Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for Friday, October 9th

Hello Dear Readers,

Friday Night! Whoooo! There are probably a million shows going on tonight. But these are the ones I have my eye on.

Friday, October 9th

Dante's is having a show with Richmond Fontaine, Federale, and Kelly Blair Bauman. Richmond Fontaine has been around forever. Back when I was in high school I was into this thing called alternative country. There were these bands like Wilco and Slobberbone that seemed to be country music but not all stupid like the stuff played on the radio. I began to look for more bands like that which lead me to Richmond Fontaine. Now listening to them after years and years I feel like they are not really breaking any musical ground, though I do really like their music. What sets them a part is the storytelling that their songs posses. They are usually downers, but they are interesting and keep you listening because you want to know what happens to the character in the song. Federale plays spaghetti western music straight up. It is mostly instrumental and all awesome. Kelly Blair Bauman plays Americana in the same ballpark as Richmond Fontaine but, he has a much smoother voice and is a little bit more pop. I like it though I have not listened to it much. The show is $8-10 and starts at 10 PM.

East End is having a show with Black Elk, Mico de Noche (Seattle), and Nether Regions. This is a heavy show. I mean it probably isn't the heaviest show ever, but it there will be loud guitars and screaming vocals. I am usually not into this sort of thing unless the music is really cool. And honestly I am finding more and more that heavy bands do have really cool music. Black Elk is what drew my attention to the show. They are a first listen a kinda metal band. But then your are like"wait a minute. That's some June of 44 type stuff going on there". Or if I was going to compare them to other bands I would say maybe some pelican with young widows with some other metal band. Nether Regions are the exactly half metal, half psychedelic (maybe a little to much so for my tastes). This show will cost some money, and start at 9 PM.

Someday Lounge is having a show with Strength, Sugar & Gold (San Francisco), and Jeffrey Jerusalem. Did you guys know that I like to dance? Cause I do. But only I think I prefer somebody who performs it live. Is that called disco? Whatever you want to call it all of these bands actually play instruments to make your limbs start moving around eventually causing your ass to shake. Both Strength and Sugar and Gold write actual songs and play guitars and keyboards. I think Strength is awesome because they sing about non-tradition dance music topics. Take for instance their song Metal which describes a girl who listens to metal (she will probably be at the Black Elk show). And even though Jeffrey Jerusalem is mostly a one man show relying heavily on his laptop, he often gets on various percussive instruments (he is a drummer after all) and engages the audience like he's in a band not like a DJ. The show is $5-7 and starts at 9 PM.

So if you see me at any of these shows, please say "Hi". Please then explain that you read the blog so that I don't drive myself crazy trying to figure out how I know you.

-Ben


This video does not do STRENGTH justice. You would actually have to see them at Someday tonight to see what it is really like to see them.