Might we interest you in a photo from the Open Minds benefit on Friday, July 11, at Shepherdstown’s Opera House? Check out the lovely Cassi Raye in the frame above these words, and then, just to make sure the week doesn’t begin without music, check out our Video Of The Day from a few weeks ago when we featured her. Photo courtesy of Cassandra Mullinix. For more of her photos, visit https://www.facebook.com/bucketofrock.
July 2014
We’ve got a jam-packed weekend filled with some great goodies. The great Pete Goodwin and the great Todd C. Walker will be appearing at JoJo’s and The Frederick Coffee Company, respectively, throughout the weekend, and we wanted to make sure we gave them some love after they helped us out last weekend. If you happened to be down at the creek last Friday and you liked what you heard, you can check them out tonight and Saturday, separately. Also set for this weekend is the Inn It For The Kids Benefit that will feature the above band, Kalevra (again: Call us out on Facebook, and we’re more than happy to comply!), as well as a fantastically full slate of talent from near and far, at Cafe 611. Plus, to get the weekend started right, all signs appear to be a go for this evening’s Alive @ Five, featuring the Celtic rock of Empty Flask, who will also be playing a show at Bushwallers after their set by the creek. There’s a lot of great stuff going down, friends. Be sure to check something – anything! – out.
THURSDAY
Who: Alive @ Five featuring Empty Flask
Where: Carroll Creek
When: 5 p.m.
Who: Sundog Ritual
Where: Ayse Meze Lounge
When: 7 p.m.
Who: ClearSpring
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Jazz Jam
Where: Jekyll & Hyde Restaurant & Tavern
When: 7:30 p.m.
Who: Empty Flask
Where: Bushwallers
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Prophets Of The Abstract Truth
Where: Isabella’s
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Pete Goodwin
Where: Jo Jo’s Tap House
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Freddie Long
Where: The Cellar Door
When: 8 p.m.
FRIDAY
Who: Old School Hip Hop Night With DJ TWO TEKS
Where: Cafe Nola
When: 9:30 p.m.
Who: Dan McGuire
Where: The Bentz Street Raw Bar
When: 9 p.m.
Who: John Durant
Where: Ayse Meze Lounge
When: 7 p.m.
Who: The Primate Fiasco
Where: Cafe 611
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Signs Point East
Where: The Cellar Door
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Brian Derek
Where: The Frederick Coffee Company
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Cumberland Valley Duo
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Harry Pritchett and/or Donna Frost
Where: Elk Run Vineyard
When: 6 p.m.
Who: Acoustic Friday With Doug
Where: JR Sports Bar And Restaurant
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Chris Hauska
Where: The Red Horse
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Steel Rose
Where: Cactus Flats
When: 8:30 p.m.
Who: Bodine Brothers
Where: Hard Times Cafe
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Wicked Jezabel
Where: Champion Billiards
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Rave Parade
Where: Bushwallers
When: 10 p.m.
SATURDAY
Who: Cutting Agents
Where: Cafe Nola
When: 9:30 p.m.
Who: Bad Influence
Where: The Bentz Street Raw Bar
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Safe Harbor
Where: Ayse Meze Lounge
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Inn It For The Kids Benefit featuring Symbolic, Kalevra, As The Kingdom Falls, Silence The Blind and Zekiah
Where: Cafe 611
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Muskrat Sally
Where: Jo Jo’s Tap House
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Patty Reece
Where: The Cellar Door
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Michael Kelly
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: C-9
Where: The Main Cup
When: 8:30 p.m.
Who: 11am Band
Where: Hard Times Cafe
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Dosage
Where: Champion Billiards
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Jack And The Meteors
Where: Olde Towne Tavern
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Todd C. Walker
Where: The Frederick Coffee Company
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Steven Gellman
Where: Elk Run Vineyard
When: 3 p.m.
Hold up. Did you see we posted a brand new podcast?! It’s with Kenny Eaton of Mystery Ton Studios and you can check it out here. You know who else was a guest on the For The Record podcast a little while ago? The guy right above these words: Pete Goodwin. And because he was so, so, so kind last week when he jumped in at the last minute to save the day for our inaugural Frederick Playlist Presents … series, we thought we’d try to return the favor by posting a clip of him covering the great Paul Simon. So many things to listen to. So little Thursday.
Oh, this is too perfect. Check out the above photo from Saturday’s show at Flying Dog Brewery. The shot, as you can see, is of the people who landed in the front row as Lucero was performing. More importantly? Check out some lucky lady’s lovely koozie as she holds her adult beverage over the barrier. Yeeahhhhhh! Frederick Playlist: 1. Utz Koozie Universe: 0. Photo courtesy of Cassandra Mullinix. For more of her photos, visit https://www.facebook.com/bucketofrock.
For the 13th episode of the For The Record podcast, I drove over to Monrovia and the basement of a Prudential Insurance building to catch up with the great Kenny Eaton of Mystery Ton Studios. A member of local post-rock outfit Time Columns, we had a great time chatting in his engineering room (while the United States played Germany in the group stage of the World Cup. But that’s another conversation for another day). Among the tidbits you’ll find if you listen:
– What kind of gear he uses at Mystery Ton (here’s a clue: It’s impressive).
– No, his band, Time Columns, does not sound like Rush. Darn-it.
– How truly fascinating Eaton is as a dude. When you hear about the other things he could have done with his life … just … wow.
– Who some of his favorite artists from the Frederick area are (even though be warned: He doesn’t like to play favorites).
– Which bands he’s worked with since opening Mystery Ton a couple years ago.
– How you can reach him directly if you are in need of a studio (yes, he gives us his phone number, so get that pad and pen ready).
– And, of course, what’s next for him, his band and his studio.
Anyone interested in checking out what Mystery Ton Studios has to offer can check out its Facebook page here and if email is your thing, you can shoot Kenny a note at mysterytonstudios@gmail.com. As we did last time with Studio 301, most of the songs you hear in this episode were recorded at Mystery Ton, so if you happen to be in a band and you happen to need a studio, you’ve got some great options, friends. You’ve got some great options. Now, why are you still reading – have a listen!
Mystery Ton Studios
For the 13th episode of the For The Record podcast, I drove over to Monrovia and the basement of a Prudential Insurance building to catch up with the great Kenny Eaton of Mystery Ton Studios. A member of local post-rock outfit Time Columns, we had a great time chatting in his engineering room (while the United States played Germany in the group stage of the World Cup. But that’s another conversation for another day). Among the tidbits you’ll find if you listen:
– What kind of gear he uses at Mystery Ton (here’s a clue: It’s impressive).
– No, his band, Time Columns, does not sound like Rush. Darn-it.
– How truly fascinating Eaton is as a dude. When you hear about the other things he could have done with his life … just … wow.
– Who some of his favorite artists from the Frederick area are (even though be warned: He doesn’t like to play favorites).
– Which bands he’s worked with since opening Mystery Ton a couple years ago.
– How you can reach him directly if you are in need of a studio (yes, he gives us his phone number, so get that pad and pen ready).
– And, of course, what’s next for him, his band and his studio.
Anyone interested in checking out what Mystery Ton Studios has to offer can check out its Facebook page here and if email is your thing, you can shoot Kenny a note at mysterytonstudios@gmail.com. As we did last time with Studio 301, most of the songs you hear in this episode were recorded at Mystery Ton, so if you happen to be in a band and you happen to need a studio, you’ve got some great options, friends. You’ve got some great options. Now, why are you still reading – have a listen!
OTHER EPISODES:
Episode No. 12 – Studio 301
Episode No. 11 – The Knolly Moles
Episode No. 10 – Lloyd Dobler Effect
Episode No. 9 – Chelsea McBee
Episode No. 8 – Heavy Lights
Episode No. 7 – Peter Goodwin
Episode No. 6 – The Artomatic Crew
Episode No. 5 – Silent Old Mtns.
Episode No. 4 – Elon Eisenberg
Episode No. 3 – Crystal Sands
Episode No. 2 – Doug Alan Wilcox
Episode No. 1 – Cassandra Mullinix
All right, so here’s the deal: YouTube channels are dicey. We know. We get it. Sometimes, artists are apprehensive about less-than-stellar-quality video of their performances being out there. Sometimes, people simply just don’t enjoy being videoed. Sometimes, there’s some annoying group of friends around you when you take said video and their dialogue drowns out most of the music you’re trying to hear.
Again: We get it. We know all of these things.
But riddle us this: How else are people supposed to find out about local artists, especially if the local artists have either A) never been into a studio or B) never had the money and/or time and/or resources to help spread the word about what they do? So often people tell us they’d love to check out a local band or go to a weekend show … but they have no idea what they’re getting into, so instead of opting for the local talent, they decide to listen to the radio and go see the new “Planet Of The Apes” movie. It’s sad, really. Sadder than sad.
Thus, behold our brand-new YouTube channel. Ready for this ridiculous link? Good:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWlcvzLVkLQKNqd0xXXEHMQ
The point of the channel is to help visualize the Frederick music scene. Yes, until we get any money (read: never), these things will be lo-fi, and yes, the production will more often than not be suspect (read: from a mobile device). And as you’ll see if you click over, there’s also a good possibility that some of the clips won’t even be of full songs. No matter. All we want to do is help spread the word about all the great things this music scene can offer. Nothing more. Nothing less. If someone asks us to take down a video, we will happily comply. If someone whines about the quality of a video, we would like to offer the following preemptive strike in return: WAHHHHHH!
Either way, this tiny channel, to us at least, is worth it. It allows readers and local music fans alike to actually check out some of the stuff that’s going down in and around Frederick. Why? Because words can only convey so much and playlists can only spin so many times before you want to get a sense of what the real thing is like. That’s why. So, click on over, have a look at any of our videos (there are only five for now, but that’s going to grow; trust us), and check back to see what other goodies we might be able to compile as we set forth on this mission to make Frederick a legitimate destination for anyone looking to consume great local original music. There’s just too much wonderful stuff happening to turn a blind eye toward it all. So, put on some glasses, grab some headphones, and have a look.
Oh, and for anyone who would like to unleash some quality whining at any point (just kidding: WE LOVE YOU ALL!), you can follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or email frederickplaylist@gmail.com. We do not discriminate: All forms of whining are welcome.
Today, we have an oldie but a goodie: Check out The Knolly Moles as they perform at Olde Towne Tavern on Saturday, June 7, as part of our Launch Weekend, which at this point feels like forever ago. If you are so inclined, head on over to their Facebook page and help land them a spot on this year’s Shindig festival in Baltimore. Why? Because remember: Us Frederick people have to stick together. Darn it.
It was a breakthrough weekend for us here at Frederick Playlist (if “breakthrough” means “memorable,” of course). We kicked things off on Friday with our first-ever Frederick Playlist Presents … show down at the Carroll Creek amphitheater and followed that up by giving away hundreds of brand-new beer koozies at the Flying Dog show Saturday night that featured Lucero and Brooks Long and The Mad Dog No Good. There’s a lot to say about all that went down. Let’s get to it.
1. First and most certainly foremost, a gigantic THANK YOU (notice the capital letters) to our old friend Pete Goodwin, who came through at the very last minute to replace Doug Alan Wilcox on our bill Friday afternoon. As it goes, Wilcox had a cut on his finger that didn’t heal well enough to play and it wasn’t until Friday morning that he realized he would have to cancel all of his weekend shows (that’s OK – we still love you, Doug!). A couple text messages, a few phone calls and one frantic morning later, and the fabulous Pete Goodwin made it down to the creek just in time to plug in for a quick set. For those interested in learning more about Pete, any of his various musical projects, or how you can land a few lessons from the maestro himself, check out his website or his Facebook page (also of note: His band 3:AM is looking for a bass player). Tell him we sent you, and tell him THANK YOU (in all capital letters) again.
2. Who knew Todd C. Walker was such a local celebrity?! We snapped the quick video above with an iPhone (more on videos later this week), and we knew he was an incredibly great guy … but we had absolutely no idea that his well-known profile around town was based on the fact that he once hosted a cooking show! More than once, we were approached by creek-walkers who wondered aloud of the guy on stage was the same guy who once went into local restaurants to interview chefs and videotape it all for the masses to see. How neat! Anyway, we must thrust another gigantic THANK YOU in his direction for coming out and providing an afternoon filled with entertaining stories, memorable covers, and, of course, his made-for-coffee-shops-everywhere original songs. Without Walker and Goodwin, we would have just been some schlump of a website, trolling the creek, giving away paper fans and koozies. But with Walker and Goodwin … well, with them, we were some schlump of a website, trolling the creek, giving away paper fans and koozies … with music playing in the background! No, but seriously: Check those guys out. They’re the best.
3. We might be only two shows into a four-show slate, but the set of the summer so far goes to Brooks Long And The Mad Dog No Good, who opened Saturday night’s Flying Dog Summer Sessions concert. Not only were they kind enough to help us out with an interview last week, but they also brought a stunningly authentic R&B vibe to the entire event Saturday night, and that’s hard to do if you only happen to be a trio. A lack of personnel left no shortage of depth, however, as those three dudes made the stage sound as though an orchestra was hiding somewhere behind them. Better yet was their cover of The Four Tops’ “Baby I Need Your Loving,” which turned out to be far more than a pleasant surprise. Honestly: If you get the chance to go check them out, do it. And yes: They’re based in Baltimore, so you have no real excuse not to.
4. Lucero, Lucero. Despite the rain that kept drizzling with consistency once the headliners took the stage, those Memphis dudes brought the (figurative) house down with their blazing set of Southern-style country rock. Lead singer Ben Nichols’s raspy croon rang through the clouded skies with his signature subdued enthusiasm, and the crowd drank it up like Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale. The only real impact the weather had was on us: With Lucero on the stage and our koozie supply down to nothing, we were unfortunately forced to pack up just a few minutes early (didn’t want to get those paper fans wet, you know!) Still, a fabulous night was had by all, and as Flying Dog posted on its Facebook page Saturday night, “Tears don’t matter much and neither does the rain. An incredible end to one badass show.”
5. Winner. Winner. Again. Chicken. Dinner. Because we were asked on Facebook about who won our ticket giveaway last week, we felt it imperative to offer a big, ol’ congratulations to Mr. Paul Eckert and Julia Miller! Much like what happened at the first Flying Dog show this summer, the winners stopped by to say hello and chat for a minute, and we couldn’t be happier for them! (Though it was a bit sad to see that they had already bought tickets and couldn’t get rid of them in time for the show). Don’t forget: The next Flying Dog Summer Session is set for Aug. 23 and it will feature J Roddy Walston and the Business as well as the fine young men in local rock outfit Old Indian. Check back here in the coming weeks to learn how you can win two free tickets to the event. Though we should also mention that if you don’t feel like waiting around, you can always buy tickets here. We met a super-ton of super-great people this weekend, so for anyone who might be stopping by this corner of the World Wide Internet for the first time, remember: Tou can email us at frederickplaylist@gmail.com, you can follow us on Twitter @Fredplaylist, or you can like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/frederickplaylist. Truly: With the exception of that one guy who told us he will “absolutely not” take a free koozie off our hands as the rain began to increase (meanie!), you guys are THE BEST!
We begin the week with an image from Saturday night’s Flying Dog Summer Sessions concert featuring Lucero and Baltimore’s Brooks Long And The Mad Dog No Good, the latter of which you can see here. We’ll have more on the weekend later, but for now, just know this: Brooks Long and his band of awesomeness might just be our new favorite local(ish) trio.