Popularity: 15% [?]

By: Julia Kazar

Shmalex, Joshy and Rawrb!, the members of the fun loving humorcore band Psychostick, are getting ready to wrap up their summer tour, but not before a stop at The Carriage House in Louisville.  The concert takes place this Saturday, July 31st.  Opening for the band is Look What I Did, a hardcore metal band from Nashville.  Get ready for a night of head banging and eardrum shattering music.

Psychostick

About a month ago I had the chance to talk to Rawrb! aka Rob Kersey, the band’s lead vocalist, about the tour and what Psychostick is currently working on.  “We recently released a few new songs that fans can purchase on iTunes, or through our website.  Other than, that touring has kept us pretty busy; we haven’t had a whole lot of time to think about anything else,” Rob tells me.

The show will feature songs off Psychostick’s two CDs; 2003’s We Couldn’t Think of a Title, and Sandwich, which was released last year.  We Couldn’t Think of a Title contains the bands über popular hit, “BEER!!!!!!,” an ode to the drink of choice for the band.  It is guaranteed to be played at some point this Saturday.

Even though Psychostick might seem like they have a harsh exterior, they are really all about just having a good time.  Their show on Saturday night will be no exception; be ready for a good time.  Doors open at 7, make sure you get there early so you don’t miss any of the fun.  Tickets are $10 in advance and $13 at the door.

Popularity: 16% [?]

By: Julia Kazar

The Goo Goo Dolls are getting ready to release their ninth studio album, which should be available by the end of August.  If you don’t want to wait that long to hear some new music from the band, you can download Waiting for the Rest of It from their website, or pick up the five song EP at one of their concerts this summer.

Aptly titled, Waiting for the Rest of It is a preview of their album containing four new songs and a live version of their 1998 smash hit “Broadway.”  The live version still sounds just as incredible as the original.

The first single off the upcoming album, which is called “Something For The Rest Of Us”, is a soft, sweet song titled “Home.”  It opens with some killer instrumentals, something that the Goo Goo Dolls haven’t really been known for in the past.  However, with the debut of this song maybe that will start to change.  Once John Rzeznik comes in with the vocals it sounds like classic Goo Goo Dolls.

Another song off the EP, “Now I Hear” was slightly disappointing unfortunately.  Instead of smooth melodic vocals that fans have come to expect from this band, the song is filled with whiney, screechy ones that just don’t fit well with the band.

Overall , this EP makes it that much harder to do just that, wait for the full length album to be released in late August.  If these four songs are any indication the rest of this album is going to be their best album in recent years.  Check out this rocking preview EP now, and then give the whole album a listen when it’s released next month.

Popularity: 29% [?]

By Mark C. Horn  

The last time the Black Keys played NE Ohio in November of 2009 it was at Musica in Akron as a tribute to artist friend, the late Alfred McMoore.  It was also just last year that Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney were working on solo projects and there were rumors of fallout.  The duo recovered, putting out a ground-breaking album called Blackroc.  But what of the Black Keys?

Speed ahead to 2010 and Auerbach and Carney have come home with their best album to date, Brothers, and nine consecutive weeks among the top 35 sellers on the Billboard Top 200 charts.  Their native Ohio fans were chomping at the bit to see them live.

So Saturday night, Akron’s favorite sons hit Cleveland’s Nautica stage before a sold-out crowd of 5,000-plus.  Despite its growing fame and fortune and playing on every major television talk show, the duo played as if they were auditioning for the favor of the crowd.  In others words, the Keys worked their asses off; as if they were on the assembly line at one of Akron’s long-gone rubber factories.

The show was highlighted by songs from the Black Keys new album, Brothers, recorded almost completely at the infamous Alabama Muscle Shoals Studios.  This more refined, soulful Delta Blues-laced album sounded polished on the outdoor venue’s big stage.

The band played in front of a backdrop of larger-than-life tire treads on the stage risers and a canvas of clenched black hands shaking in red, paying homage to both their Rubber City roots and to the new album, soulful statement.

The Keys opened the night with some oldies from previous releases including classic rock-blues album Thickfreakness.  Auerbach jammed, part Hendrix/ part Page, and played with retro riff appeal as Carney blasted his kit relentlessly, much like Bonham.

“Busted” came across with Auerbach playing in all his heavy low fuzz finest along with high-pitched licks, which have become one of Auerbach’s trademarks. Carney took center stage on “Chop and Change” where he literally beat his golden Ludwig set to death, but what a way to die. “Stack Shot Billy” was a highlight in terms of sheer volume and spot-on sound for both.

The crowd acknowledged the more widely-known “Your Touch” and “10 AM Automatic”, both of which recalled early-day Keys efforts, as the two used their two-man approach with a full sound of buzzsaw guitar and pounding drum drive.

It was almost too hard to believe, but halfway through, the duo was joined by accompanying musicians to help fill out the sounds of cuts from Brothers.  Auerbach and Carney opened the Brothers portion of the set with “Everlasting Love”, “Next Girl”, “Howling For You” and the first single, “Tighten Up” .

The additions of keyboardist Leon Michels and bass player Nick Movshon allowed Auerbach to focus more on his vocals and guitar playing and created a fuller, more powerful sound.  The bass complemented the bombast of Carney’s drums, which at times showed great restrained finesse, even playing his ride with a tambourine.

The further into the new material the band got, the more appreciative the teeming crowd got.  In fact, the audience was so mesmerized by the Keys accompaniment; they would have cheered if the band had played “Whip It”.

The Keys ended their regular set with “I Got Mine” and, by the time they had left the stage, there was no doubt that an encore was due.  After approximately five minutes, which seemed like eternity for Keys’ fans, the duo re-emerged and knocked out “Too Afraid to Love You”, “Sinister Kid” and “Til I Get My Way.”

The only part of the live set they have yet to master is interacting with the crowd sufficiently.  The few times Auerbach spoke to the audience it went bananas.  Imagine if he had gotten beyond hello and thank you.  But that is just not his style.

What the Keys do best is play unfettered, funky, rockin’ blues.  And on this sweltering night, the crowd and band were on the same page as brothers and sisters simply enjoyed no frills refreshing, cool grooves on a hot night.

Popularity: 9% [?]

By Mark C. Horn

It was a night of glam and slam on stage this past Wednesday as two of punk rock’s founding fathers showcased their new creation, Batusis, at the Beachland Ballroom.  Despite the deaths of Dolls greats Arthur Killer Kane and Johnny Thunders, and the Dead Boys’ Stiv Bators, the surviving leaders of those two bands are more than alive and kicking as they paid homage to their fallen comrades.

Legendary Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome and New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain showed why they are still rocking three-plus decades later.  The two were joined by onetime Cult drummer Lez Warner and Joan Jett bassist Sean Koos, performing a mixture of old punk classics along with all four songs from the debut Batusis release during a raucous hour-plus set.

Chrome, known for his buzz-saw guitar attacks and carrot-top appearance, looked even more menacing than the old days with his chrome dome, while Sylvain sported his funky hat and neckerchief with glam flare.  Most important, despite only having been touring for a few weeks, the set came off for the most part very tight despite a lackadaisical response from the audience.

From the Bastusis EP, Sylvain sang the more streetwise NY Doll-esque “What You Lack in Brains” while Chrome offered up vengeful vocals on “Bury You Alive”.  The other two EP cuts, both instrumentals (“Blues Theme” and “Big Cat Stomp”) gave the two guitarists the opportunity to spotlight their veteran guitar chops.

Sylvain also sang Dolls’ classics “Trash”, Jetyboy” and the Johnny Thunders’ “I Wanna Be Loved” and Chrome sang the punk anthem “Sonic Reducer”.  For an encore, the band performed the Batman Theme punk style where the birth of the Batusi dance began.

In all, Batusis is a formidable rock supergroup that has a wealth of old punk classics to pull from, and their upcoming debut full-length release should further that rebirth of raw, unbridled brash punk music.  They could most assuredly teach today’s alternative bands a thing or two.

Popularity: 14% [?]

By Mark C. Horn

Singer-guitar player Erika Wennerstrom and drummer Dave Colvin are no strangers to The Beachland Ballroom.

The two members of Heartless Bastards have played the familiar Cleveland venue as members of the Dayton group Shesus as well as with their current band of greater renown.

So the comfort level with which they and bass player Jesse Ebaugh, guitarist Mark Nathan and fiddle player Zy Orange Lyn hit the stage with was aptly familiar.  Wennerstrom strolled out onto the stage, sporting a mid-length, creme-colored business dress and rattle snake pumps.  How was she going to rock the house in that?

The answer was quite simply – she just did.

The Bastards played before a crowd of 250 and blazed through a 70-minute set which included a balanced offering from its three albums, Streets and Elevators, All The Time and The Mountain.

Not one to provide much banter in between numbers, Wennerstrom used her powerful and unique vocals to sway the crowd into  a fixed rock’n'roll hypnosis as she opened with the hard rocking “Done Got Old.”

The crowd favorites were all there, from the head-boppin “Out at Sea”, “Sway”, “Into the Open” and the trance-like “Nothing Feels the Same,” to the calming, more folksy sounds of “Be So Happy” and “So Quiet”.  The latter was enriched by fiddler Lyn’s melodic playing.  Wennerstrom pleaded with the electrified crowd to tone down so she could be heard on the ballads.  They complied and were treated to the softer side of this lady rocker known for her raw and powerful chops.

Additional key numbers were “Had To Go” a number that began slow and built to a frenzied crescendo and then back down.  “Hold Your Head High” and “All this Time” also followed.  It was on the Bastards’ third album title track “The Mountain”, most familiar with the teeming crowd, that many sang along with Wennerstrom as Ebaugh deftly played the song’s trademark slide.  The band encored with two numbers highlighted by “Runnin’”.

Heartless Bastards will more than likely be back after its next album is out, and if the show Thursday is a foreshadowing to that future date, even more familiar fans will know that this band comes ready to play all the time.

Two-piece Minneapolis band Peter Wolf Crier opened the night with a hard edge sound as can be expected from two.  However, it was second act, The Builders and The Butchers, who set the table for the Bastards with their unique American Gothic sound that quickly got the crowd’s attention.

Popularity: 9% [?]

By: Julia Kazar

On Saturday night, Barberton’s The Heights Band took the stage at The Backstage Concert Club in Akron for an amazing show.  According to their Facebook page, their motto is “rocking hard and loud” and they definitely lived up to it that night.  Before The Heights Band took the stage Tweaktronic and the Woovs both played, getting the crowd pumped up for the headliners to take the stage.

Made up of brothers Ryan and Dustin Dockery, Kyle Finley and Richie Levers, THB looks like a bunch of guys you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of, but in reality they are some of the nicest guys you could ever meet.  Throughout the show they constantly thanked everyone for coming out to see them, as well as their families and everyone else who has helped them achieve everything they have worked so hard for.  Everyone in the band was so humble and grateful for all the support they have gotten, both that night, and in the past.  Not what you would expect from these guys at all.

The Heights Band opened their show with a song called “Dirty Woman.” And from the screaming opening notes on the electric guitar it was clear that this show was going to rock.  Although most of the crowd was laid back and  relaxed while listening to the music,  a few people danced along to every song the band played.  They had a great time  and everyone else had a great time watching them.  As the night went on, they even got a few more people to come up and dance with them.

Later in the show the band played a song called “Surrender Your Penny”, which is a song about being able to have a good time even if you don’t have a lot of money.  The audience loved it.  Whether they had heard it before or not, by the end of it they were singing along.  It was another blisteringly loud song with indecipherable lyrics throughout most of it.  What really made it such a stand out song though is that there is a part where everyone in the band stops playing, and took a drink together with everyone in the audience.

Saturday night was a night of drinking, debauchery and rock music.  The Heights Band is, without a doubt, one of the most talented rock groups out there today and they are only going to keep getting better.  If you missed out on the incredible show, they are playing at The Northside on August 14th.  If you were one of the lucky people who were actually at the show, then you know just how talented these guys are.  They are definitely a band to watch.

Popularity: 5% [?]

By: Julia Kazar

Missouri based hard rock band Spelling Bee is coming to Pat’s in the Flats in Cleveland on Wednesday, July 28th.  Also performing that night are Teenage Grandpa, Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling and Trans-Atlas.  Be sure to get there early so you don’t miss any of the great music that night.  The show starts at 9:00, and tickets are just $6 each. 18 and over only please.

Photo Credit Cari Veach

Spelling Bee is a post-punk rock band that was formed a few years ago by Mabel Suen and Joseph Hess who worked together at a local radio station and were brought together by their mutual love of punk and experimental rock.  They have been making music together ever since.  This summer they have been touring all around the country to support their recently released debut CD Sweet Dreams, Strange Animal.  You can purchase it online at the band’s website and you have to hear just how crazy and unique this band sounds.   It is a collection of nine songs, each one more intriguing than the last.

Suen and Hess have taken experimental rock to the extreme with their music.  On many of their songs it’s hard to believe that it’s only two people making all that noise.  But incredibly, it really is just the two of them, banging and thrashing on their respective instruments.  Spelling Bee is a talented band that you should check out while you have the opportunity.  Who knows when the next time they will be in the area again will be.  So come on out to Pat’s in the Flats for this once in a lifetime show.  You will have the chance to hear some great rock music and you won’t be disappointed.

Popularity: 4% [?]

By: Julia Kazan

Local country/rock artists The Carter Twins, who come from the Hudson area, took the stage on Thursday night at Musica.  The show was a combination of the twin’s original songs and cover songs.  It’s impressive to think that these two guys who haven’t yet lived through two full decades have been able to accomplish so much and become so successful.  But they still have a long way to go.

The Carter Twins just released their debut EP, Carter Twins, at the end of last year.  The album includes their smash hit, “Heart Like Memphis”, a song that has gained them national attention.  At the show on Thursday they played this song, along with many others off their EP including another well known single, “So What.”  The video for this song has been on CMT frequently.

For two guys who are  just starting out in the music business they definitely show a lot of talent.  They just need to take a little time and hone it to perfection.  A lot of their songs are sung in exactly the same way, showing very little emotional range or feeling.  This was especially obvious when they covered the classic Tom Petty song “Free Falling.”  The original does such a great job of conveying that feeling of freedom after you break up with somebody you were never really meant to be with in the first place, but the twins sang it in a monotone, expressionless style.

That’s not to say that all the songs were disappointing.  Their cover of John Mellencamp’s “Small Town” was not only appropriate (coming from such a small town themselves) but was also one of the best songs of the night.  Josh and Zach even got the audience to help them sing it.  The whole band did a good job of making the song their own. They changed the classic song into a much more complex rock song.  It almost seemed like they were angry for being from a small town.  The crowd also had a lot of fun singing along with the band.

Another great song that The Carter Twins did was called “Nobody Does it Like You.”  Throughout the whole song, Josh’s guitar playing by was phenomenal.  Zach’s singing was also great but, once again, he just needed to show a little more emotion in his voice.

But if the twins need a little bit of work, the crowd didn’t seem to notice at all.  “The show is awesome and The Carter Twins are awesome,” Sally Armstrong said.  “I keep them on my iPod because their songs pump me up!”  And all night the whole crowd was pumped up, singing along with the songs and dancing; having a good time.  Even if everything isn’t quite perfect yet, The Carter Twins still put on a show that is not to be missed!

Popularity: 9% [?]

By Denver Collins

It’s a weekend of salty beats, thundering bass and new inventive music at Camp Bisco 2010, a three-day festival put on by Philadelphia jamtronic pioneers, The Disco Biscuits, near Mariaville, New York.

Capitalizing on the explosion of experimental rock-infused electronica that’s been evolving while redefining the festival scene over the past decade, Camp Bisco celebrates the fusion of hip hop, house trance, reggae and rock.  It’s also a chance for fans to experience new bands, new faces and new sounds in an ever-growing genre of live music.

The Disco Biscuits first put the festival together in 1999 for around 900 fans.  Since then, it has expanded tremendously, with 10,000 in 2009 and an estimated 15,000 fans this year.  With a powerhouse line-up of headliners, including LCD Soundsystem (on a worldwide tour to promote their new album This Is Happening), Girl Talk, Pretty Lights, Bassnectar, Theivery Corportion and Ween, Camp Bisco has become one of the summer’s best small festivals.

The big-name acts’ performances are delegated to two main stages, set up next to each other so that as soon as one act ends, the next is ready to rock.  In addition to the main stages, there are two smaller stages for less-known performers; a “local” stage set up just outside the main venue area for up-and-coming acts and a dance tent for more elecrtonic-oriented artists.  These areas allow fans to find out about new artists and experience different music.  The hidden gems at these stages are often some of the most memorable performances, heightened by their excitement of finding new fans and playing such a well-known festival.

One such group, C-Mon and Kypski, brought their funky dance-trance from the Netherlands to the Dance Tent.  They play drums, bass, guitar and keys over a variety of samples, sometimes hip-hop, sometimes Eastern European music that sounds like a mix between polka and Russian waltz.

“It’s called klezmer,” explains Simon Akkermans, aka C-Mon.  It’s a traditional Yiddish form of music, normally played by accordian, violin and piano, often used in wedding celebrations.  “When we came across it, we liked it so much we just started sampling it,” he says.  While it’s definitely different from what most in the audience are used to hearing, with C-Mon and Kyski’s fast beats and enthusiastic performance, the crowd is up and dancing.

“It’s no different than playing anywhere else,” C-mon says.  “Everyone is here to have a good time, and that’s what we try to do.”

But Camp Bisco is about more than just new music.  There is also an incredible amount of impressive artwork in many different disciplines.  Standard canvas paintings can be seen selling at various campsites and vendors’ tents, in addition to giant wooden boards placed around the venue allowing for eclectic spray-paint art from various artists.  And a new artist named Jumbie blew minds with his LED-backlit posters, a perfect complement to the technologically inspired music.

The posters are basically layered images put together in Photoshop, which takes Jumbie anywhere from 8 to 30 hours to make, “depending on how crazy I get with it,” he says.  Using a variety of colors, opacities and images, the posters are mosaics in which, when put under color-changing lighting, some parts disappear while others are highlighted, making the image seem to move and reshape itself into something different.

He discovered this talent by accident, actually.  About two years ago, he had designed some posters and wanted to show them to a friend.  He had no light, but had a color-changing glowstick and held it up to the poster.

“I was like ‘no way, man.’  I’ve eaten a lot of drugs in my day, but there’s nothing in the world that can make the words disappear off the page,” he says.  His new kind of art mixed with software and electronics is exactly the type of technological innovation that is one of the the truly alluring aspects of Camp Bisco.

Among the art, music, mud and beer, the fans at Bisco are pleased overall.  There were a few snafus, however.  Wu Massacre came on late after Ghostface Killah neglected to show up, and Break Science with Talib Kweli and Dave Murphy also came late, switching slots with SOJA and then only playing for about a half-hour.  Rain and lightening delays kept Girl Talk and The Disco Biscuits from playing their final sets on Saturday night, but eventually the clouds parted and the crowds partied to some late-night jams.  With solid sets by Bassnectar, LCD Soundsystem, Ween and everyone else, the fans left satisfied with ringing ears, sore feet and raised expectations for Camp Bisco 2011.

Popularity: 13% [?]