First of all, to quiet my critics who have called me, among other things, an ageist, I recommend to you a free download by one of my esteemed professors, Bob Stewart. Bob has been cranking out first-rate folk-rock in the vein of James Taylor for years now, but this latest song is a real stunner. Titled A Million Miles From Home
it memorializes the 14 Ohio Marines who died in a three-day stretch last summer. Go to bobstewartband.com/mm and give it a listen.
Last week I didn't catch much music, but what I did witness certainly is worth mentioning. Southeast Engine was great as always at the Front Room, though the show was slightly unnerving because of the extensive amount of new material performed. In full they only played six songs that existed before a few months ago. Luckily, the new songs are almost all on the mark, especially the frantic Burned Out and Taking the Fall which is a tidal wave of a song with a big, expectant intro and an emphatic finish. Only Share the Wealth is kind of a snoozer, but maybe it will blossom in the studio or something.
Opening for them was Dayton's delightful Captain of Industry, who reminded me of late-90s dance punk bands a la Les Savy Fav and The Dismemberment Plan grounded in Beatles-based pop. 'Twas a great show indeed.
Now for this week: The Makebelieves, Shotgun for Royalty; 10 tonight; The Union, 18 W. Union St. - Dirty Johnny and the Makebelieves is one of those Athens institutions that embodies the ethos of the Union-Casa rock scene. I honestly don't know who is in the lineup these days besides Matt Presutti and his lightnin' fingers, but the main attraction always will be frontman John Clift, whose stilted swagger and sloshed showmanship have catapulted him to local legend status.
Instrumental masterminds Shotgun for Royalty will open the show. The duo has been battering its instruments and its audiences for a while now, and they're getting more electric every time they step on stage.
Love and Squalor, Scott Free and the Getaways, Untamed Pony, Jake Householder; 10 tonight; The Blue Gator, 63 N. Court St. - What a strange, wonderfully eclectic lineup The Blue Gator has set up for tonight. Well, OK, punk and metal are close cousins, especially the quirky metal presented by Untamed Pony, but Jake Householder really throws a wrench in things. His intricate acoustic balladry and lilting voice will start the show off on a decidedly softer note than will be heard thereafter.
Meanwhile, the show's headliners are Love and Squalor, whose upcoming album recorded at 3 Elliott Studio sounds fabulously furious. Always flying off the hinges, they should be quite enjoyable. They're joined by punk cohorts Scott Free and the Getaways, who make for a double dose of straightforward, working class rock 'n' roll.
Untamed Pony, who seem to make it into my column every week, will also play somewhere in there. I would love to see more lineups this diverse around town, the kind that will expose and hopefully cross-pollinate a music scene that can tend to be cliquey.
Dropdead Sons, El Jesus de Magico, General Stacks; 10 p.m. Friday; The Union - Much to my dismay, Detroit's finest rock band The High Strung had to drop out of this show after being invited to open for Guided by Voices frontman Bob Pollard on the West Coast. But regardless of that band's absence - and they'll be back for Blackoutfest in April, so don't you worry - this remains one of my most anticipated shows of the quarter. And just like a couple weeks ago when ACRN put on its Front Room show, I have to miss this rock 'n' roll extravaganza.
It's quite a shame, as El Jesus de Magico has not performed for months. They've been preparing in hibernation, indoctrinating a new bass player and incubating many new songs. The demonic Columbus art punk quintet is a must-see for anyone who enjoys music that's dark, minimalist and raw. Their self-titled debut was one of my most-played albums of last year, and their CD release show last July at Bernie's in Columbus was literally electrifying. Here's to another such show this weekend.
El Jesus is bracketed by two of Athens' stalwart garage rock ensembles, The Dropdead Sons, featuring the rockin' remains of Geraldine, and the Sons' sisters in rock, General Stacks. The Sons have not appeared around here for a while, either, so quite frankly, this is a must-see if you consider yourself a serious rock music aficionado.
-Chris DeVille is a Post contributing editor. Send him an e-mail at cd252802@ohiou.edu.
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