Ben Meyercord's Live Music for Tuesday, March 2nd

Hello Dear Readers,

Last Night I played at the Know in AristeiA along with Westfold and Wild Yaks. Let me start from the end of the show to the beginning. I have no idea how the set went. People seemed to like it though. I had fun. We played a new song that we hadn’t played in front of people before. Before us was Westfold they also debuted a new song. So funny to think that the now rock band started as an acoustic guitar and bass duo. The night started out with Brooklyn’s Wild Yaks. They rocked out like what I imagine actual “Wild Yaks” rocking out might look and sound like. I learned from my friend that they have played New York City every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for over a year and a half with out fail (except when on tour). That is an insane amount of playing, speaking of which:

Rotture is rumored to have a show with Wild Yaks (NY) and Dragging an Ox Through Water. Wild Yaks like to play and it shows. The drummer reminds me of Animal which is to say that the band plays with a lot of energy. There are many parts where everyone in the band seems to be singing at the top of their lungs. It is a spectacle to be sure. They are not who I would immediately think to pair with the mostly slow but completely engaging highly experimental folk music of Dragging an ox Through Water. Brian Mumford the man behind Dragging an Ox has an amazing voice and really nice finger picking style that he often interrupts with bursts of home made oscillator noise outbursts. I can’t get enough. Last night The Yaks announced that they would be playing somewhere with Dragging An Ox, so I wend to Dragging An Ox Through Waters blog, and sure enough saw that would be playing together at Rotture. It may cost some money and probably starts at 9 PM.

The Woods is having a show with Pikara, Black Heart Moon, and Alameda. Pikara is a band they I have written about a few times now but have yet to see. I know that what I have heard sometimes makes me think of a mix between The Dirty Three and Black Heart Procession fronted by a woman. Sometimes it’s not like that at all. Black Heart Moon is a band that I really enjoy. It is based around the music created by Catherine O’Dell and Perry Pfister though almost always joined by David Dyas on lapsteel. I highly suggest you come out to this show because it will be one of their last. I think that the way the guitar and vocal melodies play and intertwine with the acoustic bass is just a thing of beauty. It doesn’t hurt to have such an expert player as Mr. Dyas laying down some sweet leads and atmosphere. Alameda is a band that formed from the ashes of Strangers Die Everyday, a string based instrumental rock band that I really wish I had seen more of before they called it quits. I have not seen them yet but I really want to. The show is $3 and starts at 9 PM.

Mississippi Studios is having a show with Rocky Votolato (Seattle), Blunt Mechanic, and Michael Dean Damron. Yes this is a very Seattle-centric show. But it also looks like a pretty good one. Rocky Votolato is one of those sensitive acoustic guitar singer songwriter type folks. But, as I recall, he is a step above the rest. Then there is Blunt Mechanic which essentially is Ben Barnett’s new band. I had the pleasure of opening up for this band the other week in Seattle. He mentioned that he was going to be playing this show solo on an acoustic guitar and playing a lot of songs from his old band. If you are familiar with his old band, Kind of Like Spitting, you know that this is a very rare thing. He seems to generally not want to look back. So this is a special show. So get out you old KOLS records and find out which songs you like so that you may scream it’s title out in hopes that he will play it, because he just might. Oh and Michael Dean Damron will play his sad sounding rough life whiskey drinking country tunes as well. The dude is a bit of a badass and sounds the part too. The show is $12 and starts at 9 PM.

If you see me at any of these shows please say, "Hi". I will be all like, "Do I know you?". And you can be all, "No.". It will be awesome!

-Ben


Black Heart Moon will play one of their last shows tonight at the Woods.