In 1973, when I was twelve years old, my best friend and I came to England for summer holiday camp. Yesterday, walking down an east London street I had a flashback to one of the many “teen dances” we attended that summer. At the time I remember thinking “Brit kids” were a queer bunch of fairies, dancing to such music. I had never heard of Bowie, Slade, Gary Glitter, or T-Rex.

Then one night, over many shanties and cigarettes, an older kid name Collin “sorted me out” on proper British rock ‘n roll. I came to know that Bowie and Bolan were cool – and Pink Floyd were not (who I would childishly refer to as “homos.”)

From that summer on I have been fully engaged and obsessed with British rock ‘n roll. Later in my teens when broke, I would stay up all night playing 45s, dreaming about making the UK scene. Now, almost 35 years later, I’m at a club in London with friends—yes, many cool friends, watching the latest wave of British guitar kids having their go.

This week’s show coming from London is dedicated to a rock ‘n roll dream. Anyone’s really. Yes, the set features some of the coolest new UK acts mixed with a jet-lagged infused selection of “oldies.”

Here’s my Idelic UK Innovation.

The Idelic Hit of the Week:
Toy – Left Myself Behind

We’ve been in this racket long enough to know that it’s not every day a band or artist attains the lofty ambition of releasing their first single on vinyl, not to mention it arriving in tandem with said artist’s first full EP. Washington, DC’s Jessica Louise Dye, or Lightfoot, is the exception to that rule.

Lightfoot’s 7″ single and EP, Scarlet Sails is available this week, and as such, DC’s Black Cat is hosting a release party this Friday night, January 27th. Joining Jess on the bill are Loose Lips, Ugly Purple Sweater, and Paperhaus—all of whom we’ve cornered this week for a chat about records in anticipation of Friday night’s event.

If you missed our initial installments, we chatted with Loose Lips on Tuesday, Paperhaus on Wednesday, and Ugly Purple Sweater yesterday. Today’s the lovely Ms. Dye joins us along with the rest of Lightfoot. Go out and see ‘em tonight, ok?

What was the first vinyl record you ever listened to?

Jess: I can’t remember the precise record but I have an image of this tango album my granny used to play when I was 4. She used to play all sorts of great records by Sinatra, Crosby, and Gershwin. We would foxtrot in the living room together. It’s actually what got me into ballroom dancing.
Ron: Tommy by The Who
Adam: Thriller by Michael Jackson
Peter: Revolver by The Beatles

Why is pressing your music to vinyl so important?

Jess: I really wanted to press the single of “Scarlet Sails” to vinyl for a few reasons. First, I selfishly wanted to be able to hold this tangible thing that I produced. As if having it on a 7″ would make it more real.

Secondly, people don’t throw away records. Seriously, think about the last time you helped a friend move to a new apartment. I promise you a few of those boxes were records. With everything so digital these days, who has a CD tower anymore? People chuck discs after they upload em to their iTunes.

And lastly, I like the idea that this piece of vinyl is how we’ve been listening to music for over half a century. It’s long lasting. I secretly hope that in twenty years someone’s kids might find “Scarlet Sails” in a dusty box in their parents’ attic. I doubt they’d be half excited to find a stack of old CDs!

What is on your record player right now?

Ron: Without by Washed Out
Adam: Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders
Peter: Elliott Smith
Jess: King Krule by King Krule!

Do you buy modern bands vinyl pressings?

Jess: Totally, especially local acts. Vinyl is expensive to make, so I usually try to buy that over anything else to better support the band.

Last words?

Jess: I love vinyl so much I am giving away my 7″. Buy a digital copy of “Scarlet Sails (buy here) and attend our release show (tix here) = get a FREE 7″ vinyl record! WOW!

LIGHTFOOT Release Party, Friday, January 27 with LOOSE LIPS, UGLY PURPLE SWEATER, PAPERHAUS
$10 Mainstage / Doors at 9:00
Tickets here!

The Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival is a two-day celebration of Chicago’s rich roots music and culture.

Expanded to take over the last two Saturdays in January, the second and final night of this incredible festival, now in its fourth year, is taking place at the Congress Theater tomorrow. Playing across three stages throughout the Congress will be some of the best roots rock Chicago and the rest of the country has to offer. As a change from last week’s performances, this week will showcase the influence of bluegrass and blues in the rock, folk, and alt-country genres.

Check out the full lineup, ticket information, and poster below.

Los Angeles Americana and folk-rock band Dawes will be taking the main stage at 10:00 PM. As part of the Laurel Canyon sound, Dawes has recorded to analog tape, released on vinyl, and been rightly called “authentically vintage” by Rolling Stone magazine.

Headlining the show, and finishing off the festival with a two-hour set, will be the alt-country Southern rockers, Drive-By Truckers. Making music since 1996, the group has just released their ninth studio album, and has consistently released all of their records to vinyl. Now, that’s my kind of band.

Congress Theater Main Stage
Drive-By Truckers
Dawes
Joe Pug
Bailiff
Van Ghost
The Dirty Pigeons

Congress Theater Lobby Stage
Jaik Willis
Great Divide
Jon Drake & The Shakes
Ben Ripani Music Co.
The Future Laureates
Band Called Catch
Paper Thick Walls
Michele McGuire

Congress Theater Balcony Stage
The Shams Band
Go Long Mule
The Big Hit

The second night of the Festival kicks off at 4:00 PM tomorrow (1/28), at the Congress Theater (2135 N Milwaukee Ave). Tickets start at $35 for General Admission and go all the way up to $100 for the VIP package, which includes express entry and an all-night drink package. Tickets can be picked up from Ticketfly.

This Friday (2/27) will be a big night for a Memphis supergroup of sorts, Sex Cult, which features members of of the Magic Kids, Bake Sale, Noise Choir, and Vile Nation. They’ll be tearing up the Buccaneer Lounge as they celebrate the release of their new 7″ vinyl single being issued by middle Tennessee imprint Nashville’s Dead, “Plain Jane” b/w “I’m a Bug,” which is a cover song originally recorded by the Urinals in 1979. We wonder if they know there is also a group out of New York called Sex Cult that specializes in the Grindhouse/Brostep/Gutterhouse/Dive genre. That’s a co-tour we would not want to see.

Sex Cult

If the night hasn’t claimed you by this point, you’ll have the chance to be boogie-rocking way past the time you should be turning in for bed time. Hazy Skies will be bringing their dancey hard rock packed-to-the-brim with attitude to Murphy’s.

Also tearing through the dense atmosphere of Murphy’s is One Word, who have a dense sense of composition that ranges from acoustic ballads to indie throwback. The show is one you’d regret missing, so be sure to make it out.

Saturday (2/28) will have a nice change of pace from Friday night. Local yokel with sick vocals Grace Askew, with aid of the very talented David Coan, will be showcasing her southern twang at the Buccaneer Lounge. It’ll be an early show that begins at 6pm and ends by 9pm, so you’ll still have plenty of time to waste the night away arguing about SOPA and Kardashian marriages.

If you’re in town for the weekend, fill out your schedule, and I hope to see you out. And remember—don’t drink and drive, or always be able to walk home from your bar. Be safe, and I’ll see ya out there!

Looking for some live music in Chicago this weekend? We’ve got you covered. Check out this weekend’s featured show along with a more extensive weekend list below!

CASS McCOMBS @ Lincoln Hall, 1/29

Folk artist and California native Cass McCombs has spent most of his life traveling around the country recording six albums, and building quite an impressive fan base in the process. Last year’s two releases, Wit’s End and Humor Risk, were compiled from three-years worth of recordings in New York, New Jersey, San Fransisco, LA, and our sweet home, Chicago. Check out the music video for the track “The Same Thing” from Humor Risk, below.

You can pick up both Humor Risk and Wit’s End on vinyl through Domino Records.

Beat Kitchen
BAMBI RAPTOR – 1/27
CHAPERONE – 1/28
KIRKLAND – 1/29

Bottom Lounge
PAPER DIAMOND (SOLD OUT) – 1/27
TRIPWIRZ – 1/28

Double Door
VICTORIAN HALLS – 1/27
MUCCA PAZZA – 1/28
BARCELONA – 1/29

Elbo Room
SAMI GRISAFE – 1/27
SONSETT – 1/28
MICHAEL TOMLINSON – 1/29

The Empty Bottle
SICH MANG – 1/27
MILANO – 1/28

House of Blues
LIVE LAVA LIVE – 1/27
RAILROAD EARTH – 1/28

Lincoln Hall
EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE! – 1/27
THEE SILVER MT ZION MEMORIAL ORCHESTRA – 1/28

Martyrs’
EKOOSTIK HOOKAH – 1/27
FAREED HAQUE’S MATHGAMES – 1/28

Metro
LOS CAMPESINOS! – 1/27
DEVOTCHKA – 1/28

Mojoes of Joliet
JORDAN KNIGHT – 1/27
MY TICKET HOME – 1/28

Schuba’s
XV – 1/27
DOLLY VARDEN – 1/28
AMERICAN BABIES – 1/29

Subterranean
IMPERIAL SONS (EP Release) – 1/27
PASSAFIRE – 1/28
LAKE RADIO – 1/29

You know that Carnival season is in full swing when you have two chances to rock with dancing women in costume on successive weekend nights for good causes. I also detail a rare local appearance, a CD Release Party and some free music at our favorite record store. Read on for where you’ll be.

Tonight, the Camel Toe Lady Steppers host their annual “Best-Little-Toe-Down-in-NOLA” at Tipitina’s. The concert is a benefit for the Roots of Music after school education program. Besides the girls themselves, expect to see the New Orleans Bingo! Show, the Local Skank, Fleur de Tease and the Mystic Ponies. The kids in the Roots of Music will also perform.

Saturday night, the Pussy Footers host their annual Blush Ball at the Foundry, which is located at 333 Saint Joseph St. Big Sam’s Funky Nation provides the entertainment and the Metro Center for Women and Children is the beneficiary of their largesse.

Also Saturday night, Irvin Mayfield’s New Orleans Jazz Orchestra performs a rare local show at the House of Blues. This sixteen-piece band is stocked with top-notch players under the direction of the peripatetic trumpeter. The group tours widely and plays in prestigious concert halls. This is a chance to see them in an intimate room and hear Mayfield’s large-scale compositions.

I know you wish you could be in three places at once, so you’ll have to choose what to do Saturday night, because the Soul Rebels (shown above with Metallica- photo by Jeremy Smith) are celebrating their new album at Tipitina’s. The band has been on fire lately, including a special invite-only performance with heavy rock titan Metallica, and recently signed with a major talent agency. Their new disc, Unlock Your Mind, is will get wide distribution on Rounder Records.

On Saturday afternoon, the Louisiana Music Factory continues an impressive two-week stretch of in-store performances. E. Company starts the afternoon off at 2 PM, followed by Ryan Foret and Foret Tradition. The Soul Rebels will be warming up for their big party later in the evening at 4 PM. See you there!

Ciao, gents and dames! You’ve survived the first month of the new year! How are you feeling? With the year starting to set in, we think you deserve to take a load off, so let’s look at what Cleveland has to offer in good music, shall we?

Our featured show for the last weekend of January is Jack’s Mannequin supported by Jukebox The Ghost and Allen Stone on Sunday (1/29) at the House of Blues. This alternative band has been making music since 2005, and released five studio albums that have achieved top chart positions.

This show will allow many to reminisce about younger years when songs “The Mixed Tape” and “Dark Blue” reigned supreme on the airwaves, and is certainly going to be an experience not to miss. We’ll see you there!

The Beachland Tavern
1/27: The Schwartz Brothers. 9 pm. $5.
1/28: Debussi/Dave Hammer’s Power Supply/The Dead Exs/Myth & Company. 8:30 pm. $8.
1/29: Samantha Crain/White Pines/Ben Weaver. 8:30 pm. $8 adv, $10 dos.

The Beachland Ballroom
1/27: The Werks/Broccoli Samurai/Main Squeeze. 9 pm. $10 adv, $12 dos.
1/28: Afterglow – Cleveland’s Own Genesis Tribute Band. 9 pm. $10.

Bela Dubby
1/27: Brother Ong (Mike Tamburo), Nate Scheible/Jack Smiley Duo, TBA. 9 pm.
1/28: JOHNNY AND THE APPLE STOMPERS / The Columbine Kids / 99 Spirits. 8pm.
1/29: Closing show for Roman J Leyva w/ Darger/Spacedog/tba. 8pm.

Grog Shop
1/27: “Cleveland is Dope” Live Music Showcase & Film Premiere / Lolah Brown / Franc West / Ebony James / Darren Anthony / Astronaut KI. 8 pm. $10 adv, $12 dos.
1/28: SEE-I/ Revolution Brass Band. 8 pm. $10.
1/29: XV/C-Ro Del Fresco/Lil Marv/ Rak Smith. 7:30 pm. $10 adv, $12 dos.

Happy Dog
1/27: DJ Kishka’s Polka Happy Hour from 6-9 pm.
Green Escalators, Erin Earthling, and Old Worlds. 9 pm.
1/28: David Bay Leaf and Bat Lion.

House of Blues
1/27: 16th Annual Tri-C High School Rock Off (on the Scene Stage). 6 pm. $10.
1/28: 16th Annual Tri-C High School Rock Off (on the Scene Stage). 3:30 pm. $10.
1/29: Jack’s Mannequin/Jukebox the Ghost/Allen Stone. 7 pm. $23.50 adv, $25 dos.

Now That’s Class
1/27: NTC Winter Skate Jam featuring Shit-Box Jimmy/Plain Dealers/Teen Vomit/ Crazy Joe Gallo. 9pm. free.
1/28: Beneath Oblivion/Red Sun/JJ Grim/Blood Alcohol Content. 9pm. $5 donation.
1/29: Johnny Ill Band/Charlie Slick/The Wooly Bullies/Setting Sun. 9pm. free.

Peabody’s
1/27: Dubo (of EST)/Eric Evasion/DJ Ceven. 6 pm. $10 advance/ $15 doors.
1/28: Battle of the Bands finals. 2 pm. $8 advance $10 doors.
The South Side Stalkers. 6pm. $10 advance $12 doors.
1/29: Pooh Gutta/Lil Ezzy/DJ Pana. 6pm. $10 advance $15 doors.

Wilbert’s
1/28: Rosedale Express/Dividing The Skyline.

There will always be the bands that just make you feel good. The bands that tap into something nostalgic, dredging up memories of belting at the top of your lungs in your room while your stepmom tells you to turn it down from outside your locked door. (If you were like me, that was when you turned the dial and drowned her out, continuing your dance party for one.)

For me, those bands will always be the emo/punk bands that got me through high school and sent me off to college with a determined beat to my step as I made my way around campus.

One of the bands I remember noshing on frequently was Hit the Lights. I was stoked when they announced a new full-length would be released early this year. Now, the “Countdown to Invicta” is at a mere four days, and I couldn’t be more excited to set the needle on the record, free my hair from its perpetual ponytail, and dance around my room like I used to. Hell, I’m sure my roommate will gladly tell me to stop singing at the top of my lungs once I’ve got all these lyrics on lock in my ol’ mind. I’ve got a better sound system then I did in my teens, so I’m also certain drowning her out will be no problem.

Anyway, back to the band. Hit the Lights hails from Lima, OH. They’ve been steadily touring since 2003, playing on such notable tours as Bamboozle, Warped, and a sold-out headlining tour. They’ve played alongside a variety of bands such as Hellogoodbye, Paramore, and New Found Glory to name a few, and they were on the Billboard Top 100 with their last album, Skip School, Start Fights.

All these accomplishments aside, there are two reasons I truly think Hit the Lights are remarkable. The first is the fact that this band refuses to conform to a monotonous idea of what they should sound like. They aren’t about to give in to anyone else’s idea of who or what they should be, and I think that’s a great message for kids out there. It’s alright to be who you are and be confident in that person. In fact, that’s how it should be.

The second reason is that faced with the hardship of losing a member of the band when original frontman Colin Ross left, they regrouped and built something stronger instead of just dissolving. Guitarist Nick Thompson stepped forward to fill the vacancy, proving to be a powerful and engaging frontman. The rest of the band is Omar Zehery on guitar, Kevin Mahoney on guitar, David Bermosk on bass, and Nate Van Damme on drums.

It’s that sort of phoenix story that appeals to me, and it is fitting that their new album is titled Invicta, which literally means “rise above.” It’s been a long wait for their new album, and I’m sure fellow Hit The Lights fans cannot wait for the album to be released next Tuesday, January 31st.

I’m excited to tell you that we’ll be giving away an autographed copy of their new album, Invicta, here at The Vinyl District. To enter to win, let us know which song about overcoming change motivates you.

Michael Jackson’s “Man In The Mirror” is a good example, but give us your own!

The winner will be notified next Friday, February 3rd, and must have a mailing address in North America.

On Tuesday, the Strength In Number (SIN) tour featuring Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows (D.R.U.G.S.), Hit The Lights, Like Moths To Flames, Sparks The Rescue, and My Arcadia took over the 9:30 Club. The night mixed pop punk with post-hardcore, and even threw in a little bit of electronic dub-step as D.R.U.G.S. made their headlining debut at the Club.

While the crowd may have been smaller than the last time lead singer, Craig Owens, and his band appeared here, the energy was not. With an hour long set, the intensity was felt from every beat to breakdown. The floor of the 9:30 Club was kept moving to a moshing dance as the tattooed lead singer, known for his theatrics, once again walked the barricade, and even at one point, walked the crowd. The set included most of the songs off of the band’s self titled LP such as “Sex Life” and “If You Think This Song Is About You, It Probably Is.”

Owens closed the show with a pointed statement regarding music, “go to fucking shows. I don’t give a fuck if you download our music, or buy our music, as long as you are here and you feel it.”

Photos by Amy Willard

The Alialujah Choir is Adam Shearer and Alia Farah of Weinland, and Adam Selzer of Norfolk & Western and M. Ward. The Portland, Oregon outfit have delivered a delicious album that radiates sincerity and poignancy, without resorting to the type of earnest claptrap which has blighted the scene these past few years.

If you’re a fan of well crafted folk/pop with gorgeous harmonies, this band is for you! Check out this clip, the first song from their first ever live show, in their hometown: