Ed. Note: This article first appeared in the Summer 2010 Youngstown Pulse. By B.J. LISKO Youngstown Pulse Magazine Editor If you are 30 years old or younger, you haven't seen as many local shows as Chris "Piggy" Williams. If you are 35 years old or younger, you still haven't seen as many shows as Piggy. I'd be willing to bet most anyone all the way up to the age of 50 hasn't seen as many Youngstown-area gigs as Piggy has. You really should know Piggy. If you don't, you should surely recognize him. And if you still don't, you're obviously about to. Piggy is the Pabst poster boy for a reaso...
The 60’s was a feel-good decade. Free love, drum circles and flower power defined the era. Rock took a new turn down an alley of easy listening, something you could lay in the grass and listen to out of your hippie van stereo. The Buffalo Killers have used this 60’s rock influence in their music, especially in their latest release “3.” “Circle Day” uses trippy, harmonic lyrics saying “Come on baby let down your hair/Have a wild one/Dance to the band ‘til the set is done.” If that isn’t reminiscent of the hippie-era, what is? This music just makes you want to nod your h...
Stoner doom rock monsters Electric Lucifer will be at the Grog Shop August 4th. Be prepared to reach the netherworld through the wall of fuzzed guitar and thundering drums. 8/4 Grog Shop • Cleveland Hts. ...
On August 6, the Auricle is hosting a benefit for Brian Hudson. Hudson was involved in a car accident in June, and he suffered injuries including a severed spine and a broken back. The 27 year old was in the intensive care unit for three weeks before he was able to eat and breathe on his own. He will never walk again, but the money that is made from this show will help with recovery down the road. Mr. Gnome is headlining the benefit along with minimalist folk rocker Jaybird Goody and folkies duo Zen and Jane. The benefit is being put together by friends and family of Hudson. Mr. Gnome s...
This Michigan act plays a thrashy style of punk rock with spastic drums and wild screams. As the name implies, they have a pretty light-hearted sense of humor. Their show at Lakewood's Spitfire Saloon promises to be a booze-fueled rager. 8/12 Spitfire Saloon • Cleveland ...
This Akron trio plays a laid back blues with a heavy does of jam band ethics. Though they claim that they aren't jamming aimlessly, but spinning their own delicious web of soulfully eclectic, jazz-infused, progressive blues, Guitarist Dave Hammer and bassists Matt DeRubertis met in a Jazz guitar theory class at the University of Akron. They both realized they were outcasts from the Jazz heads that surrounded them, inevitable pairing the two. Chris Baker later joined the band on drums and now you know the REST of the story. ...
Not a concert for a “Twilight” fan, but if you like the idea of things that go bump in the night, this punk band is definitely one to check out. With songs titled “House on Haunted Hill” and “Salem’s Lot,” and Mr. Hyde on guitar and Doomsday on drums expect a horror homage. Not for the faint of heart. ...
Love, finding yourself and heartache are the topics of Across the Viaduct’s new album, Reconciling the Revival. This indie-pop band from Stark Country has created a good fusion of songs in this collection. Some tracks are slow and heartfelt such as “Fallen” while others, like “The Revival,” make you helplessly tap your toes to the beat. It’s hard to pinpoint the similarities between this band and others because you can tell they pull from many different inspirations. Some of their songs have the essence of a Yelllowcard throwback while the vocals in “Always Young” sound a li...
The Dead Records are young, intense and seriously rocking. Composed of Aaron Taylor (vocals, guitar), Chad Briner (guitar), Will Magley (bass) and Sean Richardson (drums), Fort Wayne, Ind.-based The Dead Records sound like a cross between The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady. They’ll be playing the Buzzbin First Friday Concert on July 1 with Maid Myriad. We talked to Richardson, who gave us the lowdown on what moves these earnest guys. The Dead Records is an interesting name. What’s the story behind it? The name of the band came from the belief that with the increase in digital te...
Have you ever sat down and wondered what it would be like to be a Viking, leading your hordes to new lands to conquer? No? I’m the only one? Oh… well, ahem. Anyways, Amon Amarth makes me feel like I’m finally achieving my life’s goal. Play their album Surtur Rising once through and it’s got the perfect recipe for metal – heavy guitars, killer drums and one of the best growls ever. The sound alone sets you into this fantasy world of pillaging and danger. But then you listen to the lyrics (or in my case, look them up on the internet) and it’s a totally different experience. T...
Another interesting show to check out this month is Talk Normal at Pat’s in the Flats. Talk Normal is an experimental duo (often described as no-wave although they dispute that) from NYC consisting of a two women; one on guitar/bass, one on drums and both singing. Both are sound trained sound engineers and create more sound than you would expect. ...
Indiana glam band Black Jet Radio has been described as “Blondie meets the New York Dolls... with Cabaret inspired vocals, fuzz guitars, pulsing drums, driving bass and a touch of Lowry organs.” Add the band’s 3 to 1 female to male ratio and the PBR-swilling goodness of Annabell’s and you have a winner. ...
Hardcore lost one of its greatest bands in 2006 with the demise of Akron’s Don Austin, a quintet that rocked the local scene for over seven years. Singer Larry Gargus, who also fronted some the of the best damn hardcore bands in Northeast Ohio over the last two decades (Splinter, The Unholy Three), recently announced that Don Austin would reunite for two shows in May. Buzzbin Magazine briefly caught up with Gargus to discuss the upcoming shows. What has been going on with the members of Don Austin since your split in 2006? Sean (Spindler, drums) had moved to LA, which prompted the...
After a near fatal accident in January 2011, Akron’s The Taxidermy Special is on its way to being alive and well as a band. The hospitalization of drummer Joe McGee motivated the other members to remain active as a group and bring people together. Both Benjamin Patrick and Will Cardina alternate between guitar, bass and vocals, as Ben’s brother, Logan, acts as a temporary fill-in on drums. “In a way, we cheated death,” Ben said. “The experience brought us closer as a band.” McGee and Cardina have played together since early high school—McGee being the only drummer Cardina...
The All Good Festival is alive and kicking in the gorgeous scenic mountains outside of Masontown, West Virginia. Just south of the Mason-Dixon, the people are laid-back and mild mannered, yet still know how to throw down for a great time. The festival is truly unique in that the audience has grown tremendously over time (an estimated 25,000 in attendence this year) yet it still retains its small, community-like atmosphere. It's an eclectic four-day celebration of music, with artists from all over the board; from bluegrass to rock, from funk to reggae, electronica and everything in b...
The rising young, soulful group The Woovs might just put Barberton on the map. They've been making great music since 2006, when life-long friends and Barberton natives Adam Lengyel and Bryan Delauder got together with Kevin Hamric to play the open mic circuit, starting out as an all-acoustic double-guitar and keys ensemble. After gaining some attention, they began playing their own gigs and added a bass guitar and drums. With the addition of Jay Price on bass and Dave Dibello on drums, the band is in full force, garnering a solid fanbase and turning heads in the process. They now tour a...
Feeling irie? Carlos Jones and the PLUS Band are playing in Cleveland at Brothers Lounge on Friday at 9:30. Jones, who has a long history in Cleveland reggae, started out playing with I-Tal in the 70s, until he became frontman for rock/reggae group First Light for 14 years. Now he heads up the PLUS (Peace Love Unity Syndicate) Band, bringing Carribean rhythms and a positive message to the city of Cleveland. Other members of the PLUS Band include Will Douglas on drums, Cholly O on bass, Dan Shramo on lead guitar and vocals, Peter Platten on keys and vocals, Roy Isaacs on percussion...
By E.M. Serensky On Tuesday, June 15th, Wakey! Wakey!, the New York City based indie rock/pop band will be gracing the House of Blues in the Cambridge Room. They will be joined by the Spring Standards, an up and coming group with a lot of soul. Wakey! Wakey! consists of Mike Grubbs on lead vocals & piano, Anne Lieberwith on bass, Tanya Buziak on backing vocals, Patrick Doane on violin, and Max Tucker on drums. Together these individuals merge to create an ensemble that overflows with fun, dynamics, and musical talent. Wakey!Wakey! is mostly Grubbs' thing. Inspired by and a p...
With ear-splitting vocals and explosive guitar playing, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals impact the rock scene with their new self-titled album. Potter's incredible vocal talents are unmatched among today's artists, enveloping country, rock, soul and blues simultaneously. Potter also plays guitar, joined by Scott Tournet on guitars and harmonica, Matthew Burr on drums, Catherine Popper on bass and Benny Yurco on rhythm guitar. The beautifully funky "Paris (Ooh La La)" starts the album off with a bang, conjuring up comparisons to a young Diana Ross or Janis Joplin, alongside a shredding g...
By Jim Reynolds Weight of Air is possibly best described as half folk, half rock and half punk. It begins with “Let It Breathe”, a brief acoustic duet in an old-fashioned, high lonesome tenor. The drums kick in the catchy second track, “Looking”, which firmly establishes the energy of the rest of the album. While the overall sound is still nicely rough around theedges, there’s a strong influence of older Midwestern Americana rock sensibility and straight-forward song writing. However, the driving punk rhythm and urgency are always present. There are some more memorable anthems...
