DMF 09 Schedule

...this Saturday night is one of the biggest nights of the year for Dayton music as the 5th Annual Dayton Music Fest brings together some of the best talent from the Gem City and beyond. Here's the details on the schedule...

2009 Schedule for DMF

Canal St. Tavern
Jesse Remnant & The Trainwrecks 12:30 – until done
Lab Partners 11:30- 12: 10
Eat Sugar 10:30 – 11:10
The Turkish Delights 9:30 – 10:10

Trolley Stop
TBA 12: 30 – until done
Wes Tirey 11:35 – 12: 10
The Seedy Seeds 10: 45 – 11:20
State School 9:55 – 10:30
David Payne 9:00 – 9:35

Gillys
Buffalo Killers 12:30 – until done
Nick Kizirnis Band 11:30- 12: 10
Lucky Pineapple 10:30 – 11:10
Human Reunion 9:30 – 10:10

Oregon Express
Astro Fang 12:15 – until done
Smug Brothers 11: 00 – 11:40
The Lion’s Rampant 10:00 – 10:40
Fuzz Hound 9:00 – 9:40

Tumbleweed Connection
Luxury Pushers 12:30 – until done
The Story Changes 11:30- 12: 10
Frontier Folk Nebraska 10:30 – 11:10
Toads and Mice 9:30 – 10:10

C}Space
Oxymoronatron 12:15 – until done
Yakuza Heart Attack 11: 00 – 11:40
Joe Anderl and The 1984 NFL Draft 10:00 – 10:40
Dale Walton 9:00 – 9:40

Dayton Dirt Collective
Jasper the Colossal 10:00 – 11:00
Hospital Garden 9:30- 10:00
Kris N. 8:45 – 9:15
XL427 8:00 – 8:30

Blind Bob’s
The Professors 12:15 – until done
Mountain Screamer 11: 00 – 11:40
The Motel Beds 10:00 – 10:40
Stone The Mayor Sheriffs 9:00 – 9:40

...we're currently relocating our offices here at The Buddha Den, so we're gonna be gone for a few days. No worries, we have some very exciting news for you when we return. Stay tuned...

UPDATE

...the schedule at the Trolley Stop has been finalized. Modify yr scorecards accordingly:

Trolley Stop
C. Wright's Parlour Tricks 12: 30 – until done
Wes Tirey 11:35 – 12: 10
The Seedy Seeds 10: 45 – 11:20
State School 9:55 – 10:30
David Payne 9:00 – 9:35

VIDEO: Smug Brothers//Interior Magnets

...for a band that's still not made a proper Dayton appearance, the elusive Smug Brothers seem to be building quite a buzz. The band will make their hometown debut this Saturday at the Fifth Annual Dayton Music Fest [@ Oregon Express; 11 pm] and have issued a new video for their current single, "Interior Magnets" to help promote the appearance. The video was shot by skate vid guru Dave Ackels and features a "starring role" by Chris Crabtree. In keeping with their aesthetics, no member of Smug Brothers can be seen in the clip...

...the Smug Brothers 5-song single Interior Magnets is available through Dayton label Squids Eye Records. Smug Brothers are also rumored to be on a billing somewhere in Dayton sometime in late October as part of an exclusive one-off performance by a former Dayton native. Details remain unconfirmed, but stay tuned to The Buddha Den for more information as it becomes available...

...and yr Dayton Band Play-Offs Champion is...

...as many of you already know, The Turkish Delights emerged victorious on Saturday night as they faced off against Oxymoronatron in Dayton Band Play-Offs Finals, hosted by none other than Canal Street Tavern. Winning by a mere four votes, it was one of the most highly contested finals we can recall. Congratulations to the Turks on their incredible showing this summer!

Raging State Turks

...hey kids, here's what's happening tonight. We're in a state of flux here at home base, so we trust you'll do the right thing for yrselves this evening. Carry on...

Flotation Walls

...last summer, we hosted Columbus outfit Flotation Walls and witnessed a captivating live set by one of the most inventive indie outfits in the region. The quartet take up the anthemic mantle of The Polyphonic Spree and steering toward a slightly less-psychedelic realm of freakiness from Of Montreal or The Flaming Lips. Flotation Walls weave a intimate-yet-bombastic tapestry of chamber pop fused with electronic experimentation and classically-trained flourishes, delicately framing existentially-driven lyrics that compliment each other perfectly and heighten the intensity of each. Taken together with their pseudo-militaristic uniforms, FW leave little to be desired in terms of presentation. Flotation Walls are currently touring out in support of their self-released debut album, Nature, which you can pick up in digital & physical form HERE...

....Flotation Walls will be at Dayton Dirt Collective this evening with Finding Fiction [NY] and Space Race...

MP3: Flotation Walls "Willis the Fireman"

The Unit Breed

...over the past decade, James Demaree has led the Portland, OR outift The Unit Breed through over a dozen releases and twice as many lineup changes to forge a understated, ethereal aesthetic fusing psych/post-punk elements together into a demented dream state. The band roll through Dayton Dirt Collective this evening in the midst of an extended US tour in support of their Always Distance the Lonely album. The show starts at 7 and is open to ALL AGES...




Sep 23 - Dayton OH / Dayton Dirt Collective 144 East Third Street 45402

Sep 24 - Hamtramck MI / The Painted Lady 2930 Jacob St. 48212

Sep 25 - Duluth MN / Glensheen Mansion with: Knife World from MPLS, Moonstone from MPLS, The Brothers Band

Sep 26 - Milwaukee WI / Ground Zero (House Show) 2650 N Richard St. 53212

Sep 27 - Chicago IL / The Orphanage 643 W 31st St. 60616

Sep 28 - Ames Iowa / Ames Progressive 118 Hayward Ave 50014

Sep 29 - Kansas City MO / Still waiting on details

Sep 30 - Live at 4 on St. Paul pirate radio show

Sep 30 - Minneapolis MN / still waiting on details

Oct 1 - Vermillion SD / with We All Have Hooks for Hands.

Oct 2 - Bismarck ND / Project Noise 1144 Summit Blvd 58504. All Ages with Zebra Corpse and The Vexed

Oct 3 - ND, SD, WY / Please help

Oct 4 - ND, SD / Please help

Oct 5 - Aberdeen SD / Red Rooster / 202 S Main St 8pm / All Ages / No Alcohol

Oct 6 - Kearney NE / The Roman / 2004 Central Ave 68847

Oct 7 - Wichita KS / Kirby's Beer Store 3227 e 17th wichita, ks 67208 / With Low Oriale

Oct 8 - Denver CO / 3 Kings 60 S Broadway 80209 with Captured by Robots.

Oct 9 - UT, WY, ID / Pleas help

Oct 10 - Garden City ID / VAC (Visual Arts Collective) 3638 Osage St 83714 With The Universal and Good Friday.

Oct 17 - Portland OR / The Backspace 115 NW 5th Ave with Pregnant, Golden Holy, Worker Bee. This will be our official album release! The Unit Breed are pretty much taking a break after this with talk of crashing the Gingerbread House during Halloween.

Kuan//J

...if you've missed the first two weeks of The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO September Residency with Kuan, we can't really help you at this point. This quartet turned in two of the most inspired and outright facemelting performances we've ever had the pleasure of hosting. Tonight, the band performs without at net, going completely improvisational with a special guest vocalist. If you wanna see something in the Gem City that you've not seen before and will never have the opportunity to see again, you don't not want to miss the third week of Kuan at The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO. As a bonus special treat, we will also have power-poppers Zest of Yore opening this evening, on tour from Dallas, TX. As always, The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO is a FREE EVENT that takes place at Oregon Express, with music starting at 10 pm. See you there...

MP3: Kuan "J"

Hot Cha Cha//The World's Hardest Working Telescope and the Violent Birth of the Stars

...late last year we came across Cleveland quartet Hot Cha Cha and immediately loved what we heard. Building off the buzz of last year's Rifle, I Knew You When You Were Just a Pistol EP, the band are gearing up for the release of their debut full-length, The World's Hardest Working Telescope and the Violent Birth of the Stars, due out in November via Cleveland's Exit Stencil Recordings. While the seductively brash delivery of Bosnian-born singer Jovana Batkovic easily draws attention, the band's ability to navigate through sugary synth pop as deftly as introspective, reverb-drenched guitar epics maintains attention well past the curiosity stage. Hot Cha Cha embraces the palate of new wave/post-punk of flavors currently in vogue, yet somehow manage to channel enough of the source material to devise a relevant re-interpretation all their own. As evidenced in their video clips below, the ladies also possess a healthy sense of humor that keeps them distinctly Midwestern. Tune in to The World's Hardest Working Telescope and the Violent Birth of the Stars now...

MP3: Hot Cha Cha "Ticket Away From Prague"
MP3: Hot Cha Cha "Baby Mammoth"

VIDEO: Yea Big + Kid Static//Grim

...it's been entirely too long since we've heard anything from Chicago's dynamic duo, Yea Big + Kid Static. Like a desperately needed shock to the system, we came across this new clip from the band's new disc, The Future's Looking Grim. Dig this graveyard dance party then go grab the album...

Lymbyc Systm

...the cool winds creep in today as autumn poises itself to finally take seasonal hold. Without a doubt, this is our favorite time of year and we relish the shift toward a more subdued climate. In turn, we tend to drift toward moodier music this time of year, and the new sounds from sibling duo Lymbyc Systm arrived a little early as what we can only take as an indicator of things to come. The duo are currently on tour with The Books and their new album, Shutter Release, is due November 3 on Mush Records. As propulsive drums are wound up in sheets of sonic sweetness and bombastic guitars, the resulting canvas suggests the imminent wintry midwestern landscapes...

MP3: Lymbyc Systm "Ghost Clock"

TOUR DATES

09/17 Columbus, OH Wexner Center *
09/18 Grand Rapids, MI Calvin College *
09/19 Urbana, IL Pygmalion Festival *#
09/20 St. Louis, MO The Luminary Center For The Arts *
09/25 Charlottesville, VA The Southern *
09/26 Princeton, NJ Terrace F. Club *

* = w/ The Books
# = w/ Iron & Wine

Pavement Announce 2010 Tour

...admittedly, we're slightly behind the curve on this one. Still, we're pretty excited about the fact that indie icons Pavement announced this week that there will be a round of touring in 2010. While initial reports only mentioned a show in NYC's Central Park in September of next year, it appears as if there will additional touring throughout the US to coincide with some sort of retrospective disc. While dates outside of the Big Apple remain unconfirmed, the band's website announced that pre-sale tickets for the NYC show will be available tomorrow morning, September 18. The band remain adamant that this in no way will be a permanent reunion. We're kinda hoping it isn't. We'll keep you updated as more details emerge on this...

MP3: Pavement "Stop Breathin"

Kuan//E

...in case you missed out last week, Kuan opened their September Residency at The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO with a sonic assault that needs to be witnessed. We'd easily put them up against anyone currently running in the Gem City, as their dynamics and inventive compositions fueled by avant experimentation keep this instrumental quartet close to the edge throughout. The band will be issuing a double EP at the end of the month [featuring the track below], so catch them now before everyone else does. Opening up this evening will be David Payne. The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO is at Oregon Express every Wednesday, starts at 10 pm, and is FREE, so we'll see you there...

MP3: Kuan "E"

Peopleperson//The Kids Are All Done For

...from our friends over at Fictionband Mechanics, it is our distinct pleasure to announce the first official release from our favorite home recordist, Peopleperson. As announced this morning, The Kids Are All Done For is now available as the first physical release from the label. Tapping through everything from twangy surf rock to Kraut minimalism to swirling shoegaze/psychedelia to unrepentant shredding all while retaining a idiosyncratic melodicism that keeps this an engaging listen throughout. Certainly The Kids Are All Done For will tax many listeners' capacity for modern music, but for the initiated, a fruitful musical bounty awaits. You can pick up the disc here and get a look/listen below. Enjoy...

MP3: Peopleperson "The Kids Are All Done For"

Black Whales

...while our inbox gets more and more submissions every single day, we couldn't be happier to sort through everything when it leads us to something as rewarding as Seattle outfit Black Whales. With their debut EP Origins dropping today via the Mt Fuji imprint, Black Whales may be a band to watch in the coming months. With their recent success at the high-profile Bumbershoot festival, Black Whales are conjuring a buzz that is only further bolstered by the strength of Origins. Propelled by hooktastic melodies, the spiky jangle of their guitar work is perfectly balanced by a moody-yet-danceable rhythm section. At moments, Alex Robert delivers a potent combination of words and melodies that channels hints of The Shins' James Mercer. With repeated spins imminent, we can easily see this becoming a large part of our soundtrack of Autumn 2009...

MP3: Black Whales "Young Blood"
MP3: Black Whales "Origins"

The Buddha Den 2nd Anniversary Show feat. Toads and Mice/Pretty & Nice/The Motel Beds/Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks-TONIGHT @ South Park Tavern

...what can we say kids? This is a HUGE evening for all of us here at The Buddha Den, as we celebrate two years of bringing you everything you wanted to know about the Dayton music scene and more but were afraid to ask. We couldn't be more excited or more grateful to all of you who have made this possible. It has been our distinct pleasure to get to meet so many great people near and far over the last couple of years, to see so many great performances from so many great bands, and perhaps play just a tiny role in shining a light on music scene that is so incredibly vibrant and filled with so many talented people. Thanks so much to every single one of you that has come to a show, left a comment, let us share yr music, and just kept reading this blog every day for two years. Rest assured, we will continue to do all that we can to continue to shine a light on the Gem City...

...as our humble way of saying "Thank you!", we've assembled a bill for tonight that has us absolutely giddy with anticipation. As if it would take much to get us excited about a bill that includes Toads and Mice, Pretty & Nice [Boston/Hardly Art], The Motel Beds, and Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks. Add in that it's at one of our favorite Dayton spots, South Park Tavern, and we've got a pretty good recipe for a great night of music. We hope yr equally excited. We're getting things started early tonight, with doors at 8 pm and music by 8:30. Fashionably late at yr own risk. See you there & thanks again for everything...

MP3: Toads & Mice "Skull"
MP3: Pretty & Nice "Grab Your Nets"
MP3: The Motel Beds "Go for a Dive"
MP3: Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks "At the End of the Day"

...just to provide a little context to this evening's celebration, here's some footage from our 1st anniversary last year, done by Glad Girl...

REVIEW: State School-Cats In Boxes EP

...as the city of Dayton rallies itself against the external perceptions of it as a 'dying city' with the semi-annual Urban Nights event this evening with the acknowledgment of Dayton's Creative Class, we'd like to offer up one of our current favorite originals in the Gem City as a salute: the lovable trio known as State School. Over the past year, Eric/Erica/Noelle have induced more ear-to-ear smiles in this town than any other band, with their skit-like presentations and relentlessly sunny melodies, it's difficult to not hear/see this band without walking away feeling better about...well, everything...

...although some rough demos surfaced late last year, the band set to task in constructing their first proper release, the subsequent Cat In Boxes EP, with the help of local recording mastermind Mike Perkins [of The Esther Caulfield Orchestra]. With Perkins at the helm [and adding sublime guitar and pedal steel flourishes throughout], the band successfully translated to tape the intimacy and jovial interplay which defines their aesthetic. From the kickoff of "Let the Hurricane Roar", it is evident that State School possess a wicked sense of humor and irreverence [dig the "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah" singalong"] that punctuates and propels the lyrical content throughout. As they weave stories of riding bikes throughout Dayton, memorable nights spent imbibing with friends, and take stabs at everything from CSN&Y to avocado growth regions, their humble and self-deprecating tone keeps things from delving into a cyncial, snarky space...

...perhaps the most notable element of Cats In Boxes is State School's ability to make the most of a limited, primitive instrumental palate. While acoustic guitar makes appearances throughout [not to mention the subtle, yet potent, accompaniments from Perkins as mentioned previously], it is the prolific application of ukeleles, toy organs, kazoos, and any other noisemaker within reach that keeps this such a fun listen. Likewise, with such a lightweight instrumentation, State School are quite capable of infiltrating the smaller, more intimate listening spaces which we've found best to take in a live performance...

...put on the Cat In Boxes EP. Take a listen. If you don't find yourself smiling uncontrollably and dancing around yr room singing along, well, we may not be able to help you. State School will perform at the 2009 Dayton Music Fest at the Trolley Stop....

MP3: State School "Something About Sleep"
MP3: State School "Gears 4 Beers"

Announced: Poster-Tastic 2 @ Dayton Music Fest 09

...as if having so many great local and regional bands on tap for Dayton Music Fest 2009 wasn't enough to get you excited about the d8n music scene, local promoter and general woman-about-town Shelly 'Glad Girl' Hulce announced that her Poster-Tastic showcase returns again this year as an adjunct to DMF. Just like last year, Derailed Hair Salon [run by Austin & Mindy in the Oregon District] graciously agreed to host this stellar display of the visual representations of Dayton music on the night of DMF [which is Saturday, October 3]. Here's how to get yr posters shown:

If you are a gig or rock poster artist please contact Shelly @ shellyh@donet.com.
Also please pass the word to other poster artists and give them my contact info.

You will need to hang your stuff by Oct. 1st. at the salon.
The exhibit will hang the whole month of Rocktober.

...and there's more for you poster designer types...

AND NOW FOR THE REALLY BIG NEWS....
Taking submissions for the Poster-Tastic poster!!! If you are interested in designing the promotional poster for Poster-Tastic 2 please contact me asap!

Last year's design by the amazing FNHarsh raised the bar but I know you are up to the challenge!! Do not delay in contacting Shelly @ shellyh@donet.com if you are interested!

...can't wait to see some great posters on display from the past year...

The Teenage Prayers/Brother George-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

...if yr looking to start yr weekend off a little early this week, we recommend you head over to Canal Street Tavern tonight for what looks like a great night of music. On tour from NYC, The Teenage Prayers and Brother George [from Chicago] serve up quality doses of blue-eyed soul that we can only speculate deliver the type of live rock n' roll catharsis that we so dearly love around here. The Teenage Prayers are out in support of their latest disc, Everyone Thinks You're the Best, which you can hear a taste of below...

MP3: The Teenage Prayers "I Like It"
MP3: The Teenage Prayers "Don't Call"

The Beatles Remasters/Rock Band Released Today

...sure, everyone pretty much knows by now that The Beatles entire catalog has been painstakingly remastered and is being re-issued today, 9.09.09 [how fitting], as individual discs and as boxed sets compiling the stereo and mono versions separately for the complete diehards. While not as dramatic as the remixes that appeared a few years ago on the Love album [which we highly recommend you check out. It sounds amazing.], these most certainly sound much better than what the versions previously available. Most striking is the new stereo mixes, which were typically given only minimal attention when they were originally done, as most listeners at the time were still using mono playback systems...

...Taken as a whole, dropping what is arguably the most influential back catalog since Beethoven at a single stroke is somewhat, well, overwhelming. For us, the only thing that could have made this any better would have been a vinyl re-issue. Alas, it seems as if we'll have to settle for The Beatles Rock Band game. Which is totally the same thing...

...in addition to all the remastered music, each disc features a mini-documentary on the making of their respective album. While much of the material seems to be derivative of the Anthology set, there seems to be enough new footage there to make them worthwhile. Dig the excerpt below...

Introducing The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO September Residency: Kuan

...as The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO celebrates one full year at Oregon Express as a FREE weekly event, we are very pleased to kick off our September Residency this evening with Kuan. The band are currently putting the finishing touches on their soon-to-be-released double EP, which they plan to showcase throughout the month, and you can get a taste of that below. Kuan also have a slew of East Coast tour dates lined up for October...

...Having served in numerous local outfits over the years, the collective members of Kuan are anything but green. Certainly their sound falls in the post-rock realm, with its guitar-driven instrumental nature, but it's also easy to hear much influence from the jazz, psychedelic, and classic rock realms as well. Over the course of September, we're planning to hear one of the best unsung bands in Dayton stretch out and show an impressive musical range. Hope you can join us....

MP3: Kuan "G"

Dayton Daily News Local Music Blog Canceled

...as one of the key influences on the start of this blog you're reading, we were very saddened to hear today that the Dayton Daily News has canceled their Dayton Local Music blog written by Kris Neises due to "budget cuts" at the DDN. While we've done all that we can to keep you up to date on what's happening in Dayton music, Neises's work definitely kept us on our toes. Let's hear it for a fallen comrade...

Buffalo Killers Issue Limited Edition 7"

...with an appearance at the 2009 Dayton Music Fest slated for October 3, the announcement from Cincinnati's Buffalo Killers of the release of the Huma Bird 7" [and digital] release couldn't have come at a better time. You can get the title track FREE HERE for a limited time, or you can catch the band live and get the vinyl from them. Grab this while you can and be sure to catch the band at DMF [or elsewhere on tour]...

TOUR DATES:

9.9 @ TT the Bear’s Place :: Cambridge MA*
9.10 @ Nectar’s :: Burlington VT*
9.11 @ Dover Brick House :: Dover NH*
9.12 @ Union Hall :: Brooklyn, New York*
9.25 @ The Union :: Athens, OH
9.26 @ MPMF @ Southgate House :: Newport, KY
10.2 @ Ravari Room :: Columbus, OH
10.3 @ Dayton Music Fest :: Dayton, OH
10.16 @ Peach’s :: Yellow Springs, OH
11.6 @ Southgate House :: Newport, KY w/ Backyard Tire Fire
11.7 @ Gerstle’s :: Louisville, KY w/ Backyard Tire Fire
11.13 @ 180 Main :: Dubuque, IA

*w/ Nate Wilson Group

DD/MM/YYYY Issue "Black Square" Cassette/Digital for US

...although Toronto outfit DD/MM/YYYY [allegedly there is no correct pronunciation of this moniker] issued their third album, Black Square, in their homeland last Spring to critical acclaim, it's not until September 15 that the album will get a proper US release. Teaming with Brooklyn imprint Impose Records, the band will make this a cassette/digital only release. Cool with us. You can get in on that here. Additionally, the band will be hitting the road this fall with These Arms are Snakes. Tune in now...

MP3: DD/MM/YYYY "Digital Haircut"

TOUR DATES:

09/08 Hamilton, ONT Rokbar %
09/10 Brooklyn, NY Don Pedro's - Cassette Release Party %*
09/17 Quebec City, QC Le Cercle
09/20 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry #
09/21 East Moline, IL Mixtapes
09/22 Chicago, IL Subterranean #
09/23 Pontiac, MI The Pike Room #
09/24 Rochester, NY Bug Jar #
09/25 Brooklyn, NY Shea Stadium #
09/26 New York, NY Mercury Lounge #
09/27 Cambridge, MA TT the Bear's #
09/28 Philadelphia, PA Kung Fu Necktie #
09/29 Washington, DC DC9 #
09/30 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 #
10/01 Atlanta, GA Star Community Bar #
10/02 Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder #
10/03 Orlando, FL Will's Pub #
10/05 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon #
10/06 Austin, TX Red 7 #
10/07 Denton, TX Rubbergloves Rehearsal #
10/09 Tuscon, AZ Plush #
10/10 Los Angeles, CA Knitting Factory #
10/11 San Diego, CA Casbah #
10/13 Visalia, CA Cellar Door #
10/14 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill #
10/16 Portland, OR Rotture #
10/17 Seattle, WA The Vera Project #

* = w/ Anamanaguchi, Graffiti Monsters
% = w/ Spiral Beach
# = w/ These Arms Are Snakes

Tape Deck Mountain

...we can't exactly be sure why every Labor Day in Dayton seems to be visited by grey skies and intermittent rain, making certain that no plans made will see fruition. Alas, it is our fate again this year...

...in keeping with the overcast conditions, we offer up new music from San Diego outfit Tape Deck Mountain. While the band's name caught our eye, their mid-fi aesthetic certainly caught our ear. It doesn't hurt either that the band's lucid guitars swirling in and out in sheets of sublime and searing sonic assault sound perfectly at home alongside some of our shoegaze/slacker favorites from late 80s/early 90s...

...The band's debut, Ghost [Lefse Records], is due out November 17...

MP3: Tape Deck Mountain "Ghost Colony"

Trainwreck Mice

...if you're reading this in d8n, we encourage you to stop and go outside. Now. It's so nice out. Get away from yr computer and come back and read this after the sun goes down...

...moving on, you've got a couple of fun bills tonight in town. Over at Canal Street Tavern, Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks [pictured] headline a bill that also includes Jesse's brother, Adam Remnant [of Southeast Engine] and newbies Yazoo Street Scandal...

...over at Blind Bob's, local stoner rock provocateurs Marijuana Johnson headline a bill that includes local faves Toads and Mice and Suckerpunch Thompson [Pittsburgh]. See you out...

MP3: Jesse Remnant "Same Sun" [from the Squids Eye Records compilation Hi, We're From Dayton]
MP3: Toads and Mice "Skull"

...oh, and just in case you needed a reminder, Toads and Mice and Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks will both be part of this next Sunday night...

VIDEO: Pretty & Nice "Massive U" Promo

...we're endlessly amazed at the work ethic of Boston's Pretty & Nice. Seemingly always on tour this past year in support of their stellar Get Young disc [out on Hardly Art], the band recently took up a challenge from Boston's Phoenix paper to write and record a new song for the return of college students to Boston. Simple enough, right? Well, there were some expectations:

For our “Welcome Back” issue, please record one (1) song that:

1. contains the phrase “welcome back”
2. includes, somewhere/somehow, a reference to the guitar accents at the beginning of the Welcome Back Kotter theme—but nothing else Kotter-related
3. insults the Green Line at some point
4. includes the names of 10 local colleges (used however you wish: “Tufts” can refer to clumps of hair, “Emerson” can refer to Ralph Waldo, “B.U.” can be the first syllables of the word "be-yoo-tiful,” etc.)
5. is rad

...so, no small feat, right. Of course, the boys were up to the challenge...



...and here's the finished product....

MP3: Pretty & Nice "Massive U"

...don't forget that Pretty & Nice will be in Dayton next weekend, Sunday, September 13, for The Buddha Den 2nd Anniversary Party. You DO NOT want to miss them...

Dayton Band Playoffs Update

...well kids, the 2009 Dayton Band Playoffs at Canal Street Tavern is nearing the end. Last night, the long-running Oxymoronatron advanced to the Finals. Tonight, their match for the title will be determined in a semi-finals match between The Turkish Delights and Good English. Admittedly, we'd love to see The Turkish Delights advance and go toe-to-toe versus Oxymoronatron, if nothing else than to see an amazing show. The Dayton Band Playoffs Championship will take place on Saturday, September 26. We'd encourage all of you to head out tonight and make our dreams come true...

MP3: The Turkish Delights "Lite Brite"
MP3: The Turkish Delights "Dig Yourself"

Visqueen

...from the opening riff of "Hand Me Down" it's readily apparent that Seattle's Visqueen is well-versed in classic rock idioms. Even better, they flaunt them without irony. With the bravado of Cheap Trick and the she-swagger of Kim Deal/Pat Benatar/Ann Wilson, frontwoman Rachel Flotard's hooks land with precise potency. As if the track wasn't venomous enough, add in a cameo from Neko Case [who also brought in Flotard to sing on her recent Middle Cyclone and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood albums], and it's game over. "Hand Me Down" is the first track on the band's upcoming Message to Garcia! album [their third], due out September 8 on the band's recently formed Local 638 Records. Tune in now...

MP3: Visqueen "Hand Me Down"

The Beach Boys 1967 Rehearsals

...we may not be much for posting a lot of archival material around here, but this morning's offering from Aquarium Drunkard simply could not be overlooked. While the occasion for this Beach Boys rehearsal session dated 1967 is somewhat obscure, the material serves as a stunning reminder of the beauty of the band's music. Admittedly, it took countless listens for us to finally admit that the band's 1966 magnum opus Pet Sounds might actually be worth its historical standing, the stark nature of these rehearsals bear out the Beach Boys aesthetic perhaps even better to our ears. In their rawest state, the Beach Boys demonstrate why their vocal harmonies still serve as a template for all followers...

MP3: The Beach Boys "God Only Knows"
MP3: The Beach Boys "Surfer Girl"

...to get the complete session [including an amazing version of The Box Tops' "The Letter"], head over to Aquarium Drunkard...

Finn Riggins

...touring over 200 days a year, any band is likely to improve dramatically. If that band should also spend their down time holed up in a remote cabin in the woods, that ratio increases exponentially. In the case of Hailey, Idaho trio Finn Riggins, these intense periods of proximity resulted in a live set that garnered them some opening spots on the upcoming fall tour from fellow Idahoans, Built to Spill. Finn Riggins heads back out in advance of that stint on their own in support of their 4th album, vs. Wilderness [out October 13 on Portland's Tender Loving Empire label], a high-energy affair that channels the spirit of everything from vaudeville to funk, post-punk to indie, all while retaining a distinct sonic paradigm. Lisa Simpson's vocal melodies veer from soft, subtle inflections to soaring, bombastic bravado [see the "painting the sky" climax of "Dali"], keeping pace with the band's sprawling, spastic arrangements. If you get a chance to catch the trio on the road this fall, we suspect you won't walk away disappointed...

MP3: Finn Riggins "Dali"
MP3: Finn Riggins "Wake (Keep This Town Alive)"

TOUR DATES

09.19.09 - PORTLAND, OR — MFNW @ East End
09.24.09 - BEND, OR @ Silver Moon Brewery w/ Church
09.25.09 - LA GRANDE , OR @ The Crawlspace w/ Church + Yeah Great Fine
09.26.09 - GARDEN CITY (boise), ID @ Visual Arts Collective w/ Talkdemonic + Church
09.30.09 - MISSOULA, MT @ The Badlander w/ Drunken Prayer + Broken Valley Roadshow
10.01.09 - SPOKANE, WA @ The Empyrean w/ Little Teeth
10.02.09 - CLARKSTON, WA @ Hogan's w/ The Murrs
10.03.09 - MOSCOW, ID @ 1912 Community Center w/ The Holiday Friends + Rhythmmemory
10.06.09 - BOISE, ID @ Record Exchange
10.07.09 - PENDLETON, OR @ Pendleton Center for the Arts
10.08.09 - MCCALL, ID @ Forester's w/ Jared Mees & The Grown Children
10.09.09 - GARDEN CITY (boise), ID @ Visual Arts Collective CD RELEASE PARTY w/ Le Fleur + Boy Eats Drum Machine + Jared Mees & The Grown Children + A Seasonal Disguise + Vagerfly
10.10.09 - PORTLAND, OR @ Berbati's Pan PDX CD RELEASE PARTY w/ Jared Mees & The Grown Children + World's Greatest Ghosts + Typhoon
10.12.09 - SALEM, OR @ The Space w/ Phantom!
10.13.09 - OLYMPIA, WA @ Kitty X House
10.14.09 - BREMERTON, WA @ The Hi-Fidelity Lounge
10.15.09 - BELLINGHAM, WA @ Whaam All Ages @ The Old Foundry w/ Go Slowpoke + Keaton Collective
10.16.09 - SEATTLE, WA @ Blue Moon w/ Doctor Doctor
10.17.09 - EUGENE, OR @ house show w/ The Daveys
10.18.09 - ASHLAND, OR @ Alex's Restaurant w/ Kites & Crows
10.19.09 - MT SHASTA, CA @ The Stage Door w/ The Lottery
10.20.09 - CHICO, CA @ Chico State University –noontime–
10.22.09 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ Hemlock Tavern w/ The Dont's + Total Hound
10.23.09 - SANTA CRUZ, CA @ The Crepe Place
10.24.09 - SANTA BARBARA, CA @ Muddy Waters Cafe w/ Verna Beware
10.28.09 - LOS ANGELES, CA @ Silverlake Lounge
10.30.09 - TUCSON, AZ @ The Hut
10.31.09 - LAS CRUCES, NM @ halloween house show
11.01.09 - PHOENIX, AZ @ The Ruby Room
11.03.09 - PROVO, UT @ house show w/ Shark Speed
11.04.09 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT @ The Woodshed w/ Shark Speed
11.05.09 - LOGAN, UT @ Why Sound
11.06.09 - POCATELLO, ID @ Benton Street w/ Spondee
11.07.09 - REXBURG, ID @ Hogi Yogi's Attic w/ Spondee
11.11.09 - BOISE, ID @ Neurolux
11.12.09 - MOSCOW, ID @ John's Alley
11.13.09 - PORTLAND, OR @ Wonder Ballroom w/ Built To Spill + Disco Doom
11.14.09 - PORTLAND, OR @ Wonder Ballroom w/ Built To Spill + Disco Doom
11.15.09 - EUGENE, OR @ Wow Hall w/ Built To Spill + Disco Doom
11.17.09 - BELLINGHAM, WA @ The Nightlight w/ Built To Spill + Disco Doom
11.18.09 - VANCOUVER, BC @ Commodore Ballroom w/ Built To Spill + Disco Doom
11.19.09 - SEATTLE, WA @ The Showbox w/ Built To Spill + Disco Doom
11.20.09 - SEATTLE, WA @ The Showbox w/ Built To Spill + Disco Doom
11.21.09 - SPOKANE, WA @ Knitting Factory w/ Built To Spill + Disco Doom
12.02.09 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT @ Kilby Court
12.03.09 - VAIL, CO @ Agave
12.04.09 - DENVER, CO @ Hi-Dive w/ The Pseudo Dates + Vitamins
12.05.09 - NEDERLAND, CO @ First Street Pub

Saintseneca

...with summer slowly losing its grip and the cool autumn mornings becoming a regularity, the arrival of the debut EP from Columbus quartet Saintseneca seemed like a perfect companion piece. Out on San Francisco imprint Paper Brigade, this all-too-short disc is an intimate-yet-passionate affair. While easily fitting into the chamber folk idiom, Saintseneca supplant skull-shattering volume with spirited singingalongs and stomping, resulting in a somewhat more human experience that places emphasis on substance. The disc is out in a limited edition of 300 7" vinyl, as well as a digital download. You can get all the info HERE. Hopefully we'll see them in our neck of the woods soon...

MP3: Saintseneca "God Bones"

Eat Sugar Issue "It's Not Our Responsibility" Today

...while we told you all about the new Eat Sugar EP, It's Not Our Responsibility, back in the spring, today marks the official release for the world...

...First, a little background refresher: After releasing a self-titled debut EP in 2006, Eat Sugar-Aidan Bogosian (vocals), Mike McBride (synths), Greg Poneris (drums) and Jim Reynolds (bass and synths)- traveled throughout the region, ultimately heading to Europe for a short tour in early 2008. Around this time, the band met up with Brainiac/Enon alumni, producer John Schmersal, who agreed to work with the band on their sophomore effort. In taking the mobile version of Schmersal’s Notausgang studio to Poneris’ suburban Cincinnati home, the tracks that comprise the 7-song EP retain Eat Sugar’s spastic punk aesthetic while the spacey, synth-fueled arrangements are given room to breathe. Taking cues from contemporaries such as The Faint and Death from Above 1979, this slab is poised to fill dance floors everywhere, particularly if a suitable remix should emerge...

...you can pick up the album directly from the band HERE. Eat Sugar are scheduled to appear at the Dayton Music Fest on October 3. Tune in now...

MP3: Eat Sugar "Distortions of the Heart"
MP3: Eat Sugar "It Will All End In Tears"