6/27 Summer Cassingle Series vol.1 w/ Citizens United, 1200, 2Strikes & Basement Up

This Friday at The New Vintage is the first installment of Louisville Is For Lovers and Guestroom Records SUMMER CASSINGLE SERIES with Citizens United, 1200, 2Strikes, DJ Deuce with special guests Basement Up (Lexington). Tickets are available at Guestroom for $5 ($7 at door) and will also get you a free Cassette tape (and download) of new music from the artists. SUMMER PASSES for all three events are available this week only at Guestroom for $12.

8 pm 18+ $5/$7

New Music: Andrew Rinehart (Feat. Cheyenne Mize)

Louisville Native Drew Sellers, Better known as singer/songwriter Saredren Wells (an anagram of Andrew Sellers) has a new EP under the new moniker Andrew Rinehart.

In 2010 Sellers released the haunting LP 'Memories Are Hunting Horns' and if you can find it, buy it, you won't be disappointed.  Sellers is now living in L.A. but returned to Louisville to record this EP, Everything Part I (as well as Parts II & III, out soon), at La La Land Studios by Kevin Ratterman, and features Cheyenne Mize on vocals and fiddle.

'Everything' Part I is available on Bandcamp as a 'name your price' album, so the price is surely to fit your budget...

Tonight Nick Cave/tomorrow Elvis Costello @ Palace

Tomorrow June 17th Elvis Costello is playing at the Palace, but  I was unaware until I went online looking for Nick Cave tickets (Tonight 9 pm). Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have not yet sold out so prices have fallen enough that I may have a chance to see this living legend. all I really want is to see Deanna played live by the man himself.

   

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. 6/16 $35-70 Palace

 

Elvis Costello 6/17 $35-100 Palace

The new Nick Cave album 'Push The Sky Away' made it onto Logan's best of 2013 list. see here.

Review: Monday and Friday at Zanzabar

Last Monday, Blackbirds of Paradise played at Zanzabar with Gringo Star. Being that it was a seven dollar cover charge, not too many people were in attendance. Lesser bands would've been inhibited by an audience under 20 people, but both acts delivered an unrelenting and energetic performance.

When I arrived at the venue, Black Birds were already a couple songs into their set playing Future Man. What I didn't expect from this band was a live sound as big as their self-titled record that I'd reviewed earlier this year, but I was wrong. Just like the studio, when Black Birds of Paradise take the stage they curate a sonic space that is as wide as it is deep. I'd commented earlier about the tension between the synth and vibraphone parts on their instrumental track "Exotica," but what's more prominent in their performance is the dichotomy between the bass riffs and contrasting vibraphone melodies. All of this became more apparent when compared to their second performance on Friday night, which reprised their new song "Beyond the Closet Door," a droning stumble through a lover's bedroom to meet an ill fated substitution.

Gringo Star took the stage after Black Birds ended. The Atlanta group has received acclaim for every album they've released consecutively. To kick off their tour with a new bassist, the group chose Louisville as their first stop. The band bounced forth from garage rock guitar riffs to baseball-park organ melodies. Though they were at times playing to an audience of only four, Gringo Star held no punches and gave their all to an hour long set. Check out their song "The Start," and join us in wishing them luck for the remainder of their tour.

Lastly, New Brovado closed the Friday night show. I was already familiar with their music from the Sol Similar single they released with Gubbey on Record Store Day, but I've never known quite how to categorize their sound. At times, they played like a power pop band with harmonized vocals and snapping drums. At other times their sludgy power chords were more reminiscent of The Sword or Black Sabbath. Finally, Black Birds drummer Nick Layman said it best after the show when he asked "it sounds like a Tame Impala and Queens of the Stone Age drunkfuck, doesn't it?"

Gringo Star's remaining tour dates are posted below

Thu Jun 12 - Northside Fest @ Shea Stadium - Brooklyn, NY 

Fri Jun 13 - Charlie Os - Montpelier, VT 

Sat Jun 14 - Mercury Lounge - New York, NY 

Wed Jun 18 - Black Cat - Washington , DC 

Thu Jun 19 - Southland Ballroom - Raleigh, NC 

Fri Jun 20 - The Garage - Winston Salem, NC 

Sat Jun 21 - Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC 

Summer Cassingle Series

Louisville is For Lovers and Guestroom Records have announced the line up for the SUMMER CASSINGLE SERIES; which is 3 live events throughout the summer at The New Vintage, including 12 Louisville artists, with a free cassette single (and download coupon) with admission at every show:

JUNE 27 (Hip Hop Showcase:): Citizens United, 1200, 2Strikes, DJ Deuce, with special guest opener Basement Up (Lexington & Frankfort)

JULY 4 (Pop Showcase): Plastic Bubble, Black Birds of Paradise, The Deloreans, Brick Pitino

JULY 25 (Blues, Roots, and Acoustic Showcase): Jaye Jayle, Lydia Burrell (with Twin Limb), eremy•JIrvin, The Gallery Singers at the Electric Church of the Tambourine, with special guest opener Scars on 45 (England)

SUMMER PASS

Each show is $5ADV/$7DOOR or $12 for a Summer Pass to all three shows; available at Guestroom Records (1806 Frankfort ave). UPDATE: Win a pair of SUMMER PASSES! Details on the Guestroom Records Facebook page.

New Music: Death Grips feat. Bjork

Last night, Death Grips posted on their facebook page for the first time since early May to release niggas on the moon, which features Bjork "on all 8 tracks." Niggas on the moon is disc one of their forthcoming two-disc album, the powers that b. While this is their first release to feature Bjork, it doesn't come as a complete surprise as Death Grips have already remixed two of Bjork's songs (Sacrifice and Thunderbolt).

Unlike their previous release, Government Plates, this work is fueled largely by MC Ride's lyrics rather than Zach Hill's trippy electronic instrumentals. Just like every other Death Grips album, the first track, Up My Sleeves, listens like a statement-of-intention for the rest of the album and stands well on its own. Say Hey Kid is the most "traditionally structured" song I think they've ever put out, complete with a verse, chorus, and a bridge urging the listener "don't you OD, come play dead." Up until the closing track (Big Dipper) all of the songs are under four minutes, leaving few instrumental gaps other than Have a Sad Cum, whose lyrics are glitched to the point of being unintelligible.

We highly recommend you add these tracks to your Summer of Ballin' playlist, feels good to know they're celebrating with us. download here

Tomorrow: Murder By Death & Jaye Jayle at Headliners

Reminder: MURDER BY DEATH will be playing tomorrow (June 7th) at HEADLINERS with JAYE JAYLE and THE FOXERY. 18+  $15/$17  8 pm. (Read our interview with Sarah of Murder By Death here.)

Murder By Death

Call for Artists: Head Cleaner 2014

Gubbey Records is now accepting submissions for it's second annual Louisville music compilation  "Head Cleaner." Last year's comp had an astounding 46 bands on 2 cassettes of over 2 hours of music (read our review and hear selections from it here) and even landed on Logan's Best of 2013 List (here). Deadline is August 15th. Details at Gubbeyrecords.net

Tonight: White Reaper, Nerves Junior, and Sea Hero

White Reaper is kicking off their upcoming tour supporting the Young Widows tonight (thurs June 5th) at the Haymarket with Nerves Junior and Sea Hero. The 18+ show starts at 9 with doors opening at 8. Attendees under 21 must enter through the back door. Tickets are $7.

6/6 Willie Nelson in Louisville & Steve Martin at Casino Boat

This Friday, June 6th, is bringing some big names to the Louisville area. Willie Nelson & Allison Krauss will be at Waterfront Park (tix about $50 see here) and Steve Martin with his Bluegrass band The Steep Canyon Rangers will be at the Horseshoe Casino across the river (tix also about $50 see here).  

The Redheaded Stranger himself