2013 CineMayhem Film Festival [Feature]

Founded this year as a launch event to kick-off Dread Central’s third annual Indie Horror Month this March by Heather Wixson, producer and horror journalist with DreadCentral.com, CineMayhem will celebrate the past, present and future of independent genre filmmaking at the Muvico Theaters in Thousand Oaks, California on March 2nd and 3rd.

Created as a way to pay homage to and celebrate the spirit of independent filmmaking and those unafraid to take risks with their storytelling, CineMayhem’s diverse and often genre-bending line-up includes advanced screenings of two highly anticipated genre projects including Magnet Releasing’s visceral horror anthology THE ABC’s OF DEATH and Breaking Glass Pictures’ latest thriller K-11 directed by Jules Stewart (CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE, MORTAL KOMBAT) as well as a retro screening of Scott Glosserman’s BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON.

Other new additions to the two-day schedule include the world premiere of Adam Barnick’s brand new music video for Rivulets latest song “How, Who” as well as Drew Daywalt’s latest short MEAT and a special screening of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s 2012 festival favorite RESOLUTION which will be closing out CineMayhem on Sunday evening

CineMayhem will also be hosting the World Premieres of ROADSIDE directed by Eric England (MADISON COUNTY) and the latest short film from Ryan Spindell (KIRKSDALE), THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM as well as the West Coast Premieres of two other short films- Paul Davis’ (BEWARE THE MOON: REMEMBERING AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON) HIM INDOORS and SPLIT THE CHECK by Patrick Rea (NAILBITER).

Other feature films currently selected for the CineMayhem Film Fest include BREATH OF HATE by Sean Cain (SILENT NIGHT, ZOMBIE NIGHT), COLDWATER by Dave Parker (THE HILLS RUN RED) and THE SLEEPER by Justin Russell.

CineMayhem will also be screening several other award-winning short films including FAMILIAR by Zach Green, KILLER KART by James Feeney and FOXES by Lorcan Finnegan.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2nd

BLOCK ONE
12:00 PM- THE SLEEPER (Justin Russell): Alpha Gamma Theta are hosting a party for new pledges for the upcoming year. As the new pledges arrive, so does an uninvited guest. Little do the sisters know someone is watching them in the shadows. As the girls shower, study, eat and sleep the stalker studies the girls. One by one he finds the girls at their most vulnerable and murders them. The police hunt for the missing girls and their killer, but will they find them in time? Or will the girls be forced to fight for their lives.

BLOCK TWO
2:00 PM- BREATH OF HATE (Sean Cain): One last job and Love is out of the erotic escort business. Unfortunately, that final job is for a trio of escaped mental patients who are looking to change the world. One victim at a time. Q&A to Follow

BLOCK THREE
4:15 PM- COLDWATER (Dave Parker): ColdWater is a psychological suspense thriller dealing with one man housesitting unaware of who or what might be with him. Q&A to Follow

BLOCK FOUR
6:30 PM- ROADSIDE (Eric England): Roadside is a high concept thriller that finds Dan Summers and his pregnant wife, Mindy, in a fight for their lives when they are held hostage in their car by an unseen gunman on the side of a desolate mountain road. Their car is running. Their phones are working. But they STILL CAN’T LEAVE. World Premiere! Q&A to Follow

BLOCK FIVE
8:45 PM- THE ABC’S OF DEATH (Jake West, Angela Bettis, Simon Rumley, Tak Sakaguchi, Yoshihiro Nishimura, etc.): Twenty-six directors. Twenty-six ways to die. The ABCs OF DEATH is perhaps the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived with productions spanning fifteen countries and featuring segments directed by over two dozen of the world’s leading talents in contemporary genre film. Inspired by children’s educational books, the motion picture is comprised of twenty-six individual chapters; each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free rein in choosing a word to create a story involving death. Provocative, shocking, funny and ultimately confrontational, THE ABCs OF DEATH is the definitive vision of modern horror diversity. Q&A to Follow

CineMayhem Party to be Held Right After THE ABC’S OF DEATH at Bogart’s Bar & Grill inside the Muvico. All CineMayhem attendees may attend.

SUNDAY, MARCH 3rd

BLOCK ONE
12:00 PM- CINEMAYHEM SHORTS:
Foxes (Lorcan Finnegan): A young couple trapped in a remote estate of empty houses and shrieking foxes are beckoned from their isolation into a twilight world. A world of the paranormal or perhaps insanity.

Wrong Number (Patrick Rea): Two strangers connect, when a wrong number brings them together. Starring Cinnamon Schultz (Winter’s Bone) and Joicie Appell (Nailbiter). Written by Amber Rapp, Directed by Patrick Rea.

Familiar (Richard Powell): Through a series of tragic events, a middle aged man grows to suspect the negative impulses plaguing his mind may not be his own.

Killer Kart (James Feeney): An evil grows, hiding in plain sight. Just four wheels and a basket, but forged of aluminum in the fires of Hell. Tonight, it will strike, and the closing crew of a small-town grocery store will be thrust into the fight of their lives against the devastation of… The Killer Kart!

West Coast Premiere- Him Indoors (Paul Davis): Gregory Brewster is a serial killer, only problem is, he’s agoraphobic! Facing an impending eviction from his family home, Gregory has a plan that will save him from being subjected to the one thing he’s terrified of… the outside world. Things don’t quite go to plan however, when a surprise visit from his new neighbor finds him in a very awkward situation.

West Coast Premiere- Split the Check (Patrick Rea): See what happens when a waiter refuses to split the check for three annoying couples. Starring Michelle Davidson, Tasha Smith, Erin McGrane, Brad Meehan, Aaron Laue, Jason Miller. Directed by Patrick Rea.

Meat (Drew Daywalt): Two country boys have an encounter with a mythological creature from ages past.

World Premiere- The Root of the Problem (Ryan Spindell): Set in the candy-colored world of 1950s suburbia, a reluctant young housewife suspects that the friendly neighborhood dentist is hiding a horrible secret, but is it just the anesthesia at work or is there something more sinister hiding below the surface? Open up and say AHHHHHHHH!
Q&A to Follow Shorts Block

BLOCK TWO
2:45 PM- CineMayhem Retro Screening of BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON (Scott Glosserman): The next great psycho horror slasher has given a documentary crew exclusive access to his life as he plans his reign of terror over the sleepy town of Glen Echo, all the while deconstructing the conventions and archetypes of the horror genre for them.

BLOCK THREE
4:45 PM- K-11 (Jules Stewart): Like Alice in a brutally violent Wonderland, music executive Ray Saxx, Jr. is trapped in K-11, a very unique part of the Los Angeles County Prison System. He was out cold when he arrived and he has no idea how he got there – all he knows is he needs to get the hell out…alive and intact. To do that Ray must navigate through a maze of drug addled-transvestite- criminal politics with obstacles at every turn. Insane cellmates, corrupt guards and his own issues are just a few of what he’s dealing with while he pieces together his means of release from this dark and dangerous rabbit hole – K-11.

BLOCK FOUR
7:00 PM- RESOLUTION (Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead): In an abandoned cabin on the edge of an Indian reservation, Mike (Peter Cilella) stages a risky intervention to force his friend Chris (Vinny Curran) off meth and into rehab. But what begins as an attempt to save his friend’s life takes an unexpected turn when ominous threats start appearing around the house – and they realize that Chris’s addictions are the least of their worries. One of the most talked-about discoveries of last year’s festival circuit, Resolution is genre- bending horror at its most bone-chilling. Q&A to Follow 

Official sponsors for the 2013 CineMayhem Film Fest include Muvico Theaters (www.muvico.com/Thousand-Oaks-14), Sideshow Collectibles (www.sideshowtoy.com), Magnet Releasing (www.magnetreleasing.com), Scream Factory (www.shoutfactory.com/?q=screamfactory), Dread Central (www.dreadcentral.com) and Breaking Glass Pictures (www.breakingglasspictures.com). To keep up with all the CineMayhem to come this March, fans can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CineMayhem or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CineMayhemFilmFestival. 

Bodi: Clotho [Single]

“Clotho is the sister of fate responsible for spinning the thread of human life. She also made major decisions, such as when a person was born, thus in effect controlling people’s lives. This power enabled her not only to choose who was born, but also to decide when gods or mortals were to be saved or put to death. This song is about cutting those strings, controlling our own destiny, and walking our own path.” – Bodi

Music is obviously an extremely powerful act of nature.  The pains of torment and torture can released with the ease of a needle when it comes to putting lyrics to a backdrop of noise and comfort.  And even if you aren’t truly paying attention, you are tend to draw towards artists that you can truly relate to, even if it is in the saddest ways imaginable.  Artists like indie hip hop wordsmith Bodi are a perfect example.  This is a guy who is not afraid to put his entire existence out on a pedestal for the world to judge.  And as sad is the lyrics can seem on his latest track “Clotho”, they are also very touching and insightful.

The line between self pity and self realization can sometimes be extremely thin and almost unrecognizable.  Resting souly on the nape of the latter is “Clotho”.  This is a beautifully crafted song about the changes we are forced to embrace and take with the “truest form of spirit”, to quote Bodi himself.  Listening to this guy can bring you to a strange paradox within your own mind.  At one juncture, you want to see this man blow up to be the biggest thing since processed cheese, amongst all the other processed cheese.  On another level, it’s the personal level in which you share with his lyrics and soul that make you want to take him into your own world, and steal all of his wisdom for your own.  Knowing this would be selfish of course, and that his words should be shared with all.

So listen to “Clotho” with the exact realization that this is a man who wishes to inspire you.  A song like this about love and loss and triumph and fall should serve as an inspiration for you to do better.  Maybe even to love one another.  Maybe to decide if the path you have chosen the path you were meant to be on.  If you can listen to “Clotho” and still come to the realization that you are scaling the mountain that was supposed to be your life, then you are probably right.  Let Bodi inspire you.  You absolutely will not regret it.

Check out “Clotho” right HERE, and be on the lookout for the release of Bodi’s full length LP, The Fall of Atlas, available February 26th 2013.

Sarah Jaffe [Artist]

Photo by Dylan Hollingsworth

For some of us, hearing someone like Adele preach to us about love loss and the pain of being pure at heart just won’t cut it really.  For some of us it takes more than an impressive set of pipes to make us swoon musically.  Some of us require a greater sense of artistic amplitude.  We need to actually feel for the lady behind the mic.  And for some of us (should be all of us), we have Sarah Jaffe.

Sarah Jaffe is not only one of the members of the estranged group of musicians who are unknowingly changing the world of music as we know it, she could very well be the ringleader.  The ever shifting times are creating some many fine musicians that it is almost too hard to keep up.  But, obviously worth it to try.  The experimental elements in which she so eloquently mixes in with indie roots is sensational.  She posses the charisma of Janelle Monae, but has a voice comparable to the likes of Anna Lynn Williams.  And her amazing album, The Body Wins (released last April), exemplifies all of this and more.

Jaffe also has the distinct ability to create a smashing single.  Her track “Glorified High” could very well be one of the finest tracks to come out in 2012.  It is a raw, in your god damned face, track that is as entertaining as it is uplifting as it permeates through your skin and directly into your heart.  While the entire track list of The Body Wins is impeccable in it’s own right, it’s pretty hard not to bring yourself back to this incredible track.

It’s been a while since Jaffe dropped her latest album, and one can only fathom the genius she has been stirring up, and we all wait patiently to hear it.  Until then, if you have not had the distinct pleasure of checking out Sarah and The Body Wins, head on over to her website to check it out.

Sexy Water Spiders [Band]

There is something undeniably uplifting about a band like Sexy Water Spiders.  The funk element infused with rock and roll is something we have really been missing lately.  Also the weird as fuck element has been missing as well.  And these guys definitely bring a heft portion of each into their crazy stylings.

Sexy Water Spiders have been rocking out the city of Portland, Oregon for quite some time now.  They’ve been known to run amuck with likes of The Dandy Warhols, 1776, and The Upsidedown.  Needless to say, the gang is in good hands.  And like their fellow brethren, they are known to be insane showmen, another element that seems to get lost in the shuffle lately.  They are pure guitar wielding entertainment at it’s finest.  When the apocalypse surely comes upon us, these are the sort of curators of the weird that you are going to want to have around when the world goes mad.

Even without knowing these cats personally, it seems perfectly reasonable to assume that these are the types of souls that live to rock.  They want to perform for you, and make you lose all sense of being (and possibly your bowels) and the worry of being another senseless hack amidst the millions of other senseless hacks on this bloody and sometimes disgusting earth.  The screaming may surprise you.  The funk may guide you.  And let it be known, while you are fixated upon the circus of rock before you, all the fucks you used to give will surely be the furthest thing from your mind when you let Sexy Water Spiders take over.

Head on over to the band’s website to find out what they are up to these days.

Cold Specks [North American Tour]

Creating a beautiful song is a tough job in itself.  But, creating a continuous amount of heart-felt, inspiring, and also beautiful songs can seem almost entirely impossible.  But, then you hear a singer/songwriter like Cold Specks, who makes it seem so natural, and hope can fill the vacant void in your soul once again.  And throw in the intoxicating and raspy yet light-hearted vocals Al Spyx gloriously holds, and you simply just can not go wrong.

And much to the delight of this beastly American, this UK based troubadour and a few friends are heading across the pond to sing for you!  You should feel so lucky!  Yes, in support of her latest album I Predict A Graceful Explosion, Al is coming to perform her heart warming tales all across North America.  Cold Specks is without a doubt a performer that you simply do not want to miss the opportunity to see live.  Her majestic ways and means on the guitar and tantalizing vocals are a precious commodity one would do right to respect and soak right the hell in.

Cold Specks will be performing all across the US in a city that is surely going to be near you, and even heading up to our neighbors up north.  Be sure to visit her website for all the details.

And be sure to catch her in a city near you, listed below.

Good Old War: Live at The Knitting Factory in Spokane, WA [10.28.12]

There is a peculiar feeling when you pay good money to go to a show at mid-sized venue, pack yourself amongst the crowds of adoring fans, fight for a proper place to view and maybe take a few pictures for your minimalist blog, and wait…..for the opening act.  Well, maybe the second of three acts in this case.  Either way, standing amongst several hundred people, 90% of which are there to see the main act.  This has happened to me twice, here in Spokane, and at the same Knitting Factory.  When Blitzen Trapper rolled into town last month in support of The Head and the Heart, I was definitely there for them.  Although I was once a simple listener of The Head and the Heart, and I later became obsessed after the show.

But, last night was different.  This time I felt as though I, and my wife beside me, were the only two people in the room that were there strictly to watch the amazing and energetic trio from Philly, Good Old War, rock the house. But, just as I expected, they came, they performed, they conquered it.  Some might even say they “crushed it”, and definitely left this metropolis of the Eastern Washington with a whole new hoard of fans (The rush to the merch table was a good indication, that poor girl seemed petrified!) and left the stage after just a half an hour with thunderous applause and the blistering conversations of just about everyone in the room saying things like: “Wow, they really surprised me” or “Where’s that fucking merch table!!”.  And I can’t lie, I felt like a proud parent.  Or maybe just a disconcerting hipster when I watched this band I have adored for a very long time, get their spotlight on.  It was the same peculiar notion I felt when drummer Tim Arnold agreed to an interview here at Trianwreck’d, and when i saw the guys perform “Better Weather” on Conan.  I know all the clichés are there, but dammit it is great to watch a band receive the recognition it so clearly deserves.  And yes, to know that you “knew them long ago”.

As you could have already concluded, the show was fantastic.  With a set list that included a variety from their amazing catalog, what’s not to love?  They swapped vocal duties, harmonized, covered Harry Belafonte in the most hilarious and brilliant fashion, and guitarist Keith Goodwin even managed to play a guitar on top of a guitar (as an internet geek, I instantly thought of those Xzibit memes).  And just as I expected, their smash hit “Amazing Eyes” left the crowd shell-shocked and genuinely moved, to put it lightly.  I had heard so much about how exciting a Good Old War show can be, but the guys truly exceeded all my expectations.

And as the lights dimmed down upon the illustrious trio, they owned the place.  And I felt there was never any reason to fret, for I knew that my guys would a major hit.  The headliners, Need To Breathe, may have brought in the fans based upon their own following, but they sure made a damn good choice in having Keith, Tim, and Dan warm up the crowd for them.  And I believe this is what makes the show going experience so special.  Your notions of how great a band is going to be is already pre-conceived and will more than likely be biased (obviously I am the king of bias behavior).  But, it’s the rest of the experience, the new things, that are make show going an impeccable experience.  And while I didn’t take my own advice, and actually left the show before the main act went on (Babysitters, you know?), I still felt the energy and was left stunned.  And I left with the great feeling that the boys of Good Old War had done it again, and felt encouraged and blissful to know that these cats are thousands of miles away from their home, meaning they have once again trekked across this country spreading their gift and good vibes all around.  I can with all affirmation and conveyance say that the only war worth spreading around, is Good Old War.

Stay in touch with the boys of Good Old War through their website, and be sure to check out a show when they are in a city near you (The almost always are!).  Also don’t forget to check out our interview with drummer Tim Arnold from last July.

Bloomsday 2012 [Playlist]

Tomorrow (Sunday May 6th) is Bloomsday!  A day when 50,000 plus insanely driven Spokanites and visitors will hit the streets for one of the biggest 12K races in the world.  7.46 miles of moderate intensity that boosts a painfully unavoidable hill of magnanimous proportion frightfully known to locals as “Doomsday Hill”.  And yes, I am running it.

I am not exactly the most fit and/or healthy person in the world.  I do tend to run whenever I can, as George W. Bush once suggested, to “purge my system of poisons”.  Whatever bouts of debauchery that can not be burned out through morning coffee usually seems to find its way out through my pores as a stride through the downtown streets of Spokane, often ending with a leisurely stroll through just a few of the hundred acres plus that is Riverside Park.  But, alas, I have once again decided to partake in the most holiest of holy running events in Eastern Washington.  It really isn’t as bad as some people could make it out to be.

And with said running, must come music.  I don’t fancy myself one of those people who sincerely claim that they “must have music” when they run.  They are wrong.  And ridiculous.  In fact, ear buds are not actually allowed to be used during Bloomsday.  Why you might miss one of the few locally driven bands playing along the course that you don’t care about, and probably aren’t actually worth the cost of the 30 seconds of listening you had to endear as you passed on by.  But, this is no deterrent from bending rules that were meant to be completely broken.  While I don’t believe I “must have music”, I want to.  And that is good enough for me.  It gives me a chance to dig into some more exciting songs that I wouldn’t normally listen to at home in my ratty pajama bottoms and the morning paper & coffee/bourbon.  Yes, this is my time to get loud.  I like my running music upbeat.  Is there really any other sort of way?

And I seem to be having a stream of illustrious fortitude for very loud music lately (my latest music show goings being seeing TacocaT and Bobby Joe Ebola & The Children Macnuggits).  So, I thought it would be nice to let everyone know what will be illegally blistering my ears for the (hopefully) fulfilling 7 1/2 miles I plan to endure.  Below is a list of 30 tracks that will guide me along this self righteous passage.  And the next time you find yourself yearning to sweat out the previous night’s over indulgence, think of all these great tunes, and get your self righteous out on the streets.  Let’s begin:

(Note: Many of these tracks will be highlighted with links to sites where you can stream/buy/love the songs themselves.  Enjoy!)

TacocaT

TacocaT – Volcano

Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling – First We Take Manhattan (Leonard Cohen cover)

Walk Off The Earth – Somebody I Used To Know (Gotye cover)

Fun. – All The Pretty Girls

The Ascetic Junkies – Jenny, Don’t Do That!

Soul Distraction – Not Gonna Sing About You Anymore

Nas – Black Zombies

Axemunkee – Acid Django

The Fenbi International Superstars – Two Miles From Home

Bobby Joe Ebola & The Children Macnuggits

The Memorials – Flourescent’s Unforgiving

Atmosphere – American Disgrace

Hosannas – When We Were Young

Jared Mees & The Grown Children – W.W.J.B.D.

Iron Maiden – Run For The Hills

Tyga – Rack City

Bobby Joe Ebola & The Children Macnuggits – Sandwiches & Ammunition

Mother Love Bone – This Is Shangrila

The Illness – Lengua De La Muerte

Flying Spiders – Fadism

Golden Bloom

Blitzen Trapper – Fletcher

Portugal. The Man – So American

Golden Bloom – Rhyme The Reason

Rush – Tom Sawyer

Kanye West (featuring Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, & Bon Iver) – Monster

Strength – Metal

Corey Chisel & The Wandering Sons – Born Again

Trick Trick (featuring Eminem) – Welcome 2 Detroit City

Sleater Kinney – Entertain

The Dandy Warhols – Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth

The Jesus Rehab – Holiday

Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling [Band]

Photo by Kelly Davidson

If they weren’t so increasingly verbal and creating all sorts of tunes via an almost pathological amount of avenues….Michael J. Epstein and Sophia Cacciola could be mysterious.  But, alas, this match made in indie rock heaven  is absolutely everywhere.  They have no less than nine touring and/or working acts including Darling Pet Munkee with the amazing Axemunkee guitarist Catherine Capozzi, The Michael J. Epstein Library, Epstein’s crucial part in Shawn Fogel’s uke tribute to Neutral Milk Hotel conveniently titled, Neutral Uke Hotel, and Space Balloons. The latter apparently puts on an amazing birthday party for three-year olds.  But, you can not know this diversely talented and eccentric duo without knowing their pseudo gargantuan like act, Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin.

Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin is, for the lack of a yearning to use better words, and absolutely amazing group.  When they stormed my ear drums a couple of years ago with their brain splitting take on the already eerie enough Leonard Cohen cut, “First We Take Manhattan”, I was absolutely smitten.  So much so that by the their 2011 EP, Questions Are A Burden To Others, fell into my life, I most certainly could not image how I once had a fully functional adult life before a band decided they should create an outlandish musical reincarnation of the cult TV show, The Prisoner.  It didn’t seem like a life I wanted to go back to, and I am thankful I never will.

For those few souls out there who have yet to hear DNFMOMD and have your world completely rocked, you’re pretty lame, and redemption is necessary. For further description on your loss, I guess you can try to imagine what it would be like if Neko Case and Sufjan Stevens started a Black Sabbath cover band with their gears turning towards a mystical heaven, and maybe the tenacity and excited overtures of the likes of New York Dolls.  They have cultivated an amazing following of strangely fanatical listeners, and have scored some high honors across the media world including scoring the #6 spot on Time Magazine Online’s Top Ten Most Creative Videos list with their take for take remake and reconstitution of the opening scene from the cult TV show The Prisoner.  And then there is Cacciola’s nomination for the covenant Best Female Vocalist Award from The Boston Phoenix, winning big at SENE festival (also for “Arrival”), and without fear of any sort of fear of reprisal for self deprecation, they scored a spot on Crappy Indie Music The Blog’s Recession Proof Music List.

More recently, Michael and Sophia have embarked on yet another amazing adventure entitled Music Begins Where The World Leaves Off.  Jumping on the bandwagon of their own genius work covering Leonard Cohen, the duo has decided to make the essential to all music enthusiasts cover album.  They will be releasing monthly(ish) cover tracks throughout 2012.  Two tracks have already hit the interwebs, including Bruce Springsteen’s “Cover Me” and The Eurythmics’s classic anthem “Sweet Dreams”.

Photo by Kelly Davidson

With the direction these two are headed with their wonderful concept of petrified and tamed insanity, it is impossible to not feel continuous bursts of excitement.  Enough excitement to wet yourself in a white suit I would suppose.  Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin is most definitely an act you do not want to sleep on.  Or shall I say: forsake!  No I don’t think I will.  Or did I just do it?  No matter, this is amazing stuff, and the world needs to know the power of these amazing chaps with the audacity to be one of the foremost pioneering bands out their today.

Learn more about this amazing group at their Website.  And be sure to make your way over the The Boston Phoenix site to vote for Sophia Cacciola as Best Female Vocalist.  And keep yourself in tune with all of their other projects on Mike and Sophia’s own Blog.

Buster Blue [Band]

Folk music.  It’s just great isn’t it?  You really can’t go wrong with the plucking of an acoustic guitar, the telling of tales that can either be literal or interpreted at your desire, and the soothing sound of a spit filled harmonica.  Yes, the reincarnation of Woody Guthrie inspired train songs and old country love songs is everywhere.  And while this is great, it tends to make it difficult to pick apart the good, the bad, and the misfortune.  That is until you truly find a gem of a group.  And Buster Blue is definitely a gem.

Hailing from the biggest little city in the world, Buster Blue is a distinctive 5 person group of troubadours who were born about 120 years too late.  Their sound is about as organic as you can get.  Buckets, banjos, chains, horns, and a love for telling a great story round out the amazing sound they create.  They exemplify exactly what it means to be a folk group in this day and age.  Keep it simple, keep it fun.  And a bit of raw talent doesn’t hurt either, of which they obviously have plenty to go around.

In the short years Buster Blue has been together, they have managed to scour the earth, performing wherever their feet may land.  They’ve shared the stage with the likes of Rocky Votolato, The Pharmacy, and Finn Riggins, while playing over 180 shows throughout last year, and they show no signs of slowing down.  With their latest treasure trove of an album, When the Silver’s Gone, out now you can find them west of the Mississippi on several occasions.  Check out their tour schedule to see if they are coming to a town near you.

03/07- Frog & Peach- San Luis Obispo, California

03/08- The Pour House- Paso Robles, California

03/09- Villains Tavern- Los Angeles, California

03/10- Muddy Waters Cafe- Santa Barbara, California

03/11- Margarita Villa- Ventura, California

03/16- Cosmic Cafe- Placerville, California

03/17- Plan b:Microlounge- Carson City, Nevada

03/22- Treefort Music Fest- Boise, Idaho

03/23- HD’s Hideout- Idaho City, Idaho

03/30- Crystal Bay Club- Tahoe, Nevada

03/31- The Tap- Mammoth, California

04/13- The Daily Grind- Fallon, Nevada

04/14- Plan b:Microlounge- Carson City, Nevada

04/19- Origami Lounge- Chico, California

04/20- Sophia’s Thai Kitchen- Davis, California

04/21- Shanachie Pub- Willits, California

04/26- Bombs Away Cafe- Corvallis, Oregon

04/27- Sam Bonds Garage- Eugene, Oregon

04/29- Vintage Wine Bar- Redding, California

05/01- Don Quixote’s- Felton, California (Supporting March Fourth Marching Band)

05/02- Harlow’s- Sacramento, California (Supporting March Fourth Marching Band)

05/03- The Knitting Factory- Reno, Nevada (Supporting March Fourth Marching Band)

05/05- The Partisan- Merced, California

05/06- Private Event

05/11- Ancient Mariner- Manitou Springs, Colorado

05/12- Whistler’s Cafe- Nederland, Colorado

05/14- Steaming Bean- Telluride, Colorado

05/15- Cowgirl BBQ- Santa Fe, New Mexico

05/18- Flagstaff Brewing Company- Flagstaff, Arizona

05/26- Sacramento Music Festival- Sacramento, California

05/27- Chico Music Festival- Chico, California

Learn more about Buster Blue at their official website.

President’s Day….the Indie Way! (w/Electric Needle Room)

It’s President’s Day.  Sort of a BS holiday if you ask me.  Unless you happen to be a presidential enthusiast/middle school history teacher/indie rokker!!!  Then it’s probably a bit like Christmas two months later!  And for the immensely light-hearted and multi instrumentalist Matt Beat (a.k.a. Electric Needle Room) he is giving the best present you could give on this “holiday”.  I present to you, The Presidents of the United Of America (Volume 2).

Last year (on President’s Day obviously) Electric Needle Room released the first 15 track album, featuring songs about the first 15 presidents.  That’s George Washington right through to James Buchanan (I’m sure you know all of them already, right?).  What was created was an extremely playful and insightful disc of wonderful tracks.  I had a review for it at Fensepost.

And right on schedule, Volume 2 is out (Abraham Lincoln through Herbert Hoover….but you already knew that, right?).  Here we learn even more crazy fun facts about our past leaders.  Example:  Did you know that Woodrow Wilson is the only president to have a PHD?  Facts and more facts!  And some downright fun and incredible songs as well.  What better way could you think of to celebrate our forefathers?

You can download both albums at a name your price….price.  Find it at Electric Needle Room’s bandcamp.