Fictionband on the Move

...in a humble attempt to make it easier for everyone involved, the Ted Dankerson and the staff at Fictionband have relocated their site. You can tune into all their rumblings from the undergound RIGHT HERE. Don't worry, they're still bringing you nuggets from the past and present as only Fictionband can do. They just made your life a little easier. Well, maybe not...

DMF 08 Schedule Addendum

...just in from the Dayton Music Fest organizers, there have been changes made to the schedules at Gilly's and Trolley Stop. Please be sure to mark your scorecards accordingly...

Gilly’s

* Bob Pollard 11:15-
* The Sailing 10:00-10:30
* Hospital Garden 9:00-9:30

Trolley Stop

* The Joose Box 1:00 -
* Towhee 12:00 – 12:35
* Kris N. 11:00 – 11:35
* Dorsie Fyffe and The Fearless Flies 10:00 – 10:35
* Jordan Hull 9:00 – 9:35

Tickets are currently on sale here for $10.

Astro Magpie Winter

...if yr heading out tonight, here's our recommendations:


...still the "new" venue in Dayton, Blind Bob's is hosting a good one tonight. Brace yourself for the one-two punch of The Human Reunion and Astro Fang. Seems like every time these two get together it's a big one...

...if you're something a little more relaxed, head over to the Trolley Stop to check out The Magpies from Cleveland. They've been making Dayton a regular tour stop and have earned a pretty loyal following here in town. Stop in to dig the buzz....

...finally, a couple of great touring bands are stopping through Oregon Express tonight. Up from the Deep South, touring partners The Winter Sounds and Look Mexico should make for a good night. Also on the bill, locals Murmur will be releasing their debut CD...

Legalize Telephones

...as is becoming typical in Dayton these days, you've got a couple of good options for showgoing tonight...

...over at Gilly's, you've got some of Dayton's finest doing a retake of last year's highly successful Legalize Gassett benefit. This one's for the bands, however, so head on down and check out Mouth of the Architect, Captain of Industry (whose latest album, The Bronze, entered the CMJ charts this week), 8-Bit Revival, and Goatherd...

...there's also a good one over at Dayton Dirt Collective tonight with the ambient Tin Can Telephone, Men as Trees, and one of our newer favorites, Lvngs. Get on out and check these shows out...

Dayton Music Fest 08 Schedule Announced

...at long last, the official schedule has been posted for this year's Dayton Music Fest. Admission is $10 and you can get your advance tickets over here. There's a lot of ground to cover this year, so take a good look and chart a course...

Gilly's

* Boston Spacehips (Robert Pollard) 10:30
* The Sailing 9:20-9:50
* Hospital Garden 8:30-9:00

Blind Bob's

* Lab Partners 1:00 -
* Astro Fang (Fri. Night Vampire Club/Grizzzzy Bear) 12:00-12:35
* Blastronauts 11:00- 11:35
* The Poor Devils 10:00-10:35
* After The Accident 9:00-9:35

The Oregon Express

* Human Reunion 1:00 -
* The Rebel Set 12:00 – 12:30
* Vanity Theft 11:00 – 11:35
* Paper Airplane 10:00 – 10:35
* The Nick Kizirnis Band 9:00 – 9:35

The Trolley Stop

* The Joose Box 1:00 -
* Towhee 12:00 – 12:35
* Jordan Hull 11:00 – 11:35
* Dorsie Fyffe and the Fearless Flies 10:00 – 10:35
* Kris N. 9:00 – 9:35

Therapy Cafe

* Shrug 1:00 -
* Joe Anderl 12:00 – 12:35
* The Kyle Sowashes 11:00 – 11:35
* Come on Caboose 10:00 – 10:35
* Ruetschle 9:00 – 9:35

Tumbleweed Connection

* HQAX 1:00 -
* The Northwest Ordinance 12:00 – 12:35
* Jasper The Colossal 11:00 – 11:35
* The Goody Two Shoes 10:00 – 10:35
* The Whathaveya 9:00 – 9:35

Canal Street Tavern

* The Story Changes 1:00 -
* Magic Jackson [Canal Street BOTB Winner] 12:00 – 12:35
* Toads and Mice 11:00 – 11:35
* Andrew and the Pretty Punchers 10:00 – 10:35
* Paego Paego 9:00 – 9:35

The Buddha Den Presents: The Interiors/Hospital Garden/Mountain Screamer-Tonight @ Pearl 9.25.08

...with a small, but enthusiastic crowd on hand at Pearl last night, we were very excited to present two of Dayton's finest young bands and a great band out on tour from Chicago last night. Opening the evening were the duo Mountain Screamer. Despite numerous PA issues and some early guitar mishaps, the band plowed through a relentless set of bluesy punk numbers without fail. With heavy leanings toward John Spencer Blues Explosion, the snarling guitar and frenetic-yet-solid-drumming signal a solid outfit. Keep an eye out for Mountain Screamer-the duo could very well make a mark on the Dayton scene in the coming months...




...with fresh copies of the debut EP in tow, Hospital Garden hit the stage with their trademark fury and soul-engraving tunes. While guitarist Lucas has a way of delivering heart-wrenching vocals, on her sole turn at the mic, bassist Sarah seems to have the passion, but perhaps not the delivery as yet to match his intensity. The band, however, have been on a roll lately and their throwback indie recalls such heavyweights as Pavement and GBV, all the while firmly holding to their own interpretation. Be sure to grab the new disc while you can...




...out on tour from Chicago, The Interiors won over the late night crowd last night. Although starting out somewhat pensive, the band finally settled in and with their engaging banter drew the crowd in. Performing much of the material from their debut album, the intricacies and nuances were delivered with stunning precision. Guitarist Chase Duncan melded his sparse guitar lines seamlessly into his wide-ranging vocal delivery, effortlessly dancing over the meticulous rhythm section of Brian Lubinsky (drums) and Collin Jordan (bass). We're hoping for a return visit very soon...




For more photos from the evening, go here.

The Buddha Den Presents: The Interiors/Hospital Garden/Mountain Screamer-Tonight @ Pearl

...The Buddha Den is very pleased to present another great evening of some of the finest from Dayton and beyond. Headlining this evening at Pearl will be The Interiors (from Chicago), whose debut on 54-40 or Fight Records we reviewed a while back and who have since performed in their hometown for a Rolling Stone magazine showcase. The band are currently out on a fall tour in feverish support of said debut album. Also on the bill are two of our newer local faves, the throwback indie of Hospital Garden and the raunchy punk/blues of Mountain Screamer. If you need added incentive, Hospital Garden will be making the debut offering of their debut EP, which we highly recommend picking up. We'll see you there....

The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO feat. Engine the Gun/Tin Toy Robot @ Oregon Express 9.24.08

...although we've been without Internet here at The Buddha Den for the last several days, we are still active and hosted our third NTRO/XPO last night at The Oregon Express. Opening the evening we had a fine trio of acoustic performers for the open mic portion of the evening, including the requisite set by AJ (along with a couple of tuned from Phil Whittaker), Ben Schwab (from Costa Mesa, CA), and newcomer Tyler Terry...




...stepping into the featured performances for the night, Tin Toy Robot made their debut. The new band, featuring three members of local fave Astro Fang, tore through a brief but torrid set of punk-inflected synth-driven numbers that were destined to bore themselves into yr psyche. Augmented by projectors and and animatronic reindeer, the band certainly made quite the splash on the Dayton scene. Keep an eye out for them in the coming months...




...winding out the night, we had a subdued set from Engine the Gun. Due to some technical glitches, the typical loops that define Engine the Gun were absent on this night and, in an attempt to carry on, ETG proceeded with a short set of self-proclaimed "sad bastard music". Regardless, Engine the Gun delivered a sleepy set that was a fine way to close out a Wednesday night...




For more photos from the evening, go here.

Did you miss us?

...we'd like to apologize for the lack of activity here on The Buddha Den over the last few days. Although our offices were fortunate enough to retain power during the massive wind storm last weekend, apparently repair efforts on the part of DP&L and Time Warner Cable mysteriously cut off our Internet connection last Sunday night. Rest assured, dear readers, that we will return soon and that we are still working tirelessly to provide you with everything you wanted to know about the Dayton music scene and more but were afraid to ask....

Glad Girl Presents: Poster-Tastic! @ Derailed 10.4.08

...on the night of the Dayton Music Fest (Saturday, October 4), Glad Girl will host a very special non-related event. Celebrating local designers and bands, local hair cuttery Derailed will display one of the most underrated aspects of the local music scene: poster art. In addition, there will also be a very special performance by none other than Drexel. If you have poster art that you would like displayed contact Glad Girl before Thrusday, October 2. By the way, did we mention this event will be FREE and ALL AGES???

Squids Eye Records Showcase feat. Astro Fang/Scott Deadelus/The Happy Planets-Tonight @ Pearl

...the prodigious local label Squids Eye Records is hosting their monthly showcase of bands tonight over at Pearl. On tap, you've got Astro Fang (formerly Grizzzzy Bear/Friday Night Vampire Club), the vastly underrated Scott Deadelus, and new Squids Eye find, The Happy Planets. It's sure to be a great night of music...

The Buddha Den Presents: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Soft Targets/Towhee @ Canal Street Tavern 9.17.08

...with much of Daytonia still in the grip of darkness from the recent electrical outages, we gathered last night at Canal Street Tavern for The Buddha Den Presents. Opening the evening were the always-impressive Towhee. Armed with a handful of newer tunes earmarked for their next release, the band moved between their disco-inflected passages and nuanced restraint. Although the band may draw strong (and deserved) comparisons to Death Cab for Cutie, their range is simply much broader and should most certainly be examined further by music lovers far and wide...




...next up we had Soft Targets, out on tour from Tallahassee, FL in support of their new album, Heavy Rainbows. Immediately we realized this was a band of incredible musicians, as bassist/keyboardist Nate Sadler effortlessly pounded out lines on the Rhodes while holding down the low end and adding pitch-perfect harmonies all the while. With lead vocal duties being split between all three members, the set never got stylistically stale. Throughout their set, the band walked the line between the impeccable pop craftsmanship of Spoon and the jazzier incarnations of Steely Dan. In the end, we were feeling a bit too much of the yacht rock vibe to be totally in love with the band, but the handful of songs that really got us were enough to keep us attached...




...closing out the evening, perennial Dayton-faves Andrew & the Pretty Punchers brought the requisite small-town catharsis that is their stock-in-trade. Although relatively loose on this evening, the band still mustered an intensity and dynamic range that continues to expand with each performance. With several new songs in tow, the band continues to refine their everyman-singalongs as the hooks become more potent, but less obvious. Likewise, the band's new slower dirge-like number allows the band to further expand their range, all the while retaining their ability to hold the audience enraptured. Yet again on this night, A&TPP proved that they are indeed one of the best bands in the current Dayton crop...




For more photos from the evening, go here.

Pretty Lowland Sailors

...with the electricity still being out in some parts of the Dayton area, tonight is a good opportunity to get out and remember electricity...

...The Buddha Den Presents is very pleased to bring you another great bill at Canal Street Tavern. Headlining this evening are the always-incredible Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. Up from Tallahassee, FL, we've got the indie pop of Soft Targets who are out on an extensive tour in support of their new album, Heavy Rainbows. Opening up will be the sublime indie pop of Towhee....


...if yr feeling a little more subdued tonight, head over to Oregon Express to catch the second week of The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO. Tonight we will feature the jazz-rock explorations of Black Wolf Fight and the soulful stomp of The Lowland Healers, as well as the open mic to start the night. As always, it's totally FREE...

...if you still need another option for a Wednesday, head on over to Dayton Dirt Collective to check out the return of Joe Anderl (aka The Challenger Disaster) to the stage. Also on tap are The Gunshy (Chicago), a revamped version of The Story Changes, and Accidently On Purpose. This one starts early, around 7 pm....

The Buddha Den Presents: Toads and Mice/Minutes @ Pearl 9.14.08

...with much of the region's power out, we found ourselves incredibly fortunate to be able continue on with our show last night at Pearl. The bands were more than willing to play and a small but enthusiastic crowd made for a fun, if not eerie, evening...

...opening the night were new band Minutes. According to reports this was only their third show. Despite the lack of stage time with this outfit, it quickly became apparent that this was not amateur hour. With most of the lineup serving in various punk/hardcore outfits through the last few years, the music of Minutes was surprising. The band may have retained some of the heavier elements of the pedigree, but in this setting added to the mix incredibly sensitive dynamics, as well as keyboards and various percussion. The arrangements of their pieces showed a bit of a prog flair at times as well as some ear-catching melodic hooks, despite the fact the band was without vocals on this night. Although the band seems to still be taking shape, keep an eye out for Minutes...




...although Zelazowa was scheduled to make a tour stop from Philadelphia last night, there was a mixup and the band did not stop through. Instead, Toads and Mice took the stage earlier in the evening than planned and delivered yet another impeccable set. After covering the band so many times over the last year, we're nearly at a loss of what to say about the band. This outfit simply delivers every time. Even on newer material like the sprawling monolith of "Nineteen Twentious" and the bouncy jazz inflections of "Undress", the band has such incredible command over the material. Apparently on this night, they allowed a close friend to draw up the set list for a laugh. For once, we saw a tiny crack in the Toads and Mice armor as the song "Skull" (from their debut album) resulted in a few missed bars from guitarist Dustin Rose. Afterwards, the admission that the band hadn't played the song in over 6 months seemed justify the error. Quite simply, Toads and Mice are one of the most consistently gratifying bands in Dayton at the moment...

The Buddha Den Presents: Toads and Mice/Zelazowa/Minutes-Tonight @ Pearl

...after a weekend filled with so much great Dayton music, come on down to Pearl tonight to help The Buddha Den close out the weekend. We've got a great bill for you tonight with one of our favorites, Toads and Mice, headlining along with Zelazowa (Philadelphia) and newbie post-rock outfit Minutes. We'll see you there...

Fictionband Releases New Joe Anderl EP

...after touring extensively throughout the early months of 2008, Joe Anderl (aka The 1984 NFL Draft) retreated into silence for the summer. Although seemingly silent, Anderl, along with Fictionband, were hard at work putting together a collection of tracks which has been released as, fittingly, The Fictionband Sessions EP. Although some of the more ambient elements from his previous I Love Joe Anderl album are absent, his trademark intimacy and bare-bones approach continue to mark his work. Oh, did we mention that the EP is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD that you can grab RIGHT HERE. Do it...

Grizzzy Bear/Friday Night Vampire Club Change Name Again

...in the ongoing saga that is the Grizzzy Bear/Friday Night Vampire Club name change game, it seems as if the boys have finally decided on a new name that will actually stick. Last night the announcement was made on stage that the band is officially now Astro Fang. Please be sure to make the correction on your scorecards...

Romance of the Young Tigers/CJ Boyd Sexxxtet/Yakuza Heart Attack/Hills-Tonight @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...tonight is a perfect opportunity to explore some of the more esoteric aspects of the Dayton music scene. Head over to Dayton Dirt Collective tonight to catch the ethereal sonic wave that is Romance of the Young Tigers, the jazzy explorations of the CJ Boyd Sexxxtet (Chicago), the prog onslaught of Yakuza Heart Attack, and Hills....

...also, remember that LadyFest Dayton continues tonight. In from the Pacific Northwest, be sure to check out the dirgey blues duo The Pack A.D. who will be performing later tonight...

The Buddha Den Presents/LadyFest-Tonight @ Urban Nights

...hey kids! Tonight is the big biannual celebration in downtown Dayton known as Urban Nights. This time around, the city is trying to prove that we are not a city in decline, as Forbes magazine so kindly put it....

...The Buddha Den is trying to do our part to dispel these rumors tonight by doing what we do best: presenting some of the best Dayton music. We'll be hosting bands at a couple of stages tonight. At 6 pm, head over to Kettering Tower on 2nd Street to catch a short set by Towhee. Then, head over to the St. Clair Lofts where we will be hosting a stage in their courtyard (in the back of the building). Starting at 7 pm and running until 9 pm, we will have The Goody Two Shoes, Andrew & the Pretty Punchers, and Grizzzzy Bear (we're not sure which name they're going with these days...). You know it's gonna be a party...


...also starting tonight and running through Sunday night, the first LadyFest Dayton kicks off over at 20 N. Jefferson St. in the Dayton Arts Incubator. All weekend long there will be plenty of female-driven bands, artists, and workshops. Here's what's on tap for tonight:

G-​Miche​lle Bullo​ck 5:30
M- Hot Kiss – 6pm
G- Audre​y Isabe​lle 6:15
M- Bette​r than Sax - 6:45
G- Julie​ Roth 7:45
M-​Dawn Cooks​ey and 68 South​ 8:15
G- Kelly​ Campb​ell 8:45
G-​Jayne​ Sachs​ 9:30
M-​Paige​ & Trace​y 10pm
G-​Miran​da Penni​ngton​ 10:​30
M-​Fairm​ount Girls​ 11:​00
G-​Audre​y Ryan 11:​30
M-​Vanit​y Theft​ 12:​15

Be sure to head over and check out what the ladies in Dayton are doing...

Stone the Mayor Sheriffs/IDEA MEN/The Salt March/New Vega-Tonight @ Pearl

...it's getting busy on the Dayton music scene these days and tonight is no exception. Head on over to Pearl tonight to catch what should be a pretty serious rock show. Headlining the evening are the ballistic Stone the Mayor Sheriffs, along with Idea Men (Chicago), The Salt March (Columbus), and one of Dayton's newest bands, New Vega. Should be a good time...

The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO feat. State School/Hackplant @ Oregon Express 9.10.08

...on a brisk late summer evening, The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO kicked off at The Oregon Express. Despite some early technical setbacks, the Open Mic portion of the evening kicked off and we were treated to three fine acoustic sets. AJ kicked things off with a somber set of love-torn balladry, followed by the underrated Brandon Hawk, who also had an impromptu hand-drummer with him for the first time anywhere. Closing out the open mic segment, Derek Gullett served up a loose, rambling set that veered between the chaotic and sublime...




...in only their second public appearance, State School hit the stage with a swagger that typically only comes from seasoned veterans. Although brimming with confidence, it should be noted that the trio are exceptionally humble and good-humored. Without any aid from amplification (that includes PA reinforcement), State School drew the room right to the cusp of the stage and held them there for the duration of their set. Armed with more ukuleles than we've ever seen, along with various toy pianos and keyboards, the band served up infectious little ditties lined with witty pop-culture references and the aforementioned good-humor. Recalling Moldy Peaches and any slew of K Records bands, we're very excited to welcome State School to the Dayton music scene...




...closing out the evening, we welcomed yet another new band to the scene, Hackplant. With their feet firmly dipping into the classic pool of hard rock tinged with experimental tendencies and alt-rock sensibilities, the young group showed some promise. Although many of their ideas simply seem to lack focus at times, the musicianship is certainly in place. In particular, the guitar work of Josh Deane caught the ear of the audience. Hackplant may be young, but they seem hungry to make their mark in Dayton...




For more photos from the show, go here.