Much lighter week this week than the last couple, but that's no bad thing and there are still a few things I'd suggest no one reading this miss. Linchpin of the week for me is Blackheart Fest, a three day tribute to the very much missed Joey Moore who passed away a few months ago; details as the weekend hits.
October 14, 2014
Dayna Kurtz; Natalie's Coal Fired Pizza, 5601 N. High St. Dayna Kurtz first hit my radar when she and Mamie Minch teamed up to release a tribute EP to the great Hazel Dickens, the feminist bluegrass poet of sweat and struggle. After being blown away by that, in both audacity and execution, I checked out her other records and was fully in. Kurtz finds new shadings in the oft-traversed borderline of folk and jazz singing. On her originals, she deploys a thick, sultry voice and a gimlet lyrical eye that recalls Joni Mitchell and Richard Thompson at their most cynical and even a little Dorothy Parker. On her Secret Canon covers records, she draws lines from one of my favorite doo wop songs, "Don't Fuck Around With Love" (anyone who ever shared a barstool with me at the Lakeside Lounge - RIP - has heard this echoing through our whiskeys) through Nat King Cole's "If Yesterday Could Only Be Tomorrow" and Abbey Lincoln's "Take Me in Your Arms" to Eddie Bo's "So Glad." This should be another home run for Alec Wightman's Zeppelin Productions. Starts at 8pm. $20 tickets available here.
October 15, 2014
Tim Carroll & Midnight Orange; Natalie's Coal Fired Pizza, 5601 N. High St. The other preeminent Americana booker in town, Bob Teague, brings legendary songwriter and guitarist Tim Carroll to Natalie's with his new rhythm section of Bones Hillman from Midnight Oil on bass and Steve Latanation from Th' Legendary Shack Shakers and a later lineup of Agent Orange on drums. Carroll's sandpaper voice and slashing guitar traverse Bo Diddley and Luther Perkins through Curtis Mayfield and Jimmy Nolen, and the songs stab you in the heart. Those songs have been covered by no less than Todd Snider, John Prine, and Duane Jarvis. He's written with greats like Bobby Bare, Jr. and his wife Elizabeth Cook. They've been played by bands as wide-ranging as The Dicks, Sick of it All, and Asleep at the Wheel. He even got one of two positive shout outs on Robbie Fulks' acid tribute to Nashville, "Fuck This Town." If you care about American song and you're not still nursing your liver and lights from the night before, don't miss this. Starts at 8pm. $10 tickets available here.
October 16, 2014
OBN IIIs; Ace of Cups, 2617 N. High St. OBNIIIs are probably my favorite band I ever discovered at a Gonerfest and if you've talked to me for more than five minutes you know that's saying something. Orville Neeley, who came through town recently with his trio Bad Sports in one of my favorite shows so far this year, leads this five-piece that lets him explore textures and let loose in ways his myriad other bands don't quite. Their third album, Third Time to Harm, goes to a heavier riff-oriented place and also a sexier, sultrier groove, conjuring the MC5 and Cheap Trick and Deep Purple and even early Alice Cooper Band, but don't be confused - it still has the raging energy of the earlier more Dictators-flavored work, that energy is just coiled tighter... or held in a fist. He's one of the best frontmen I've ever seen, and this should be seen any time they deign to leave Texas and cross the heartland. Miss this at your peril. Locals Turquoise Feeling open. Doors at 9pm. $5 cover.
Entrance Band with Juan Wauters and PC Worship; Double Happiness, 482 S. Front St. Guy Blakeslee's psych band Entrance (whose current lineup also features Paz Lenchantin) hits me a little unevenly but the high points are very high, justifying their touring with heavyweights like Spiritualized and Sonic Youth, and Double Happiness is the perfect venue to come out and get your third eye washed. Also, this is a really stacked bill, with a pair of NYC bands opening - Juan Wauters from The Beets bringing his cracked pop songs, and PC Worship, who are destroying right now with bursts of ferocious free-jazz noise submerged in drugged-out punk drones and krautrock beats. Starts at 8pm. $8 cover.
October 17, 2014
We Used to Drink Together Records party; Tree Bar, 887 Chambers Rd. Local songwriter/band leader/bon vivant Sean Woosley is putting out a compilation titled We Used to Drink Together and this is a preview show to raise funds. It's stacked with things you should see if you've got any interest in local rock and roll, from opening with a rare set from legendary Columbus songstress Jenny Mae at 9:30 to closing with Dan Spurgeon from Greenhorn's current project Bush League All Stars at midnight, including Chris Hughes from Salvage, Total Foxx with Dave and Melanie Holm, Jeff Clowdus, and Ed Mann, and St Louis's ferocious two-piece Bruiser Queen all providing the creamy filling in the middle. Doors at 9:00pm. $5 cover.
Lo-Pan record release; Ace of Cups, 2617 N. High St. Lo-Pan have been raking in well-deserved praise and this record release should serve as a victory lap and a preview of the next level they're about to take it to. With every album the grooves get thicker, the riffs get stickier, and the howl gets more intense, and I see no reason to expect this to not continue the trend. Two of Columbus's finest proponents of the intersection between a heavy stomp and a sexy grind open, low-end instrumentalists Bridesmaid and psych-tinged Brujas del Sol, along with Brooklyn's Black Black Black. Doors at 9pm. $5 cover.
Blackheart Fest; Cafe Bourbon St, 2216 Summit St. One of my favorite things is when Columbus pulls together for a common good, and this tribute to one of our own, Joey Moore, should be both a sad occasion and one of the most riotous celebrations of life we've seen all year. Highlights for me are below. Beyond what I specifically give a sentence to, there are plenty of bands I'm not familiar with yet I'm looking to get my mind blown by, so check the whole schedule at https://www.facebook.com/events/1463413990595003/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular and see as much of this over the three days as you can. Starts at 8pm. $5 cover. Proceeds go towards efforts to reduce the cultural stigma surrounding addiction and getting help and resources to those who desperately need it.
- 11pm - Sophomore - This is the new project from Emily Allen of The Means, Estee Louder, The Vultures, and The Bloody Matt Dillons, so it automatically moves to the top of my list as something to check out.
- 1am - Estee Louder - Anyone who said "you can't go home again" (that's right, Tom Wolfe, I'm looking at you, motherfucker) hasn't had their head bashed in by the fantastic reunited Estee Louder, back after an almost 10-year hiatus with original members Ray Johnson singing, Annie Lightbrown-Wolfe on drums, Emily Allen on bass, and new recruit Mickey Marie from Nervosas on guitar, who is the equivalent of adding extra fingers to a fist. I can't think of another example of a band coming back after that long a period of inactivity and rocking me this hard.
- Midnight - Dead Girlfriends - Eleanor Sinacola from Carson Drew (sister of Jessica Wabbit of The Girls! and Lydia Loveless) fronts a band that's maybe closest to Carson Drew's sound: narcotized, torchy, mean punk. Songs cut down to the bone and delivered with a howl and big drums that will haunt you for days.
Blackheart Fest; Cafe Bourbon St, 2216 Summit St., and The Summit, 2210 Summit St. One of my favorite things is when Columbus pulls together for a common good, and this tribute to one of our own, Joey Moore, should be both a sad occasion and one of the most riotous celebrations of life we've seen all year. Highlights for me are below. Beyond what I specifically give a sentence to, there are plenty of bands I'm not familiar with yet I'm looking to get my mind blown by, so check the whole schedule at https://www.facebook.com/events/1463413990595003/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular and see as much of this over the three days as you can. Starts at 2pm. $7 cover for all day and all night in both sides. Proceeds go towards efforts to reduce the cultural stigma surrounding addiction and getting help and resources to those who desperately need it.
- Cafe Bourbon Street side:
- 2pm - The Gallows - Joey's first band in Columbus reunited, they flew under the radar of a lot of people in town (including, I'm sorry to say, me for much of their existence). It's fitting that this is opening the biggest day of Blackheart fest, and even if you don't know the history it's a chance to get acquainted with some of the best pop-punk songs anyone ever wrote in town.
- 8pm - Messrs - One of the noisier elements of the fest, Bo Davis's side project should bed a fuzzy palate cleanser before the night starts in earnest.
- 9:30pm - Senor Citizen and the Border Patrol - Aleks Shaulov's current band is a bracing blast of straight-up punk rock and always worth checking out.
- 11pm - Nervosas - Maybe the best band in town, this trio of Mickey Marie, Jeff Kleinman, and Nick Schuld takes elements of The Cramps and Wire and and The Wipers and X and combines them into something that always feels completely new and fresh.
- The Summit side:
- 7:15pm - Drift Mouth - I've raved about this band in this space plenty, but we're late enough in the year that I'm confident calling this my favorite new band. Snarling, narcotized country, with a riveting frontman in Lou Poster and a collection of all-stars backing him. Somehow this band always finds new shades of brown and makes everything else that day fall away for the duration of their set.
- 8:45pm - The Hexers - Always in contention for the best band in town, The Hexers have really grown into their new two-guitar configuration, and their girl group-styled dances and stomps with some of the best hooks in town are not to be missed. If you don't see The Hexers, years from now your friends will be calling you an idiot.
- 10:15pm - The Girls! - The band Moore, for whom this tribute is taking place, was most recently in. Some of the best songs in town, one of the most exciting stage shows, the new lead guitarist coming into his own - it's triumphant seeing them back in full fighting form.
- 11:45pm - Pink Reason - A rare reunion of one of my favorite local bands, who have been through so many iterations and lineups that I'm not sure what we're getting this time, but I can guarantee I'll be in front checking it out.
Tonos Triad; Natalie's Coal-Fired Pizza, 5601 N. High St. Natalie's Sunday afternoon shows find ways to present interesting music that also isn't overpowering people at brunch. I'm willing to bet good money I'll need some hair of the dog and coal-fired pizza after the good-time marathon on Saturday, which dovetails with an appearance by Indy's Tonos Triad. They say they're influenced by John Zorn, Tin Hat Trio, and Tom Waits, so this trio of guitar, bass, and accordion/mandolin should be right in my hungover wheelhouse. Starts at noon. Free.
Blackheart Fest; Used Kids Record, 1980 N. High St. One of my favorite things is when Columbus pulls together for a common good, and this tribute to one of our own, Joey Moore, should be both a sad occasion and one of the most riotous celebrations of life we've seen all year. Highlights for me are below. Beyond what I specifically give a sentence to, there are plenty of bands I'm not familiar with yet I'm looking to get my mind blown by, so check the whole schedule at https://www.facebook.com/events/1463413990595003/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular and see as much of this over the three days as you can. Starts at 1pm. Free, but donations are encouraged. Proceeds go towards efforts to reduce the cultural stigma surrounding addiction and getting help and resources to those who desperately need it.
- 2pm - The Sin Shouters - I just saw them last week and it was like a raunchy tent revival dance party. A look back at every good, greasy, jukejoint genre, with vocals that feel unstuck in time in all the best ways.
- 3pm - Day Creeper - Long one of my favorite bands in town, they've synthesized their Jam fandom with frontman Aaron Troyer's rootsier tendencies into something that feels new and vital.
- 4pm - Washington Beach Bums - If this is anything like the show I saw last Saturday, Washington Beach Bums are back to basics with sets of winking short classic punk rock about partying that made them Columbus's sweethearts.
- 5pm - Gamma World - I'm really glad they're closing the day show with something at a right angle from everything before, Jeff Kleinman's awesome damaged electronic project. Because Columbus doesn't know just one dance.
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