Friday Night Wrap-Up 3.6.09

...given that it was the first warm night this year in Dayton, we made our best effort to catch as much live music as possible. Lucky for us, we had a couple of great options...

...we thought our first stop of the night would be Blind Bob's, but upon arriving we learned that local purveyors of mayhem and merriment, Sitandance, had taken to the streets. Literally. They had set up in the parking lot next to Ned Pepper's with tiny amps and a makeshift drumkit, attracting enough of a crowd to get the cops called...


...we made our way back over to Blind Bob's to kick off the night the way it usually closes: with Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. Even starting the evening, A&TPP hit a stride with a handful of newer tunes and old standards. Although usually where our night ends, it was only the beginning...




...being a nice night, we decided to walk up to Canal Street Tavern to catch the release party for Southeast Engine's new album, From the Forest to the Sea. Stepping into the cozy confines of Canal Street, we were nearly stopped in our tracks by the heat building in the room due the crowd that had gathered to help celebrate the occasion. Arriving just in time to catch the start of their set, guitarist Adam Remnant quietly launched the band into a set that coursed through new and older material creating a seamless link that runs through Remnant's powerfully reflective lyrics. Unfortunately, the crowd were as excited to see one another as they were Southeast Engine and in the quieter passages easily buried the band in chatter. Despite all the distractions, we wish Southeast Engine well as they head out on the road in support of their new album...




...we made one more tip along the old canal back to Blind Bob's just in time to catch Hospital Garden kick things off. Although the crowd had thinned somewhat, the band still delivered a ferocious set of infectious melodies slathered in ear-splitting guitar, just the way we like it. We'll be hosting Hospital Garden at South Park Tavern on March 28 for our monthly showcase, so tune in now and we'll see you then...




For more photos from the evening, go here.

Hospital Garden/Idaho, Alaska/Andrew & the Pretty Punchers-TONIGHT @ Blind Bob's

...with it being First Friday here in Dayton and the temperature supposed to get up near 70 degrees, it's a great night to get out and enjoy some music. Over at Blind Bob's, there's a great triple bill featuring one of our newer Dayton faves, Hospital Garden, who just keep getting better every time we see them. Up from Lexington, KY, you've got Idaho, Alaska serving up a delectable fusion of early Flaming Lips/Pavement/Built to Spill. Opening the evening (for once) local faves, Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. See you there...

MP3: Hospital Garden "Ypsi"
MP3: Idaho, Alaska "Muscle Car"
MP3: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers "Our Modern Love"

The 1984 NFL Draft/Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Six Gallery-Tonight @ Blind Bob's

...looks you've a good chance to see some great Dayton and Columbus bands tonight over at Blind Bob's. Kicking off his mini-tour tonight, The 1984 NFL Draft will be hosting Six Gallery (who we've been hearing lots of great things about) and Eric Metronome from Columbus, and has brought along Dayton faves Andrew & the Pretty Punchers for good measure. See you there...

DOWNLOAD: The Years Live @ Elbo's 7.3.05

...in historical context, the significance of some bands seems greater than it was during their actual existence. It's just the way things work out sometimes. An idea emerges and fails to find an audience. The legendarily erratic behaviors of musicians thwart forward progress. People just move on....

...A few months ago we came into possession of a three-song disc by The Years. The band ran for most of 2005 and featured Jake Geisege (vocals/guitar; Wild & Free and The Judy Blooms) Josh Wickersham (bass/Wild & Free, Andrew & the Pretty Punchers); Brandon Guthrie (drums/Toads and Mice), and Dave Kitchener (guitar). What's more, the band's recordings were made by Dustin Rose, currently of Toads and Mice. So, clearly, there's some interesting history here...

...through special arrangement, The Buddha Den is very pleased to issue as a FREE DOWNLOAD, The Years Live @ Elbo's 7.3.05. This set is dynamic, yet driven. It's spacious, swirling arrangements harness the deranged urgency of Modest Mouse and the earthy, Midwestern stomp of My Morning Jacket. The seven tracks offer an interesting insight into the divergent paths of its members: Geisege and Wickersham turned a corner back toward more traditional songcraft; Guthrie would soon pair up with Dustin Rose to form the wildly popular Toads and Mice, retaining, yet further exploring the sonic possibilities presented in The Years. As seems to often occur, one member of The Years, Dave Kitchener, seems to have retreated from music. In many ways, his wiry guitar runs foreshadow part of the essence of Toads and Mice...

...you can grab this tasty little nugget of Dayton's recent musical past for free through us...

DOWNLOAD THE YEARS LIVE @ ELBO'S 7.3.05 HERE

The Buddha Den Presents: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Jesse Remnant/Mascot @ J-Alans 2.6.09

...you could feel it as soon as you walked in the door. With the near glacial avenues of Dayton finally reemerging as legitimate walkways, the need to break out into the streets was overwhelming. Even early on in the night the restless crowds poured into J-Alans, seeking any sort of respite from the tedium that has beleaguered this city in the throes of winter. Alas, the promise of even a modicum of joy in this, the depths of the season, pulled so many out for the promise of a night of music. Following a short, but spirited, set by Mascot, Jesse Remnant offered a sparkling set of pop gems from his highly underrated debut, The Human Cannonball, as well as string of masterpieces from GBV's Bee Thousand, that induced the revelers into a momentary singalong...

...without a doubt, however, the din had come to witness Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. Over the past 18 or so months, each subsequent appearance garners further accolades from their peers and adulation from their audiences. Yet again, this formidable unit stepped into the lights and channeled the collective angst and optimism of life in this post-industrial wasteland. Unraveling tales of drunken nights and jaded hope, in their unbridled enthusiasm Andrew & the Pretty Punchers deliver a catharsis that, if only for a brief shining moment, enables this sleepy city to revel in near-perfect rock n' roll bliss...

The Buddha Den Presents: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Jesse Remnant/Mascot-Tonight @ J-Alans

...in our ongoing efforts to bring you the most for the least, everyone here is very excited about our first show at J-Alans (121 N. Ludlow St., right around the corner from the Schuster Center). Of course, you've the big bang that is Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. Word is they're well on their way to following up their stellar debut, Goodbye Ohio, later this summer and are currently in the throes of a top-secret side project. No worries, we'll keep you posted as details emerge. Also along for the ride are Squids Eye Records' Jesse Remnant, whose debut The Human Cannonball was one of the best discs to come out of Dayton in 2008. Opening the evening will be Mascot. Oh yeah, did we mention that this show is FREE??? Yep, we got you covered. See ya there...

The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO Thanksgiving Extravaganza feat. Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Levi Weaver/Joshua Conway & Joana Taylor-Tonight @ Oregon Express

...since everyone's in town for the big Thanksgiving feat tomorrow, we've got a big party for you all tonight. Come on down to the Oregon Express to check out Andrew & the Pretty Punchers, multi-instrumentalist Levi Weaver (Nashville; pictured), and a homecoming for Joshua Conway, who will be performing tonight with Joanna Taylor (The American Static/Joe Anderl). Oh, did we mention it's FREE?!? Music starts around 9, so come on out early. We'll see you there...

The Buddha Den Presents: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Theresa Andersson/Wil Cope @ Canal Street Tavern 10.29.08

...as we at The Buddha Den closed out a string of great shows over the last few weeks, we had no idea that we had somehow been saving the best for last. Despite the encroaching cold, the crowd that gathered at Canal Street Tavern on this evening was in for a very special treat...

...kicking things off was the enigmatic Wil Cope, returning from his new base in Austin. Armed with a handful of new tunes from his watershed new album, Dead Moon Motel, Cope delivered a somber, yet playful, set of impeccable tomes on the desperation of modern living. In his absence, Cope's fingerpicked guitar and harmonica accompaniments have become more potent, yet elegant and subtle, recalling the finest moments of icons like Neil Young and contemporaries like Ryan Adams. With talk of a quick follow-up album, we can only hope that Cope continues to churn out more work in this delightful vein...



...up next, the buzz was brewing for the first Dayton visit by New Orleans-based artist Theresa Andersson. Employing looping devices to unimaginable effect, Andersson mesmerized the audience within moments and kept them rapt throughout her set. Andersson's ability to fuse her Swedish heritage (she sang one song entirely in that language) and the rich rhythmic textures of her adopted hometown of New Orleans created a bridge between the two wildly disparate cultures into a seamless new musical vernacular. While many artists will build up lush backing tracks in the studio, Andersson builds these delicate structures around guitar/violin/dulcimer/drums in real-time, in front of the audience, and proceeds to deliver such uninhibited performances that virtually anyone with a pulse is struck instantly with the realization that they are witnessing a talent of monumental proportions. If you missed Theresa Andersson last night, we urge you to never make that mistake again...




...rounding out the evening, Andrew & the Pretty Punchers had the unenviable task of following Theresa Andersson. Regardless, the lads served up their trademark raucous rock n' roll good and loud, inciting arena-sized singalongs throughout their set. As the band continues to introduce more new material into their set, it is becoming increasingly apparent that their incredible debut, Goodbye Ohio, will not the final word from Andrew & the Pretty Punchers...




For more photos from the evening, go here.

The Buddha Den Presents: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Theresa Andersson/Wil Cope-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

...head on down tonight to Canal Street Tavern for the last Buddha Den Presents show for quite a while (we don't yet have another on the books). Please come on down and check out what we've got for you tonight. Opening the evening we have the return of Wil Cope (pictured), back up from Austin with an excellent new album in tow, Dead Moon Motel. We are very to present the first Dayton visit of Theresa Andersson (from New Orleans) as well. Her one-woman show (aided by numerous loop pedals) is sure to turn some heads. Rounding out the evening we've got one of Dayton's finest current bands, Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. You know it'll be a drinkin' good time...

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/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...

Fab Gear Presents: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/Sitandance-Tonight @ Pearl

...with the weekend fast approaching, it's time again for another great show at Pearl. Yet again, Fab Gear has yr back with a double bill for ya to get yr fill. Tonight you have Andrew & the Pretty Punchers, hot off the release of their stellar debut disc Goodbye Ohio, and the always-surprising Sitandance. In addition, DJ Nonekned will be spinning vinyl throughout the night. Head on down...

Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/The Judy Blooms @ Jimmie's Cornerstone 8.2.08

...Stepping out onto the new patio behind Jimmie's Cornerstone, as well as within the club itself, the palpable buzz that filled the air generated a sensation that attendees on this evening were in for a show of epic proportions. As Jake Giesige of The Judy Blooms opened up with few songs by himself, the surge toward the stage quickly filled the room to capacity. Running through a handful of new tunes, as well as a solo version of the title track from Wild & Free's album Andiamo, Giesige was quickly joined by the rest of The Judy Blooms and proceeded to tear into some of his finest material. In particular, the full-band version of "Meg, You're Starting To Slip" coasted along with a swagger and confidence that the previous demo version only hinted at. By the end of their brief set, The Judy Blooms had whipped the crowd into a frenzy that set the stage for the main event....




...as Andrew & the Pretty Punchers took to the stage to celebrate the release of their debut album, Goodbye Ohio, the crowd that had filled the room seemed to double in size, rendering Jimmie's a virtual sardine tin. Regardless of the close quarters, A&TPP reveled in the proximity to their audience, feeding off of the energy and giving more and more in return. With Andy Smith being down on the floor and right in the faces of the crowd, his ability to oscillate between the delicate and the deranged only heightens his abilities in fronting this incredibly tight outfit. Even on the slower-paced new number, the intensity of the set never let up for a second. As the band encored with the title track off their album, the Pretty Punchers gathered together around the mic behind Smith, playing electric guitar for the only time during the evening, and with the crowd joining in on the singalong chorus, A&TPP captured that rare sensation of unbridled jubilation that rock n' roll can conjure in its finest practitioners...




Photo credits to Marla Bremer. For more photos, go here.

Andrew & the Pretty Punchers [CD Release]/The Judy Blooms-Tonight @ Jimmie's Cornerstone

...in case you didn't read our review the other day, Andrew & the Pretty Punchers are releasing one of the best albums to come out of Dayton this year. They'll be celebrating the release Goodbye Ohio tonight at Jimmie's Cornerstone [1001 Brown St.] tonight, with the first 50 attendees receiving a free copy of the disc courtesy of The Buddha Den. Opening the evening will be ex-Wild & Free frontman Jake Giesige's new project, The Judy Blooms. Word on the street is that the band were at Refraze last weekend laying down tracks for a forthcoming release. Head on down to catch two of Dayton's best songwriters at their home court...

REVIEW: Andrew & the Pretty Punchers "Goodbye Ohio"

Andrew & the Pretty Punchers aren't out to reinvent the wheel. Rather, on their debut disc Goodbye Ohio, they mine the rich legacies of their forebearers and issue forth a collection that oscillates between the sentimental and the raucous. Throughout the disc, A&TPP offer meditations on the stark ennui of life in Dayton and the persistent desire for more, yet again and again reaching the conclusion that there is nowhere more they'd rather be than in the sleepy midwestern city they call home.

Under the guidance of Captain of Industry's John Lakes manning the machinery, A&TPP harness the energetic live show that has earned them a loyal following in Dayton. Clocking in just under the half-hour mark, Goodbye Ohio sets its tone from the start on "Our Modern Love" with a breezy folk vibe. With his sharp, yet inviting voice, Andy Smith paints images of Ohio, and Dayton in particular.

Smith's gritty sentimentality shines on "Our Modern Love" and "Owe Me", lining his simple love songs with a stinging pessimism. With a sympathetic ear seldom found on a debut disc, the rest of the Pretty Punchers — Greg Saluke (guitar/vocals), Kevin Rogers (lead guitar), Josh Wickersham (bass/vocals), and Mike Payne (drums)— shift between the delicate folk and the late-night barroom rockers that punctuate the disc. The melodic bass line of "Yr On Yr Own Now" flows right into Smith's searing vocals, echoing strains of The Decembrists and even Credence Clearwater Revival.

Far from being a snoozy affair, the infectious funk of "The Hangaround" and the relentlessly driving "Guns Raised", which builds into a woozy psychedlic slide guitar crescendo. Some of the rockers come off as rote midwestern rockers, however, such as the charming "Song for a Waitress", "Helluva Lot Colder", and "Skippin' Town. However, the latter's revelation that escape from small town America is best left to the imagination strikes at the core of Smith's themes.

One of the finest moments on the disc lies in the poetic wisdom of "Love Like the Child", as Smith declares: "Mind your health and drink like your dead/Your gift ain't waiting in heaven/Your gift ain't waiting nowhere". With this simple stroke, A&TPP at once embrace the hope and despair so prevalent in small towns throughout America. Closing out the disc, the title track emphasizes the band's acknowledgment that they are, and most likely will forever be, a band firmly rooted in the grim, yet brilliant, light of Dayton. For a band so young, it is rare to possess such a strong sense of purpose and to so eloquently embrace and express that ideal.

Andrew & the Pretty Punchers/The Seedy Seeds/Hospital Garden/The Judy Blooms-Tonight @ Oregon Express

...over at the Oregon Express tonight you've got an excellent bill. Andrew & the Pretty Punchers will headline the bill along with The Seedy Seeds (Cincinnati), Hospital Garden, and The Judy Blooms. We'll see ya there...

Happy Birthday, L'America!

...while many Americans celebrate the revolution with hot dogs and sparklers, we celebrate it with rock n' roll. Here's a couple of options for ya...

...head on down to Canal Street Tavern for special dual CD release show, courtesy of the newly-established Consumer Value Deluxe Records. The no-frills rock n' roll of The Whathaveya will make their debut this evening as they release their opening salvo, The Whayhaveya Explodes! Alterna-grungers Accidently On Purpose will issue their Miminari EP, which we featured a track off on The Buddha Den Summer Sampler 08. Also on the bill will be the glammed-out grind of Columbus' Lollipop Factory who are in the early stages of an extended Midwest tour...


...over at Therapy Cafe this evening, garage upstarts Thee Pistol Whips will be hosting a free show that will also feature Andy Smith (of Andrew & the Pretty Punchers), as well as Jake Giesgige (of The Judy Blooms) who is back in Dayton for a short time. Head on down and see what these guys are up to...

The Buddha Den Presents: Songwriters-in-the-Round @ Canal St. Tavern 6.8.08

...as the unseasonal heat nearly choked the city last evening, several of Dayton's finest songwriters gathered for The Buddha Den's first Songwriters-in-the-Round event at the legendary Canal Street Tavern. With four performers on stage at a time, each set delivered some incredible performances and an incredibly relaxed and fun show. In the first group, Nathan Peters (Captain of Industry), playing on Canal Street's ancient upright piano, threw out some of his finest work with his band as well as a choice cover of an old Ohio Casket song by the all-too-reclusive PJ Paslosky. Nick Tertel (Sleepybird) might have seemed somewhat reserved without the backing of his sprawling outfit, but his country-flavored tunes truly blossomed in this context. In a rare solo performance, Derek Gullett (ex-Switchblade Serenade) showcased some of his more personal material, overcoming various technical glitches along the way...




...in the evening's second set, Tod Weidner (Shrug) demonstrated yet again on his home turf why he continues to be one of Dayton's underrated treasures. His literary wit and classic compositions are nearly as much a part of Canal Street's charms as the battered stained glass. The younger, but no less vital, Andy Smith (Andrew & the Pretty Punchers) might have been buzzing on the eve of his band's first proper recording sessions, but his songs of wisdom well beyond his years reminded us that this is a talent that will hopefully grace the Gem City for many years to come. After suffering through various technical aberrations, Dustin Rose (Toads and Mice) abandoned technology in favor of simple, yet elegant compositions. His departure from the material of his band completely shocked us and, yet again, gave of great hope of things to come. Newcomer Miranda offered up jazz/blues-flavored piano compositions and topped them off with a voice of such power and passion that we are hoping to see much more from her in the months to come...





For more photos from the evening, please go here.