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‘Free Zone’ MMS Best Bets

The Midwest Music Summit is a unique opportunity to see and hear a great many bands that normally might pass right through Indianapolis, and certainly (outside of The Free Zone) wouldn’t garner radio support. The Free Zone hosts Chandler and Rob G. have laid out a few of the more interesting bands to help optimize your MMS experience.

 
Creepin’ Charley & the Boneyard Orchestra
Thursday, August 12 @ The Alley Cat, 7:40 pm

Songwriter Shelby Kelley, under his pseudonym Creepin’ Charley, is poised to turn heads around town. Despite never having played a live show, he’s released an EP on CD and 7” vinyl. Now he’s assembled a live band, horn section in tow, to bring his Tom Waits-flavored dark humor to the stage. Other acts include The Hushdrops, Extra Blue Kind, and The Swell.

The Pleasure Technicians
Thursday, August 12 @ The Red Room, 10:15 pm

I’ve only heard one track from this Philadelphia band, but it was intriguing. The band Radiohead keeps coming up in relation to these guys, and I can see that, yet they seem to bring up a dreamier and dancier vibe.

Archer Prewitt
Thursday, August 12 @ The Vogue, 11:00 pm

Archer Prewitt is one of the busiest musicians in Chicago. He’s a full-time member of The Sea and Cake, was a member of the avant-jazz ensemble The Coctails, and has an impressive discography of solo releases. His mellow, tightly written pop songs and his laid back delivery are reminiscent of Elvis Costello and The Smiths, but his body of work stands on its own. Also appearing are Rhymefest, The Pieces, Brando, Chevy Downs, and Courtney Kaiser.

Jes Valentine
Thursday, August 12 @ Cath Coffeehouse, 5:30 pm

Singer/songwriter Jes Valentine is a vet of the local coffee house scene. Over the years, she’s moved from poetry readings to displaying her own music which is folky at its base but also incorporates elements of classic R&B and jazz. Jes plays the guitar like a drum at times, giving her music a more percussive sound than you’d normally expect.

BR549
Friday, August 13 @ Birdy’s, 12:00 am

Since 1996, Nashville’s BR549 have been bearing the torch for classic bluegrass and country. They’re back to an indie after several albums on Arista, but they haven’t lost the twang and sense of humor that has made them a standout country act. Hopefully they’ll mix in some classics like “18 Wheels and a Crowbar” or “Too Lazy to Work, Too Nervous to Steal” with songs from their latest album Tangled in the Pines. Other bands include Otis Gibbs Band, Blueprint Music, The Vulgar Boatmen, and Sindacato.

Ice Nine
Friday, August 13 @ The Emerson Theater, 10:15 pm

Hardcore fans and other curious onlookers won’t want to miss this one-time-only reunion of one of the most influential hardcore bands of the 1990s. Over their brief career, they released a scant few 7” singles and EPs, but their reach was enormous, with members going on to prominence in bands like Burn it Down, Time in Malta, and The Dream is Dead. Also appearing for this Happy Couples Never Last showcase are Phoenix Bodies, Angelville, The Dream is Dead, and About the Fire.

Songwriters in the Round
Friday, August 13 @ The Jazz Kitchen, 7:30 pm

A group of Indianapolis songwriters who have received much-warranted national acclaim for their talents come together for an intimate performance. The musical resumes of these young musicians are staggering. Vess Ruhtenberg (The Pieces, United States Three, The Lemonheads, Zero Boys), Otis Gibbs, Heidi Gluck (The Pieces, Juliana Hatfield & Some Girls), Tim Jones (Old Pike), and Tad Armstrong sit down and lay their songs bare and in the round.

VHS or Beta
Friday, August 13 @ The Patio, 6:10 pm

Recently signed to a major label deal with Astralwerks, Louisville’s VHS or Beta make their third Indianapolis stop in as many years. Their cool, detached, disco-flavored party funk is equal parts sexy and sinewy. Tours with The Von Bondies and Secret Machines have brought their booty-shaking mix of electronic and organic to the masses. Other acts include The Slurs, Courtney Kaiser, Robbers on High Street, Ambulance LTD, Manishevitz, Elefant, and The Sights.

Villebillies
Friday, August 13 @ The Monkey’s Tale, 12:15 pm

Bluegrass and hip-hop, together at last. If you can picture D12 proudly coming from Kentucky and featuring a band, you’d be in the ballpark for what to expect from the Villebillies. These guys have shared the stage with Busta Rhymes and DJ Green Lantern and should put on an interesting show.

Manishevitz
Friday, August 13 @ The Patio, 11:35 pm

Manishevitz are a total anomaly in the indie rock world: they write smart, tightly wound danceable pop songs that come off like a modernized pairing of David Bowie and Mick Ronson, or a less pretentious Elvis Costello. Besides, any band that brings tenor saxophone and flute as part of their regular touring instrumentation is bound to at least be interesting. This bookish Chicago quintet calls Bloomington’s Secretly Canadian Records home.

Calvin Johnson aka Selector Dub Narcotic
Friday, August 13 @ The Red Room, 11:00 pm

Johnson, who is one of the true legends of American underground music, is not only sitting in on a panel discussion, but is also bringing his records and will be spinning for your dancing enjoyment. Sure to feature an eclectic mix of funk, soul, hip-hop and rock, this will be the place to get your groove on all night long.

The Explosion
Saturday, August 14 @ The Patio, 12:00 am

Those who think the musical contributions of Boston, MA, stopped with Aerosmith are in for a rude awakening, as The Explosion bring their art-damaged punk to The Patio. Their hyper-intelligent and spastic noise-punk is sure to turn heads as it disregards all conventions of what punk ought to be. Other bands include Loretta, Hero Pattern, and Miranda Sound.

Indie Labels—Grassroots and Cutting Edge Industry Panel
Friday, August 13 @ Glendale Mall, 2:00 pm

Those in the know will sit in on this panel discussion which includes indie rock heavyweights Slim Moon (owner of Kill Rock Stars Records) and Calvin Johnson (owner of K Records). In addition to these two panelists, responsible for releasing influential and highly regarded music from the 1990s to the present—including Sleater-Kinney, Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, Beat Happening, Unwound, The Make-Up, Dub Narcotic, John Wilkes Booze, and many more—there will be representatives from other labels including Secretly Canadian, Happy Couples Never Last, and Bloodshot. Discussion will center on how indie labels differ from majors, what indies look for in signing bands, and the advantages of signing to an independent label. This is a unique opportunity for music fans to get a view into the machinations and politics of the independent music industry.

Licensing Your Music in Film, TV and Video Games
Saturday, August 14 @ Glendale Mall, 2:00 pm

As sales of music are constantly changing, one thing seems to be certain; people are still going to see movies, buy DVDs, watch TV and play video games. Licensed music has become a huge part of these experiences and smart musicians are realizing licensing their music is not just a good promotional tool but a source of potential income. Anyone serious about making a career in music should check this panel discussion out.