Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Roots Folk singer Jan Lucas-Grimm's book "My Beautiful Leukemia"
Posted by Rob Nichols on Wed, Jun 30, 2010 at 1:54 AM
Jan's battle with this disease is chronicled along with some of the artwork she created during her recovery. About the inspirational book, she wrote "... it's a book I wish I had found when I was diagnosed and going through treatment."
(Viewpoint Books, 548 Washington Street, Columbus, Indiana 47201 / 812-376-0778 / viewpointbooks@tls.net)
On Sunday, Jan and husband Tim play as part of a terrific lineup during the WFHB Acoustic Roots Festival, at the Story Inn. The venue is located deep in the belly of Brown County, on Rt 135 (12 miles South of Nashville) in Story, IN. It's $10 to get in (tickets available on day of show) and gates open at noon.
directions/map
Lineup
1:30PM — GARDEN OF JOY
2:45PM — DAVY JAY SPARROW
4:00PM — BOBBIE LANCASTER
5:15PM — TIM GRIMM & JAN LUCAS
6:30PM — WHITE LIGHTNING BOYS
7:45PM — EILEN JEWELL
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Performance Arts / Hip-Hop J. Brookinz and his "blazing" success
Posted by Danielle Look on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 8:34 AM
Sunday night the stage of Locals Only was transformed into the living room of none other than Mr. J. Brookinz. A few simple props (couch, TV, non-functioning lamp, TV tray supporting a laptop) set the scene for the theatrical adaptation of Brookinz’s latest release The Gateway Drug- a celebration of pot-smoking behaviors and rituals.
It was the most innovative and entertaining way to release a CD that this city has seen in years, perhaps ever. Although the album has been out since 4/20, the official holiday for stoners, the event effectively brought attention to Brookinz and his project.
The story began as Brookinz entered his home after a hard day of work, seeking relaxation and a booty call. As he attempted to get his mind right, Oreo Jones appeared from behind the couch and took a seat with Brookinz, claiming he had passed out there the night before. After friendly banter and brief chit-chat (one imagines this aspect of the show to be more true-to-life than scripted), Brookinz hit “play” on the computer, the opening track of The Gateway Drug filled the air, and Oreo stood up to rap the song.
The formula for the duration of the show went like this: enter emcee, deter Brookinz from making plans with a lady friend, joke at each other’s expense, smoke a [mock] blunt, rap the next track of the album, exit emcee. Thanks to the unique attitude and sense of humor belonging to each member of the star-studded cast, every scene was fresh, moved along quickly and never got boring.
Furthering the brilliance of the musical, the actors played off of previous scenes, making the audience feel as though they were getting a true peak into the life of Heavy Gunners.
Grey Granite frantically searched for his wallet, which The Nightriders later claimed they had in their possession and planned to use to buy a bag of weed.
Mr. Kinetik entered amid Brookinz napping and performed a dream scene dressed in costume as Willie Jones from The Soul Sensations. Kinetik’s musical performance evoked the most energy from the crowd as they stood up to dance and sing along with Willie Jones. A fog machine created a cloud of smoke around Brookinz and he watched the dream sequence in a daze from a horizontal position on the couch.
Rusty Redenbacher (who stole the most laughs of the night) entered directly after Kinetik and proceeded to dog Brookinz. “I got issues, man. Every time I come here, it takes me half an hour to get in ‘cause you sleepin’ on the couch.” He then referenced the previous scene, noting he ran into someone on his way in that “looked like Kinetik with a jheri curl wig on”.
To the surprise of no one, the guys at Heavy Gun Blog have outdone themselves again. They continuously raise the bar in their effort to provide cutting edge entertainment for Indianapolis. The only question to be answered now is “when does the sequel come out?”
If you missed this momentous night in local hip hop, you’re in luck. You can watch the show in sequential clips on alpha.live’s YouTube channel. Make sure you thank him for that.
The Gateway Drug can be downloaded (for free) here. You should probably thank Brookinz for that, too.
Rock Day Three at Summer Camp Music Festival
Posted by Danielle Look on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Continued from Day Two at Summer Camp:
Sunday morning I learned of a special kickball game that took place just as the sun was coming up and the hardcore Saturday night ragers were going down. Umphrey’s McGee bassist Ryan Stasik lead The Umphrey’s Monkey team to a 5-5 drawl against the Totally Fucking Awesome All The Time team. Photos below courtesy of Slayter Creative.
- Coach Stasik
BEHIND THE SCENES
Before starting the final day of music, I had the opportunity to speak with festival organizer Mike Armintrout on Sunday morning. I asked if Summer Camp had anticipated a surge in 2010 attendance due to the cancellation of Rothbury and 10,000 Lakes, both huge attractions for Midwestern festival-goers. He explained that Summer Camp was prepared to cap ticket sales at 15,000, although only 30% of Three Sisters Park is currently being utilized for the annual event. The numbers never reached that cut-off point (attendance levels as of Sunday were speculated to be close to 13,000), but Armintrout noted several factors will have to be reevaluated should the festival decide to expand in the future- camping with vehicles being one of them.
Discussing the amount of preparation required to execute Summer Camp, I learned that bodies had been on-site since March setting up fencing and stages. The last two weeks leading up to the event, Summer Camp staff was in the park daily. The event took approximately two months to complete set-up, would require another two weeks to tear down, and one additional month for the site to completely return to normal. What about all those generators and cords required to power the stages and tents? Nothing short of 4,000 feet of electrical cable was used to keep the festival going each day.
CANDID MOMENTS WITH KINETIX
After speaking with Armintrout, I was able to meet and hang out with the uber-friendly gentlemen of Kinetix (full interview here) who had just rolled into Summer Camp that morning after a seven-hour drive from the Bella Vida Music Festival in Geneva, MN. We talked in depth about the difference between attending music festivals as patrons and attending as musicians performing at the event. “We strongly encourage our manager not to over-book us on weekends,” said guitarist Jordan Linit with a smile on his face. “We like to stay and camp and enjoy the festivals.”
The members of Kinetix and I compared notes on the pros and cons of Summer Camp (which most of us were attending for the first time) and the festival they had just come from in Minnesota. They cited a little venue and significantly smaller attendance level as the culprits for Bella Vida’s down-to-earth vibes and friendly atmosphere. Responding to my discontent over Summer Camp’s alcohol policy, the band assured me that “you can even bring your own booze!” to Bella Vida. Score.
THE MUSIC BEGINS
After chatting with Kinetix, it was time to kick off the first set of the day. It was a heartbreaker to pick between That 1 Guy on the Sunshine Stage and Heatbox on the Camping Stage but I ultimately opted for the beatboxing one-man-band playing inside the woods. As I sat with a sea of fans patiently waiting in the shade of the trees for Heatbox, I enjoyed dubstep coming from the speakers and checked the time, realizing I was early. Kudos here to Summer Camp for keeping sets on track and never once falling behind schedule all weekend. Impeccable timing is a key component in successful set-hopping at a festival; many thanks to the men and women behind the scenes who keep things going according to plan.
Promptly at noon, Heatbox began his set. Read the full review here. An excerpt follows:
Positioned in front of a row of loop pedals as a long as a yardstick, Heatbox made his own beats on the spot. Although physical instruments aren't a part of his show, he’s capable of producing the sound of almost any instrument with his vocal cords. During a swingin’ tune reminiscent of the big band era he imitated an authentic-sounding trumpet solo. For another song, Heatbox cupped his hands over his mouth and around the microphone, impersonating the sound and style of a harmonica player. I kept a close eye until he drew his hands from his face… just to make sure he hadn’t slipped a real harp into the mix.
Later in the afternoon, I went to see my new friends from Kinetix perform. On stage before their Summer Camp crowd, they brought the hardest rock I heard all weekend. Enjoying a set that moved away from spacey, psychedelic jams was a refreshing change of pace as my cohort and I vigorously shook our heads and jumped up and down to the music (which included a wicked cover of Bohemian Rhapsody). Further diversifying the Kinetix sound, guitarist Adam Lufkin stepped to the microphone occasionally to indulge in rock raps. Lufkin’s special touch was milder than hip hop vocals, yet gave the songs an edgy, urban feel.
After Kinetix, we took a much-needed rest stop at the home base, enjoying the funkiness being transmitted across the campgrounds. The New Mastersounds were breaking it down on The Sunshine Stage, but the strength could not be found to venture in that direction. The Avett Brothers were scheduled for a late afternoon performance- a show that had been the talk of the town since the sun came up on day three at Summer Camp. I’m not so sure why, though. I attended the set, but only for a brief while. It reminded me of the time I saw Allison Kraus and Robert Plant on Sunday at Bonnaroo 2008. All are undeniably amazing musicians and vocalists, but who really wants to be serenaded on the final day of a festival when energy reserves are low and sleep deprivation is high? I had to relocate before I found myself in a slumber.
Across festival grounds, Zach Deputy was entertaining a livelier crowd from atop the Campfire Stage. Deputy (a large, burly man) accepted a flower halo with ribbon streams from a girl in the audience and carefully centered it on the cowboy hat already affixed to his head. Deputy and his band played tons of originals as well as fun covers such as “Jump in the Line” and “Under the Sea”. His free spirited, Caribbean persona made me think of a younger, much-cooler Jimmy Buffet.
Here, I ran into Wuhnurth Music Festival organizer James Nimmer and we exchanged stories from the previous night’s activities. Nimmer confirmed the morning’s kickball game with Umphrey’s McGee and also verified the rumored trampoline hidden somewhere deep inside the woods where he had spent the majority of Saturday night relaxing with a band of friends. We discussed the Zach Deputy show unfolding before us. It was my first, to which Nimmer responded “He stops in Indianapolis from time to time. I’m always trying to get people to check out his shows. He’s so good.”
Day three’s musical adventures ended for me at the Sunshine Stage with G Love and Special Sauce. After a long and strenuous weekend of blistering heat, never ending stage relocation, and relentless face-melting; G Love’s show remains a blur in both my mind and my notebook.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Summer Camp brought feelings of anxiety I haven’t felt in years, the kind of butterflies you get in your stomach before a new endeavor into unknown territory. It was fun to test my knowledge and experience in a new setting. If I could offer advice or summarize my learnings from Summer Camp 2010 the list would look like this:
- DO camp in small numbers. Two minimum, six maximum.
- DO have an agenda prepared (even if you don’t adhere to it) because you’ll definitely see and accomplish more in your limited time.
- DON’T try to sneak alcohol into Summer Camp. Also- DON’T plan on getting drunk at Summer Camp.
- DON’T go to Summer Camp without a wagon for carrying your gear.
- DO stay up past 4 a.m. at least one night of the weekend.
- DO attend the smaller sets. Also- DO attend the bigger sets.
In short, diversify your activities to get the most well-rounded experience you possibly can. And always do it safely with your health in mind.
Next up, I'll be reporting on the All Good Music Festival unfolding in Masontown, WV.
Roots Independence Week: All ukes, all the time
Posted by Miss Joni on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 8:00 AM
Just when I thought that first week of July couldn’t get any more exciting, it did. As far as ukulele weeks go in Central Indiana, this might not be the Big One, but it’s pretty darn close. From meet ups to workshops to an all-uke open mic night in Noblesville, it’s going to be an entire week of all ukes, all the time.
First, I’ve been pretty excited about getting back to the ukulele group at Sam Ash in Castleton. Sales Manager Jon Martin, who has owned a uke since he was about 2 years old, decided a few months ago that the time was right to start a ukulele meet up in his store. I went to the meeting in May, and had a marvelous time. There were more than dozen ukulele players there; some were brand new, others had been playing for years. The selection of instruments was a diverse as the players themselves. I saw brand new ukes, a beautiful handmade ukulele and a vintage Vita Uke, just like Roy Smeck used to play. There were ukes of every size, too, from soprano to tenor. All levels were welcome; beginners found themselves in a supportive group, where long-time players were more than happy to help them try a new chord and offer suggestions. Folks shared strumming techniques and a handful of people brought along new songs for the group to try.
The Sam Ash Ukulele Group meets the first Saturday of each month, at 10 AM. The next meet up is this Saturday, July 3. You can get more information by joining the group Indianapolis Ukulele Fans on Facebook.
If you’re wondering what a little ukulele group meet up can lead to, check out this video from New Zealand’s Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra. While you’re at it, see if you can recognize Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie among the strummers.
If that isn’t enough to get your month of July started, ukulele style, I’ve just been informed that there are still two spaces left in the Blue Stone Folk School’s Meat ‘n Taters Ukulele Intensive Ukulele Building Workshop. This is the class to beat all classes—and something that I am dying to do. Under the guidance of Blue Stone Folk School Director and luthier, Geoff Davis, participants will get to build their very own solid mahogany ukulele with a Spanish heel. According to Geoff, the construction method utilizes jigs and fixtures to ensure that student’s are able to build a high quality instrument. He says, “This ukulele’s design is not a copy of a period uke, but is based upon the best of several great 1920s instruments including Martin, Gretsch and Indiana’s own, Frank Bremerman. “ The class has been so successful, that many alumni have gone on to construct more ukuleles on their own. Students end up with a high-quality, handmade, solid wood ukulele—a dream come true for most ukulele players.
The workshop, which takes place in Noblesville, lasts all day long, from about 9 AM to 4:30 PM, July 5-9. The cost is $500. Here’s a link to the online registration form:
http://www.bluestonefolkschool.org/BlueStoneUkeBuilding-1.pdf
While I don’t have a video showing the actually uke that folks will be making next week, I can show you another Davis Uke, just to give you an idea of what you could be building. This one is his Old Crow Resonator Ukulele. It’s concert-sized, and it is a loud thing.
In addition to hosting the Meat ‘n Taters workshop this week, The Blue Stone Folk School’s Ukulele Society will be hosting their bi-monthly meet up, on Thursday, July 8 from 7-9 PM in Noblesville. This is another great opportunity for ukulele players to get together with like-minded people. The meeting is very informal, and very friendly. All levels are welcome; there is often a brief lesson before the real jamming begins. The group typically plays from a song book assembled by the Folk School, but members are encouraged to bring new songs to add to the book as well. Any style of music is welcome. We’ve been known to play a Beatles tune one minute, and a Hoosier Hot Shots number the next.
For more information about the Blue Stone Folk School Ukulele Society, join the group on Facebook.
People who want to make a long ukulele weekend of it will be pleased to know that a ukulele-only open mic is being planned for Friday night, July 9, in Noblesville. I’m pretty sure the folks who’ve made ukes during the past week are going to be pretty excited to show off their fabulous new instruments, but I also have high hopes that other uking friends will decide to join the fun. I am so excited about the prospects, that I am declaring a uke in/uke out for July 8-10. Geoff even says that folks who come to town just to play are welcome to observe the ukulele construction workshop.
I will give you the low-down on the July 9 Meat ‘n Taters Open Mic Night in Noblesville next week.
Until then, here’s a little something from the Dulwich Ukulele Club in England for everyone who’s been neglecting their ukes or spouses in favor of watching the World Cup matches. Enjoy the singer's moustache.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Rock / Roots Greensky Bluegrass: An All Good Music Festival preview at Birdy's
Posted by Danielle Look on Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 12:49 PM
- Jamie VanBuhler
Birdy’s is an interesting concert venue in that sometimes it seems too big for its own good. Middle-of-the-week shows draw 30 people on a good night, always leaving the illusion of a sparsely populated club. Occasionally, Birdy’s staff will pull the tables and chairs to the front of the large room to fill the open space in front of the stage and create a more intimate setting. To my dismay, this was not the case last Wednesday.
I watched local bluesy jam/folk band Waldemere Revival play a stripped down acoustic set while sitting a significant distance away from the band, wondering why we weren’t seated closer to the performers. Guitarist and lead vocalist Steve Martin fronted the band from a chair positioned center stage. His voice was both gentle and firm; simultaneously familiar and unique. The harmonica, played by Corey Flick, is what keeps Waldemere from being classified as strictly bluegrass or strictly folk. Flick’s harp brings a touch of soul to their sound, inciting passion in both the band and their audience.
When Greensky Bluegrass strapped on their instruments and prepared to perform, the dance floor flooded with fans before the first note had been played; I quickly understood why tables and chairs had been kept at the back of the room. Festival gear decorated the bodies of those twirling in front of the stage; long dresses, tie dye shirts, moccasins, and patchwork clothing were abundant. From start to finish, the crowd never dwindled.
With a recent surge in summer music festivals, a new hybrid of genres has created a niche for jam-grass bands who combine the customary instruments of bluegrass with the impulsive instrumentation of jam and rock bands. It seems that Greensky Bluegrass, however, has done it the other way around. The band, who boasts an impressive list of multi-instrumental experience with a number of previous projects, produce bluegrass music in its truest and purest form.
The first of two sets was comprised mostly of mid-tempo, traditional bluegrass. Bodies be-bopped to the steady tunes while the band showcased their collective musical genius. Giving each member a chance to solo and trading off on vocal responsibilities, Greensky left no doubts in anyone’s mind of their ability to perform and entertain. Bare feet roamed the dance floor and a couple of exceptionally active fans galloped in figure eights through the audience.
Not long into the second set, I found myself asking, “Who is this band? And where did they come from?” Suddenly, it was as if the five-piece had wanted to first establish their musical foundation in bluegrass, and then say, “Oh, by the way. We can melt your face, too”- a true reward for those who stayed for the remainder of the show.
After a long, mesmerizing, tripped-out jam, Greensky seamlessly transitioned into a moving cover of “When Doves Cry” that seemed to last an eternity. Back to a bluegrass state of mind, their unique rendition of the Prince classic was yet another gift bestowed to Indy fans for hanging around until the end.
“They took a complete 180 with that last song,” I said to my friend as we exchanged looks of disbelief and awe.
“180?” he questioned. “More like 900.”
With six shows on their schedule in the remaining nine days until the All Good Music Festival, Greensky Bluegrass proves they are not only a band of extreme musical aptitude, but of extreme endurance as well. Although 2010 will be the band’s first appearance at the festival, they are continuously mentioned on the “must-see” list of those attending All Good next week. I personally can’t wait for my second dose of Greensky Bluegrass- this time from the top of Marvin’s Mountain.
Rock / Roots New Mellencamp song hits radio today
Posted by Rob Nichols on Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 12:42 AM
According to mellencamp.com, a video for the song, using footage from filmmaker Kurt Markus' It's About You documentarychronicling the making of the album will be released in the next couple weeks.
The cover photo of the No Better Than This album was shot by Elaine Mellencamp and shows Hud Mellencamp, their oldest son, in a photo with two young women. A photo of younger Hud, also by Elaine, was used on the cover of 2003's Trouble No More.
Review from AOL:
The song 'No Better Than This' features a prominent rockabilly beat and lively, uncomplicated production. The lyrics portray a pretty happy guy reveling in the simple pleasures of romance and music: "Give me good loving / And seal it with a kiss / Drop me off where the music sounds / It can get no better than this."
"Save Some Time to Dream" - from new album - Video from Farm Aid 2009
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Roots A chat with original Wailers bassist Aston Barrett
Posted by Seth Johnson on Sat, Jun 26, 2010 at 8:00 AM
We had a chance to catch up with founding Wailer and long time reggae bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett this Friday, before his band's Sunday performance at Bloomington's Bluebird. And he's not shy about proclaiming his historic role in the band.
"We are from the original school [as opposed to old school]. We are the creators. The others are imitators," he said during the phone interview.
Barrett was the original bassist for Bob Marley & the Wailers, and he survives Marley and founding drummer (and brother) Carlton Barrett.
"There is no end to this music. Bob and I and my brother, we used to discuss that," said Barrett. "So we create the reggae music and the reggae music is the universal language that carries the message of roots, culture and reality for all ages and all times."
"I am the original Wailer. I put the band together. I am the foundation," he continued. "I have been on the road before Bob, with Bob and after Bob. I have been on the road since 1969."
The Wailers have worked with a variety of lead singers since Marley's passing, the current being Koolant, an up-and-coming Jamaican performer who recently accepted Barrett's employment offer.
"Many are called, few are chosen," said Koolant, as Barrett passed the phone along to his nearby bandmate.
The name Wailers came from the idea of "voices crying out from the wilderness," and Koolant now thinks himself one of those voices.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Performance Arts / Hip-Hop / Comedy J. Brookinz presents Gateway Drug: The Musical
Posted by Danielle Look on Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 1:29 PM
On April 20th, the notorious pot smokers’ holiday, local producer J. Brookinz released The Gateway Drug: THC. The first solo release from J. Brookinz since his legendary American Gangster remix project, the album features local hip hop celebrities alpha.live, Com.Dot, Grey Granite, Oreo Jones, Rusty Redenbacher (of the Mudkids), the Night Riders, Mr. Kinetik, and Yeti-One.
The album is a throwback to 70’s soul, modernized by fun, clever raps from the above mentioned artists. As expected, the tracks are drenched in classic movie quotes and relentless stoner references. Whether you smoke or not, it's a well-crafted listen deserving of any hip hop enthusiast’s time. Stream the tracks below and, if you like what you hear, grab the whole album here.
Oreo Jones
"I Want Sum"
Mr. Kinetik
"The Party Record"
Grey Granite
"Dig It"
On Sunday, Brookinz is taking his art to a new level by presenting The Gateway Drug: The Musical. The event will take place at Local’s Only Art & Music Pub in Broad Ripple (56th and Keystone). While details or an agenda pertaining to the event have not been made public, I’m guaranteed by multiple sources the show will be hilarious. Although Brookinz is not a man of many words, the few words he does speak are always laced with his unique sense of humor and style; both are sure to fuel the mysterious musical on Sunday.
Oreo Jones has been actively promoting the show and dropped hints to the format with a recent facebook status update:
A final attempt for specifics from Brookinz yielded this response:
Comedy Weekend live comedy preview
Posted by Andrew Roberts on Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 10:24 AM
- Sugar Sammy is this week's top pick, performing at Crackers Downtown
You can't have a bad night at either Crackers location this weekend; Sugar Sammy and Bret Ernst are both young, energetic comics with a lot of promising material.
I'm particularly excited about Sugar Sammy. Indian born but fluent in four languages, Sammy has a very natural and casual delivery which gives him a warm charisma. His racial humor isn't terribly original (from what I've seen) but it also isn't aggressive or contrived, so it's passable.
Bret Ernst is slightly more aggressive and energetic. He's appeared on Vince Vaughn's "Wild West Coemdy Show" and "Weeds," and for some reason lists in his bio that he was a collegiate football player. I'm not sure why that would make his show more appealing to anyone; it's supposed to be a press release, not one of those forms you filled out at freshman orientation to tell people about your hobbies.
Morty's is hosting co-headliners; Mikey Mason is of the musical stand-up variety, so if you're keen to those comedians who play guitar on stage, this is the place for you. Usually those musical gimmicks are extremely hit-and-miss. Tim Cavanagh (performing at Crackers Downtown in August) is one of the best show's I've ever seen— so it can be done well. But it can also be campy, obnoxious and disastrous. That's true of most comedic genres, but I've found it to be especially so when it comes to guitars at a comedy club.
Weekend Lineup:
Price listed is the lowest available, and all shows are Friday and Saturday, unless otherwise noted. Most also have Weds, Thurs., and Sunday shows; check their website for more info.
Crackers Downtown- Sugar Sammy , 8 and 10:30 pm, $15. www.crackerscomedy.com
Crackers Broadripple- Bret Ernst, 8 and 10:30 pm, $15. www.crackerscomedy.com
Morty’s Comedy Joint- Mikey Mason and Brendon Walsh, 8 and 10:15 pm, $10. www.mortyscomedy.com
ComedySportz- Improv, 7:30 pm, (and 10:00 on Sat.), $15, www.indycomedysportz.com
Comedysportz- Oz: Unscripted, 10:00 pm. Friday only. www.indycomedysportz.com
The Funny Bone (Bloomington) — Drew Hastings and Jack Freeman, 8 and 10:30 pm, $18. www.funnybonebtown.com
More than most forms of entertainment, stand-up comedy lineups are subject to last-minute changes, as well as unexpected sell-outs. Please be sure to check the website of the venue (or call and reserve tickets) before heading out, and make sure to be aware of any updated times, prices, availability or performers.
If you are aware of any upcoming events or venues that are not included here, please feel free to comment them below or email aroberts@nuvo.net!
- Bret Ernst headlines the Crackers Broad Ripple stage
- Mikey Mason is co-headlining alongside Brendon Walsh at Morty's.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Punk & Metal The Dojo stands alone...
Posted by Nick Selm on Thu, Jun 24, 2010 at 6:35 PM
Last Friday at the Dojo, or LFatD, is the brain child of scene elder, Jon Suiters. Every last Friday of the month, Suiters puts together a showcase of unknown local bands. Having started in April, LFatD is now ready for its 3rd installment.
Past LFatDs have included more "established" acts like Picked Clean, but the bulk of the bands are bands that have, for whatever reason, yet to accumulate a following in the city. The show tomorrow (it's kind of hard to believe that we are already on the last Friday of June) will feature all un-established bands (aside from Religious Police): Rumor Has It, Sick World, Media Blitz and Life Won't Wait.
With the three major house venues down-and-out and the E.S. Jungle not doing anything of interest, it appears that The Dojo is the city's last hope for all-ages punk rock fun this summer. The tiny East side venue already has 15 shows booked through the end of August. And breaking from the mold of last year, the venue is hosting more than just metal and hardcore shows: this Summer will see the The Dojo open its doors to pop-punk (Sandworms- 7/12, Cain Marko- 7/28) and ska (Green Room Rockers - 8/4).
This weekend, if you miss Religious Police at the LFatD show, then you can always swing by on Saturday to catch them play again with Deceiver, What Lurks and straight edge clowns Razor X Fade.
- LFatD: Sadly, Life Won't Wait is NOT a Rancid cover band.
