Herzog - "Rock and Roll Monster"

Tomorrow make sure you catch Herzog at the Happy Dog with Frankie Rose and the Outs. Here's a new Herzog studio track called "Rock and Roll Monster" off their soon to be released lp Cartoon Violence from their feature in the Plain Dealer's "25 Bands to Watch" in Cleveland. If you've got some time on your hands or even if you don't, check out these videos of both of Herzog's sets from their performance earlier this month at Open Air Market Square where they played a bunch of new tunes. Should be a great show tomorrow.

Also make sure to catch Extra Medium Pony this Friday at Bella Dubby. They're the best band in Cleveland that no one has heard of. Listen to "Two Halfs" if you don't believe me.

Show Reviews 9/23/2011 - 9/24/2011

Great Weekend

9/23/2011 @ Five O'Clock Lounge, Lakewood, Ohio

Tinko / The Strange Notes

This past Friday I caught Tinko at the Five O'Clock Lounge where they played a great version of the Discount Drugmart theme song. That, however, was not the highlight of their set as they played a mix of americana, punk, and something else. They have a new record coming out which I am excited to get my hands on so I can tell you what that "something else" is. Check them out October 29th at Now That's Class.

9/23/2011 @ Happy Dog, Cleveland, Ohio

Megachurch / All Dinosaurs / Sistered / Verma

A little later that evening after making the short drive down Detroit Ave. I saw the end of Megachurch's set at the Happy Dog. The place was packed and luckily the kitchen was still open so I could get a dog topped with fried hard boiled egg, bacon bits, and fritos. In hindsight I would have left out the bacon bits and gone with sauerkraut, but anyway, Megachurch ripped. The beginning of "The Mission" always sounds amazing live. They played a good mix of songs from both their old record and their new one. You really need to see them live if you haven't already.

9/24/2011 @ Happy Dog, Cleveland, Ohio

The Dreadful Yawns / Tadpoles / Mild Mannered

Saturday at the Happy Dog the Tadpoles played some solid tracks, especially this one, to warm up the crowd. That's some great guitar work. The Yawns led things off with one of my all-time favorite songs "Kill Me Now" and proceeded to play a good chunk of songs off Take Shape. I love their performances of song after song flowing into one another with little time in between. After jamming other classics "Like Song" and "Don't Know What I've Been On", they ended the evening with the tightest rendition of "Queen and the Jokester" that I've ever seen thanks in large part to Chris Russo's drumming. What a band. What a set. Thanks Dreadful Yawns.

So Much Good Stuff

Hey, It's been awhile...

I've still been updating the shows all this past year despite not writing anything. I felt that I just had to post something because there are some really great shows coming up from now till the end of October as well as new records coming out soon from some great bands.

There's a nice run of 7 shows in 5 days that started yesterday with RVIVR at Now That's Class. If you missed it then we'll just call it a nice run of 6 shows in 4 days starting with Wombs tonight at Now That's Class. Then Megachurch on Friday and the Dreadful Yawns on Saturday both at the Happy Dog. Also on Friday night Tinko plays at the 5 O'Clock Lounge. Finally you can wrap things up Sunday with Village Bicycle at the Beachland Tavern and Cloud Nothings at the Happy Dog. As always all the details for all the upcoming shows that are worth going to are on the right hand side of the page a little further down. Some really great stuff coming up. Check it out.

If you go anywhere this weekend make sure its Saturday at the Happy Dog. The Dreadful Yawns are so good its not fair. My copies of Rest and Take Shape are always in heavy rotation and soon to join them will be Picnic, their "new" record, which was supposed to be released at least a year ago. Unfortunately its been rumored that the Yawns will not be playing live for a long long time after this show as each member has a slew of other projects going on. I know there have been a few "last" Yawns shows, but this might just be it. I sure hope not. Be there.

Here are 3 records that recently came out that everyone should listen to on repeat for the next lifetime or so.

Vacation - Vacation

I once read Vacation described as a more spastic version of Delay. Not sure that's possible, but the author was clearly trying to complement the dudes in Vacation. Their debut full-length takes their previous seven inches and demos to a new level and I thought it was impossible for them to write a better song than "Ratricks Day 2k9." This is my favorite record of 2011 thus far. Think of The Ramones writing Guided By Voices songs after listening to The Marked Men for a few hours. Actually... calling them a more spastic Delay is just right.

Tenement - Napalm Dream

I've heard a few Husker Du and Replacements comparisons, but I hear a whole lot of Ergs influence in a few of these tracks. Now, I know The Ergs are Tenement contemporaries and its kind of strange to say The Ergs influenced a band when they have such obvious influences themselves, but "Spit in the Wind" and "Skyscraper" could easily have been on any of the near-sighted three's many releases. However, Napalm Dream could never have been an Ergs record as there's something totally different about the recording. What that is I can't quite pin down, but I'll let you know after another hundred listens. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with living in the Midwest.

Tin Armor - Life of Abundance

At first I did not welcome the change in tempo and the gospel-like vocals from Tin Armor. Their first record moves a lot quicker than these new tunes, but after a front to back listen of this album I am sold. Older tracks from the band tend to stand out on their own, but the songs on Life of Abundance work so well together as an album. "Queen Mob" is my favorite track, partly because its the name of the band a couple of these guys use to be in (Where's the song called "The Merkurs" or "Yikes"?), but mostly because the guitar riff is unforgettable.

New records this fall / winter from Herzog, Delay, The Sidekicks, Guided By Voices, The Black Keys, and the aforementioned Dreadful Yawns should be more than enough to keep my ears satisfied.

Finally, it's been over a year since I promised show reviews. Maybe reviewing these shows will get me in the mood... maybe. In the mean time please do yourself a favor and check out some shows around Cleveland and listen to those three records listed above. Do it.