Music Blog

Exile On West Union Street: Local Bands Gear Up For Keithfest

Emily Votaw — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 04:33:18 +0000

Athens, Ohio

Emily Votaw

The Rolling Stones are inarguably one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Their combination of rough English boy blues, infused with an even rougher attitude, has yet to be matched.

Therefore, it only makes sense that The Stones would have some fans who are inarguably great.

This Saturday, The Union is hosting the second annual "Keithfest," featuring a wide array of local bands, all playing in memory of Bryan Keith Winland, who passed away in 2008.

Throughout the night, local musicians will be covering tunes penned by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the latter of whom the event is named after...sort of.

"Keith Richards was Bryan's favorite Stone, and Bryan's middle name was Keith," said Scott Winland, Bryan's younger brother and the event's organizer. "After a while it stuck and we decided he would've got a kick out of the name."

After Bryan passed away, Scott and his sister Jennifer decided to start a scholarship in his name for high school seniors seeking higher education in arts and music, and to hold an annual benefit concert to fund it.

"He was an amazing guy," said Winland. "We came from a very musical family. Bryan was a major part of that for me. As a booking agent, promoter, musician and music professor, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Bryan or his impact on who I am and what I do."

Many of Athens' most impressive acts will take the stage on Saturday, including local surf/garage heroes The D-Rays, veteran punks Weird Science and prog-rock wizards Zapano.

The show will also include Winland's band Dropdead Sons, as welll as Hex Net, The Imparsonators, Leah & Adam, Nick Zuban, The JJ Reed Band and Whip & Tickle.

"Last year's show was a lot of fun, and I'm expecting the same from this year's Keithfest," said Winland. He went on to say that attendees should be prepared for a casual evening.

"Like The Stones, the music and schedule will run pretty loose," he noted. "Get there early and raise a glass to Bryan Winland--Athens' finest rock 'n' roller."

Keithfest starts at 10 p.m. at The Union (18 W. Union Street). All proceeds go to the Bryan Winland Arts & Music Scholarship Fund.

Pulling It Together: In The Studio With Shannon Stephens

Bryan Gibson — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:13:35 +0000

Athens, Ohio

Bryan Gibson

Photo Credit:

Elliot Nicolson

Shannon Stephens

Seattle-based singer/songwriter Shannon Stephens stopped by the WOUB studios today to play a few songs and chat with Crossing Boundaries host Mark Hellenberg.

Shannon and her drummer Andrew Rudd were in Athens to play a house show with Southeast Engine's Adam Remnant and local songstress Liz Pahl.

Stephens is currently touring the U.S. in support of her third album, Pull It Together (Asthmatic Kitty) which features a duet with Bonnie "Prince" Billy, who covered Stephens' "I'll Be Glad," on his album Lie Down in the Light.

For more information about Shannon Stephens, visit www.myspace.com/shannonstephens.

shannonstephens.mp3

Choral Union To Perform At OU Zanesville

Christine Shaw — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:08:12 +0000

Zanesville, Ohio

Christine Shaw

The Ohio University Zanesville Choral Union will present its Spring Term Concert on Friday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Elson Hall auditorium.

This term’s singers consist of sopranos: Amanda Lanning of Nashport and Lisa Sharp of South Zanesville; Alto Chelsea Howard of Zanesville; Tenors: Charles Dembecki of Newark, Chas. Harn of Zanesville, and Ross Love of Cambridge; and Basses: Bryce Love and Jared Williams of Cambridge.

Song selections include Rodgers and Hammerstein, Gallina, Copland, Schram, and Moore.

The group’s director, Charles Savage, assistant professor of music, was recently guest conductor of the Ohio Valley University a Cappella Singers, for the premier of his work "Hosanna," written for double a cappella chorus.

Art Instructor Michael Seiler’s students will display their artwork during this event.

The concert and art show are free and open to the public. A reception will follow the event. For more information, call Charles Savage at 740-588-1524.

What A Concept: A Talk With Eric Bluebaum Of Riley

Emily Votaw — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:29:17 +0000

Dayton, Ohio

Emily Votaw

Photo Credit:

Amanda Jasnowski

Riley

Technical skill doesn’t make a band and it certainly doesn’t make a rock band. But sometimes it can make a group of musicians stand out from the pack of new acts constantly trying to "make it."

Such is the case with Riley, a band from Dayton, Ohio, with a remarkable sound that infuses precise guitar licks and jazz styling into something quite unique.

"We are really trying to make music for people who like music," said Eric Bluebaum, the band’s front man. Bluebaum went on to further explain the specific demographic he is targeting with his complex tunes.

"When we were younger, we were the kind of people who would hear a couple of tracks off of a CD, and, if we liked them, we’d go out and buy the record. And we’d listen to it over and over, front to back. Those are the kind of people we are trying to make music for."

The band’s newest release, Cat of Nine Tails: Part 1, is only the first installment of what the group hopes to be a three or four-part project. The story, penned by Bluebaum, is based on the life and death of "Jonah," a fictional character dealing with all types of trials and tribulations from the time of his birth.

"It’s not exactly a happy story," said Bluebaum of the project, "and it’s not really like I meant it that way. It’s just dark--a cat of nine tails is a whip that has nine divisions instead of one, and obviously that’s not very much fun to get hit with."

The story started two or three years ago after an atypical songwriting session with the band’s original members, Bluebaum, Colin Pauley, and Chris Warman.

"I wrote the lyrics on the spot when we were writing the song, which is something that is pretty unusual for me. And after I started, it was something that I really didn’t want to leave" said Bluebaum.

Concept albums are often tagged as prog-rock. Just think of Pink Floyd, Yes or the Alan Parsons Project: all of those acts have been associated with at least one concept album.

However, the kind of project that Riley is hoping to undertake with The Cat of Nine Tails isn’t so much influenced by progressive rock as it is by traditional rock takes on "story albums."

"I mean, as a band, what we are trying to do are things that people haven’t done before. And I can’t really say that I was influenced by Pink Floyd or anything like that. I wrote this story and decided to run with it, and if there is really any kind of comparison, I would think more along the lines of like, American Idiot," Bluebaum explained, referencing Green Day’s 2004 rock opera.

"I think as a band we all like to be a bit technical, and we all like to make intricate music, but I wouldn’t say that we are necessarily progressive," he said.

That desire to create complex, elaborate songs is deep-rooted in the band members. Bluebaum, Pauley, and Warman were all highly involved in their high school music programs, where they developed their chops.

"I would say that to an extent, we are relatively professionally trained, at least in a sort of scattered way," Bluebaum explained. "We all started playing music really young. And I think that if you ask any artist, regardless of whether they are painting or writing or dancing, that once you start, it’s almost impossible to stop."

In addition to touring and promoting the new album, Riley will also perform at the Madlove Music Festival at Sawyer Point in Cincinnati, Ohio, this Saturday. For more information, visit Riley's Facebook page.

Greater Huntington Symphonic Band To Perform At OU Southern

WOUB — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:20:14 +0000

Ironton, Ohio

Photo Credit:

provided

Greater Huntington Symphonic Band

The Greater Huntington Symphonic Band will perform a free outdoor concert at Ohio University Southern on Sunday, May 27 at 5 p.m. on the Shafer Courtyard.

The symphonic band has existed for decades under several different names and conductors, but came together in its present form in 1964 with Homer Oschenhirt serving as director.

At that time the band was housed in the old Stella Fuller Building in Huntington and gave concerts at the Stella Fuller Playground.

The ensemble, directed by Tom Thompson since 1990, draws its membership from the greater tri-state area, including Huntington, Charleston, Ashland, Ironton and Russell-Flatwoods.

It is a non-profit organization funded solely by donations to purchase music. Membership is open to anyone who has basic music reading and musicianship skills and loves to play band music.

Current members range in age from 14 to 84 and represent all walks of life including students, retirees, and working professionals. The band is currently in need of trombones, clarinet and percussion. Rehearsals are Thursday nights at 7:00 p.m. in the Vinson Middle School band room in Spring Valley.

The performance is part of the Ironton Memorial Day weekend celebration. Those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. In case of rain the performance will be held in the Riffe Center Mains Rotunda.

VIDEO: Mucca Pazza at 2012 Nelsonville Music Festival

Cam Soergel — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:56:50 +0000

Nelsonville, Ohio

Cam Soergel

Elliot Nicolson

Photo Credit:

Sydney Good

Mucca Pazza

Footage of the 30-piece "circus-punk marching band," recorded at the Nelsonville Music Festival on May 19, 2012.

Clip courtesy of Cam Soergel (video) and Elliot Nicolson (audio).

REVIEW: 2012 Nelsonville Music Festival, Day 3

Emily Votaw — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:02:36 +0000

Nelsonville, Ohio

Emily Votaw

Photo Credit:

@mattbauermusic

If there were any recurring themes at this year's Nelsonville Music Festival (besides groovy tunes), they were probably: heat, hippies/hipsters and a very low probability of getting into the No-Fi Cabin.

The beautiful old schoolhouse is the perfect setting for a completely acoustic performance, but its small space precludes many people from seeing some amazing musicians.

However, if festivalgoers were lucky enough to squeeze in following Michael Hurley's set, they witnessed an excellent performance from singer-songwriter Matt Bauer.

When Bauer picked up his guitar and began singing straight from the gut, the audience was completely captivated, despite the sound of other music drifting in from the nearby Porch and Kids' Stages.

The music was dark; a startling contrast to the bright, sunshiny day outside. As Bauer picked through the incredible "Old Kimball" from his album The Island Moved in the Storm, one person climbed in through the window directly to Bauer’s right. Clearly, this was a determined crowd.

As the festival's final day turned into the final night, Portland, Ore., natives Horse Feathers ambled on to the Porch Stage with their numerous string instruments.

Admittedly, an "indie folk act with spurts of orchestral-style woodwinds" sounds pretty pretentious and a little gimmicky. However, any suspicions of gimmickry were shattered when the five-piece broke into their opening song.

The group managed to corral their potentially overwhelming sound into something streamlined and immensely powerful. In fact, judging from the way that the songs boomed throughout the festival grounds is evidence enough that Horse Feathers are folksters with something to prove.

One of the definite highlights of the substantial set was the band’s performance of "Where I’ll Be" from their latest release, Cynic’s New Year, featuring singer Justin Ringle’s lilting vocals and a soft dose of violin.

Regardless of how well an indie folk band can potentially perform, there's just nothing quite like watching a true-blue American rock band. Festivalgoers got their rock fix when the L.A.-based Dawes played a set on the main stage around 6 p.m.

There was something downright friendly about Dawes from the moment they picked up their guitars and charged into a series of chunky, guitar-driven tunes. Throughout the set, front man Taylor Goldsmith acknowledged each member and even commented on the incredible assortment of acts that played at the festival.

Smiling, and obviously having a good time, Dawes played through some of the most straightforward tunes of the night, drawing from influences ranging from great bar bands like NRBQ to the more rocked-out material in Neil Young’s discography.

Unfortunately, some of the audience couldn’t completely enjoy the music thanks to a very rowdy, very loud, very small cluster of sunburned individuals in the middle of the crowd, who had also made an appearance at the Horse Feathers' performance earlier in the day.

However, once Dawes broke into a cover of Paul Simon’s "Kodachrome," it was nearly impossible to not share the band's enthusiasm.

There was a lengthy waiting period between Dawes’ tear-down and the sound check of the festival’s final headliner, M. Ward.

Regardless, when the alt-country/indie-folk songwriter finally took the stage, he was nothing short of impressive.

Ward made just about every other act in the festival seem chatty, as he failed to address the audience until about halfway through his streamlined set. There was something powerful about Ward’s stage presence and the fact that a huge sound was being made by just four individuals.

Whether or not Ward came off as friendly, his music was refreshingly visceral, and by the time he broke into "Chinese Translation," the audience was mesmerized.

After Ward’s set, the audience drained out of the main stage area and headed for the parking lot, concluding the highly successful 2012 Nelsonville Music Festival.

This Bud's For You: Wiz Khalifa Wows Packed Convo Crowd

Rose Troyer — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:02:54 +0000

Athens, Ohio

Rose Troyer

Photo Credit:

www.wizkhalifa.com

Wiz Khalifa

Rapper Wiz Khalifa and singer Sean Kingston entertained a packed crowd last Friday during a show at Ohio University's Convocation Center.

After taking the stage, Kingston had the audience on its feet until he addressed the crowd as "Ohio State." After being booed, an assistant informed him where he was, and the show resumed.

Kingston performed well enough, but instead of singing live throughout the show, he interspersed his songs with recordings of tunes that he had written for other artists.

Interesting as it may be that Kingston is such a prolific writer (Nicki Minaj and Lil' Wayne have covered his songs, among other artists), the audience was expecting a live concert, not a DJ.

After Kingston left the stage, the crowd took the opportunity to grab food, drinks and a nap (at least one student was spotted napping) until Wiz Khalifa finally made his way on to the stage.

Once Khalifa's opening number kicked in, the concert reached a high point. Literally, as the smell of marijuana wafted through the Convo. Then again, it wasn't totally unexpected for a show by an artist who once rapped about about rolling joints "bigger than King Kong's fingers."

"Who has the best weed in this place?" asked Khalifa as a cloud appeared above the mosh pit. The police made an appearance and a handful of audience members were arrested.

But, as you might presume, the show went on. Khalifa kicked into high gear (no pun intended), playing his most well-known songs, along with some new material.

From beginning to end, Khalifa had everyone singing along and dancing, finally wrapping up the evening with the help of a few students on stage for the last song.

The concert was sponsored by University Program Council, Student Senate, Black Student Cultural Programming Board, the Campus Involvement Center, Ohio University Performing Arts, General Fee ad the Division of Student Affairs.

SLIDESHOW: Nelsonville Music Festival, Day 3

Sydney Good — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:37:59 +0000

Nelsonville, Ohio

Sydney Good

Cam Soergel

Joan Butcher

Photo Credit:

Joan Butcher

Images from the third and final day of the 2012 Nelsonville Music Festival, courtesy of Joan Butcher, Sydney Good and Cam Soergel.

AUDIO: Iron & Wine at 2012 Nelsonville Music Festival

Cam Soergel — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:43:17 +0000

Nelsonville, Ohio

Cam Soergel

Elliot Nicolson

Photo Credit:

Cam Soergel

Sam Beam of Iron & Wine

Listen to audio from Iron & Wine's set, recorded Friday, May 18, 2012 at the Nelsonville Music Festival.

Clip courtesy of Elliot Nicolson (audio) and Cam Soergel (photos).