Dayton Music

Where the Rivers Meet: Sequel to Playing for Change Video

April 3, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Michael & Sanday Bashaw. Photo credit: Blue Sky Project

Since its release in June 2013, the first locally-produced YouTube sensation “Where There is Love” has been viewed by over 200,000 people in more than 200 countries. Local artists, Michael & Sandy Bashaw, from the local band Puzzle of Light, organized the original video which featured 14 acts from jazz, reggae, spoken word and even The Burundi Royal Court Drummers.

The video presented Dayton to the world – via YouTube – in a very positive light to lots of people. Using music in this way to celebrate diversity and collaboration demonstrates to those outside Dayton that this is a great place to live, work and do business.

Prompted by its continued success and great enthusiasm from both the regional and global communities they are gearing up for making a brand new Dayton music video. As before, this project will be shot on-location in the greater Dayton area, and will feature artists from our home town. Filming will commence in mid-May. Producer David Sherman who directed the first video and will also be part of the creative team producing the sequel.

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“During our first collaboration, we discovered we absolutely loved working together and did so very efficiently as a team. So with this production experience under our belts we’re ready for a more ambitious project” shares Sandy Bashaw. “Micheal Bashaw explains, “we’ll be renting some specialized photographic equipment, and we’re delighted that Andy Snow has joined our team as Director of Photography. The new cast of musicians, singers and dancers is stellar!

This time, our community has the opportunity to play a part in making this new video happen. Welcome Dayton and Involvement Advocacy are partners as well as Culture Works and their new crowdfunding initiative – Power2Give. Through Power2Give, Dayton Power & Light is matching every dollar donated. Donors can simply go to power2give.org/DaytonRegion and look for our project, which is entitled “S.O.S – Share our Song.”

Dayton sits at the convergence of rivers – a perfect metaphor for the blending of people, cultures and ideas. Great things happen at the point of convergence. But we need for our regional and global communities to join us to make this happen. In this case, every dollar really DOES count.

Help Make “Mick Montgomery Way” A Reality!

March 30, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

From 1981 to 2013, 1st. Street and Patterson Blvd. was an address we were as familiar with as that of our own. With the world around us changing, we will always identify with that corner, like a childhood home.

Efforts for an honorary street naming of “Mick Montgomery Way” began in December of 2013. Members of the City of Dayton Planning Dept., City Managers Office and Downtown Priority Board have been enthusiastic and generous with their time to make this a reality for the community. There are a few steps remaining to finalize this project. Paper work up to this point is finished. The business at hand is where the community comes in.
There is a fee involved for the physical materials and manufacturing and installation of the street signs. This fee accompanies the application and order for the sign. After the application and the fee are submitted to the City of Dayton, the Plan Board goes through the step of voting for the legislation (resolution) to be placed on the agenda for the City of Dayton Commission to vote on and approve. Once those steps are complete, the order goes to the Public Works (street department), the signs are printed and scheduled to be installed.

The fee for this work is $500.00. This is where you all come in.

As soon as we meet the goal of $500.00, the process continues. It is realistic to say this will be about a 2 month window from the time the application and fee is turned in to the time the Public Works department has an installation date for the signs.

The signs will hang under the regular street sign and will say “Mick Montgomery Way”. This will cover the area from the corner of Patterson Blvd. for the first 2 blocks of First Street, ending at Sears Street.

Two signs will be hung; one at First and Patterson and one at First and Sears. The third sign will be presented to Mick to keep. ( I’m not sure if they are going to be blue or brown but will resemble such signs as Erma Bombeck on Brown Street in UD)

Contributions to the “Mick Montgomery Way” honorary street sign can be made at Omega Music, located in the Oregon District. The address is 318 E 5th St, Dayton, OH 45402. You can contribute any amount. They will accept cash or (for a small charge) credit and debit card. Omega has also graciously offered to take charges over the phone for those of you out of the region who wish to participate. Call (937) 275-9949. A receipt will be issued for your donation. You do not need to give your name if you want to be anonymous.

There is no deadline for this amount.
As soon as the goal is met, this campaign will close and the fee will be submitted to the City of Dayton for the project to move forward.

The corner of 1st. Street and Patterson Blvd. in Dayton, Ohio was home to the iconic Canal Street Tavern for 32 years. Mick Montgomery will always be known for his place in Dayton history for being the founder and owner of this unique concert venue known around the world.

More than just a venue, Canal Street Tavern was home base for musicians and music lovers. With Mick’s guidance, countless performers found their voices, invented themselves and REinvented themselves many times over.

Not only was Canal Street Tavern responsible for the roots of the Dayton music family tree, many friendships and marriages were born there as well. Mick’s decades of mentoring and educating performers and fans turned into generations who called Canal Street their home.

A Dayton native, Mick was one of those “kids” who grew up in local venues, discovered his voice and took his music out in to the world. (He has amazing stories as you all know!) His love for Dayton kept pulling him back and, lucky for us, his commitment to the city kept him here. Long before the internet, iTunes and MTV, Mick was introducing us to music from around the world, as well as making sure the world knew about music from Dayton.

The contribution of Mick Montgomery to the music industry and the City of Dayton goes beyond business. Visitors came from around the world to attend Canal Street Tavern shows and left here feeling like family.
Beyond being a musician and business owner, he is one of Dayton, Ohio’s most valuable ambassadors.

Thanks in advance for your support!
Shelly

REVIEW: Shamrock Athletic Club Host Benefit for East End Community Services

March 25, 2014 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Safe, engaged neighborhoods, stable, employed families and successful youth. Those are the goals and objectives of East End Community Services, a nonprofit organization formed in 1998 to help meet the needs of people living in East Dayton. They provide programs as part of a neighborhood transformation effort to help children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly succeed in becoming successful citizens, giving back to the community. Over 20 different agencies, donors, funders and neighbors along with AmeriCorps members and other volunteers have helped achieve these goals.

On Saturday January 24th, the Shamrock Athletic Club hosted an evening of art and entertainment featuring the music of Dayton scene icons Evil Eye Gypsy and rapidly rising hometown favorites Curse of Cassandra played sets to raise community awareness for East End Services. Local artists William Green and Katherine McClelland also showcased their work which can be seen at future shows and conventions.

Curse of Cassandra (photo by Mike Ritchie)

COC opened with their renowned sound of goth, industrial, punk meets new-wave, trying out a few different versions of songs off their debut EP and a new tune, Not Your Crush. As the curse of cold bad weather, ice and snow blanketed the outside we start off hot getting slice and diced pricks by Pins and Needles. Alexas Machine starts out cuing her Lennox charm over the crowd making seductive, strong eye contact with several focused male eyes and blushing smiles. Drums and keys gave an electric stinging embrace. Cassandra’s not satisfied till we’d been Satiated as Miss Electra complexed us all with a piano played masquerade of sound-lust and fetish.

COC’s Binding for control with its Eurythemic charm and strapping satisfaction. Next is a piano played Stardance rhymed in astral alignment with a somber ending. Every Time I Feel Alone is visceral in industrial mood swings. I’m not your fairytale, not your fling, not your on-call booty and definitely Not Your Crush. The One I need and I Miss You finished the set.

Evil Eye Gypsy (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Evil Eye Gypsy started their show with a slow seven minute drive through the Mojave. The sun and temperature play tricks with the senses. It was biting cold outside but it’s always blazing in the desert. The guitar’s playing towards that stimulus, giving hallucinations of sifting through the sands with weather beaten hands with harsh thirst swept up in the mysteries of the gypsy’s allure on the wind. If the desert doesn’t kill you, the Purple Haze awaits, all around, whatever the lady of the sands did, put a spell on me. Next we rocked n rolled, drank and partied all night having a Good ole Time with the friendly Miss Neighborhood service girl.

We get some down and dirty gritty rock with All I Had to Say then despite all the world’s problems and who’s hanging out with who, there’s always a Silver Lining.

The show was a bit of an experience for the band. Their original drummer was out of commission, and their replacement had a last minute issue so Curse of Cassandra’s Wolfgang stepped in and did double duty for a few tunes. The Names of those lost are written on the wall of life as well as in our minds and memories. We get a funny little song about Love then close the show with the iconic War Pigs with Wolfgang shredding on the skins.

East End provides programs helping over 300 children and teens in afterschool activities including the Miracle Workers program, as well as support for parents and caregivers through monthly Community Family nights. East End also provides crucial support to children and adults through housing development, community building, afterschool and summer programming, educational initiatives, teen services, services for parents, single adults and seniors reaching more than 3,000 people a year. In addition, they help expecting parents with child development education and what babies, toddlers and young children need to know about kindergarten, with programs supporting them through to college.

Job assistance, readiness, interview skills, resume building and online job searching, securing housing, health care or other crucial services, are provided by bilingual and trilingual staff. 1,400 households living in Twin Towers benefit from activities that improve the quality of housing and life in our neighborhoods. They are working on a project to improve 25% of the housing stock. 40 new green, energy-efficient homes have been built in 2010 and 40 more were built in 2013. Neighbors receive training on financial literacy and a range of other topics. Cultural events and festivals reach hundreds of persons at each event.

East End is also part of the Welcome Dayton initiative and provides services to assist in the resettlement process of immigrants who’ve chosen Dayton as their home including a bilingual, English-Spanish speaking and trilingual, English, Spanish and Arabic staff-assisting those with finding the right job for their skills. East End has served an array of nationalities, including Latinos and refugees from several countries including Russia and Iraq. East End also provides critical services to the elderly to help them live in their own homes, independently as long as possible including case management, chore support and better home accessibility.

To learn more about these services, call 937-259-1898. Their work’s been recognized by: the Better Business Bureau in 2005, the Access to Justice Award from Legal Aid in 2006, the Governor’s Award from the Ohio CDC Association in 2010, the Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations Excellence Award in 2012 and received a national ARAMARK and the Together for Tomorrow Award from the US Department of Education and Corporation for National and Community Service in 2012.

REVIEW: Revolver’s Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock Tour Columbus

March 20, 2014 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Sick Puppies (Photo by Samantha Stewart Photography)

On Friday, February 28th, The Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock according to Revolver Magazine soared into Columbus via Columbus Events Group, the Alrosa Staff, 99.7 The Blitz, Revolver staff and The Shrunken Heads co-owner and Azoic singer Kristy Venrick with a parking lot full of people following them in. Cilver, Eyes Set to Kill, Lacuna Coil, Sick Puppies and the winner of the Facebook fan voted local opener Able Danger all played for an appreciative loud crowd. Long ago and gone are the days of women being the sexy background or provocative eye candy of the show. Despite the tours descriptive adjective, the talent, history, musicianship and stage presence that brought the ‘chicks’ here got the spotlight.

Able Danger (photo by Samantha Stewart Photography)

Dayton’s Able Danger bested 74 other bands with female members in a state wide contest with six finalists in a vote based contest on Facebook to earn the opening spot in Columbus that evening. They’re a very young group, together for only four months, but they make up for their hatchling status with a collective four year history in the Dayton scene in other bands. With former moniker Hereafter, guitarist Chris Stewart joined Jason Winner and Ben Willis with blonde mouthpiece Nikki Luttrell to form the progressive rock sound of AD. Look for their debut in April.

They start with Chaos, a dark, ambiance tune with cranky, growling monster in the closet guitars adding Luttrell’s classic keyboard notes and emotional, melancholy and somewhat creepy vocals sporting the inherited talents of mom and dad. Think the dark side of Roxette and a classical gothic Sheryl Crow. Stewart, a guitarist since age five, comes from a musical family. There’s a certain amount of pain and sorrow in Luttrell’s voice which she blends beautifully with power and emotional confidence.

New York’s Cilver, formally Me Talk Pretty, starts the tour with songs from their just released debut EP featuring In My Head with an appearance by GNR guitarist Bumblefoot. Lyrically it’s a sarcastic, hard-driving satirical look at fame and fortune and feeling the pressure for success. Loud voiced leather clad and tasseled singer, Romanian born Uliana Preotu took over the stage with rasp and attitude. Shimmying out of her jacket into blacker attire, she’s reminiscent of Flo with a more ‘progressive’ harder edge. The crowd claps along feeling the bass thump in their hearts. They have some of the glitter, dirt and grime that Guns n Roses made shine in their early years, and they’re taking their gutter dreams to the penthouse.

Eyes Set To Kill (Photo by Samantha Stewart Photography)

Started in Phoenix in 2003 by the Rodriguez sisters (Alexia on vocals, guitar and Anissa on bass), Eyes Set to Kill have been on the cover of USA Today as one of Alternative Press Magazine’s “100 Bands You Need To Know.” Through numerous member changes, their debut EP sold 11,000 units. Their first full length, Reach in 2008, hit No. 29 on Billboards Heatseakers chart and No. 77 on Billboards Independent Music charts. The World Outside came in 2009 along with an acoustic EP by Alexia, then Broken Frames in 2010. Alexia also released her first solo record Underground Sounds. They released White Lotus in 2011 in a joint venture with Maphia Entertainment on their own label Forsee Records; then signed with Century Media Records in 2012 currently supporting Masks.

They blast open the metal doors pounding the stage with feminine aggression and sound opening with the creepy baby-doll coo of Masks into the thud pummeler Killing in Your Name. Playing the Alrosa a few years back, Anissa plays chug bass bouncer Where I Want to Be. Alexia’s vocals are powerful, soulful with a nice amount of aggression and high peaks, an addictive mix of Crucified Barbara, Drain STH and Lita Ford.

Masks’ title comes from the number they had to wear to impress different people and after so many changes they’ve finally found their face, without the masks. Haze and another new tune Little Liar deals with doing bad shit and karma, it always comes back around. Alexia’s delivery and performance shows there’s some bubblegum in the bad girl. They end, infecting us all with the horror of Silent Hill.

Lacuna Coil (Photo by Samantha Stewart Photography)

Milan’s Lacuna Coil come to us with some Dark Adrenaline and Trip the Darkness with the crowd eager to oblige Cristina’s singing, come to me and follow me, follow me. Our second helping of dark energy comes to Kill the Light inside of us. Cristina Scabbia, dressed in bad fairly-tale stepmother black, twirled, dancing the stage, engaging the masses acting out each song with an enticing grim smile and her own touch of evil evanescence. She seduced all with her enticing aura and piercing gilded glance. Lacuna’s male voice, Andrea Ferro, equally plays the mysterious warlock spellbinder.

Scabbia, a professional singer since 1991, is a lyricist and the feminine voice of reason and advice in Revolver Magazine. She’s been featured on Megadeth’s A Tout le Monde and Apocalyptica’s S.O.S. (Anything But Love) and an alternate version of Alter Bridge’s Watch Over You. Known for her dark haunting image and range, her highest note ever hit is said to be an A7. Scabbia performed a duet with Linea 77’s former singer Emiliano Audisio on the track “Beautiful Lie” for the soundtrack of the 2013 Italian film Passione Sinistra. She’s recorded seven records and two EP’s with LC.

We’re intoxicated in their presence. Whatever the Karmacode might be, we’re happy with our Fragments of Faith. Scabbia continues her interaction as our beloved wicked queen offers the musical poisoned apple to devour. The first new track from Broken Crown Halo, Die & Rise tells us to do so with no regrets. Shiny gothic power continues to flow into tomorrow if it comes. We’re Spellbound with a taste of the Shallow Life. They’re living the dark side Upside Down and laughing at their disaster. We get hallo’ed again with Nothing Stands in our Way, a message to go after your dreams no matter what. They end giving everyone good karma from theirs to Our Truth.

Sick Puppies (Samantha Stewart Photography)

Not all Aussies are sick puppies but fortunately for us, we get three that are. The Sick Puppies open with Die to Save You off the new CD. Half-way through we’re introduced to the angelic vocals of bassist/co-founder Emma Anzai. “You ready for this rock n roll show?” yells Shimon Moore. We’re all just walking Cancer, dressed up as life, searching for disaster, says their sophomore chapter of tunes. There’s no Going Back cause the past is in the past and it doesn’t last. Leave the memories behind like a desert illusion. The devil’s up to his old tricks already, and we’re only four songs in. He’s definitely an Odd One and Tri-Polar at that, adding a bit of rage to his pocket full of shells. Everyone’s got their own personal Riptide to ride and the water’s turbulent but fine. The next song went out to all the people back home from the teachers to the other kids that disrespected them and said they couldn’t do it. Now they send those people pics and texts of them rocking around the world. Welcome to My World, my beautiful nightmare and personal hell, they’re always Dressed Up as Life.

From the devil, to a darkened life we get an uplifting tale of the road to a new life on Maybe. Your Pitiful life’s worth more than an overdose because you think Nothing Really Matters. Welcome to the Real World as Anzai the ‘Female Flea’ slaps and chisels the bass out of her onstage dance partner both in performance and her funky solo. Drummer Mark Goodwin also gets to shine on the sticks. It’s time for War as Moore instructed the crowd to put hands on the person in front of you, friend or stranger and start the biggest bounce pit in Columbus history. Jump up and down like you just got electrocuted by Blanka. From the mean streets of the fighting pits to the dusty old west, you never bring a knife to a Gunfight, you’ll lose! When they’re not shooting off or standing in front of tanks, they’re fighting or playing with Foo. ‘You have exactly 3 ½ minutes to go absolutely crazy in the pit.’ They end with their battle cry and You’re Going Down!

Images courtesy of Samantha Stewart Photography

‘Queens Of The Scene’ Showcasing Local Music Scene To The World

March 12, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro 2 Comments

The Professors ontsage circa 2005 (photo by Juliet Fromholt)

Gretchen Kelly begins with the story of one of the most wild and exciting nights that she’s been a part of as a show booker for the Oregon Express. She goes in depth about the Saturday night when local band The Professors took the stage. The Professors are a fuzz-inspired, psychedelic rock band that featured heavy riffs and 1960s style songwriting. Their style of music made them a big draw and would capture the audience’s attention anywhere they would perform. The Professors were more than just a band that would come and play music; they became one of the premiere acts in town. The band decided that it needed to take a break, and after 14 months they decided to return to playing live. The band came to Kelly one night and expressed their interest in coming out of their hibernation and playing at Oregon Express. The show would be the very first the band would play after their hiatus. Kelly jumped on the opportunity and agreed to book the gig.

A typical live music show goes as follows- crowd will show up and grab a seat in the viewing area where the show takes place. The staff quickly serves everyone without really having any issues throughout the duration of the show. Number of people will roam around, back and forth between the two sections of the bar. At the end of the night, everyone walks away completely satisfied. A pretty typical night at any venue.

But you never know how the evening is going to go. The night that Kelly talks about was a night that the script was changed. It’s the nature of the beast when it comes to setting up live shows. Before the night of the show, Kelly warned the staff that because of the popularity of The Professors there will be a need of additional help that night. As the night came, one of the staff called off due to illness. Being short staffed seemed okay at first due to the low volume at the start. Then out of nowhere, the crowd came in large numbers. The bar was difficult to move around as soon as everyone came in. Kelly goes on to end the story explaining that this was the second biggest night of door money that she ever obtained, right behind the CD release of another Dayton local band The Rebel Set’s Ghost Town Silence. After her story wrapped up, Kelly proceeded to fire up The Professors song ‘Pay the Price’.

Kelly, along with Emily Wegh, hosts a weekly show called Queens of the Scene on RadioPureGently.com. Radio Pure Gently is an internet radio station that has been in production for a couple of years now, and is still growing. The website began when Rob Puricelli was doing an internet radio show in 2010. Puricelli was producing his own show on a community based station Radio Thetford. The show was based in his home country in England and it focused on independent music. Unfortunately, Puricelli couldn’t continue the show due to his employment changing and other commitments.

Four dedicated listeners of Puricelli’s show felt that there was a void afterwards. After getting together and doing some talking, they decided that they would set up their own radio station together. On August 16^th, 2012, Rohan Tarry (Bristol, UK), Larry Lang (Dayton, OH), Chris Duff (The Midlands, UK), and Micky Dodds (Armagh, UK) each did a half hour set, and would have their shows broadcast every Thursday at 7pm (UK time). The four men would call their project Radio Pure Gently because Tarry thought that it sound very similar to Puricelli. On August 16^th, 2012, the first show went live. In 2013 Terry passed on his slot to Matt Clayton, who resides in Sellersburg, Indiana. In the summer of 2013, RadioPureGently.com was launched, and the focus turned to promoting and introducing new bands, artists, and musicians.

Kelly has been part of the scene in Dayton for many years. She started waiting tables and helping out the bands that played at Oregon Express. In 2007, the folks that were setting up the shows decided to step down and recommended Kelly to take over.

“I had no experience in booking bands”, Kelly said during our conversations. “However, I knew that I could be good at it, and I developed a system that worked.”

Kelly would book one band for Saturday nights, and have them bring in any 2 bands that they wanted. By coordinating shows this way, Kelly gives the bands all the control of door sales and how it trickles down. It also is a wonderful opportunity for the band that was originally booked to have another band come in and play. In 2009, Kelly decided to step down as booker. She returned to the position after the owner of Oregon Express called her up and asked her to come back. “I am so very glad the owner called, because I missed being a part of the Dayton Music Scene. It’s where my heart is.”

For Emily Wegh, home is a little farther away. Born and raised in the outer parts of Chicago, Wegh decided to study marketing at the University of Dayton. Wegh loved the campus and the friendly atmosphere, but what really drove her were the opportunities for community involvement. Currently, Wegh works in the UD dining services on campus, where she met Kelly. The two quickly bonded over the local music scene, along with independent music. “She eventually ended up asking me if I would be interested in doing a radio show with her and the RPG guys,”Wegh explained. Being part of the show, along with her majoring in marketing, has also given her another job. “As soon as the guys found out that I’m a marketing major, I was promoted to heading up our marketing campaign.”

Queens of the Scene, which debuted on January 21, 2014, is a two hour show broken up into two parts: one hour features Kelly, and the other hour features Wegh. Kelly dives into more of the music that is being played and produced in the Dayton scene. The New Old-Fashioned, Motel Beds, Shrug, SOHIO are among some of the local bands that Kelly presents on her segment. Wegh explores other independent artists in her hour’s segment. She also dives into how the songs and/or artists she has played as impacted her. On the Valentine’s Day show, Wegh jokingly played music about love and heartbreak. Both hours are full of great music, both local and from around the world. Each week, both ladies record their vocals and insert the music into the recording software program REAPER. With the vocals and music in place, the ladies will then transfer it to Micky Dodds. The original idea was for both Wegh and Kelly to produce the show together. Unfortunately it hasn’t been able to happen due to the schedules. Kelly and Wegh do plan to eventually have them both do the show together instead broken into two segments.

The road is paved for Radio Pure Gently to really make a splash, especially over the pond, Kelly explains. “I was talking to my friend in who lives in London, Shamus Dark, who is a jazz singer. We were talking about how RPG will be adding more programing and he message me something that I though was interesting. The live music scene is slowly dying in the UK. There was a program on BBC about all the small venues that have closed in the last few years. They’re called ‘toilet venues’ because they’re so small, but it’s where Oasis, Manic Street preachers, Pulp and many others started out. It’s all very worrying. He thinks RPG and others like it can help save the real music versus the television talent shows.”

The shows on the website are constantly working on improving not only their sound, but also their content. Independent artist and bands all over the world are being able to have their music played. Listeners can go to this website RadioPureGently.com, or they can click on to http://mixlr.com/radio-pure-gently/chat.

For Kelly, Wegh, and everyone involved with Radio Pure Gently, the experience of being a part of the website is thrilling. “It’s especially exciting for me to be working on something like this because it’s so diverse and international. It has been a terrific and one of a kind experience for me so far, and I’m really stoked to see where it continues going,” Wegh said.

Kelly added, “We all love doing this. It’s like having a bunch of new brothers.”

Queens of the Scene is broadcast every Tuesday afternoon at 2pm when you can also hear more stories just like the one about Kelly’s wild and magical Saturday night with The Professors, and of course more music.

REVIEW: Alrosa Villa Host Amplified Awareness II Benefit

March 11, 2014 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Jasmine Caine performs at Amplified Awareness II (photo by Samantha Stewart Photography)

On Saturday February 7^th, the second annual benefit fundraiser raising awareness for children with Autism and Tourette Syndrome was held at Alrosa Villa in association with the Make It Fit Foundation and the Iron Brothers of Ohio. Last year’s inaugural show featured Loboz, Fat Dog and Jasmine Cain. This year the sultry, bass-hammering songstress returned continuing the party where she left off last time, stage diving and all.

Event organizer and Make It Fit founder Mike Hoover has made Autism awareness/research his mission, working tirelessly with local businesses, charities and musical talent to raise money for research with events like the Ohio Ride for Autism and the 2^nd annual Make It Fit fundraiser party with reigning 3-time Mr. Olympia/2013 Arnold Europe Champion Phil ‘The Gift’ Heath February 28^th at Encore Columbus. Iron Brothers of Ohio, with special assistance from Jon Clevenger, once again worked hard sponsoring the event and raising awareness for both the show and the causes to make the event a success. Beckner’s Costume Cycles, QFM 96, CA Harley Davidson, Thunder Roads Magazine, Quaker Steak & Lube of Columbus, Boyd’s Tire & Service Centers also stepped up again this year sponsoring the event. QFM’s Sue Leighton MC’d the evening along with Hoover.

Phillip Fox Band (photo by Samantha Stewart Photography)

This year Columbus southern rock charmers The Phillip Fox band and Dayton’s blues maestro Scotty Bratcher warmed up the crowd for the sweet Jasmine. The Columbus country-fried rock started Phillip Fox style with a bit of country, a bit of rock n roll and a lot of good ole boy southern comfort. They start with the Allman Brothers tale of woe, romancing the wrong lady, ending up on the Whipping Post. They play their first original from the Motor City Blood EP, Goin’ Out With You, a bar romping, beer clanking good time tune about spending time with that special lady that warms a country boy’s heart. They rock the depression and loss right out of the old-school genre. Thanks to Kip Moore, we can make tonight legendary and do anything we want honey, because we got some Beer Money. We take a ride with The Cars and that girl that keeps us up all night. We fly with The Eagles in the Fast Lane. Next stop’s Strait to the Heartland with a swampy slide guitar intro into a country stomp as old grandpa spins photographic tales of a hard long-life well-lived In Color. We take a ghostly night journey through thunderous clouds with the man in black; time to change your ways, there’s no reason to chase the devil today. Telling life stories on the guitar strings with rainmaker drums and bass galloping through the sky stretched desert.

Now a tune from the greatest movie ever made (someone yelled Goonies), going Eastbound and Down with Burt, Jackie, Sally and Jerry. We’re taking the southbound train to Georgia with Marshall Tucker and getting away from that damn woman. The Alrosa floor ‘pit’ had some different kind of dancing that night, with some swagger and style. Next is the title track to Motor City Blood cause family’s hands and roots are bled and bred in Detroit. The big ole stand-up bass got pulled out on I’d Be Runnin’ Too. They answer the call of the south and the Simple Man and play some Skynyrd (without being asked). Ozzy sang it; Sam Kinison made her reputation worse and Mountain created her story, now it was time for Phillip to sing her tune. We get one more original Just One Step Behind, also getting originals We All Lose Somethin’, Been Workin’ and I Ain’t Angry all slated for upcoming release. Influenced by Blackberry Smoke and CCR they’ve been together for three years releasing their debut EP Motor City Blood in 2012 and plan to have a full length CD out this year. With 175 shows last year, they plan on continuing their road dog ways. They have a foxy lady blues sound with a Skynyrd meets Hank Williams country rock done flannel style, with bassist Jonathan Kampfe being the sharp dressed man of the bunch. Fox having a unique vocal range sounding a combination of ZZ Top, Gavin Rossdale, Chad Kroeger and John Melloncamp. They’re a Charlie Daniels spiked cocktail, boot stompin, hot rockin country mess of good sound.

Scotty Bratcher (photo by Samantha Stewart Photography)

Scotty Bratcher shreds playing the blues with Van Halen force and precession with video-game like soloing. Stevie Ray Vaughan meets Bach on guitar with hypnotizing sound and flair. He plays a hard-edged style, with a little 80’s sheen and some Clapton and Eric Jerardi for good taste. He brings out the attitude, anger and fury of the instrument setting notes and frets on fire. What guitars can’t say on their own, he spells out with fingers. Using the slide to paint a musical picture making it a fire breathing machine, multiple conversation piece or one moody bitch. Leaving no inch of the neck untouched, bringing out the most complex emotions from a gentle touch to full-finger petting. Bratcher’s a blues version of Angus Young playing the blues partner to Eruption.

We get Rollin’ with some original tunes then get backwoods dreaming with roadhouse rocker Back Home to You. Watch out, Bratcher plays a mean Cold Blooded Killer guitar with bad intentions, though he makes it sound so alluring. We get caught playing ‘teacher’ with that little school girl thanks to Jonny Lang. We go old-school vintage with guns blazing playing the 32-30 Blues with Robert Johnson. We get the Funk out 49 different ways with the James Gang and lay our money down for Zeppelin, living and loving. Then the eight minute blues rock feast of Ready for Rain. They pay homage to the great Muddy Waters as the King Bee. We’ve got one more silver dollar for the Allman Brothers and the Midnight Rider.

Bratcher then played with his wah-wah pedal tuning up the headband wearing wizard’s guitar to play homage to the master with some Voodoo Chile. Playing guitar since age 2, he’s developed an incredible, aged sound ‘taking notes’ from some of the all-time greats. He got his first live music experience at 11 and in 2000 entered the National Jam With Kenny Wayne Shepherd Contest in which KWS’s new single at the time was downloaded and contestants made up the lead solo. Out of 1,200 entries, Scotty received 1^st runner up. He’s opened for Ted Nugent, Blue Oyster Cult, Chris Duarte, Foghat, 38 Special, Styx, Peter Frampton, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Lou Graham and many more. He’s also an accomplished multi-genre studio musician recording with blues, rock, country, gospel, funk and metal artists. Since 2007 he’s played with Kenny Wayne Shepherd singer Noah Hunt as guitarist and second vocalist of The 420 All-Stars. In 2013, the album “All and Nothing More” was released featuring new original songs and a few covers featuring legendary Southern rocker Jimmy Hall. After the release, Mr. Hall contacted Scotty about starting a side project together, adding yet another set of opportunities to see Scotty do his thing.

Jasmine Cain (photo by Samantha Stewart Photography)

The road gypsy herself Jasmine Cain just made it from a show in Cincinnati, throttling herself into a Paranoid state of mind. She made her presence known the red hair blazing, gothic muse raising hell, dressed to kill like Stevie Nicks in fishnet delight. We get buried in with the Man in a Box. Jasmine thanked Mike Hoover and Jon Clevenger for all their hard work for tonight. All their Dirty Deeds didn’t go unnoticed as Jasmine puts some raspy Angela Gossow vocals on the tune originally sung by Bon Scott then Brian Johnson. The drinks were flowing but we had the right tool to stay Sober. They played the night’s first JC original the Sons of Anarchy themed Highway Prophet. We take a trip to late eighties LA and the rough streets of Hollywood, Welcome to the Jungle baby. Jasmine doesn’t take time out to drink, she drinks during the song. A Molotov cocktail with a match to go, Jasmine plays her bass with style. For all the lovely ladies in the house we got crazy bitches everywhere. We hop aboard Jasmine’s Crazy Train off through the blizzard of Columbus on the way to Ozz. We get another dose of firearms and flowers, It’s So Easy, when everyone’s trying to please Jasmine. With a feminine smile and snarl The Symphony of Destruction begins.

A word of on-stage advice, tequilas bad for you, whiskies worse, we get Thunderkissed down Highway 65 and get the Zombie’s curse. The Sandman enters the room as the light exited hours ago, drowning the crowd in a pool of war, liars and dragon’s fire and the things that bite. We finish with Filter, raising glasses and giving new meaning to ‘hey man, nice shot’. Cain promises a killer stage dive driven by rage, finishing with Killing in the Name of.

Jasmine jams with newest member, self-taught guitarist Mickey Bradam, a multi-styled player, teacher and studio musician. She’s come a long way since playing the Full Throttle Saloon in 2000, releasing her debut album The Inside and title track video in 2004. Videos for Sweet Euphoria and Help Me were released in ’05. Headlines Easyrider shows three years in a row starting in ’07, then released Locks & Keys in ’08 and Highway Prophet in 2011 winning Female Rock Vocalist of the year award at the first annual Music City Mayhem Awards. www.jasminecain.com

The Make It Fit foundation has spearheaded attention for Autism awareness since November 2011. Working with professional athletes from MMA, football and baseball and also appearing at the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia 2011 and 2012. They’ve donated to numerous charities including Autism Speaks, The Autism Society of Ohio, Cookies for Ipads, Recreation Unlimited, Oakstone Academy and several more. They’ve also partnered with the owners of White Castle who donated 10 million dollars to further Autism research and also donated to Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in a joint venture called The Ingram Autism Research Center. Make It Fit also donated to The Ingram Center and the Tourette Syndrome Society of Ohio. The Alrosa Villa hopes to make Amplified Awareness an annual event.

Autism is described as a neural disorder affecting mental, emotional development resulting in impaired social interaction, communication and repetitive behavior. It is one of three disorders in the autism spectrum (ASDs) the other’s being Asperger Syndrome which lacks delays in cognitive/linguistic development but greatly affects social behavior. Pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) is diagnosed when the whole set of criteria for the other two aren’t met. Autism has a strong genetic base and signs are noticed within the first two years of life. Hollywood has featured characters with autistic characters including Rain Man, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Bless the Child and Mercury Rising and TV’s Parenthood, Grey’s Anatomy, House, Law &Order Criminal Minds, The Shield and most recently Touch.

Tourette Syndrome is an inherited mental disorder triggered in childhood characterized by multiple physical (motor) and vocal (phonic) tics that come and go and can be temporary suppressed occurring from an oncoming pre-urge. TS is defined as a tic disorder which are sudden, repetitive, body movements, sounds and vocalizations which include sniffing, blinking, facial movements, body jerks and spasms. Audio tics include making noises, involuntary cussing, swearing and other derogatory language, though the tics generally subside with age. TV shows featuring TS characters include Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Sopranos with documentaries Twitch and Shout, Magic Camp and the film short Harvie Krumpet. The 2008 TV movie Front of the Class is based on the real life story of TS diagnosed Brad Cohen who became a gifted teacher. Depending on your sense of humor TS has also been lampooned in Deuce Bigalow and mentioned in The Wedding Singer. May 15-June 15 is national TS awareness month.

Images by Samantha Stewart Photography

‘On The Way To The Punchline’ Gives Smug Brothers Boost For 2014

February 20, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

When it comes to the Dayton music scene, Kyle Melton and Don Thrasher are in knee deep with their involvement. Along with their daily obligations, the two are currently in the middle of working on setting up this year’s forthcoming Dayton Music Fest. For many, the Dayton Music Fest is a yearly welcome party of sorts, a chance to observe all the bands that perform around town on a nightly and/or weekly basis. For Melton and Thrasher, it’s an opportunity for them to showcase the marvelous talent that continues to grow each and every year. The duo also works closely together on signing talent to Thrasher’s local record label Gas Daddy Go.

It’s no small task to tackle what these two take on, but they wouldn’t have any other way. Melton and Thrasher also make up half of the group Smug Brothers. The band, which got its name from Motel Beds guitarist Darryl Robbins during a recording session, will be releasing On the Way to the Punchline February 25^th. Since the inception of the group 10 years ago, On the Way to the Punchline will mark Smug Brothers first time they are physically releasing a full-length album.

On the Way to the Punchline has been in development for over two years now. Starting in the friendly confines of Melton’s basement, Smug Brothers started going to work on the album in the Spring of 2012. Melton, Thrasher, bassist Shaine Sullivan, and guitarist Brian Baker teamed up with Darryl Robbins to record a session. The album was finished and was ready to be released in June/July of 2012.

“We hit a rough patch”, Melton explains when asked about the delay of releasing Punchline. “[Don and I] got tied down with the Music Fest stuff…it just kinda fizzled.” Sullivan at the time had his hands full with his involvement with South Park Tavern and working on purchasing what would become Canal Public House. “In early 2013, we wanted to regroup and let’s get back together. Shaine said that he was going to bow out,” Melton added.

With an opening for a bassist, Thrasher spoke to Larry Evans, who most people would recognize for his contribution to the dazzling local rendition of The Band’s ‘The Last Waltz’. Thrasher learned the Evans was very attracted to the idea of joining up with a band somewhere around town.

“I really wanted to get back into playing while I was between bands, and I really loved Smug Brothers’ previous work”, Evans said during a recent interview. At around the time Sullivan exited the band, Thrasher mentioned to Melton that Evans was interested in joining a band. “I saw Larry at a show in South Park Tavern, and I said that I heard was interested. I asked him if he wanted to be in Smug, and he said yes.”

With the void of Sullivan filled and Evans eager to get rolling, Smug Brothers went back to work and released the EP Strictly Triggers. “Larry brings a lot of enthusiasm, and he is a great fit”, Thrasher explained. One thing you will notice when you listen to Strictly Triggers is the EP’s single ‘We Are Fluid’ is Sullivan’s fuzzed-out play. “It just wouldn’t be the same song without Sullivan playing it”, Melton said.

When you dive into On the Way to the Punchline, you immediately catch the band’s signature sound. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of hearing the band, expect to catch on to Smug Brother’s dreamy mid-fi rock sound. For those who have followed Dayton legends, and indie rock darlings Guided By Voices much, you will quickly catch onto Smug Brothers. The opening track, ‘A Guest Not A Passenger’, starts off with Thrasher getting the drums to move onward to a nice, steady march into the brass guitar riffs. Other gems like the acoustic guitar-driven, breezy ‘Over and Outside’ to the indie rocker ‘A Thing For English’ highlight the bands’ expansion of its sound, much like an artist continues to bring various paints and tools to their palette. Melton’s vocals are soft and welcoming, while Thrasher’s drumming in enthralling and exciting. Don’t sleep on Baker and Evans. Their work on bass and guitar throughout the album and EP Strictly Triggers are attention-grabbing as well. On the Way to the Punchline presents listeners to ability to take a glimpse into the gratifying times of 90s indie rock. And with the album’s songs being tight and short, it keeps the clarity and focus that the band strives for.

The band will be taking part of the inaugural event Cabin Fever, and they be performing at South Park Tavern this Saturday night with The 1984 Draft, Human Cannonball, and The Turkish Delights. Show time is 9pm, with the doors opening at 8pm. $5 cover gets you in the show.

REVIEW: Butcher Babies Massacre Cincinnati on Hellpop II Tour

February 16, 2014 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Before the Mourning (photo by Mike Ritchie)

On Jan 12, ¾’s of the 2014 Hellpop II tour came to Bogart’s in Cincinnati. Due to strep throat taking her voice with a high fever, Maria Brink was unable to perform. However the rest of the twisted circus showed up and gave fans a loud, rowdy show that brought many screaming, thrashing bodies over the crowd barrier eager to say hi.

From LA comes Before the Mourning, a new dawn for heavy music injected with young blood and passion. Three guys and one hot iron maiden came to play for the early evening pit ready crowd. The sweat, saliva, testosterone and estrogen flew as they christened their first stop at Bogarts with a definite Need to Bleed out. Clean melodic yelled vocals by Adam Ryan started the adrenaline opener sweeping over intense opening guitar interplay with pulsing bass and slamming drums. The industrial steam pump beginning of Grim went on a roller coaster ride of impassioned tortured vocals with a violent frantic guitar sound playing up and down your neck like a human fret-board. Slipping through the icy-cold clutches of darkness into mental oblivion. We got a very short break from the nerve wracking mental catacombs with the twangy guitar build of Damned & Forsaken only to be hit by thick Meshuggah riffs. ‘We’re all angels and demons, who’ve lost all feeling,’ the message screamed from the broken heavens as we fall earthbound lying face down slammed in the dirt to wither. By our deeds, not everyone has the right to live but we all have The Right to Die. Someone will be there to bury you. No worries, the light brings loud angels with screaming guitars that will carry you skyward or drop you south. Their sound is as catchy as it is deadly with modern day thrash and infectious melodies. They’re a dangerously delicious taste of deadly absinthe. They finish opening the floor for The Abyss proving humans can throw down just as hard as demons. Before the Mourning is a reminder to celebrate and honor the life of those we lay to rest.

All Hail the Yeti (photo by Mike Ritchie)

LA’s monstrous mythological contribution of not yet but someday legendary status, All Hail the Yeti turned the stage into the Sawyer/Hewitt family game room, spread with time-weathered skulls, bones, animalized upholstery and some tenderized taxidermy. Either they shop at the international house of bones or trap and kill their stage props before the tour. It’s a coonskin, gator bait grim reaper starring center stage in the bull-headed bazaar, draped and dapper with tribal feathers and fishnet. The Loch Ness was probably hidden somewhere in this wild-west nightmare sipping on dehydration and dust.

They open by taking us on a trip down to the Deep Creek in Big Bear where special chemicals and pollutants mix to create the Alice in Chains version of Creedence Clearwater spiked with some BLS swamp water. The flannel-soaked whisky’s flowing When the Sky Falls, shooting bullets at the moon as sky-bound vermin fall in the fire. We get hot and heavy in the dark Suicide Woods, screaming through the trees in search of the wildebeest. Fee fi fo fum, it smells the blood of everyone. We’re held by impaled burning wood scorched by flame as After the Great Fire graphically tells the haunting tale. The spirits and souls of charred victims young and old cry through the guitars searing notes: I am the devil in the smoke, I am the ghost. After the fire we get three minutes of drowning intensive Bloodguilt. It was time to move the f’n place around. The dirty, fighting, bullet flying old west comes to modern day Cincinnati on The Art of Mourning. Campfire harmonicas fire up a blaze of sound as bodies sway in the fragile wind, tried running from the angel of death, roped, drawn and quartered by noon, wife, victim of outlaw rape and shot, gone and buried too soon. Revenge is sought, the cross will lead you. Blood spilt for blood; the crow’s eyes see all. Walk with her in spirit to heavens call. Turning their backs on their Hollywood home and better for it, they’re a nasty, smelly boogie man campfire tale come to life. AHTY is the 2006 brain child of singer, tattoo artist Connor Garritty and guitarist K.J. Duval. Quickly earning a reputation of stalking their audience with a dead in the eye stare, their shows have left behind a metal hunter’s stake of human remains, oddities, parts and limbs lying about. With savage guitars riffs and dark melodious melodies AHTY is what you’d listen to, blocking out the pain trying to escape out of a bear trap.

Devour the Day (photo by Mike Ritchie)

From Memphis and the remains of Egypt Central, Devour the Day start out with a Joey Chicago bass funkin, air hammering, sheet-metal sparks flying beat with jamming guitars of Get Out of My Way or be trampled. It’s electric dance floor destruction at its schizophrenic best. You and Not Me cries for salvation that can’t be seen through another’s eyes. Handshakes to Fistfights comes in looking for trouble, road weary from death’s hand in back-street Memphis. They’ve risen and fallen, too late to turn back now, no point in relapsing to rehab, time to evolve. Ft. Wayne drove them crazy, infatuation isn’t love. Respect… must be earned, and you don’t deserve it. Run away, like a little bitch, you’re not worth it. Their classical piano keyed rock anthem Oath is a promise of a homeward bound to that special someone. Time for a Blackout, everybody freak out, the sign of the times is here. It’s a catchy, bouncy hard rock sing-along. The ‘closer’ opening beat of Move On has infectious techno-pop effects carried by strong emotional vocals and punctuated bass slides. Blake Allison pulls a strong vocal ‘tool’ out on Good Man trying to cast the demons out with the light. New CD Time & Pressure is available at www.devourtheday.com.

The Butcher Babies‘ massacre began when three guys and two loud and proud women teamed their admiration of Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, Joan Jett and Gwen Stefani (yep) into their version of musical butchery. Their style is also heavily influenced by iconic grindhouse horror classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the modern day malicious theater of House of 1000 Corpses and The Devils Rejects. However the person holding the most influence, watching from the metal heavens above, is the queen of early 80’s punk, metal and shock, The Plasmatic’s Wendy O’Williams. Her bad ass, don’t give a s—t what people thought attitude resonated with the band not only influencing their on stage attitude but for the first several years Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey’s stage attire consisted of black nipple tape in tribute to Williams persona. What young, impressionable youths wouldn’t be impacted by a crazy mohawk sporting chick driving a school bus into a wall of TVs in the desert? They also took their pluralized name from the Plasmatic song Butcher Baby and gained early attention via YouTube for a performance of F—–g Hostile. They’ve recently retired the tape for more fully dressed metal garb stating that they’ve paid respect and now it’s time to evolve. They self-released their first EP in 2011 and a comic book at Comic Con by Harvey, who’s also a novelist and licensed funeral director and embalmer.

The Butcher Babies (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Their show is a wild, vicious display of power with decibel shredding double vocals, pulverizing guitar, bass, drums and hot female aggression. In January 2012, they released Mr. Slowdeath and in May premiered the video from their EP, signing with Century Media in November and embarking on a two month tour with Marilyn Manson. Days later they began recording Goliath, releasing the I Smell a Massacre single in June. Goliath was released in July, touring the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival Jagermeister stage in support. Touring continued with Danzig, Texas Hippie Coalition and A Pale Horse Named Death. The album is a story about the forsaken, shunned by society, festering in the underground, transforming into the Goliath in a world where the more heinous the act, the greater your legend becomes. Thematic songs about the demons around us and trauma suppressed memories that still scream in our sleep. The alluring demonic hell-bred combination of two beautiful voices singing and screaming out ravaged throat-tearing angst counter balancing hope and rage in the same cage with intense brutality.

The blood red illuminated curtain opens, the crowd stands ready for pit-stance. The smell of bloodshed fills the room with Heidi’s impassioned emerald-ended blonde warrior scream. The massacre’s back here again from a year ago, as the audible mauling begins with the opening throat slit riffs of Henry Flury. The beast inside comes out at night. Two predatory animalistic voices ready to drive insanity into your brain. We see the dark side of the mirror; if these broken glass feelings won’t cut you with frenetic speed, the Butcher Babies will. We feel Harvey’s agony with these feelings of remorse, it’s gonna be a long ride. Shepherd’s high peaked shredding shrieks prove it’s amazing the stuff you do and the sh- you f- up when you’re In Denial. Brunette song siren Harvey lays down the hypnotizing strong melody as the perpetual movement continues. They’re plasmatic princesses of battle-torn burlesque in a Mad Max world.

The Butcher Babies (photo by Mike Ritchie)

Heidi and Carla, much to the chagrin of front stage security invite everyone in the back to ‘find a way’ to the front. Going back to the Butcher Babies EP and a visit from Dr. Feelgood himself, Mr. Slowdeath, as no less than 20 ‘surfers’ did the climb of life during the, hungry for more guitar/bass riffs, making their human-handed way towards the stage within arm’s reach during blood-drenched, emotionally scarred words. The babes and babies called for that one ugly word with fists in the air, screeching like a tortured soul with unanimous headbanging. It was a leather and lace request/order with boot-licking loud good taste from the crooning voice of a hell’s angel on aged whisky. They wanted the biggest Bogart‘s circle pit ever as they enraptured everyone in full Hi-Def sledge-thudding, secret candle lit meeting Deathsurround sound. Let’s hear you scream Cincinnati! This city of angel’s creeps down the alleys of disease, destroying your innocence, passion and dreams, turned into a different person by drugs, booze and sleaze. Every town has a Magnolia Blvd. The babies get ready to end the show with an old-school Axe Wound to the damaged ear and soul. The crowd falls into the enchanted banshee delivered curse as Heidi, Carla and Henry each take to the railing, standing tall, surveying all who lingered.

They bow, exiting as the house lights come on. But…wait, an attendant ran on stage flashing the index finger. We get one more song. Like a shot call in a riot, or moshpit, we get chemically compounded by octane with C8H18 as the Gasoline flows.

(Due to severe illness Maria Brink and In This Moment were unable to perform on Sunday January 12 at Bogart’s. The show was made free, and Before the Mourning, All Hail the Yeti, Devour the Day and Butcher Babies performed as scheduled. In This Moment rescheduled for February 3rd with tickets honored.)

Dayton Metro Library Celebrates Funk: Local Roots of a National Phenomenon

February 13, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Dayton, Ohio, was in many ways the epicenter of funk music in the 1970s and 80s. Local funk bands achieving national success include the Ohio Players, Slave, Lakeside, Heatwave, Sun, Zapp, and Faze-O. The Dayton Metro Library celebrates the local roots of funk music with local musicians, teachers and others who will share their experiences and reflect on the era. The free program takes place on Saturday, February 15, 1:00-3:00 p.m. in the Main Library Auditorium, 215 E. Third Street, downtown Dayton. The short film Dayton, Ohio: The Land of Funk by Adam Greaser will also be shown.

Featured guests at the program will be:

Dr. John “Turk” Logan was a disc jockey and program director at WDAO Radio who promoted funk music, gave air time to local bands and helped propel them to national success.
Marshall “Rock” Jones was a founding and long-time member of the Dayton’s first nationally renowned funk band, the Ohio Players. Although they toured the world and gained 14 gold and platinum awards for their music, the Players kept Dayton as their home base and mentored many of the future funk musicians from Dayton.
Larry Lee was a former student mentored in music at Roosevelt and RothHigh Schools. He played with members of several local funk bands before becoming an NFL player with the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos. After retiring from football, he returned to music and created the band Back in the Day.
Kweku Ayangade (formerly Donald Sutton), a former music teacher at Roosevelt and Roth High Schools, mentored many of Dayton’s outstanding funk musicians, including Larry Lee who said he was “instrumental in my life”
Basim Blunt is host of the funk music radio show Behind the Groove on WYSO. He helped train students from Dayton Public School’s Ponitz Career Technology Center to interview artists and musicians in connection with the exhibit Visual Voices: Visions of the Funk at the SchusterCenter. “I hope Dayton will realize that fans from all over the world revere the music that came from this city,” he says.

The library event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the library’s External Relations Department at 937-496-8901.

2014 Dayton Does Dayton: 5 Bands To Check Out During Weekend Festival

February 13, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

I don’t need to tell you about the amount of great music that has come and gone in Dayton. Throughout the years, we have seen some of the most innovative, daring, and extraordinary artists and bands originating from the Gem City. It comes as no surprise to many when we see the acts go on and become more than just local idols. We take pride in knowing that we were the first to see what these bands and artists were capable of. Each of their shows would fill an entire bar up. Sure it is hard to move around, but you knew that you were in for a night that would be epic. You are with your friends, your lovers, your fellow fans. People who couldn’t get into the show don’t sweat it. They just light up a cigarette, take a puff, exhale and listen to the music outside while they lean on the walls outside.

Dayton Does Dayton pays homage to that vision.

On February 14^th, Dayton Does Dayton will be kicking off its 4^th year. Previously the show was located at Canal Street Tavern. This year, the music festival will be at another legendary location, Gilly’s. 21 bands and artists will bring their own unique style to other Dayton bands that have influenced them over the years, along with their own music.

Every act that performs will be certain to entertain. Here are 5 bands that you should be paying a little more attention to during the two day experience:

Paige Beller

Paige Beller isn’t a stranger to most of the folks who have caught a local show. Being the lead singer of the punk band Jasper The Colossal has cemented her and the band as a can’t miss watch. Don’t believe me?! Ask anyone that saw the set they performed at this past year’s Sideshow at the Yellow Cab building. Beller is also involved with a couple other side projects : she is the drummer with the alt-punk trio Mayliner, and she is also lead for Paige and the Belairs. What a lot of people don’t realize is that Beller is an amazing solo singer. Her voice is remarkable and will the people that come to the show speechless. The festival this weekend will give everyone more reason to not only catch Beller’s solo stuff more, but will scurrying around trying to get ahold of her other projects.

The Leap Years

The Leap Years haven’t been together as a band for too long (almost a year). All the members are currently attending the University of Dayton, and that is where they all met. The band’s currently finished working on their first EP in Michigan titled Just Some Things, and hope to have it released in the near future. Each member of the group brings a different element that perfectly blends with the other. The Leap Years have taken their fellow students by storm with their performances at the café/art center ArtStreet and other areas on campus. With that being said, the band is now ready to expand and start imprinting their sound onto the Dayton music scene. The pop/alternative band will be playing covers and originals that are filled with airy guitar and violin play along with catchy and meaningful lyrics.

Kevin Heider & the Guys

In 2008, Kevin Heider was selected by singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson as the winner of Gibson’s “The Way I Am Contest” on the website MusicNation.com. By winning the contest, Heider has had original compositions in radio jingles, film documentaries, theatrical productions, television shows, and commercials. He also traveled around the world, from Europe to New Zealand. He recently moved back to his hometown of Dayton after living in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area for the past couple of years. His recent double album, The Spark, was released back in March of 2013. Heider’s indie-folk/rock sound is solid and is paired with lyrics that dive into what being a human is all about. From the highs and lows, the way we think, the situations we go through-Heider takes us all through that journey with his own experiences and stories in his songs. For Dayton Does Dayton, Heider will be performing with his band. Heider and his merry men will be entertaining the audience with an energetic set filled with great music.

Gem City

Formally known as Customer Service and the Gem City Horns, the band decided to change to their name, but thankfully, they didn’t change their music. The eight member band will perform a set that will be jam-packed, high-energy music. Gem City released their first EP Highlights in 2013. You will get a little bit of everything with this band, including influences of rock, jazz, and funk. They’ve been able to open for and perform with singer/songwriter Joe Pug, rapper Lupe Fiasco, and Dayton’s own popular jam band The Werks. Gem City also had the great pleasure of being part of the Downtown Dayton Revival Festival. No stage is too big or too small for these musicians. As long as they are able to perform somewhere, they couldn’t be any happier.

The Repeating Arms

The Repeating Arms are continuing to astound and amaze. In 2013, the band released its long awaited full length LP Blackberry Winter, and in January of this year, they hosted their own festival at the Yellow Cab building, the first Winterfolk Fest, which featured another Dayton Does Dayton band, Cinder Home. The Repeating Arms possess a fantastic richness of Southern bluegrass in their music, along with smooth deep vocals from the lead singer Harold Hensley. Max Nunery on banjo, Chip Pritchard on upright bass, and Brian Spirk on mandolin make up the rest of this stunning band. The Repeating Arms are on the threshold of really becoming one of the premiere bands in Dayton.

The fourth annual Dayton Does Dayton will showcasing these 5 bands, along with 16 other artists and bands this weekend, February 14^th and 15^th. Each band will have 30-34 minute sets, with an approximately ten minute wait in between each band/performer. The festival takes place at Gillys, located on 132 S. Jefferson Street. Show times for both nights will be at 8pm, with $7 cover.

To read more about the event and its organizer, Louie Wood Jr., make sure check out Art Jipson’s piece “Annual Music Festival Returns to Dayton: An Interview With Dayton Does Dayton’s Louie Wood Jr.”

John Legend To Return to Springfield For Hometown Concert

February 8, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Nine-time Grammy winner and Springfield native John Legend will perform a live show on the campus of Clark State Community College March 1 in support of a nonprofit agency that’s working to make a positive impact on Springfield’s youth with a pre-concert college fair.

The Be About It Movement celebrates fathers and seeks to motivate them to step up and be involved in their kids’ lives. The agency seeks to leverage the combined strength of all of Springfield’s social agencies to improve the community and support families throughout the region.

The college fair will be held Saturday, March 1, at the Clark State Performing Arts Center at 300 Fountain Ave. in Springfield from 4 to 6 p.m. Families and students from all backgrounds and ages will benefit from the fairs participants and the resources they share.

The concert will be held in the same building from 7 to 9 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30. The show will feature local artists, including Vaughn Anthony, and will close with a performance by Legend.

Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at the Clark State Box Office Tuesday–Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at (937) 328-3874.

The college fair/concert is the third Be About It Movement event since December 2012. Anthony, John Legend’s brother, is the founder of the nonprofit and is organizing the event.

See The Vision, Feel The Funk Ticket Contest

February 4, 2014 By Nikki Nett 6 Comments

Most Metro is giving away tickets to see The Ohio Players

Get Funky

The arctic temperatures have us all in a bit of a funk. The best way to warm your weekend up is with some fire. Fiiiire. It’s in your head now. Don’t be ashamed to stand up and sing it. Pay no attention to your co-workers staring at you awkwardly. They want to sing, too. Invite them to come along to the Love Rollercoaster (unless that violates your company’s HR policy, of course).

This weekend, funk is alive right here in Dayton, where it all started. Our very own, Ohio Players will take the stage at The Schuster Center to kick off the interactive Visual Voices art exhibit.

A collaborative effort between The Victoria Theatre Association and EboNia Gallery, Visual Voices: Visions of Dayton Funk tasked artists to create visual art pieces that reflect the feel of the “Dayton Sound”. To further examine that sound, students from Dayton Public Schools at the Ponitz Career Technology Center have interviewed the artists to provide the history which will allow the funk sound to move into the future with younger generations.

The night begins with The Dayton Funk All Stars bringing the Dayton sound to the stage. A brief intermission will allow more time to take in the art exhibit before the Ohio Players close out the evening as only they can.

Tickets for the event on Sunday, February 9th are on sale at ticketcenterstage.com.

The Ohio Players will perform Feb 9 at the Schuster Center

“Upside down on the big dip dipper

1,2, 1,2,3 I´ve got a ticket come ride with me…”

DMM has your ticket to see the Ohio Players, if you’re our lucky winner! Just like this story and fill out the form below, winner will be posted Wed night. [form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

Sleep Fleet Celebrates Release of New EP

January 30, 2014 By Dayton937 1 Comment

So far the new year in Dayton has brought great music around town for us all to enjoy! This weekend is no exception!

On Saturday, February 1st, Sleep Fleet returns to Dayton after six months – a time far too long for music fans. The Sleep Fleeters are releasing their brand shiny and new EP, Hudson & High, at a show at Blind Bob’s in our fine city. The album courtesy of the fine folks at Brain Candy Records is available at the band’s bandcamp page and is not to be missed.

Sleep Fleet is joined by the dynamic new trio Brat Curse! Their new self-titled record is another great new release for 2014! These ex-Pharohs musicians play a pop-tinged punk that is a reminder of the excitement of the D-I-Y and post-punk movements before alternative became commercial!

Dayton’s own Dear Fawn will be playing their first set with their all new five-person line up! You can hear some of Dear Fawn’s fine songs from their terrific CD, I Played the Queen on the band’s Soundcloud page! This is another new band that promises to be another great addition to our music scene.

Track List for Hudson & High

	1.	I Wanted It All 02:04
	2.	I’ll Stay 02:49
	3.	Happy Alone 02:55
	4.	Chief 02:10
	5.	Three Sides 02:18
	6.	Why Don’t You Want Me? 02:39

Cross-posted at Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative

Crooks On Tape: Schmersal Putting ‘Fingerprint’ Back On His Hometown

January 30, 2014 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

John Schmersal is frantically running around his Los Angeles apartment during our recent phone conversation. In the background, you can hear him shuffling papers, closing and opening doors to what could be cabinets and his vehicle. “Sorry, I’m just getting everything taken of around here before I head out,” Schmersal says to me. He’s heading out to start touring around the United States and parts of Europe with his band, Crooks on Tape, and they’ll be stopping in Dayton Thursday night for an album release show at the Rockstar Pro Arena on East Third Street.

In 1994, Schmersal joined Dayton area band Brainiac. The band had originally formed in 1992 with vocalist/guitarist/keyboard player Tim Taylor, bassist Juan Monasterio, guitarist Michelle Bodine and drummer Tyler Trent. A typical Brainiac show would consist of an exhilarating high-energy mix of punk and electronic blasts.

With the shows being dubbed some of the best to catch, the band quickly received attention outside Dayton. They opened for bands like The Breeders and Jesus Lizard, and Beck. In 1993, Brainiac released their first album Smack Bunny Baby. After Bodine left, Schmersal joined and Brainiac went back to the studio soon releasing Bonsai Superstar. The following year Hissing Prigs in Static Couture dropped. The albums sparked major record labels to start coming and sign the band. Brainiac was ready to take the world by storm, and highlight just how incredible the music scene in Dayton was.

Then tragedy stuck. In 1997, a car accident took Taylor’s life, and soon after, the band disbanded. “We tried to make it work after his passing”, Schmersal said. “It just didn’t feel right.”

After the disbanding of Brainiac, Schmersal formed the band Enon in 1999 while living in New York. That band consisted of Schmersal and Rick Lee and Steve Calhoon, previously of the New York rock band Skeleton Key. Enon would follow the footsteps of Brainiac with synthesizers and with a number of percussion sounds that Lee created. The band would release their first full length album Believo! in 1999 with Onhold following in 2001, High Society in 2002, and Hocus Pocus in 2003. In 2005, Enon released Lost Marbles & Exploded Evidence, which was a collection of singles and internet-released songs along with a bonus DVD. 2007 came, and Enon dropped it’s final album Grass Geysers…Carbon Clouds, and disbanded for good in 2011.

In the winter of 2010, Schmersal and Lee met up with drummer Joey Galvan in Los Angeles. The plan was simple, according to Schmersal. “The three of us got together and started to jam out. See what happened. We didn’t record anything, which was really a shame.” Following the sessions, the trio realized they had something special. So, the next time they reconvened, they started the tape and began recording everything. Those sessions went on until the spring of 2012 and were then compiled and edited into Crooks On Tape’s first album Fingerprint.

Fingerprint is a dazzling display of the blending of Schmersal and Lee’s work with guitars, synthesizers, samplers, and loopers and Galvan’s drumming. “Galvan really brings a different style to the music. It really comes together”, Schmersal says.

The opening song, ‘Duper’ is full with compelling hooks that immediately grab your attention. The heavy-guitar riffs on ‘River Bait’ give you the glimpse on what Schmersal took out of the Brainiac and Enon experiences. Geto Boys sampled ‘A Hazmat Dream’ gives way to distorted vocals. The slow-build to quick finish ‘Clergyman Segway’ gives way to the dreamy, beautiful, R&B-like ‘Barging In’. Fingerprint doesn’t let you get you comfortable. It jumps around with all kinds of diverse sounds and rhythm. The improvisation of the recordings gives the album a freedom of experimentation, which is wonderful.

For Schmersal, the show Thursday will be a great homecoming for him. “I still have family around town. So it will be fun to get to see them, catch up, and enjoy being home again”, Schmersal said when asked about returning to Dayton. “It will be cool to see the old town again.” What’s even special about the return of Schmersal is the fact that Crooks On Tape’s Fingerprint is the first album released from their venture with Misra Records, now located in Dayton, Ohio. “Leo [DeLuca, head of Misra] and I was always kept in touch, and he really wanted to sign the band”, Schmersal explained.

Crooks On Tape are currently on tour, and will perform at the Rockstar Pro Arena Thursday night, starting at 7:30pm. $8 cover in advance and $10 at the door. The show is for all ages.

Fingerprint is now available from Misra Records.

Track List:

1. Duper

2. If Feelings Mean a Thing

3. Tito’s Riser

4. The Regiments

5. Melting the Ice

6. Summer’s End

7. River Bait

8. Milo’s Creeper

9. A Hazmat Dream

10. Wandered Again

11. Clergyman Segway

12. Barging In

Looking Forward to Days To Come

January 30, 2014 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

There are bands that become successful because of intense and expensive record company promotion that repeatedly tell us that this entertainer is a musician, regardless what your ears may tell you. There are bands that dominate the radio, the ‘net stream, and iTunes because they have a look. There are bands that become well known because of the producer that records the music, even before we hear that first chord. And there are bands that become successful for the simple reason that they are good, they successfully write music that captures the often ignored inner need we all have for a great song. Dayton’s own Motel Beds are one example of a band that is simply a good band that consistently delivers great songs.

With the Misra Records recent release of their recent collection, These Are The Days Gone By, PJ Paslowsky, Tommy Cooper, Ian Kaplan, Derl Robbins, and Tod Weidner remind us that even without the music industry machine, without some hypoallergenic created look, great music can not only be consistently created – it can be created in your home town.

Days starts with the eponymous album track, a rocking reminder that art and commerce should connect when the time is right. And for this band, the time is right with every song you hear on this collection. These are the Days Gone By – a standout track from the ‘Beds Tango Boys album – demonstrate the way that the guitars-bass-drums approach of rock and roll can still be made fresh and exciting. If you do not start to sway when you hear the twin guitars of Cooper and Robbins, you should check your pulse; and if the bass does not make you dance… “Well, how you feeling right now? Are you still with us?”

The next song Ocean Flows from the ‘Beds 2009 EP Go For A Dive connects the listener to the best in high intensity yet rocking lofi-ish sound. Songs such as this recall the early and best of bands like R.E.M. when the vocals did not have to be so highly mixed as to over-power the music. While this lesson is repeatedly ignored by Top 40 radio, The ‘Beds are able to make the most out of a mix that encourages the listener to feel the different instruments of the song. It is important to note that the current arrangement of Ocean Flows illustrates the impressive drop-your-jaw drumming of Ian Kaplan that becomes a full out attack on later ‘Beds recordings such as Sunfried Dreams and Dumb Gold. And live, wow… you will wonder how Kaplan can lift his arms after a show.

With Skymade Suit and Cactus Kiss the band reveals early ideas that will be more fully realized on later work. Skymade Suit was the first track on the ‘Beds 2003 EP Hasta Manana and show a different side to the band. Suit was recorded with only Paslosky, Cooper and Kaplan before being joined by current members Derl Robbins and Tod Weidner. The evolution of the band is demonstrated when comparing songs such as Skymade Suit and more recent work such as Surfjerk, Smoke Your Homework, and Valentimes. Cactus Kiss originally appeared on the 2007 collection Local Losers – a release to benefit WWSU radio — and then on The ‘Beds Moondazed album and more importantly helps place The ‘Beds into a constant evolving swirl of Beach Boys influenced rock psychadelia.

The alternative version of Sunfried Dreams is a welcome visit into the creative process of the band. It is one of only two songs on the album to include keyboards; the alt version of Dreams has a different all around feel than the version that ended up on the album of the same name. One has to wonder if this alternative version is a glimpse of a band that would have moved along a different path than the road taken.

Standouts on the record include Tropics of the Sand that include the vocals of the always terrific Kelley Deal (R. Ring, The Breeders), Surfjerk, Lights On and Smoke Your Homework – Songs that have long been featured on local radio, all four songs in rotation on WUDR. It is impressive how Paslosky and Deal wrap their vocals around the song. They sing and sound as if they have been singing together for years! When their cascading vocals hit the song title together, you believe that they are yearning for a tropic somewhere together. You feel it. With Lights On and Surfjerk you hear the welcome addition of Tod Weidner (Shrug and heck too many projects to list here). The additional strength on bass and on vocals on other tracks greatly strengthens the overall sonic texture of The Motel Beds. And if you have seen the band live, you know firsthand how much Weidner adds to the performance!

One of the best discoveries on the album is the cover – and it is the only cover on the album – of Matthew Sweet’s I’ve Been Waiting, an often overlooked track from his terrific album Girlfriend! The ‘Beds demonstrate their understanding of indie-college music by tacking the song and infusing urgency in the song that Sweet’s focus on classic indie-pop melody understates. The Motel Beds make the song feel more immediate and more plaintive than Sweet ever could. And considering that Matthew Sweet once had an indie hit with a song called Sick of Myself – that is really saying something.

Throughout all twelve tracks on this album you almost miss noting the captivating vocals of PJ Paslosky. Instead of grand standing and singing in some strange grandiose manner, Paslosky extends his voice in ways that draw the listener into the songs. Whether listening to an early song by the band or something from their latest album of new material, Dumb Gold, you find yourself drawn to him. Drawn not because of an industry manufactured buzz or some odd notoriety, but a gravity that a gifted vocalist creates.

Do not miss this collection – part retrospective, part review, and part exploration – consider this a road map of good songs for your music loving soul.

Information about the band can be found at motelbedsmusic.com and misarecords.com.

Track List for These are the Days Gone By:

1. These are the Days Gone By
2. Ocean Flows
3. Skymade Suit
4. Cactus Kiss
5. Surfjerk
6. Valentimes
7. Lights On
8. Western Son
9. Tropics Of The Sand
10. Sunfried Dreams (alternate version)
11. I’ve Been Waiting
12. Smoke Your Homework

Cross posted at Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative

REVIEW: Moshpits & Lighters IV Return to McGuffy’s

January 27, 2014 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Sleepers Awake (Samantha Stewart Photography)

On Saturday December 21, Daniel DeDoncker’s musical masterminded showcase of rock and metal returned to the scene of last year’s event to celebrate another year of great local, regional and out of state music. M&L alumni Amongst Villains, Avenue Sky and headliners In The Cut returned this year joined by 2013 newcomers Springfield’s Abrade the Regal, Gathering Mercury, Sleepers Awake, newly formed Soul Shadow, Columbus scene vets Overtheory and War of Change.

Columbus’ result of Tool, Opeth and Mastodon in a car wreck after killing the gecko and the cave man together, Sleepers Awake started the show with the eight minute Slave Within. The first 90 seconds sounding like Maynard Keenan fronting Opeth before Chris Thompson’s Akerfeldt growl hit. An acoustic laced metal tune with bits of Serj Tankian added in, playing four songs from the Ascensions record and taking their name from a line by Kyle MacLachlan’s character in Dune. Apparitions is another eight minute mood swinger of dark melodic blues, subdued singing and virtually growless. Saint Condemned is Opeth thrash meets death metal vocals tag teamed with impassioned singing and Burdened. Formed in 2005, their June released Ascensions is an homage to the prog-rock metal ingredients of their Canadian brethren. They’ve shared stage time with Ceterum, The Black Antler, Red Sun, Neon Warship and Grand Mammoth among others.

Soul Shadow

Dayton’s newest father and son double-team, times two Soul Shadow came out for their trial/baptism by fire playing their first live gig ever in front of a packed McGuffys house. The music’s definitely in the family for these guys as drummer Aaron Mayes is the offspring of singer/guitarist Kyle Mayes and bassist Justin Ankeney was reaped by guitarist Shad Ankeney. They’ll spend 2014 playing and recording, building a loyal army of Shadow Soldiers until world domination occurs. They debuted a set of originals and covers starting with the Mudvayne’ed beginning of Forgiveness with elder Mayes giving a BLS flavored singing style/biker’s growl to the lyrics. They then introduced the next metal Symphony of Destruction asking if everyone’s ready for some Metallica? Are you ready? Well, too damn bad, here’s some snarled Mustaine done Soul Shadow style. Old-schoolers that know their history laughed off such snide musical treachery. Their second original, a social commentary on governmental operation, growls you’re No Damn Good. We get the sweet demonic kiss of the zombie and one way ticket down highway 666 to 1965. A tribute to all those we lost in 2013 was played slow, with dark, deep reflections. For Now we must move on, but we will see them again.

Springfield’s Abrade the Regal is a band that has and will play, well, just about anywhere and seem to fit in no matter who’s on the bill. With a mix of grunge and rock, they can please just about any ear and leave it ringing. Starting with Fight for You, they mix a recipe of rock and STP meets Creed with the cretin Creedins rightfully getting their asses kicked. They don’t plan on stopping ever and will See You in the Afterlife at the great big gig in the sky. They spent most of their stage time Screaming at the World that there’s way too much to be pissed about. But they always Reach the End with style.

Gathering Mercury (Samantha Stewart Photography)

The new and improved Gathering Mercury version late 2013 and beyond debuted bassist Parisa Samavati and keyboardist Alyssa Welker playing with a harder more aggression edge. Singer/guitarist Ashley Stacy turned up the spunk and machismo, surrounded by a bill of heavier bands. They got Down With the Sickness immediately, showing off their Disturbed new creation. They brought out the tranquil Bliss to calm everyone down. While the rain brought floods outside, we got off on a Halestorm inside. They debut new tune Detox and play show set closer Carousel.

The second reps from C-Bus and returning M&L cast mates Amongst Villains brought back the hard driven southern rock sound that kept them coming back. Josh Marshall forsakes his seasonal sweater (bah, hum-bug) switching to denim, and we don’t blame him. They start with the anti-networking anthem Every Bridge Burned then Marshall laid his Henry Rollins singing voice on crowd pleaser Black River Ruin then hits vocal weight on Heavy Is the Crown. My Name In Vain’s Dave Nester helped out behind the kit. They came with mistletoe, warm salted nuts and kisses for everyone.

Overtheory (Samantha Stewart Photography)

Columbus scene vets Overtheory came to Dayton to spread their version of intellectual hard rock. Slamming bodies forward, they showed McGuffy’s what Alrosa, O’Shecky’s and all other venues ‘up the road’ already knew. Played crowd favorites for new ears Decide, Fatal Flaw, Break and new tune Solution, bassist James Guest, once again managed to not self-decapitate during the set, hard as he may try.

Dayton’s champions of Christ-like metal War Of Change came waving the flag of spiritual warfare high. Birthed early in 2012, they’re following in the hallowed footsteps of Alice in Chains, Pillar, Disciple, Pantera and many other metal warriors. Singer Johnny Baxter came out gas masked, dressed for combat. He’ll make you a believer of the shield and otherwise. Though he resembled a bearded Last Samurai, he charged the stage like a protesting/determined William Wallace ready to take a few souls to a better place. He pulled the best Lajon Witherspoon out of his throat for the bass-groovin opener Our Allegiance, singing out a loud battle cry for all our brave men and women fighting for our freedom. We’re put into the stranglehold of a Stronghold. They played the crimson Sabbath for U2 and on any given Bloody Sunday. Hero is about the ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. When the devil delivers temptation and brings the evil, This Means War. Speaking of temptation, Baxter also confessed to being a 20 year A-Z recovering addict, heroin bringing him to his knees during the last two. Finding God during a 2 year prison sentence and released in May 2010, he’s been clean for three years and three months, as he loudly, triumphantly proclaimed ‘yes, HE is real.’ They finish, filing a biblical Chapter 13 on Revelations refusing to be marked by the beast.

Avenue Sky (Mike Ritchie)

Back from Flint Michigan, Avenue Sky returned with new material and some familiar favorites. It’s another ‘show of a lifetime’ and was the return of the Day of the Intruder for these hard rock melody makers. What We Seek takes a hard thumpin sound of Disturbed with some metal-core screams slide-fingering into some nice metal rhythms. The slow but heavy beginning melody of Pattern of Descent took us ‘down there’, picking up some meaty riffs on the way below. They slowed it down (a little) with the speed of Dragonflies, playing rock that could blow out most coffee house windows. They paid tribute to the Deftones with the dreamlike eerie Passenger car ride with Matt from In The Cut. They also paid tribute to Iron Maiden on the opening riff of Don’t Make Waves. Avenue Sky incorporates hard rock melodies, with loud, heavy riffs borrowing from both metal-core and NWOBHM bands creating a distinct musical hybrid of Lamb of God, Disturbed and Deftones.

In the Cut (Mike Ritchie)

Event MC’s In the Cut took the stage to the late night devoted standees. The Xmas Aftermath intro played signaling in the hellaciously happy holiday season and maybe taking a piece from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Opening up Wasted, they played two new tunes but there’s Dust on the lyrics sheet as DeDoncker multi-tasks. They go six degrees of Kevin Bacon on Tremors. They got the Eye of the Tiger for Rocky IV displaying a profound love for 80’s training montages with the song they ripped off/wrote No Easy Way Out. F-Drago! Apollo lives and comes back as a robot to fight later (it was past midnight and past a few drinks). Until the End came off the new CD, a fun fan sing-along. In the words of hand-written guitar slogans everywhere, lettuce faq and Cross the Rubicon. Also from the new CD, Our Hearts Our Fire followed by dark ballad If Tomorrow Never Comes. DeDoncker took a minute as the set progressed to introduce/serenade the family matriarch as Mrs. DeDoncker had the best seat in the house. The next tune they wrote in the 70’s and sold it to a little known band (at the time) called Journey. Then they went their Separate Ways. They’re headlining the fourth Moshpit & Lighters show and thankfully no one Left Bleeding. Some of their shows have been known to Break personal-space boundaries. They reminded us we’re all imperfect mortals trying our best to walk the right path From Eden to Exile. They finished the fourth M&L with some loving Hatred Divine encoring with an old-school tune all about Love.