a curious silly rabbit. Then it was time for the Blood to flow through our veins, we love her for all the things she does to us.

It was time to pay a heavy Penance with the very disturbing David Draiman’s new other worldly Device. You Think You Know what reality is, think again as the thunderous guitar hits. Draiman, Evanascence’s Will Hunt and Dope’s guitarist Virus have brought the hard-rock, industrial, electronica cyber vision to life on stage, where they’re immersed in the live performance Haze. They create another incredible moment bringing Maria Brink back out to duet on monster 80’s ballad Close My Eyes Forever. Though there’s only one Ozzy and Lita, Draiman’s high pitch and Brink’s husky exhales put a unique spin and twist on the classic tune. They have vilified themselves through life, music and moving forward. They close with a wishful homage to one of the forefathers of the industrial scene.

Sick Puppies (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Sick Puppies (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

The holy Lamb of God is offered up as freedom loving citizen Randy Blythe brings the Desolation to Columbus and the pit begins. L.O.G. encourages everyone to Walk With them In Hell and with the heat, sweat and perpetual performance pits, the Crew Stadium bares a hellish resemblance to the dark underground lair. Now that we’re all Set to Fail Now we’ve Got Something To Die For. Blythe’s gravel throated luciferian shriek hammers the crowd into high physical praise. Before orchestrating the circle pit Blythe announces ‘You are at Rock on the Range, you are watching Lamb of God, obviously you’re just a bunch of Rednecks.’ The final song brings the infamous wall of death where sweaty, nasty flesh and bone collide face to face.

Opening the Monster Energy Main Stage was the Aussie www.facebook.com/sickpuppies via LA and they came ready to bring a War and start the anatomical stadium body Riptide. Our ears are blessed by Emma Anzai’s voice on Die To Save You. The next one’s for all the hard drinking Odd Ones in the crowd, namely everyone, including the off duty Spiderman. Shimon Moore brought thousands together with hands on shoulders rocking the stadium floor with Nothing Really Matters. They finish with crowd pleaser You’re Going Down.

Atlanta’s Sevendust emerged with Lajon Witherspoon live, ripe and ready for Decay. They get the party going as the steam poured from the stage giving the audience high Praise. Witherspoon intro’s a new song from Black Out The Sun called Till Death but makes sure the crowd really wants to hear it. Next they get their pound of flesh turning the audience into Pieces. Sevendust has definitely arrived in Columbus and they weren’t leaving until they gave Crew Stadium the ultimate Face To Face experience. Just don’t be f’n with his head and leavin.

Steel Panther (photo by Chris A Photography)

Steel Panther (photo by Chris A Photography)

Next up the recent 80’s throwback to when spandex, hairspray and macho makeup ruled the sunset strip with a tight spandex, leppard skinned rocker/power ballad power-punch. Steel Dragons distant cousins and Motley Crue’s illegitimate children from the Ratt infested streets of Hollywood, Steel Panther. The pseudo autobiographical comically parody laced foursome dipped in Poison and Aquanet are indeed a true Cinderella story. The Panther comes out to prowl eyes hungry stalking its prey. Today was Rock on the Range for the 2013 80’s rockers but they’re going to an X-rated party Tomorrow Night. Now for the most important question of the day from Michael Starr, are you ready to f’n rock? Are you ready to do….. unspeakable, unprintable, unmentionable, indigestible things to cute furry cats? What other band can freely open up to an audience of twenty thousand people about their sex life and smile doing it? He also behaved himself within reason for the most part never unleashing the Whitesnake. Guitarist Satchel shows off his prowess playing almost as fast as Eddie Van Halen and he can almost play the beginning of Jessie’s Girl too. While Satchel sacks the crowd with his between song monologue bassist Lexxi Foxx busies himself at the front house/front stage hand held makeup cabinet before mugging for the audience making sweet sweet rhythm of love to the camera. He looks great…. from a distance. Stix Zadinia is so fast on drums his hand is half Asian and Asian Hookers make the best working girls in today’s rough, global cash strapped, multi-corporate, consumerist, digital, online, information is money, up to the minute, high def, Youtube, Tweeting, marketing society. Next up, the fun high energy sing along, synchronized head-banging of Just Like Tiger Woods. For those who haven’t seen Steel Panther before, for those that like going to the zoo and those planning on never seeing Steel Panther again this next song went triple platinum, in Guam where they’re treated as home coming hero’s and mobbed in the streets. It was their first video in Tahiti as well. This is their love song because their hearts belong to you but their (text omitted) are Community Property. Historically this was the lighter ballad but since it was 2:30 in the afternoon in an open air stadium nobody bothered. But we still sang along, arm in arm in the sweet emotion of the moment. Next song is dedicated to everyone that loves strip-joints and copulating with dancers in the bathroom. He’ll say one thing; Starr loves heavy metal more than he loves eating freakin….p-pizza. Rockstar prowess goes back for decades but only one band can claim 17 Girls in a Row. In closing f- Britney Spears, f-Mariah Carey cause it’s Death To All But Metal! Steel Panther thanks you for coming but they gotta go, 1988 called and they want their band back.

Skillet (photo by Chris A Photography)

Skillet (photo by Chris A Photography)

Those gospel defending/sharing mainstream rockers from the Tennessee Bible Belt open their show greeting the crowd and whatever Alien Youth happen to be surfing in the sun with some Whispers in the Dark. Including two drenched in white masked men masquerading as violinists. The world needs a Hero and with steam bellowing from everywhere Skillet delivers one. A war for your soul is being waged everyday by people who try and tell you what to think and do but Skillet believes in the gospel and are very much Awake and Alive and willing to play on top of long towering moving pillars stretching toward the heavens to prove it because here right now, they’ll do what they wanna do. Next is the title track to their upcoming release Rise. Then they appease all the crazies in the psycho circus crowd with something even better for the slightly twisted, insane makeup loving clown sideshow freak, a Circus For A Psycho. With all the crazies wandering around it was time to unleash the Monster. They finish with a beautifully loud Rebirth and hopefully saved a few souls in the process.

Ladies and gentleman Elvis has left the building, but there’s some good news, uh-huh, the kings of Danish Graceland where Elvis and Johnny Cash meet Metallica and Slayer, Volbeat just got here. They open today’s show with A Warriors Call, roaring down 1-70 with Guitar Gangsters and Cadillac Blood dripping on the concrete. Hallelujah Goat answers what a collaboration between a sped up in shape Elvis and Black Sabbath would sound like. They pay tribute to the man in black playing Ring of Fire spitting from the Sadman’s Tongue jazzing it up with some rockabilly fast metal playin’.  This one’s for all the Johnny ‘Walkers’ out there Dead But Rising. Miss Lola Montez the shady lady herself makes an appearance.  Slayer’s Jeff Hanneman was honored with a short summer rain of blood before The Hangman’s Body Count began. We’re 11 songs into the set and we’re Still Counting floating bodies and spontaneously opening pits. By the time Volbeat was done and the Rock on the Range weekend concluded there’d be a Pool of Booze and more booze, sweat, tears and many other internal liquids swirling in a Molotov Cocktail cesspool rainbow for some unlucky souls to clean up.

Bush (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Bush (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Gavin Rossdale and the boys of Bush stopped by making sure all were nice and zen as the sun slowly descended starting the Machinehead fueled on Testosterone, not that there was any shortage at all. Though it was officially evening in mid- May and still pretty damn hot they brought us The Sound of Winter so Everything’s Zen. New track Loneliness is a Killer was greeted with enthusiasm. It was time to break out the Beatles and Come Together…. with the crowd, literary. A minute in Rossdale jumped stage running for the stands and brought the music to the people, in droves, covering almost half the bleachers on the crowds left side. Luckily he didn’t get the Beatlemania mob experience or he wouldn’t have made it back for the Little Things that kill. The opening riff to Glycerine got the shows biggest pop finishing with the Come Down.

It was time for the co-headliners and the evening’s first dose of Seattle grunge minus the rain. As if the pit hadn’t done enough damage to thousands of limbs Alice in Chains came out to rattle Them Bones. Cantrell and Co did their best to playfully Dam That River of humanity slowly moving towards them. Their set was a complete, comprehensive collection of classics, hits and new stuff. They kept the crowd happy Again and again and again. Though there weren’t any angry chairs around a wheelchair or two got some crowd surf time. They play the evening’s first two tracks from the William Duvall era Check My Brain and Your Decision from 2009’s comeback after 14 years Black Gives Way to Blue. Opening track from their newest The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, Hollow got good reaction. It was time to go old-school and get on old fashion deadly Facelift and Die Young, then slow it down, get nice, cool, calm and mellow Down In A Hole trapped like a Nutshell. The Dinosaurs make another post historic appearance on Stone, there’s No Excuses not to know they saved the best for last. If I could Would you? Man in the Box got a stadium sing along and rightfully so, besides they’ve all come to stuff the Rooster.

Soundgarden (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

Soundgarden (courtesy of Chris A Photography)

As night fell the day’s headliners and final closing performance of the weekend Seattle’s Soundgarden opened with the blossoming soft petals of the vain, soon to be fading Flower. It was time to Outshine the crowd with some California looks and Minnesota feelings. Then whip out their best Jesus Christ Pose backhanding the pomposity of certain religious types trying to rule over the moral majority in their fashion. They played the song that got them signed, ironically called Hunted Down. Not to be outdone by a stadium full of Rangers they loudly start their own wave on stage. Next the opening track from last year’s King Animal, Been Away Too Long, most fans would agree. We visit the Superunknown with the Mailman on a journey stretching like a rubber-band getting tighter and tighter and tighter…. They Blow Up The Outside World because nothing else mattered besides what was happening in Crew Stadium that night, bring on the black days. Giving the crowd the Badmotorfinger they pulled out the Rusty Cage then introduced the Spoonman from Seattle. It was time for the Black Hole Sun scorched crowd to break out the Chelsea grins and contorted smiles. They finish the night with the Ultramega OK Incessant Mace.

Rock on the Range 2013 delivered. Now the wait begins to see what’s in store for next summer.

Ghost setlist and photo without scepter courtesy of Jessica Rhoades and www.facebook.com/JrPhotographyInc.  All other photos courtesy of www.facebook.com/ChrisAPhotography and http://www.chrisaphotography.com.

Coming Up in Local Jazz – July 31 through August 13

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Tony Monaco

   As a rule, I don’t dwell on past jazz performances but sometimes they’re so good you want to let your readers know what they missed in hopes some small spark of memory may entice them to come to see the artists who performed on a particular occasion the next time they’re available. So to all the fans that missed this great show remember the artist names for future events.

     What a night; the place was packed and the joint was jumppin! This was another outstanding show at Jazz Central showcasing the Mighty Hammond Organ. In this case three organs manned by three of the best in the business – Tony Monaco, Lincoln Berry and John Slate accompanied by Rob Pad dock on drums and Cameron Voorhees on guitar. That’s right folks; just five players on stage and the walls were vibrating like they couldn’t hold anymore sound! Last night wasn’t a show; it was an experience of what Jazz is

John Slate

John Slate

supposed to be in what a Jazz Club is supposed to be.

     The show started with a set of all players on the stage trading fours, switched over to a set for each organ player accompanied by drums and guitar and then back to all five players for the finale. The final song Back to the Chicken Shack by Jimmie Smith was the longtime favorite of Miss Freddie, who managed the club for many years before her passing. At Jazz Central, because of its longevity, you can feel the spirit of many people and their associated music living on.

     There is no way to give justice to what came off at this event with words; you just had to be there. In addition to their weekly Sunday Night Jazz Jam events, Jazz Central offers many special jazz events in the $5 to $10 range, which can’t be beat for entertainment value. Man, it’s great in Dayton!

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:


Today Wednesday, July 31 – Tuxedo Junction Big Band is at The Dayton Event Connection in Dayton and NYOH’S Buckeye Bar & Grill has Swing Dancing & Music in Columbus.

Thursday August 1 – The Jazz Central Big Band is holding Jazz Ed night calling students up to sit in and play with their awesome professionals at Jazz Central in Dayton.

Friday August 2 – The Shawn Stanley Trio is at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville and the John Von Ohlen Trio at Dee Felice in Covington, KY.

Saturday August 3 – The Eddie Brookshire Quintet is at the DeLish Café in Dayton and James & Moore will be at the C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood.

Sunday August 4 – There will be a new Sunday Night Jam w/ Deron Bell at the top of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dayton.

Monday August 5 – The John Taylor Trio is at Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek and Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra is at the Clintonville Woman’s Club in Columbus.

Tuesday August 6 – Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers holds fort at Jimmie’s Ladder 11 in Dayton and the Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus.

Wednesday August 7 – The Blue Wisp Big Band continues their long running series at the Wisp in Cincinnati and Rich Lopez is at Rigsby’s in Columbus.

Thursday August 8 – The Dayton Art Institute will offer the Generations Big Band for your pleasure in Dayton and the Glen Miller Band is at Coney Island’s Moonlight Pavilion in Cincinnati.

Friday August 9 – Elizabeth Hayes is at Jack Binion’s Steak at the Horseshoe Casino and a Friday Night Jazz Show is at Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant both in Cincinnati.

Saturday August 10 – The Eddie Brookshire Quintet is at the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering for the Festival of the Vine and the Bobby Floyd Trio is at Boudin’s Bistro in Columbus.

Sunday August 11 – Dayton’s longest running Jazz Jam Session with Kenny Baccus and John Hampton Wagner continues every Sunday at Jazz Central in Dayton.

Monday August 12 – Local jazz artists who performed with Rick Evans will be hosting a Celebration of Life Memorial at Jazz Central in Dayton.

Tuesday August 13 – Jazz Cab is at the Greenwich in Cincinnati and Tony Monaco is at the Rumba Café in Columbus.

 

More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com