...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!

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"

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...

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"

The Turkish Delights @ Canal Street Tavern/Dayton Band Playoffs

...we realize that we have failed this summer in bringing you any coverage whatsoever on Canal Street Tavern's summer institution for young bands, The Annual Dayton Band Playoffs. While most in Dayton know of this event's legacy, let's remind everyone that such Dayton notables as The Method, Brainiac, Real Lulu, and Shrug all stand as past champions. Although in recent years it's been overlooked, the Playoffs continue to provide young bands with an opportunity to play in a great room on a great stage...

...it appears as if this year we find one of our favorite locals making a push toward the finals: The Turkish Delights. Tonight the band will play in Round 3, hoping to make it to the semifinals. We wish them good luck in their title bid this year...

MP3: The Turkish Delights "Frightening Lightening"
MP3: The Turkish Delights "Vowels to God"

Kris N. Release Party for "Lo-Fi Movement" w/Wil Cope/The 1984 NFL Draft-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

...we've been talking about this one for a while now, but tonight is finally the night that Kris N. gets to celebrate the release of his new album, Lo-Fi Movement. We'd highly recommend heading out to Canal Street Tavern to catch Kris live, as he will be joined by Poptek Records mainman, Andy Ingram, on drums. We had them at the NTRO/XPO back in February and it still ranks as one of our favorite sets that we've seen. Also on the bill tonight are a pair of our favorite Dayton songwriters: swinging back through town from his new base in Austin, we've got Wil Cope, who is soon to release his new album, 1977 Again, and The 1984 NFL Draft (aka Joe Anderl). We'll see you there....

MP3: Kris N. "Pollard's Old Drunk Drivers"
MP3: Wil Cope "Easy as Sleep" from Dead Moon Motel
MP3: Joe Anderl "Dayton, Ohio" from Joe Anderl and the Imaginary Friendship Choir

Northwest Cannonball Delight States

...for a Wednesday night in Dayton, you've got some pretty good options tonight. As we mentioned a while back, Lexington's These United States will be rolling into Canal Street Tavern tonight in support of their most recent effort, A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gates to the Garden of Eden. Opening up the evening will be a pair of great local songwriters that we highly recommend you check out: Jesse Remnant & the Trainwrecks and Wes Tirey...


...in case yr a little light in the wallet, you can join us for FREE over at Oregon Express for The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO. Every Wednesday in April we're featuring The Turkish Delights and tonight they'll be joined by another of our local faves, The Northwest Ordinance. We'll see you there...

MP3: These United States "First Sight"
MP3: Jesse Remnant "The Human Cannonball"
MP3: The Turkish Delights "Lite Brite"
MP3: The Northwest Ordinance "Found Love"

Lo-Fi Movement

...with his movement of the moment "recession pop" sound, Kris N. continues to wave the banner for the lo-fi basement hero. His new album, Lo-Fi Movement, will be out on Dayton label Poptek Records on April 23. The release will coincide with a show at Canal Street Tavern with Dayton ex-pat, Wil Cope, who is currently living it up in Austin. Although reveling in the murky lo-fi realm, Kris's melodies possess the ability to weave through the mire and lodge themselves firmly in the listener's psyche...

MP3: Kris N. "Pollard's Old Drunk Drivers"
MP3: Kris N. "Mustache Jesus"

...if you wanna dig into more Kris N., you can head over here to grab exclusive tracks courtesy of Poptek Records...

These United States

...a few weeks ago we came across Lexington's These United States, who are slated for an upcoming visit to Canal Street Tavern, on April 8. From the first listen, we were smitten. Running in similar streams to contemporaries Andrew Bird and M Ward running through its veins, TUS's most recent album, A Picture Of The Three Of Us At The Gate To The Garden Of Eden, is filled with poignant sketches of modern life that engages the spectrum of human emotions, connecting the common links betwen us and telling the stories in language distinct to the modern era...

MP3: These United States "First Sight"
MP3: These United States "Burn This Bridge"

...as the band are currently out doing the requisite SXSW activities, they've teamed up with one of our favorite blogs, You Ain't No Picasso, for a superfun contest. Here's the lowdown:

Moving up to the next level in the real-life version of Rock Band, These United States have recently acquired a brand new (to them) 12-seater tour van - but it just wouldn't be the vehicle of fortune it's going to be without a proper christening.

TUS fans/YANP readers are invited to name this glorious van by leaving their suggestions, with their email addresses, in the comments section of You Ain't No Picasso:

The winner of the "VanTasy Prize Pack" will be announced at These United States’ show in Lexington Saturday April 11th at Al’s Bar.

The “TUS VanTasy Grab Bag”
- one (1) Very First Non-Essential Item to (Naturally) Fall off the New TUS Van
- one (1) Personalized Traveler-on-the-Go Mixtape by These United States
- one (1) Enlightening Road Haiku written by the TUS band member of your choice
- one (1) Meaningful Souvenir from the World’s Largest Truck Stop (Interstate 80, in Iowa)
- one (1) Full-Color Glossy Glamour Shot (Standing or Reclining) of These United States
- one (1) Super-Awesome Bragging Rights Forever to All of Your Awesome Friends You Have

Here’s a list of van quirks supplied by These United States to help you personalize your nickname:
- it whistles at certain speeds on the highway…AND NO MAN/WOMAN/MECHANIC CAN FIGURE OUT WHY?!?!
- it’s got a sweeeeeeet American Flag spare-tire cover in back (as pictured)
- it’s got a lot of personality “quirks” that we’re just now discovering…but we love it anyway
- we got it from the local Lions Club in northern Virginia - they are nice people
- it’s from the year 19hundred+96, complete with state-of-the-art casette player + faux wood steering wheel grip cover

...head on over and help make history...

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.

Southeast Engine/Jesse Remnant and the Trainwrecks-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

..after hearing us talk about the new Southeast Engine album, From the Forest to the Sea for a while now, the band will bring the goods to Canal Street Tavern tonight. Opening up, and pulling double duty as well, is Jesse Remnant and his Trainwrecks (feat. members of Shrug). Do yrself a favor and do everything you can to make this show...

MP3: Southeast Engine "Black Gold"

Southeast Engine on Daytrotter

...we were very excited to discover this morning that Daytrotter put up a session today from Southeast Engine. As per usual, the guys at Daytrotter did an amazing job on the recordings and three of the four tracks are from Southeast Engine's upcoming From the Forest to the Sea album, which has been in heavy rotation here at The Buddha Den. The disc drops February 17 and the band will celebrate its release with a show on March 6 at the venerable Canal Street Tavern. You can grab the aforementioned audio goodies RIGHT HERE...

The Sailing/Russian Tombstones/The Audible Influence-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

...head on down to Canal Street Tavern tonight to catch one of Dayton's finest. Epic-rockers The Sailing headline a bill which includes Russian Tombstones (Morgantown, WV) and 2007 Dayton Band Play-Offs Champs, The Audible Influence. See you there...

Turkish Engine

...hey kids, you've got a pair of great shows to get out to tonight. Here's the details...


...over at Canal Street Tavern tonight the brothers Remnant celebrate the release of their split 7" from Southeast Engine and Jesse Remnant. Although older brother Adam Remnant's Southeast Engine is sporting a leaner lineup these days, their delivery is still potent. Jesse Remnant will be getting backing from members of Shrug. Opening the evening will be youngster Jordan Hull...


...you could also swing over to Oregon Express to catch a solid bill of garage/punk goodness. Between Thee Pistol Whips, Mountain Screamer, Hospital Garden, and newcomers Turkish Delights, you've got plenty of good rockin' tonight. We'll see you out...

Richard Lloyd and The Sufi Monkey Trio/Halos Were Found at the Landing Site-Tonight @ Canal Street Tavern

...if you know much about the legacy of American punk rock, then tonight is an exceptionally rare opportunity to see one of the individuals responsible for the emergence of CBGB's as the mecca of punk rock. Ex-Television guitarist Richard Lloyd will make a stop at Canal Street Tavern this evening along with The Sufi Monkey Trio, which also features ex-Television drummer Billy Ficca. According to reports, the band are performing some Television material, so this is great opportunity to get out and catch one of the guys who changed so much in the musical landscape. Opening the evening will be locals Halos Were Found at the Landing Site...

Halloween Rundown

...tonight is the close of all the Halloween festivities kids, and you've got some excellent options to help you celebrate...


...if you head out early, swing by the Dayton Dirt Collective for their Misfits Tribute show. Twenty bands are gonna take turns bashing out a couple of tunes each, so it should be a good time...

...after that, you've got some choices to make. You can head over to Blind Bob's for a fun bill with good friends. The Story Changes is hosting and have brought compatriots The Sound For Language, Stone the Mayor Sheriffs, and 8-Bit Revival along for the ride...


...or...you've got one of the single-longest-running annual events in Dayton music with the Monster Hop over at Canal Street Tavern. Brought to you by local punk icon Jamy Holliday, his Luxury Pushers will host Toronto's Saigon Hookers and yet another local icon, Mitch Mitchell's Terrifying Experience. Your eardrums will never be the same....

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...

Gotta Get Over the Hump....

...well kids, it's midweek and even so you've still got a couple of good reasons to get out tonight in Dayton...


...if you're looking to save a few bucks, The Buddha Den NTRO/XPO is FREE tonight over at the Oregon Express. In addition to the open mic (which is always surprising), we also have the jazz-tinged experimentalism of Black Wolf Fight. Action starts at 8:30, so you can still make it home early...


...you could also swing out to Canal Street Tavern tonight to catch a good bill. We recommend checking out new experimental dreampop outfit New Vega, as well as Low Red Land and Giant Jerk...

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.