Mouth of the Architect/Nightbeast/Wet Leather/The Sound For Language @ Pearl 6.5.08

...as the temperature rose to perilous levels in the Gem City, virtually the only reprieve that could be found was in the confines of the Pearl. Surely a heavy dose of rock n' roll served up Dayton-style would provide sweet relief. Opening the evening, The Sound for Language served up giant slabs of guttural rock. On the strength of the material from their recently-released second EP, The Sound for Language thrives on impeccable lines of harmony guitars and throbbing rhythms. With an impressive set, the band set up an evening that simply never disappointed...





...Next up were the recently-reunited Wet Leather. Moving between sludgy riffage and sleazy funk, we're excited to see this outfit in action again. On this particular evening the band were joined by local icon Jeremy Fredricks on vocals for an Agent Orange cover. While the band did not hold the audience at attention for much of their set, they continued to deliver a high-energy set that simply never let up...



...taking the evening to unexpected levels, Nightbeast, attired in a Batman outfit on this night, prowled the stage like a championship fighter poised to strike at any time. Strike he did, with an endless stream of deftly placed pop culture references that hit like well-timed jabs. As he incited the audience into a number of chants and skits, Nightbeast even regaled us with an acoustic number, lulling us into a false calm. By the end of his brief set Nightbeast echoed Muhammad Ali with his boasts and claims. On this night, these were well-founded...



...closing the evening, Mouth of the Architect's enormous sound simply could not be held in by the confines of the Pearl. On the cusp of the release of the new album, Quiet, MOTA is clearly a band at the top of their game. While the PA may not have been able to properly translate the dense melodic layers buried under waves of grind, it seemed to matter little to the audience who reveled in the sheer force of the band's sound...

Mouth of the Architect/Nightbeast/Wet Leather/The Sound For Language-Tonight @ Pearl

...as the city heats up and Thursday continues to become the new Friday, the Gem City offers up yet another bill filled with Dayton's finest tonight at Pearl. As they gear up to release their new album, Quietly, on Translation Loss next month and set out for an extended US jaunt in August and September, Mouth of the Architect will make a rare Dayton appearance this evening. An equally rare sighting of the indescribable force of nature that is Nightbeast is also slated for tonight, along with the recently-revived Wet Leather. Opening the evening will be The Sound for Language, who recently self-released their second EP. This is more rock than you can handle. Get there....

Wet Leather @ South Park Tavern 4.26.08

...in celebration of their good friend's upcoming wedding, Wet Leather joined forces after more than a three-year absence. On this particular evening at South Park Tavern, the band didn't miss a step as they plowed through their distinct brand of punk/sludge/funk. Guitarist/vocalist Nithin Kalvakota reminded us of why his absence in this town (he's currently earning his MBA at Case Western University in Cleveland) is such a glaring one. Kalvakota's vocals veered from croon to howl to falsetto, often all within a single passage. His guitar was given solid support from the stick-twirling Jay Madewell and the always-bouncing Bruce Hull. The band also tossed in a couple of choice covers by X (the one from Australia, not LA) and Agent Orange. With only two more shows lined up before the band is gone for good, you may want to check out this non-revival...



For more photos from the night, go here. All b & w photos by Marla Bremer.

Wet Leather-Tonight @ South Park Tavern

...we're not gonna call it a comeback, but it's definitely been a while since the guys in Wet Leather graced any stage anywhere. So, tonight should be a pretty big deal with the band performing at 11 SHARP, with DJ sets by all members of the band before and after. Remember, this is a totally FREE show, so you know everyone will be there....

NEWS: Wet Leather to reunite

...while Dayton is not well-known for its bands reuniting, there seems to be a minor outbreak as of late. The Motel Beds are making a new run, and now Wet Leather has seen fit to unleash their heavy brand of dance/rock onto the local scene yet again. It's members have been keeping busy in various projects ranging from Power to the Peephole, Kalvakota, and Area Code, a stint in grad school for guitarist/vocalist Nithin Kalvakota, and serving as host for the perpetually-popular L'Eighties Night for drummer Jay Madewell. Alas, it's time for them to join forces again on April 26 at South Park Tavern with a FREE show. Yes, it's time to GET WET!!!