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.

Wake Up Mordecai CD Release/Towhee/Jesse Remnant and the Trainwrecks/XL427-Tonight @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...as we mentioned earlier this week, Wake Up Mordecai will celebrate the release of his new album, Too Young for the Disco, tonight at Dayton Dirt Collective. Let us reiterate that we highly recommend to check out this new release. Along for the ride this evening will be some of Dayton's finest practitioners of indie pop, Towhee, Jesse Remnant and the Trainwrecks, and XL427. Things get started around 7 pm, so don't be late...

MP3: Wake Up Mordecai "Cowboys and Indians"
MP3: Towhee "Calm Down"
MP3: Jesse Remnant "Better Than You"
MP3: XL427 "It's Not Just Pink, It's New Wave Pink"

That's What She Said

...for a kid who's still not even out of high school, John Callon aka Wake Up Mordecai is making quite a name for himself in the Dayton music scene. His debut EP North to the Nth Degree (out last fall) got quite a bit of attention in the local press and already he's dropping a second release with Poptek Records, the full-length, Too Young for the Disco. Retaining much of the understated charm of his first release, Morti ups the ante this time around, however, fleshing out the arrangements with sugary guitar lines and lush harmonies. While there is plenty of ear candy to enjoy, the melancholic fringes give the disc a depth that begs repeated spins. Wake Up Mordecai will be celebrating the release of Too Young for the Disco with a show at Dayton Dirt Collective this Saturday, May 23, so tune in now...

MP3: Wake Up Mordecai "Cowboys and Indians"
MP3: Wake Up Mordecai "Kinky Girl Scout Cookies"

Flight Returns

...so tonight is the night when the enitre Miami Valley region rallies to contest the current conventional wisdom that Dayton is a dying city with its semi-annual Urban Nights event. In addition to the countless sanctioned diversions presented by the benevolent city governments, you've also got a pair of great offerings from those that do their best to elevate Dayton throughout the year: The Circus and the Dayton Dirt Collective. Dig the posters for the lowdown. We'll see you out on the streets...

Holy!Holy!Holy!/Akillis Green/State School/Kris N.-Tonight @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...as we mentioned earlier this week the anarchist-folkies of Holy!Holy!Holy! will be rolling into the Dayton Dirt Collective tonight. Along for the ride are locals Akillis Green, State School and Kris N. Although seemingly subdued for a Friday night, we're thinking this could be one of the best shows this season. See you there...

Holy!Holy!Holy!

...following their last stop through the Dayton Dirt Collective, St. Charles, Missouri collective Holy!Holy!Holy! left quite a buzz in their wake. Upon finally hearing them, we understood why. It could just as easily be a hundred years ago, sitting out at an IWW camp meeting listening to songs of the workingman. Through their hypnotic singalongs/growls/spoken word and acoustic instrumentation (well, mostly), the music and politics of HHH seem to be inextricably linked. You can read more about their views on their blog here and listen to their new EP, If I Can't Revolt It's Not My Dance, here. Holy!Holy!Holy! will return to the DDC this Friday, April 3. See you there...

MP3: Holy!Holy!Holy! "From The Bottom Up"
MP3: Holy!Holy!Holy! "Gone Like Jesus"

Wake Up Mordecai Announces Track Listing; Release Date

...as we previously announced, Vandalia high-schooler John Callon aka Wake Up Mordecai is already planning a follow up to last year's acclaimed North to the Nth Degree. According to Poptek Records, the label will issue Too Young for the Disco with a Release Party at Dayton Dirt Collective on May 23. Here's the tracklisting for the disc:

01. LOVEMACHINE5000
02. That's What She Said
03. Kinky Girl Scout Cookies
04. Orange Soda
05. Dignan
06. Bach Called - he wants his orchestra back
07. XOXO
08. Infinity x2
09. Disco = Crack
10. You're the Bomb(bay)
11. Cowboys and Indians

...if you want to keep up to the minute with the Wake Up Mordecai universe, you can tune in to his blog over here. Rest assured, we'll keep you posted as we get more information...

MP3: Wake Up Mordecai "Girls Don't Ride On Viking Ships" from North to the Nth Degree

The Funeral Party: A Tribute to The Cure-Today @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...looks like DJ MisterKid has gone and hooked up yet another tribute show at the Dayton Dirt Collective. This time around he's corralled several local bands into doing short sets of songs by those masters of mope, The Cure. You can check out the poster to see everyone that is slated to play, but we have it on good authority that there will be a number of special surprises tonight. The show gets an early start at 5 pm and, as with all DDC shows, things will wrap up around 11, so you can still get up in the morning for work. See you there...

PROFILE: Everyday Is Like Sunday [A Tribute to The Smiths/Morrissey]

...sometimes, yr plans just work out. In the case of DJ MisterKid (aka Louis Wood, Jr.) this weekend's Everyday Is Like Sunday tribute to The Smiths/Morrissey comes right as the enigmatic frontman releases his new album, Years of Refusal, which, according to some reports, may close the book on his musical career. Either way, the timing seems perfect to revisit the music of The Smiths/Morrissey. Here's what the organizer had to say about it all...

The Buddha Den: How did you decide to do a tribute to The Smiths/Morrissey? How much did your own DJ background play into this?

DJ MisterKid: I remember dancing at clubs like 1470 West in Dayton to songs like "How Soon Is Now" from The Smiths and stuff like "Just Like Heaven" from The Cure. I liked dancing to alternative music like that because you could be yourself on the dancefloor and express yourself however you wanted to with your own made up moves and people wouldn't give you crap for it. I remember wanting to be a DJ because of alternative music like that. I went to a normal dance party once and tried dancing by myself and people teased me for it. They asked me why I was dancing by myself and I told them I always did at places like 1470 West in downtown Dayton and The Warehouse in Cincinnati.

I think that kind of music connects with a lot of people because it touches on a lot of subjects that people don't generally hear in normal pop music. It gives me a rush and a push, no pun intended. I think it's good for people to go beyond the norms in music like The Smiths and Morrissey did and do, and people seem to be attracted to it because they have the same feelings of things like loneliness, isolation, intellectual despair and heartache. It's also not as mainstream as some pop music lyrically, instrumentally, so it stays unique by not getting too over exposed. DJ Mike Dangers, now the resident DJ at the Dock nightclub in Cincinnati, and former goth night resident DJ at the warehouse, began teaching me how to mix good alternative music towards the last days of the warehouse there in Cincinnati. It was very exciting and a rush much like a musician experiences during a live performance. It's great seeing people react and get physical towards music you enjoy as well. It felt great getting people to dance with music from groups like the Smiths and Depeche Mode. I feel like I have/had a purpose doing it and it make me feel good helping people have fun and enjoy dancing the night away. Music is a big passion of mine, and doing a tribute like this to one of the greatest modern bands like this is a treat to me and the others working on this project right now. It only took me two days to have ten bands on this lineup and people knew what songs they wanted to cover before I even had the chance to ask them what they had ideas for. I knew then that this was going to be a great music festival which is what I am calling it since its six hours long, with over 13 performances from many different genres of artists statewide.

TBD: Once you put out the call, how did bands respond? Did you work closely with the bands to select material or did you leave them to their own devices?

DJMK: I recomended some songs personally that I would like the bands to perform to help make this event fun and exciting, but for the most part like I said, they knew the songs/material they were going to cover. I was very impressed by bands like The Northwest Ordinance, ZAS, Bitchpipe, Dripfeeder, and Gunsucker and the others. They seemed very passionate about it. They didn't ask how much they were going to make at this show and just cared about doing it. That was an incredible feeling as a promoter and show organizer at the DDC and other venues. Next month I am doing a Cure tribute show and people already feel the same way about that too. I think I am doing the right thing by tributing great acts like The Smiths/Morrissey and The Cure. They mean a lot to people, and these two bands especially some people live their lives to the lyrics and music, which isn't a bad thing in my view. They provide a release to people that is well needed is such an intellectually lonely world.

TBD: With the event running 6 hours, how did you decide what bands/DJs to have involved? How much material will everyone present?

DJMK: I wanted first off to see how many genres of music to be presented in this particular show. I thought that was most important so the audience didn't get bored with it, I also wanted to be unbiased when it came to the genre of music I personally like. I want the audience to make up their minds of what they think of the performances. I told the performers not to "Panic" if their set didn't sound perfect to them. I also told them to have fun with it and do it the way they wanted to. I told them they had complete artistic control and I didn't believe in any form of censorship. At first I wanted to have the acts perform about 25 minutes each, but that evolved into about 3-4 songs per band/artist. Its kinda hard to learn this material honestly. One time I heard Johnny [Marr, guitarist for The Smiths] say in a magazine that he himself had trouble playing his tunes after he himself wrote them. I told the artists performing to just have fun with it ad at least make somewhat of an attempt. The bands have been very confident in their abilities to say the least though, which with the groups that called and I asked to do this isn't a big surprise. A couple of bands are only doing a couple of songs, and another only one song. I think that is cool though and I'm glad they are at least doing that, very glad actually.

TBD: How has the Dayton Dirt Collective staff responded to the event? What can people who have never been to the DDC expect from the venue?

DJMK: The staff is super stoked. They have been very helpful and energetic about it. I couldn't ask for any more help. They made me feel confident about this show, technically and artistically. I feel as though I can call anyone at anytime at the DDC and get an answer or help right away. I honestly can't ask for anything else. I am glad the DDC exists and I think it's a wonderful thing. Dayton should feel lucky they have a venue like this. The DDC is all about the music. We don't have to worry about making a certain amount of alcohol sales like most bars/clubs. We are for non profit, and that is a great thing. We are all doing this because we are passionate about it, and for the music/acts/collective like I just said. When people come to the DDC I think they will notice a lot more patience and enthusiasm for the music and people performing. The staff isn't as nerve racking as you see in a lot of bars and clubs. We have deadlines and and goals like a lot of other music venues, but we are confident in our mission and what we are doing for the Dayton community. We are doing this for the performers and city, not just to make money, not that that is a bad thing honestly.

TBD: How do you see the music of The Smiths/Morrissey fitting into the modern musical climate? What impact do you feel that music continues to exert on the current crop of practitioners?

DJMK: I think even the earliest Smiths material sounds fairly modern. One of the DJ's performing this night, DJ Joesph Nicholson, told me once that a lot of the 80's music he spins sounds modern to where people cant tell its not new. This is same for The Smiths. You can usually tell when a band or artist is ahead of its time. Kinda like filmmaking for instance, like films from Directors Stanley Kubrick or Ridley Scott. Their material doesn't look quite dated yet and will be enjoyed for generations probably. I know I will enjoy it for the rest of my life, it's simply timeless, and I plan on living my life to Morrisey's lyrics as much as I can, but I eat Meat though.

Be sure to head on down to the Dayton Dirt Collective this Sunday to check out Dayton's ode to one of rock n' roll's most influential bands...

Mose Giganticus/The Emotron/He Laughs He Learns He Loves/The Happy Planets-Tonight @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...yes, we know it's snowing. You'd better get used to it because it's gonna be doing that sporadically over the next few months and you don't wanna miss that many shows, do you? DO YOU? No, we didn't think so. Head on over to Dayton Dirt Collective tonight to get in some snow driving practice and check out a great show. Sounds like it's gonna be a pretty freaky synth-dance party with Mose Giaganticus and The Emotron both in from Philly, and He Laughs He Learns He Loves and one of our favorite underdogs of 2008, The Happy Planets, bringing the local flavor. Show starts at 7, so you can still get home in time to catch the late night reruns...

Romance of the Young Tigers/Ghastly City Sleep/Lungs-Tonight @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...we know it's Monday, but here's a great early show at the Dayton Dirt Collective that is sure to be an experience. You've got the post-everything Romance of the Young Tigers, the haunting Ghastly City Sleep (Brooklyn), and the savage up-and-comers, Lungs [highly recommended]. Things get rolling around 7, so you can still be home in time to make it to work tomorrow, if that's what you need to do...

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....

Lungs/Mako Sica/Vanity Theft/Captain Dangerfoot-Tonight @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...if yr looking to get something going tonight, head on over to Dayton Dirt Collective for a eclectic bill. Headlining the evening are the sludgy post-rock outfit Lungs. Also on tonight are spooky post-rockers Mako Sica (Chicago), all-female indie rockers Vanity Theft, and Captain Dangerfoot. Festivities kick off around 7, so be sure to make it down early...

Taskmaster/Coastal/Brutophilia/Rusalka/Infirmary/Being-Tonight @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...if yr looking to stun yr senses into oblivion, you've got a great opportunity to do so tonight at the Dayton Dirt Collective. Check it...

TASKMASTER
-ultimate canadian crusher-

COASTAL
-waves and waves of fuzz from Canada-

BRUTOPHILIA
-power electronics/harsh noise one man powerhouse-

RUSALKA
-canadian synth destroyer-

INFIRMARY
-walls of pounding noise from Illinois-

BEING
-local harsh noise practitioner, also known as "Bean"

...head on down and you'll never be the same...

Record Swap @ Dayton Dirt Collective 10.4.08

...in addition to the Poster-Tastic rock poster show at Derailed tomorrow, Dayton Music Fest day has attracted another non-sanctioned event. Don't worry, we approve. Head on over to Dayton Dirt Collective tomorrow afternoon for a Record Swap. From what we're hearing, this could be a great way to find out who the other vinyl junkies are in Dayton and also to get yrself revved up for the DMF tomorrow night....

Millions/Abaddon/He Laughs, He Learns, He Loves/The Happy Planets-Tonight @ Dayton Dirt Collective

...head on down to the Dayton Dirt Collective tonight to catch some quality punk and more. Check out the dissonant hardcore of Millions (Chicago), the grindcore of Abbadon (Lancaster, OH), as well as the pop/punk/new wave of locals He Laughs, He Learns, He Loves and new Squids Eye artist The Happy Planets. Should be a good time...

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...

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....

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...