The 'Product'

The upcoming week looks like a great one for live music, if you don't mind traffic and crowds. There's the Black Crowes show at Carb Day, WRZX's May Day and the bar crawl coming up. It's also a time for more experimental stuff, too. On Friday at Radio Radio, Blue Background will perform. According to Roni over at RR, "If Lisa Loeb formed a band called Lisa Loeb and the Loebetters, it might sound something like Blue Background ... Blue Background specializes in pure hook-laden, multilayered, insanely catchy pop." Arminta and Blaq Lily will also perform.

On the following night, when chuckleheads will be asking ugly women on 16th Street to display their breasts, Radio Radio will present a cultured evening of avant-electronica featuring Bloodwire and Hungry Lucy. Straddling the lines between goth and pop, both bands are challenging and adventurous.

The venue of choice on the Eastside, Zanies Too, has announced its June schedule, and make sure you're there June 24-25 when the renowned Vulgar Boatmen show up to record a long, long overdue live CD. Cover is a paltry $2.

The kings of local metal, Seven Degrees From Center, have two upcoming shows. They'll be at their palace, the Emerson, as part of SPIL's farewell show on June 4. On June 11, they'll play the Patio with Shadeland, Re:Vera and the great The Nancy School.

IndianapolisMusic.Net's Matt Fecher, the music scene's equivalent of Hugh Hefner, has a new column on his Web site that has the city abuzz. He dishes and dishes like a 72-ounce bottle of Joy. Future columns promise to be even more controversial. Check it out.

The Hillbilly Happy Hour is celebrating its third anniversary June 3 at the Melody Inn from 7 p.m. to midnight. New bands with former Drunken Deacons members will be performing as well as singer-songwriters. The lineup of the evening is The Tumbleweeds, The Punkin Holler Boys, Deacon Sean & The Snake Handlers, The Round-ups, Jethro Easyfields, Rev. J. James and Tom Glasel, Ed Rose, Jason Fickle and ManSuper.

The June 10 performance of the Black Eyed Peas at the Lawn at White River State Park has, unfortunately, been cancelled. All tickets will be refunded in full at the point of purchase.

The Music Mill has announced several excellent shows. The Spin Doctors will perform on Wednesday, July 20. Tickets are $16 in advance and go on sale Friday at noon. Tegan & Sara will play Saturday, July 23. Tickets are $15 in advance.

"We listened to you!" said inTake poobah James "C. Montgomery" Burnes at the launch of his corporately-owned, fueled-by-slave-labor newspaper's concert series last week. "You wanted to see more nightlife, and we've improved the Product with it!!!"

Byproduct, that is, with plenty of bone meal, artificial flavoring and hydrolized meat protein for added texture. Indianapolis is not a Product waiting to be marketed, it's a community of individuals. NUVO is and has always been about championing the underdogs and unusual angles, not meaningless lists and Muppet-sized columnists. Sorry. Had to get that off my size 54 chest.