Chicago

Push on Coach House Sounds

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Coach House Sounds has released two new sessions this week, one by Southern Illinois band Headlights, and one by the dynamic group of musicians known simply as Push. There sound is a collection of their instruments, and that might be a negative statement if it weren’t for the diverse range of instruments they play. Marimba, vibraphone, glockenspiel, synths, bells, and more have found their way into the groups sound. Their songs fill rooms and as you can tell you the images from their CHS section so does their equipment.

Push play at Martyrs in Chicago on Thursday March 11.

San Francisco

Noise Pop 2010: Greg Ashley

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Sandwiched between San Diego’s Tape Deck Mountain and Portland’s [via England] grunge minimalist, Scout Niblett, was an intimate solo set from Greg Ashley. During the Thursday night performance, murmuring could be heard amung the audience about the identity of the person they were watching – "who is this?" "what’s this guys name?" It could have been the wine or possibly the years of experience playing with bands like Oakland’s Gris Gris and The Mirrors that made him seem so at ease on stage in this extremely personal set but Greg was relaxed and each song came out with that low-fi, mellow, vintage, slightly psychedelic sound that is somewhat if a trademark for Greg. The majority of the set consisted primarily of instrumental songs played on just an electric guitar with Greg sipping from one of the two glasses of wine he brought on stage.

Greg hasn’t put out a solo album since 2007’s Painted Garden, these days he’s spending time producing artists such as Brian Glaze, Powell St. John and Dutchess and The Duke but this Cafe du Nord set is perhaps a hint of some of the projects to come from Ashley in 2010.

-Nicole Leigh
words and photo

Philadelphia

The Extraordinaires and Dangerous Ponies Pre-SXSW at JB’s March 3

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The energy will be bursting at the seems tonight at Johnny Brenda’s with the quirky, artsy folk rock of The Extraordinaires and the traveling indie pop party known as Dangerous Ponies. They’ll be throwing down one last time in town before heading down south to SXSW like the rest of their kind do in March. They’ll also be joined by Brooklyn vaudevillian-esque act The Lisps. Johnny Brenda’s 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ myspace.com/theextraordinaires, myspace.com/dangerousponies (Photo by Jessica McGinley) – H.M. Kauffman

 

Nashville

Six Gun Lullaby Farewell Show: Feb. 28th

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Sunday night at The 5 Spot should have been titled "Night of the Female-Fronted 3-Piece Bands," rather than the Six Gun Lullaby Farewell Show, accompanied by Thelma & The Sleaze and New York band Tigerpiss. The evening was special for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the following:

Grunge girls Thelma & The Sleaze – (formerly known as The Trampskirts) – opened up the evening with a skuzzy set of rock tunes, entertaining the crowd with lead singer/guitarist/Taco Party owner Lauren Gilbert’s bikini-clad body and bluesy Janis Joplin groans. (They were, might we add, officially voted as Nashville Deli’s Artist of the Month once the clock struck twelve).

New Paltz, NY band Tigerpiss graced us with their clever crassness on their fourth visit to Nashville. In between whiskey shots chased with gin and tonics, lead singer/bassist Lara Hope took everyone on a trip to "Vaginatown," animatedly hollering weird punk/rock songs about partying, good sex, bad sex and … well, vaginas! (Audience favorite). The Tigerpiss sound was like old No Doubt meets Velvet Revolver (except actually good). They also had an odd sense of humor. They’re currently on tour promoting their most recent EP "Shake It, Don’t Fake It."

Six Gun Lullaby closed the night out with their most enjoyable performance as of yet. The wistful chords and melodies blared by lead singer/guitarist Claire Adams and guitarist/vocalist Martin Schneider seeped into one another, creating a wall of sound that made you want to melt your face off, and maybe cry a little at the same time. The most obvious comparison to Six Gun would be Sleater Kinney, but their newer songs – some of which were almost heart wrenching – were surprisingly reminiscent of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and Weezer, even. The genuine emotion that was devoted to the music by the trio members was evident in their playing and their stage dynamic. This might have been because it was their last show together as Six Gun Lullaby. Regardless, their stage performance was intensely inspiring. Claire’s vocals were passionately screeched, sometimes mumbled, other times uttered so convincingly that it made us wonder if she was going to have a breakdown right there on stage. The girl is a poet, and her insightful lyrics showed it. (And everybody knowed it). The close relationship between Martin, Tiffany and Claire was enviable, and made witnessing their final performance truly brilliant. While the band stated that there is a possibility of working together again in the future, they will be sorely missed until then, and we will anticipate their reappearance. – Erin Manning

Portland

Bombs Into You Bombard Dunes March 6th

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My friend turned me on to Bombs Into You a couple of years ago. I remember thinking at the time that this Portland band had a unique electro sound, and an enormous amount of potential; but as a music reviewer, it’s easy to let bands slip from your mind as you move on to the next review. That is why I am so excited to cross paths with them once again and to see that they are not only living up to their potential, but that they have exceeded my expectations with their album Metaphorically Yours (Vol. 2).

There are some bands that you only have to hear once and you are in love. Bombs’ music gives me that same teenage crush feeling I got when I first heard The Cure. They make me nostalgic for the ’80s new wave sound, but happy that they have brought that sound into the 21st century.

A combination of electro-savvy tunes on one track and raw, organic mixes and catchy upbeat chorus lines on another make these guys an explosive force, and my new favorite Portland band. As good as they sound blaring out of my laptop, Bombs’ music is best heard live. I picture them playing in a darkly lit club, where everyone would be smoking (if Portland didn’t have that fabulous no-smoking-in-bars law), and androgynous showgoers would be jumping around to Bombs’ mind-blowing beats.

A place, perhaps, like Dunes (1905 NE MLK Blvd.) on March 6th at 9 p.m. with Amber Voltaire and Post Harbor.

– Deanna Uutela

San Francisco

The Deli SF’s Weekend Highlights For 3/3-3/7

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While a few a weeks ago psychedelic was the theme of the weekend, looking out this week good ol’ fashion punk rock seems to be taking hold of the city for a few days.

Tomorrow night (the 3rd) local punk rock superstar Jello Biafra will be playing at Bottom of the Hill with his latest outfit Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, 9pm.

If you’re a fan of the raucous Swiss punk rock group LiLiPUT (Kleenex) do check out DADFAG at the Epicenter Cafe this Friday the 5th with The Whines and Baths, fresh off their Noise Pop appearance.

Saturday night, deep in the Mission, the awesomely ostentatious Meat Sluts will be headlining a show. Head out to El Rio around 9 to jam out with yo…. get gritty with these rocking ladies.

Of course, if punk rock is not your flavor, you could also check out Adam Stephens, from the impressively talented folk duo Two Gallants, this Thursday at Bottom of the Hill. Otherwise, on Friday you could wander up to Kimo’s and check out indie rockers Evacuee with the ambient psych-ish rock of The Blue Eyed Souls and out of towners Tropical Depression.

Lots of good shows this weekend so, if you’re not still spent from Noise Pop, get out and see some local music… and don’t forget to check back next for another round of highlights and recommendations.

–Ada Lann

New England

Ryan Power CD Release w/ Blowtorch + Lawrence Welks at The Monkey 3/3 8pm

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Ryan Power will be releasing his new full length album tomorrow at the Monkey House in Winooski with the help of some local favorites, Blowtorch and Lawrence Welks and Our Bear to Cross. Ryan will be performing with his full band before heading out on a three week tour with the album. Nominated as one of New England’s best arists of 2009 by The Deli, Ryan continues to prove to be one of the best Burlington has to offer.

—The Deli Staff

Chicago

A Stitch In Time

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The third free track (third of fourty-four) from Smashing Pumpkins new project Teargarden By Kaleidyscope has been released. This is Billy’s attempt at a protest song. Here is how he explains it, ““I have a hard time saying in most cases what inspires a song–some of them just pour out of me like salt and I feel like a custodian of a spirit I don’t fully understand but certainly can feel. The closest answer I have is that it’s a protest song–what I am protesting I’m not sure but it has something to do with real inner freedom and the consequence of what it means to be free.”

NYC

La Strada releases new CD + plays Bklyn Vegan Party at SXSW

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La Strada, our brand new artist of the month, are a collective of truly talented musicians on a mission to create beautiful folky music with a very personal orchestral approach. The band – that we had the pleasure to see live a couple of years ago at one of our Deli parties – has been particularly productive as of late with an EP released in 2009 and a full length scheduled for release in April. They are also about to hit "the road" (that’s what "La Strada" means, by the way), basically making a few stops on their way to Austin for SXSW for a couple of dates in North Carolina and New Orleans. In Austin they are scheduled to play Brooklyn Vegan’s SXSW party, which is bound to create some deserved buzz around these guys. You may as well start listening to them now, why wait?

Chicago

The Warm Ones on Small Chicago

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Episode two of Small Chicago has been posted and it features The Warms Ones. As they reach their third song in this basement set you can see why they might be called The Warm Ones. Check out Small Chicago for the entire set and bonus images. The Warm Ones have dubbed this the year they make contact and so far they have.

You can see The Warm Ones live on March 24th at Schubas.