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Music Video Monday: April 2, 2012

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This Friday (which also happens to be First Friday), the Dublin Pub is offering music fans a chance to check out some of the best in modern bluegrass with Bloomington, Indiana’s The New Old Cavalry.  They’ll give you plenty of opportunity to tap your feet along to some great arrangements that go from Bluegrass to Jazz to Psychedelia.  More info on this and other shows is available on our events calendar.

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Red Hot Rebellion Takes the Party to Cinci on St. Patrick’s Day

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Red Hot Rebellion (photo by MK Lapole)

There was an unusual calm as I stepped into the Mainstay Rock Bar in downtown Cincinnati on the evening of St. Patrick’s Day. Expecting a loud and rowdy crowd, I was greeted with relatively quiet groups of people hanging around the bar, with bands slowly moving their equipment up to the stage. If I may use a rather cliché phrase, it was the calm before the storm. I did arrive an hour early after all.  Within the next hour or so the bar was filled with college students and twenty-somethings, all clad in green and full of energy.

What brought me down to Cincinnati that evening wasn’t the bar (which is a blasphemy to some on this holiday), but the music. A trio of bands were to be putting on a show for the soon-to-be arriving crowd.  One of these bands came out from Dayton to help that crowd release their pent-up holiday energy: Red Hot Rebellion.

Taking the stage in kilts, Red Hot Rebellion played the music that bassist and lead vocalist Jim Tramontana described to me as “the soundtrack to a bar fight.” Thankfully none of those broke out, but it’s easy to see where they’re coming from with that description. The band’s whole style and persona is loud, crazy, and fun, which is just perfect for a night like that. A hard-edged, driving rock sound with numerous guitar solos, three-way vocals, and lyrics that cover such topics as drinking and fighting (which Tramontana said are popular subjects with the college crowd). If I had to put these guys into a genre, I would say that this is what the phrase “party rock” should refer to, rather than that electronic hip-hop LMFAO music that comes to most people’s minds with that phrase.

Another key with Red Hot Rebellion’s performance was humor and crowd interaction, which is something that I do not see often with local acts for some reason. These guys weren’t just here to play
their music; they wanted to have a good time and make sure the crowd was as well. Starting with jokes between sets and ending with guitarist Doug Spencer playing in his underwear, the band definitely accomplished that goal.

The band’s hour-long set finished a bit after midnight or so, leaving everyone’s ears ringing from the sound assault. The night wasn’t quite over yet, as Red Hot Rebellion was second on the bill of three.  Also playing on that evening were Rumble Club, a rockabilly band out of Covington, Kentucky, and Switchblade Syndicate, a rock/punk act right out of Cincinnati. All together, the bands created a diverse lineup perfect for the party atmosphere of St. Patrick’s Day. Red Hot Rebellion brought the party down from Dayton, though, and showed that even outside the big city, we know how to have a good time.

You can catch Red Hot Rebellion on Saturday, March 31st at One Eyed Jacks in Fairborn along with C. Wright’s Parlour Tricks.

SXSW Brings Talent From Both Sides of the Ohio River to Austin

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The South By Southwest (SXSW) Music and Media Conference — a series of creative events held every spring celebrating underground music, independent film and innovative technology through trade shows, panel discussions, conferences and performances at Austin Convention Center — kicked off this past Friday. SXSW music festival brings in nearly 2,000 acts, national and international, to play for six nights. Austin lures thousands of music lovers from all over to register and get their fill of the stuff they love: music and excitement.

“It isn’t one of the standard festivals of our time. It celebrates simply being a musician or a fan or a follower. This place, South By Southwest, [you will] find that essential noise,” said Irish singer, songwriter, humanitarian Bob Feldof at SXSW in his 2011 keynote.

And to anyone who’s been following Ohio’s indie-rock music scene, it’s probably no surprise to them these local bands are taking the spotlight at SXSW this month. These are the artists we search on YouTube to watch nearby locales get rocked by the sounds that once rang out of Cincinnati, Dayton, or Athens. Let’s take a look at the showcasing bands from our turfs.

Wussy (Cincinnati)

What to call them: Chuck Cleaver (vocals, guitar), Lisa Walker (vocals, guitar), Mark Messerly (bass, keys), Joe Klug (drums)

Where you’ve seen them: Northside Tavern

Their sound: Walker adds balance with her airy crooning to Cleaver’s puling backups and regular bouts of feisty outbursts. Klug’s hard-hitting drums sound like a ticking time bomb for the emotive vocalists. Wussy’s banging, gritty guitars and hefty distortion take us back to ‘90s garage rock.

Tracks to check out: A presence of tension between ex-lovers Cleaver and Walker in “Asteroid” exists in their heart-to-heart about feelings unknown to us. “Pulverized” is a group effort where bandmates join forces and chant to share the happiness of being in love, inviting enough to encourage listeners to sing along.

What makes them awesome: Despite recognition in SPIN and Rolling Stone, Wussy haven’t lost their heads as a result. Walker acknowledges Cincinnati’s music scene by telling Village Voice, “People play music here (Cincinnati) because they love to do it. It’s their outlet. When you live here, you have the free time to do that — have a family, have a job and you can go play in a band.”

What’s in store: After taking the stage at SXSW on March 13, Wussy arrive home on March 24 to play at Northside Tavern to celebrate the establishment’s 10-year anniversary.

More at: Official Site | Facebook

 

The Lions Rampant (Cincinnati area)

What to call them: Stuart MacKenzie (lead vocals, guitar), Johnny Walker (guitar, vocals, harmonica, bass), Richard Sherman (guitar, bass) Matthew Ayers (drums, vocals)

Where you’ve seen them: MidPoint Music Festival (four times), Northside Tavern, MTV

Their sound: The Lions Rampant are just feel-good and rugged; the kind of band that puts on shows in a buddy’s basement and where that sweaty guy can be seen flailing around among the others who don’t have a care in the world besides their friends and the music around them.

Tracks to check out: Lions’ SXSW showcasing artist promo video for “Crazy or a Liar” is up on YouTube. Not only is the video entertaining (anyone up for tribal cannibalism?) but the song is electric. “Lights On” sounds like it was recorded at a rowdy house party; but the tracks on It’s Fun Doing Bad Things were laid down in a trailer way out in the boonies of Burlington, Ky. A band that can bring this much fist-pumping energy makes any Kentuckian or Ohioan proud. Kentucky’s stereotypes of race tracks and moonshine and Ohio’s stock banalities of cornfields and the good ol’ Buckeyes are all meaningless when The Lions Rampant is around — forget the clichés. Go crazy.

What makes them awesome: As if MacKenzie’s tawny curls weren’t lion-like enough, the group takes an in-your-face approach to their name by performing in lion suits.

What’s in store: Soon after they pack up their gear at the SXSW performance on March 13, they’re hitting up Mainstay in Cincinnati on April 29 to promote the release of their 7-inch, which features new songs “Crazy or a Liar” and “The Push and Pull.”

More at: Official Site | Facebook

 

Motel Beds (Dayton)

What to call them: Tommy Cooper (guitar), Ian Kaplan (drums), PJ Paslosky (vocals), Derl Robbins (guitar), Tod Weidner (bass)

Where you’ve seen them: Southpark Tavern, Canal Street Tavern

Their sound: Motel Beds’ crisp guitar sounds make the band seem like a ‘60s and ‘70s British Invasion throwback. The indie-rock band could blend in with bands like The Who, and Paslosky’s scratchy voice has charismatic similarities to Jagger’s.

Tracks to check out: “Laugh Until You Die” is a simple, harmonious song that emphasizes Paslosky’s vocal orchestration with the sound of fingers zipping down an acoustic’s strings. “Tango Boys” does carry a particular sweetness but is more mind-bending and dreamlike. How Interpol and TV on the Radio cast feelings of sitting in a dark and empty room with an unseen musical power, Motel Beds set up a mental disposition that’s spacey like Modest Mouse’s The Moon & Antarctica.

What makes them awesome: They invited new-wave/garage-rock singer Kelley Deal, another Gem City native, to sing on “Tropics of the Sand” — a romantic song fragile lovers would want to listen to while locking lips for the very first time.

What’s in store: No word on what is next for Motel Beds after SXSW on March 13, but continue checking their website and become a fan on Facebook (as you should for all of these bands) for information on upcoming shows.

More at: Motel Beds Official Site | ReverbNation

 

Southeast Engine (Athens)

What to call them: Adam Remnant (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Jesse Remnant (bass, vocals), Billy Matheny (piano, organ, guitar, banjo), Leo DeLuca (drums)

Where you’ve seen them: Northside Tavern

Their sound: On one hand, the banjo plucking and the Remnant brothers’ sharp vocals ring similar to Middle Brother and Monsters of Folk. On the other hand, Southeast Engine don’t restrict their music to southern influence. The power of Matheny’s organ and the band’s guitars take over and bring on the handclaps from the audience.

Tracks to check out: The organ and fast picking in “Holy Ghost” makes this song stand out against the others, knocking the rest of the mellifluous tracks out of the water. Adam and Jesse’s vocals ride the rattling current of DeLuca’s percussion. This twangy jam has a way-out-west feel, and the wind chimes add a new ingredient, proving the song is of its own flavor. “Malcontent” masters the art of segueing from one emotion and style to the next in just four minutes.

What makes them awesome: Last year, Adam and Black Swans’ Jerry DeCicca went on a living room tour in exchange for bars and music venues. The two played, unplugged, in several Ohioans’ living rooms, where roughly 40-50 others gathered to watch.

What’s in store: After SXSW (March 15), Southeast Engine head back to Athens to play at Casa Nueva on April 3. Next is a show at The Treehouse in Columbus on April 21.


 

R. Ring (Dayton, Ohio) (Dayton, Ky.)

What to call them: Kelley Deal (The Breeders) and Mike Montgomery (Ampline)

Where you’ve seen them: Carnegie Arts Center

Their sound: Rocking two guitars, Deal and Montgomery have a quirky, unique sound that remains quite the mystery to anyone who hasn’t been to their shows. Deal describes it to Huntsville Times as “up-tempo and quieter stuff; kind of across the board.”

Tracks to check out: R. Ring have yet to officially release any recordings, but you can check out a small handful of clips from live performances on YouTube.

What makes them awesome: After kicking a heroin habit in the ‘90s, Deal has turned to knitting for comfort. She released a book in 2008 (“Bags That Rock: Knitting on the Road with Kelley Deal”) and will be holding a knit-a-long in Austin after SXSW. Like Adam Remnant of Southeast Engine, R. Ring have also been in cahoots with Jerry DeCicca (they performed together on Feb. 20 in Alabama at Crossroads Music Hall).

What’s in store: They play at SXSW on March 15 and plan on releasing a 7-inch followed by a full-length through Misra Records as soon as possible. April 18 marks R. Ring’s return to Ohio to perform at the Taft Theater.

More at: R.Ring Official Site

 

 

If you’re not in Austin now, there’s always next year. SXSW continues to get bigger and bigger, so make sure to  register through the website early. And if you are there, enjoy seeing our friends on stage doing what they love in front of those who love it. It starts tonight.

 

Music Video Monday: March 12, 2012

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A few weeks ago, we told you about Oh Condor’s new cassette EP, Reflector, out now on Gas Daddy Go Records.  What we didn’t tell you is that the band also has a new music video.  You can catch them live on March 24 at South Park Tavern with the Lab Partners and The Flesh Pets.

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Music Video Monday: February 27, 2012

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First Friday is once again upon us, and there are tons of great options for live music this month.  There are also tons of great food options downtown so why not combine the two and head over to Jay’s Restaurant on 6th Street.  Puzzle of Light will be performing at 9pm so you can do a late dinner (reservations recommended) or just enjoy desert or something from the bar and some tunes.  Puzzle of Light will be joined by guest artist Laylia, a local dancer.

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Vinyl Party Tonight at UD ArtStreet

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If you haven’t already found that perfect thing to do tonight, grab your favorite record and head over to UD’s Artstreet Cafe for Vinyl Party Vol 2.  The free event is hosted by The Jaywalkers’ Sean Kaschak and sponsored by Omega Music on 5th Street.  It’s an opportunity to share your favorite music and meet new musically-minded people.  It runs from 7-9pm so if you do have other plans, you can make this your first stop.

It’s Here: 2 of 3 from Sean Kaschak on Vimeo.

Dayton Art Institute Announces 2012 Vectren Jazz & Beyond Series

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Fareed Haque

The Dayton Art Institute has long been a home for jazz in the Miami Valley with the Vectren Just Jazz series performances taking place on the first Thursday of March – November (save for July when they take a month off).  This year the series is being renamed the Vectren Jazz & Beyond Series and will feature performances from some established favorites as well as some newer artists.  All performances are 5:30-830pm in the Dayton Art Institute’s Shaw Gothic Cloister. Admission is free for museum members or $8 for non-members.

The 2012 Vectren Jazz & Beyond Season Lineup:

March 1: Fareed Haque Trio
April 5: Kick-N-Flava
May 3: Chicago Afrobeat Project
June 7: Soul Express
August 2: Dayton Jazz Orchestra
September 6: Rob Dixon Quartet
October 4: MathGames!
November 8: Puzzle of Light

Gas Daddy Go! Records Celebrates Releases from Motel Beds, Oh Condor

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Founded in 1989, Gas Daddy Go! Records had been mostly inactive for the past 10 years.  However, after the label’s relaunch in late 2011, the label has wasted no time in putting out some great local music.  Their first release was the Smug Brothers’ Treasure Virgins EP, which coincided with the label’s relaunch.  Treasure Virgins was the first in what will be a series of EPs released on cassette and accompanied by download codes.

“I’m excited to have the label up and running again,” said Don Thrasher, found of Gas Daddy Go! Records, upon the label’s relaunch. “I’m even more stoked that we’ve returned to our roots and are once again releasing new projects on cassette. Of course, now we have added the modern twist of being able to include a free download with each tape we release so we can offer the perfect balance of analog and digital.”

Oh Condor on stage at Blind Bob's (Photo by Carly Short)

Thrasher has teamed up with Smug Brothers bandmate and Dayton Music Fest co-organizer, Kyle Melton for this incarnation of the label.

Saturday, February 25th, will mark two more releases from Gas Daddy Go!: new EPs from The Motel Beds and Oh Condor, both on the cassette/download format.  Both EPs are currently available for pre-order at the official Gas Daddy Go! website.  There will be a release party for the “Low Noise” and “Reflector” on February 25th at South Park Tavern featuring performances by the Motel Beds, Oh Condor, Roley Yuma and Pretty & Nice (Boston).

Look for more local releases from Gas Daddy Go! later this year including music from King Elk, Astro Fang, Me and Mountains, Roley Yuma, and The Esther Caulfield Orchestra.

Music Video Monday: February 20, 2012

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It’s funny when things work out.  I spent all morning trying to find the perfect Presidents’ Day music video to no avail, but luckily, our friends at The Music Seen tipped me off to a great show happening this week with a slight presidential or rather First Lady connection.  Hailing from Louisville, KY, The Ladybirds will perform Thursday night at South Park Tavern with local openers, Army of Infants.  Check out our events calendar for more info.

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A Quick Taste of Dayton Does Dayton

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Canal Street Tavern is well known in the Dayton music scene for its great sound, up-close atmosphere, and excellent shows. Nearly every night, one can find all kinds of local acts putting on a show on the Tavern’s stage. Outside of regular shows, Canal Street also enjoys putting on different kinds of specialty shows, such as the well-known Dayton Band Playoffs. One of these shows took to the stage this past weekend, stretching over two evenings: Dayton Does Dayton.

Wheels performing at Dayton Does Dayton (photo by Jay Madewell)

Only in its second year, Dayton Does Dayton invites a number of local bands from many different genres to take to the stage and, alongside their own songs, cover tracks from other local bands. None of the bands that play the show are “cover bands” per se, they’re just there to put their own spin on other local acts that they enjoy, that have influenced them, or any other reason at all.

The sheer number of bands interested in the show this year caused the event to be spread out across a full weekend…or rather, the important part of the weekend (Friday and Saturday). The great thing is that this much time allows more bands to come out and play. The difficult thing is that it causes busy people (such as myself) to only be able to catch a part of the entire show. As excited as I was for the show, it landed on a terrible weekend for me, so I was only able to see the first few bands on Saturday night. So, rather than a whole review, here is just a taste of what you may have missed this past weekend.

I arrived much too early for the show on Saturday night, so I was one of the first ones in the door. This gave me a chance to chat quickly with one of the staff at Canal Street, who told me that nearly 280 people came in for the show the night before. Considering the size of the venue, this is a rather fantastic number, and soon enough, people began flooding through the door and filling the floor.  By the time the first band went on, Canal Street was nearly standing room only.

The first to play this evening, out of Yellow Springs, was the band Wheels. A five-piece mostly-acoustic act, Wheels decided to focus on covering one specific band this evening alongside their own songs. Their band of choice, also out of Yellow Springs, was Sport Fishing USA, whose tracks they stripped down to fit the style they were playing: acoustic guitars, light percussion, mandolin, and upright bass. The instruments, though, played as more of background noise to the vocals, the focus of the band. The four-part harmonies were the star of the show, filling out the sound left behind by the sparse instrumentation.

Good English performing at Dayton Does Dayton (photo by Jay Madewell)

The second band of the evening, straight out of Dayton itself, was Charge Scenic. This band’s sound was a complete turn-around from Wheels’ acoustic style: alternative rock with some electronic and synth elements. That, though, can only describe their original songs. The covers that Charge Scenic chose ran through a number of other genres, touching on pop rock and a bit of funk. They chose to cover a number of different bands: Guided by Voices, Zapp and Roger, and The Pure Plastic Tree.  Throughout their set, Charge Scenic seemed to have a strong focus on the rhythm section, with the bass holding much of the band together, and the drummer getting a few solos between songs.

Up next, and unfortunately the last band I got to see, was Good English. This all-female, mostly-siblings band out of Oakwood has a chord- and riff-driven rock sound, with a feel similar to Foo Fighters.  Good English chose to cover tracks close to their own sound by two bands: The Breeders and Southeast Engine. Almost every member of the band played multiple instruments, which each song prompting a stage switch. All around, these girls pulled together a number of basic melodies into some supremely catchy tracks.

The rest of the evening, and the night before, had sets from both well-known and less-well-known acts, including Gathering Mercury, Red Hot Rebellion, Dark Backward, and My Latex Brain. This is one of those times where I’m kicking myself for missing out on so many acts, but sometimes there’s not much that can be done! To those that went out to the show for one or both nights, I’m sure you could fill in some blanks for us! Feel free to leave opinions of the show and/or bands in the comments section.  To those that didn’t make it out, hopefully this shows you what you missed and you’ll be able to catch Dayton Does Dayton the next time it comes to town!

Foot Stomping Joy: The Music Of Genticorum

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French Canadians have a long history of being misunderstood. Only seven million or so people out of Canada’s 34 million total speak French as their primary language, and most of them live in a single province, Quebec. They live on an island of francais in an ocean of English.

But there’s more than just the language barrier.

Misunderstandings over politics, religion, social identity and cultural traditions have colored, and occasionally seriously strained, Anglo-French relations in Canada for centuries. Happily, these things often tend to even out over time—perhaps as some sort of sly, karmic payback, Quebec is now home to some of the hippest, happiest music on the planet.

Genticorum, a traditional music “power trio” based in Montreal, Quebec, plays a kind of music that’s as misunderstood as any style in North America. Like their confreres in La Bottine Souriante, Les Chauffeurs á Pied, Le Vent du Nord and other traditionally minded Quebec bands, Genticorum is deeply rooted in the history and culture of French Canada, playing music that is similar to—but also very unlike—the music of Canada’s other traditional music hotbeds, Cape Breton and the Ottawa Valley.

Genticorum was formed in 2000, the three musicians in the band—Pascal Gemme (fiddle, foot percussion, vocals), Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand (wooden flute, electric bass, fiddle, vocals) and Yann Falquet (guitar, Jew’s harp, vocals)—having become friends after playing together at various traditional music festivals.

“We all discovered the traditional music of Quebec before we met,” says Grosbois-Garand. “We all studied instruments that we don’t play in the band. I studied bass and I play the flute. Yann studied electric guitar and he plays acoustic guitar. Pascal studied guitar and he plays fiddle.”

The traditional music of Quebec is a unique and totally captivating blend of musical ideas from near and far. “It comes from Irish and Scottish and music from France,” says Grobois-Garand by way of explanation. “There is a big so-called Celtic flair to it because there are a lot of Irish and Scottish reels that have become Québécois reels. Sometimes the reels will change a bit, or the way of playing them. That mixed with the French song tradition and marching band music from the United States and German polkas and waltzes.

“All that mixed together over a few centuries into what we refer to as Québécois traditional music. Most of the bands, including us, will focus more on the party aspect of it. But we try also to play some laments and some waltzes because it’s not just fast reels and call-and-response drinking songs. There’s much more than that, so we try to give the diversity of the tradition.”

The traditional music of Quebec contains several musical elements that set it apart not just from the Celtic music mainstream but also the regional Canadian styles of Cape Breton and the Ottawa Valley. The most obvious to casual listeners is probably the sound of the singing. The vocals are in French and are characterized by lush multi-part harmonies, call-and-response (chanson à répondre) choruses and a sonic richness not found in most traditional styles. Some of Genticorum’s vocal harmonies have an ancient sound that’s at times reminiscent of medieval madrigals. The band is also adept at a form of “mouth music” called turlutteries (conceptually similar to jazz scat singing or lilting in Irish music).

Driving, intricate “foot percussion”—provided by Pascal Gemme in the case of Genticorum—is one of the coolest parts of traditional Québécois music. Not only does this provide the band with a percussionist at no extra cost, a real boon for a small group like Genticorum, it adds an exciting touch to performances that audiences love, as well as a distinctive rhythmic signature that is quintessentially Québécois.


Band press kits

Maybe someday in the future, a musicologist or anthropologist will explain the astonishing, at times nearly unbelievable, facility that Canadian fiddlers appear to have for dancing while they fiddle, from Natalie MacMaster’s step-dancing to the ensemble work of the Step Crew to the seated tap dancing done by Gemme. If it were just one or two fiddlers who did this, it could be written off to individual obsession and long winters, but it seems like every fiddler who comes out of Canada possesses this wonderfully strange talent. Curious, eh?

Genticorum has released four critically acclaimed albums since 2002. The band’s debut, Le Galarneau, received widespread acclaim in the international music press. Sing Out noted accurately that “For a three piece, Genticorum makes a very full and glorious noise, both instrumentally and vocally” before predicting, “This is a band that’s going to go places.” The follow-up, Malins Plaisirs, earned a Canadian Folk Music Award, Ensemble of the Year, for the trio and was nominated for both Juno (Canada’s Grammy) and Felix (a regional prize in Quebec).

While their CD La Bibournoise, released in 2008, received international recognition,  Genticorum’s most recent album, Nagez Rameurs, was released in 2011 and was promptly hailed as “one of the year’s most unusual and beautiful collections of folk music” (New York Post). Graced by a particularly compelling collection of traditional and original songs and tunes and guest appearances by such musicians as Grey Larsen and Olivier Demers (Le Vent du Nord), Nagez Rameurs won Genticorum its second Ensemble of the Year award at the 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards.

At last count, Genticorum has performed in almost 20 countries. The band has found enthusiastic audiences wherever it has played, from Scotland and Ireland to New Zealand and Australia. “We are within a certain tradition and play with a certain aesthetic, without really radical changes,” says Yann Falquet of the band’s wide-ranging appeal. “And people are able to enjoy it for what it is, whether they are Scottish folkies or Malaysian teenagers.” And pretty much everybody in between.

Cityfolk presents Genticorum, Sat. Feb 25 at Stivers Centennial Hall at 8 PM. Info and tickets are available at cityfolk.org or 937-496-3863.

(submitted by Jon Hartley Fox for Cityfolk)

 

Moon Shines Near Hometown to Promote Spring Album

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They get your toes tapping, your fingers snapping and soon they’ve got you hooked on a brave, fun sound heard pulsating throughout the tri-state area. Cincinnati-based band Walk the Moon has impressed indie-rock aficionados with songs like “Anna Sun” and “Lisa Baby” since their first full-length 2010 album “i want! i want!” Now they’re quenching fans’ thirsts for more Moon. In three weeks, they plan to drop a landing near their hometown to promote a new album, set to release sometime in spring.

Walk the Moon

The four-piece band features Eli Maiman’s groovy guitar sounds, Nicholas Petricca’s sweet and heady vocals, Kevin Ray’s seizing bass lines, while Sean Waugaman’s drums punctuate the poppy sound beat by beat. Pounding on keyboards and keytars, the Ohioans have got it down. Walk the Moon has received recognition in mags such as SPIN, Esquire and Nylon, and they’ve filled venues with bands such as Local Natives, GROUPLOVE and Kaiser Chiefs.

Walk the Moon paid a humble but electric visit to The Madison Theater in Covington, Ky., this past Thanksgiving with bands Young Heirlooms and Shadowraptr. At the show — themed “Homecoming Dance” — “Anna Sun Punch” was offered to ticket holders, and colorful cheeks were seen smudged with war paint in reference to the tribal markings in their “Anna Sun” music video.

The trendy, energetic video was filmed in 2010 at The Mockbee, a historic building and stomping ground for Cincinnati natives to see local artists perform in Over the Rhine. The first half of the video is a single shot that follows Petricca as he weaves between dancers throughout the building, until he encounters a free-spirited gang in warrior face paint charging through a field.

In an interview with Carson Daly on his late night talk show “Last Call” last spring, Petricca indicated that the song was “about college, about maintaining that little bit of being a kid.” Well, Walk the Moon followers certainly embrace that philosophy as they’re full of adrenaline, pumping fists, jumping around and proudly calling out lyrics at shows.

The Madison Theater’s doors will open in just a few weeks to welcome eager fans to preview selected songs from Walk the Moon’s currently untitled album.

But if you can’t make the show and need more, don’t worry about the wait — spring is right around the corner. Until then, pick up Walk the Moon’s “Anna Sun EP,” available Feb. 7, on the band’s official website at http://www.walkthemoonband.com or purchase through iTunes.

Walk the Moon and Young the Giant make their stop at The Madison Theater in Covington on Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. It’s an all-ages show, and tickets are $15, available online or when doors open at 7 p.m.

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Dayton Musicians Celebrate Community, Each Other This Weekend at Canal Street Tavern

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Particpants in the 2nd Annual Dayton Does Dayton Music Festival (Photo by Amanda Barbosa, courtesy of MidWest Promo)

The name Dayton Does Dayton may make your thoughts go all sorts of places, but it actually is the most accurate description of what’s happening this weekend at Canal Street Tavern.  This is the second year for the two music festival that kicks off Friday (February 3rd) and continues on Saturday night.  The concept came from Rich Reuter of Nine False Suns: an event that celebrates Dayton Music by having local bands perform both their own work and unique renditions of other Dayton musicians’ songs, past or present.  Local promoter Louie Wood Jr decided to run with the idea, and last year’s debut Dayton Does Dayton festival was performed in front of a packed house at Canal Street Tavern.

20 bands are poised to take the stage this weekend for the festival’s second outing.  You’ll hear the expected Guided by Voices covers alongside tunes by the Breeders and Brianiac, but then you’ll hear some groups reach back further and cross genres to cover the Ohio Players, Slave and Lakeside. The Fair Shakes will be joined onstage by Real Lulu’s Kattie Dougherty for a rendition of “Chief,” while Me & Mountains will perform songs by the Motel Beds and Roley Yuma.  Additionally, all of the bands performing will play some of their own material to give you a taste of what you can hear right now in Dayton.

The music starts each night at 8:30pm sharp so get to Canal Street early for a good spot and the full bill.  The cost each night is $5.

Lineup:

FRIDAY
Wild Forrest Blackberrri
A Shade of Red
Gathering Mercury
Dan Raridan and the Calientes
Akillis Green
Me & Mountains
Niki Dakota, Rick Good, Ben Cooper, and Israel Parker
The Fair Shakes
The Dirty Socialites
Wade Baker

SATURDAY:
Wheels
Charge Scenic
Good English
Al Holbrook Band
Nine False Suns
Red Hot Rebellion
Dark Backward
Ed Pittman and Jay Madewell
My Latex Brain

Dayton Circus Seeks Artists and Musicians for Side Show 7

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The crowd at Side Show 5

Urban Nights seems like a long way off, but it’s not too early to get involved with one of the many events that kick off May 11th.  The Dayton Circus has begun preparations for Side Show 7, which will take place May 11th and 12th at the Circus’ space, the Yellow Cab Building on 4th Street.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Side Show, it’s more than an art show.  Each year the Circus celebrates creativity in our community by encouraging participating artists and musicians to think outside the box, take risks and try something new.  So, you ask, how do I get involved?  Interested artists and musicians can download information, sign up for email updates and learn how to submit their work here.   The call for entries is open until March 23rd.

If you want to get involved in other ways, the Circus has also begun organizing several fundraisers to help cover the cost of Side Show 7.  The first one is Dayton Crafty-Con on March 10th.

Check back to Dayton Most Metro in the coming months.  We’ll have more updates on Side Show 7 as the event develops. 

Cityfolk Bluegrass Doublebill Features Soaring Vocals and Stellar Musicianship

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Very few bands, in any style of tradition-based music, have stirred up the commotion upon making its debut than the bluegrass outfit known as Dailey & Vincent did in 2008. Hailed by theWall Street Journal as “a new dynasty in bluegrass,” Dailey & Vincent released its first album to rapturous acclaim, tore up festival and concert audiences across the country with exciting, high-energy performances and capped its first year by sweeping the 2008 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, winning seven awards, unprecedented for a new act.

Though Vincent and Dailey had worked in the same musical circles for years, they didn’t really know each other until 2001, when they met for breakfast to discuss working together. Riding home, they began singing in the car. “When we heard that, it was instant,” says Vincent. “We knew it sounded unique, and really tight. Our voices just blend so uniquely together. It blows my mind. Where I’m weak, he’s strong. And where he’s weak, I’m strong. We think alike, and we sing alike. So it works out well.”

The band Dailey & Vincent—which consists of Jamie Dailey (guitar, bass, lead and harmony vocals), Darrin Vincent (mandolin, bass, guitar, lead and harmony vocals), Christian Davis (guitar, harmony vocals), Joe Dean, Jr. (banjo, guitar, harmony vocals), Jeff Parker (mandolin, guitar, harmony vocals) and Jesse Stockman (fiddle)—has recorded five widely acclaimed albums:Dailey & Vincent, Brothers from Different Mothers, Singing from the Heart, Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers and most recently, The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent.

Dailey & Vincent’s vocal prowess and versatility have launched the band to the top of the bluegrass world in a few short years. Not together even five years yet, Dailey & Vincent has already won IBMA’s top award, Entertainer of the Year, three times.

The New York Times has called the band “the most celebrated new bluegrass act of the last few years,” and it’s hard to argue with that assessment. Billboard calls Jamie Dailey “the greatest pure tenor singer since Ira Louvin” (that’s high praise indeed), while that same Times review observed that “Dailey’s voice [is] cleansing, a high-pitched tenor that pierces through the band’s nimble, complex arrangements…Stunning.”  

“We do feel like we’re chiseling away at it, and we’re having some success,” says Jamie Dailey of the band’s ascent. “We’re blessed to have the career that we have, but you can never take anything for granted,” adds Darrin Vincent. “We stay humble and keep it in the front of our minds that nothing lasts forever. We were lucky enough to find each other.”

Cityfolk favorites Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers—which includes Joe Mullins (banjo, vocals), Mike Terry (mandolin, vocals), Adam McIntosh (guitar, vocals), Evan McGregor (fiddle, vocals) and Tim Kidd (bass)—was formed in 2006. The hard-working band, nominated for IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year Award in 2011, performed in almost 20 states and three Canadian provinces last year and has an even busier year scheduled for 2012. Mullins, the son of the late fiddler and broadcaster Paul “Moon” Mullins, is one of the greatest banjo players in bluegrass.

The band released a pair of outstanding albums in 2010, Rambler’s Call and Hymns from the Hills.  The latter record, which takes its name from a bluegrass and country gospel program Joe’s father Moon Mullins used to host on WPFB in Middletown, is an outstanding all-gospel set that showcases the band’s fine vocal work and features such guests as Ralph Stanley, Doyle Lawson, Larry Sparks and Rhonda Vincent. A nice historical touch is the inclusion of Aubrey Holt’s “We Missed You in Church Last Sunday,” the title song from the 1974 debut album by Paul Mullins, Noah Crase and the Boys from Indiana.

Dailey & Vincent with special guests Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers perform, Saturday, February 11 at 8 PM at the Dayton Masonic Center. Information and tickets are available by calling 937-496-3863 or online at www.cityfolk.org

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Ticket Contest

We have a pair of tickets to see this show – just fill out the form below and we’ll draw a winner on Friday 2/3 at noon.  Good luck!

(Contest Closed)

Congratulations to Lori Kershner, whose name we randomly picked to win the pair of tickets to see Dailey & Vincent – courtesy of Cityfolk!  Enjoy the show!

Music Video Monday: January 23, 2012

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February 3 and 4th mark the second outing for the Dayton Does Dayton music festival at Canal Street Tavern.  The two event celebrates our community’s music with a robust lineup of local bands covering each others’ work and performing their own original music.  We’ll be bringing more info on the festival next week, but for now, let this video explain more.

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