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Home > Blogs > Battle of the Band > Archives > 2006 > December
December 2006
Crazy Joe’s big New Years Eve show at Peach’s
“Crazy” Joe Tritschler, front man for the Dayton rock-a-billy band Crazy Joe and The Mad River Outlaws, returned home from a six-week tour with surf-rock guitar hero, Deke Dickerson, to find he had some houseguests.
He walked into his house and saw surf rocker Terd Ferguson asleep on his couch with a busted yardstick in one hand and an open box of Oatmeal Cream Pies in the other.
Ferguson’s band, Terd Ferguson and his Latvian Polka All-stars, are in town to share the stage with Crazy Joe at the big New Year’s Eve show at Peach’s Grill on Sunday December 31st.
Crazy Joe will ring in 2007 with hopes that it will be a big year for him and the band. They have a busy spring festival schedule booked and a brand new full-length in the works.
They plan to celebrate these future achievements with complimentary Champaign at midnight.
Visit madriveroutlaws.com or peachsgrill.com for more info on the band and the show.
I had a chance to chat with Joe about the big New Years Eve show and here is what he said.
KN - I have seen Deke Dickerson and I think he’s great. How was your tour with him?
JT - Oh, touring with Deke is a blast, if only he wouldn’t ridicule me onstage so much! Seriously, getting to tour with my hero and play packed houses across the country with some of the finest musicians around is quite an honor. I’ll be playing festivals with him in the spring in Green Bay, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and even one in the UK and I can’t wait!
KN - Do you have anything special planned for the New Years Show?
JT - The big news for this New Year’s Eve is the return of Terd Ferguson and his Latvian Polka All-Stars. If you haven’t seen this band, you’re obligated to go…they’re truly indescribable. Like a train wreck, you just can’t look away. Oh, and Honest Rob and I will be doing a certain Johnny Cash/June Carter duet. I’ll let your readers take bets as to which guy sings which part.
KN - What’s in store for you guys in 2007?
JT - We’re working on a full-length LP due out before we play the big Green Bay festival in May. We hadn’t done a full-length album since 2004, so it’s about time, I’d say. I just hope that sharing the stage with Little Richard doesn’t make any of us throw up, have a heart attack, or spontaneously combust like the drummer in Spinal Tap. Could happen.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Wild and Free this Saturday at Oregon Express
It is not often that the name of a band accurately sums up the focus and the individuals that make up a band. But for the 4-piece Dayton based rock band, Wild and Free, the name says it all.
Their music is back-to-the-basics rock n’ roll that melds 60’s-era guitars and rhythms with modern song writing and structures.
The band is going to spend the first part of 2007 in the studio. They are ready to lay down the tracks to their debut ep, entitled Roaming Horses and Boroughs.
Catch Wild and Free live at the Oregon Express this Saturday, December 30th, and at Canal Street on Thursday January 11th.
To hear the band’s demo visit myspace.com/wildandfreetheband.
I got to talk with lead singer/guitarist, Jake Giesige, about the bands upcoming shows and the new ep.
KN - Where did the name of your forthcoming cd come from?
JG - When we started I Googled the name Wild and Free to make sure no other band had that name. The only thing that came up was a 70’s band from Kansas called Wild and Free Roaming Horses and Boroughs. I got a kick out of it and so it will be the name of our ep.
KN - Does the name Wild and Free encompass what you guys are all about?
JG - Our philosophy is to get back to the rock n’ roll basics. Simple rock of the 60’s before things got so complicated. We just want to write good quality songs. We simply want to just work hard and hope to get people excited about music again.
KN - So you don’t think people are excited about music in Dayton?
JG - Well I think the scene is sort of in a down time right now. I want to be a part of bringing the buzz back to Dayton like it was back when I was growing up. It is time to get people to care about Dayton music and shows again.
KN - Will the show Saturday be your first with your new drummer Paul Kennedy?
JG - No he played with us at the Dayton Music Fest in October. Paul’s a great drummer and has been at it for a while. He played in the Professors for a bit as well as the Villains before they broke up.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
American Hardcore starts at Neon
The early 1980’s hardcore scene is one of the most underrated yet influential era’s of modern rock music. Bands like Bad Brains, The Circle Jerks, Minor Threat, and Black Flag began the hardcore movement and are responsible for pioneering the sounds of many of the greatest bands from the 90’s and today.
A brand new documentary tracing the roots of hardcore from 1980-1986 is coming to the Neon Movie theater (130 E. Fifth St.) beginning Friday, December 29th. This Sundance award winning film, entitled American Hardcore, will only be showing for one week at the Neon so time to see it is limited.
It is about time the Reagan-era misfits got recognized for something.
To see a trailer of the film visit AmericanHardcoremovie.com. For show times and more info on the Neon visit Neonmovies.com.
Permalink | | Categories: music general
Paleo comes to the Pearl
Like a modern day Jack Kerouac, folk singer/songwriter David Strackany is living on the road and keeping records of his travels through verse and song.
Strackany, who goes by the stage name Paleo, has chronicled the past 9 months of his life spent on tour by writing what he calls a song diary.
Every single day since last Easter, Paleo has written, arranged, and recorded a new complete song. These daily honest, in-the-moment lo-fi gems then get posted online at Paleo’s website (www.paleo.ws) to become entries in his song diary.
The rules of the song diary are simple. The songs must be original. Each day’s song must be written, recorded, and uploaded to the Internet in one day. The day Paleo is unsuccessful in completing a song, the experiment is over.
His goal is to complete an entire year of daily song entries. To date, he has over 200 downloadable songs floating in cyberspace written everywhere from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.
With a haunting and melancholic voice, Paleo’s songs, on the song diary, are usually acoustic and mostly prolific. Paleo’s talent shows through on each song despite the fact that most of the songs are recorded at rest stops or the back seat of his car.
I got a chance to chat with Paleo about his Dayton show at the Pearl on December 28th. Also on the bill is Sleepybird and Towhee. Visit www.paleo.ws or myspace.com/paleo for more info.
KN – I think it is just amazing that you write a song every day. How do you go about it?
DS – The hardest part is finding time and space to write and record. The road has become my life, but it can be very difficult. I record in bathrooms and cars. Everyday is a new set of challenges to make something new.
KN – I heard that if you miss a day the project is over. Is that true?
DS – Yes, if I fail to write a song the project will be broken. But, the only way I won’t complete my goal is if I got killed or arrested. No amount of life will stop the experiment.
KN – The Sunday Prayer is a song you rewrite every Sunday. What a cool idea?
DS - The first song I posted was the Sunday Prayer on Easter Sunday. I decided to reinvent it every week. It’s like my version of a sonnet. The form is the same each time, but the words are different.
KN – Your full-length album Misery Missouri is a lot different from the song diary. Its actually hi-fi?
DS - Actually studio work is my fashion. A lot of the songs on the song diary are recorded lo-fi, but I am not really a lo-fi music fan. I like recordings that are big and loud and violent, but the song diary does not always allow room for that. I am selling Misery Missouri while on the road and my next album is all finished and will be released in 2007.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Dayton Local Music, Dayton Local Music
Mink reunites for show
It is hard to believe that Mink’s acclaimed final full-length album, entitled Get In, Get Out, came out in 1998. They were the elite power-pop melody driven rock band in Dayton for most of the mid-90’s, but disbanded not long after the release of Get In, Get Out.
Former Mink members Nick Eddy and Cory Osenbaugh are currently playing in the Dayton band Sunburst. Singer/guitarist, Morgan Taylor, took off to New York and formed the Morgan Taylor’s Rock Group.
But the guys will take a break from their current projects to reunite for a show at Canal Street Tavern on Saturday, December 23rd. Visit www.myspace.com/minkdaytonohio for more info.
Other shows this weekend:
Friday, December 22nd: Big Leg Emma and The Umbrella Man at Peach’s. Skeleton Crew at Canal Street. Highway Junkies at W.O. Wrights. Eric Jerardi at Oregon Express. Triangle Pancakes at Trolley Stop.
Saturday, December 23rd: The Sailing and Towhee at Oregon Express. Mink at Canal Street Tavern. B.B. Redd at J. Alans. Saint Cycle at W.O. Wrights.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
To Dayton with love…signed Dave Doughman
I just received an email from Swearing at Motorists frontman Dave Doughman. He wanted me to pass along his holiday wishes.
He wrote:
“To Dayton with Love, I hope the holidays are treating you all well.”
Doughman, who resides in Germany, must feel a little homesick this time of year. Visit the Swearing at Motorists myspace page (www.myspace.com/swearingatmotorists) and send Doughman some holiday wishes from his hometown (Dayton).
While your there download three brand new Swearing at Motorists Christmas tunes that Doughman has just posted.
I especially love his version of the Christmas classic Silver Bells. It is an acoustic version, but still has the Swearing swing to it. I think it will become the highlight of my Christmas themed mix cd.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Christmas Week
This upcoming weekend is Christmas weekend and most of us are going to stay indoors and enjoy our families. But, for some the music never stops. Click the comments and let me know where your band or your favorite band is playing this weekend. Tell me why I need to see them play. I’m looking to do some reviews.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Music calendar 12/15 & 12/16
There are lots of great shows this weekend. Here is a list of a few.
Friday, 12/15 - 8-Bit Revival, The Give Up, Vows at The Nite Owl. Will Kimbrough, Heidi Schwartz at Canal Street. B. B. Redd at Oregon Express. The Drunken Commitments at J. Alans. G-Nome at The Oasis Cafe.
Saturday, 12/16 - Tom Watson Benefit Show featuring My Latex Brain, Nicky Kay and the K-Tones, Joe Anderl, Oxymoronotron at Oregon Express. Shrug, Flyaway Minion, Nick Kizirnis at Canal Street. Towhee at Creative Sounds Cafe. Doug Hart Band at J. Alans. Buckra at Trolly Stop.
Permalink | | Categories: music calendar
Heidi Schwartz is coming home
Singer/songwriter and Beavercreek grad, Heidi Schwartz, is coming home and bringing along an emotional new album.
Entitled Firefighter, Schwartz’s new album is catchy, poppy, and quite personnel. Her songs touch on the struggles she had growing up and her relationship with her father. But, behind the heartstrings and the heavy themes on the record, Schwartz manages to keep the listener singing along and entranced by melody.
She has spent the last six years living in Nashville, but called the road home for two years while touring the college and coffeehouse circuit. She spent the last year recording Firefighter which is her first full-length release.
Aside from the rock n’ roll, Schwartz is also an artist. She sells her art around Nashville at art shows and galleries.
Wanting to mix her two talents, painting and singing, Schwartz created a painting to go along with each song she has written. Like a picture book with a sound track, her unique blend of art and music is what really makes her so multi-dimensional.
Schwartz will be at Canal Street Tavern on Friday, December 15th, for her first homecoming in years. I spoke her recently about growing up in Dayton, music, and art. For more info on Heidi and her music visit her website www.heidischwartz.com.
KN - Are you ready and excited to come back to Dayton?
HS - Yea I think it will be cool. I have not performed very much in Dayton and a lot of people from my past life (in Dayton) haven’t seen me play. I think they may be surprised when they see me.
KN - How did you come up with the idea to having a picture to go with each song?
HS - I am a very creative person and a very visual person. I write music from a visual perspective. When I write the lyrics to a song I have a picture in my head to go along with it. My art is what I think my lyrics look like. I try not to be too precise and just follow my muse.
KN - What can we expect from you live?
HS - I will have a band with me this time including a bass, drums, and guitar. To keep with the art and music concept I display my paintings on stage while I perform.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Tom Watson benefit show at Oregon Express
Let me introduce you to the courageous and creative Tom Watson. He is a graphic design graduate from University of Dayton, an accomplished journalist who has published his own zines, and an involved local music fan who has booked and promoted his own shows.
On March 17th, 2005, Tom suffered a massive brain stem stroke while attending class at UD. He was not expected to survive and if he did the doctors told him he would be a quadriplegic.
Tom did survive and went through a long process of physical rehab, relearning how to feed himself, write, walk, talk, and eventually to drive a car. He then suffered a year of post-traumatic depression, muscle spasms, and difficulty with walking.
Defying the odds, Tom is now living a complete life with his wife Elizabeth who stuck by his side through the entire horrifying episode.
Tom’s story has a happy ending, almost.
At the time of the stroke Tom had only student health insurance that did not cover his accumulated hospital bills. He turned to public aid, but did not qualify because he was doing too well with his rehab. If he would have not progressed so quickly then he may have been covered.
Tom is now buried under debt and with no place to turn for the money his friends within the local music community stepped in to help. This Saturday, December 16th, at the Oregon Express will be the Tom Watson Benefit show. Performing will be My Latex Brain, Nicky Kay and his Kay Tones, Joe Anderl and the Universal Walkers, and Oxymoronatron.
All the proceeds from the show are going to help pay for Tom’s medical debt. For more info or to donate to Tom’s medical fund visit myspace.com/tomwatsonbenefitshow or www.thechickenspeaks.com.
I chatted with Tom and here is what he said.
KN - Do you consider yourself lucky or unlucky?
TW - I guess a little of both. I’m lucky that I survived. I’m lucky I am once again able to walk and drive a car. I can speak clearly now too. I’m lucky to have my new wife, Elizabeth, who stuck with me even when she was told that I’d probably be a quadriplegic for the rest of my life. I’m lucky my family and friends and the faculty at UD’s Fine Art department were so supportive and visited me in the hospital. I also feel unlucky that this happened to me in the first place. As I’ve said many times, I wouldn’t wish my experience upon my worst enemy. It is horrible to be fully conscious during a stroke knowing that you are dying.
KN - You will be selling your amazing art pieces you did. The art includes a backdrop of your actual MRI from the stroke; how did you come up with that idea?
TW - I was in my final art classes at UD when I began the “Stem/ReAssemblage” silkscreen/multimedia series. I had been exploring the stroke experience through my art, sort of like self-directed art therapy. The stem images in the pictures are my actual left artery where the stroke started. They will be on sale for $30 bucks at the show. These pictures to me symbolize how my whole being had been torn up and how I was able to put it back together.
KN - Are you trying to turn any heads politically about the way the Medicare system is set up?
TW - I hope so. I certainly want to get people to realize that our system is messed up. I found through my own frustrating experiences that because I was able to walk within a year, I performed too well to get any government aid. Their requirement is that you must be permanently disabled or severely disabled for a year or more to qualify. Unfortunately this doesn’t allow for anyone who is temporarily disabled. I think there needs to be better resources for people in situations like me.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Columbus’ Melty Melty, Thursday at the Pearl
Music is simple to the Columbus born space-tinged, indie-pop band Melty Melty. In fact simplicity is what they strive for.
When Melty Melty formed about a year ago, co-founders, Sean Gardner and Kevin Davidson, determined that the point of the band would be to play simple pop songs.
Both musicians had successes in the Columbus rock scene prior to MM as part of the Fugazi-ish rock outfit Kopaz. But years of playing technical rock music can wear out the fingers and the band called it quits despite major label interest in 2005.
Refreshed and re-inspired the two have joined up with drummer Mark Hemmal to create a sound that is eighty-five percent Midwest, ten-percent Northwest, and five percent outer space. A bit dreamy at times, yet always honest, MM mixes in vibraphones, samples, keys, and vocal effects along with the guitar, bass, and drums.
The band began a tour last Friday in Chicago and are coming through Dayton on Thursday, 12/14, to play a show at the Pearl. To hear Melty Melty’s newest songs off their forthcoming 2007 ep, visit www.myspace.com/meltymelty or meltymelty.com.
When I caught up with Sean he was trying to fight off a cold and was hopped up on Codeine, but he still sounded excited about the band’s first tour.
KN - I heard this tour was slightly unexpected and came together very quickly?
SG - Yea we booked the whole tour really late. We were asked to play The Empty Bottle in Chicago about a month ago and decided to try to book a few more shows to play while we were on the road. The tour will last a week and will include stops in Omaha, Iowa, St. Louis, and Urbana, Illinois. The Urbana show will be with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin who is on Polyvinyl.
KN - What is We Want Action records?
SG - That is a record label we started five years ago in Columbus. We had Southern Distribution and we did pretty well. We put out some of the 84 Nash records. All our bands started breaking up so the label stalled for a bit.
KN - What is the delay on putting out the ep?
SG - Well unfortunately, Mark’s Mac 5 died on him a while back and we lost everything that we had recorded for the ep. It sucks, but when we get back off tour we are going to re-record it. It might be for the best though because now we have some new songs to include on the ep.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Smoke free weekend
I called the smoking tattle-tale hotline (1-866-559-OHIO) earlier today just to hear exactly what it was all about. To my surprise a living person answered the phone and I told him that I wanted to report an ill-legal smoker. I was asked for the perpetrators name and/or license plate number. I hung up the phone feeling secure that the state was ready to get all those dirty law-breaking smokers.
Last night (12/6) many bars around town had one final smoke-out. The Nite Owl, reportedly, set off fog machines to celebrate the end of the smoking era in Ohio. A few doors down on 5th street, the Dublin Pub was handing out hand-rolled cigars for customers to light up before midnight.
This weekend will be the first indication of how the smoking ban will affect attendance at local music shows. Maybe more people, knowing they will not have to deal with smoke, will come to bars to watch bands perform. Maybe not.
What do you think about the smoking ban? Click the comments and let me know.
Here are some shows to check out (smoke-free) this weekend.
Friday - Doug Hart at the Oregon Express/ The Smoking Stones at J. Alans/ Shatterstone at The Nite Owl/ Jah Roots at Peach’s/ Garnet Rodgers at Canal Street Tavern.
Saturday - Mona, The Bull and The Bear, Orange Willard at Canal Street Tavern/ Gem City Rockers, Northwest Ordinance at Oregon Express/ Tracey Walker, Jayne Saches at Peach’s/ Danny Voris Project at The Trolley Stop
What show(s) should people go to this weekend? Click the comments and let me know.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Categories: music calendar
Mona’s cd release is Saturday
All three pieces of the band Mona grew up sons of Pastors. Maybe that is where the divinity of their sound stems from. Or, maybe it comes from the chemistry between Nick Brown (keys, voice) Jason Wilson (guitar), and Vince Gard (drums) as talented musicians and friends.
This Dayton soulful rock band’s long awaited debut cd will finally hit the streets this Saturday, December 9th, as the band will perform in celebration of it’s release at Canal Street Tavern with The Bull and The Bear and Orange Willard.
The new cd, entitled Perfect Fit is a must have for local music fans who appreciate strong song writing with an emphasis on dynamics, melody, and musicianship.
I got to chat with Nick about Saturday’s show at Canal Street and the new record. Here is what he said. Visit www.monatheband.com for more info.
KN - The title of the cd, A Perfect Fit, how did that come about?
NB - There is a line in one of the songs that goes, “A perfect fit, how come it don’t fit,” and that is sort of what it means. I am diabetic and I learned at an early age that everything does not always work out the way you want it too. The title is a bit sarcastic in a way.
KN - I was surprised with how long the cd is (in a good way). Why did you guys choose to make it the length you did?
NB - We like to think of this record as our foundational record. Our music crosses a lot of genres (blues, rock, jazz, electronic) and we wanted to include every aspect of our music on our first album so that wherever we go from here it will still be Mona. Originally we started with just 10 tracks and then we were going to have 22 tracks at one time. Everyone kept telling us, “your a local band, keep it short,” so we of course chose to make it long.
KN - Does your background growing up the son of a pastor influence your song writing?
NB - Actually all three of us grew up in the church and we went to Dayton Christian together. Yea, our music is rock n’ roll. It’s all worship music of something, either God or alcohol. It’s all expression and spiritual.
KN - I hear you guys have been partying with Kings of Leon lately. Is that true?
NB - Yea we have built a good friendship with those guys and they have taught us a lot about the music industry and the technical side of things. Their a great band and we have a great time traveling with them.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Diet Audio to play for all ages
The Cincinnati Entertainment Awards were held last month at the Taft Theater and awards were given for best rock, blues, hip-hop, and indie bands in the city.
One of the most intriguing categories of the night was for best experimental/electric act because to win this award a band would have to be innovative and original. The 2006 best experimental/electric band for Cincinnati was the 4-piece forward thinking electronic rock band, Diet Audio.
This three-year-old band has perfected the art of sound manipulation. Mixing synths, bass, cello, drum machines, guitar, and a voice both sweet and sassy, Diet Audio is well suited to be labeled experimental.
The bands live show harnesses all of the same elements as it’s recordings. Their shows are massive and loaded with instruments, laptops, and even (usually) a video projector playing images to go with the music.
The band is making the 45-minute drive north to play an all ages show at The Cavern in Xenia on Saturday December 9th and at Oregon Express on Saturday December 30th. For more info go to www.DietAudio.com.
I got to chat with Amy and Ian of Diet Audio.
KN - When will the new album be out?
Ian - Early 2007. The songs are all recorded and are being mixed. A couple are posted on the website if you want to check them out. This will be our debut release.
KN - It has a strange title, what is it and what does it mean?
Ian - It will be called Ecrasez L’ Infame. which is French and literally means crush the infamous. It is sort of a commentary on the institution of church, but it is not religious.
KN - You guys had a busy year playing both Midpoint and the Desdemona Festivals. What was that like?
Amy - Midpoint is like Christmas. We have played it for the past three years and we just love wondering and meeting all the other bands. Desdemona was incredible too. We played with one of our favorite bands, Enon, and that was really cool.
KN - Can you explain the benefit show you put on every Spring?
Amy - Sure, it is called Electro-fest. Us, along with a great band called Hungry Lucy, invite bands from all over the country to come and play a show to benefit the Save the Animals Foundation and no kill animal shelters. It usually happens in early spring, but we are planning a tour to support our new record this spring and Electro-fest may be pushed back.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Dayton Local Music
