John Ragel is a serial multitasker, enthusiastically orchestrating songs that are poly-genre and made up of improvised melodies and rhythms as Boy Eats Drum Machine. As a DJ he knows how to drop all kinds of percussion and experiments freely with his turntable and instruments. He is a one-man band, augmenting the tones further with his saxophone skills or guitar chord embellishments. Sometimes the colors of his sounds begin to bleed a bit into an artistic jazz scat break-down, but then something random will unexpectedly drop from above. Excerpts of laughter or cheers from his audience fall into the track perfectly and return it to its journey of beat-box/ pop-rock ear candy. He shifts light-heartedly on stage between electronics, instruments and vocals, and seems to purely enjoy playing music, having created six albums with additional compilations of bonus material to date. In his latest release, The Battle, the smooth pitch of Ragel’s voice cites religion, politics, and temptation but not without laser pews and Nintendo noises whirring overhead. Boy Eats Drum Machine will be celebrating the release of The Battle at Burnside Brewing Company’s Night of the Living Ales. Local electronic spook Purse Candy and the adorable musings of Oh, Darling will also be performing along with the added Halloween raucous of ghoulish go-go dancers and craft brews. Watch out for Ragel as Bowie. – Brandy Crowe
