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The Deli’s Emerging Kansas City Artist of 2012: #2 – Making Movies

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Making Movies has figured out how to create a musical formula to success, combining popular musical genres and constructing a sultry but rhythmic and cohesive catalog. With a focused musical direction and a distinct flair about them, the band’s style marries Afro-Cuban and other Latin-influenced music to indie rock. Making Movies has made itself known around the country with an energetic, engaging live show that’s captured the attention of multi-genre listeners. The four-piece has opened for artists such as Delta Spirit, Fun, Neon Indian, and Los Lobos. Its latest LP, A La Deriva, was recorded by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos fame. (The Record Machine)

 
Making Movies is:
Enrique Chi – vocals, guitar
Diego Chi – bass
Juan-Carlos Chaurand – percussion, keys
Brendan Culp – drums
 
Making Movies’ next KC performance will be at The Riot Room on Saturday, March 2. Javier Mendoza and Shy Boys will be opening for the group. Mark your calendars now.
 

 

 
–Michelle Bacon 
 
NYC

The Deli’s Emerging Kansas City Artist of 2012: #3 – Schwervon!

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(Photo by Lippe)

There has been a wellspring—some might say an oversaturation—of male/female duos popping up around the US in the past few years. They come in a variety of genres, but often the end result is the same: the music lacks a full quality, or one of the performers is exceedingly more talented than the other, causing the music to fall flat after a few songs. Fortunately, the charismatic duo Schwervon! avoids the pitfalls that many others make. Matt Roth and Nan Turner established themselves in the NYC scene, playing with groups like The Vaselines and Belle and Sebastian, and touring around the US and Europe. The two moved to Kansas City last spring, and have been embraced by the local music community, especially with their release of their latest LP Courage (see our review here) in September. Schwervon!’s knack for hook-laden ‘90s pop melodies with a lo-fi garage punk/indie rock edge, combined with a natural chemistry and an appropriate tinge of sweetness, has quickly made them a fan favorite. (Olive Juice Music)

(Photos by Todd Zimmer)

Schwervon!’s next performance will be at recordBar on Wednesday, February 20 with Cher UK and a special guest. Facebook event here. Schwervon! was also one of over 40 KC artists selected to play the 2013 MidCoast Takeover showcase at SXSW from March 13-16 at Shangri-La in Austin, Texas.

Schwervon! is:

Matt Roth – vocals, guitar

Nan Turner – vocals, drums

 

 
–Michelle Bacon
 
NYC

Artists on Trial: Maps for Travelers

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 (Photo by Todd Zimmer)

 
For the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring artists playing the MidCoast Takeover fundraiser shows, sponsored by Midwest Music Foundation.
 
Maps for Travelers is a collective of four veteran Kansas City musicians who have toured around the country with a heavy indie rock sound. The band has shared the stage with national acts like Fucked Up, The Jealous Sound, Just Like Vinyl, and others. We find out a little about the band’s upcoming debut LP and its influences.
 
The Deli: Down and dirty: 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Maps for Travelers: Four guys paying homage to the most crushing alternative post-rock bands of the ‘90s while putting our own story and sonic point of view on it, with trumpet somehow in there too.
 
The Deli: Let’s talk about your much anticipated upcoming LP Broken Antlers. What can we expect?
 
Maps: This record has collectively been one of the most stressful records of all of our musical careers. We have fought for every note, every idea, every beat, and every lyric to be a true picture of who we are and what’s to come. From dynamic chaos to chilling, vibed-out soundscapes, we feel like we are covering it all. Most people that have listened to it say that we have cut out all the fat and focused all the sounds into a powerful work of music. We hope many will agree. This record is made to see live; we put all of these songs through the ringer of playing live and really tuned into being honest with ourselves about how the energy of every moment felt to all of us on stage as we are performing. Every song except for an interlude and an outro have undergone that intense scrutiny and, at the end of the day, we just love it and are excited to share it with everyone we can.
 
The Deli: What other plans and goals do you guys have this year?
 
Maps: Release this record, tour in support of this record, do some splits with some of our favorite artists. Make a video or two for a couple of these songs. And tour more and start to look at making another record in 2014.
 
The Deli: What does supporting local music mean to you?

Maps: Supporting local music to us means that we go to other bands’ shows even when we aren’t playing. Getting interested in what others are doing and encouraging the community of musicians to strive for their best. Being in a band can feel very competitive at points and we are trying to do the opposite of that; music is subjective. Everyone has a place and we are looking for people that feel the same way we do and are willing to take it to the highest level and create an even more engaged local music scene. That’s our take on it. We want to encourage people in general to support more, and by working together with other local musicians, we can create our own awesome community to launch out from here and come home to.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite local musicians right now?

Maps: Right now we are really loving Cowboy Indian Bear, Clairaudients, Bears and Company, The Casket Lottery, Jorge Arana Trio, Radkey, The Dead Girls, Sundiver, The Slowdown, In The Grove, Wise Guy, Regret, The Informer, The Architects, The Calamity Cubes, honestly we could go on for a minute! So many bands just playing so well right now! We are super pumped on being from KC.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

Maps: Title Fight, Caspian, Junius, La Dispute, Native, Local Natives, Now Now, Russian Circles, O Brother, The Life and Times.
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

Maps: Quicksand, Hum, Failure, Thursday, Nine Inch Nails.
 
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
 
Maps: The stage, granted we can look like our awesome selves for the rest of our lives! Performing is where it’s at for us, the interaction and the rush you get from playing and really just bouncing all that energy around. There is no substitute for that anywhere!
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

Maps: This is nearly impossible to cover the pillars for us, so many and for so many different reasons. We will just pick the closest to our generation that really have pushed on us to strive for nothing less than everything we have.
 
Jeff Rickley (Thursday): He started a movement that changed our whole decade of music for us.
 
Walter Schreifels (Quicksand): We wouldn’t be doing what we are doing without him laying the foundation for our style of music.
 
Allen Epley (Shiner, The Life and Times): Just an amazing songwriter and someone from here that has shown the way for a lot of us Kansas City musicians.
 
Darryl Palumbo (Glassjaw): Just collectively, Maps For Travelers has come together so much over his band’s music and the way he put it all out there and commanded such an incredible band. We constantly are referencing Glassjaw tracks when writing music together.

The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?


The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?

Maps: Tell someone you love them today, hug a friend, and dont be scared to get in the pit and always help the fallen get up.
 
Maps for Travelers is:
Zach Brotherton – vocals, guitar
RL Brooks – vocals, guitar, trumpet
Kevin Medina – bass
Derek White – drums
 
You can see Maps for Travelers this Saturday, February 2, where they will be playing the second MidCoast Takeover fundraiser at Riot Room. The group will be playing at 11:15, along with Various Blonde, Drop A Grand, and Six Percent. Tickets available here.
 
–Michelle Bacon
 
 
NYC

Behind the Scenes with The Latenight Callers

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For the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring artists playing the MidCoast Takeover fundraiser shows, sponsored by Midwest Music Foundation.

 
It’s 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning, which for this reviewer typically equates to a dog on each side and blanket after blanket piled upon my bed. Instead, I’m braving the brisk winter air of Midtown to talk with a band whose name is acutely contradictory to my being awake.
 
If you don’t know them, you have to wonder what The Latenight Callers are really like, especially during the early morning hours (relatively speaking). You also might be wondering what the band’s new recording sounds like. To provide a quick perspective: the four members (Ms. Ellen [O’Hayer] was unavailable for comment that day) were awake and pleasant, and the upcoming LP leaves nothing to be desired for this skyrocketing Kansas City group.
 
I met with Ms. Julie, Mr. Mac, Mr. Nemeth, and Mr. Combs at Weights and Measures Soundlab, where they’ve been tracking with veteran engineer (and musician) Duane Trower (currently of Olivetti Letter; formerly of Season To Risk, Doris Henson, Overstep).
 
 
“The character of Duane’s gear helps us portray the character of the band, in the essence that everything is out of another time,” said baritone guitarist Krysztof Nemeth. Trower boasts an array of obscure, vintage gear, as well as equipment he’s built himself, which the band believes help keep its sound as unique as possible.
 
Unlike the band’s previous two EP recordings (The Latenight Callers and Easy Virtues). the full-length will be mixed by Trower (who mastered Easy Virtues) instead of recorded by Nemeth. Keyboardist/electronic sound guru Nick Combs mentioned that Trower seemed to be the perfect fit for the band’s upcoming album. “We needed someone that wouldn’t make us sound precious. With Duane’s own experience as a musician, we knew he’d give us the heftier sound we’ve been looking for.” Recording in a studio has given the band the freedom to explore its music, most of which will be new and some of which will be re-recorded from the first EP.
 
 
The new full-length, still untitled, seems to be more of a collaborative effort than previous recordings, with tracks built by each individual member to serve each song. The Callers’ first EP was written, produced, and performed by Nemeth and frontwoman Julie Berndsen, before the other three members were added to the mix. After 3 years, the band has gained a collective maturity and a strong foothold in the local scene, and the new tracks show that each member knows what element to bring to write a song that is uniquely The Latenight Callers.
 
Berndsen noted, “Everyone has the goal of creating a cohesive song, but we had to really think about… does each piece complement the particular song?” Berndsen and O’Hayer recorded their vocals in a session after each instrument had been laid down, which, according to the group, enhanced the emotive aspects of each track.
 
 
“With recording, we have to step back from our individual roles and look at it from a distance to gain perspective of what our audience will recognize and respond viscerally to,” said Nemeth. Combs added, “Instead of just one person’s vision, it’s all five of us. We’re listening to the arrangements and orchestration instead of just thinking about ‘my part.’”
 
With plans to release this album in the spring and big shows in the works, 2013 promises to be another tremendous year for The Latenight Callers. Stay tuned.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Editor’s note: Bassist Gavin Mac was available for comment, but settled upon curling up in the studio’s comfortable leather couch and settled in for a long winter’s nap. Left-handed bass players are prone to hibernation at this and all other times of year.
 
The Latenight Callers will be performing some of the songs from its upcoming album this Friday, February 1, at Czar Bar, for the second MidCoast Takeover fundraiser show. The Callers will headline the show, playing at 12:00 a.m. after Jorge Arana Trio, Eyelit, and Tiny Horse. Tickets are available here. The band will also be performing at the MidCoast Takeover show at SXSW on Saturday, March 16 at Shangri-La in Austin, Texas.
 
Photos by Randy Pace. Please do not use without permission.
 
–Michelle Bacon
 
 

 

NYC

Photos from MidCoast Takeover Fundraiser #1 at recordBar, 1.26.13

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(Photo by Terra Peal)

 
The first MidCoast Takeover fundraiser show was a huge success, thanks to all of the great bands (She’s A Keeper, Drew Black and Dirty Electric, Molly Picture Club, and Antennas Up) that performed, as well as Midwest Music Foundation, recordBar, and all of our sponsors!
 
Here’s a list of the MidCoast Takeover sponsors:
CM2 Audio
Taj Mattingly
 

She’s A Keeper  

Photos by Todd Zimmer

 

Drew Black and Dirty Electric

Photos by Todd Zimmer

 

 

Molly Picture Club

Photos by Terra Peal

 

 

 
 

 

Antennas Up 

Photos by Terra Peal

 
 
 
 
Also, here’s a video recap of the fundraiser from Nate Heavilin from Attic Wolves: 
 
 
And thanks to everyone who came to support the first fundraiser show! We hope you’ll join us for the next ones: Friday, February 1 at Czar; Saturday, February 2 at The Riot Room; Saturday, February 16 at The Brick; and Friday, March 8 at Uptown Arts Bar. MMF will be selling raffle tickets at each of the fundraiser shows for two pairs of VIP Kanrocksas tickets, which include a tour with the Kanrocksas founder!
 
–Michelle Bacon
 

 

NYC

Artists on Trial: Various Blonde

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For the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring artists playing the MidCoast Takeover fundraiser shows, sponsored by Midwest Music Foundation.
 
Various Blonde is the brainchild of Joshua Allen, formed in 2008 and presenting a dark, experimental, progressive style unique to Kansas City music. The band has opened for national acts like Russian Circles, Thursday, Murder By Death, Fang Island, and The Electric Six. We talk with them and find out more about what they’re up to as well as their plans for SXSW.
 
The Deli: Down and dirty: 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Various Blonde: A bunch of experiments with trial and error sprinkled on top.
 
The Deli: Tell us about what Various Blonde has going on.
 
VB:We have been chosen as a finalist for this: http://jansport.sonichub.com/artist/various-blonde
 
It would be awesome to win because if we win, it’s also a victory for KC. It’s good to bring attention to KC. We also have two EPs up on Bandcamp for whatever people will give us. nd if we are talking promotion, there is always Facebook. Please "LIKE" us on there, but more importantly, come to a show.
 
The Deli: What else can we expect from you guys this year?
 
VB: Perform and record as much as possible. Use my axe to chop down a money tree. (sarcasm font)
 
The Deli: What does supporting local music mean to you?

VB: Promoting and going to shows besides your own.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite local musicians right now?

VB: This is a tough question and I know I’m gonna forget someone, but I really enjoy the Jorge Arana Trio, Sons of Great Dane… The Conquerors are super sick, THE DEVIL, Snuff Jazz, Making Movies fuggin’ slays Latin dragons, obviously Hearts of Darkness! Er’body luv HOD! One of KC’s best kept secrets, Clock People (just wait, their first show is March 1 at Riot Room and you should go), Cherokee.Rock.Rifle because they wrote “Black Cauldron,” RADKEY because the guy from Entourage loves them, Janet The Planet (So dope!), MINDEN (even though they moved to Portland will always be KC to me), MONOLYTH!, and The Beautiful Bodies; they’ve really locked in their sound and are headed for big shit!
 
The Deli: Congrats on being selected to play MidCoast Takeover at SXSW. Who are you guys looking forward to playing with or seeing there?
 
VB: Thanks. I’m looking forward to all the KC energy that will be there, but as far as nationals are concerned, I honestly have no idea who is playing. I’ll let you know when I know. Andrew W.K.?
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

VB: Zechs Marquise, No Spill Blood, Bosnian Rainbows, Chelsea Wolfe, Zach Hill, Dot Hacker, Big Sur, Flying Lotus, Swahili Blonde, Death Grips, Tame Impala, Dirty Projectors, The Stepkids, Bailiff, The Budos Band, and Antibalas are all awesome. I was tempted to write dead artists cause none of them are local to anyone, but I don’t wanna be a smartass.
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

VB: A festival with my band, Radiohead (Ok Computer, KID A, Amnesiac set), Smashing Pumpkins (original lineup Mellon Collie disc 1 and 2 set) The Mars Volta (De-Loused in the Comatorium set), Tool (Ænima cover-to-cover set), The Flaming Lips, Jack White, Blonde Redhead, Queens of the Stone Age with Grohl on drums, NIN (Fragile left and right Set), and if were including dead people that should still be alive… Biggie, Tupac, and Wu-Tang with Ol’ Dirty. After-party with Flying Lotus at Shaun White’s crib.
 
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
 
VB: On stage because you’re creating a moment instead of trying to capture it. I hate to quote Coca Cola, but you can’t beat the real thing!
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

VB: James Brown (hardest working man in show business, Godfather of Soul), Miles Davis (changed the face of jazz four times over four decades), brown Michael Jackson with fro in tow (King of Pop, indigo child), Hendrix (just ask the Axis).

The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?


The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?

VB: Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.
 
Various Blonde is:
Joshua Allen – guitar, vocals
Jason Nash – bass
Josh Enyart – drums
 

You can see Various Blonde this Saturday, February 2, where they will be playing the second MidCoast Takeover fundraiser at Riot Room. The group will be playing at 9:45, followed by Drop A Grand, Maps for Travelers, and Six Percent. Tickets available here. Various Blonde was also one of over 40 KC artists selected to play the 2013 MidCoast Takeover showcase at SXSW from March 13-16 at Shangri-La in Austin, Texas.

–Michelle Bacon

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Artists on Trial: Antennas Up

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(Photo by Gene Smirnov)

 
For the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring artists playing the MidCoast Takeover fundraiser shows, sponsored by Midwest Music Foundation.
 
Antennas Up has found local and national success since its formation in 2008, touring with bands like Girl Talk, Flogging Molly, Company of Thieves, and others. The four-piece band has played official SXSW and CMJ showcases, and its music has been featured in ads and TV shows. In 2012, the energetic synth pop band released The Awkward Phase, which spent over 10 weeks on CMJ’s Top 200 list and was lauded by critics. We talk with lead vocalist and bassist Kyle Akers about what Antennas Up has going on right now.
 
The Deli: Down and dirty: 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Kyle Akers: An electro pop-rock band from Kansas City that fuses post-new wave guitar hooks with vocoder synths.
 
The Deli: Tell us about what Antennas Up has going on. What can we expect this year?
 
Akers: Right now we’re working on music videos, booking tours around the Midwest and up to New York, and always writing and recording. Keep your eyes on our Facebook and Twitter for announcements as they come.
 
The Deli: What does supporting local music mean to you?

Akers: I’m a big fan of sharing other bands accomplishments, songs, videos and anything else cool that local bands are doing on the Internet. It feels great to help spread the local bands we love to our fans. Everyone in KC benefits when the listeners get more opportunities to find out about all the other great bands around here.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite local musicians right now?

Akers: Hidden Pictures and Not A Planet always hit me in the right place. I’m really anticipating the new Republic Tigers album too. It’s going to be a monster, I hear.
 
The Deli: Who are you most looking forward to seeing at the upcoming MidCoast Takeover fundraisers?
 
Akers: Honestly, I am just excited to see so many great lineups all focused around supporting a huge showcase of Kansas City and Midwest music. It’s a great way to show off what we can do here in KC at one of the biggest music festivals around.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

Akers: I’ve hit a rash of female-vocal led bands that have been tugging on my ears recently, most noticeably this band called HAERTS. They’ve got a song called "Wings" that you have to go listen to right now.
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

Akers: Well, if we could totally throw out the idea of making a cohesive bill, right now it’d have to be Prince, Electric Light Orchestra…wait. I really think just playing the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction for George Harrison performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" would do it for me.
 
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
 
Akers: On stage. Although the day-to-day necessities of life would probably be harder to come by on a stage than in a studio.
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

Akers: This question worries me, because it’s asking me to pick the four most important people in music history, and I think that’s an impossible task. I’ll just take the easy road and pick The Beatles. We all know that the project would only get about 1/5 of the way done and run out of funding anyway. It’d just be a mountain with four mop-top haircuts on it.

The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?

Twitter: @antennasup

The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?

Akers: You can spend all day long researching and learning HOW to do things, but that can only get you so far. Just go out and do things. I’ll quote Adventure Time: Sucking at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.
 
Antennas Up is:
Kyle Akers – lead vocals, bass
Jon Ulasien – guitar, keys, vocals
Bo McCall – guitar, vocals
The Ryantist – drums, vocals
 
You can see Akers and his crew this Saturday, January 26, where they will headline the first MidCoast Takeover fundraiser at recordBar. Antennas Up will play at 12:15, after a lineup starting with She’s A Keeper, Drew Black and Dirty Electric, and Molly Picture Club. The band was also one of over 40 KC artists selected to play the 2013 MidCoast Takeover showcase at SXSW from March 13-16 at Shangri-La in Austin, Texas.

–Michelle Bacon

 

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MidCoast Takeover: First Round of Bands Selected

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Here’s the first round of bands have been selected to play the 2013 MidCoast Takeover showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas. The fourth annual showcase will be held at Shangri-La on East 6th Street on March 13-16, and will feature these bands along with other groups from the Midwest and around the country. The bands will perform outside on the main stage, and a second stage has been added inside for acoustic acts. Those artists will be announced in the coming weeks.
 
This is a free, unofficial SXSW showcase. No wristbands or badges will be required. For those of you staying in Kansas City, the entire showcase will be available to stream live on the web. More details on that soon.
 
The Deli KC will be featuring interviews and reviews from some of the bands playing MidCoast fundraisers and the Austin showcase. Find out more about each band and listen to its music by clicking on the links below.
 
MidCoast Takeover is organized by Midwest Music Foundation.
 
Congratulations to all of these artists!
 

–Michelle Bacon

NYC

Artists on Trial: Drew Black and Dirty Electric

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(Photo by Randy Pace)
 
For the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring artists playing the MidCoast Takeover fundraiser shows, sponsored by Midwest Music Foundation.
 
Starting as a solo project with the early 2012 release Wanderlust, Drew Black (formerly of The Belated) soon enlisted frontmen from two other powerful KC bands (Terra Peal of The Quivers and Zach Hodson of Dolls on Fire) and multi-band drummer Michelle Bacon. The result is Drew Black and Dirty Electric, a dark glam sound with a rhythmic powerhouse. We sit down with a few members of the band and discuss what they have going on.
 
The Deli: Gun to your head: 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it? 
 
Terra Peal: Dark Sexy Glam with a fist full of rock-n-roll.
 
Drew Black: I’d like to think that it’s modern glam with elements taken from T.Rex, Bowie, Ladytron, and Queens of the Stone Age.
 
The Deli: Let’s talk about your upcoming EP. What can we expect? 
 
Terra: BOOM!
 
Drew: It’s beat-heavy and guitar-driven. When I wrote this group of songs I wanted to write with tempos that would make the ladies shimmy and shake. The lyrics tend to be dark, but border on playful and sexy too.
 
Michelle: Our EP, Dead Kings and Queens, was mixed and mastered by the great Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab. We’re hoping to release it digitally this week and plan to have albums pressed by March.
 
The Deli: What does supporting local music mean to you? 
 
Terra: Contributing, viewing, and heckling as much as possible.
 
Drew: Being in a band, I feel like that means we have to foster a community. For me, it’s not enough to just go to other people’s shows. If I am in the position to recommend a band to a venue then I will. To me it’s more than: go to a show, buy a CD… I feel like you’ve got to go and have a conversation with the artist and let them know you appreciate what they’re doing. Many times, as a local artist, we don’t get kudos. We leave a gig feeling like it went well, but everyone kind of shies away and doesn’t say anything to you. A simple “I really enjoyed your set,” goes a long way.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite "local" musicians right now? 
 
Terra: Schwervon!, In Back of a Black Car, Soft Reeds… so many great artists out there right now! Way too tough to name em all!
 
Drew: I really love Victor and Penny, The Latenight Callers, and of course Radkey is making a wave lately. I also love The Quivers. I feel blessed to live in a city where the music scene is so vibrant.
 
The Deli: Who are you most looking forward to seeing at the upcoming MidCoast Takeover fundraisers?
 
Terra: Antennas Up, The Latenight Callers, Molly Picture Club.
 
Drew: We’re playing with She’s A Keeper, Molly Picture Club, and Antennas Up. I know that’s going to be such a good night of music. I think I’m, selfishly, just really looking forward to being a part of that night and supporting such a great cause.
 
Michelle: Tiny Horse, The Latenight Callers, Six Percent, Rev Gusto, Cherokee Rock Rifle, and everyone we’re playing with this Saturday.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now? 
 
Terra: Thee Oh Sees, Queens of the Stone Age, Peaches, Nikki & The Corvettes, Prince, and anything else with Soul and Balls.
 
Drew: Oh, I’ll get into trouble for this! Somewhere along the line I started listening to music all the cool kids scoff at. I have been pretty obsessed with Lana Del Rey since the past summer. She sounds like a damsel in distress, but I just KNOW she’s hiding a knife behind her back! I also spend a lot of time listening to Ladytron, Queens of the Stone Age, and recently, Black Joe Lewis.
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on? 
 
Terra: T.Rex, Sparklehorse, Queens of the Stone Age, and Stephen Malkmus.
 
Drew: That’s a tough one. I’d like to rewind time and open for Bowie during the Ziggy Stardust era. But heck, is it too much to ask to open for Lady Gaga? I’d also like to be the fifth Beatle while we’re at it.
 
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio? 
 
Terra: Stage is where I come alive.
 
Drew: I feel the most elated after playing live. I love the studio too, but I feel like if you only record music and don’t play it live, then the songs kind of die. They will always remain the same. Playing live gives me the opportunity to breathe new life into the music. So, my vote goes to playing live.
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why? 
 
Terra: Otis Redding, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Keith Moon, Marc Bolan. None of these should need an explanation.
 
Drew: I’ll put PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Kurt Cobain, and Bowie up there because those artists have been pivotal in shaping my sound. They retaught me how to listen to music and they gave me the inspiration to start writing songs.
 
The Deli: Okay. Where on this crazy web can you be found?
 
Soon, we hope to have a Bandcamp to let you download our new EP!
 
The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?
 
Terra: Tacos will save you when you least expect it!
 
Drew: We all have delusions of grandeur, but the point is to create. Start where you are. Be confident and get out there. Don’t wait for anything to come to you. Go get it!
 
Michelle: Trust me; I’m Asian.
 
Drew Black and Dirty Electric is:
Drew Black – vocals, guitar
Terra Peal – bass
Zach Hodson – lead guitar
Michelle Bacon – drums
 

You can catch Drew Black & Dirty Electric this Saturday, January 26 at the first MidCoast Takeover fundraiser show. The group will be playing at 10:30 pm, after She’s A Keeper, and will be followed by Molly Picture Club and Antennas Up. The band was also one of over 40 KC bands selected to play the MidCoast Takeover showcase at SXSW from March 13-16 at Shangri-La in Austin, Texas.

 

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The Deli Readers’ Kansas City Artist of 2012: #1 – Dollar Fox

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(Photo by Todd Zimmer)

Congratulations to Dollar Fox, The Deli Readers’ Best Kansas City Artist of 2012! 

Dollar Fox is a five-piece Americana collective that bursts with talent, energy, and depth. Made up of Tommy Donoho, Justin Penney, Ryan Watkins, Nick Dothage, and Ethan Taylor, the group was featured as The Deli KC’s first Artist of the Month. This multi-instrumental band has found success across the KC region and beyond, with engaging live shows that can range from a folky, stripped-down string set to a bombastic rock show.
 
Dollar Fox has released two LPs: Close To Home and its most recent effort Little Mother’s Things I Am Keeping, released in October 2012 (see our review of the album). The band also released a split 7”, Big Rock Candy Mountain, with labelmates The Peculiar Pretzelmen. As the flagship band on Money Wolf Music, Dollar Fox has amassed a loyal following, which makes it easy to figure out why readers have chosen this talented band as their #1 artist of the year. Congrats, guys!
 
 
–Michelle Bacon
NYC

The Deli Readers’ Kansas City Artists of 2012: #2 – Gentleman Savage

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(Photo by Jason Comotto)

Gentleman Savage has only recently been making waves in the Kansas City music scene, but has already made an indelible impression. The second place group’s psych-pop sensibility appeals to wide audiences with its tightly composed hooks while channeling pop greats like The Beach Boys, The Zombies, and Big Star. The group, made up of Holden Simpson, Kyle Anthony, and Nick Talley, released its debut EP Open Eyes in October 2012 (see our review of the album). They are currently in the studio working on new material, which promises to be another solid release and expand its audience.
 
Note: Gentleman Savage placed third in Open Submissions poll for emerging Kansas City band.
 
Gentleman Savage will be performing at recordBar next Saturday, February 2, with The Casket Lottery and The Dead Girls.
 
 

Today I Realized from Gentleman Savage on Vimeo.

–Michelle Bacon

NYC

The Deli Readers’ Kansas City Artists of 2012: #3 – We Are Voices

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(Photo by Sandy Rushing)

Rounding out The Deli readers’ top 3 is We Are Voices, an atmospheric indie rock quartet whose songwriting continues to grow with each release. The band’s debut release, What Makes Us So Alive?, peaked the interest of indie lovers across the area, while its second album Fighting Fires established its reputation as a polished Kansas City mainstay. Its anticipated third album Tread Lightly (here’s our review),  which was released last month, garnered rave reviews inside and outside of Kansas City. The group includes Lucas Larson, Eric Baldwin, Joshua Greenlee, and Carson Land.
 
Today it was announced that We Are Voices will be among over 40 KC-area bands featured at MidCoast Takeover at SXSW this year. This will be the band’s third showcase at MidCoast.
 
Note: We Are Voices placed second in the Open Submissions poll for emerging Kansas City band.
 
This Saturday, January 26, We Are Voices is playing at the Jackpot with Grenadina and Forrester.