Deep Blue Focus, part three, and halfway to showtime, folks. Check out Rick Saunders’ DBF11 profile for a little mo’ somethin’.
Deep Blues Festival, Beachland Ballroom, Saturday, July 16, doors at 4 PM.
Name: Ten Foot Polecats
Homebase: Boston, Massachusetts
Organizer
Ten Foot Polecats Official Website
Name: Boom Chick
Homebase: New York, New York
DBF Alumnus
Scott H. Biram
The second installment of our Deep Blues Focus series includes one of two Ohio bands on the bill and a one-woman band who has me pretty jacked up.
Remember: Deep Blues Festival, Beachland Ballroom, Saturday, July 16, doors at 4 PM.
Name: Molly Gene One Whoaman Band
Homebase: Kansas City, Missouri
Related artists: Bob Log III, The Reverend Deadeye, The Goddamn Gallows
Molly Gene One Whoaman Band Official Website
Name: Scissormen
Homebase: Nashville, Tennessee
Organizer
Name: The Staving Chain
Homebase: Toledo, Ohio
Related artists: Henry & June, Johnny Walker (Soledad Brothers, Cut in the Hill Gang), Black Diamond Heavies, Mark Porkchop Holder
The Staving Chain @ Danger Limited Recording Company
DBF Alumnus
Patrick Sweany
The Deep Blues Festival, an annual celebration of “outsider blues”, will be reborn this Saturday, July 16, at the Beachland Ballroom in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio. The original incarnation of DBF – which featured some NTSIB favorites like Patrick Sweany, the Black Diamond Heavies, Scott H. Biram and T-Model Ford with GravelRoad – saw it’s end with an announcement from founder Chris Johnson in February of 2010. (Check out this interview with Johnson for a brief history of the fest.)
Unwilling to let DBF die, Ted Drozdowski of Scissormen and Jim Chilson of the Ten Foot Polecats took over the name and the spirit – with Chris Johnson’s blessing – and moved the fest from Minnesota to Ohio. And we are freaking excited about it.
In this week leading up to DBF11, we’re going to spotlight a few of this year’s artists each day, along with some DBF alumni.
Name: Left Lane Cruiser
Homebase: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Related artists: The Black Diamond Heavies, James Leg, Scott H. Biram
Left Lane Cruiser @ Alive Records
Name: Mark Porkchop Holder
Homebase: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Related artists: The Black Diamond Heavies
Mark Porkchop Holder @ MySpace
Name: Javier & the Innocent Sons
Homebase: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Javier & the Innocent Sons @ MySpace
DBF Alumnus
The Black Diamond Heavies
It was informal poll time again on the Twitter last weekend. Inspired by one of the tracks on the Southern Independent, Volume One compilation, “Road Bound” by Bob Wayne (“I hope you like the taste of dirt and that ring on my right hand”), I chose “Best Songs about Kicking Someone’s Ass” as the theme. I think this poll may have been even more popular than the “Songs about Fornicating” poll. Take from that what you will.
By far, the most popular choice was Loretta Lynn’s “Fist City”, submitted by @AdamSheets08, @TwangNation and @MarioEGarcia.
Judged on speed of vote, @ptgrw would win “The Angriest” title. He submitted “Someone’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight” by The Rezillos, “Take It Out On You” by Skafish and the top of “my Hate Paradeâ„¢”, Ministry’s “Flashback”.
Though angriest by virtue of most submissions would have to be @TwangNation whom, besides “Fist City”, submitted “The Fighting Side of Me” by Merle Haggard, “Five Minutes Alone” by Pantera, “Street Fighting Man” by the Rolling Stones, “Fight Song” by Marilyn Manson and “Punch Fight Fuck” by Hank Williams III.
@AdamSheets08, who also submitted “Saturday Night’s All Right for Fighting” by Elton John and “Fight, Smash, Win” by Street Sweeper Social Club, took things in a different direction with Phil Ochs’ “I Ain’t Marching Anymore”.
My favorite vote was from @popa2unes – who also put in a vote for “Street Fighting Man” – for the Stray Cats’ “Rumble in Brighton”.
The submission that made me laugh out loud was @MarioEGarcia’s vote for “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes.
Worst Song about Kicking Someone’s Ass was submitted by @maryoung (who also submitted “A Boy Named Sue” by Johnny Cash and “Kiss With a Fist” by Florence and the Machine in the not-worst category): “Break Stuff” by Limp Bizkit. And you can look that up yourself because I’m not posting it here.
And the rest:
@rufus_ – “Beat on the Brat” by the Ramones, “Knoxville Girl” by the Lemonheads and “Shady Grove” by Fairport Convention
@jesXsmith – “No Wow” by the Kills
@thevidalia – “Man U” by the Giraffes
@billysezvinyl – any song from Nick Cave’s Murder Ballads
@nowthissound – “Have to Get It On” by James Leg
Is That You in the Blue?, the second studio long player from the Dex Romweber Duo, plays like a fever dream of the 1950s with guitars doubling as ethereal, reverberating angels and fire-tongued devils. And you’re never quite sure if Romweber himself is an archangel or the lead demon.
Romweber is a man haunted, and his playing can feel like an exorcism in reverse. As you listen, you begin to understand the motivations of those square parents of the first rock ‘n’ roll generation who wanted to keep this devil music from their children. It’s easy to believe that Dex Romweber is not of this world, and if those leg-wiggling, pompadoured boys of early rock sounded as frenzied and deeply agitated to those parents then as Romweber sounds now, maybe locking up their sons and daughters wasn’t such a bad idea.
Listen, I don’t mean to be hyperbolic, but even among the down-dirtiest musicians you’ve ever heard, you rarely hear someone play as rawly and primitively – and when I say “primitively”, I don’t mean simple or uneduated; I mean from the very core of emotion – as the Dex Romweber Duo. Sister Sara anchors everything with her heavy beats, but you sometimes feel that even she is one good rage from becoming unhinged. And, in case it’s unclear, I mean these all as good things. This is rock ‘n’ roll as it began and should, in its essence, always be. Fun, yes. Danceable, hell yeah. But even more than that, expressing the dark, passionate, ravenous id of the soul.
Here are Dex and Sara working out their ripped up take on a song from Dex’s old band, the Flat Duo Jets, called “Jungle Drums” – which kicks off Is That You in the Blue?
Download:
Jungle Drums – Dex Romweber Duo
Is That You in the Blue? drops on July 26, and the Dex Romweber Duo will be begin touring in earnest on July 22.
Those guys in the photo are called Blacklisters. I don’t know much about them other than that they’re from Leeds, England, they’re hardcore, they just signed to Brew Records and they’re new song “Swords” was a great way to start my morning.
You can download that song, and a few others, for free from their Bandcamp site.
I am envious of everyone who was able to attend this show – Booker T. Jones and the Black Keys!? Are you freaking kidding me!? – but we are fortunate enough to have this great review and fantastic photos from Jessi Smith. Thanks so much, Jessi.
As I type this The Black Keys are in the midst of their tour of Canada, where they seem to get a lot more recognition than around here. They get invited to perform at Canadian awards shows, unlike here where they have to accept their Grammy’s during the pre-show. America is coming around though. Less frequently am I met with blank stares and well meaning corrections of, “Do you mean the Black Eyed Peas?†when I mention their name. However, with shows like the one I went to in Indianapolis on June 10th under their belts, they’re going to be household names before you can say “That’s not how you say Auerbachâ€. Then all the hipsters can hate them for selling out, which I won’t mind because the fewer faux fan douchebags that like them the better.
A $5 skip the line pass and a GA ticket. That’s all it took to set in motion what would be the best concert I’d ever attended. The competition for that title isn’t light either, not only had I seen The Black Keys in 2010 but, Bob Dylan and B.B. King had also given me shows to remember. The weather was perfect, a nice breeze blew and I was pressed against the barrier directly in front of center stage, nothing between me and the band but a one foot patch of grass. The show opened up with Nicole Atkins and the Black Sea, who played a set that was lovely and was enjoyed. Next up legendary Booker T. Jones who charmed me and made me feel more than a little ashamed that I’d initially been a bit disappointed that Cage the Elephant wouldn’t be opening for this show. I was an ungrateful and uneducated fan who won’t ever make that mistake again.
With the backbeat of GZA’s “Liquid Swords” playing, Dan and Pat calmly walked out and took their places. After the customary “We are The Black Keys from Akron, Ohio†they proceeded to do what they do. “Thickfreakness” came first as the opener as expected. I hope that never changes. It’s a constant in the Black Keys shows that makes me feel like a ground floor fan. They did the “Stack Shot Billy” / “Busted” back-to-back that was beyond words. The energy they put into “Busted” exploded after well built tension and extended riffs.
We also got a special treat. About midway through the show Dan announced that they were going to do something a little different. With an almost giddy smile he told us that they’d be having Booker T. join them for a couple songs. As they played “Ten Cent Pistol” with Booker, the boys had us hanging onto every note. The smooth line, “…the couple screamed but it was far too late, a jealous heart did retaliate.†was followed by the sudden blackout of every light and complete silence from the band for what seemed like forever. The anticipation boiled over and at just the right moment they burst back and blew minds. Another little treat came during “Everlasting Light” when a giant disco ball rose from the stage and made the place positively twinkle. This isn’t a band where you expect that kind of thing and I’m not gonna lie, my fangirl came out and I loved it. It wouldn’t be the first appearance of my fangirl, what with my front and center position and Dan’s frequent trips to the edge of the stage (where I’m certain we made eye contact… just throwing that out there) All together they played nearly 20 songs and still I didn’t want it to end. They encored with “Sinister Kid” and “Your Touch”, then bade us goodnight.
And here I am, still talking about it.
One of these days, I will master the art of showing up to the Grog Shop at Just The Right Time – not too early, not too late. This past Friday was not that day. I missed all of Heelsplitter and caught one and half songs from the Not So Good Ol’ Boys. I can tell you that the audience was into NSGOB. And it was good to see that much long hair on dudes on a rock stage in Cleveland without any spandex in the vicinity.
Witnessing a Scott H. Biram show might lead you to believe the phrase “Texas tornado” was invented for him. Biram even comes with his own siren, by way of the megaphone he keeps in his instrument arsenal. Offstage, Biram appears calm, unassuming… sweet, even. But once he sits down in the midst of the aforementioned instrument arsenal – which includes a few vintage hollow-body electric guitars, one angular solid-body electric, harmonicas, guitar pedals, stompbox and a pair of tambourines set on the edge of an equipment case to pick up the beat of the stompbox – and straps himself in, it’s as if something snaps inside him, and he is a whirlwind of energy, fury and conviction until he steps off stage.
The audience loves Biram. He will show his appreciation, for sure, but he won’t back down from telling someone to fuck off or shut up, as when someone requested that he “play something good”.
“I just played three good ones,” Biram rightfully pointed out.
Attitude is undoubtedly a big draw with a Scott H. Biram show. “This is a love song, so spread your legs” was his introduction to “Wildside”. Biram has just the right balance of sweet and ornery to pull off something like that (so don’t try this at home, kids).
But attitude is just air without the chops to back it up, and you don’t get a reputation as solid as Scott H. Biram’s by being just okay. From the bluegrass-style picking of Doc Watson’s version of “Freight Train Boogie” to the folk strumming of Woody Guthrie’s “Pastures of Plenty” to the heavy metal slide of “We Come to Party”, Biram is the kind of guitar player that makes it all look easy. And his harmonica playing is pretty much perfect.
While it can be overshadowed by all the amped up guitar and sweet-ass harp, Biram’s voice is also a beautiful instrument worthy of its own spotlight. Biram’s rendering of “Go Down Ol’ Hanna” is gorgeous and might have made Leadbelly a little envious if he was around to hear it.
But Biram’s forte is whipping a crowd into a stomping, hollering frenzy, throwing his whole self into a song, a one-man audio mosh pit – and all while seated. You won’t get any video examples of this from me, though, because all you would see would be a shaking blur due to all the actual stomping (and hollering) I was doing.
In addition to the previously-mentioned songs, Biram brought out “Time Flies”, “Long Fingernail”, Muddy Waters’ “I Can’t Be Satisfied”, a Mance Lipscomb tune dedicated to roadie/guru extraordinaire U.S. Justin, an unapologetic cover of Johnny Lee’s “Lookin’ for Love”, a handful of songs from the album he just finished recording before this tour started (slated to be released in October, and it’s going to be gooooood) and more songs that I didn’t write down. The man just goes, and good luck keeping up with him.
There was no encore, per se, Friday night. Biram announced that he had a couple of more songs, but those couple more songs turned into five or six more songs as he just played until he couldn’t anymore. He doesn’t go out with a bang because the whole damn show is one huge bang.
We don’t cover enough hip hop. And it’s not as though I don’t listen to it. Mos Def’s The Ecstatic has been one of my go-to albums for the last couple of weeks.
And the Ohio angle isn’t a tough one here at all. You may already be familiar with Chip Tha Ripper.
Chip Tha Ripper – Light One Up from illRoots.com on Vimeo.
And do you know Stalley? Because he’s worth your time.
Stalley – The Autobiography from Stalley330 on Vimeo.
So, hip hop: I should do more of that.
We love DIY bands to pieces here at NTSIB since we’re DIY ourselves. And like most DIY bands, we’re broke-ass broke, so we understand their plight. Our friends in the Imperial Rooster aren’t on a label, not even a little one, so while they have released their new album Decent People, it pretty much only consists of 1s and 0s at this point. So, they’ve gotten themselves up a Kickstarter campaign to help them release the new album on vinyl and CD.
And they have some exceptional prizes, from the rad Rooster T-shirt to test pressing vinyl to a show at your house to, my personal favorite, a personal music mix from drummer Dusty Vinyl (he’s got great taste in music, y’all). There are even more great incentives than I’ve listed here. And if you follow NTSIB and have seen our other posts about the Imperial Rooster, you know they’re a band worth backing. So, stop on over at the Rooster Kickstarter page and pledge what you can. Even if it’s only a dollar. They’ll love you for it, and so will we.
