Dayton City Paper Changes Owners

...late yesterday we received word that longtime Dayton City Paper publisher Kerry Farley had sold his interest in the paper to Therapy Cafe owner, Medhi Adineh. According to our source at the DCP, "Kerry is quite confident in his decision for Medhi is a huge fan of the [Dayton City] Paper and its artistic mission." As one of the few media outlets in Dayton, the Dayton City Paper (and it's previous incarnations as The Dayton Voice and Impact Weekly) has long provided ample coverage to the local music scene. Let's hope that trend continues under the new ownership...

Twitchy Bird

...as the sweltering heat gives way to a rainy day in the Gem City, there's a couple of good shows for those willing to risk getting wet....


...over at the Dayton Dirt Collective tonight you've got an extremely rare opportunity to catch a Dayton original as Drexel will be performing with some kind of puppet action. Also on the bill are The Bible Beaters, Akillis Green, and The Twitches...


...if you're feeling a little more relaxed tonight, head over to Therapy Cafe to check out the hypnotic sounds of Sleepybird. With the release of their third album slated for mid-October, this may be one of the last chances to catch them before the new hits the streets...

Thee Pistol Whips/Wild & Free/Jake Giesige @ Therapy Cafe & Accidently On Purpose/Lollipop Factory @ Canal Street Tavern

...after our fill of fireworks and such, we headed down to Therapy Cafe to check out couple of old bandmates in their new settings. We walked in to catch ex-patriate Jake Giesige (currently of The Judy Blooms) doing a last-minute solo acoustic set. Although stripped down, Giesige's songs were certainly more than strong enough to handle the exposure. Playing a number of old Wild & Free songs, as well as newer songs like "Meg, You're Starting to Slip", Giesige did not disappoint. As his set wound down and rumors abounded of an impromptu reunion, he called up his old mates from Wild & Free. Tearing through four songs off their disc Andiamo, everyone was reminded what a loss that band truly was. Alas, we'll have to stand patiently and wait for Giesige to chart his next course...




...next up was another Wild & Free alumni, GT, and his new band Thee Pistol Whips. With an apparent affinity for the Nuggets era, the band continues to wave the flag for garage rock purity. Complete with a trio of go-go dancing singers, Thee Pistol Whips strive towards the raunch that launched a thousand bands. We'll have to wait and see for now if they can deliver on that promise...




...at this point in the evening, we switched venues and rolled over to Canal Street Tavern to try and catch the dual CD release presented by the new local label, Consumer Value Deluxe Records. Sadly, we missed the debut of The Whathaveya, but reports confirmed our suspicions that is a serious new force of rock n' roll in Dayton. Shortly after our arrival, Lollipop Factory from Columbus kicked into gear. On the second day of a six-week tour, the band was full of fire. Strutting and slashing the stage, the glammed-out duo sounded like QOTSA had gone on a blistering bender of nothing but Queen and early Bowie. Not only was the sound incredible, but Lollipop Factory also understand the value of stage presence. The pair posed and pouted and paraded across the CST stage as if they had been born there. We're hoping for a return visit soon...




...closing out the evening was a revamped Accidently On Purpose. Celebrating the release of their Miminari EP, the band turned in a blistering set. With Greta Smak prowling the stage as if some unknown force were threatening to take it from her at any minute, the rest of the band backed her up with interminable ferocity. Even an ill-timed bass string breakage was not enough to slow AOP down on this night...





...for more photos from the evening, go here. Black & white photography by Marla Bremer.

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...

Nightbeast/YeaBig & KidStatic/LVX/Shake Your Fusion/Revampire @ Therapy Cafe 10.8.07

Although rarely employed as a venue for bands, Therapy Cafe served its purpose fairly well this warm October evening....

Opening the night was a rare appearance by the art-noise outfit Revampire. Their set began as a brutal deconstructionist onslaught, melding Brainiac danceability with U.S. Maple's uncompromising ethos. Near the end of the set, however, things quickly devolved into chaotix freestyling with a number of people coming and going from the stage. Initially, the onlookers were intrigued by the unique and challenging sound, by mid-set though, most were leaving in droves to seek shelter and solace on the patio....


next up were the eighties-hipster synth pop of Shake Your Fusion. While there have been several acts nationally that have picked up the 80s mantle and made new use of the relentlessly maligned decade, this simply was not one of them. In many ways, it felt like a joke that was only minimally funny the first time you heard it being told for twenty minutes. With one member toting around a period-correct keyboard, one dressed in suit and tie handling the laptop, and the other two looking like they raided their older cousins wardrobe, this outfit was long on looks but short on substance...

The night rebounded strong, however, as LVX hit the stage. Hailing from Bloomington, Indiana, this set was nothing but relentless high-energy as LVX paced the stage like a lion stalking his prey. Still, a lion that you would want starting up your party...


Wheeling in from Chicago was the one-two-punch of YeaBig & KidStatic. This set was the real deal: old-school eighties-style hip-hop chocked full of humor, self-deprecation, and infectious beats that got even the most jaded on the scene cracking a smile and bobbing their head. This was some of the most fun hip-hop I've heard in a long time. And to top it all off, they closed with a cover of the Golden Girls theme...yes, that's what I said...



Closing out the night was the inimitable Nightbeast. Following YeaBig & KidStatic, however, proved a challenge to which few could have risen. Sadly, on this night, the force of Nightbeast was simply no match...

Overall, it was a great night of music. It would be great to see Therapy used more as a venue for bands of all stripes....for more photos from the evening, go here

Monday Therapy

Tonight at the ever-trendy Therapy Cafe, we have an extremely interesting bill. Yea Big + Kid Static from Chicago bringing some old school hip hop with havey doses of electronica heaped on top. L V X will serve up some electronica from Bloomington. The force of nature that is Nightbeast (pictured above)will be on hand for some serious synthy vintage sounds. Also on tap is the ambient art punk experimentation of Revampire, featuring members of Human Reunion & Fuck Uppers. Opening the night will be Shake Yr Fusion from middletown.

It's a cheap show at $3. Looks like doors open around 9, but don't expect any action until 10. It's an 18 & up show as well. Shake off yr DMF funk and get out....