Hey, tomorrow is Thursday. Do you have any plans? Because if you don’t, you ought to check out OMG 2.0, who will be at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Walkersville at about 7 p.m. This photo? It’s of them rehearsing at something called Yellow Cow Studio. Oh, and for those of you fluffing and puffing at the name – it actually doesn’t mean what you think it means (maybe). Instead, they claim it’s the first letter of each band member’s last name. Simple coincidence? We may never know. Photo by Sam Yu.
January 2015
You know what’s tough? Tuesdays. Like, really. You just settled into the week by going through Monday (which is always awful), yet you’re still one day away from actually feeling like you’re halfway to Friday. So, how do you deal? You make plans for Friday now. Not tomorrow. Not in a few hours. But now. So, what can do you this Friday? Well, you can check out the always-fabulous Adrienne Smith as she takes the Cafe Nola stage. So, there. Doesn’t it feel better now, knowing you have plans for the weekend even though we’re no more than two days into the week?! Precisely. Viva La Tuesday!
Hey, remember when we did this? That might have been all the way back in October, but now as we get ready for our first ever Frederick Music Showcase … well, boy do we have a treat for you.
Each week from now until the show, we will be unveiling four different Frederick Playlist Presents … sessions – one for each band appearing at the Weinberg Center in downtown Frederick on Thursday, February 19 (tickets, remember, are on sale now). All performances were recorded at our top-secret hideaway, somewhere within the depths of the Frederick News-Post facilities, where the paper rolls are many and the smells of cake (or something like that) circulate the air with abandon.
First up? Check out Ryan Nicholson, the lead singer for the band Heavy Lights. Not only does he look amazing, but he was also kind enough to offer up three – three! – different performances of three different songs! The top performance is an acoustic take on 2014’s Song Of The Year (according to Frederick Playlist, at least), while the next go-around features their track “A Family Familiar.”
Finally, he was then gracious enough to close things out with “The Best Selling Show,” complete with a story about what went into the the writing of the song. Dig what you hear? All of these fine pieces of musical composition can be found on the band’s latest record, “Mad Minds,” and all of these fine pieces of musical composition will be fine pieces of musical composition that you can hear live and in color – full band in tact, mind you – on Thursday, February 19, at the Weinberg Center for the Arts. Did we mention tickets are on sale yet? That’s right. We did. Just checking.
Anyway, carve out 15 minutes and spend some time getting acquainted with the wonderful Mr. Nicholson, friends. He’s never let a single soul down (or, at least, so he tells us), and he promises to make you swoon. Because, duh. As always, a big tip of the hat goes out to the indomitable Graham Cullen, who helps man the cameras during these things. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Oh, and one more thing: Did you notice the date? That’s right. All of this awesomely awesome awesomeness goes down exactly one month from today. Happy Monday!
There’s no reason you shouldn’t like Cumberland’s Grand Ole’ Ditch. Even if you’ve been opposed to the recent bluegrass-ification of mainstream music, the group’s latest set is so inoffensive and so charming that you can’t help but root for the guys to succeed in whatever they do. Come on, now. They’ve got a dude called “Fiddlin” Ray Bruckman in their band. Just reading that should make you smile.
If anything, these guys might just be too innocuous for their own good. Because despite the storytelling chops they display throughout all of their most recent set, “Big Red Ball,” one can’t help but be struck by the naivety and assembly-line nature that sometimes creeps between lyrics like “Evil skies surround me down / My eyes are here beside this town” or “Inside them hills / I killed my lover.” Yeah, everyone can understand why those tropes appear within the fabric of traditional folk music. But hearing those words come from voices so unassuming that they might make Steve Martin and all of his Steep Canyon Rangers blush?
Yeah, that’s a tough line to walk.
Still, there’s a lot to value here. “By and By,” arguably the most memorable track, works because of its pleasantry. Written by mandolin player Lucas Mathews, it’s an irresistible form of comfort music, led solely by Mathews’ laid-back voice. It’s a shame he doesn’t take the lead on more songs here, if only because of how inviting he sounds. Better yet is the song’s minute-and-a-half mark, which opens up into a section best described as epic. Or, well, as epic as bluegrass can sound, Bruckman’s violin slashing through the staccato acoustic stabs to create the power of a full orchestra. At a little more than six minutes, its the record’s most complete moment.
Elsewhere, opener “Pigeon Eatin’ Catfish” is barrels of fun with its quick, hummable hook questioning why the lord made the story’s protagonist so mean. It’s a great way to ease the audience into the record because of how curious and attention-grabbing its lyrics prove to be. Its follow-up, “Take Me Back,” then ensures that attention will not waver. Driven by some excellent banjo work between verses from Craig Miller and various spit-fire soloing, its appeal is its nostalgia, which is highlighted by Miller’s plea to go home.
Another essential element of the group’s formula is their natural vocal harmony chemistry. “Dark Rider” tells the tale of a scoundrel navigating his way through a pitch-black night, yet each time the hook hits and those voices come together, it sounds like the sun rising, a bright combination of strikingly contrasting colors. Ditto for “Cabins in the Laurel,” which also benefits from a touch of calypso throughout each verse. Think the Punch Brothers vacationing in Margaritaville.
The only time the set falters is when Grand Ole’ Ditch get too cute for their own good. “Man’s Best Friend” might play well for super-duper dog lovers, but there’s an inherent cheesiness to the production that refuses to be ignored, no matter how hard you try. For proof, look no further than this refrain: “It’s the end of the day, you’re tired and blue / You fetch me a treat and I stare at you / I’m so happy to see you, I’m waggin’ my tail / You drift off to sleep and I chew on the rail.” The intentions are pure, of course, but at the end of the day, the song feels half-thought.
That’s forgiven with a track like “Sadie Mell,” which is as simple as it is short and as affecting as it is impressive. At less than 2 1/2 minutes, its the record’s shortest song, but it’s also the prettiest. With a multiple-part vocal harmony that continues throughout, it’s lovely — despite being a song about killing a lover, of course. Even so, you can’t deny the longing that seems to creep through each singer’s voice, the dichotomy between song and story a borderline brilliant touch. It makes the sum worth far more than the band’s singular parts.
And all told, that’s what makes Grand Ole’ Ditch so Grand Ol’ Great. Sure, some spots are better than others, and yes, this isn’t necessarily a perfect record. But if nothing else, “Big Red Ball” is a hell of an endearing album and that doesn’t waver from from start to finish. “Sittin’ in my cabin in the laurel, smokin fast and killin time,” Miller sings during “Cabins in the Laurel.” “Walkin’ through the thickets in the hollow, they’re cluttered like the alleys in my mind.”
Cluttered as they may be, keep exploring, young man. Because if “Big Red Ball” suggests what you or the rest of your band might have stored away, the treasures you guys might find could be endless.
** 2 1/2 STARS OUT OF 4 **
It’s all Chopin all the time on this unseasonably not-cold-as-hell January Monday morning. This photo right here looks at pianist Brian Ganz as he rehearses before launching into his “All-Chopin” concert at Calvary United Methodist Church Sunday afternoon. Hey – some people like Charli XCX. Some people like Chopin. You say tomato. We say tomato. Wait. That phrase doesn’t really work in print, does it? Anyway. Check back later today. We’re going to have some neatness coming your way. Photo by Bill Green. He’s got the greatest voice in the world and you can follow him on Twitter here.
Well, then. For a middle-of-January weekend, there sure seems to be a light slate of shows throughout the next three days to devour. And that’s sad. Fear not, though, friends, because there are still gems to be found, and there is certainly enough local music to get you through the weekend (and for those of you who might like to get out of town on Sunday, remember, the fine lads in Signs Point East will be rocking and rolling at the Ottobar). Where will that local music be? Well, we have a trio of open mics this evening as well as some pretty great jazz going down at Ayse. The Shack Band will be returning to town when they take the Cafe Nola stage on Friday, while something called Spiral will be setting up shop on that ginormous stage Champion Billiards offers. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the fact that you can check out Frederick Music Showcase featured artists Hard Swimmin’ Fish (above) at The Main Cup this weekend as well. On Saturday, the great dudes in Kabob-O-Taj will be hittin’ up Cafe Nola (side: Who says “hittin’ up” anymore?). Broken Rocker is at Bushwallers. The Few are at Olde Towne. And, of course, the band name of the week goes to Half Serious. We are in the midst of the dog days of winter, friends, so stay warm. We’ll be back next week with some more announcements regarding the showcase at the Weinberg. So much awesomeness is set to be unleashed. Let’s all be awesome together. No idea what any of that means. Happy Thursday!
THURSDAY
Who: Prophets Of The Abstract Truth
Where: Ayse Meze Lounge
When: 6 p.m.
Who: Open Mic hosted by Tomy Wright
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Open Mic
Where: The Blue Sky Bar And Grill
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Open Mic
Where: Bushwallers
When: Sign-up begins at 9 p.m.; play begins at 10 p.m.
FRIDAY
Who: The Shack Band
Where: Cafe Nola
When: 9:30 p.m.
Who: Ginada Pinata with Sacred Groove
Where: The Opera House, Shepherdstown
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Mike Kelly
Where: The Frederick Coffee Company
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Jimi Cupino Project
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Rhyne McCormick
Where: Ayse Meze Lounge
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Girls Night Out
Where: The Lodge
When: 8 p.m.
Who: Lost Highway Honky Tonk Band
Where: Cactus Flats
When: 8:30 p.m.
Who: Hard Swimmin’ Fish
Where: The Main Cup
When: 8:30 p.m.
Who: Due Process
Where: The Blue Sky Bar And Grill
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Unkut Band
Where: Hard Times Cafe
When: 9:30 p.m.
Who: Lenny Burridge Trio
Where: Bushwallers
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Spiral
Where: Champion Billiards
When: 10 p.m.
SATURDAY
Who: Kabob-O-Taj
Where: Cafe Nola
When: 10 p.m.
Who: The Voodoo Blues
Where: The Cellar Door
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Ceol Anam Cara
Where: Beans In The Belfry
When: 7 p.m.
Who: Jeff Taulton
Where: The Main Cup
When: 8:30 p.m.
Who: Dave Demarco Band
Where: The Blue Sky Bar And Grill
When: 9 p.m.
Who: Special Delivery
Where: Hard Times Cafe
When: 9:30 p.m.
Who: Broken Rocker
Where: Bushwallers
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Half Serious
Where: Champion Billiards
When: 10 p.m.
Who: The Few
Where: Olde Towne Tavern
When: 10 p.m.
Who: Casey Cleveland
Where: The Frederick Coffee Company
When: 8 p.m.
Who: John Durant
Where: Red Shedman Farm Brewery
When: 4 p.m.
Hey, remember when we did a Q&A with the fine fellas in The Shack Band back in July? They told us they love them some Frederick and they love them some Flying Dog, too. It was fun. Anyway, they are coming back to town tomorrow night (or Friday night, for all of those people concerned with specifics and such). The venue will be the fabulous Cafe Nola. The time will be 9:30 p.m. You will want to see this. You will shove 2-dollar PBRs in your face. You will have fun. You will be happy it is Friday. You will buy a Shack Band CD. Or … well … maybe you’ll do none of those things. Either way, you really should check it out!
We’d be remiss if we didn’t begin by saying tickets for our first-ever Frederick Music Showcase are now officially on sale over at the Weinberg website. 10 bucks gets you a glass, a ticket and the night of your life. Pretty great deal, right? Right.
But back to business. Signs Point East. Have you ever heard of them? Because you should have by now. They’re pretty great. They’re from Frederick. And they’re also playing at the Ottobar in Baltimore on Sunday as part of Gorilla Music’s “Best Of Baltimore” event. They are offering up tickets, complete with a party bus ride to and from the show, over in their corner of the World Wide Internet, so you ought to hop on over there to check it out yesterday. We caught up with the guys in the band recently to talk about the Frederick music scene, how the band started, and what we can expect from their show in Baltimore this weekend:
How did Signs Point East come about? I’ve read a lot of stuff online and I’ve seen how much you get out to tour (and how frequent and far you go) and it’s impressive. Can you give us a CliffNotes version of the band?
Logan Huber (bass): Matt and John met at an open mic. Luke had some prior experience with both John and I from when I subbed in my brother’s band, and I think I was already jamming with John at that point. After parting ways with a few bassists for various reasons, they called me and I joined.
Matt Traks (guitar/vocals): Signs Point East started at the end of 2012. Guitarist/vocalist John Lawton and drummer Luke Kannor were working on a project called “Lawton’s lost tribe.” A chance encounter with guitarist/vocalist Matthew Traks at an open mic in downtown Frederick at a place formerly known as “Mick’s Pub” led to the creation of the band. Our unique styles fed flawlessly off each other until, a few months later, bassist Logan Huber joined to further push what we now know as the “Signs Point East sound.”
John Lawton (guitar/vocals): Signs Point East came about in a “Perfect Storm” kind of way. I had been playing in a trio with Luke (our drummer) and our bassist at the time quit. Luke and I continued as a duo until I met Matt at an open mic at Church Street Pub. Matt and I jammed a couple times and we both liked each other’s material so Luke, Matt, and I got together in my basement and that chemistry worked well. Matt brought in a bassist he met named Nathan and we played shows with that lineup for six months until Nathan announced he was moving to Boston. We needed a new bassist and I suggested bringing in Logan Huber, who was the brother of a guy I had played with a couple years prior. Logan came in and not only fit the sound we had, but added a fresh layer that allowed us as a band to go in more musical directions than we thought possible.
Luke Kannor (drums): SPE’s current line-up formed in the winter of 2012 when Logan Huber replaced bassist Nathan Kadan. Shortly after, we recordeda debut EP at Mighty Toad Recording in Brooklyn. Since then, we have wanted to focus on touring in the mid-atlantic region playing shows in PA, MD, VA, WV, and DC.
Your show is part of the “Best In Baltimore” concert. That’s pretty amazing. How did that come about? What did you have to do to win and how/when were you alerted you were chosen?
Logan: I actually have no idea.
Matt: The best of Baltimore show came about because in 2013 we competed in and won the Baltimore Battle of the Bands hosted by Gorilla Music. We absolutely could not have won without the love and support of our friends and fans who continue to show up to cheer us on and they have our everlasting gratitude for that. We would be nothing without them! Part of the prize for winning was a headlining show along with free recording time. We were actually in the studio the day we received the call about this upcoming show!
John: “The Best of Baltimore” show came about when we were contacted by Gorilla Music a few months ago. They had contacted us initially two years ago to compete in the Battle of The Bands at Ottobar, which we went on to win. We’ve had a good relationship with them by bringing plenty of people to the events we play for them.
Luke: The Best of Baltimore is a showcase that Ottobar and Gorilla Music put together to showcase some of the area’s best new talent. We were invited after winning the 2013 Baltimore Battle of the Bands.
What’s your perception of the music scene in Frederick? What are some differences between here and other places, like, say, even Baltimore? Do you see it growing?
Logan: The Frederick music scene wants to, and is on the verge of, thriving! There are a ton of great and talented bands. Places like Café Nola have the right idea. If a few more venues follow suit, we are on our way as a town. Most of the bands seem very friendly with one another, but in my honest opinion, more cooperation would benefit everybody.
Matt: The music scene in Frederick is incredible! Frederick has done a great job of cultivating music and the arts over the past several years and one of the coolest things about Frederick is that every single band inspires and pushes the next, while being completely unique and true to themselves! The music scene is alive and growing and we’re all excited about where we can all go. It’s refreshing to go different places and hear people comment about how every band in Frederick that comes through is a quality act! On an aside: We do feel like Frederick could really use a more solid music venue for local and national acts. It would bring more commerce into the city and further push Frederick’s dedication to music and the arts.
John: My perception of the music scene in Frederick is that there are a lot of original songwriters and bands that play a bunch of different styles which I think is great. There are a few bars that try to showcase that as much as possible and that kind of interaction is starting to flourish. The Downtown Frederick Partnership, Frederick Playlist and Bucket Of Rock blog have done a tremendous job in relaying the arts to the public. With that said, I think the main difference between Frederick and other cities like Baltimore is the lack of actual music venues. I am very happy to see The Maryland Ensemble Theatre and Weinberg Center opening their doors to local original acts, but if we had a venue between those sizes it would help push the original music scene to new heights.
Luke: The music scene here is saturated with talented bands which makes for better competition, better music, and more local support & respect between musicians, for instance we share living space and practice space with Seaknuckle and have shared practice space with Knolly Moles, Chainsaw, and other bands. If Frederick had a proper music venue it’d be a music hot-spot and the growth would be infinite.
Do you have any plans to release something new in the near future? What are your plans for 2015?
Logan: We’re in the studio. No deadline is set, but it should be soon. We are all very excited about releasing new music and I have nothing more to say about it.
Matt: We are currently in the studio working on our second EP release! Our first EP, “Back to the Start,” was very well received and we’re even more excited about this one! It’s slated for a spring release and it’s going to be a little more focused this time around. It will include a little more love and quality time given to the production, so it will be a fun and sonically pleasing release!
John: We are currently working at Wrightway Studio in Baltimore with Drew Lamond on a new EP that we plan to release this summer. Working with Drew has really pushed us to look deeper into our songs and explore all possibilities within them. I’m very excited about what we have so far. We have also been looking into doing some mini tours and contacting festivals, so hopefully it will be a busy year!
Luke: We’re currently in the studio working on our second EP now. We’re in the process of planning a spring/summer tour to promote the release of the EP and are finalizing plans with festivals.
Who are some of your major influences and why?
Logan: I could spew out a long list of huge artists, who I am and always will be grateful to, but when I hone in on the word major, as in, these people are major reasons why I do what I do … I have to name Trey Kulp and Dustin Snapper … two UMBC alumni who showed me early on what it means to be a musician. They showed me how music can be amazing and fun at a local level, and that it was possible for me to take part if I wanted to and let myself. They are the reason why I took my bass out of the confines of my bedroom.
Matt: Our major influences include Umphrey’s McGee, Pink Floyd, Tool, Foo Fighters, Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Porcupine Tree, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Dispatch, Lotus, and many, many more! One of the cool things about us is that each member brings completely different musical backgrounds to the table, and although that can lead to some pretty epic band fights, we lock in and make music that is undeniably “Signs Point East.”
John: Major influences for me as a songwriter range from Josh Ritter to John Mayer and everything in between. As a guitarist I’d say top 3 are Jake Cinninger (Umphrey’s McGee), Stevie Ray Vaughan, and David Gilmour. As a band major influences would be Umphrey’s McGee, Pink Floyd, Foo Fighters and Led Zeppelin.
Luke: A lot of ’90s alt rock. AIC, Nirvana, Soundgarden, STP, Bush and Tool. Also, the classics — Zeppelin, The Who, King Crimson, Eagles, Genesis … ALL ROCK!
Where are some of your favorite places to play (cities/venues) and why?
Logan: I love Cafe Nola in Frederick because of the general “good vibe” about the whole place. The people and staff are friendly, and I really feel connected with the music and the people when I play there. Ottobar is another favorite. It’s big, dark, and loud, and a destination where people come expecting a show. That on its own makes me not want to let them down.
Matt: Our favorite venues of the past have been, in no particular order, Cafe Nola in Frederick, Ottobar in Baltimore, and Ram’s Head in Baltimore. The reason being is that the audiences at these venues are always amazing – people come to see a show, and we always try our best to deliver a top-notch performance every time.
John: My favorite place to play is Ottobar because of the layout. Onstage you get to interact with people in the front row, in the back, and the loft section they have on the right side (where I usually am). Its just a fun venue to play. Cafe Nola is my other favorite because you are right there with the fans. And their infused liquor, of course.
Luke: We love playing Nola. The atmosphere and energy is always great. Baltimore has been another great city for us, and we have had the opportunity to play Ottobar a couple times which has a great “dirty” feel to it.
Could you give us some names of some great local original artists we might not already know? Who are you a fan of locally and who should we keep an eye on?
Logan: Check out Seanuckle and their alter-egos/side project Chainsaws. They just put on an amazing show at the MET and seem to be on fire. I’m still confused about whose songs are whose … but who cares? They all rock!
Matt: There are so many incredible local bands in Frederick! We share a practice space with Seaknuckle and the Knolly Moles. Seaknuckle is an emerging indie thrash pop band who are an absolute blast to see live! The Knolly Moles follow in a slightly different upbeat pop-punk vein. We have close relations with a few other great bands including Old Indian, Jack Funk, Heavy Lights and Joint Effort. We would recommend anyone check them out, and again, each one is completely different and unique!
John: Skribe from Annapolis, Seaknuckle from Frederick and Chainsaws from Frederick.
Luke: As mentioned above, Seaknuckle is a really good group of guys. We are also big fans of Old Indian, Jack Funk, The Knolly Moles, Heavy Lights, Joint Effort and Chainsaws! We’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to play with almost all of our local favorites.
What can we expect from your show here a the Ottobar?
Logan: If I told you, then you might see it coming … see ya there!
Matt: The Ottobar show is going to be a blast! We’ve got a bunch of great bands playing ahead of us and we’ve been practicing real hard to put on a very exciting and memorable show for everyone who can come share the evening with us! We also have a party bus planned to help shuttle our friends and fans to and from Baltimore and Frederick and you can get on board by visiting our Facebook page by searching for Signs Point East.
John: You can expect to get your face melted while dancing your a– off.
Luke: Expect some new songs off our upcoming EP and a jam-tastic “masterpiece” of fun we’ve been working on.
Today’s photo comes from our launch weekend, all the way back in June 2014. It features The Knolly Moles. Obviously. Why would we be posting this on the 14th of January in the year 2015? That’s a good question. The reason is this: We felt it proper to remind everyone that on Thursday, February 19, we are holding the first-ever Frederick Music Showcase at the Weinberg Center for the Arts. The Knolly Moles will be there. In fact, so will Hard Swimmin’ Fish, who you can check out on our latest playlist to the right of these words. Tickets will be on sale soon, and as you’ll hear us say many, many more times for the next month or so, you won’t want to miss this. Photo courtesy of Cassandra Mullinix. For more of her photos, visit https://www.facebook.com/bucketofrock.
Hey, have you checked out our YouTube page recently? You should, because … well … you should. Anyway, over the weekend, some of us wandered over to Cafe Nola to check out the fabulous Karen Jonas perform and we took a couple videos. Among them is the one above these words, featuring the title track off her latest set, “Oklahoma Lottery.” The crowd was noisy, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t awesomer than awesome. Click the play button to see what all the fuss is about.