Thursday, September 30, 2010
Jazz & Blues ISIS of Indiana: empowering female musicians
Posted by Scott Shoger on Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 12:30 PM
- Heather Ramsey
And male instrumentalists certainly do dominate the local scene: greasy, hairy, guitar-toting men who will corner you to talk about Stevie Ray Vaughn or Townes van Zandt when you’re just trying to have a drink. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Earlier this year, Ramsey and keyboardist Monika Herzig created ISIS of Indiana, an organization with a mission, according to Ramsey, to “promote the wealth of female involvement in music creation…and mentor future generations of women musicians.” ISIS hosted its first event this March — a show celebrating Women’s History Month — and will return this Friday with a festival at the Athenaeum Theatre devoted to women, the blues and women singing the blues.
The lineup for the concert: vocalists Brenda Williams, Deb Mullins, Nancy Moore and Ramsey, guitarist Kara Barnard; bassist Jennifer Kirk, drummer Jordan West and Herzig. A trade show will run concurrently in the atrium below the theater.
We spoke with Ramsey this week about ISIS and gender (in)equality.
NUVO: Why did you and Monika create ISIS?
Heather Ramsey: We realized there is a need to celebrate women in music. In our own musical careers, we rarely have had the opportunity to work with other women. We both also teach (Monika teaches jazz piano at IU and I teach voice and performance in Carmel), and we've found there are not many positive women role models choosing to make music their career. We wanted to provide more opportunities for local girls (and women) to see women musicians in a positive, collaborative musical environment.
NUVO: Do you think there's a gender bias in the Indianapolis or Indiana music scene? If there is, is it specific to Indiana, or to a specific genre, or do problems exist across genres and state lines?
Ramsey: Absolutely, but it is certainly a national bias reflected in the local arts community…
From the perspective of the vocalist, while women are more often put in the spotlight, it is much harder to do business in the general marketplace because of certain stereotypes. There's a general image perceived by society of the hard-drinkin', hard-smokin', hard-livin', hard-rockin' man vs. the demure, delicate, perhaps over-dramatic diva on the front of the stage...
The ultimate goal is to change old stereotypes so women are chosen by bandleaders for their merit and the musical skills they bring to the table, regardless of gender. By showcasing women's abilities, we feel we can begin to change the picture for future generations.
NUVO: How has Isis facilitated communication between female musicians (or women working in music) across the state?
Ramsey: Specifically, the groups brought together for the March show and for this Friday are comprised of musicians who have never before all worked together. We are all beginning to become aware of more women in the music marketplace, and are beginning to work more with women as a result. I have become more aware of my "first call" roster for band mates and am sure to have the women I've worked with on that list in an effort to change the gender makeup of groups I hire. We are working with David Andrichik at the Chatterbox to start a "Girls Night Out" there to bring more women artists together to jam and collaborate.
Femmes Blu Festival
Athenaeum Theatre, 401 E. Michigan St.
Friday, Oct. 1, 7 and 9 p.m., $10 advance, $12 door, all-ages
Rock A Q&A with Yeasayer's Chris Keating
Posted by Seth Johnson on Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Touring behind the release of their second full-length, Odd Blood, tribal psych rockers Yeasayer, joined by chillwave extraordinaire Washed Out, will stop by Bloomington's Bluebird Nightclub Sept. 30. In a recent phone interview, Yeasayer lead vocalist Chris Keating chatted with NUVO about the new album and their compatriots in the independent music scene.
NUVO: Can you talk about the concept behind Odd Blood?
Chris Keating: The concept was a little more low-end, a little more spare. Influenced by some of the pop music that we like. Some electronic stuff. We tried to write some love songs, but in our own way. And we’ve just been flipping and flipping all the genres around that we like and try to do something in each. It just became a challenge for us to make a second record that sounded different but still maintained what we were trying to do with the first record.
NUVO: What kind of pop music inspired this record?
Keating: Some of the more disco jams from the Clash. Even some contemporary producers like the Neptunes and Timbaland and what they do with kinda a hip-hop front. And definitely like Sly and the Family Stone, more classic stuff like that. Stuff like Fleetwood Mac. There are all kinds of things that we grew up listening to and that I listen to now still.
NUVO: How’s your tour been so far?
Keating: I think the reception has been good but it’s people coming out to see us. They bought tickets so they might as well have fun. And the tour’s been good. It’s long, but it seems like we are banging it out and having fun, getting to go to a lot of new places. See some familiar faces in new places. All kinds of good stuff. And play some pretty good shows I think.
NUVO: You've worked with some interesting opening acts — Sleigh Bells, Washed Out. Do you have a say as to who opens or is that up to your booking agent?
Keating: No no. We have complete say over that. We have complete say over everything that goes on. Like for opening bands, we find people that we like. Sometimes we will get suggestions from friends, labels, booking agents, and they’ll turn us on to something we didn’t know about. Then we’ll hook it up. But usually it’s people that we’ve seen play, a record that we have. We have a list of bands that we’d like to play with and then we try to get them on.
NUVO: Who have you played with on this tour?
Keating: Sleigh Bells are great. Javelin, who opened up for us at a couple different things. They’re one of my favorite bands. Dragons of Zynth, that was last tour, are a great band out of Brooklyn that went with us to Europe. There’s this new dude called Delicate Steve who opened up for us in New York, a really young dude. He’s really great, making some really cool records.
NUVO: You mentioned MGMT when you played this year's Lollapalooza. I know you have a history with them.
Keating: Yeah. Those guys are good friends of ours and we did our first nationwide tours together.
NUVO: How do you know them?
Keating: We met at a party in Brooklyn through a mutual friend that we had, at his house. And then, I didn’t know them at the time. We met and started talking about music. And we were working on our record and they were just doing their record and finishing demos. I think they just signed with Columbia, or were about to. They heard the record and really liked it, and we hooked up this tour together. Our first tour, the records weren’t out. Or they just came out on the tour, I forget. And we switched off headlining in these little clubs every night. And it was super fun, going around the country in a van, with them in a van and we were in a van. It was great.
NUVO: And you went to high school with some of the members of Animal Collective.
Keating: They’re from Baltimore. They’re four years older than I am. So they were older guys in high school. Other than that, I’m friendly with Brian [also known as Geologist], one of the guys. They’re all nice guys. I don’t hang out with them that much. I don’t even know if they live in New York anymore or where they live right now. But yeah, they’re good dudes and very creative, and what they do is very inspirational.
NUVO: After this tour, what are your plans?
Keating: We don’t actually have any right now. We have a lot of little shows coming up, some stuff in South America, some stuff in Australia. Probably going to hit up SXSW next year. But in the mean time, we are going to be coming in and out of studio, working on a new record. We’re wanting to drop some material. We want to drop a short EP and then have a full length record hopefully.
NUVO: What dates are you aiming for with the record and the EP?
Keating: I don’t have any idea right now actually.
NUVO: And what direction is the new material taking?
Keating: I’ve got some ideas. I don’t know if I’m willing to commit to them verbally. I mean, I think we want to change it up. A lot of the stuff I’ve been messing around with has been a little more dub and electronic influenced. But then, we also kind of go into a spaced out vibe. I really dig a lot of ambient music, so that kind of thing.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The Return of The Copyrights
Posted by Nick Selm on Wed, Sep 29, 2010 at 6:09 PM
Within the microcosm of punk rock, there are many warring factions. Like hostile religious sects, the punk sub-scenes agree on much but vocalize their differences with pride. The hardcore scene decided that they no longer required the melodicism of the early punk scene, the pop-punk scene decided that it needed even MORE melodicism and and the ska scene just wanted more horns.
Every now and then, a band will emerge that will truly (and briefly) re-unite two estranged sub-genres. The Descendants helped bridge the gap between the punk and hardcore scenes, The Hold Steady unites punks and indie rockers, Operation Ivy melded the ska and punk scenes under one hectic umbrella and The Copyrights are doing their best to make amends between the pop-punk and hardcore scenes.
While The Copyrights are not the only band working on reuniting pop-punk and hardcore kids (see: Dillinger Four, None More Black and most of the Fat Wreck Chords roster after 2000), they are the only national act that consistently plays in Indianapolis. Their infectious melodies and snotty lyrics are easily tagged as pop-punk, but their rowdy choruses and chaotic gang vocals often lead them to cross the hardcore boarder.
- The Copyrights: "I'm a little bit pop-punk, I'm a little bit hardcore..."
“To be honest”, said Copyrights frontman Adam Fletcher, “we were surprised when we first played in Indianapolis. We didn’t think anyone was going to show up. We didn’t even know there was a scene here at all.”
What Fletcher wasn’t expecting was that the good people of Indianapolis would ready for a reunion of pop-punk and hardcore and they wanted to see it live. “Indianapolis kind of had a reputation as a place to avoid. Even though I grew up in the midwest, I had never even been to Indianapolis, let alone played a show there. No one I had ever talked to knew anything of any scene in Indianapolis.”
The four-piece, which hails from Carbondale, IL, played their first show in Indianapolis at the original Halloween House (at 47th and Winthrop) in the Winter of 2007, right before their epic album, Learn The Hard Way was released. They managed to come back through town two more times that year, and each time the crowd got bigger and bigger.
“Mutiny Pop (the band’s breakthrough album) was released on Insubordination Records, which was a small DIY label that appealed to mostly intense pop-punk fans,” Fletched noted, “But Make Sound was released on Red Scare, which has a much broader appeal through the punk world. Since we’ve released our last two albums on Red Scare, we’ve definitely notices a spike in the turnout at our shows. It’s not just pop-punk message board people anymore, it’s hardcore kids and punk kids too.”
Before embarking on their current tour, the band finished recording their as of yet untitled fifth full-length record. “It’s just about to be mixed,” Fletcher mentioned enthusiastically, “but we’re still not sure about the label. We’ve been shopping around a bit, talking with other labels. We love Red Scare and they provide us with a lot of opportunities, but we’re also interested as to what other opportunities are out there.”
So as the band prepares to unleash it’s fifth album, they are touring the country on a path to the massive Riot Fest in Chicago. Their stop in Indianapolis will be the band’s first gig at the new Dojo location. They will be playing with a slew of regional pop-punk bands including Iron Chick, New Creases, Stymie and Like Bats. Hopefully this punk rock peace summit will help to mend the schism between pop-punk and hardcore, if only for three sweaty hours.
The Copyrights w/ Like Bats, New Creases, Iron Chick, Stymie and It’s All Happening.
@ The Dojo (2207 N. College)
6 PM, $7
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Rock / Roots Rock Hall nominees announced: Does Rob know who will get voted in?
Posted by Rob Nichols on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 11:56 PM
With the 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees just announced, there are a couple easy picks and many nominees that elicit a "huh?". Plus, the slights just keep on comin'...
First, who is not nominated: Cheap Trick, Rush, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Devo, Stevie Ray Vaughn or KISS. And how about Willie Nelson? It's criminal, I say.
Among the 15 artists, first-time nominees (artists who released their first record in 1985 are eligible for the first time) include Bon Jovi, Tom Waits, Neil Diamond, Donovan and Alice Cooper. Previously nominated artists include J. Geils Band, LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys, along with New Orleans legend Dr. John, disco queen Donna Summer, and R&B/disco act Chic. Also nominated are Laura Nyro, Darlene Love, Chuck Willis and Joe Tex.
Here's all you need to know: Rob 2011 Rock Hall Picks
Bon Jovi - Seriously, it's Bon Jovi's turn to get the keys to the Hall? I mean, I understand popularity plays a part in this, and they are huge all over the world, but fuckin' Bon Jovi? What's Cheap Trick got to say about this? Maybe in a few years, if you think they really are that important. The Prognosis: IN (holy crap!)
- Tom Waits
Neil Diamond - "...Sweet Caroline...bop, bop, bop" While Diamond isn't rock, it has been a few years since the criteria has been narrow enough to keep popsters (Madonna) and sorta uncool pop hitmakers from getting in, and Diamond's list of hit records is looooooong. He also was/is a songwriter ("I'm a Believer") and worked with Rick Rubin on his most recent album, so has some street cred. The Prognosis: IN (and I'm OK with that)
Donovan - Hippy 60's folk pop. Aligned with the Beatles (the single "Mellow Yellow" is rumored to feature Paul McCartney on uncredited backing vocals), "Sunshine Superman" was one of the very first psychedelic pop songs when released in 1966. Many first-of-their-kind hits. The Prognosis: IN (both influential and had radio songs - tough combo to ignore)
- Alice Cooper
J. Geils Band - The underrated band dismissed by idiots as worth nothing more than "Centerfold". In reality, the band was a top-rate R&B rock band with a revival-like live show, and made a handful of turn-it-up, dance-on-the-table albums. More influential than superstars, those who know (both other musicians or fans) understand why Peter Wolf is one of the great frontmen of all time, and why the band matters. One of my favorites. Recently upstaged Aerosmith at a recent Fenway Park gig. A big FM radio band. SIDENOTE: I seriously rocked the "Blow Your Face Out" live cassette in my $2,000 Buick Skylark back in 1985. The Prognosis: OUT (screw you people!)
LL Cool J - Groundbreaking rapper and hip-hop artist who maintains an aura of intelligence and credibilty today. Never a big fan, but you can't miss his swath of influence The Prognosis: IN
Beastie Boys - Went from "Fight for your Right (To Party)" to become one of the the legendary rap acts of all-time. I would be good with a vote for them. The Prognosis: OUT (this time)
Dr. John - New Orleans piano player and songwriter. "Right Place, Wrong Time" still gets played on the radio. The Prognosis: OUT (but he would be a blast at a party - 2am boogie piano playing)
Donna Summer - The first Disco Queen. Enough said. The Prognosis: OUT (and stay out)
Chic - The band that launched producer/musican Nile Rodgers to a huge career as a music producer is best known for 1978's "Le Freak" (cough)disco(cough). They also made "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" (1977), "Everybody Dance" (1977) and "Good Times" (1979). They have been nominated five times, and yet to feel the love. I do admit, their music was thumpin'. The Prognosis: OUT (though they sounded good on AM radio)
Laura Nyro - New York singer/songwriter known more for her writing (The 5th Dimension's "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Stoned Soul Picnic", Blood, Sweat & Tears' "And When I Die" and Three Dog Night's "Eli's Coming") than her own music. Died in 1997. The Prognosis: OUT
Darlene Love - Survived her Phil Spector years; a vital piece of some of the finest 60's girl group music. Her contribution to the great "Phil Spector Christmas" album makes her timeless. The Prognosis: IN (representing the old bunch)
Chuck Willis - Known as "The King of the Stroll" for his performance of the 1950s hit "The Stroll". Had hit with "C.C. Rider". Died at age 30 in 1958, during surgery for repair of a stomach ulcer. The Prognosis: OUT
Joe Tex - Is he the father of rap music ? His style of speaking over music, which he dubbed "rap", makes him important. "Hold What You've Got" was a #5 pop hit in 1966, and "Skinny Legs and All" went to #10. The Prognosis : OUT (though he could be a darkhorse selection)
Visual Arts / Rock / Roots Wuhnurth (One Earth) Music Festival: Day One
Posted by Danielle Look on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 12:19 PM
GETTING THERE
Let’s get it out of the way right now: nobody likes to carry multiple loads of camping gear any further than they can throw it. Unfortunately, secluded camping inside of wooded hills comes at a cost. And that cost is the energy and strength expended in that exact conveyance of materials.
Seemingly aware of this, Wuhnurth staff did a spectacular job at providing a timely and organized shuttle service for the duration of the weekend. The staging area at the front of the parking lot (approximately one mile from the actual festival grounds) was clearly evident and safely watched over by security. The wait was never long. Wristbands were checked before each shuttle left the loading zone. Wheelbarrow and wagon pushers were accommodated by lowering the gate and ramping equipment onto the trailer. People were friendly and there was no hostile activity in sharing space. The drivers were friendly and made special stops for those already attempting to trek on foot so they could join the ride. And while it seemed to be a colossal inconvenience at the time, I can’t help but remember how peaceful and beautiful the actual ride down the simple country road was.
- Rhy-Kno Photography
- Wuhnurth attendees wait for a ride to the festival grounds
SETTING UP CAMP
I listened in jealousy as I trudged past the main stage on my way into the woods in search of a campsite. Ladymoon was my official welcome to Wuhnurth 2010 but I didn’t have time to stop; we needed to set up before the sun went down. A well-decorated dirt path led through the woods and dumped into a clearing. Here, The Woodland Stage, porta johns, and a small village of vendors awaited. Multiple trailheads branched off of the opening and intertwined across the bohemian settlement coming to life in the trees.
- Brian Leonardi
- The path connecting The Main Stage & The Woodland Stage
As with previous Wuhnurths, campers had the freedom to choose their home location for the weekend. It seemed that all paths ultimately led down a hill, making it difficult to find a flat spot for tents. As we set up on the smallest slant we could find, my friend reminded our group, “It’s camping. Not The Holiday Inn.” We all nodded in agreement and went to work.
THE MUSIC BEGINS
I was able to catch last of Midwest Hype, arriving just in time to see the entire band dressed in black from head to toe, completely covered in glow stick rings. Like some kind of psychedelic alter-ego, Midwest Hype (known for their wildly entertaining sense of humor) have referred to themselves as GLOB ever since. Three days after Wuhnurth, Saxophonist Ben Morrissey’s facebook status read, “We represent the Church of the Holy Glowstick Armor. I'd like to take a moment of your time to talk about GLOB!” to which one fan responded, “I've been a devout member since Friday and my life has been very glow-tastic ever since! Thank you GLOB. Thank You.”
- Elle Fassler
- Midwest Hype a.k.a. GLOB
Papadosio could be given the unofficial title of “Music Festival Champion Band of 2010”, boasting an impressive list of appearances this summer including Springfest, All Good, Camp Bisco, Forecastle, Floyd Fest, Camp Barefoot, and The Werk Out Festival. Papadosio even produced their own weekend event, Rootwire, featuring music and art from a grassroots perspective.
Their Friday night performance at Wuhnurth was perhaps their best yet- offering a tickling of the senses from all directions. Live painting, fire spinning, and a bizarre character costumed to look like Father Time all played around on stage as the band performed. While Indianapolis was buzzing about art and music at the weekend’s Oranje Festival, Papadosio delivered their own mini-Oranje to fans in Spencer who couldn’t be two places at once.
In more ways than one, it was a noteworthy performance; the band also announced it was their last show ever as a four-piece. The addition of keyboardist Billy Brouse’s younger brother Sam (who will handle sample work) will allow Thogmartin to focus more intently on his guitar.
- Rhy-Kno Photography
- Papadosio
A quick trip back to The Woodland Stage put me before The Malah, an electronic jam band from Greenville, SC. Although I could have danced away their entire set and wanted to stay for more, my accomplices were on electronica overload from the Papadosio set and were ready for some funk. Lucky for them, Family Groove Company was holding down The Main Stage. We caught most of their set and again trekked through the dusty path to The Woodland stage, admiring the colorful lights that flashed against tree branches to create a wonderfully mysterious series of shadows.
- Rhy-Kno Photography
After a brief stop to see Kaleidoscope Jukebox, we made one last trip to The Main Stage in anticipation of Digital Tape Machine’s debut performance. Unfortunately, sound check lasted an eternity (way beyond their scheduled start time) and I was pulled from the audience by my friends when I started to nod off while still standing. Curse my weariness; I hear I missed one helluva set.
Continue to Wuhnurth: Day Two.
Roots Uke Got Style
Posted by Miss Joni on Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 8:00 AM
After observing Janet Klein in all her adorable stylishness, my mind naturally wonders toward dresses, especially dresses that would look pretty with my ukulele. It’s something I think about often. I think it’s alright to touch briefly on The Very Best Thing to Wear When Playing a Ukulele, here and now. Of course, we could all learn a little from Janet. She never misses a fashionable beat. Here she is, impeccably dressed and showing off her lovely ukulele.
A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes, to many dresses, or too many ukuleles. You just need to make sure they all look pretty good together.
I gave Amanda Palmer a nod in a past blog, but, I didn’t dwell on her confident punk rock sense of feminine style. From the top of her tattooed eyebrows to tips of her barefoot toes, she rocks her own individual style—while playing a cheap little red ukulele. Check out this great video, compliments of The Boston Globe. It gives insight into her love affair with her own uke, while at the same time showcasing some really fabulous ukulele girl outfits. But, I do have to argue with her statement that the uke is "not very dynamic." Maybe she doesn't get out with other ukulele players very often.
The Ukalady (a.k.a. Thessaly Lerner) is a fashion statement unto herself. I’m a little frightened by her; I can’t help but wonder if she might channeling a frightening paranormal cocktail consisting of a dash of Tiny Tim thrown in with a splash of Gilda Radner’s infantile character, Judy Miller. The result is a little unnerving and not necessarily a musical delight. But, you have to give the girl credit for putting it all out there—and she writes some witty and satirical tunes about some pretty touchy subject matter. Some of her original tunes could resound like a slap in the face if it wasn’t for the crazed presentation and the perky ukulele accompaniment. I think she is actually a very smart girl. I’m also pretty sure she never finds herself in a fashion rut. Here, you can get a peek inside her insane wardrobe, where she chose to record a few songs:
The talented Zoe, who happens to be the president and founder of G.I.G.A.P.U.S. (Girls in Glasses and Playing Ukulele Society), wrote this catchy tune, from a kid’s perspective, about wearing a bikini. It’s cute and clever, just like Zoe.
Bikinis are probably the last thing on my mind at the moment. Costumes seem just a little more urgent to me than swimwear right now; I am just wondering what in the world I am going to wear for Halloween. Alice Chalmers and the Stick a Cork in Your Jug Band will be playing at Indy Hostel on Friday, October 29. It’s a costume party.
Aside from the predictable hula girl in a grass skirt costume, which seems most disagreeable to me, the first idea that springs to my mind is that I could dress up as a Marilyn Monroe, in one of my all time favorite movies: Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot. The film is set in the 1920s, and MM plays the ukulele. Maybe I could get a couple of boys to dress up as Josephine and Daphne, too. What could be more perfect?
But, I’m not entirely sold on that idea. If you really want to know what I choose, and what the other girls decide to wear, you’ll just have to make it out to the show.
Ukulele happenings this week:
Don’t miss the next meeting of Indianapolis Ukulele Fans at Sam Ash in Castleton, this Saturday, October 1. It starts and 10 and goes till around noonish. All ages and all levels are welcome.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Visual Arts / Rock / Roots / Hip-Hop Third annual Knollfest this Saturday
Posted by Danielle Look on Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 7:45 AM
This Saturday, Indy’s summer music festival season will come to an official close with the third annual installment of Knollfest. Literally on a rectangular grassy knoll just south of Butler University campus, the 12-hour event will feature 16 bands and artists on two stages. Musical acts feature many well-known Indiana groups (including The Twin Cats, Midwest Hype, Shaggy Wonda, Ladymoon, Hyryder, and Oreo Jones) as well as prominent bands from across the Midwest.
Knollfest headlining band Future Rock have been busy creating a buzz in the festival circuit, boasting stops in 2010 at Camp Bisco, Summer Camp, Wakarusa, Head Jamz, and (most recently) North Coast Music Festival. Their performance (a unique blend of live instrumentation and electronic manipulation) is sure to be unlike any Knollfest has ever seen. Mickey Kellerman, Felix Moreno, and Darren Heitz all employ synthesizers and samples while also playing the keys, bass, and drums respectively. “We’re a little strange,” Kellerman says of his band’s one-of-a-kind fusion rock. “We don’t fit into any genre.”
Knollfest’s goal is to foster arts in the community through music and education. 2010 proceeds will be given to the Broad Ripple Magnet School for the Arts and Humanities, a college-preparatory program based on integrated studies in the arts, literature, history and science. This year, Knollfest will showcase presentations from BRMHSAH students in humanities, visual arts, performing arts, and media communications.
Knollfest founder Omolade Akande, a 2009 Butler graduate, strives to integrate the local campus student body with the vast community of active festival goers and grassroots musicians from across the Midwest. As the IPS Admission Counselor for Butler University, Akande says she is “grateful to still be so involved with the Indianapolis public school system,” in her adult life, both through daily work at Butler and through Knollfest’s contributions to IPS.
Additional activities at the family- and dog-friendly event include break dancing competitions, a Butler football team pie-eating contest, an art gallery, cornhole, and a moon bounce. Sun King will be on site for Knollfest patrons 21 years of age and older. Schedule is as follows:
Stage 1
11:00am — 12:00pm Shaggy Wonda
12:20pm — 1:20pm Hyryder
1:40pm — 2:40pm The Werks
3:00pm — 4:00pm Midwest Hype
4:20pm — 5:20pm Native Sun
5:40pm — 6:45pm The Coop
7:30pm — 9:00pm Twin Cats
9:30pm — 11:00pm Future Rock
Stage 2
11:00am — 12:00pm Res Publica
12:20pm — 1:20pm Fair Fjola
1:40pm — 2:40pm The Hue
3:00pm — 4:00pm Zmick
4:20pm — 5:20pm Ladymoon
5:40pm — 6:40pm Fresh Hops
7:00pm — 8:10pm Steez
8:30pm — 9:40pm Archnemesis
10:00pm — 10:40pm Oreo Jones
IndyMojo.com Stage
Heavy Gunners
4:00 - 4:20 - Wiz Kids
4:20 - 4:40 - Scoot Dubbs
4:40 - 5:00 - NightRiders
5:00 - 5:30 - Grey Granite
5:30 - 6:00 - Andy D.
IndyMojo.com DJ's
6:00 - 7:00 - TBA
7:00 - 8:00 - Manic
8:00 - 9:00 - Rudy Kizer
9:00 - 10:00 - Kodama
10:00 - 11:00 - Matt Allen
- C-Style Photography
DJ & Dance Cultural Cannibals at Club Hyde
Posted by Danielle Look on Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 7:30 AM
I first heard about the radical movement known as Cultural Cannibals from NUVO’s own David Hoppe in this article:
Artist Artur Silva is a moving target. From collaborating (with Matt Eickhoff) on a vending machine that sold portable works by local artists, to the creation of psychedelic storefront installations, the Brazilian-born Silva seems in a constant quest to find new ways to put his work in front of eyeballs — and the brains that lurk behind them. Over the past two years, Silva, together with collaborator DJ Kyle Long, has produced a series of dance parties in different locations around the city, featuring a blend of international music — most notably Brazilian Tropicalia and Bollywood — and atmospheric mixed media visuals aimed at creating a cross-cultural experience Silva calls "cultural cannibalism."
Leveraging on the success of past events celebrating cultural diversity and our city’s receptiveness to unconventional thinking, Silva and Long have put together a string of Cultural Cannibals events at Club Hyde in downtown Indianapolis. Each week a different theme emerges, but remains centered on the sounds and styles of the eastern world.
Craving something different and outside of the box, I decided to check out the series in its second week: Bollywood Bhangra.
Hyde is an open room with a large bar in the center and intimate dance space opposite the entryway. The diagonally positioned DJ booth overlooks an oddly shaped, snuggly accommodating dance floor. On Friday night, one could barely penetrate the rambunctious group of jubilant dancers that extended nearly all the way around the bar. Jumping up and down was the norm; flailing arms and bum rushing shoulders was more than acceptable. The men:women ratio seemed to be in balance and not a single body was idle. It was filthy, sweaty hot (note to self: pin hair up off of neck next time) and a pleasing ethnic variety was present. This party of almost 500 people ranked close to “Let Go! at The Lockerbie” status due in part to friendly people, sultry dancing, and incomprehensible energy levels.
The only criticisms stem from displeasure with the venue, not the event itself. While Hyde’s downtown location feels like the most appropriate district in the city to host the party, the ostentatious club meets its target clientele with a strict dress code and pricey drinks. Beware of the discreet step lurking in the shadows of the bar’s western half; I never understood why bar owners put obstacles such as multiple-layer floors in their establishments. Nonetheless, even the smallest deviation of attention from one’s course of direction could result in an embarrassing, undesirable tumble.
There’s two more weeks left of the trial run of Cultural Cannibals at Hyde. From the looks of it, however, support is strong enough to warrant many more events of this nature in the future.
Club Hyde
10/01 — Tribute to Fela - Afrobeat, Funk & Soul
10/08 — Bob Marley Tribute - Classic Reggae, Dancehall & Funk
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Rock / Roots Review: Cara Jean Wahlers, "Goodnight Charlotte"
Posted by Rob Nichols on Sun, Sep 26, 2010 at 11:16 PM
- A stunningly beautiful set of quiet-yet-engaging songs...
It's a stunningly beautiful set of quiet-yet-engaging songs anchored by Wahler's in-you-ear vocals and Parido's achingly gorgeous sound. Whether his contribution is part of the background, or a solo that creeps from the background and engulfs the listener, his playing is pointed and pretty, soulful and satisfying.
The album is music for your head and your heart. Think "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" for the 2010's.
The opening song, "Chinatown," reveals the gifts both players bring. Wahlers is a cinematic writer who builds scenes in songs that a listener's mind can see. Rain on a face. Trinkets in a pocket. Throughout, Parido adds weight to chord changes, and slides forward when warranted.
Wahlers best moments come when she drops details on the listener.
On "Orange Blossom", she sings how "pine needles sting my bare feet."
On "California", she compares a love to AM radio, both "barely able to stay in tune".
On "Mark's On The Earth", she sings: "I am tired of trying to prove that I am beautiful, burning for you. I am tired of trying to prove that I am good enough - broken hearts can burn too"
Wahlers works inside a pleasing Joni Mitchell/Ricki Lee Jones/Emmylou Harris template - more West coast than rural - though a hint of Indiana in her voice helps anchor a sound more organic than shiny. Parido's piano visits regularly and then backs off. There's space in the album's soundscape for instruments to appear and then recede - a sympathetic mix that provides room for voice, piano, cello and Wahler's anchoring guitar work.
"Black Dog, "about falling in love with Steven and his dog, may be the best song on the album. And yes, Wahlers references the Led Zeppelin song near the end of her tune, supported by Parido's Zep-like lines.
Not sure if anyone will make a smarter, lovelier record in 2010. Wahlers and Parido have created an intelligent and gentle record, hearfelt and soulful in it's quiet beauty.
A Week of Concerts
Posted by Nick Selm on Sun, Sep 26, 2010 at 4:31 PM
Last week was a big week for concerts in Indianapolis. I ran up quite a bar tab, but it was worth it to drink along to some of my favorite tunes. Here’s a run down:
Tuesday 9/21: The Gaslight Anthem - After a modest warm-up by Floridian folk-rockers Fake Problems, Gaslight took the stage like true pros. The opened with their soon-to-be-classic “American Slang” and never slowed down. Their set list covered their whole career, but with little attention given to their 1997 debut, Sink or Swim. Highlights from the set included the slow and nostalgic “Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts” and the rowdy ode to dance parties “Say I Won’t (Recognize)”, both from their 1998 Señor and the Queen EP. Frontman Brian Fallon commanded the crowd like a seasoned veteran, with clever hip-shot banter from the stage and a charming smile. As the set came to an end, Fallon surprised the crowd with a punk-rock-n-roll cover of Tom Petty’s “American Girl”. It’s not everyday that I get to mosh to Tom Petty. Thank you Gaslight Anthem and come back soon!
- Brian Fallon: Giving Tom Petty a mosh pit makeover
Thursday 9/23: Built To Spill - I love Built To Spill, but for whatever reason, I never got around to seeing before last Thursday. After a torturous opening set from boring hipster-rockers Revolt Revolt, the wise old men of BTS calmly took their positions on the stage. Vocalist and guitarist Doug Martsch delivered every note perfectly and the band sounded beyond professional, but there was not a lot to watch other than Martsch’s spastic head movements as he sang. While the band played well, the songs they played we less than inspiring. Other than “Car” and “Big Dipper” from 1994’s There’s Nothing Wrong With Love and “You Were Right” and “Carry The Zero” from 1999’s Keep It Like A Secret, there were very few songs that tickled the crowd’s fancy. Hopefully they will shake it up a bit the next time they come through.
- Doug Martsch: Mid-head spasm
Saturday 9/25: Star Fucking Hipsters - After all the standing and staring I did at the Built To Spill show, I needed an excuse to move. NYC crust-rockers Star Fucking Hipsters were that very excuse. After a slew of predictable high school street punk bands, SFH congealed on the stage and and ripped into crusty selections from their two recent albums. At one point in the set, lead vocalist STZA, mentioned the local case of Officer Bisard drunkenly hitting and killing a motorcyclist. “Just because he got off free,” he said, “doesn’t mean you have to let him off the hook. His address is listed somewhere. Find out where he lives and got to his house. Send angry letters. Don’t let him get away with this.” The crowd cheered with delight to hear STZA’s opinion on our local issues, but they screamed with joy when the band ripped into the infectious “3000 Miles Away” and chanted along to it’s delightfully simple chorus of “L-I-V-E against brutality!”. It was one of the best shows ever at the E.S. Jungle. As long as the Piradical crew keeps booking shows like this, I’ll keep coming out.
