Just when you thought you'd seen enough beef on the site this week, along comes the Lawrence Loaf Off. This may not be music-related. But it's local. And it's weird.
Unless Lawrence.com is yanking my meat thermometer prematurely, this Sunday marks the first ever Lawrence, Kansas, meatloaf cookoff. Perhaps this is the fair city's answer to KC's annual American Royal Barbeque competition. Perhaps those dern hippies have lost their minds (and veggie diets).
So you want to see if your meat is up to snuff? Bring it on by the 4-1-1 Studio, 411 E. Ninth, Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Categories include “Best In Show,” “Best Secret Ingredient,” and “Most Loaf Like.”
Then head a block over to the Eighth Street Taproom to see Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk and The ACB's. Now that's a Sunday schedule that could get me out of my pjs and chokin down some beef.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
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Loafin' Around.. And Baby Birds Don't Eat Meat
Thursday, February 7, 2008
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Calling All Local Musicians
Would you describe your music as instrumental Broken Social Scene? How about Summer Sun-era Yo La Tengo? Well listen up.
Our friend Joshwa is calling all musicians to help create a soundtrack for Springfield's public access channel. Sure, it's not a gig opening for the Arcade Fire or anything, but everyone's gotta get started somewhere, right?
I'll let Joshwa give you the rundown."If you live in Springfield and have cable, then you are no doubt familiar with public access channel 25. You know, with the boring text and the gut-wrenchingly horrible elevator music? Yeah, that's the one.
Well, thanks to my powers of persuasion, I've been charged with programming in some new music.
Here's where you come in, dear readers.
I'm looking for as much original music as I can get my hands on. A definite preference will be given to downtempo, quiet or instrumental pieces so as to appease the school district overlords. I'm willing to consider anything sent my way, but the more appealing it is to general tastes, the more likely it is I'll play it.
What's the incentive, you ask? Hmm.. how about the ability to turn on any cable television in the city, flip to channel 25, and hear an amazing ambient mix that you helped author?"
There you have it, folks. If you want to get in touch with Mr. Joshwa, you can email him here. Let's make some (ambient) jams, people!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
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P4K Love and More
Just a few minutes ago, I was perusing theTimes New Viking Guest List that was posted on Pitchfork to see if they had any interesting anecdotes about their tour with Yo La Tengo. They did mention the tour, but what I found even more interesting is that they plugged Lawrence, Kansas' very own Love Garden Sounds! Honestly, its about time. Love Garden is a pretty bad ass record store, with a great selection and very affordable prices to boot. Congrats to them on their first (from what I can recall) Pitchfork mention, and thanks to Times New Viking for the plug.
Speaking of Kansas and Pitchfork, former Kansas natives Blood on the Wall received a very favorable 7.8 score/review from the online publication on Monday, upstaging the venerable Chan Marshall and receiving a Recommended status (which is just below the coveted Best New Music status). Blood on the Wall have two "homecoming" shows in the next week, the first on Tuesday with Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk, and the second on Wednesday at The Record Bar with The Jim Button Band (which yours truly hopes to attend). Swing by one of the shows and congratulate them on their good reviews, and don't forget to pick up the album, Liferz, which is out now via The Social Registry.
Speaking of Baby Birds..., remember my last Check This Shit Out post where I talked about the big CHOMP WOMP COMP to-do at the Jackpot? Well, the compilation is available for FREE at the CHOMP WOMP site, and I HIGHLY recommend you high tail your little ass over download it. The Panda Bear-esque "Eating With Horse", by Baby Birds, is a highlight, as is the instrumental "Tracer" by Oregon as a Shape (Gaurav Bashyakarla of Boo and Boo Too) and "Bong Rips With Burial" by DJ Iggy Baby's project, Norrit (which wins the award for Song Title That Best Describes the Range Life Staff on a Saturday Night, and is so good we're streaming it on our player).
Lastly, The New Amsterdams have a show at The Record Bar tomorrow (Friday) night with Making Movies, and Ad Astra Per Aspera is playing a benefit for the Gadugi Safecenter out at the Jackpot in Lawrence. Fuckin' rock!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
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For this week's installment of Check This Shit Out, I'm very excited to tell you about not one, but two fucking awesome shows going on tomorrow night in Lawrence that you'd have to be crazy to miss. Let's get started, shall we?_full.jpg)
First up is a nice triple bill at the Bottleneck. Headlining act Ghosty (pictured, left) is a Lawrence/Kansas City mainstay, and on this night they're celebrating the release of their new album (and first on local label Oxblood Records) Answers. After having a listen to a few of the new tracks, I must say that they sound as good as ever. The time used on producing and mixing the album appears to put to good use, especially on the stellar opening track "Dumbo Wins Again" (stream). But while this is undoubtedly Ghosty's big night, it should be noted that they were also kind enough to bring along some excellent company in Ad Astra Per Aspera. I'll agree that the all out sonic assault Ad Astra brings to their sets might be too much of a contrast for those hoping to chill out to some new Ghosty tunes, but for fans of both bands this should be a killer show.
If you're looking for a little more bang for your buck, you might want to head down the street to the Jackpot and check out the Bedroom Bazaar. No, its not the latest hipper than thou Lawrence band, its a showcase of FOUR of the better bands and one DJ that call the KC/Lawrence area home: Boo and Boo Too (not pictured, as Blogger has suddenly become uncooperative) , Coat Party, Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk, I Love You, and Iggy Baby. Kind of like the Ghosty concert, this show is in celebration of two compilations that are being released, Chomp Womp's Chomp Womp Comp and another by the Lillerne Tape Club. Aaaaaand, as if the fantabulous music wasn't already enough, the evening also serves as an art opening of sorts, featuring "visual installations and physical renderings" by Barrett Emke (of Boo and Boo Too) and other extremely talented folks.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and rock out to some excellent local music tomorrow night...or else!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
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Hey gang, it's Thursday, and you know what that means, don't you? No, no, no, Thursdays and Covers is a different blog? What we're going to do on Thursdays, starting today, is highlight something that pertains to the Midwest. It could be a CD release party by an up-and-coming local act, an interview with someone in the scene, a feature on our favorite club or record store. You know, something local/regional so we don't lose touch with our roots.
Today, I'm going to cheat a little bit because you've probably already heard what I'm about to write, but because it's pretty exciting I'd hate to not write about it even if I am a little late.
A few days ago, you may have noticed Kansas City act Ssion getting some love on Pitchfork and Stereogum. Granted, the love was mostly for Glass Candy's remix of the song "Clowns," but it was still love nonetheless. As Pitchfork rightly noted, the Glass Candy version would have fit perfectly on the seductive After Dark compilation. The re-mix will officially see the light of day on a 12" sometime next month, while the original (which you can stream at Ssion's MySpace page) can be found on the upcoming full length, Fool's Gold, available 2/12 on Sleazetone.
Now, before I go and try to sleep this hangover off, I just have to ask if anyone has any good Ssion stories to share. I've never seen them live, but I hear that they're, uh, interesting.
[mp3]Ssion - "Clowns" (Glass Candy remix) (via Stereogum)