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The Deli KC & Sharp County Records Present: The Fallout Series

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(Poster design by Rebecca Armstrong)
 
The Deli KC is proud to present our second showcase—a partnership with Sharp County Records, called The Fallout Series: A House Show Extravaganza. Though our first showcase was held in one of our favorite Kansas City music venues, this one will take place in a more intimate setting (location disclosed only to ticket holders) to help further build the sense of community in KC music that The Deli and Sharp County hope to promote. We’ll be hosting some of the excellent local performers: Elkheart (featuring members of Sons of Great Dane and Cherokee Rock Rifle), Hidden Pictures, and Betse Ellis.
 
The showcase will be next Thursday, December 20. Doors open at 8:30 pm and the show kicks off at 9 pm sharp. Tickets cost $10, and also include 2 beers and a digital download of the show. Beer will be available throughout the show, or you can bring your own.
 
TICKETS ARE PRE-SALE ONLY AND ARE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE! WE’RE ONLY SELLING 35! Email sharpcountyrecords@gmail.com to purchase your ticket(s) and receive the location address. If your name is not on the list, you WILL NOT be let in the door. Tickets are going fast, so get yours now!
 
Following the show, we will be heading to the local watering hole for some fine cheap booze/brews and free social interactions.
 
The location will only be disclosed to those attending. It is in close proximity to the downtown KC area.
 
Finally, if any artists are interested in showing their art at this event, please email the address above. We hope to see you there!
 
 
NYC

Album review: Erik Voeks – Free Range (EP)

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This quick little EP consists of two dreamy folk tunes bookending two indie rock efforts with at least four little piggies in the power pop pool.  It’s the good old Neil Young/ Soul Asylum/Paul Westerberg sandwich.
 
The EP is at its best when the instrumentation is allowed to get a little lush.  The moments of Pink Floyd harmonies in the bridge of “There’s a Light” provide a satisfying lift above the song’s otherwise standard folkness.  “Hate” and “Ole’” both feature playful, almost spastic at times, arrangements.  The straightforward and earnest “Universe Light Years” is a pleasant little piano song to round out the EP.
 
Lyrically, the songs certainly take you to the deep side of the sink.  Erik Voeks is not afraid to confront grand and intangible issues.  From estoteric ponderings on time and logic (from “Universe Light Years” – “Infinity can fill you full of phobias and fears /So I understand if you need a god /I understand if you need a drink.”) to the age-old realizing you may have grown into a person you didn’t want to be (From “There’s a Light” – “Do you recognize the face of the asshole /That you swore you’d never be? /Now it’s everything you see /when you look into the mirror. /Are you whole? Or was that your goal?”), Voeks challenges the listener to endure self-reflection.  These are the words of thinking-man’s music.

Personally, I think he says it best in the line that produces the EP title.  From Ole’ – “You’re gonna die right there /in your easy chair /But you’ll be safe from change /Did you know that you were born free range?”  

Voeks is currently celebrating the vinyl release of the Free Range EP with three shows in Spain this week. The album is being released on Spring Records.

 

–-Zach Hodson

 
Zach Hodson is a monster. He once stole a grilled cheese sandwich from a 4-year-old girl at her birthday party. He will only juggle if you pay him. I hear he punched Slimer right in his fat, green face. He knows the secrets to free energy, but refuses to release them until "Saved by the Bell: Fortysomethings" begins production.

He is also in Dolls on Fire and Drew Black & Dirty Electric, as well as contributing to various other Kansas City-based music, comedy, and art projects.

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Album review: Mat Shoare – Domestic Partnership

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Golden Sound Records is on a string of great releases. They kicked off mid-summer with Party Line from The Empty Spaces, later put out Ross Brown’s sophomore release, the new Everyday/Everynight singles, and now Mat Shoare’s fourth album. Within the past year, Shoare has somehow found the time and inspiration to write Domestic Partnership. As frontman of The Empty Spaces and a visceral component of Everyday/Everynight, one wonders where Shoare found the creative muses to write this breathtaking album.
 
Taking a more somber tone than The Empty Spaces’ upbeat surf-rock, and a more earthly sound than the ambient Everyday/Everynight, Domestic Partnership is an album that is easy to grasp. The album is full of sad, sorry tales, and real-life happenings that everyone, at some point, will have or has experienced.
 
The recording quality seems low-end, but works insanely well with this album. The album sounds as if Shoare recorded it while sitting right next to you. Domestic Partnership’s liner notes state: “…recorded by Mat Shoare in multiple bedrooms, basements, and offices…” And that aspect is definitely felt throughout the album. As mentioned, it sounds as if Shoare could have been playing the song while in the same room as you. This hosts a brilliant emotional linkage to his songs; not unlike seeing him perform live. For these kinds of songs, you don’t want over-produced and completely flawless music—it’s straight and it’s real.
 
Shoare’s vocals embody a haunting undertone while remaining pleasantly familiar. It sounds like a voice you know, one that you are inclined to listen to. His vocal range is quite impressive as well. Varying from a low and daunting timbre, like in the opening track “Patterns in the Sand,” to a high-pitched screech (a characteristic of The Empty Spaces) found in the title track. Backing himself up with a plethora of “ooohs” adds depth to songs like “Patterns in the Sand,” among others.
 
This album is a no-holds-barred attack on the reality of life. Shoare’s lyrics come at you like a slap to the face or a kick in the shin. Shoare definitely does not sugar coat a single line for the listener. “We never get older, we only get sadder, we never get bolder, we only get madder” is a shining example from “Meadowlark.” His words hurt and are full of some sort of pain, but paralleling this pain is an organic sense of sympathy, from Shoare to you. Domestic Partnership sounds like two people sitting, talking, and listening to each other: a therapy session.
 
Shoare celebrated the release of Domestic Partnership at recordBar this past weekend. The official release of the album will be tomorrow, Tuesday, December 11. You can order the CD and preview a track at the Golden Sound Records’ link here.
 
 
–Steven Ervay
 
Steven is the intern of Midwest Music Foundation and The Deli – Kansas City. He can’t go to 21+ shows yet and that bums him out.  

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Album review: The Slowdown – A

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(Photo by Todd Zimmer)

As a reviewer who had not been aware of The Slowdown, its debut album did not disappoint. The sixteen-track, hour-long album A solidly sold the band.
 
Tearing in with the first track, “Acting Strange Of Late,” the band holds nothing back as to what the rest of the album will sound like. A promiscuous mess of guitars, synths, drums, and words rises up to bear a fantastic modern rock-inspired, heavy indie sound. With the combination of distorted riffs, clean and plucky bass, and smooth percussion overtones, this six-piece band definitely knows how to write a song.  
           
The album, collectively, is full of highs and lows of all kinds: the tempo, the lyrics, the emotions—all of it. Songs like “A Mirror, A Touch” appear soft and mellow at first, and quickly build up into a prog-rock epic. This specific song is a thriving example of how the band can lead you on a rollercoaster ride. Despite these ups and downs, The Slowdown will still stick in your head. Catchy hooks from “Runaway” and “Wardance” will repeat themselves endlessly in your head.
 
It’s refreshing to know that a band with six members can coherently compose songs that display the talents of each member. There isn’t a time in A that I felt as though talents were being lost. Every guy in the band appears in tune with his part of the song and showcases it brilliantly. The music is intricate and mastered beautifully. The vocals seem low at times, but the sound of guitars carries the song forward.
 
Some of the best songs on this album come from the formidably experimental tracks. My personal favorite, closing track “Whispering Lights,” combines an acoustic diddy with a bluesy electric lead, and pseudo-hip-hop drumming to create an absolutely wonderful song. Soft lyrics with corresponding harmonies complete the track. In other cases, such as “Unable To” and “Tears From the Compound,” the tracks keep the slow tempo with the experimental sound.
 
Out of everything this album is, dull is not one of them. There is guaranteed to be at least one song from A that will resonate with any rock fan. Some songs are clearly rock, some indie, some indefinitely experimental—it’s simply a great album. Not every song will stick with every listener, but surely several tracks will be taken away. 
 
The Slowdown celebrated the release of A at The Riot Room this past Friday evening. The official release of the album is Tuesday, December 11. See more photos below from Todd Zimmer, from the band’s recent show at recordBar on November 24.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
–Steven Ervay
 
Steven is the intern of Midwest Music Foundation and The Deli – Kansas City. He can’t go to 21+ shows yet and that bums him out.  

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Spotlight: Murder Ballad Ball 2012

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(Photo by Todd Zimmer; L-Kris Bruders, R-Dutch Humphrey)

 

On the eve of the Murder Ballad Ball, songs about violence and revenge are being polished like a stainless steel revolver. Blood-colored lipstick is being purchased. Inventive facial hair is being coiffed.
 
We also get a chance to talk with Dutch Humphrey, one of the co-founders of this event, which is entering its fourth year. Humphrey (of The Penny Sheets and Cherokee Rock Rifle) and Kris Bruders began in 2009 what has become an annual tradition ever since.
 
Humphrey attributes the genesis of the Murder Ballad Ball to Bruders, frontman of Cadillac Flambé. “Kris and his band had this dream to bill a show based on solely murder ballads. I immediately fell in love with the idea and put some people in touch with some other people and… well, what do ya know? It went down like a gallows trap door!”
 
Murder Ballad Ball was born at the now-defunct Crosstown Station in 2009 with an array of local entertainers, many of whom have performed each year since. The show has become known for theatrical elements and songs from the point of view of murderers and victims—tales of retribution and gorily detailed narratives of bloodshed. Each year, the event centers around a specific theme of an individual murder ballad. This year’s show centers around the story of “The Sisters Twa,” a murder ballad that originated in the 17th century and tells a tale of a girl drowned by her sister. Musician and filmmaker Anthony Ladesich’s short film Two Sisters is also based on this tale, and will be shown on Saturday.
 
Looking back on Murder Ballad Balls past, Humphrey recalls powerful performances. “I have loved them all. Abigail Henderson had me in tears the first year surely, though she’s good at that. Anthony Ladesich has always been one of my favorites, and his song ‘In the Cut’ totally gets me. It’s a modern story, but told brilliantly and is locally interesting.”
 
Not only an organizer, Humphrey also takes part in the event as a performer, playing guitar and singing in The Penny Sheets, a project that includes members of Sons of Great Dane and Hotdog Skeletons. “I’ve personally had the most fun just covering some of my favorites. ‘I Hung My Head’ (originally by Sting, but notably recorded by Johnny Cash for the American series) was a lot of fun to play. Last year, I co-sang a Decemberists’ tune called ‘Shankhill Butchers’ that I still thoroughly enjoy.” Performers are also encouraged to write their own material for the event, and Humphrey reveals that he will be among those playing a few originals.
 
For the first time, this year’s production will take place at Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club, where two stages will hold the performers. On the bar side: Partners in Glory, Victor & Penny, The Penny Sheets, Rural Grit All-Stars, and The Silver Maggies. On the venue side: Richard Alwyn, Cody Wyoming, Vi Tran Band, Anthony Ladesich and The Secret Liquor Cure, Cadillac Flambé, Adam Lee, and The Blue Boot Heelers. “We have always tried to bring in some newer or less familiar acts as well as inviting many back to perform year after year,” notes Humphrey.
 
Though Humphrey looks forward to Saturday, he’s already thinking about next year’s event. “We’ve been talking about really going all out next year for the five-year mark and making this a two-day affair, with hopes to involve even more local musicians and perhaps some theatre involvements.”
 
Murder Ballad Ball kicks off this Saturday, December 8, at Davey’s Uptown. Doors open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm; tickets are $10 at the door. Murder Ballad Ball is an event that benefits the musician’s emergency health care fund through Midwest Music Foundation. Several donated items will be raffled or auctioned off at the event. For more information and a schedule of performances, visit the Facebook event page here.
 

–Michelle Bacon

Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine – Kansas City and plays drums in Deco Auto, Drew Black & Dirty Electric, and drums/bass in Dolls on Fire. She’s a medical editor by day, a musician by night, and a full-time dreamer.

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Artists on Trial: Cody Wyoming

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(Photo by Todd Zimmer, at 2011’s Murder Ballad Ball)

 

This week we’ll be featuring some of the artists playing at Murder Ballad Ball, this Saturday, December 8, at Davey’s Uptown. This will be the fourth annual Murder Ballad Ball, and benefits Midwest Music Foundation.
 
One of Kansas City’s most versatile performers is Cody Wyoming. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, a vocalist, an actor, a director… basically, a performer who’s had his hand in a number of local projects that have seen great success (Exile on Main Street, The Wall, A Bucket of Blood, and several others). He is again involved in this year’s Murder Ballad Ball, and we learn a bit more about him here.
 
The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Cody Wyoming: I play good music.
 
The Deli: Tell us a bit about the projects you’re involved in.
 
CW: I’ve been working as a sideman and multi-instrumentalist for Tiny Horse and David George and A Crooked Mile. I have also started a new band of my own called Sugar Skulls who you will likely see in early 2013.
 
The Deli: What does “supporting local music” mean to you?

CW: Seeing shows, buying records, and telling everyone you know about how much better local music is here in KC than damn near anywhere else.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite “local” musicians right now?
 
CW: It’s a looooong list. And I’ll try to keep it to people I don’t play with: David Regnier, Amy Farrand, Mike Stover, Betse Ellis, Federation of Horsepower, The Big Iron, Mr. Marcos V7, Clairaudients. And everyone that I’m lucky enough to play with, and I’m lucky for that to be a lot of people.
 
The Deli: Who are you looking forward to the most at Murder Ballad Ball this year?
 
CW: Something always surprises me, and usually it’s Mark Smeltzer. Is he playing this year? (Smeltzer will be performing with the Rural Grit All-Stars)
 
The Deli: Tell us a bit about what songs you’re playing for the occasion.
 
CW: I’m playing a few that I wrote and some old favorites. This year I tried to find new instruments and different arrangements than I usually use. I tried to choose songs that fit.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

CW: Keith Richards, Mike Nesmith, The Clash.
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

CW: Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Cheap Trick.
 
Wyoming will take the stage at 8:00 on Saturday. The event kicks off at 7:00 pm at Davey’s. There will be stages on the bar side and on the venue side; Wyoming will be performing on the venue side. Facebook event here. Below is Wyoming’s performance of "Stagger Lee," which he played at 2009’s Murder Ballad Ball.
 

–Michelle Bacon

Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine – Kansas City and plays drums in Deco Auto, Drew Black & Dirty Electric, and drums/bass in Dolls on Fire. She memorizes phone numbers, dates, and license plate numbers, but not on purpose.

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Album review: Victor & Penny – Side By Side

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(Photo by Todd Zimmer, at opening of Prairie Logic)

This week we’ll be featuring some of the artists playing at Murder Ballad Ball, this Saturday, December 8, at Davey’s Uptown. This will be the fourth annual Murder Ballad Ball, and benefits Midwest Music Foundation.

While mild thus far, winter is coming to Kansas City. But ‘lo, just in time for the holidays, the city’s favorite Antique Pop duo, Victor & Penny, dumps a treasure trove of cheery music along with deft guitar and lovely ukulele playing to warm cold and possibly bitter hearts.

Victor & Penny are back with more poppy pleasures and meandering melodies. Chalk full of twee goodness and charming renditions of old standards and a pleasing original, Side By Side: Songs for Kids of All Ages, is the second album for the merry twosome, which is made up of Jeff Freling and Erin McGrane.

Side By Side is truly a team effort comprised of not only the dynamic duo and other area musicians—including Kyle Dahlquist, Larry Garrett, Christian Hankel, James Isaac, Nate Hofer, Rick Willoughby—but also the band’s fans.  About 130 backers contributed to Victor & Penny’s Kickstarter campaign this fall to help push the album through the final stages of production.

I recommend putting on this album if you’re feeling blue. It is clear Freling and McGrane enjoy what they are doing and the feeling is contagious. The pair leads you through a pleasant journey kicking the tour off with simple and sprightly rendition of “A Smile Will Go a Long, Long Way.” I’ve heard various versions of this song, but I am supremely attracted to how Freling and McGrane arrange and perform it because of the uncomplicatedness.  

The second track, “Stomp, Stomp,” is certain to get people dancing, or at least chair dancing. It’s a little more of a laid-back cover in comparison to the original, but toe tapping all the same. Though his backing is great throughout the entire album, the use of Rick Willoughby on upright bass is especially helpful in this song.

“Slow Poke,” the third track, takes a trip on a winding road in the country. The blend of the old guitar and ukulele is especially nice on this track.

A cover of the Star Wars’ “Cantina Band” song shakes off the slowness. The reimagining of the song is very well done. I can’t help but think of the Star Wars scene set in the 1920s in a speakeasy during Prohibition. With contributions of Nate Hofer on lap steel guitar and James Isaac playing clarinet, this song is brilliant.

“Pork and Beans” is pretty much a song any kid should adore. The hook and chorus comes alive with the use of the Victor & Penny Pork and Beans Men’s Chorus, which is made up of Dahlquist, Hankel, Willoughby and Freling.

McGrane and Freling contribute an original song to the mix with “The Cat, She Played Piano.” The track has a slightly darker tone and sound to it in comparison to the other songs on the album, but delightfully dreary.  

The LP finishes off with a few more standards including “The Sheik of Araby” and “Up a Lazy River.” To sum up the journey, Freling and McGrane play the album’s title track “Side By Side.”

Victor & Penny met the goal of making an album people of all ages can appreciate.  In short, Side By Side is a great mix of songs that an entire family can enjoy. This album should be a go-to when you need a break from the all-holiday-music-all-the-time radio stations, which can make you wish you got that Red Ryder BB Gun so you could shoot your own eye out. It’s a family friendly and enchanting album!

Victor & Penny will be performing at 9:00 pm on Saturday at Murder Ballad Ball. The event kicks off at 7:00 pm at Davey’s. There will be stages on the bar side and on the venue side; the band will be performing on the bar side. Facebook event here.
 

 

 

–Alicia Houston

 

 

Alicia Houston eats toast, drinks coffee and drives a car. Her view on the Oxford comma continually is up for debate. When she’s had a few beers, Alicia impersonates Katherine Hepburn. She has been writing since she was five and listening to music since she was born. She has a tattoo of a gray unicorn. The unicorn gives her advice and daily affirmations.

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Artists on Trial: The Silver Maggies

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(Photo by Todd Zimmer) 

This week we’ll be featuring some of the artists playing at Murder Ballad Ball, this Saturday, December 8, at Davey’s Uptown. This will be the fourth annual Murder Ballad Ball, and benefits Midwest Music Foundation.
 
The Silver Maggies are no stranger to murder ballads, having performed in Murder Ballad Balls of the past. The 5-piece group plays its own brand of dark Americana that lends itself to the music that will be presented on Saturday. We talk with guitarist Patrick Deveny (also owner of Jaykco Guitar Straps) a little more about the band and what we can expect this weekend.
 
The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Patrick Deveny: High Desert Gothic Country Noir.
 
The Deli: Let’s talk about what you have coming up. What can we expect?
 
PD: Our debut full-length is mixed. Should be released in February or March at the latest.
 
The Deli: What does “supporting local music” mean to you?

PD: Going to see shows. Purchasing recorded music.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite “local” musicians right now?
 
 
The Deli: Who are you looking forward to the most at Murder Ballad Ball this year?
 
PD: Finally getting to see Victor and Penny.
 
The Deli: Tell us a bit about what songs you’re playing for the occasion.
 
PD:  Terrence and I have an affinity for murder ballads. We will actually not be playing all of the ones that we and the band know. From my side we will be covering a song from about ‘58 or so called, “It’s Nothing To Me,” written by the great Leon Payne. It’s a great example of hard honky tonk. Boy meets girl in a bar, girl’s boyfriend kills boy in that bar.
 
My song, “It All Went South” is about the first murder my cowboy killer commits. It blends well thematically and musically with a Lee Hazlewood song we like to do called “Summer Wine.” Amy Farrand will sing the verses on the Hazlewood song this year, giving it a twist.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

PD: Beachwood Sparks, John Doe, Neal Casal, Calexico, Neko Case.
 
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
 
PD: In the practice space with the band would be my preferred, but onstage if I had to choose.
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

PD: Carl Perkins: Of the famous Sun guys he was the only one that did it all: wrote great songs, sang well, and was a virtuoso player. The others were 2 outta 3, or in Elvis’s case, 1 outta 3.
 
Buck Owens and Don Rich: Great, straightforward pop songs that had meaning in a country style. Both were KILLER guitar players as well; Buck was a session player for years before his singing career took off.
EmmyLou Harris: A great voice, an artist with a vision that has made great, daring records when most others are trying to cash in. Also she is THE STANDARD by which all female harmony vocals are judged.
 
Hendrix: Versatile, world changing.
Merl Travis: One of the greatest guitar players that has ever lived. Great singer and somngwriter.
Johnny Cash.

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?

PD:Watch out for our bass player. He’s shifty.
 
The Silver Maggies are:
Patrick Deveny
Terrence Moore
Jonathan Knecht
Felix Dukes
Steve Tubbert
(often with a host of guest performers)
 
The Silver Maggies are slated to continue the evening in a raucous fashion, performing around midnight on Saturday. The event kicks off at 7:00 pm at Davey’s. There will be stages on the bar side and on the venue side; the band will be performing on the bar side. Facebook event here.
 

–Michelle Bacon

Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine – Kansas City and plays drums in Deco Auto, Drew Black & Dirty Electric, and drums/bass in Dolls on Fire. She owns a paisley Jaykco strap but needs a new one because her puppy thought it’d be cool to chew on it for awhile.

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Artists on Trial: Tony Ladesich

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(Photo by Todd Zimmer)
 
This week we’ll be featuring some of the artists playing at Murder Ballad Ball, this Saturday, December 8, at Davey’s Uptown. This will be the fourth annual Murder Ballad Ball, and benefits Midwest Music Foundation.
 
If there’s anyone who knows a thing or two about writing a good murder ballad, it’s Tony Ladesich. He’s penned songs and has written films about them. This year’s ball will feature his short film Two Sisters before his performance with The Secret Liquor Cure. We talk a bit with the filmmaker and former frontman of Pendergast and Sandoval about music and what’s coming up.
 
The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Tony Ladesich: Sad.
 
The Deli: What does “supporting local music” mean to you?

TL: For me, supporting live music is trying to collaborate with bands and people that I love to create compelling videos and films with, using their music and/or about them. As I get older I personally don’t get to go out as much as I used to, but I think it’s important to continue to foster a love for the live environment. Also, it means using Jaykco straps and Scarlett amps and JHS pedals—supporting the people that are making their living with musical products. And it’s easy, because those three companies are amazing. 
 
Also, if you want to know what it really means to support local music, ask Sondra Freeman, Rhonda Lyne, Chris Haghirian, Michael Byars, and Sherman Breneman. The list could go on. All these people could teach a master’s class in it and honestly put most of us to shame. Me especially. 
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite “local” musicians right now?
 
TL:  Mark Smeltzer, Betse Ellis, Kasey Rausch, Mikal Shapiro, Beau Bledsoe, Victor & Penny, Dollar Fox, Kyle Dahlquist, Ben Ruth. Still love In The Pines… and I think that Tiny Horse has come into their own in a way that blows my mind. Abby (Henderson) is singing with a delicate delivery that suits her voice so well, and Chris Meck is flat out as good as anyone anywhere. Also love The Silver Maggies. They have become a really, really cool band.
 
The Deli: Who are you looking forward to the most at Murder Ballad Ball this year?
 
 
The Deli: Tell us a bit about what songs you’re playing for the occasion.
 
TL: We are doing five tunes that I wrote, all murder ballads obviously, from different time periods in my songwriting. Also, we are doing “Nebraska” by Bruce Springsteen.
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

TL: The Low Anthem is my favorite band hands down right now and have been for a couple years. Also love The Hold Steady!, and Craig Finn put out an amazing solo record. Mavis Staples… Buddy Miller ALWAYS. 
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

TL: I’m not worthy in any way to be on my dream bill, so here it goes. Triple bill: Sticky Fingers-era Stones, Tonight’s The Night-era Neil Young with The Band (Brown Album era) and early Faces. I would happily sweep up the floor of the arena after the gig and/or tune guitars and pour drinks for the bands.
 
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
 
TL: Behind a camera and on stage.
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?

TL: Neil Young (1973), Bob Dylan (1965), Levon Helm, Louis Armstrong. All reasons should be totally obvious.

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?

TL: (in British accent) Have a good time… all the time.
 
Ladesich will be performing with a cast of fine local musicians as The Secret Liquor Cure:
Kyle Dahlquist – accordion, pedal steel
Sam Platt – drums
Ben Ruth – bass
 

Ladesich’s film (which includes several Kansas City musicians) Two Sisters is slated to begin at 10:00 pm on Saturday, followed by The Secret Liquor Cure’s performance. The event kicks off at 7:00 pm at Davey’s. There will be stages on the bar side and on the venue side; Ladesich and friends will be performing on the venue side. Facebook event here. See the official trailer for the film below.

–Michelle Bacon

Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine – Kansas City and plays drums in Deco Auto, Drew Black & Dirty Electric, and drums/bass in Dolls on Fire. She needs someone to tell her not to join anymore bands.

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Show review: John Velghe & The Prodigal Sons/Band 13 at The Brick, 11.23.12

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That familiar descent into Midwestern winter—capricious swings of the mercury meter, the smell of wood fires in the air, jackets and coats in early November—was a mere passing note to Kansas City music lovers at The Brick’s benefit show for the New Jersey Sandy Relief Fund. Along with opening act Band 13, John Velghe and the Prodigal Sons brought back the warmth of summer with heart-felt musical storytelling and impeccable songwriting.
 
Shaun Lindsey, Russ Bright, and Darin Watson of Band 13 began the evening with a solid set of compositions, exploring stylistic themes ranging from driving post-gen X-influenced rock to sublime pieces and groovy interludes. Alternating between harmony, counterpoint vocal melody, or pure doubling, Band 13 knows how best to present their lyrical intentions. Staying true to many of their noted influences, they successfully wove shades of ‘70s-era fusion and a touch of throwback ska throughout the night’s set—setting them apart from more typical power-trio fare.
 
Of note were two songs in particular: “The Sweet Majestic,” a light, infectious tune hearkening back to a time of three-chord, root-fifth-octave-turnaround jams, and “The Last New Mystery,” filled with funky double-time choruses and heavy, half-time staccato riffs.
 
It would be a shame not to mention Band 13’s unabashed showing of KC’s altruism, as the benefit gig coincided with bass player Bright’s 10-year anniversary—his wife in attendance, supportive of her husband’s choice to play a show for a good cause, regardless of the timing.
 
John Velghe and the Prodigal Sons arrayed themselves on stage admirably, considering both their abundance of personnel (seven counted) and the intimate nature of The Brick’s available performance space. The arrival of Gretsch guitars, fretless bass and a 3-piece horn section pointed to a potentially fascinating turn of the night’s musical tastes, but the established vibe was happily continued as listeners were taken in by heartfelt earnestness and rootsy, open tales.
 
Delivering his lyrics with conviction, Velghe begs to be taken at face value while subtly suggesting that repeat listens would reveal depths, pains, and pleasures casual passersby would otherwise miss out on. With a vocal tone that evokes English post-punk, Velghe nevertheless manages to dive deep into his own staked-out corner of the impassioned singer/songwriter, never looking back.

With their frontman alternating between swooping verbal passages and plaintive, soulful remarks, the Prodigal Sons provided precise, polished-yet-edgy backing. The confident and supremely tight rhythm section, perfectly pitched dual guitar crunch and texturally-employed horn section brought a sonic wash, an unmatched canvas of sound-as-set piece on which life’s experiences might be expressed to the crowd, proffered for personal consideration. Well layered at all stages, not a step was missed. 

–Mark Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark is bassist, drummer, and jack of all trades in Dolls on Fire. He can pretty much do anything.

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Album review: The Architects – Live in Los Angeles

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It begins with the house lights going down. Then the crowd noise builds with clamoring and cheers. Trumpets swell from nowhere and Spanish guitar fills the room. As the band plugs in the crowd grows louder. Then Brandon Phillips, front man of the Kansas City punk outfit The Architects alerts the masses at Palladium in Los Angeles “here we fucking go.” 


Kicking off their set with “Cold Hard Facts,” the opening track from their 2008 release Vice, The Architects make it clear that they do not fuck around live. With bolder and booming vocals and a more deafening drum definition, the accelerated live version of the song launches them headstrong into their straightforward, no-bullshit approach to their music. The seven song set, which features six originals and a solid AC/DC cover featuring My Chemical Romance guitarist Ray Toro, tears through a range of energy and anarchy found only in honest blue collar punk. From the stellar bass lines of “Bastards at the Gate” to the dance punk elements of “Year of the Rat” and “Don’t Call it a Ghetto,” Live in Los Angeles offers a documentary-style shot of why this band remains the hardest working collective in Kansas City. Every single note, drum beat and guitar solo is full tilt and turned up.
 
Without question, Live in Los Angeles is a must have. Stacked against the tracks pulled from Vice, The Hard Way and Revenge, the live cut allows a unique and alternative look at the structure of the band. Take for example “Year of the Rat,” the opening track from the band’s last full length release The Hard Way. With jaw-dropping solos that shred strings and minds, one can only imagine the impressions left on the sold out crowd of L.A. kids longing to see a live take of “Helena.”
 
Known for their energetic live show and theatric stage presence, My Chemical Romance is a tough and impressive band to share a stage with. However, if there were ever a local project to give them a run for their money, it would be The Architects.  You don’t have to believe me. The proof can be found in the mix.  
 
Also, just for fun, Google: The Gadjits.  

Set list:
Cold Hard Facts
Bastards at the Gate
Year of the Rat
Daddy Wore Back
Sin City (AC/DC)
Don’t Call it a Ghetto
Pills

 
 
You can download Live in Los Angeles on iTunes at the link here. Join The Architects next Saturday, December 8 at Club 906 with Story May Vary, Crush, Them Damned Young Livers, and Radkey.

–Joshua Hammond

After stints drumming for both The Afternoons and Jenny Carr and the Waiting List in the Lawrence/Kansas City music scene, Joshua Hammond found his footing as a music journalist, launching the national publication Popwreckoning. After running the show as Editor in Chief for 6 years, Hammond stepped away from the reigns to freelance for other publications like Under The Gun Review and High Voltage Magazine. This shift allowed the adequate amount of time for him to write passionately, allow the Kansas City Royals to break his heart on a daily basis and spoon his cats just enough that they don’t shred his vinyl. 

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Album review: Ernest James Zydeco – 3 Steps From La La

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(Photo by Bill McKelvey)

The sounds of zydeco are catchy, instantly danceable, and tell stories of a culture that long ago adopted southern Louisiana as its American foothold. For a great many of the music-loving populace of the Kansas City area, the most consistent exposure to the music of New Orleans can be found Friday and Saturday nights on KCUR’s The Fish Fry. The diverse musical tablet of KC doesn’t include very many practitioners of the Cajun soundtrack; Louisiana Grammy-Award winner Chubby Carrier plays at Knucklehead’s so frequently, he may have been given honorary citizenship status here. There is one gentleman, however, who strives to share the sounds of the Crescent City with his fellow Kansas Citians: Ernest James, leader of Ernest James Zydeco, who is releasing the band’s third CD, 3 Steps from La La.

The Ernest James Zydeco version of Cajun music relies less on the flamboyant showmanship of such legends of the form as Clifton Chenier and Buckwheat Zydeco, and more on the roots-and-folk-music influence of the hill country. This approach seems better suited for a Midwesterner’s touch, as James and his band incorporate jazz and blues in this festive mix. The result may be a little more contemporary than one would expect to hear on Bourbon Street, but it’s no less faithful to the genre.
 
3 Steps From La La kicks off with “Shake It Sugaree,” the kind of song one would expect to hear walking into the door of a jumpin’ and jivin’ fais do-do; no dance floor would be left unattended with the sounds of Ernest James Zydeco pouring through the speakers. The traditional jump-shuffle of the accordion leads a band with a solid rhythm and brass section (featuring über-musician Mike Stover on bass, banjo, and slide guitar), as James beseeches the listener to get their dancing shoes on (“all that I want / all that I need / shake it right now, sugaree”), and anyone with a pulse would have no choice but to comply. “Lookin” and “Whoa Sally” will keep the party movin’ and groovin’, and when it’s time to put a slowdown on things, James follows with “Supposed To Do,” a grimy blues burner that tells of one’s decision to put their needs ahead of another’s (“I know what you want from me / but this ol’ boy’s gotta be free”). The rest of the album spotlights the diversity and variety of music that James and his band are capable of: a straight-up Howlin’ Wolf-inspired blues (“Zydeco Mother’s Day”), music of lament and longing (“Man Across the Street”), zydeco-meets-The-Wilders (“Pearlie Pearl”, with the fiddle and vocal stylings of the indomitable and inimitable Betse Ellis), and the closer, the gospel standard “Glory Glory,” which James retooled a bit to reflect his own views. “I had to rearrange the lyrics to be comfortable singing them,” he said. “I’m not a Bible thumper; they’re kind of a ‘I don’t know where I’m going … if there’s a God, have some mercy!’ kind of message.”
 
Whether there’s a message contained within the music of 3 Steps from La La is up to the listener. If so, it’s being delivered by a tight, authentic, fervent group of musicians led by a man who has been sharing the joyful noise of the Big Easy for years. Ernest James Zydeco delivers on their new CD, and they have a history of bringing it home during their live performances as well, whether they be in a quiet bookstore or a raucous club. Lovers of well-crafted and no-pretense music of any style or genre would do well to add this to their audio libraries.
 
As Ernest James might reply, “Yeah, you right!”
 
Ernest James and his band will be releasing 3 Steps From La La tomorrow, November 30, with a show at B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ. Join them for a fun evening; they will be performing the album in its entirety.
 
 
–-Michael Byars
 
After much soul-searching and contemplation, Michael Byars has decided not to run for office in 2016. If there had been any money left from his SuperPAC, he would have given it all to the Midwest Music Foundation—but there was only enough to buy a candy bar, so there you go.

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