Reunited and it feels so good

New Year’s Eve is a time for remembering the past and anticipating the future. For Indiana’s music scene, 2008 should be very special, with new albums on the way from some of the state’s top talents: Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s, Mandy Marie and the Cool Hand Lukes, Everthus the Deadbeats and Arrah and the Ferns. But before fans forge into the new year, Dec. 31, 2007, will offer opportunities to reconnect with Indiana’s musical past, when many of NUVO’s “Where Are They Now” alumni reunite on stages around the city.

Three local reunion shows highlight the New Year’s Eve schedule, which includes the return of the Why Store for NUVO’s Rock ’N’ Roll Ball at the Hyatt Regency. Coming out of the Muncie scene in the late ’80s, the band found national success in 1995, releasing The Why Store on the MCA subsidiary Way Cool Music. Their single, “Lack of Water,” became a hit and earned them a performance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The band separated in 2000, with members moving on to solo projects.

This year, Why Store lead singer Chris Shaffer released Vim, his fourth post-breakup effort, which was originally sold in limited quantities around the city and on Shaffer’s Web site. Since then, though, the band has reformed, playing reunion shows around the country, and plans are underway to repackage Shaffer’s Vim as a national release under the Why Store moniker. Tickets for their performance can be purchased at www.bigcreekevents.com and range in price from $49 for general admission to $79 for the VIP package. Hyatt Regency room reservations can be made by calling 800-233-1234.

Locals Only continues the reunion theme with the return of The Latex Novelties and The Gizmos, with the younger Atomic Bombay also on the bill. The Latex Novelties, formed in 1978 as Indianapolis’ first punk band, have lived to see the re-release of their first album, A Girl’s Best Friend, recently selling out in Europe. Inspired by punk fans around the world that wanted to hear their music, some of the remaining members of the band reunited and brought in Justin Allen as their new singer.

Also performing at the Locals Only show are the Gizmos, a Bloomington punk band whose 1977 single, “Muff Diving,” hit No. 8 on the alternative music charts in London, four spots behind “White Riot” by the Clash. Lastly, Atomic Bombay is a musical project by Frankie Camaro, who has played guitar for Screaming Jay Hawkins and played shows with bands varying from the Beach Boys to the Flaming Lips. Admission for the Locals Only show is $15.

If there’s one place where you would expect to find reuniting punk bands in the city, it’s the Melody Inn. The bar will host its own Punk Rock New Year’s Eve with a show featuring Toxic Reasons and Acid Green. Toxic Reasons got their start in Dayton, Ohio, before bringing their punk sound to Indianapolis. When punk music evolved into new wave and hard rock, Toxic Reasons kept up with the changes, transforming into a hardcore punk band. The band has played with the likes of D.O.A., the Dead Kennedys and Black Flag. From 1988 until 2001, Acid Green brought their hybrid of garage rock and metal to the city, playing with bands such as the Jesus Lizard and Helmet. Rounding out the night are performances from the Crypto-Kats and the Fuglees. Advanced tickets can be purchased at the Melody Inn for $10 or for $12 the night of the show.

Can’t wait until New Year’s Eve to catch up with some of NUVO’s “Where Are They Now” alumni? If that’s the case, check out John Byrne, who’s sitting in with the Benders for several upcoming performances.

The Indiana music scene continues to grow, introducing new talent every year. New Year’s Eve 2007 is the perfect time to see some of the state’s top legendary bands that tilled the way for a new crop of Hoosier musicians. For more information about NUVO’s “Where Are They Now” cover story series, visit http://nuvo.net/wherearetheynow.