Nightlife in Lawrence

The Schwag are a full-blown Grateful Dead experience Deadheads travel from all around to see. With Jimmy Tebeau, Grateful Dead bassist led the band in two sets of vigorous jams at the Granada last night, including a number of popular Dead songs that the audience asked for as the concert rocked on. After each long, radiant jam, the crowd roared in approval, overjoyed by the band's energetic spirit.

Any other time of year the Granada may not have been big enough to contain the audience for a show of this prominence. A lot of students are still out of town for Winter Break, however, which left a little extra breathing room in the venue for the hardcore Deadheads, young and old, who came out in their tie-dyes and patchy pants. Still, it was a crowded night and friends and strangers alike came together in happy harmony for what they all knew would be one of the best shows of the year.

The night started without any openers. The Schwag came out full of energy, starting strong with hard-hitting blues rock, rambling into psychedelic jams, the band treated the crowd to heavy doses of professional music-craft. Barely any other active band can compare with The Schwag in terms of sheer talent and experience. Last night they lived up to their established reputation.

With hundreds of songs to choose from, the band never needs a set list and to add to the crowd's pleasure, they took requests, playing some fan favorites to the delight of the full dance-floor. For later songs, the harmonica savant Brody Buster, from Lawrence's own Brody Buster Band, joined The Schwag, humbly joining the veteran blues experts for some smooth, funky jams.

The two sets combined made a full night of Grateful Dead bliss. It cannot be determined which set might have been better, because they were both completely satisfying. The Schwag will be back in their home-base of St. Louis several times over the month, but the best show will be on January 29th. The band is playing a benefit show for Camp Zoe, the scenic campground outside Salem, Missouri, where The Schwag used to host fantastic music festivals multiple times a year. It was recently shut down, and the bands and fans who all love that place are trying to win it back.

Now for an exciting announcement!

The Wakarusa Music Festival's lineup for 2011 was just released this week, and contains a massive collection of great artists, many of whom Lawrence music lovers know and love.
If you've read this column before, you've probably heard of many of the great bands playing this June:
Ben Harper and the Relentless 7
Thievery Corporation
STS9
Bassnectar
Umphrey's McGee
Toots & the Maytals
Ghostland Observatory
Shpongle
Galactic
Lotus
Dark Star Orchestra
North Mississippi Allstars
Perpetual Groove
Wookiefoot
Split Lip Rayfield
Cornmeal
EOTO
Big Gigantic
VibesquaD
Peelander-Z
Jay Nash
Dirtfoot
Mountain Sprout
Papadosio
Zoogma
Family Groove Company
The Floozies
Somasphere
The Ben Miller Band
Just to name a few.

Wakarusa used to be held outside of Lawrence, but has moved to Mulberry Mountain, Arkansas, where there is more room, and a flat area where the stages and main campground are, making it easier for most campers to reach the shows. Last year was a blast for all who attended.
Granted, the new set-up includes a "satellite" campground, which is a long LONG hike from everything, but if you are smart and come early, you can secure a good camping spot and enjoy a comfortable, fun weekend of music this June. Expect a full preview in the coming months.

Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy headline a powerhouse lineup of bluegrass brilliance + Previews!

2011-01-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

An extraordinary lineup of musicians built up the party at the Bottleneck Thursday night, filling the venue with a storm of bluegrass energy. The diverse, yet harmonized lineup of artists jammed with all kinds of styles and sounds, playing a huge range of exciting Americana Roots.

Fans traveled hours to be at the show and for good reason. From start to end the concert was a hootenanny of stirring pieces. Tyler Gregory started the night with his one-man act, filling the Bottleneck with his blues and roots originals and covers. The combination of his memorable bard's voice, clever guitar picking and the stomp-box percussion makes Gregory an impressive live performance to behold.

Honky Suckle came up second, taking the energy Gregory built and expanding it. The five-piece roots-rock-grass band jammed out tunes for a lengthy set of powerful rhythms that shook up the bar. The band's sharp, exercised talent pulled a big crowd onto the dance floor, pumping up the positive energy of the audience. The Missouri-based group includes a harmonica, and vocals from all the band members, which added layers of harmony to the inspired melodies of the set. The bar completely filled with the Honky Suckle's energy.

To complete this night of roots and bluegrass Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy took the stage for a long, charged set of punked-out, folk-infused jams. Following the energy and passion of the openers, Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy took the audience on a wild ride through their own variety of styles and sounds. Dixieland, circus, showtunes and ska, you can hear all kinds of influences in this Wichita band's work. The trombone added brass to the sounds of this colorful, comprehensive band, alongside a wide range of bluegrass instruments. A banjo, mandolin, guitar, stand-up bass and harmonica all had parts in the five musicians' songs. Ferociously energetic drums and washboard from the percussionist set fast, stomping paces for tunes that rambled and flowed with the distinctive, rumbling vocals of the lead singer and guitarist Jarrod Starling.

The crowd was enthralled with every performance. The fact that this show was on a Thursday night seemed surprising to some. On top of that these great acts played for a total of only $5! Mind blowing. It was a rare treat for lucky music lovers downtown.

Tonight, don't miss the great shows, whether you're in the mood for some fun Grateful Dead jams or House electronica, there are options. See you out there!

Bluegrass, Jam bands and DJs pull music lovers downtown this week!

2011-01-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

The end of this week is packed full of brilliant music in Lawrence and beyond. Whatever your taste, there is something for you. Two great shows on Friday night will pull people in different directions, making for tough decisions.

Thursday: Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy are playing at the Bottleneck with Honey Suckle and Tyler Gregory. Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy are a hip bluegrass band that play with a touch of the blues, brought out by the trombone mixed in with their country instruments. Their performance at the L-town Throwdown last April was impressive and the well-practiced band promises more of the same quality tunes tomorrow night. Tyler Gregory has made his way up from a street busker with a sonorous voice to a professional musician, sometimes playing with a band. Alone, he fills a venue with sound, his talent on the guitar, memorable vocals are inspiring and sometimes he plays with a board under his feet, which he can stomp on to provide percussion too. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Friday there are at least a couple of fun shows to choose from, so music lovers will have to think carefully about what they are in the mood for that night.

The Schwag will be playing at the Granada at 9 p.m. for just $8! The Grateful Dead bassist Jimmy Tebeau leads this band in their Dead-esque jams. With countless songs of their own to choose from and no set list, The Schwag jam their fun, funky tunes regularly all across the country, and no two shows are ever the same. The band used to headline their own music festival, Schwagstock, several times a year at Camp Zoe, until it was recently closed for such events. Lawrence Deadheads who miss that cool, chill jam scene will get their fill Friday night.

At the same time, DJ Mark Farina will be spinning his psychedelic hip-hop hits at the Czar Bar in Kansas City. This experienced musician started his career with a fascination in House music and techno. Now he's spinning jazzy grooves with a new style to them, something you may not find elsewhere. Only 100 tickets are available for this show. It's $20, so if you can afford an exclusive music experience, this is worth checking out! DJ Brent Tactic will open this show up at 9 p.m.

These are just a few of the exciting upcoming shows. There are plenty more big bands and awesome concerts coming around this month, stay tuned for more!

The Floozies rage in the New Year with a dance party at the Bottleneck!

2011-01-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

A Happy New Year was guaranteed for all the folks partying with The Floozies at the Bottleneck last night. The night got exponentially wilder, with a wide array of music from jazzy funk, to electronic dub, finishing with The Floozies' slick style of electric funk, a.k.a. Alien Disco.

Beans & Cornbread, an eight-piece jazzy funk band threw down with a diverse set of instruments and well-practiced harmonies between the various band members. The sounds of trumpet, trombone and saxophone blared sheer energy, backed up by a brilliant guitarist, bassist and drummer, all working in harmony alongside smooth vocals. Surprisingly the Topeka-based band has never played in Lawrence before, but gave the Bottleneck a shocking first impression. The bar filled up early, with an eager crowd torn between conserving their energy for the midnight hour and dancing their socks off from start to finish. While Beans & Cornbread warmed the bar up, there were not many people braving the dance floor, but not for lack of good tunes. The band deserved a better audience, but they made up for it with their own energy. For the finale, the horns came down off the stage and stood in front of the audience on the dance floor, giving the crowd an up-close dose of funk.

Beans & Cornbread were a tough act to follow, but rather than setting up another full band, inflect came up with his laptop to do a one-man-act of electronica and IDM. To his credit, inflect had some invigorating, bass-heavy beats that drew out the crowd. Despite the reasonably well-lit venue, it started to feel like a rave in the Bottleneck for parts of this thumping techno set. Even if folks were too drunk or shy to dance much, the music was pleasing and charged up the audience like a bolt of lightning. When The Floozies came on stage it became clear the party has only just begun.

The Hill brothers, Matt and Mark have an uncanny ability to work together through improvisational jams, bouncing off each others beats and melodies. They also play fun, funky covers of songs so different from the original that they are like new songs themselves. The creative juices were positively pouring off the stage as The Floozies churned out funky tunes from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. in their first set. The crowd adored the hip rhythms and clever harmonies. The only thing that could top The Floozies first set, was their second. Dropping hot beats, whipping the crowd into a dancing frenzy, The Floozies ended the night on a high note, but the everyone would have kept going if they could have. Sadly the bar had to close at the usual time. Thankfully The Floozies' fans are just as cool as the band itself, so there were plenty of great after-parties around town to keep the night going.

If you missed this show, you may have missed the best New Years Eve party in town, but have heart; The Floozies will be playing around the Midwest the next two months. They have a new album, "Under Another Sun" being released on their website for download the 11th, that's 1/11/11. Most exciting of all, they announced today that they will be playing at Wakarusa this summer!

The Floozies new album "Under Another Sun" promises to be out of this world + Previews!

2010-12-28T15:14:00.001-08:00

The Floozies have been a rising star in the electronic jam scene for some time now, but their recent two month hiatus left fans dying for more. Finally the wait is over and it was worth it! A new album, "Under Another Sun" will be available for download at the band's website on 1/11/11. If you can't wait until then, don't worry, The Floozies will be back on stage this New Year's Eve to jam in the new year with their funky, fresh, improvisational styles of groove.

Creativity, innovation, originality, these words don't even do The Floozies justice. Every live show is its own set of brilliance, with only the Hill brothers' subtle telepathic sync giving their diverse sounds something in common. The band's first album, "Live: Volume 1" is already available on their website and gives an epic example of the rhythms, sounds and styles The Floozies play with in their sets. Some of the songs obviously take inspiration from another band's hit, and credit is given where it's due, but every 'cover' is so full of original jams it becomes its own song. But the band has more than any recorded album can offer, because every live set is its own unique show and no song is played the same twice.

Even the new album, "Under Another Sun" proves The Floozies' diversity, because most of its songs are inspired by improvised jams from live sets, but tweaked, changed and revamped to create a new work. Matt uses their song "Crunchface" as an example, " 'Crunchface' was originally completely improvised at the Granada in October 2009 and we refined it, jazzed it up a little, and now it's on the album. It sounds quite a bit different than it did, but it's still pretty crunchfacey." Matt said. "We didn't really focus on keeping the songs in the same style necessarily. If it grooves and it's dynamic then it's fine by me."

The Floozies' wide range of sounds goes beyond description. Different rhythms, beats, melodies, are just a few things that keep their sets fresh and new, even for their veteran fans. Matt tributes some of their inspiration to some of his favorite artists, Miles Davis, Pretty Lights, Juno What, Garaj Mahal, as well as producers like Timbaland, Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, and Amon Tobin, and other heroes of all professions.

Matt and Mark Hill began their musical careers in different bands, playing at house shows and jamming with friends, but they've come a long way since then. The brothers have toured together as The Floozies all around the States and have even taken the stage at music festivals. Matt Hill remembers starting off with a creative vision, and no way to carry it out except with live looping while jamming. Their progress since then has been a dream come true. "Jamming led to playing at house parties, which led to our shows at the Jazzhaus, which led to more shows at bigger Lawrence venues, which led to festivals and touring. I've wanted to go on tour since I was 11 years old but didn't realize it would happen until it actually started happening." Matt said.

From the beginning, The Floozies were embraced with gusto by the Lawrence music scene. "The very first Jazzhaus show gave us a way better response than we ever expected, and later we played there it was like unreasonably packed. The fire marshal came to that show at one point which was flattering and hilarious at the same time." Matt said. Since then, the band has played all over, celebrating their success with loving audiences, "Playing New Orleans over Mardi Gras weekend was unreal. It was like a different world for me. And the first time we played in Crested Butte, Colorado was incredible. That place is beautiful and they've always gotten down with us out there."

Even after playing along side huge, national acts, festivals and shows in countless towns, The Floozies have not forgotten where they made their start, and they still love the music scene that saw their potential right from the get-go. "Lawrence is a special place. There are so many people that are hungry for bands that bring their own music and innovation, and it's given us so much love from the very beginning." Matt said. "There's this weird attitude among Kansans sometimes that if it's local it's not good, but Lawrencians aren't like that. They know when something's good and if there's good local shit going on, they appreciate it and give the love right back. I love it." And Lawrence really does love The Floozies! If you're not sure, come see for yourself on New Year's Eve. With every bar in town and beyond vying for everyone's dollars on the 31st, The Bottleneck will have no problem bringing in the crowd, with The Floozies headlining and Beans & Cornbread and Inflect opening for them.

After the New Year's Eve party The Floozies are planning four nights with Messy Jiverson, a ski town tour, and an exciting festival spot that cannot be officially announced until New Years'!

For all the aspiring musicians who dream of the same booming success that has The Floozies skyrocketing, Matt has advice: "Don't act like you deserve anything. If you ask people what they want to do when they retire, they almost always say they want to travel and learn an instrument. Mark and I have been lucky enough to travel around and play music. There's a silly sense of entitlement in some musicians we've met where they think everyone should step aside for the greater glory of their band just because they themselves think their music is badass. If people want to hear you and see you live, they'll make it happen and you have to appreciate every moment while you have it." Wise, humble words from an artist who can easily attribute some of his progress to the fans that have brought The Floozies where they are. If their ridiculously intricate live sets and free reign of improv brilliance has proven anything, it's that The Floozies are musicians everyone can admire and enjoy. And this is all still just the beginning.

Don't miss the new album, "Under Another Sun" for a taste of their art that you can take home with you, and BE THERE New Year's Eve, at the Bottleneck. The doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $9 if you order in advance, $11 day of.

But before the New Year's Eve extravaganza there are other great shows coming up that you should check out:

This Thursday, Fuzz Nasty, Right of Way and Yeti Speak will be playing progressive funk at the Bottleneck. Doors open at 8 p.m.

The same night, the Brody Buster Band and Brother Bagman will be at the Jazzhaus playing blues and rock.

This is a tough call, these should both be quality shows with headliners that have great reputations around town. Depending on how you're feeling this Thursday, either some funky soul or some folksy blues will definitely satisfy your musical craving. See you downtown!

Aotearoa is releasing a jungle funk EP album of deep, dance-able tunes!

2010-12-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

Lawrence's own Aotearoa is releasing their first EP album, a combination of five funky songs that exemplify the duo's cool, energetic style of funk born from folk. The band's brand of hip quivering jungle funk is refreshingly original and perfect for any party. The self-titled album 'Aotearoa' is a collection of versatile songs, each with their own message, but the album comes together as a whole with fun, dance-able beats and memorable, meaningful lyrics. If you can listen to a single track without wanting to jump up and dance, you are not human.

Ilan Gitter and Jake Lerman work in perfect harmony as Aotearoa. They are so familiar with each other's music they can switch instruments with ease, taking up the drums or guitar for various songs. Lerman says they have been playing since high school and began switching instruments when they were part of a 4-piece rock band in high school called Purple Martin. Now the duo has recorded their first album with Joshua Browning at Hey! Bulldog studios, just north of Lawrence.

Lerman says he and Gitter see music as both a mode of expression and a form of entertainment.

"To us this album is a way to voice our thoughts on the world and culture we've been born into, in a way that does not come off a soapbox." Lerman said. "This album, like so many that preceded it, acts as a spoonful of sugar. It's a way to laugh at the fucked up world we live in."

The music on Aotearoa's EP comes across as a funny, funky commentary on modern culture, with smooth, flowing instrumentals and snappy, bold lyrics. Original guitar melodies, riffs and hooks keep the ears in pure bliss while the shaking, drum beats summon your body to move. Listeners might be taken away by the clever, jazzy guitar solos and rolling, dancing drums, but the lyrics speak in a way that is both funny and thought-provoking.

"In terms of content on this album, we range from rampant and unsuspecting commercialism, and a social fixation with wealth to the big round issues that much great music touches on, women, the fleetingness of existence and the strife that we all endure as our lives intersect these changes. " Lerman said.

A perfect example of the album's brilliance and many dimensions is one of Lerman's favorite songs: "I'm Alive For The..." - which can be heard on the band's myspace, find the link at the start of this article. The song's changing, swinging guitar and driving drums are irresistible for dancers. At the same time, the lyrics hold a great deal of meaning, speaking of the absurdity of consumerism, the mystery of life and ideas of kindness, value for beauty in the moment and yearning for growth.

"The name makes an implication that anyone is alive for some THING. That we are on this planet not to live, love and smile all the while, but rather to purchase and accrue debt." Lerman said. "The lyrics further express my belief that despite what faith you subscribe to, no one knows what happens when our time runs out. We could go up, we could go down, we could just sit in the ground or we could come right back around. At the end of the day, every preacher is as clueless as you or I. So if this is our situation, why not make the absolute most of the short time we have?"

The messages and ideas expressed within the songs are a testament to the band's folk roots, but the music itself is based around dance-able funk.

"Folk music is beautiful, but there's a special type of euphoria that comes over a person when they walk out of a venue drenched in sweat, legs still shaking from dancing." Lerman said.

As if a duo that can switch instruments, play inspiring and exciting funk, while speaking to the listeners on a higher level is not impressive enough, the band is also an organic creation of pure, live performances. Every part of an Aotearoa show is made fresh on stage. There are no samples and loops are set live.

"Tempos and timings evolve organically throughout the night." Lerman said. "Every night is unique. Every night flows around that particular audience."

Aside from the new EP, Aotearoa has a full list of other original songs they regularly perform and plan to record in future albums. Their full length album is planned to be recorded after their tour.

"Ilan and I are travelers, the name Aotearoa is a Maori word, that refers to the land mass of New Zealand." Lerman said. "We spent five weeks hitchhiking around the island which solidified our passion for travel." Aotearoa has plans for their first tour, shortly after the EP's release. This won't be a conventional tour, however. Having found their inspiration for travel in New Zealand, the duo will roam freely from city to city across the U.S. without a schedule or route set in stone. "We want to live and breathe this country and do it all while helping people get down." Lerman said. "My hope is that we're received well enough in each town to leave with full bellies and enough money to get to the next show."

With this lifestyle of free-roaming musical performances planned for the near future, Aotearoa hopes to jump-start the tour with a CD release show in Lawrence in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for the date.

Aotearoa has a fascinating, unique style of funk that audiences love. Their brave first step toward fame is sure to be a big success. The band's brilliant instrumentals, witty lyrics and positive energy are addictive to the ears. As mentioned in the first review of this band's performance at the Eighth Street Taproom, Aotearoa is a brilliant new band born of natural talent and practiced skill. The very fact that they have started their journey to musical greatness in Lawrence is thrilling. Don't miss a chance to hear them live and get your hands on their first EP before they hit the road!

TFDI

2010-12-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

Jay Nash, Tony Lucca and Matt Duke harmonize for Pipeline Production's Holiday Extravaganza and DJ ParLe' drops the bass heavy on Fatso's + Previews

2010-12-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

Despite the cold outside, it was a hot night in the bars downtown this Wednesday. Pipeline Production's annual Holiday Extravaganza at the Bottleneck and DJ ParLe' at Fatso's brought out the crowds for two wholly different, but intriguing shows.

The Bottleneck hosted the "Totally F*cking Do it!" (TFDI) tour on its stop in Lawrence. The tour has brought together three great guitarists, whose voices and instrumentals combined made a fantastic show for the folks brave enough to travel the icy roads. The TFDI tour of Jay, Tony and Matt is a collaboration of the three artists' individual performances as well as their work together to create even more dynamic, impressive songs as a group. Jay Nash, Tony Lucca and Matt Duke are each well-practiced guitarists, capable of capturing the attention an audience alone. With all three on stage, the Bottleneck experienced a brilliant mix of folk rock rarely heard.

The harmony of the three singers brought a new depth to every song, adding contrast and greater ranges of notes from the vocals. Their guitars taking different rhythms and melodies completely fleshed out every tune, creating the same full experience one might only expect to hear from a band of various instruments. Playing familiar covers of old folk hits, the three bards brought the crowd into the mix with choruses everyone knows. Altogether Jay Nash, Tony Lucca and Matt Duke worked in perfect cohesion.

If you've ever heard of any of these three musicians, or you're just a fan of folk rock, the cumulative work of TFDI is well worth checking out. Odds are you will like these artists, one and all.

After the three musicians put down their guitars, the Bottleneck's stage was open for karaoke. Unfortunately the crowd was a small, modest group of Pipeline Productions' friends, too happy with the buffet of food and cheap drink prices. But a lively show was just about the get started across downtown. Down the street at Fatso's, DJ ParLe' was slowly collecting a crowd of joyful youths, relieved to be finished with finals, or just free for the night.

The DJ's mix of hip-hop, pop and dance songs was more than sufficient background music for a crowd of heavy drinkers. Fatso's Wednesday night specials were $1 Wells, $2 for bottles of beer and some other reasonably good deal. However as far as creating an actual focus of entertainment, DJ ParLe' left something to be desired.

The tunes and mixes on the playlist were fine, and the crowd obviously didn't disapprove, but the bass was turned up so ridiculously loud that it was impossible to discern what song was being played most of the time. Any actual DJing being done aside from clicking Play on iTunes and turning the bass knob all the way up was lost on everyone. Thankfully after a few $1 Wells nobody seemed to notice. The dance floor got its share of drunken party people and the bar was completely packed. A bar-full of The North Face jackets and oddly-angled baseball caps aside - the crowd was a full-on party of happy drunks. And after all, what better way to measure the success of a bar/show than the satisfaction of the audience?

Fatso's successfully brought out a weekend crowd on this weeknight like no average bar could. It just goes to show that the quality and creative force behind music is not always what draws the biggest crowd. Most people out on a Wednesday night just want to drink.

Now for Previews:

If you missed DJ ParLe' or just can't get enough booming bass in your ears, check out The Club with DJ ParLe' this Saturday night at Fatso's for $3. The doors open at 9 p.m. and beats start at 10.

Friday, December 31st, The Floozies are playing a New Year's Eve concert with Beans & Cornbread and Inflect for $10-12. This combination of funky jams and hip-hop will bring in the New Year like no other party in Lawrence. The Floozies big fan base in Lawrence and a whole lot of fun folks will be out at the Bottleneck for this show, so do not miss it!

Rocket Science and Free Band Radio flex music muscles and Mouth rocks with intense stamina at the Granada!

2010-12-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

It was a challenging night for music lovers in Lawrence Friday, as party-people were forced to choose between two great shows; bluegrass or funk. The big, early show at Liberty Hall probably got the lion's share of the crowd, with The Brody Buster Band, the Ben Miller Band and Deadman Flats rocking out from 8 p.m. to midnight, building up the crowd for their after-party at the Bottleneck. Meanwhile Mouth headlined at the Granada with openers Free Band Radio and Rocket Science. The show may not have gotten the crowd they deserved, but the band's music filled the Granada with a power and energy that drew out the dedicated funk fans who came to party.

Rocket Science started to warm things up around 9:30 p.m. with electronic jams that combined exhilarating percussion with dynamic bass and synthesizer tunes. The band's newest addition, Adam on synth, gave fresh electronic melodies and rhythm to the band's already intense, driving style. Stephen Gunn from Mouth joined Evan Leitnaker on a second set of drums, adding to the nonstop, rocking beats that pumped up each song.

The first opener's growing, expanding music just got the party started, allowing Free Band Radio to pick up where they left off. The fresh, new jam band from Kansas City has members from other, well-known jam bands, which combined to play a wide range of styles. They rocked out an array of songs that kept the crowd interested through their impressive set. Switching from hard rock to jazz, classic jams to electronica. Free Band Radio captivated the small, but appreciative crowd that came out to dance near the end of their set.

Finally, Mouth came on near midnight for a very excited audience of fans and music-lovers. Folks from all over Lawrence and Kansas City came to the Granada for the jazzy trio's "cyberfunk" styling. Mouth's consistently excellent sets are also always thrilling because of how different they play their songs for each show.

Adding new solos and improv jams, old songs were renewed again, as the trio exhibited their limitless creativity and practiced synergy. Leaning heavy on some funky, womping bass, Mouth broke it down like the best jazz artists, and then swung back into full funky mode with ease.

On top of a legitimate set of newly fashioned songs, Mouth played long renditions of crowd favorites back to back, barely stopping for a breathe before each new song. The crowd packed the dance floor throughout the lengthy set, grooving to the nonstop tunes. Evan Leitnaker joined them on percussion for part of the set, followed by two other drummers.

For their finale, Mouth rocked out for about 20 minutes straight, virtually outlasting the crowd in terms of sheer energy and stamina. With a total of three drummers on stage, working out intricate, overlapping beats for Jeremy and Zach to rock out to, the music reached a higher level of intensity. Folks had to take breathers before resuming their dancing to keep up with the musicians. The crowd still demanded an encore and Mouth was happy to oblige, finishing up the night with another lengthy, expert song that left some of the audience satisfied, even as a few cried for more.

Hopefully it won't be long before Mouth is on stage again. They clearly have the musical skill and strength to rock out a big venue like the Granada. It was a poor audience for this brilliant performance, greatly due to the shows going on across downtown. A lot of Mouth fans are also fond of Deadman Flats, Mountain Sprout and the other bluegrass groups that were elsewhere. Still, Rocket Science, Free Band Radio and Mouth gave a great account of themselves, putting a lot of heart into a show that deserved a much bigger crowd. If you missed out last night, be there next time!

Happenin' Funk or Bold Bluegrass, Friday night the choice is yours!

2010-12-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

This Friday night there are two (technically three) great concerts downtown that both promise to be a party, the only problem is choosing where to go and if it is possible to find time and money for both.

Starting at 9 p.m. Deadman Flats will be rocking out at Liberty Hall after returning from their European tour. This show is also a costume party and the performance will be recorded and offered for sale on DVD at a later date. The energy and stage presence of Deadman Flats brings out the crowds. The punk-tastic bluegrass quartet has a big fan base here in their hometown, guaranteeing that Liberty Hall will be a busy venue this Friday. With the Brody Buster Band and the Ben Miller Band opening this may sound like a full night of partying, but the party is just getting started.

An after-party show will be hosted around the corner at the Bottleneck with Whistle Pigs and Mountain Sprout finishing up the night. Mountain Sprout's classic bluegrass jams combined with their hilarious, memorable lyrics and singalongs make this one of the best bluegrass acts in the Midwest. Mountain Sprout has teamed up with Deadman Flats to put on some unforgettable hoedowns in the past and this coordinated double-show might be their most exciting project yet.
The show at Liberty Hall will be done around 11:30 p.m. giving the after-party a fair amount of time to rage on.

The question is, do you have to pay for both? The price of tickets for the show at Liberty Hall is listed as being somewhere between $15-25 (a vague range) according to Lawrence.com, and the show at the Bottleneck is supposedly between $10-12. Obviously these are both good shows. This is a veritable miniature bluegrass festival. But the idea of shelling out between $25 and $37 to get a full nights worth of bluegrass sounds expensive. But if you love bluegrass and can afford it, this will be a pair of shows to remember.

At the same time, another fantastic show will be on at the other end of downtown, in the Granada at 8 p.m. Mouth will be getting funky and cool with Free Band Radio featuring Eric Gould of Particle and Brandon Draper of Quixotic along with Rocket Science featuring a new lineup.

Mouth's funky jams are a combination of improvisation and well-practiced, well-loved originals. They play every show with their original "cyberfunk" style, varied by their emphasis on different sounds from disco to dub-step and everything in-between. Free Band Radio is a combination of nationally renowned jam band. The fresh combination promises electronic funk, perfect for dancing.

For just $7, this show is a much better deal for party people that are out looking for fun this Friday night. The combination of these three electronic jam bands getting funky and energetic will charge up the Granada for a night of dance-able party music. The Granada may rival Liberty Hall for the biggest crowd this Friday night. It's all up to you.

Whether you're more inclined toward some bluegrass drink-along songs, or funky dance jams, this Friday night you won't be disappointed. If you have the time, money and energy you might be able to get some of everything. These are two of the most promising shows in the foreseeable future, so don't miss out!

Somasphere drops dirty bass to bring down the Granada with a free show + Previews!

2010-12-04T09:27:00.000-08:00

As if it were not exciting enough just to have Somasphere playing the Granada on a Friday night, they made the show free to everyone over 21 years old! Such love. So it was obvious by 9:30 p.m. that the big venue would be put to the test and packed to capacity. Three DJs warming the crowd up and Somasphere blasting the venue with their bass-heavy beats made it a night to remember. Anyone who loves electronic music should have been there.

The Granada is one of the biggest venues in town, but even so, a free show will gather more people than any bar could want. Even though they were charging kids under 21 three bucks to get in, the crowd was a mix of older party people and lots of kids too happy to pay just a few dollars for an epic Friday night show. Getting into a show for free always gives folks an extra boost of energy, on top of that they also have more money for booze, which means the party just gets crazier. Inevitably there were plenty of people showing up to the Granada early to secure their wristbands, so the opening DJs got started early in kind.

The first DJ was already on by 10 p.m., warming up the gathering mob for what was guaranteed to be a manic night. To their credit, these DJs were actually quite good. Most opener DJs are only moderately entertaining. With a crowd fueled by the excitement the evening promised and some very dance-able mixes, the DJs got the dance floor going quite quickly.

It was especially relieving to enjoy good quality DJs once the word got around that the headliners weren't starting until midnight. Whatever their reasons, the wait for Somasphere was worth it. The third DJ really was a tough act to follow, but Somasphere came out with the energy of the sun and blew away the already-pumped audience with their combined styles of electronica and rock.

The heavy bass gives Somasphere's tunes a dirty, dancing rhythm the crowd cannot resist. Combined with the rockin', melodic guitar and spacey synthesizer, the band's harmony's are compelling and addictive. The audience took to the music right from the start and never stopped dancing. The band literally never took more than a second's break between hits and did not even wait long before running back out for their highly-demanded encore. An interesting aspect of the band's percussion is that they use both traditional and electronic drum kits, creating a wider range of beats for different songs.

The influences for this amazing, young band are many and well-loved in the scene. You can hear touches of Sound Tribe Sector 9, Thievery Corporation, Bassnectar, EOTO, Pnuma Trio, Bonobo, Daft Punk, RJD2 and many more, which have been made part of Somasphere's very own style of Electro Drum & Bass.

It's obvious that the Lincoln/Omaha band loves Lawrence. And Lawrence loves Somasphere. Last December the band played at the Jackpot with Big Gigantic. The tiny venue could not hold the horde of music lovers that wanted to see them. The Granada was a much better choice this year. Last May Somasphere threw down a sick set at Festy Fest outside of town, with more room for dancers to strut their stuff, it was a fantastic night. But neither set could compare with last night's wild party. Their set list was a non-stop bass-blasting dance party, which was exactly what the crowd wanted. Last night the Granada was a thumping, electrified riot of good vibes that will be the talk of the town for weeks.

Somasphere's shows won't always be free, but they are incredibly good. This rising star in the electronic music scene is definitely worth coming out to see. Whether or not you were there this time, you need to be there next time!

Now for Previews:

Tonight is Fatso's weekly club experience, with DJ Parle'. If you haven't had enough electronica and dancing, this will be the place to go tonight. For just $3 you can get good drinks at decent prices and dance your buns off to hip-hop, Top 40 and house music. Doors open at 9 p.m., music starts at 10 p.m.

Tuesday you can catch a traditional Bluegrass and Blues band from Austin, Texas. Fat Man And Little Boy: The Atomic Duo will be rambling and rocking out their unique blend of old-school bluegrass roots and blues at the Eighth Street Taproom for just $3!

This Thursday is NEON Dance Party's last night. The DJ dance party has been a Lawrence tradition for 9 years, and has moved between venues all around downtown, but the party is finally coming to an end at the bar it began, the Jackpot. If you are one of the thousands of folks in Lawrence who remember great times getting crunk at this Thursday night tradition, come out one last time and dance for old times' sake!

You stay classy, Lawrence!

Sonic Sutra jams out a dynamic set for their homecoming show + Previews!

2010-12-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

It has been months since Sonic Sutra's last show in Lawrence, but Billy Wassung of both Billy the Squirrel and Sonic Sutra has not lost his touch. Far from it, the band is a well-practiced music machine, whipping out smart, intricate jams that span from psychedelic to funky and everything in-between.

With a combination of guitar, bass, drums and keys, along with a fast-fingered mandolin adding to the mix for some songs, Sonic Sutra jammed out long, flowing songs that compelled the crowd to gather on the dancefloor early on in the night. Billy Wassung's vocals give some songs an extra melody. The pumping bass and drums compliment each other and put together a brilliant rhythm. Billy's insanely fast, and accurate guitar skills along with the keys give each song a clear, smooth melody. It's almost too much for the ears to comprehend when all the musicians are in harmony, jamming their fast, changing songs. Rocking out from about 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. with only a short set break, the band provided a lengthy night of great tunes. Without a pause, the band can switch from one song to the next, proving themselves to be entirely proficient in their styles and beats.

Fatso's is an ideal venue for smaller shows. The bar offers all wells, calls and any bottle of beer for just $2 on Monday and Tuesday nights. On top of that Cupini's delicious pizzas and other food is available within the bar, and there's plenty of booths to eat at. The bar is spacious enough for a medium sized crowd to fill the dance floor, and there's plenty of space on the smoking patio. Sadly the bar didn't have a big crowd, but that can't be expected on a Tuesday night. The folks at the bar and on the dance floor were clearly impressed with Sonic Sutra's expertise, and the band deserved a better crowd.

Hopefully Sonic Sutra will play in their hometown again soon!

Now for Previews:

Thursday, New Inhabitants are playing with Tyler Gregory & the Bootleg Bandits at the Jazzhaus for just $3! Doors open at 9 p.m. This show will juxtaposition New Inhabitants' indie pop with Tyler Gregory's blues and roots, so don't miss out on some great live music.

Friday there is talk of Somasphere playing at the Granada FOR FREE. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets may only start being given out then, but if you want to be sure and get in, it might be smart to come earlier than that to secure your wristband. This is guaranteed to be an epic good time!

Bonobo gets their dance on at the Granada and makes a raging party out of Monday night + Previews!

2010-11-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

It is not often a big band plays a wild, thumping concert on a Monday night. Musicians and venue owners would not normally expect to get a good crowd. That rule does not apply to Bonobo, a British DJ and musician whose reputation precedes him across the country.

Halfway along his tour across the States, Bonobo decided to make a stop in our small, musical town, drawing envy from folks all around the Midwest. Devoted fans drove across whole states just to make it to the Monday night show and filled the Granada. Music lovers in town also came out in droves to help fill the big venue. Familiar faces and strangers alike held a good vibe as they packed in together for some great music.

One might expect a DJ's live performance to be less than thrilling and only pleasant on the ears. This was somewhat true for the duo that opened for Bonobo. As they spun their mixes and sang into the microphone, the crowd watched with mild boredom. Tokimonsta's ready-made dance mixes had some very cool bass lines that were irresistibly danceable, but just as the packed dance floor started to get its groove on, the beat would die and the song would lose its charm. Fortunately Bonobo brought enough brilliant music to make up for the opener and a large band with a singer, drummer, keyboardist, guitarist, saxophonist, flutist and more for his live set.

Playing guitar and bass for some of his songs, or leading the rest of the band, Bonobo held the audience captive with growing, pumping songs. The DJ's style varies from chill, flowing compilations of the instruments, jazzy solos and heavy, complex Trip-hop bass beats. The crowd got down with pleasure to the dirty dance rhythms and cheered after every soulful, funky solo.

Any smaller venue would have overflowed with the crowd, but it fit the Granada nicely. A grand display of party people came out on Monday night with energy to burn and raged on for every moment of Bonobo's hour-long set. It was a rare opportunity to see a live performance of an internationally renowned DJ from overseas. It's no wonder folks from across the Midwest drove out to see him, and Lawrence enjoyed another epic night of great music.

Now for Previews:

Friday night Fuzz Nasty is getting their funk on at the Jazzhaus for $5. The soul and blues band has a classic jazz sound with their professional instrumentals. It should be a busy Friday night party.

On Saturday, if you're looking for cheap drinks in a cool atmosphere, you might want to check out The Club with DJ ParLe at Fatso's. Fatso's often offers the best prices on drinks and sometimes puts together a cool show. So come for a drink and check it out!