Twangfest Schedule: Starts Tonight!

OK, I screwed up, and I'll go back and fix it. I thought that the Spankers were playing Saturday, but no, dementia is setting in. They are playing Friday night. Everything I said is still true, but they will be here 24 hours sooner, like some kind of cool time machine/star trek transporter dealio. Good stuff.


Wednesday, June 10
The Pageant | Doors at 7, show at 8.

Alejandro Escovedo
Hot Club Of Cowtown
Amy Lavere


Thursday, June 11
Duck Room at Blueberry Hill | Doors at 7, show at 8.

Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys
Bruce Robison
Eilen Jewell
Brothers Lazaroff

Little Criminals from Jon Hardy & The Public on Vimeo.

FRIDAY, June 12
Duck Room at Blueberry Hill | Doors at 7, show at 8.

Asylum Street Spankers
Andre Williams
Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles
Jon Hardy & The Public- Check out that AWESOME video above! STL Pride!


Saturday, June 13
Duck Room at Blueberry Hill | Doors at 7, show at 8.

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Daddy (with Tommy Womack and Will Kimbrough)
The Deep Vibration
Theodore

Break It Down

Flash Party meets MC Hammer:

Old Skool laughs.

Asylum Street Spankers: Twangfest This F.R.I.D.A.Y.

I have seen the Spankers many times. They are unlike any band out there, a melding of 20's jazz, country, and odes to beer, sex, drugs, and more sex. It's hard to describe to folks; one of those "you have to see them" bands. With the magic of the internet I can share some videos so you at least get a flavor. They'll be playing Friday night as part of the Twangfest line-up. Can't be there, but I would if I could.


The Spankers are genre-jumpers like no other I know of (If you care to challenge, please do. Leave a comment). Here they are doing the B-52s:


Watching these videos makes me wish I was going. So I invite you to go, have fun. But shut the hell up when the band is playing. No one paid to hear you talk. Just some friendly advice. This last one features Stanley Smith (he's wearing the beret, looking like an old jazz hipster. He is), I wish he was still in the band.:

Riverboat Gamblers: A Choppy, Yet Sincere Apology

I'm excited, if not a little confused about the show this Saturday at Pop's. Doors open at 5 PM (!) and the Riverboat Gamblers are to go on around 6. The tickets say "Rise Against and Guests", but according to the venue, Rise Against are scheduled to go on next, with Rancid headlining. Who starts a show at 6 PM, unless you have 8 hardcore bands all playing 30 minute sets?!? And why is Rise Against, for all intents and purposes the headliner, but they aren't? It looks like it in the graphic above, with them on top and just slightly bigger. Hmmm. My source at Pop's better be right. Here's the Riverboat Gamblers. They're from Austin, like many good bands. But watch out, STL is breathing down your neck, bitches. Don't get me wrong, much love for Austin. Just sayin'.

Tidbit-topia

• Rancid will be performing on Conan on Wednesday night. They will be performing for me on Saturday at Pop's.

• White Rabbits and Jon Hardy will be at the Bluebird this Wed.

• Alejandro Escovedo will be at the Pageant along with Amy Lavere and Hot Club of Cowtown, to kick off Twangfest, also this Wednesday.

• Aerosmith will also be performing this Wednesday at the UMB Verizon Bank Riverport. And before you snicker about that one, they'll be performing "Toys In The Attic" in it's entirety, which would be cool to see.

• Did you like Blind Pilot when they opened for the Decemberists? Well, they're coming back, this time to Off Broadway on August 11. I think the venue will be perfect for them. The Pageant was almost too big for their delicate sound. Good booking choice.

• The RFT Music Fest was fun. Gentleman Auction House put on a good show as always, the 75's were pop-punk fun, even playing the Buzzcock's "Orgasm Addict", but the drummer looked like the girls' dad so there was a weird visual disconnect.
The show at the Pageant, from the times I ducked in there, sucked ass.
Not to be confused with the show at the Halo Bar, where the Humanoids put on an energetic set, and the Tripdaddies never fail to satisfy.
Anybody know the story on the Alex Keaton dude that was rocking out in front during the Trips? Seen him at a couple of shows, and he gets into it.
Rats and People were uniquely beautiful, I am better for seeing them.

"Frankly, This Video Is Freakin' Amazing"- Jason

WOOD from mc bess on Vimeo.

Jason, you are correct. "Wood" by Simon and McBess. I kept thinking that when he starts singing, that was going to ruin it, but I was wrong. This video captivates from start to finish. Thanks, Jason. That is all for now. Stay tuned for further instructions, including what to do in case of more freakin' amazingness.

Rancid: Last One to Die

So I bought the new Green Day. I like Green Day. And I bought the new Rancid. I like Rancid. All good, correct?

The Green Day has everything a rock/punk/pop lover like myself should like: sonic diversity, shout-along choruses, a big over-arching theme. In short, more of the same from the boys. The Rancid release, "Let The Dominoes Fall", has much of the same, with even an over-arching theme: longevity.

I am seeing both bands in concert in the coming months. I've never seen Green Day, so that will be cool. Seen Rancid before, and that was one of the best concert experiences I have had in a long time. It's been a while since this old skooler was in the thick of things, but there seemed to be no better place to be for that show. My friend Jeff, who had recommended the show, remembered looking around to see if I was enjoying myself and seeing me disappear into the sea of bodies. Enjoy, indeed I did. That was one of the few shows that I drove home from and was still soaking wet from sweat when I got out of the car in my driveway. MOST excellent.

So why do I love the new Rancid, and hate the new Green Day? Hard to put my finger on it. Maybe it's the fact that GD have a different producer that has managed to make them sound like Dionne Warwick with banal lyrics. The music has a squishy center to it, and the anger seems to be manufactured.

Rancid, on the other hand, may be nothing more than gutter poets, but what they are saying feels heartfelt. Sure, there are a few duff songs on the new one, but overall I'll pick their new one hands-down. Maybe you should hear it, and let me know what you think. Or tell me I'm crazy, that the new Green Day is the best thing they've ever done. I can take it. But you're wrong.

RFT Music Showcase: This Sunday

We are truly blessed to have such an abundance of great music to choose from here in St Louis. The Decemberists show on Sunday was great, and many of my friends are at the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show tonight. Have fun!

On the horizon is Twangfest, celebrating it's lucky 13th year on June 10-13. But first we have the annual RFT Music Showcase this Sunday. Here's the line-up. Anyone I should check out? I know I'll try to see Fred Friction or the Tripdaddys.

Main Outdoor Stage
1 p.m. The Beat Street Crew
2 p.m. Jon Hardy & the Public
3 p.m. One Lone Car
4 p.m. Gentleman Auction House- excellent live band
5 p.m. LOGOS
6 p.m. The Feed

The Cucina Outdoor Stage
1 p.m. Troubadour Dali
2 p.m. Funky Butt Brass Band
3 p.m. Kentucky Knife Fight
4 p.m. The Monads
5 p.m. The Educated Guess

Cicero's
6 p.m. Radical Sons
7 p.m. The 75s
8 p.m. The Blind Eyes
9 p.m. LucaBrasi
10 p.m. The Incurables

Blueberry Hill's Duck Room
7 p.m. Teresajenee
8 p.m. Earthworms
9 p.m.-midnight Tef Poe, Family Affair, Nato Caliph, Rockwell Knuckles, Vandalyzm, Black Spade, DJ Trackstar

Blueberry Hill's Elvis Room
6 p.m. Raglani
7 p.m. .e
8 p.m. Left Arm
9 p.m. Suburban Smash
10 p.m. Sine Nomine
11 p.m. Dude Nukem

Brandt's Market & Cafe
8 p.m. Tom Hall
9 p.m. Caleb Travers
10 p.m. Celia
11 p.m. Lamar Harris

Pi
7 p.m. Beth Bombara
8 p.m. Cassie Morgan
9 p.m. Magnolia Summer
10 p.m. Rough Shop
11 p.m. The Sham

Delmar Lounge
8 p.m. Rats & People Motion Picture Orchestra- so reminiscent of the Decemberists on a smaller scale that we call them the Novemberists.
9 p.m. Wooden Kites Say Panther
10 p.m. Exercise
11 p.m. Target Market
12 a.m. Bunnygrunt

Pin-Up Bowl
7 p.m. DJ Thumpasaurus
8 p.m. Flex Boogie
9 p.m. DJ Needles
10 p.m. DJ Mahf

Halo Bar
7 p.m. Glass Teeth
8 p.m. God Fodder
9 p.m. Humanoids
10 p.m. Gold Tooth
11 p.m. Trip Daddys

Vintage Vinyl
6 p.m. Eric Hall
7 p.m. Jason and the Beast
8 p.m. Scripts 'N Screwz
9 p.m. The Mhurs

Racanelli's
6 p.m. Grace Basement
7 p.m. Rum Drum Ramblers
8 p.m. The Northwoods

Riddles
7 p.m. Tenement Ruth
8 p.m. Dogtown Allstars
9 p.m. Leadville
10 p.m. Theodore
11 p.m. Fred Friction

Let me know if there's anyone to check out, and I will try to do it. It's kinda exciting to just go, and hopefully be surprised by someone, but some guidance would be appreciated, also.