(Photo of Everyday/Everynight)
More often than not, a bill of diverse acts just doesn’t work. When you’re a show promoter, you typically don’t set up a group of guylined cock rockers with a charming folk duo.
Fortunately, sometimes it runs smoothly and flows naturally. The Midwestern Audio, Vol. 1 double CD compilation from Midwest Music Foundation glides smoothly along, just as its release party did on September 23, featuring six acts featured on the compilation.
Gemini Revolution, opened up the night with an avant-garde, psychedelic, chilling performance. The trio returned only days before from performing POP Montreal, and left the trickling-in crowd wanting more. Dedric Moore, Delaney Moore, and Mika Tanaya are also part of the experimental and somewhat more accessible Monta At Odds, and brought an otherworldly, intergalactic vibe to their music. Whether this form of free jazz infused with electronic pop is your cup of tea or not, there was no doubt that Gemini Revolution played music on its own terms, and brought an eerie, nail-biting soundtrack to get the evening started.
While Gemini Revolution set up the scene for the evening’s festivities, the next act took it to an exhilarating apex. Reach brought a compelling performance with help from the Diverse jazz trio. Witnessing each act on its own is a spectacle of musicianship, ingenious lyrics and astounding rhythms, but the combination of the two put the audience in awe of its splendor. While Hermon Mehari supplied smooth, poignant trumpet melodies, the rhythm section added a compelling, vital component that the audience couldn’t take its eyes off of. And then there’s Reach, who has proved in his years of being an emcee in Kansas City that he has true starpower and talent, with the rare ability to keep a crowd energized while depicting real life in brilliant rhyme schemes.
The natural progression of a psychedelic trio to a jazz/rap collective to jazz/blues swing group may seem like an odd mashup, but Grand Marquis provided a refreshing backdrop to a lineup that continued to build in dynamics and potency. This five-piece group—who recently recorded a session at the historic Sun Studio in Memphis—made sure the mostly indie pop/rock audience would take notice and spring to its feet. Dressed to the nines, Grand Marquis helped transform the recordBar into a speakeasy for about 45 minutes. The group played a mix of big band standards and originals with a swinging New Orleans jazz flair. Like Diverse, Grand Marquis reminded us of the vibrant history of Kansas City music, but also showed us how the sound remains relevant today.
The last two bands of the night provided the crowd with the heaviest dose of indie pop and rock. Antennas Up highlighted the show with its signature dancey, mind-melding synth pop power. Complete with The Ryantist’s Space Invaders drum kit, the energetic four-piece took us on a stellar ride through the universe, but not in the same way as Gemini Revolution. As the night’s opener astonished the audience with its finesse of taking unstructured music and making it accessible, Antennas Up blasted the crowd into space with clear vocal harmonies and plenty of boops and beeps to keep listeners intent on their aural surroundings.
Everyday/Everynight wrapped up the evening in true form to any headlining act. Shimmering guitars, echoing vocals, and enormous atmospheric noises made the group’s music simultaneously beautiful and excitingly aggressive. Frontman Jerad Tomasino took a moment to acknowledge Midwest Music Foundation for putting together a free local compilation, which includes 41 tracks from some of the most talented musical acts in the area.
You can find tracks from all of these acts on the Midwestern Audio, Vol. 1 compilation. It’s available for FREE at Love Garden Sounds in Lawrence and other stores around the Kansas City. Brenton Cook, who compiled the CD, will be handing out copies this Saturday at Earwaxx Records during an in-store event with featured bands Be/Non and Appropriate Grammar. It’s also available for download at the Bandcamp link below.
–Michelle Bacon
| Michelle is editor-in-chief of The Deli – Kansas City. She also has a weekly column with The Kansas City Star and reviews music for Ink. She plays with Deco Auto, Drew Black and Dirty Electric, and Dolls on Fire. She flosses daily. Do you? |