Thee Pistol Whips/Wild & Free/Jake Giesige @ Therapy Cafe & Accidently On Purpose/Lollipop Factory @ Canal Street Tavern

...after our fill of fireworks and such, we headed down to Therapy Cafe to check out couple of old bandmates in their new settings. We walked in to catch ex-patriate Jake Giesige (currently of The Judy Blooms) doing a last-minute solo acoustic set. Although stripped down, Giesige's songs were certainly more than strong enough to handle the exposure. Playing a number of old Wild & Free songs, as well as newer songs like "Meg, You're Starting to Slip", Giesige did not disappoint. As his set wound down and rumors abounded of an impromptu reunion, he called up his old mates from Wild & Free. Tearing through four songs off their disc Andiamo, everyone was reminded what a loss that band truly was. Alas, we'll have to stand patiently and wait for Giesige to chart his next course...




...next up was another Wild & Free alumni, GT, and his new band Thee Pistol Whips. With an apparent affinity for the Nuggets era, the band continues to wave the flag for garage rock purity. Complete with a trio of go-go dancing singers, Thee Pistol Whips strive towards the raunch that launched a thousand bands. We'll have to wait and see for now if they can deliver on that promise...




...at this point in the evening, we switched venues and rolled over to Canal Street Tavern to try and catch the dual CD release presented by the new local label, Consumer Value Deluxe Records. Sadly, we missed the debut of The Whathaveya, but reports confirmed our suspicions that is a serious new force of rock n' roll in Dayton. Shortly after our arrival, Lollipop Factory from Columbus kicked into gear. On the second day of a six-week tour, the band was full of fire. Strutting and slashing the stage, the glammed-out duo sounded like QOTSA had gone on a blistering bender of nothing but Queen and early Bowie. Not only was the sound incredible, but Lollipop Factory also understand the value of stage presence. The pair posed and pouted and paraded across the CST stage as if they had been born there. We're hoping for a return visit soon...




...closing out the evening was a revamped Accidently On Purpose. Celebrating the release of their Miminari EP, the band turned in a blistering set. With Greta Smak prowling the stage as if some unknown force were threatening to take it from her at any minute, the rest of the band backed her up with interminable ferocity. Even an ill-timed bass string breakage was not enough to slow AOP down on this night...





...for more photos from the evening, go here. Black & white photography by Marla Bremer.