FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Three years ago, the Barfly cartoon by Wayne Bertsch began appearing in the pages of NUVO Newsweekly. After drawing nearly 150 strips reviewing local music, Bertsch, in conjunction with Birdy’s Bar and Grill, has put together the second annual showcase of live music hand picked by ‘Barfly’ as a sampling of the best live music Indy has to offer. The May 20th multi-genre show begins at 9:30 pm and boasts a diverse lineup that includes Indy’s best rock, pop, country and soulful blues.

Bertsch’s Barfly strip was born three years ago after drawing a band flyer for local blues rock cover band Karen and The Beast. The strip was reprinted in NUVO Newsweekly and soon became a regular feature of its music section. The strip is available every Wednesday in NUVO as well as online at its website NUVO.net. Barfly strips have also appeared occasionally at Indianapolismusic.net.

The line up for the May 20th show consists of five bands:

STEREO DELUXE: Indy's Best Power-Pop band: This tight four-piece seemed to come out of nowhere to run away with the $10,000 cash prize as winners of last year’s Indianapolis Battle of the Bands. Their recently released debut disc is a wonderful collection of toe-tapping tunes that are impossible to get out of your head after even a passing listen.
VIEW STEREO DELUXE BARFLY COMIC HERE

EMERSON ROSE: Indy's Best Rockers: Forget alt-rock, forget emo rock--these guys play good, straight for the jugular rock and roll. Andrew Bean is easily one of the most charismatic frontmen who treats every stage like it’s a sellout show at Madison Square Garden. If you miss the days when Guns and Roses and the Black Crowes ruled the airwaves, this will be your favorite new act.
VIEW EMERSON ROSE BARFLY COMIC HERE

THE ROUNDUPS: Indy’s Best Country/Western swing: If names like Spade Cooley and Tex Williams mean anything to you, then you might understand why the music of The Roundups is nothing like you’ll ever hear at a Toby Keith concert. They harken back to the days when country music hadn’t given birth to rock and roll but was about nine months pregnant.

ORIGINAL STATE OF MIND: BEST GROOVE BAND: Original State of Mind are hard to categorize. They’re known for a hip and positive groove but without any of the annoying improvisation of a jam band. They’re wholly danceable without sounding contrived or pre-programmed. They fall some place between Sublime and Urban Dance Squad with a touch of Michael Frente thrown in for good measure.

View BARFLY Original STate of Mind Comic here

JESSICA BENGE BAND: BEST PIPES: Opening for a great blues mama like Susan Tedeschi would be a tall order for any vocalist, but the golden pipes of Jessica Benge were perfectly suited to the task. Her strong but velvety voice will surely raise comparisons to Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt and Tedeschi herself. Make no mistake--Benge is one of the best pure vocalists in the city.

Contact information:
Wayne Bertsch
317 696 9751
Email at wayniac5@comcast.net

Birdy’s Bar and Grill, 2131 E. 71st St., Indpls, IN  46220, (317) 254-8971
http://www.birdyslive.com

Artwork Available at the NUVO BARFLY ARCHIVE:
http://www.nuvo.net/music/barfly_archive/

Feel free to reprint in whole or part for promotional and informational purposes but include the legal line:

Copyright Wayne Bertsch and NUVO Newsweekly 2005

Posted by wayneb at March 28, 2006 09:58 PM