Upcoming Show: SoCo Music Experience - The Black Keys

Upcoming Show: The Black Keys at SoCo Music Experience (7:15 -8:15 PM)
Willow Island; Sept 6, 2008; Gates open 2pm; FREE - by F. Simani
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The Black Keys, consisting guitarist-vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney will be in town on Sept. 6th with The 2nd annual SoCo Music Experience. If you have never heard them live, this is your opportunity to witness the raw power of this blues-rock duo from Akron, OH. I was fortunate enough to catch them the last couple times they were in town at the Majestic and High Noon Saloon and even in Chicago at Lollapalooza 2008.

Listen to Grown So Ugly from the album Rubber Factory

The Black Keys recently got the opportunity to work with Grammy Award-nominated producer-musician-provocateur Danger Mouse, a/k/a Brian Burton (Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz, The Grey Album) and release the critically acclaimed Attack & Release (2008). MMR are fans of The Black Keys and will be at this show. You can't wrong when Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead are all fans of the band as well. Don't miss this free opportunity to see them in Madison.

UPCOMING SHOW: NO AGE :: 11-17 Madison, WI - Club 770

No Age will be coming to Madison on November 17th at Club 770. This is another show which should not be missed if you dig that noise pop, Experimental and Punk sound. I do, and I am there. -fS

Coming up soon! SoCo Music Experience - GZA

I’ve been looking forward to this years SoCo Music Experience for some time now because last year’s festival was a blast - culminating with a fantastic performance by the Flaming Lips. Oh, yeah - and it’s free.

SoCo Music Experience is a great music party sponsored by Southern Comfort. Of course, they are hoping that everybody will drink and enjoy some SoCo while we are at it... And of course, I will! After all, they are giving me a festival experience that is well worth at least $50 – 80!

Unfortunately those fans under 21 yrs old are unable to attend. It’s a big bummer for them – but understandable given current social norms. On the other hand, it makes for a smaller event and one that’s comfortable and easy to enjoy for those of us who are “over 21.” (That’s a nice way to describe my age.)

This year’s line-up is huge. I caught performances by The Roots and The Black Keys at much larger venues during the past year, and they were great. So I’m really looking forward to seeing both bands again.

But I’m most interested in seeing GZA (ji’ za) perform. Gary Grice – better known as GZA or “The Genius” - is one of the founders of Wu Tang Clan and a master wordsmith. He is known for his complex metaphor and laid-back flow., and has been rapping since 1976 – back when hip hop was just being born in New York. So the man probably knows what he’s doing!

Over the years I’ve had a growing appreciation for rap and hip/hop. I like beats – and so I usually enjoy the dj/producers, and I also really dig the rhythms of the master rhymers.

GZA just released a new album – Pro Tools - and I’m looking forward to hear him touring behind it!

Hope to see you there!
- Mister Bill

Quick Review - Eef Barzelay

I had such a good time at the Eef Barzaley show the other night. His powerful performance in the living room like intimacy of Cafe Montmarte made this a “show of the year” contender for me. The sound at Momo was quite good – apparently Eef had truly been striving to get “everything perfect” as he wryly and ironically suggested.

You should know that anytime a band introduction includes the phrase “we’re from Nashville” then odds are you are in for an excellent show. Eef claimed that they were all “failed musicians” - but this would be the type of “failed musician” that you should strive to see at every opportunity. Nashville is much like New Orleans – a musical mecca and therefore very competitive. Tough on musicians no doubt, but as a listener – it’s just awesome because every little bar has a band playing that is loaded with talent.

Eef brought it to the Momo on Thursday night. He played to a comfortably full house of appreciative listeners. Alex and I joined together in hoping that this would be one of the fantastic nights when the audience gets engaged and quiets down appropriately– and I was quite satisfied.

After the show, Eef was offering a package for $30 including his new CD – Lose Big – two cool Clem Snide CDs (Early Home Recordings Volume 1 and Have a Good Night: Live Recordings 1999 – 2005), AND a very cool poster from Clem Snide’s End of Love Tour 2005. As you can imagine, I jumped on this bonanza – and Eef signed my CD which I still find adds sentimental value to my show memorabilia.

If you get a chance to see Eef Barzelay and his Band on tour, do not let it slip by you. . . You won’t be disappointed.

- Mister Bill