Like the sea, but with more guitars

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Tomorrow the Strutt is hosting a veritable smorgasbord of musical delights. I am excited, and you should be too.

The headliners are Caspian, instrumental post rockers supporting their recently released album Tertia. This is a video from that album:

Caspian has explored many formats for this release, which has been praised as their most cohesive and talented piece of work to date. I can only expect the live version to be captivating and loud as hell.

Supporting acts include Her Majesty’s Ship Victory! and Lights at Sea. These are two of my favorite bands in the area. HMS Victory! just practiced in my basement and I am sure that their performance tomorrow will only be more intense. These kids have been out of town for the summer, and we welcome them back. Think huge swells and epic soundscapes.

Lights at Sea continues in the same vein as the other two acts. Hailing from Grand Rapids, this group recently recorded a new album. So, we can look forward to new material. Let’s hope they continue with the same sense of foreboding, heavy post rock we have come to love.

Doors are at 7pm so don’t be late. Tickets are $10 at the door. If you hurry, you might still be able to pick up an $8 advance ticket from one of the HMS V! dudes, or at the Corner Record Shop in Kalamazoo. See you there!

Inhalant “Bondage” out on Kalamazoo’s SNSE label

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“I know not what they mean – tears from the depth of some divine despair – rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes – in looking on, and thinking of the days that are no more”

This slightly abbreviated quote from “The Princess” by the United Kingdom 1800s Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson graces the back cover of Inhalant’s “Bondage”, and seems to serve as the general theme of the record: the pull of love and the pain of the loss, obsession and control, and the fear of abandonment, or the feeling thereafter.

Recorded in Fall 2008 by C.A. Odom out of Vernon, Texas, “Bondage” was released earlier this year on Kalamazoo-based label SNSE and is the first vinyl release from the artist after years of cassette releases and compilation appearances. While the album begins abrasively, aside from a brief ethereal intro, gradually, with each track, the feeling shifts from an angry, domineering tone into what sounds reflective and thirsting as the pieces take on a more ambient, hypnotic, even rhythmic quality.  An airy piece called “Love Song” includes the lyrics “flesh, I love you so”, and was the first moment on the record that my roommate, who is no noise fan, exclaimed “that wasn’t bad”.

The record concludes with “Ghosts of Liberation,” the highlight of the record for me, as at this point the sound has evolved into a full-on pulsing, dark, destroyed electronics groove that could be the soundtrack to an alien metropolis in a sci-fi flick.  For those interested in exploring harsh noise but often find the full-on white noise attack a bit too grating to sustain time and time again, this record could be a gateway into hearing sound differently.

What’s the best radio station in Kalamazoo?

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Well, while I’m not trying to tell you what to do, I am trying to tell you that Kalamazoo Gazette’s Reader’s Choice awards are occurring presently, and that WIDR is in the running. You can vote at the Gazette’s portion of MLive.

There isn’t any real good reason that a student-run, 100 percent local, ad-free radio station shouldn’t win a popularity contest by it’s local newspaper, but let’s make sure of it anyway. Support your source for Radio evolution, and of course, make sure you tune in to 89.1 on the FM dial. Hippies.

Busy Weekend, Busy Week, Busy Weekend

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Friday night’s Mighty Vine Music festival was, from all accounts excellent. No surprise there, though, what with some of Kalamazoo’s best talent on display that night. Likewise, reports have come in of a well-played, if poorly attended, Avant-Midwest Conference on Saturday. If you missed either of these events, you surely missed out. That’s alright though, because this is Kalamazoo, and one thing is certain: There’s always more to come.

This week is going to be a mixed-bag of fantastic music. Thursday sees Caspian visit the strutt, in addition to Lights At Sea and Her Majesty’s Ship, Victory! It’s going to be an absolutely mind-blowing display of post-rock showmanship on all three counts. Having seen both Lights at Sea and HMS, Victory! live, I can assure you they are most excellent acts to catch. Caspian, of course, speaks for itself. Check it.

Simultaneously (and unfortunately), The William Wengers Jazz Quartet will be jazzing it up and jamming it down at Louie’s Trophy House Grill. Smooth sounds, raucous licks and groovin’ pockets will be a main-stay of this 3-hour set, so if you like almost-but-not-quite straight-ahead jazz, this will be the show for you.

Friday the 17th, No Fun House is hosting Pennsylvania-based weird folk-rockers Conversations with Enemies. They tend to mix klezmer with more traditional American sensibilities, and a bunch of other textures for an overall sound that is new yet somewhat friendly. Local support will be brought in by The Philly Crawlers and Son Drop. It’s sure to be a good one. As always, 2 dollar donation will be taken for the touring band, and the music starts at 9.
No punk rock time. See you cats there.

Rock ‘N’ Roll As It Should Be

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This Sunday (Sept 19th), The Strutt has a whole slew of amazing bands. Check it:

Arrington de Dionyso’s Malaikat Dan Singa –

They’re billed as “Indonesian Ecstatic Trance-Punk”. An accurate description for the new project from the founder of the swamp rock powerhouse Old Time Relijun. With Malaikat Dan Singa, Arrington has a big focus on exploring the potential of the human voice. The man has the ability to create sounds you would never think possible from a human. See for yourself.

The Bismarck –

On tour all the way from Seattle. If you got a chance to see them at either of their last two shows here with Minutes, you’ll know that these guys don’t bring the weak shit. Super heavy post punk at it’s best. Think Shellac or Mission Of Burma.

Chinook –

Everyone’s favorite local post math rock group. This band is nothing short of amazing.

Supercollider –

Local mostly instrumental math rock / post punk. These dudes played a No Fun House show a few months ago and everyone was completely impressed. I’m excited to see them again.

Show starts early at 8pm sharp. Chinook is opening this time so don’t be late. $7 at the door. See you there.

The Crawling Vine

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It’s 3pm. Get your collective butts down to the State Theater, pay five bucks, and see some of the best music Kalamazoo has to offer. It’s gonna be a party ladies and gentlemen.

The Glowfriends

The Go Rounds

Minutes

Aaron Young and his Nightjars

The Cabtown Checkers

Who Hit John?

Fiona Dickinson

Jason Roseboom

Delightism

and The 27s

If you need any other reason to bail on Bronco Bash, then I don’t know what to tell you.

Kalamazoo Just Keeps Getting Noisier

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Excited about the big Rangda show tonight? The Gazette is. Check out this article from Kalamazoo’s own Mark Wedel.

If tonight’s show isn’t enough for you. Stay tuned for more info on future cool Strutt shows such as Avant Midwest Conference on 9/11; Caspian on 9/16, Tera Melos on 9/18, Malaikat Dan Singa & The Bismarck on 9/19, So Cow on 9/20, Shonen Knife on 9/22.

Folk and Punk and Folk Punk in Kalamazoo

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The community for the back-to-basics style of punk continues to thrive in Kalamazoo as its younger offshoot folk-influenced cousin begins to stake more of a presence for itself.

Saturday night saw the inaugural show at the New Frontier House, the recent venture of our good friend Zach Smith. They kicked it off in traditional Vine Neighborhood basement show fashion with the local hardcore of the Destrukters and Ackley Kid opening and closing the show respectively. Making their way to town was South Bend punks The Distractions and the dance-punk of International Espionage from Minneapolis; always a favorite here in Kalamazoo.

It was heartening to see how much everyone enjoyed themselves, especially as the night went on and the energy only increased. All in all, a Saturday night well spent in the company of friends and a great start for a new venue. Keep your eyes out for more activity at the New Frontier House.

On the folkier side of things, as our own Almanac Shouters prepare to play what will be a monster of a show with legends Defiance, OH in Grand Rapids on the 18th (be there), folk and folk-punk continues to assert itself with a show at the No Fun House this Thursday.

The show will be starting a bit earlier, 8:30, so we can have local gal Peggy Wray open up. She’s a lady with an acoustic guitar and a gigantic voice and you’ll want to make sure you’re here for her performance. Then we’ve got the acoustic act Foreign Flowers coming down from Grand Rapids and Broken Half on tour from Oklahoma City. Washoard and a homemade upright bass? Gimme a hell yeah.

Then closing out the night will be our very own power couple Lincoln County War doing an unamplified performance.