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Home > Blogs > Battle of the Band > Archives > 2007 > February
February 2007
Dayton bands for sale on I-tunes
No offense to WOXY.com, but the I-tunes online music store is the new “future of rock n’ roll.”
Apple reports that I-tunes sells over three million songs a day and including accessories they earned $491 million dollars last year.
With I-tunes growing in popularity it is no surprise that “2006 was the worst yet for the record industry” according to Rolling Stone magazine. Many musicians and experts are predicting that record labels will be obsolete within two years.
This bleak outlook might get the RCA’s and Metallica’s a bit worried, but the switch in revenue is great news for local and regional bands. This is because with more consumers getting their music from the internet then even the smallest local band could sell records and be heard worldwide.
Many Dayton bands have already figured this out and are prepared for the future.
A quick search of I-tunes revealed opportunities to buy songs and albums from several of my favorite local artists. This list includes Captain of Industry, Ruetschle, Shrug, The Story Changes, and Sleepybird.
Purchase any of these bands albums for $9.99 at any time of the day or night. The band (in most cases) gets $7 from the purchase.
Buying music on I-tunes might be the easiest way to support local music.
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The Drunken Commitments are everywhere
The Drunken Commitments might just be the busiest band in Dayton.
Last week the band took the stage at five different area venues posting a schedule that had them performing on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.
A busy work week is normal for this energetic and fun duo that features Darren Noble on guitar and Junior on the bongo drums.
The DC’s uniquely blend acoustic and earthy tones make a sound that goes with any backdrop.
But, besides their music, it is the guys appetite for fun that fills up the bar stools every night.
For a year and a half Noble and Junior have been the prime party starters within the Dayton bar scene.
The DC’s set is a mixture of original songs and covers ranging from James Taylor and the Beatles to Alice in Chains and the Foo Fighters. Aiming to please their fans on a nightly basis the band will even take requests from the audience.
By mid-spring Noble and Junior hope to release their debut cd of original music. To hear a sample of their tunes visit www.thedrunkencommitments.com.
The band will be at the Markey Lounge in North Dayton this Saturday, March 3rd, at the Dublin Pub next Thursday, March 8th, and at J-Alans bar located downtown on Friday, March 9th.
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Gossip and ongoingings
In the spirit of the Oscars and the king of gossip, Ryan Seacrest, I thought I would throw out a few roomers floating around the Dayton rock scene.
The final line-up and schedule was announced for this years South-by-Southwest festival. Space rockers the Lab Partners are the only reps from Dayton playing the famed Austin, Texas music and film festival. They will be playing at midnight on March 17th at Lambert’s in downtown Austin. Visit www.sxsw.com for more info on the line-up or how to buy me a weekend pass so I can see the Lab Partners and a couple hundred other bands from all over the world.
Surfing myspace earlier I came across myspace.com/daytonbands and noticed that they have video posted featuring local rock show promoter PunkNite Mike. In the video, Daytonbands.com interviews Mike “punknite” Durian and he gives his take on the bands to see in Dayton and the history of Punknite.
Dayton indie-pop kings, Mona, have been spending a lot of time in Nashville. The band is scheduled to play next in Dayton at Canal Street on March 10th. After that they are scheduled to play shows in Nashville. The band has been very outspoken about it’s disappointment about Dayton and I wonder if a move is in the future.
Back in December traveling singer/songwriter Paleo travelled through Dayton and performed at the Pearl. He has an on going project he calls a song diary in which he records and writes a brand new song every day while on tour. Visit www.paleo.ws and listen to the song he wrote and recorded in the bathroom at the Pearl back on December 28th. He posts the lyrics to all the tracks he records including the Dayton track entitled Hangwomen.
Click the comments and tell me some gossip you have on Dayton area Bands and clubs.
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Quick music calendar
This weekend is loaded with great shows. Here are a few ear pleasing suggestions for how to spend your Friday and Saturday nights.
Friday, February 23rd: The Story Changes and Sputnik Halo at the Nite Owl; Shrug at the Trolley Stop; The Drunken Commitments at J. Alans; Eric Jerardi at Oregon Express; Metal Militia at McGuffy’s; John Hammond at Canal Street Tavern; Rob Heiliger at Peach’s.
Saturday, February 24th: Halos Were Found at the Landing Site and the Sailing at Canal Street Tavern; Orange Willard and Second Echo at Oregon Express; The American Static at Peach’s; Smokey Basement Project at Talegators; Yakuza Heart Attack at the Nite Owl; Full Throttle at McGuffy’s; Skeptical Cats at the Trolley Stop; The Ohio Corndaddies at J. Alans.
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Orange Willard to part ways with guitar player
The myspace gossip wheel was turning at full speed when earlier this month the Dayton hard rock band Orange Willard announced that guitarist, Tim Ditmer, was leaving the band.
Fans of the 2006 Canal Street Tavern Dayton Band Playoffs champion feared that Tim’s departure could mean the end of Orange Willard.
Not to worry, Willard-heads, the band will go on without Tim, and the future is still bright for Dayton’s most loveable rock band.
The band has finished recording their forthcoming full-length set to be titled Two Years Later referring to how long it took the band to record the album. They are just waiting on the artwork to be completed and are hoping for a mid-April release.
Until then, the band’s calendar is filled with shows including an acoustic set on March 30th at the Creative Sounds Cafe in the Oregon District and their final show with Tim set for this Saturday, February 24th, at the Oregon Express.
Tim is leaving Orange Willard to play guitar full time for the Dayton-based hardcore/metal act Fluwid.
Orange Willard does have a replacement for Tim lined up, but has not announced his/her name.
To hear four songs off the new Orange Willard record, Two Years Later, visit Aztekrecords.com. For more info the band’s future shows visit OrangeWillard.com.
I had a chance to chat with Charley Skira, Rusty Paquay, Gub Pedrotti, and Eric Ditmer of Orange Willard about their past and future.
KN - I have not talked with you guys since you won the Playoffs, how did winning the Dayton Band Playoffs change you if at all?
OW - I think the only change was within ourselves. It was our goal for four years to win the Playoffs. But, now that we won it is like what’s next.
KN - So is Tim leaving on bad terms?
OW - No not at all. It is all on good terms. We are really in good with Fluwid, and wish him the best.
KN - So will you guys change without him?
OW - Most things won’t change. The music won’t change and we will remain a five piece. The writing may change, but it can only get better. We will get a chance to experiment with our new guitar player and get him or hers influence on the songwriting.
KN - So who is the new guitar player?
OW - We don’t want to say his/her name just yet. The first show with him/her will be on March 3rd at Canal Street Tavern.
KN - The way you keep calling the mystery guitarist him or her it makes me think that you guys will have a chick guitar player?
OW - We might have a chick guitar player, who knows?
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Halos Were Found at the Landing Site boast new record
Halos Were Found at the Landing Site had a break out year in 2006.
This four-piece Dayton rock band played their first show together last March and despite being new to the scene they quickly gained a large loyal fan base. By mid-summer they were the leading vote getters in the Canal Street Tavern Dayton Band Playoffs and were favored by many to win.
In December the band released its first self-titled full-length album. The record contains 13 original tracks and 78 minutes of music that is sonic, dynamic, and melancholic.
However, do to illness to the band’s curly haired lead singer, Marcus Pulkas, in January, Halos have been on hiatus since the release of their cd.
Now healthy, the band is ready to end their winter break and hit the stage exhibiting their notorious finger tapping, swirling effects, and cymbal thrashing.
Catch the band on Saturday, February 23rd at Canal Street Tavern. Also on the bill are their friends and fellow hard rockers the Sailing.
The show starts at 9:30, but get there early because Halos and the Sailing are known to draw huge crowds.
I got to chat with Marcus about the upcoming show and the cd. For more info visit myspace.com/haloswerefoundatthelandingsite or canalstreettavern.com.
KN - How has the response to the new record been thus far?
MP - It has been awesome. People have been very responsive even though, due to my death virus, we have not had a chance to promote the record a lot yet. I think most people have trouble trying to label us. The album shows we have many different styles. People always tell us we sound like this band or that band, but trying to compare us to other bands is difficult.
KN -Do you hate it when someone compares Halos to other bands?
MP - No, people can not pin us down to one band. In the same song we may have parts that sound like Gun n’ Roses and then Hum. You can laugh, but we like to add different sounds and parts in our music. It ends up being a bit over the top, but that is who we are.
KN - You guys have come a long way since the Playoffs (new record and all), Do you feel that you’re better or worse off because of the Dayton Band Playoffs?
MP - Yea we are better off. We were just hoping to make it past the first round, but we just freaked. It was flattering and exciting to get as far as we did. Of course we wanted to win, but the Exposure we got from the playoffs was awesome.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Hipsters on ice with Rev Cool
The celebration for WYSO DJ Rev Cool’s 25th year in broadcasting continues as he hosts his third major community event of the year.
For the past quarter century Rev Cool has been responsible for bringing cutting edge sounds to the Miami Valley through his radio show Around the Fringe .
On Wednesday, February 21st, the Reverend of Cool will also be responsible for bringing bruised knees and elbows to Dayton as he invites only the hip of the hip to join him for the “Hipsters on Ice” party at Five Rivers Ice Rink in Downtown Dayton.
The event is free for all ages and will feature an appearance by the Gem City Roller Girls on the ice, a meet and greet with many area musicians, and a few surprises from the gracious host.
The party is scheduled to go on from 6 - 8 pm. If you bring your own blades then skating is free. If not you may rent a pair of ice skates for $3.00.
After the open skate the really hip can head down the block to Canal Street Tavern for the “Hipsters on Ice” after party featuring live performances by Billy Catfish, Wil Cope, and Ohio Pie Factory.
Around the Fringe airs every Friday from 8 pm - midnight on 91.3 FM WYSO. For more information visit www.wyso.org.
Permalink | | Categories: music general
It is never too cold for rock n’ roll
Here are the must see shows this weekend.
Friday February 16th: Red Earth at McGuffy’s; Ryan Judy and Friends at Peach’s; The Drunken Commitments at Adobe Gila’s; Steven Gregory band at Trolley Stop; The Doug Hart Band at Oregon Express; Adrian Belew and the Power Trio at Canal Street Tavern.
Saturday February 17th: Blitzkid (VA) at Nite Owl; Happy Chichester at Canal Street Tavern, The Professors and the Electric Dots at Oregon Express; Curious Animals at J. Alans; Alligator Stew at Trolley Stop; Precision at Peach’s; Ozzmosis at McGuffy’s.
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The Electric Dots to play Oregon Express
The Dayton based rock n’ roll three-piece, the Electric Dots, are a little rough around the edges, but I think that is the point.
On stage this loud 60’s throwback party band is all about energy. Their infectious energy helps to make dancing the favorite activity for the Dots fans.
The Electric Dots recent post on You Tube is a demonstration on all out sound demolition. Posted comments on both the video and the band’s myspace page (myspace.com/theelectricdots) boast injuries from fans in attendance of a Dots performance.
Catch the band this Saturday, February 17th with fellow energetic rock n’ rollers The Professors at the Oregon Express for it’s weekly “Indie Rock Night.” Show starts at 9:30 pm.
This show is my pick of the weekend.
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Virginia’s Blitzkid to bring horror-punk to Nite Owl
I recently stumbled upon a YouTube video that featured a three-piece punk band performing in the basement of a church on Easter Sunday while wearing undead bunny costumes. Slightly frightened, yet intrigued I looked up the three agnostic punk rockers I saw in the video.
TB Monstrosity, Argyle Goolsby, and Jesco Devilanse, or together known as Blitzkid, were the blood drooling and fuzzy eared undead bunnies shocking Champaign, Illinois last Easter.
Since 1997 Blitzkid from Bluefield, Virginia have been torturing and terrorizing audiences throughout the US and Europe with their bloody brand of catchy horror-punk.
Bordering on cult status, Blitzkid is at the forefront of horror rock both because of their relentless touring and killer stage performances. When not exhuming melodic graves in Blitzkid the guys are involved in other projects with members of horror-punk pioneers the Misfits. These projects include Dr. Chud, Gorgeous Frankenstein, and the Michale Graves band.
Blitzkid’s songs are hook-happy with dark undertones and themes focused upon corpses and blood sucking lovers.
After a road stint on the West Coast to begin the year the band is currently playing dates along the East Coast and Midwest. The band is out pushing a new album, 2006’s Five Cellars Below, and a brand new DVD, entitled Terrifying Tales.
Blitzkid will be at the Nite Owl on 5th St. in the Oregon District this Saturday February 17th. Show begins at 9:30 pm. For more info visit Blitzkid.com or myspace.com/blitzkid.
I got to chat with Blitzkid bassist Argyle Goolsby about the last time they came through Dayton.
KN - What can fans expect to see at a Blitzkid show?
AG - Expect that something will break at some point. Sometimes within the first song. It could be a string, it could be a stick, it could be a nose, it could be an arm. All of this has happened with no exaggeration, so at this point we just expect anything. There’s a good chance you’re going to walk away bruised or hurt if you get to close to the stage. The shows are like exorcisms through music for us.
KN - Can you explain what happened last time you played the Nite Owl?
AG - Last summer at the Nite Owl, we all managed to find Speedos and prom dresses and wore them to the confusion of many patrons due to our lack of acknowledging them. I managed to scale the wall and hang upside down from one of the rafters but don’t expect to see that again until the Nite Owl does some serious spring cleaning.
KN - Catchy horror-punk, do people get it?
AG - Some do, some don’t. There will always be people who are going to sit back and say Oh man, that’s old hat and so unoriginal. Everything’s been done. You just got to expound on what’s been set before you. Horror and the like have been symbols and messages all throughout the history of music. As far back as Maurice Ravel. He was writing classical pieces about Dead Princesses. Look at Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. He was the Marilyn Manson of his time. Who else came to shows in 1958 by way of a zebra print hearse? The early 80’s was revolutionized by punk music. The Misfits added the horror element to their generation. Were so close to that time period that it is difficult to go without the obvious comparisons. As long as people know, we do it because we love it and its what we’ve done for 10 years.
KN - Congratulations on making it ten years, what have you learned?
AG - If you’re gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough. If you get knocked down you gotta get back up.
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Weekly music calendar
Another weekend packed with music in Dayton. Here are a few of the shows to check out this weekend.
Friday, February 9th: The Story Changes and Aurburndale at The Brewery (in Troy); The DC’s at J. Alans; Mona, Sohio, and Marijuana Johnson at Canal Street Tavern; Ticket to Ride at Oregon Express; The Recipe at Peach’s; My Wasted Youth at McGuffy’s.
Saturday, February 10th: Shrug and Vanity Theft at Canal Street Tavern; Sohio and Wild and Free at Oregon Express; The Ohio Corndaddies at Peach’s; Romeo Champagne at Trolley Stop; Sleepybird at Dublin Pub; So Be It and Render Nothing at the Brewery.
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Lab Partners to play SXSW festival
The line-up for the 2007 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas was announced on Tuesday. Among the 1300 showcased acts from all over the world are Dayton’s space rock innovators the Lab Partners.
This is the second straight year that the Lab Partners were selected to be apart of the week long world famous Music and Film festival.
The exact venue and time of the Lab Partners performance has yet to be announced.
Bands from Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland were also announced to be playing this year. Thus far, the Lab Partners are the only band representing Dayton.
SXSW is scheduled for March 9 - 18. Featured speakers this year include Emmylou Harris and Iggy Pop.
For the complete list of bands and ticket information visit http://2007.sxsw.com.
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Sohio to play double-feature in Dayton
The buzz heard along the 45-minute stretch of highway between Dayton and Cincinnati is that of the blossoming indie-pop-rock band Sohio.
For the past three years this Hamilton based quintet has been playing rock songs that are melody driven and musically mature.
Their dedication to southwestern Ohio and pop-tinged rock n’ roll has earned the band an expanding and fiercely devoted fan base. Sohio’s fans fanatically support the band so much so that the band has never played to an empty room.
The band’s 2006 debut full length Money and Love is earning a lot of acclaim and radio airplay throughout southern and central Ohio. Music from the album was even used as the intro for Dane Cook’s short film on HBO entitled Tourgasm.
Sohio is spending this weekend in Dayton. Friday night (2/9/07) catch them opening for Mona at Canal Street Tavern. Then Saturday (2/10/07) you will find the guys down at the Oregon Express with Wild and Free.
I had a chance to chat with Sohio guitarist and keyboardist BJ McKinney about the band’s upcoming Dayton shows while he was stuck in the snow on I-75.
KN - Are back-to-back shows in the same city difficult to play?
BJ - We’re lucky to have a big group of family, friends, and fans who come to every show. I am not really sure if that speaks to their dedication or if it is just that we are that good. But, as far as this weekend we are really excited. Friday we are playing with our friends Mona. They’re a great band. Then Saturday at the OE will be a blast because we love playing there. It is like our Dayton home.
KN - Your Cincinnati home seems to be the Southgate House. You guys play there a lot it seems.
BJ - Yea we have a great relationship built up with them. We love playing there. We just had a great show there with the Knitters who is John Doe’s new band. He used to play with the band X.
KN - Since you guys play a lot in both Cinci and Dayton, which has the better scene?
BJ - I don’t know if I want to say. We love Cincinnati, but Dayton has a more welcoming scene. Dayton is a bit more poppy and the bands seem to have more comradelier.
KN - What are the goals for 2007? Will you travel? Will you record the follow-up to Money and Love?
BJ - Yea traveling is a major goal for this year. In the Spring we hope to make it back to Chicago as well as Columbus and Athens. We have some new material written and we may record an ep soon. We want to try to record on our own this time.
KN - We have talked for like 20 minutes. Are you still stuck on I-75 in the snowstorm?
BJ - Yea I am still on 75. I have moved about a quarter mile in the past half hour. I keep inching along at 3 miles an hour.
Permalink | | Categories: Dayton Local Music
Vanity Theft to play Canal Street Tavern
For the past year Springboro’s Vanity Theft have attempted to breach the stereotypes that many have about girl rock bands. Mostly they want to prove that the girls can rock just as hard as the boys.
Brittany Hill (guitar, voice), Alicia Grodeci (keys, voice), Elise Driskill (drums), and Lindsey Keene (bass), are earning respect and fans throughout the Midwest playing upbeat, catchy, and melody driven music that borders on indie and hard rock.
The band’s most definitive characteristic is their two singers, Hill and Grodeci. Together they are able to manipulate melodies and lyrics in a way reminiscent of Taking Back Sunday or Thursday, but with female range and compassion.
Vanity Theft plans on spending the first part of 2007 performing and breaking into the Dayton rock scene. Catch the band next Saturday, February 10th at Canal Street Tavern with Shrug. Show starts at 9:30pm and is $5 at the door.
At the show pick up the band’s first 5-song ep entitled SymptomsSymptoms.
I got to chat with Brittany Hill about Vanity Theft and their up coming show at Canal Street Tavern.
KN - I hear many different styles and influences in your music, is that planned?
BH -Yea, our style is always changing and adapting. We encompass a broad spectrum and we do not like to classify ourselves. We like to write fun stuff that will make you tap your feet, but at the same time is very heartfelt lyrically.
KN - Is it difficult being an all-girl band in a normally male dominated genre?
BH - Sometimes it is hard, but it is fun at the same time. Every show people look at us and think we are going to suck. It is fun to change people’s minds and blow them away. Being a girl band makes us stand out.
KN -Why do people think you might suck when they look at you?
BH - The stereotypes about girl rock bands are that they are either the Donnas or Kittie. We are trying to be deeper than that. We want people to focus on our music not on us being girls.
KN - Are you excited about playing on Saturday at Canal Street?
BH - Yea were excited about it. We cannot wait to play with Shrug. They’re great. We hope everyone comes out, gives us a chance, and has a good time.
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