BareFuzz presents: Grateful Floyd Brothers (Grateful Dead + Pink Floyd + Allman Brothers Tribute)
This is a 21 and over event.BareFuzz presents: Grateful Floyd Brothers (Grateful Dead + Pink Floyd + Allman Brothers Tribute) Based out of the burgeoning live music scene of Columbus, OH, BareFuzz cuts through the seemingly never-ending milieu of improvisationally-based rock bands. The quintet – comprised of guitarists/vocalists, Ryan Jones and Andrew Maughan, bassist Adam Tackett, drummer Derek Petrucci, and percussionist Jason Weihl – continues to innovate and excite by taking it’s unique blend of jam, blues, psychedelia, and funk to new levels. The band is fresh off an explosive year that saw them performing across the Midwest at festivals like Summer Camp Music Festival, Secret Dreams Music Festival, Mountain Music Festival and The Werk Out Music & Arts Festival. Relentless touring has seen the band support groups such as Goose, Papadosio, Dark Star Orchestra, The Werks, ekoostik hookah, Andy Frasco & The U.N., and more. Formed in 2016 in Columbus by Jones, Tackett, and Petrucci as a powerful three-piece, the BareFuzz that audiences across the Midwest have become intimately familiar with truly came together two years later with the addition of Maughan and Weihl. Bolstered by the added instrumentation, the band worked its way through the Ohio circuit and across the greater Midwest, taking on a familiar feel with scores of fans identifying BareFuzz as their band. BareFuzz’s sound has since reverberated to larger and larger rooms as the band experiences hard-earned growth both on and offstage, transforming into a nationally touring powerhouse.
The Spits w/ Timmy’s Organism and Silicon Heartbeat
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only In an era that relies so heavily on quick-hit bands, there are very few things that are truly part of the subculture and not just the passing zeitgeist du jour. Closing in on three decades, The Spits have signified the crossroads between punk mayhem and well-honed songwriting, creating some of the most unhinged and anthemic tracks in underground music while standing tall enough to be uttered in the same breath as names like Jay Reatard, Dead Moon, Ty Segall and more. The Spits are readying their highly anticipated VI, due May 1 via their own Thriftstore Records imprint. Recorded by Erik Nervous on cassette four track, the band’s new LP VI is ten hummable tracks, shrouded in chainsaw punk that mesh the wild showmanship of party-rock legends Van Halen and the leather-clad toughness and songwriting chops of the Misfits. Marking a “return to roots’’ approach for the LP, the band decided to record and write VI in the basements of Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, Michigan over the course of several spurts of activity, each yielding a few new songs from a terrible drum kit with a literal thrift store guitar. “We’ve only been into an actual studio like three times,” admits Sean Wood. “I don’t think we’ve had one record that was recorded all in one place, this may be the closest thing. And for these songs we’d record a couple tracks, step away and go back at it later– sometimes weeks later. You know, take our time.” Originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, brothers Sean and Erin Wood formed The Spits with Lance Phelps in 1993 after realizing rock had gone limp, hated partying and just plain wasn’t fun anymore. And even though they didn’t even know how to play, the self-professed delinquents who grew up with New Orleans–style jazz and bluegrass “got cultured” and formed a band dead set on reminding the world how to have a good time. The Spits didn’t fit in with the punks or the garageheads when they landed in Seattle two years later, but carved out their own path with a series of empty open mic nights and parties under a bridge in the University District. Things started snowballing a year or two later with a good word from Mudhoney’s Steve Turner and a reputation for livewire gigs. By the late 90s/early 00s, The Spits were almost as famous for rowdy shows and outrageous costumes as they were for their acid-fried melodic rippers. Releasing five LPs over the next decade-plus, in addition to EPs and 7-inches, the gospel of The Spits spread far and wide, expanding the band’s live legend further and further while giving more fans the chance to hear their uniquely catchy songwriting and punk mayhem. And while several band members have come and gone since their formation, including Wayne Draves and Josh Kramer, The Spits have never lost their edge, never lost their live chops and most importantly, never lost that sense of beer-soaked chaos. The Spits have taken their time on this record and that’s meant a long, cold nine years with no new material. Legions of fans are frothing at the mouth for VI, and clocking in at 17+ minutes, The Spits are back and things are the same as it ever was. Yet this time, the brothers Wood and Co. are adamant about letting the fans know that VI is a return to their roots– more deceptively simple punk from these instigators and legends in their own time. For fans of the band, to-the-point melodicism and good old-fashioned rock ‘n roll, VI isn’t just the name of the Spits’ LP, it’s also the number of instant-classic records in a row. .
An Evening With The Righteous Babes w/Kate Peterson (of Nervous but Excited)
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only The Righteous Babes are a supergroup of powerhouse female artists, banded together under Ani DiFranco’s legacy label, Righteous Babe Records. Think boygenius meets Bonny Light Horseman with an air of Lilith Fair – currently the band is comprised of three independent groups; Gracie and Rachel, chamber-pop piano-violin duo who have appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk, Holly Miranda, sultry folk rock guitarist who has toured with Karen O, and Jocelyn Mackenzie, percussionist, electric ukulele player, and former member of Pearl and the Beard. The artists perform one another’s original songs in fresh, unique arrangements that highlight technical prowess and deliver a stage show that is acrobatic and heart-pounding. Their distinctive vocal blend and powerful musicianship shine as they support one another as fellow artists who delight in sharing the stage, righteously.
CANCELLED – Andy Shauf w/ Skullcrusher
CANCELLEDThis is a 21 and over event. Today, Andy Shauf announces his new album, Norm, out February 10th on ANTI-, and presents its lead single/video, “Wasted On You.” In conjunction, Shauf announces a 2023 Norm Tour including some of his biggest shows to-date (tickets are on sale this Friday). Hailed as “a gifted storyteller” (NPR Music) for 2016’s The Party and 2020’s The Neon Skyline, Shauf writes albums that unfold like short fiction, full of colorful characters, fine details and a rich emotional depth. With Norm, however, Shauf has slyly deconstructed and reshaped the style for which he’s been celebrated, elevating his songwriting with intricate layers and perspectives, challenging himself to find a new direction. Under the guise of an intoxicating collection of jazz-inflected romantic ballads, his storytelling has become decidedly more oblique, hinting at ominous situations and dark motivations. “Wasted On You” doubles as Norm’s lead single and opening track, a lilting pop introduction with r&b cadences and dreamy textures. While at first listen, a love song, Shauf grapples with death and the legacies left behind in its wake. “What happens when they die?” Shauf begins the record by asking. The questions continue, and his final query — “Was all my love wasted on you?” — hangs in the air, with subtle percussion, tender guitar, and synths escorting the song out. The accompanying video, directed by V Haddad and written by Shauf, is a playful depiction of God (played by Lauren Servideo) and Jesus, once again presenting the duality in Shauf’s music. Watch Andy Shauf’s “Wasted On You” Video After gaining indie notoriety with The Party and a Polaris Music Prize nomination, performances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and CBS This Morning: Saturday, and praise from the likes of Pitchfork, ESQUIRE, NPR Music, Stereogum, The Atlantic and beyond for The Neon Skyline, Shauf has left the realm of things he’s known on his third album, pivoting away from the semi-autobiographical, and pushing himself to grow as a songwriter in an entirely different way.
Ripe Presents The Bright Blues Future Tour w/ Coyote Island and Hacky Turtles
2023 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert SeriesThis is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only On a primal level, we react to music through movement. A head-nod, a foot-tap, or a handclap certainly shows appreciation, but dancing seals the eternal bond between audience and musician. Siphoning the spirits of rock, funk, R&B, jazz, and pop through a kaleidoscope of unpredictable and virtuosic improvisation, Boston-based Ripe consistently bring people to their feet. Most importantly, they prove that “dance music” in its purest form doesn’t have to come from computers and synthesizers. It can be an unstoppable groove or an extended moment of ecstatic release. Like those bodies moving on the floor, it’s the result of the energy, friction, and communication between living and breathing people. An inimitable and indefinable chemistry has separated and singled out Ripe since day one. Subverting any and all standard genre boundaries once again, their latest offering confidently continues that tradition. These five musical soulmates —Robbie Wulfsohn [vocals], Jon Becker [guitar], Sampson Hellerman [drums], Calvin Barthel [trombone], and Nadav Shapira [bass]—once again incite listeners to move on their full-length debut, Joy In The Wild Unknown. “What we make is music you can dance to,” affirms Robbie. “We’re drawn to the peak of a song—the emotional catharsis when everything comes out. It’s all about reaching that moment. The revelation comes back to us when bodies shake with joy.” “Every time we play, something unique happens,” adds Jon. “You’ll never see the same show twice. We want to bring that unexpected element into the pop sphere.” Ripe brings the swagger of funk filtered through a rock anthem, a musical journey that somehow gets as stuck in your head as your favorite pop banger.
Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers w/Hala
2023 Bell’s Beer Garden Summer Concert SeriesThis is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers will make a sprightly young groove doctor out of anyone. With spectacular energy pulsating from every member of the band, the Rainbow Seekers could illuminate the very chambers of Heaven. Lead singer Joe Hertler splashes through lyrical puddles of golden rain, leaving his audience wearing flowery crowns and bubbling smiles. A ride on the Rainbow will take you across the mountains of Motown, through the fjords of folk, over the archipelagos of Americana, and-at last-into a funky firth, where only the fiercest of friendships can be found. The Rainbow Seekers began their historic quest 8 years ago, revolving around the pure, unadulterated songwriting of their fearless leader, Joe Hertler. Ryan Hoger was the first among the Seekers to find this lonely songsmith and recognize the twinkling magic in his beard. The young boy gave up all his earthly possessions (besides his guitar, of course) and became the first disciple of the Rainbow. With this, the core of the Rainbow was thereby established, and it didn’t take long for the Rainbow Seekers to continue their expansion. Multi-instrumentalist and notable auxiliary percussion maestro Micah Bracken journeyed from the bowels of Atlantis when he heard tell of the Rainbow, and the earth trembled as saxophonist and all-around badass Aaron Stinson descended from Olympus on a golden rainbow of his own. Then came thunder from the depths of space and as it picked up the bass, a soft exhale escaped the lips of every princess within a hundred moons, “Bambis,” they cooed. All the while, on the other ends of the earth, a young boy was hard at work, honing and sharpening his sticks for the day that the Rainbow would come his way, and when it landed at his door, Ryan McMahon climbed aboard. Since the early days, their quest has brought them across the nation and upon such noble gatherings as Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, and Summer Camp. As you’ll know if you’ve seen the band, seeking the proverbial Rainbow is all about the live performance. “The live show is the purpose of the band. This is why we make music. Playing music is a symbiotic process, the crowd is as much a part of it as the musicians. We give as much energy and love as we can and we can feel that coming from the crowd as well” says Hertler. “We believe that performance is not a High Art operation, and that you should do anything you can to ensure that the crowd is having a good time. From piñatas to confetti, to fog, to flowers, to drum solos, to strobe lights, to Thor, to sword battles-literally anything goes.” If you’re still reading this, at least one thing is true: The Rainbow Seekers have been waiting for you. If you’ll only let them, they will shake the dust from your wildest expectations. They will roar into your life with rapturous frequencies, exuberant tone, and a joyfulness of purpose that has truly become a rare sight on stage. Join them in their celebration, and they will take you on a never-ending journey to a place you’ll never be able to describe in words.
TOMMY PRINE wsg Jordan Smart
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only Tommy Prine’s debut album “This Far South” coming June 23, 2023 is not only a long awaited introduction but a testimony to Prine’s 20’s and the loss, love, and growth that has defined them. Co-produced by close friend and kindred musical spirit, Ruston Kelly, and beloved Nashville engineer and producer, Gena Johnson, the album is rich and dynamic from cathartic jams to nostalgic storytelling.The son of late songwriting legend, John Prine, Tommy Prine grew up in Nashville surrounded by music, art and writing. As a child, he thought all parents were musicians, as his father “going to work” meant performing shows for adoring fans and writing songs. Tommy learned to play guitar by watching his father play, copying the ways his fingers moved and inadvertently developing his own singular style. Summers in Ireland lent their own inspiration, as did 10 straight years camping at Bonnaroo. Prine’s musical tastes grew to become decidedly eclectic, spanning John Mayer, Outkast, Bon Iver, the Strokes and more.It wasn’t until Prine reached his mid-twenties, though, that he considered a career of his own in music and began to share with others the songs he wrote in private. His songs were quickly met with excitement and enthusiasm, which sonically brings together a colorful patchwork of musical influences and lyrically explores existential questions and emotional experiences.The album’s title track, “This Far South,” marks a turning point in Prine’s life as he found himself struggling to escape a dark, aimless period. He ultimately found the courage to act on choices that would see him to the other, brighter, side. “There were several years where I felt without purpose, spent all my time partying, and just existing. I found myself at a fork in the road and chose the better path, and in that moment, I swore I would never be This Far South again.”Grief is a major throughline of Prine’s current work. In 2017, Prine lost his best friend to an overdose. “Since then, I have lost some more friends and have others who are still navigating the ups and downs of struggles with drug abuse.” His song, “Letter To My Brother,” was written as a message to the friends he’s lost, those in Recovery, and to friends who are still struggling.He still grapples with the passing of his father in April of 2020. “The world lost one of the greatest songwriters of all time, but I lost my dad.” Prine bears the loss of his father and the memories he carries for others on the track, “By The Way.” While navigating that loss has been difficult, he’s found solace in connecting through music with others who have lost loved ones.Prine capped off 2022 with his first solo tour across the United States. He was heavily involved with You Got Gold, an event series in Nashville honoring the life and songs of John Prine, and performed at AmericanaFest as an official showcasing artist. He also debuted two original songs, “Ships in the Harbor” and “Turning Stones.”This year, alongside his own runs of headline shows, Prine opened for Tyler Childers on his “Send In The Hounds Tour” in London. He was also named one of Amazon Music’s 2023 Breakthrough Artists to Watch.
Max Lockwood w/ Hannah Laine of Earth Radio
21 and over This is a partially seated performance “[Lockwood has] proven himself to be far more than just an engaging sideman. He’s an emerging Michigan star in his own right.” -John Sinkevics, Local Spins Songwriter, vocalist, and poet Max Lockwood channels the flair of Tom Petty and the eloquence of the Beat Generation’s finest to create a sound rooted in songcraft and heartfelt lyricism and bound with elements of rock and roll, folk and pop. With full arrangements and rich poetic focus, the listener is led into a deep sonic landscape by songs that seek to uncover truths of love, adversity, and growth. The first note Max Lockwood sings has the undeniable ability to capture the attention of any crowd. His powerful voice, akin to the likes of Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen, grips listeners with its raw emotion and sheer possibility. With each song, a story is told with rich, vulnerable tones and unbridled emotions.
PUP w/ Snotty Nose Rez Kids
2023 Bell’s Beer Garden Series21+ EventStanding Room Only Every PUP record arrives with an implied “contents under pressure” warning; the tension between the band’s instinct for the melodic and its gift for chaos propels the songs forward while making them also seem close to flying apart in a horrifying spray of tears and gore. To listen to PUP enough is to spend parts of every day mentally echoing some hilariously self-lacerating, utterly undeniable choruses; you will find yourself thinking “this is the mosh part” at moments when you would otherwise be tearing yourself apart. All that tension is always just barely held in place by the band’s craft. It couldn’t be anything but uneasy, but THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND is the sound of a band that is not just comfortable with but in command of that chaos. PUP is not really that kind of band, though, and THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND is not that kind of record. It is still very much a PUP album, but relocating from the literal basement where they wrote Morbid Stuff to the janky manse in which they put together its follow-up afforded the band space to grow, and to make not just the next PUP record but the most PUP record. There is no faking that, which of course makes it all much harder to do. In the best PUP songs, the whole process is not just visible but thrilling—the anguish and doubt that drives the songs is nurtured, over a few loud minutes, into something first legible and then somehow empowering. There are a lot of these songs on THE UNRAVELING. The alternately plaintive and anthemic “Matilda” is a classic galloping PUP shout-along recrimination-fest that sounds bigger than previous entries in this robust subgenre without losing any of the signature acid. “Waiting” is pure paint-stripping heat, topped by some legitimately towering choruses. “Robot Writes A Love Song” dissolves into a wash of nervous synthesizer before becoming what is surely the most emotional song ever written from the perspective of a computer being overwhelmed unto death by actual human emotions. THE UNRAVELING is not a departure from what got PUP here, really; for all the new breadth, this is still very much the fourth album by the band that has spun songs about The Bad Decisions Lifestyle into scrappy art. The hooks are as bright and barbed as always; the poison threaded through every song is no less potent. But a fourth album should be different from the first, or even the third, and THE UNRAVELING is. THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND is that next step—not towards perfection, or even towards some more perfect version of writing songs about fucking up, but just in the direction of its choice. It’s a product of this endless awful broader moment, but also very much a step forward into that uncertainty. “The whole album process really brought us closer together, even as things unraveled,” Babcock says. “It’s hands down my favorite PUP record, and I don’t think it could’ve been made under any other circumstances.” It’s the sound of a band learning how to share the mansion with the bats.
Bob Mould Solo Electric w/ Jason Narducy – SOLD OUT
This is a 21 and over event.Standing Room Only Today, Bob Mould announces a fall Solo Electric tour of the United States starting on October 6 at the Atlantis in Washington, DC, and ending at the Stoughton Opera House in Stoughton, WI on October 27. Support on the tour will be the long-time bassist in Mould’s touring trio Jason Narducy. Mould says of this run, “I’m excited to be back in the Northeast and Midwest, especially during peak fall colors. I’m happy to have Jason supporting the tour — it’s been a while since we’ve done solo shows together. I’m nervous, too: I’ve got a handful of new songs to share with you!” On August 13, Mould is set to support Patti Smith at the Stern Grove Festival, an admission-free festival in San Francisco. “In the late 1970s, at a record store signing event in Minneapolis, Patti graciously signed my ‘Because The Night ’45 RPM picture sleeve,” he recalls, “Decades later, I’m thrilled to be on the bill with Patti and her band in such a unique and picturesque setting.” In addition to the solo run, Mould has two previously announced band shows, featuring his trio of Narducy and drummer Jon Wurster. The first of these is at WMSE’s Backyard BBQ in Milwaukee on August 26, followed by an appearance at the Minnesota State Fair on September 2 — playing on a bill with The Hold Steady, as that band celebrates its 20th anniversary. Mould comments that, “Craig Finn and Tad Kubler were part of the Disney Hall ‘See A Little Light ’tribute show in 2011. There are very few Bob Mould Band shows this year, and we’re honored to be part of the Hold Steady’s 20th Anniversary celebration.” Mould continues to tour behind his box set Distortion: 1989-2019 chronicling his solo career and work in the band Sugar over 18 studio albums, 4 live albums, and 2 albums of rarities and collaborations. More info HERE. Also, it was recently announced that his first band Hüsker Dü has an album is putting out TONITE LONGHORN, a previously-unreleased double-disc set of rare live recordings from the legendary band’s embryonic on-stage beginnings. Drawn from the historical Hüsker Dü recording archives compiled by late sound engineer Terry Katzman, the album collects 28 explosive tracks captured over four different nights between July 1979 and September 1980 at Minneapolis, MN’s notorious Longhorn Bar. TONITE LONGHORN arrives via the band’s own Reflex Records at all DSPs and streaming services on August 25, 2023. A limited edition 2xLP black vinyl release was released this past Saturday, April 22 as part of the Record Store Day celebration. Mould says in closing, “I’m looking forward to hitting the road again this year, both Solo and with the Band, adding “2023 is shaping up to be a pleasant mix of past, present, and future.
