popwreckoning

The biggest surprise of my Tuesday night was showing up to recordBar to watch Mates Of State and being greeted by a “Sold Out” sign. On the other hand it was no surprise that Mates Of State killed it. A group of hopeful fans were being turned away as I made my way into the dark bar. They most likely thought the same thing I did, “It’s just our old, local band, Mates Of State. There is no way it will sell out.” Well, we were both wrong.

I wandered into the overly stuffed recordBar right at the beginning of a set from Generationals. This dancey pop group hailing from New Orleans brought a bright, happy atmosphere to the eager crowd. It was made apparent that the enthusiasm for the set was shared by the band itself when the frontman commented that he was “impressed by the crowd” and expressed his relief that it wasn’t a repeat of “two years ago at Riot Room.” Generationals’ set was brief and pleasant. It was music you would listen to if you had a happy childhood (or just a bad memory of your unhappy one.) Cute, retro, keyboard driven pop with plenty of “Ooos” and “Aaahs” to go around.

After a quick stage dressing it was time for Mates Of State. They had adorned the stage with elaborate, homemade decorations. A wall of flowers hung behind them, fall leaves were draped all over the keyboards and drums, even the ceiling was decorated with two puffy clouds. As the band took the stage I overheard a group of girls behind me begin to get rather excited about the prospect of dancing. Apparently this is what most of the crowd had been planning for, because the moment the music started the bar erupted into a dance off. Accompanied, most fittingly, by a girly singalong. This is what Mates Of State are made for.

I noticed a bit of a change in the lineup since the last time I had seen the band play (Bleeding Kansas 2006, I believe.) To the classic piano and drum duo they had added an electric guitar player and another keyboardist who occasionally chimed in with athematic trumpet parts.

The first thing that shines through when you listen to Mates Of State are their driving, catchy choruses. The melodies, though simple and poppy, will stick with you for days. This band is also very well seasoned. For over a decade they have been playing crowded venues and have the experience of shows. Mates really know how to entertain a crowd and keep the show flowing. Just a few songs into the set they played the fan favorite “Shake It Off” then jumped straight into a new song. The new track was even more dancey and upbeat than the rest of the set, showing that with age the couple hasn’t soured at all.

On this night Mates Of State seemed larger than life, with a giant tour bus and a sold out show. At one point I had forgotten that they were the same band that I had known and listened to for so many years. I had to be reminded of their Lawrence heritage when, mid-set, they yelled out to their fans, “It is great to be back in town.”

I left recordBar encouraged by the show. Though the crowd consisted of mostly fans in their mid 30’s (possibly old faithfuls from back in the Lawrence days.) There were small pockets of younger fans who will hopefully carry on the success of the band. I am assured that as long as Mates Of State continue to play they will have an eager audience to play to.

Review written by Mat Shoare

Sunday evening I witnessed short sets from two great bands, Active Child, and M83. It was a sold out show, the first of two the bands would play that night.

Up first were Active Child.  The lights went down, and three men came out, one sitting before a harp. I remember thinking: “OK,  a goddamn harp. This should be interesting.”  Then the guy opened his mouth, and the essence of pure beauty poured out.

Active Child is primarily the solo project of Los Angles’ Pat Grossi.  To a guy who has seen entirely too many god-awful opening acts in the last few months they might seem horrifying on paper: inspired by days as a choir boy, synths, drums, harps and… oh shit, another guy with a laptop.  Live it’s an entirely different story.

Active Child plays otherworldly music that dredges up the old cliché of being almost indescribable. Grossi knows what he’s doing, and he’s picked his sidemen well. The crowd around me seemed as impressed as I was. It was synth pop, in a way, but it was influenced by natural instruments as well, a lush, almost hallucination inducing blend of strings and machines.

If you get a chance to see Active Child, do so. They sound great on record, but to truly do them  justice they must be experienced in person.

Up next was the headliner, M83. I was a bit late to the party with this band, as I only came on board with their new album, Hurry Up We’re Dreaming. I was impressed however, because how many bands sell out two shows in one night?

The band opened  (not surprisingly) with “Intro” off the recent album.  They then tore through a set that was designed to get the crowd pumped. The highlight was “Midnight City,” which immediately turned the room into a dance floor.

The set was vibrant, exciting, and occasionally brilliant. It did seem like a bit of a cheat, though. It seemed more like a warm-up for the later gig, than an actual performance.  Though I enjoyed the set, I probably wouldn’t go see M83 again. Active Child, however… you’d have to fight to keep me away.

On November 18, 2011, Columbia, Mo’s favorite pop-rock outfit will be releasing their second EP Callin’ it Quits, supported by a cd release show at the Sideshow in Columbia.

Since 2009, The Victory Lap have been invading college campuses around the Midwest, beginning with Maryville, Mo. The boys met at the University of Northwest Missouri with mutual soft spots for pop-punk and the midwestern nightlife.  After the release of their debut EP in 2010, Don’t Let the Pop Stop achieved sales of over 2,000 copies and landed the group over ten supporting gigs with major label acts such as Forever the Sickest Kids, Secondhand Serenade, Badfish, and Tech N9ne.

In 2011, TVL made the crucial decision to relocate to Columbia, Missouri where they now reside and continue to churn out catchy and vigorous pop hits in the vein of New Found Glory and Pierce the Veil.

On July 31, 2011, TVL released their first single, “Count It,” off their forthcoming EP.

View “Count It” here. 

In October 2011, TVL unleashed their cover of LFO’s “Every Other Time” as well as a teaser track featuring 30-second clips of each song off Callin’ it Quits, produced by Kevin Gates at Engaged Audio (The Ready Set, Never Shout Never, etc.). Incorporating elements of jazz, classic rock, and their coined Top 40 charisma, Callin’ it Quitsis an honest representation of the band’s growth over the year and a half they have been writing together, not t0 mention a legitimate proposal to their loyal fans.

Up to this day, TVL has been entirely self-sustained with the support of their listeners all around the country. Mark Anderson, vocalist, stated in a recent conversation, “We superseded the music industry and went completely DIY,” which means the boys have not only organized and funded their own tours and albums throughout their career thus far, but they intend to keep it that way. o mention a legitimate proposal to their loyal fans.

Since their founding, TVL have appeared in Alternative Press, Smartpunk.com, PETA2.org, Absolutepunk.net, and have been featured at the PETA2 tent on the 2011 Vans Warped Tour.

Check out The Victory Lap’s Official Page for more info on new music, tour dates, videos, photos and more!

The Victory Lap is:
Mark Anderson- vocals
Matt Leimkuehler- bass
Austin Williams- guitar
Jimmy Rector- drums

Written by Stephanie Castor

November 11, 2011. A date that only happens every hundred years, and a date that is fall party central. Up To Eleven is having their party in celebration of their 10th Anniversary with over 30 bands in six venues. A few bands include Murder by Death, Lazer Sword, Matt Pryor, Ricky Fitts, Spirit is the Spirit, O Giant Man, Minden and of course many many others.

Wristbands for access to all venues are $20 and available at the Granada. All proceeds will go to benefit HealthCare Access and Music in Public Schools. Prices for individual venues on the night of are:

Granada – 18+ / $15 (Murder by Death)
Bottleneck 18+ / $12 (Lazer Sword)
Jackpot – 18+ / $5
Replay – 21+ / $3
Taproom – 21+ / $3
Love Garden – all ages / Free

For a downloadable schedule directly to your phone, scan this:

www.uptoeleven.com/111111
www.facebook.com/Eleven.Turns.Ten 

A group of students from the University of Missouri – Kansas City have been working on getting a radio station up and running for the past three years. As close as they’ve ever been, they will be holding a fundraiser to help them buy equipment and other supplies they need.

The show has a solid local band lineup at the Recordbar in Kansas City on November 17 with Root and Stem, She’s a Keeper, Scouts, and Fullbloods. Make sure to check out the Facebook event and therecordbar.com for more information. Go out to the show to support local music and radio.

www.fullbloods.com
wearescouts.bandcamp.com
shesakeeper.bandcamp.com
rootandstemband.bandcamp.com

Four Year Strong is a pop-punk quartet from Massachusetts, they came together in 2001.  On Nov. 8 the band will release their fourth full-length album In Some Way, Shape or Form which contains the single “Stuck in the Middle.”  They are currently on the Alternative Press Tour and played at the Beaumont Club in Kansas City on Oct. 28.  The tour also includes Gallows, Sharks, The Swellers, and Title Fight. Joe Weiss from Four Year Strong took some time while on tour to answer a few questions for Elicia Nichols.

PW:    When did Four Year Strong form and what brought you guys together to form the band?

Joe Weiss (Four Year Strong): The band started in 2001 and as friends living only a few blocks away from each other, we would always jam out together.  Music was always something that we enjoyed and we would spend a lot of timing playing music together.

PW: What is the meaning behind the band name?

JW: Our band name dates back to when we were around 14 years old, we changed the words to some lyrics from a song by The Get Up Kids to get the name Four Year Strong.

PW:  What inspired you to pursue a career in the music industry?

JW: Playing music with your friends was more fun, inspiring and better than anything that we felt we were learning or doing in school.

PW: What message do you send to the listeners through your music?

JW: I would say that every song is different and has a different message. Some songs simply tell stories, while others are about family members who have passed away, but I would definitely say that every song has its own element and message.

PW:    How would you describe your music for people who have never heard your name or sound before?

JW: Our music has a heavy rock sound, but with an element of party.

PW:   With your fourth album In Some Way, Shape, Or Form due out November 8, how would you say that your sound has changed from your first album to now?

JW: I’d say it is a better sound. We are leaning more towards rock, and away from the punk feeling that others would say we first had.

PW:  What has been the biggest highlight so far as you headline The AP Tour?

JW: The best experience so far has been actually a few nights ago in Chicago where we performed at a great venue called The Metro.  It was a really fun show. We love Chicago.  We love the people, we love the pizza and we love playing shows there.

PW:  With Halloween approaching, what is your favorite horror film?

JW: I’d have to say my favorite horror film is Dead Alive by Peter Jackson. It’s a great movie that came out before he did all the “Lord of the Ring” stuff.

PW:   If you were to be in a horror film how would you choose to die in your death scene?

JW: If I am to die in a horror film I’d want it to be in a sweet car crash. Maybe even throw in some cool zombies and stuff, you know?

Interview and photos by Elicia Nichols

www.fouryearstrongmusic.com
twitter.com/fouryearstrong
facebook.com/fouryearstrong
youtube.com/fouryearstrong

So, there’s this band whose CD has been playing in my car constantly since seeing them at Crosstown Station a while back. They’re called The Bright Light Social Hour and they’re from Austin, Texas.

It was one of those impulsive “I’m going to see this show, it could be really awesome or really terrifying” kind of nights. Well, it was definitely the former.

TBLSH has been on tour since September throughout the entire U.S. and Canada. They even made a PSA video about their tour.

If they played the whole tour like they did in KC, I’m sure they are making an impact in every single venue. They are just one of those bands. The kind you dance to the entire night, get their songs stuck in your head for weeks, and that you can’t seem to get enough of.

Sitting down with them before the show I could tell it would be an eventful night. Between the laid back personalities and the kindness of every member, they treated me like I had known them for months.

TBLSH is fronted by bassist and lead vocals, Jack O’Brien who’s stage presence pulls the audience in. Although, it could be his long hair and epic moustache that makes him so memorable.

These guys know how to rock, plain and simple. Their sound is a fusion of blues, funk and southern rock all mashed together making a beautiful blend that appeals to any loving rock n’ roll fan.

There’s this moment in their live show that sticks out the most. During a dynamic guitar solo from Curtis Roush, all four band members dancing around the stage stop to snap their fingers in the microphone.

After giving their self-titled a listen, the snapping has easily become my favorite part of their album. About halfway through the 10 minute track “Garden of the Gods,” I find myself snapping along with ease and usually rocking out the solo in my car.

Oh, and they have a keytar. Any band with a keytar is a win in my book.

These guys took home six awards at SXSW 2011, including Band of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Bassist, Best Keyboardist, and Best Producer. They have played Austin City Limits, appeared on the cover of The Austin Chronicle twice, were featured in Paste Magazine’s Best of What’s Next and have sold out multiple venues in Austin and across the U.S.

The Bright Light Social Hour is a band we all need to keep our eyes on. They’re going places.

Explosions in the Sky played the Uptown Theater in Kansas City October 12. If you tell someone you saw or are going to see them, the initial reaction falls two ways: “What’s that?” or “I’m so jealous!” Whether you enjoy them while studying for an exam, working on a project, or baking a Mexican casserole, many would agree they are the perfect music to put on at track one and let it roll through the album and on to the next. Some would say EITS made the soundtrack to their life.

Their style and album structure is the emotional swing of an early twenties college student vacillating between stress and euphoria, darkness and excellentness. Attending their concert is not unlike going to a symphony. The music is fully instrumental with movement and smart development.

Their arrival to the stage was welcomed by applauding hipsters, yuppies, stoners, older professionals, and those who are all of the above. Plenty of plaid in the front. People relaxing in theatre seating in the back. They elected to start off slowly, which shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with their discography. This was a production. A totally mind-altering experience for someone who hasn’t seen them live before.

After a clean intro, the hammer dropped with a bass hit and bright lights for just a beat, like a tease to the tension developing in the eager crowd. Then another and another. Finally they let loose. Some kid behind the rail started playing vicious air drums to the beat of the chemicals firing around in his head. Photographing nearby, I feared the worst for my equipment. This kid was somewhere else mentally, finally getting to release himself with his favorite band just feet away, loving every moment like the rest of the audience.

I still have a hard time believing I saw these people perform in real life. Most of the concert was spent building slowly with these brief moments of hard sound, covering selected tracks blended together with no dialogue. They played excellent tracks from their album The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place as well as new pieces with various songs from their catalogue brushed in seamlessly.

Explosions in the Sky do not rely on powerful visual effects, light boards, smoke machines, or other accessories for their performances. They have minor colored backlights to maintain a certain mood, which swings throughout, complimented with timely dissonance, and discourse.

They are fantastic with their audible effects, all done with electric instruments. Screeching, ear piercing, make-you-go-crazy effects create the perfect setting similar to Pink Floyd’s psychedelic works, none-without peace and extremely clean, smart sound in between. Maybe this is a draw for those who enjoy their music to the fullest, the purists. EITS are a set of musicians and not some kid with a mac, cranking out glitchy effects developed from some binary code freak (Not to knock the style. It simply wouldn’t fit in this genre of instrumental music).

One interesting thing, maybe disappointing, was the difference in crowd’s ideas of when songs and movements started and ended. Since their concert is more of a performance, there are no starting and stopping points. They played straight through for around an hour and a half. People would shout to hear their own voice in the quiet sets, leaving people who know what’s coming to cringe. I would have liked a more polite crowd. Let the sound do its job. Enjoy what they’re doing and know when it’s right to yell and clap your hands red.

The crowd didn’t destroy anything ultimately for me or the people I sat in the back with. MC Ebony ‘Left E. Grove’ Simon attended, and, for him, the peak of the show hit on the drop-in of Greet Death, the opening track from their dark album Those Who Tell the Truth… He knows music well and is a fellow EITS fanatic. Greet Death is a moving, pressing piece with extremely dark tones. It certainly may have been the turning point in the concert, leaving the serenity of slower tracks behind.

I do disagree with him on the peaking moment. The concert built on itself. The way they started quiet and teased with bass hits, hard guitar sounds, and loud dissonance, the set compilation built and teased until the end. They built up a finale with beautiful repetition, getting louder and louder and louder and then, pow! Fade. “Thank you very much. That’s our show.” No encore.

I cracked a great smile. Some people watching around me said it was very strange to not have an encore. I think encores are turning into really predictable, planned events. I admit I hadn’t seen a show without the headliner playing one and was surprised as well, but I was so elated they didn’t. An encore wouldn’t make sense.

The tension constructed over the entire performance until the beautiful peak. Just like a fireworks display. Just like any of their albums. You don’t want to see a bottle rocket go off after a hundred grand worth of gunpowder and various elements explode above you. They compiled tracks from different albums, but played them together as one great, seamless piece. No reason to regress. They did what they came to do. Their work was done. The venue lit up. Everyone was smiling.

Review and photos by Mitch Favrow

Neon Indian visited Kansas City’s Recordbar on Tuesday. Although it was originally booked for Wednesday, the last minute change didn’t seem to deter any fans from coming out to the show.

It was a hot, sticky, cheap drink kind of night. Though a good majority of the, sold out, 18 and over crowd didn’t partake in that last part.

Purity Ring took the stage at 9:30. An hour late, rumored to be due to a very lengthy soundcheck by the headlining band. The bar was dark and quiet as the layers of deep, rich synth created a long swelling intro. Soon this was interrupted by a dry electric drum beat and the night had begun.

The Canadian band fronted by Megan James was a very a pleasant marriage of avant-garde, artsy, electronic music and a more mainstream, pop oriented sound. Their set was made even more impressive by the neon colored banner hung behind them and a creative DIY light show. The audience responded enthusiastically after almost every number. Sometimes playful, sometimes dramatic, this opening act toed the line very well.

Up next was Com Truise, DJ Seth Haley from New Jersey who used a live drummer in his set.

“What’s up Kansas City?” Haley quietly murmured, and then received a deafening response of hoots and hollers. The crowd was obviously getting excited at this point. I spied a few glow sticks light up around the room. Haley asked for the stage lights to be turned off and Com Truise’s set began.

The music was much more static and had less structure than that of the opening act’s. The set went from song to song smoothly creating a kind of trance-like moosh of beats and synth. But the dance-happy crowd didn’t seem to mind the repetition. Just before people were danced out Com Truise thanked Kansas City and ended his set with a hard-hitting, fuzzed out closer.

Finally, it was time to see what Neon Indian had to contribute to the evening. Some more delays during stage set up and a rather lengthy line check from the band only heightened the intense anticipation. When the music finally hit it was crisp, clean, and refreshing. Neon Indian are a very bold kind of electronic band. Instead of hiding the music in dark, muddy synth (much like the first two acts did) they let the melodies cut through with a bright clean tone. This sound is backed up by a very precise drummer and an energetic, bubbly frontman.

The leader of the band is Alan Palomo. He seems reserved and maybe even a bit shy at first, but on stage in the middle of a set he is in his element. Palomo is a confident and capable musician and frontman. And as a team the band is unstoppable.

The music is undeniably catchy, with keyboard melodies that continue until you simply can’t live without them. Though Neon Indian doesn’t quite offer everything to your standard radio listener they were by far the most mainstream and instantly likable act of the night. This is due to the simple structure of their songs and the repetition of the finely honed, catchy melodies. This is what 90% of the sold out crowd wanted and expected. An audience that Palomo called “the most insane crowd on tour.”

Near the end of the set Palomo admitted that, in the middle of their tour, he had lost track of which day of the week it was. So, he simply dubbed it “full moon day” and with that the band continued to work the crowd into a frenzy. When it was time for an encore the frontman graciously skipped over any more build up saying, “Usually this is where we leave the stage and try to act inconspicuous….But we just want to play another fucking song for you guys!” That song was “Heart: Decay”, from their newest album, and it was a solid song to close the set.

If you are a follower of the Kanas City music scene then you have probably been to Recordbar more times than you can count. Recordbar has established itself as one of the best venues for local and regional acts in the city. On this night, however, the venue was put in the position to show it’s true potential. It wasn’t a local bar crowd. This band brought these fans out. This big event shows that Record Bar is an elite music venue that has so much to offer the Kansas City music scene and music fans around the midwest.

Talking to Alan Palomo after his set I was able to ask him what he thought of the Kansas City fans and the venue. He responded with a big smile and said that the turn out was more than they had hoped for and called the night “awesome.” For Kansas City and Recordbar it was an awesome night that will hopefully land even bigger acts and bring more concert goers out in the future.

Review written by Mat Shoare

Pardon the horrendous pun there.

Friday was quite the evening, running from…well I guess there were only three venues, two of which were two doors down from each other. But regardless, it was definitely a night to remember.

It began at Backspace, where Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives started the lineup (which also included The Globes, P.S. I Love You and the Thermals). I would have stayed for the whole night at Backspace, but I’ve seen the Globes and the Thermals several times, and had no wish to see P.S. I Love You.

But Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives were perfect. This small venue (which is a cafe before anything else) filled comfortably while there was still some light in the sky. The stage was barely elevated, making the crowd literally face to face with the band, and much more intimate. I wish the set had been longer, because it felt like it was just getting to the really good part when they finished the set. But really, the whole set was the good part – the giant intense gospel-tinged folk rock. Don’t be fooled by the “gospel” and “folk” in that sentence though, Drew Grow and the Pastor’s Wives are still pretty darn heavy – so much so that you can feel it from your throat to the soles of your feet.

After their set, I looked at my schedule for the address to the next venue – the Someday Lounge. And lo and behold – I stepped out the door, looked to my left, and there it was two doors down from Backspace. I had to walk but maybe 50 feet. Maybe.

This place had a completely different energy – it was darker and more quiet, and a bit smellier. I’d gone there to see the Music Tapes, a.k.a. Julian Koster, of the Elephant 6 Collective (also see Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, the Apples in Stereo). I’d seen the Music Tapes as part of an Elephant 6 Collective show back in March at the Vera Project in Seattle, and he was by far the most memorable and more charismatic of the group (sadly Jeff Mangum didn’t show up to that). So I had to take advantage of the chance to see Julian Koster again.

I’ll just say this – he played a saw with a violin bow. And there was a 7-foot metronome. Enough said.

After the first half of the Music Tapes’ set, I had to skip out to make it across town to the Doug Fir, where I’d be spending the rest of my evening.

It’s not like it’s a long drive, but on Portland roads, if you get turned around or don’t find parking right away, it can take awhile.

I was hoping I’d make it for the last bit of Pickwick’s opening set, but I was too late, sad to say.

However, I did get a nice surprise.

I knew absolutely nothing about the next band to play, Lost Lander. So I used my trusty Google phone to dig up some dirt on this band. It turned out that it was a project of songwriter Matt Sheehy and none other than ex-Menomenaut Brent Knopf. So they had to be good.

I thought at first after reading about Lost Lander that Knopf was merely a producer and he worked on recording the album with Sheehy, but as I was standing up in front of the stage of the Doug Fir with some new friends, I look to my right and there is Brent Knopf. Naturally, I had a little bit of a fangirl moment. You see, I saw Menomena at last year’s Musicfest Northwest, and it was the greatest show of the festival – maybe of the year. When I found out that Knopf was leaving the band in January, I basically cried. So now that I was seeing Knopf again at Musicfest, I was overjoyed, even if it wasn’t with Menomena.

Lost Lander’s set was awesome, and not just because Knopf was in the back corner. It was one of my favorite shows of the whole festival.

After I was thoroughly pleased, AgesandAges took the stage for their exuberant set. Seriously, they were dancing all over the place, and I couldn’t help be dance and sing along, even though I didn’t really know any of their songs. The Portland natives certainly played to their hometown, because the whole crowd was rocking.

I enjoyed their set so much that I didn’t even care so much that they started 25 minutes late. But once they were done I realized that it was after midnight, when Givers were supposed to start at midnight. The time was starting to catch up with me.

But I didn’t care, because Givers was the band I’d been waiting to see all weekend, and the reason I’d stayed at the Doug Fir all night without switching venues. I wasn’t about to leave and come back, risking the venue filling up.

It was 12:40 by the time the Lafayette, Louisiana natives took the stage, and I loved every minute of it until 2 a.m. when guitarist Taylor Guarisco had to literally tell the crowd to shut up because the Doug Fir was kicking us all out.

I thought AgesandAges brought the energy. Pfft, they were good, but nothing compared to Givers. I don’t know where this band gets all their positive and joyful energy. It’s infectious, and with great songs like “Up Up Up” and “In My Eyes,” you can’t go wrong, even at 1 a.m.

Since I’d run into Guarisco at the Sasquatch Festival back in May, he recognized me at Musicfest as well, so we chatted a bit after the show, at 2:30 a.m., because sleep is overrated. It was nice making a reconnection with a band, and when it’s a band that charming, with that much talent, and that close to hitting it big, it made me feel that much better.

Well done guys, well done.

So I’d say Friday was a success, wouldn’t you? I mean, I don’t regret staying up until 3:00 a.m., and that says something.

For more photos from Friday, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbigshmail/sets/72157627636436068/