We have a special guest host for the new episode of The Western Reserve: Columbus musician and all around solid human being J.R. Fisher! J.R. hosts episode 35 and curates the playlist for this one too. A sampling of some fantastic music from Ohio including The Sundresses, Wussy, Dead Boys, and Raven. Enjoy!
New City Gypsy – “Tugboat” Grandpa Egg – “Monsters By Sea” The Kyle Sowashes – “A Faster Asshole” The Griefs – “Whenever You’re Around” Day Creeper – “And How” Raven – “War With My Soul” The Sundresses – “Murder Hymn” The Electric Grandmother – “Leo Got Shot” Lieutenant Dance – “When Fans Attack” Them Wranch – “Campus Strangler” Jenny Mae – “Downtown” Country Death – “Wild Irish Rose” Wussy – “Death By Misadventure” Dead Boys – “All This And More”
Boddie Recording Company in Cleveland, Ohio in 1967. One of the many collections of Ohio music released by Numero Group.
It’s been a little bit since our last episode of The Western Reserve but we think this hour of all Numero Group music from the state of Ohio will be worth the wait! Numero Group is a label (well a few labels) that release compilations, archival releases, and reconstructed albums, including several collections over the years focusing on Ohio labels and scenes from previous years. We focus here mainly on Capsoul (a label from Columbus) and Boddie Recording Company (a label, studio, record pressing plant from Cleveland) with a few other fun things thrown in. Take a trip through Ohio music of the past!
Creations Unlimited – “Chrystal Illusion”
Marion Black – “Who Knows”
Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum & Durr – “Your Love Keeps Drawing Me Closer”
The Four Mints – “Row My Boat”
Dean Francis & The Soul Rockers – “Funky Disposition”
Eddie & The Ant Hill Mob – “I’m A Number Runner”
Bo & The Metros – “Buttered Out”
Modern Detergents – “Monkey Hips & Yice”
Elijah & The Ebonites – “Hot Grits!!!”
Chandlers – “Your Love Makes Me Lonely”
Lou Ragland – “I Travel Alone”
Volcanic Eruption – “Red Robin”
Love Apple – “Man on the Side”
King James Version – “He’s Coming”
The Victory Five – “Have You Ever Been to the Pool?”
The Western Reserve returns with its second episode, the first of two parts celebrating the 25th anniversary of Columbus, Ohio’s Anyway Records! Anyway founder and mastermind Bela Koe-Krompecher joins us for episodes two and three to talk about his life, starting a record label, growing up in Ohio, continuing to find new bands after 25 years, and a whole lot more. In between we listen to a ton of Ohio music from the past few decades. Anyway is celebrating with a big party in Columbus on September 1-3, with the September 1st at Spacebar and September 2nd and 3rd at Ace of Cups. Find out more here.
Guided By Voices – “Motor Away”
Gaunt – “Jim Motherfucker”
Ass Ponys – “11:11”
Gibson Brothers – “The Man Who Loved Couch Dancing”
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments – “Rump Government”
V3 – “Negotiate Nothing”
Greenhorn – “Chemical Land”
Appalachian Death Ride – “Comin Around”
Scrawl – “Ready”
Mike Rep and the Quotas – “Aliens in our Midst”
Cheater Slicks – “I Think I’m Going Down”
A bunch of Ohio bands are playing this weekend at the Nelsonville Music Festival (May 28th-31st). A few of them will also appear on this year’s Aquabear Legion Volume 5 Double LP. Don’t miss this amazing festival and all the great bands involved. Now in its 11th year.
Here’s a list of Ohio bands performing at the NMF15
* Connections – Columbus (Featured on ABL Vol. 5)
Good English – Dayton
Bummers – Columbus
* The D-Rays – Athens (Featured on ABL Vol. 5)
* Speaking Suns – Yellow Springs (Featured on ABL Vol. 5)
* Weird Science – Athens (Featured on ABL Vol. 5)
* Dead Hand Of Man – Athens (Featured on ABL Vol. 5)
The Summoners – Athens
The Wild Honeybees – Athens
Chris Biester – Athens
Ryan Jewell – Columbus
Scott Hedrick – Athens
Ben Stalets – Toledo
Mike Elliott – Athens
The Teardrops – Athens
Bram Riddlebarger – Athens
Chris Monday – Athens
Nathan & Brendan Moore – Athens
Megan Wormz Bihn – Athens
* Weedghost – Athens/Fairborn (Featured on ABL Vol. 5)
Stuart’s Afterschool Bands – Athens County
Heatwave Dance Party – Columbus
Dj Barticus – Athens
John E. Clift – Columbus
Honorary
Bassholes – Asheville, NC
Adam Torres – Austin, TX
Michael Hurley – Portland, OR
The Aquabear (painted here by Athens artist Emily Beveridge) will release a double LP, 24 song vinyl comp in Spring 2015.
The Aquabear (painted here by Athens artist Emily Beveridge) will release a double LP, 24 song vinyl comp in Spring 2015.
Since 2004, Aquabear has worked with over 200 bands and dozens of visual artists and filmmakers. And in that time produced 10 releases including compilations of Ohio music both physical and for free on aquabearlegion.com. But we REALLY want to put out some vinyl. And since we just celebrated our 10th birthday it seemed like a double LP is the way to go. 24 songs from 24 of Ohio’s best bands on 2 LPs. Printed, pressed, designed, and played in Ohio. You can support this project and pre-order your copy at our Indiegogo page here. Please help us spread the word folks!
To help raise money and make some more things in the process we are partnering we a couple local artists for some really cool special items. Charlie Touvell will be making some limited edition prints based on his artwork for the record’s liner notes and even some custom drawings too. We will be making some brand new hoodies and of course have t-shirts, colored vinyl, and countless random Aquabear items we might send along. We sincerely appreciate your support of this project.
Aquabear 2015 will include music from 24 Ohio bands on 2 LPs:
The 1984 Draft, Black Owls, Connections, Dead Hand of Man, Dead Winds of Summer, The D-Rays, The Guitars, Herzog, Hookers Made Out of Cocaine, Hyrrokkin, Joseph Airport, Kid Tested, The Kyle Sowashes, The Motel Beds, Murderedman, Nick Tolford & Company, She Bears, Speaking Suns, Sport Fishing USA, Supernobody, Unmonumental, Weedghost, Weird Science, and WV White.
We have always wanted to make a record, and these are some really amazing songs to do it with. The plan is that if this works we will keep doing it with more and more bands in the future. Here’s a video!
The Clean are in Columbus at Ace of Cups Saturday for Helter Swelter.
There’s a great show at Ace of Cups Saturday you need to be at. Helter Swelter is Saturday, August 16th from 3pm-11pm at Ace of Cups and features legendary New Zealand rockers The Clean along with a lineup of some of Columbus, Ohio’s most well respected and influential bands including Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, Scrawl, Unholy Two, Moviola, and more. Get tickets at the bar or click here! The Aquabear had a chance to talk with Jerry Dannemiller (Moviola, etc.) about putting the show together and some of his favorite music from ol’ Cowtown.
How did this show come together? Marcy Mays (of Scrawl) owns Ace of Cups in Columbus. We’ve been friends for many years and she mentioned wanting to do an outdoor day festival in her parking lot for a couple years now. I helped book a few festivals in Columbus (4th and 4th Fest, Independents Day, Parking Lot Blowout) as well as a few shows here and there at Ace of Cups (Blues Control, Eugene Mirman, Magik Markers). We hatched the idea this past January over a few drinks. We had a great lineup of the local bands all set to go and Kellie Morgan (who I work with at the Wexner Center, that’s my day job) mentioned that the Clean were touring and the routing might be possible to add on a Columbus date. She knows Hamish Kilgour from the Clean (she used to work at Drag City) and the band was down with it. I made a few calls to their agent and they were locked in. It was too good a chance to pass up, and the Clean has never played in Columbus, though they have, in my view, had a strong influence and on many many bands from here. Almost a spiritual connection, if you believe in those type of things.
How did the lineup get chosen? When did all of these great Columbus bands get involved and how did that happen? I know that most of those bands don’t play out much… Really Marcy and myself working through it. Needed to have a mix so it wasn’t all geezers. We’re all friends to one degree or another and I just asked? Really that simple. The Slave Apartments are some of my oldest friends in Columbus, getting Moviola to play just involves working around everybody’s crazy schedule with enough advance notice.
Who are your top 5 Columbus bands of all time? Oh lord. Knowing that this list would likely change tomorrow:
– The Four Mints
– Bassholes
– Liquid Mystic Axis
– Rahsaan Roland Kirk
– V3
Who is your favorite Columbus bands right now? Again, subject to daily change:
Connections
Cheater Slicks
Unholy Two
Psychedelic Horseshit
Mike Shiflet
Counter-Intuits (I-71)
Ipps
What’s the lineup? Tickets? Tickets are $10 online and at the bar until Friday afternoon, at which they go up to $15 and are only available at the bar.
Ace of Cups presents
HELTER SWELTER 2014
Saturday, August 16, 2014
3pm—11pm outside in the Ace of Cups parking lot
Tickets @ http://aceofcups.ticketleap.com/helterswelter/ and at Ace of Cups
Featuring performances by:
3:15 RAW PONY
4:05 WASHINGTON BEACH BUMS
5:00 MOVIOLA
5:55 PRETTY PRETTY
6:45 UNHOLY TWO
7:35 THOMAS JEFFERSON SLAVE APTS
8:30 SCRAWL (performing “Plus, Also, Tooâ€)
9:25 THE CLEAN (New Zealand legends!)
Plus!
outdoor: Shang-a-lang stage inbetween bands, Ray Ray’s BBQ, and food trucks, beer!
inside: record swap all day and DJ George Brazil.
Presented in collaboration with Pale Rider and Straight to Video.
Anything else?
I hope folks can make it out. The weather is looking beautiful. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Girlz Rhythm n’ Rock Camp and Grrrls Rock Columbus which provide creative expression opportunities for young women regardless of means.
Take a quick glance at the cover of Connections’ debut LP and you’ll surely notice a hot pink biplane soaring across an empty sky. It’s a seemingly calculated piece of iconography that links this record to Dayton, OH, the birthplace of aviation and the ancestral home of legendary Ohio rockers Guided By Voices. Located an hour east via I-70, in the relative metropolis of Columbus, this group of local music scene veterans have managed to channel the same sort of energy that Robert Pollard and company began tapping into almost 30 years ago.
For singer Kevin Elliot and guitarist Andy Hampel, the association is far from superficial. Four track recordings made by the pair’s high school band 84 Nash found their way into the hands of Pollard, resulting in the release of their debut full length on GBV’s own Rockathon Records in 1998. Drummer Adam Elliot’s group Times New Viking toured alongside the recently reunited ‘classic lineup.’ And if their previous musical output is any indication, guitarist Dave Capaldi (of El Jesus de Magico) and bassist Philip Kim (of Andrew Graham & Swarming Branch) have definitely listened to Bee Thousand.
Private Airplane possesses a sort of polished scruffiness, echoing the lo-fi roots of some of its key personnel without assaulting your ears with distorted blasts of tape hiss. The thrashing chords of “Miller’s Grove” and noisy hooks of “Casuals” sound as if they were written in beer can-strewn basements and hastily recorded using equipment identical to that which birthed albums like Under the Bushes Under the Stars. By the same token, short, divergent interludes like “Sister City” and “Capital of Strange Cravings” might have been fleshed out over the course of a few smoke breaks. And while Kevin Elliot may not have Uncle Bob’s vocal presence, the band’s unison delivery shares the consistent aspiration of treating a Thursday night bar crowd like a densely packed arena.
That’s not to say that Connections are entirely derivative of their most conspicuous influence. From the woozy chords of “Cindy” to the earnest sentimentality of “I Can Fix Memories,” the group consistently finds new ways to wrap their thoughts into succinct, pop-indebted rock songs. There’s a visceral feel to the half hour of music presented on the album, divided into bite-sized pieces that, while easily digestible on their own, are enhanced when placed in the context of the record itself. It’s a testament to Adam Smith’s production work which along with Adam Elliott’s understated rhythms, help unify the LP’s 15 varying tracks into a cohesive whole.
Amid all the muddy guitar tones and muffled cymbal crashes, there’s a palpable sense of midwestern nostalgia that finds the group’s romanticized small town recollections clashing with contemporary urban realities. It’s a source of inspiration that easily lends itself to uncovering universal truths, much like those exposed by their elders down the road in Dayton. Boarding their Private Airplanes, Connections achieve catharsis through a very specific strain of concise musical expression, giving a salty salute to their forbearers while proving that the club is still open.
You can find this record at your finest local record store.
Anyway Records turns 20 this year and Bela Koe-Krompecher is throwing a big party over at Ace of Cups in Columbus to celebrate! Two nights of music (Friday and Saturday) featuring some of the best bands to come out of Ohio since the label’s beginning in 1992 including New Bomb Turks, Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, Moviola, Orchestraville, Necropolis (covering Gaunt), Obnox, Kyle Sowashes, Connections, County Pharaohs, Greenhorn, Jenny Mae, Winter Makes Sailors, St. Lenox, Belreve, and Chris Biester. Whew. That’s one hell of a lineup. And proceeds go to some real good causes: Peloton, Columbus Music Co-Op and NAMI Ohio. Read about the history of Anyway Records here.
FROM THE EVENT: “Starting in the pre-text world of vinyl records and shiny over-priced compact discs, Anyway Records was founded on the assumption that music is to be found in our own backyards and meant to be cheap and affordable, like the founders themselves. Jerry Wick and Bela Koe-Krompecher started Anyway Records under the guise as a project for Jerry’s excellent mid-western band Gaunt. Jerry left the label to concentrate on Gaunt and Bela continued to pour hours and beers into the label. We have worked with a variety of bands (mostly Ohio, mostly Columbus) including: Moviola, The Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, Jenny Mae, V-3, Gaunt, Guided by Voices, Ass Ponys and Mike Rep. in the Naughts we have had the pleasure to work with: Ghost Shirt, Kyle Sowash, The Lindsay, Connections, Obnox, Winter Makes Sailors, Terribly Empty Pockets, the Whiles, and a few more. Here’s to 20 years!” Cheers from Aquabear!
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21 – 9pm:
9:00 – St. Lenox
9:30 – Winter Makes Sailors
10:00 – Obnox
10:30 – New Bomb Turks
11:30 – Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments
12:15 – NECROPOLIS – covering Gaunt
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22 – KIDS SHOW: 6-8pm – Free
Orchestraville
Chris Biester (from Appalachian Death Ride)
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22 – ADULTS: 8pm
8:00 – Belreve
8:45 – Jenny Mae
9:15 – Kyle Sowashes
10:00 – Moviola
10:45 – County Pharaohs
11:30 – Connections
12:30 – Greenhorn
Dude Locker 4 is in Columbus this Saturday, October 20 with Keelhaul, Lo-Pan, Bastards, Ampline, Hookers Made Out of Cocaine, Horseburner, Bridesmaid, and much more
Way back when the Aquabear was just a baby bear cub… one of the first folks we ended up working with and meeting in this crazy world of Ohio music was Joel Archibald (at the time of Lemon House Collective, The Husher, and a whole bunch of other things). Like minded people just end up finding each other right? Joel is still doing incredibly sweet stuff and has been involved with the happenings at Dude Locker (a wearhouse/work space in Columbus) since in started back in ’09 (along with Lo-Pan’s Jesse Bartz and Skot Thompson who are also pretty awesome dudes as well) and is helping to put on the 4th installment of a really badass lineup of music at a warehouse in Columbus. Dude Locker 4 takes place this Saturday, October 20 at 527 East Hudson Street in Columbus, Ohio. Tons of bands, a skate park, awesome food, record swap, vendors, and more. $5 donation for traveling bands and its BYOB. Some of the Aquabear’s favorite acts are slated to play starting at 2pm (in reverse order) with a new one every half hour:
Battle Axe, Keelhaul, Lo-Pan, Rebreathers, Bastards, HeevaHava, Hookers Made Out Of Cocaine, Sistered, Nervosas, Horseburner, Before The Eyewall, Neon Warship, Bridesmaid, October, Aspen (ck), John Lancaster, Red Sun, Ampline, VES, The Unclean, SRVVLST. Go support good stuff and see alot of great bands, and you can attend and share on Facebook too.
A winter picture for a summer show: Lost Weekend’s annual Summer Show at Ace of Cups in Columbus This Friday and Saturday
Columbus, Ohio’s Lost Weekend Records (one of many damn fine record stores in the capital city) will host their annual Summer Show this coming Friday and Saturday August 17th and 18th at Ace of Cups (2619 N. High). The yearly tradition is similar to their anniversary shows held in February, a bunch of awesome bands playing in one weekend. Doesn’t get much better than that. Columbus “supergroup” Connections (members of Times New Viking, 84 Nash, El Jesus de Magico), WV White, Nervosas, Altered States of United Snakes, The White Outs, and more will all play.
From the Facebook event:
“5 bands each night, music starting at 8:30 sharp each night. We have just about confirmed all our bands and look for full details soon, I will say that we have a good blend of some pretty neews bands as well as old favourites and one cool reunion band (well a re-reunion band that recently reunited at one of the Rock and Roll High School Reunion shows earlier this year) more will be revealed stay tuned for more info. Ok here are the line-ups for the most part, we will update with any changes.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17
8:30pm Sonic Roach Destruction Unit.
9:30 pm Skilletllickers
10:30 pm Nervosas
11:30 pm Messrs
12:30am The White Outs.SATURDAY, AUGUST 18
8:30pm The Twits
9:30pm The Dirty Biscuits
10:30pm – WV White
11:30pm – Connections
12:30am Altered States of United Snakes
also between bands Jimmy Carl Black from Heatwave and Cool Brother Kyle will be DJing between bands.
Aquabear Legion wishes you all a Happy New Year! We can’t wait for 2012 to get started (we have lots of great stuff planned) but you still have a chance to see great live music tonight to ring in 2012 no matter where you are in Ohio. Below are some of our picks…
ATHENS:
Casa Cantina – Sportfishing USA, Chickenpussy, Hex Net, The D-Rays, Weird Science | 10pm – $5
Jackie O’s – Duke Junior & The Smokey Boots and The Porters – food, music, more | 8:30pm – $15-$25
The Union – Â Elemental Groove Theory with the Paul Elisha Band | 10pm
COLUMBUS:
The Summit* – The Bygones, The Ferals, Space Aces, The End is Nigh* | 10pm
Kobo – The George Elliot Underground, Cadaver Dogs, Karate Coyote, Dirty Girls, The Kraze | 8pm
Ace of Cups – Envelope & DJ Detox, Freaky Franz & Cornelius Jackson, Sex Tide | 9pm – $5
Carabar – Â Struck by Lightning, Masakari, MF Gnar, Axe Bomber, Prosanctus Inferi | 9pm
Rumba Cafe – The Spikedrivers | 10pm
*lineup has changed a couple times, check venue for details
CLEVELAND:
Now That’s Class – 5th annual Now That’s Class NYE Party with Keelhaul and Uno Lady | food, drinks, more | 10pm – $25-35
GRANVILLE:
Brews Cafe – Black Owls and Sparrow Bellows | 9pm – $5
CINCINNATI:
MOTR Pub – You, You’re Awesome | 10pm
Southgate House – LAST SHOW – The Dopamines, Dear Landlord, Banderas, Vacation, The Frankl Project, Mixtapes, White Walls, New Creases, Be My Doppelganger, SHIVS, Army Coach, Loudmouth and many others | 9pm – SOLD OUT
Everyone will play in that order with Alwood Sisters kicking the evening off and Black Owls closing it. Doors at 9pm and music starts around 9:30!
$5 for 21+ | $7 for 18+
So, Aquabear Legion has spent a lot of time getting official these past few months and filing for our non-profit status (more on that in another post) and as a result we have been going through the archives…
What follows is an almost complete list of around 150 bands and musical projects we have worked with since 2004. This includes about 60 Aquabear shows and events, 8 compilations, and those who have committed so far to our upcoming 2011 compilation. Aquabear could not be more proud… thanks guys.
Athens and Columbus legends Orchestraville will be playing THIS WEEKEND: Friday, September 17th at The Union in Athens and Saturday, September 18th at the Rumba in Columbus. They are releasing a new LP titled “Poison Berries” which you should buy.
Hot on the heel’s of last weekends Pabst Blue Rendezvous comes another Columbus street festival, the third annual Independents’ Day. It’s a celebration of—as the name implies—all things independent, from music and art to food and businesses. 200 vendors and 50 bands will gather at Gay Street and Pearl Alley this Saturday, September 18 from noon to midnight to showcase all sorts of exciting locally-based offerings.
The fest’s four stages, organized by Central City Recording, KOBO Live, Pat Radio, Electraplay and Listening Lamp, will present a diverse array of local bands all throughout the day. The complete line-up is available here and features friends of Aquabear such as Moon High and Super Desserts in addition to Columbus heavy-hitters like Karate Coyote and Flotation Walls as well as the Athens-based Mind Fish. It’s an ambitious undertaking for a relatively small street fest, but if things run smoothly it’ll be a veritable crash course in the Columbus music scene.
Other attractions include a craft fair organized by the Columbus Crafty Cotillion, a “yardless” sale put on by the Downtown Residents’ Association of Columbus, live art care of CloudHaus, and some local theatre from the Wild Goose Creative Collective. Additionally, local restaurants Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, Barrio, Cotter’s Restaurant, Due Amici, Trattoria Roma, G. Michael’s and Skillet Rustic Urban Food will be on hand providing some local cuisine.
Whether you’re out to discover some of what Columbus has to offer or are just in the mood to show some appreciation for your local favorites, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more expansive sampling of the city’s independent output.
Aquabear gave She Bears some love (it’s a bear thing) a while back when they put out their last record. This interview is funnier than anything that I could write right now, so we will just link to that.
She Bears are from Athens, Ohio though I hear talk they will be leaving for the bright lights of Columbus, Ohio after spending the Summer touring around. Come on out to Aquabear County Fair night two a free show at Casa Cantina on Friday, March 5th to see She Bears join Dragline Bros, Manor Animals, and Chris Biester.
And take a look at the lady bears making an appearence on ACRN’s Guestlist in the video below:
The 4th annual Aquabear County Fair takes place March 4-6, 2010 in Athens, Ohio and we are thrilled to announce the lineups for that weekend! And this one is shaping up to be one of the best we’ve had…
Saturday, March 6th at The Union, 8pm
This Moment in Black History (Cleveland)
Makebelieves (Athens)
Men of Gentle Birth (Columbus)
Megachurch (Cleveland)
We March (Athens)
Sun God (Cleveland)
Weedghost (Athens/Dayton)
Friday, March 5th at Casa Cantina, 10:30pm FREE SHOW!
Dragline Bros (Athens)
She Bears (Athens)
Manor Animals (Athens)
Chris Biester (Athens)
Thursday, March 4th at The (bruce) Manor, 7pm
Seascapes (Athens)
In Silent Movies (Athens)
Thx. Tiger (Columbus/Athens)
Dead Winds of Summer (Athens)
– And look for one more event on Saturday afternoon to celebrate County Fair weekend, more details soon!
– Holy crap this is going to be awesome
Aquabear continues to celebrate our 5th birthday with the release of TWO MORE FREE ONLINE COMPILATIONS! These two go way back in the archives… The Moose is Loose is a collection of Athens and Cleveland music from 2003 and was put together by Brian Koscho right before the start of Aquabear and features some great bands (Southeast Engine, Self Destruct Button, The Franchise, Leslie Keffer, and more). The Refugee Records compilation was originally released in 2001 by Cleveland musician Dave Straub and features even more great music from across the state (including Rancid Yak Butter Tea Party, Small Object a, Neo Nothing, Washout Corporation, and more!)
