| PAST REVIEWS & FEATURES
May 2004
Features
Pedro the Lion
This kind of change may not make Pedro the Lion king of the music industry jungle, where overplayed repetition dominates, but their adaptability will certainly ensure their survival.
http://www.crushermagazine.com/featpedro.htm
February 2004
Features
The Star Spangles
Today, the band has a nice, cushy Capitol Records deal in their pocket. While they're still slumming it on the Lower East Side, at least they're doing it on their own terms.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/features/star_spangles.shtml
Blue October
When asked what's their advantage over other acts in the over-saturated rock market, Justin replies simply, "We don't have one. Every band has their chance at working their ass off, and if they do, they do, and if they don't, they're pussies."
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/features/blue_october.shtml
CMJ
A lot of musicians see the CMJ Music Marathon as not just an opportunity to be heard, but as an opportunity to get a deal - the deal that will allow them to quit their day jobs, the deal that will solidify their faith in themselves and their music, and the deal that will make everyone think twice before writing them off ever again. Here's hoping they don't get too caught up in the race.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/features/CMJ.shtml
Reviews
Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash
A magnificently eclectic, undeniably orgasmic frenzy of hip-shaking musical forte. Although the diversity makes it difficult to call this an album, per se, each track does its part to maintain the momentum necessary to keep you movin'.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/reviews/basement_jaxx.shtml
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Take Them On On Your Own
In a musical era where basically everything new you hear is actually something you've kind of, sort of already heard before, BRMC's latest, Take Them On On Your Own, is a stimulating slap in the face.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/reviews/brmc.shtml
Gov't Mule - The Deepest End: Live In Concert (CD/DVD)
It's far from typical, but some bands are just a hell of a lot better live. Gov't Mule finally transcends its history as an Allman Brothers spin-off by launching this double CD and DVD set.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/reviews/g_mule.shtml
Guster - Keep It Together
What makes "Amsterdam," and the album as a whole, so commendable is not its anthemic pop awareness and gently frolicking guitars, nor its inescapably catchy rhythmic intro so similar to that which has become so successful for The White Stripes and The Strokes in recent years…it's the beautiful, buoyant melodies that float intelligent lyrical compositions that are both realistic and extremely tangible.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/reviews/guster.shtml
Bill Mallonee - Perfumed Letter
His solo career has produced the same simple and well-crafted pop songs - not particularly appealing, but difficult to ignore. Mallonee's live performance, however, is considerably more compelling - he's worn and weary from the years of touring, but his calm demeanor belies a comfortable home awaiting his return.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/reviews/Mallonee.shtml
Paul Westerberg - Come Feel Me Tremble
Absolutely authentic all the way through, from the endearing "Hillbilly Junk" to the yearning "Meet Me Down The Alley," it's more about power than speed for Westerberg, as the opening "Dirty Diesel" might suggest. It sounds just like its name implies - gritty enough to convince you of its legitimacy and fiery enough to start your engines.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/reviews/westerberg.shtml
Ian Moore Live From The Cactus Café (DVD)
Moore hasn't been one for showboating since his blues guitar solos of the early '90s, and this was ultimately what separated him from his relations with Capricorn Records a few years later. His most recent performances, of which …Cactus Café is a perfect representation, are stripped bare of embellishments - coming off as natural and genuine as one can get onstage.
http://www.altarnative.com/2004/feb_march/reviews/ian_moore.shtml
September 2003
Features
Johnny Marr and The Healers
Marr's own motivations for making music are nowhere as evident as in the recording studio, where he readily admits his addiction to making music. "I do actually say 'I fucking love making records' very loudly sometimes in the studio at three o'clock in the morning, because someone's played something amazing."
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/features/marr.shtml
Michelangelo
Michelangelo's classical training (piano, then tuba), educated background (NYU), and car travel (see intro) has evidently led to a musical sensitivity that is all but lost on most urban pop songwriters.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/localnative/thelocals/Michelangelo.shtml
Reviews
Dirtywhite Fashion - 13
This one wins most truly likable debut album of the year, and it's a wonder the guys from Dirtywhite Fashion aren't already mega superstar recording artists with overplayed radio hits… Commercial, yes, but consistently clever.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/reviews/music/dirtywhite_fashion.shtml
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Everyone Deserves Music
Listening to Everyone, it's easy to figure out why Franti's music appeals to the masses.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/reviews/music/franti.shtml
Johnny Marr and The Healers - Boomslang
Marr's comfort and confidence in his music shines through on this one, and the overall listening experience is everything one would expect from The Smiths - emotional, entertaining, energetic and egalitarian.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/reviews/music/marr.shtml
Milwaukee - …in sounds
Careful arrangements, sensitive vocal stylings, and soaring middle eights make this album rise above the junk heap of other 21st century pop-rock acts.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/reviews/music/Milwaukee.shtml
James Moore - Firefly
Moore doesn't try to make any grand statements, achieving a rare thing on an album these days: coherency.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/reviews/music/james_moore.shtml
Pistol for a Paycheck - Into the Arms of the Mother of Hate
Evidently influenced by the Beatles as much as Bad Religion, the Pistol boys successfully support their superficial anger with a deeper emotionality.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/reviews/music/pistol.shtml
The Shut Ups - It Hurts To Be Seen
This is the distinct progeny, the "love-child," if you will, of The Beach-Boys, Cher and Cheap Trick. Think tongue-in-cheek humor of They Might Be Giants, but with more musicality.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/reviews/music/shut_ups.htm
Sunny Jain - As Is
Even as Jain takes a backseat, as a drummer is wont to do, it's clearly his leadership and effort that make this band a driving force in the New York jazz scene.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/september_october/reviews/music/sunny_jain.shtml
August 2003
Reviews
Urban Sun - Junction Boulevard
Gorgeous vocals that simultaneously range from Stevie Wonder to Jeff Buckley, put American Idol contestants to certain, immediate, and completely justifiable shame.
http://www.crushermagazine.com/revurban.htm
The Sabians - Shiver
While this is The Sabians second release, and few surely heard their first, they don't seem to have much to say for the last five years as a band. Ardently putting forth aggressive prog rock melodies does not a good album make, and they seem to be resting on their laurels as another hard-assed, Tool-influenced pseudo-metal outfit.
http://www.crushermagazine.com/revsabians.htm
The Contes - Bleed Together
Still unsigned to a major label, the Contes are floating at the top of the well of obscurity that plagues most passionate pop-rock acts. No danger of drowning, here, though, they're just getting their feet wet.
http://www.crushermagazine.com/revcontes.htm
Rob Sbar Noesis - Wagon Wheels and Atom Bombs
A full 40 minutes of guitar solos can get old really fast - unless you're a preteen boy with the pipedream of becoming the next Steve Vai. Sbar gets it right, though, with a dichotomy that's both challenging and creative.
http://www.crushermagazine.com/revrsbar.htm
Mon Electric Bijou - Songs Made From Plastic
Although it sounds strikingly similar to what was cutting edge 25 or 30 years ago, Mon Electric Bijou worships the heroin/punk era, not in a celebratory way like The Strokes, but in an elegiac manner, mourning the loss of culture that produced evolutionary music like The Kinks and The Stooges. And rather than simply pay tribute to the foundations laid by such legends, Mon Electric Bijou actually builds upon them. For every guitar chord you've heard before, there's a unique phrasing that you most certainly have not.
http://www.crushermagazine.com/revmonelec.htm
May 2003
Features
Miller's Farm
Unlike Nashville, Austin or Memphis, Brooklyn's subway suburbia doesn't equate to a breeding ground for the genre. But that doesn't stop Miller's Farm fonder Bryan Miller from playing what he refers to as country music for city folk.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/may_june/localnative/thelocals/millers_farm.shtml
Reviews
Blue2Noise - Shapes and Lines
Nothing says New York like a good, hard-working indie band, and nothing says hard work like a quality production such as this.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/may_june/reviews/music/Blue2Noise.shtml
Casey Holford - Bad Spell, Good Spell
Be sure to check him out, before the current trend towards John Mayer pop turns you away from singer-songwriters--- even classy, emotionally mature and musically capable ones such as Holford.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/may_june/reviews/music/casey_holford.shtml
Jack Grace - Stayin' Out All Night
With a bit of twang and a lot of soul, Graces' stories are articulate ("Greasy Smile"), agonizing ("Cigarettes") and amusing ("Worm Farm"). His sarcastic wit is edgy, his tone laid-back and loose, but the deep penetrating voice and haunting lap steel are what linger.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/may_june/reviews/music/jack_grace.shtml
Valeze - Come Undone (EP)
Their songs hit all the right notes, so to speak; they simply need to strike the right chords.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/may_june/reviews/music/valeze.shtml
February 2003
Reviews
Petracovich - Blue Cotton Skin
Basic guitar chords and folk roots are still evident in Petracovich's debut, but the finished product is highly polished and has about as much in common with Ani Difranco as the Ritz-Carlton does with Motel 6.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/feb_march/reviews/music/Petracovich.shtml
Kasey Chambers - Barricades and Brickwalls
She's got the same old-country nostalgia of Patsy Cline and Jimmy Rodgers, but the everyday girl-next-door sensibility of Lucinda Williams and Shelby Lynne. Emotional without being sappy, hard and gristly but still passionate and sexy, the album is completely authentic and never apologetic.
Van Morrison - Down the Road
True to its title, the quintessential traveling album. Perfect for listening to on the road, in the airport, or just somewhere wishing you were somewhere else, this CD imparts a sense of freedom and comfort within playfully poetic pop songs and sentimentally sweet ballads.
http://www.altarnative.com/2003/feb_march/bestof2002.shtml
November 2002
Features
Conquistador
What makes Conquistador's audience show up again and again? "Our biggest asset is that every other band sucks."
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/november_december/localnative/thelocals/nyc.shtml
Reviews
Conquistador - What's Up Fireball
Although often unabashedly swaggering like a drunk redneck in heat, What's Up Fireball still manages to be as charming and seductive as James Bond in a tux.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/november_december/reviews/music/conquistador.shtml
Happy Hour - Whatever Makes You Happy
Happy Hour's name fits the bill --- like the watered-down drinks you get as most bars' "specials." It's tasteless, colorless, odorless, and basically senseless drivel that won't even get you a cheap buzz.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/november_december/reviews/music/happy_hour.shtml
September 2002
Features
SOS
Self-conscious and self-indulgent, but not without a little self-incrimination, this Queens-based hard rock outfit that continually waves "the white trash flag" (a disgustingly dirty, smelly, stained excuse for an A-shirt prominently displayed at every show) is really quite sophisticated and socially conscious.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/september/localnative/thelocals/nyc.shtml
Reviews
Jason Liebman - The Driest of All Seasons
What could easily be termed sensitive and vulnerable is too challenging to be weak. He expresses a definite cynicism, but also a hopeful escapism, and continually treads the line between realism and idealism.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/september/reviews/music/liebman.shtml
Veraspeed - Lithium Switch
Lithium Switch features plenty of hard rock staples --- loud guitars, voracious beats, and dynamic vocals. The band's overwhelming appeal, however, lies in their ability to capture all the extra effort they expend onstage into a packaged product, i.e. the CD.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/september/reviews/music/veraspeed.shtml
May 2002
Features
b-sides
It's one thing for a recording studio producer to get up and jam with a band in the studio, but it's quite another to actually become an integral member of the band.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/may/features/bsides.shtml
Reviews
b-sides - Yes Indeed, the b-sides, Quite (The Best of the b-sides)
Continually keeping the listener on their toes by inventing curious compositions and jarring juxtapositions, the b-sides conjure up comparisons to forefathers Led Zeppelin and The Beatles as well as more recent fixtures Morphine and Ben Harper.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/may/reviews/music/bsides.shtml
Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution - A Call to Arms
I've never been a huge fan of ska-punk; the urgency of it makes me nervous, and someone needs to teach fans of it how to dance. But something about this five-song EP by 15 varied and talented musicians makes me want to keep listening again and again.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/may/reviews/music/bandits.shtml
April 2002
Features
The competitive New York City music scene can be discouraging for many bands, but Pole Position has a unique take on the contention.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/april/localnative/thelocals/nyc.shtml
Reviews
Benj Clarke - Out Through The In Crowd
A lot of the songs on the cleverly titled Out Through the In Crowd tip a hat to many past greats such as The Beatles and Steely Dan, but that's about as far as the relationship goes. The instrumental textures with sometimes-outlandish juxtapositions of rhythm and melody are all Clarke's own (with "a little help from his friends," of course).
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/april/reviews/music/benj_clarke.shtml
Rockets to Mars - Underneath the Halflight
This 11-song panorama of pure Pop pleasuredom reminds us that simplicity and pleasantry carry a lot of value. It's still rock; it's not wimpy. It's just fun. And who says there's anything wrong with that?
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/april/reviews/music/rocket_to_mars.shtml
March 2002
Reviews
The Gifted Children - Chinese Food Takeover
Although "Chinese Food Takeover" is officially an EP, there are enough short songs that are long on originality to deem it a full-length album.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/march/reviews/music/gifted_children.shtml
February 2002
Features
Tragic Sense
Possessing an almost innocent, dreamlike quality, the songs can turn on a dime to become brutally honest and convey an intense sadness.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/february/localnative/thelocals/nyc.shtml
Reviews
Honey Barbara - I-10 & W. Ave.
Subversive lyrics and techie style music mesh into an aurally astounding array of well produced, albeit self-produced, pleasingly cynical accounts of life in the middle of America.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/february/reviews/music/honey_barbara.shtml
January 2002
Features
Z. Wheeler
Z. Wheeler understands that any band's success rests not just on their musical talents, but also on their marketing and business skills and a continuing musical education. " But when it comes down to it, the whole business side of music for Z. Wheeler is just a means to an end - having a job they'll love.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/january/localnative/thelocals/nyc.htm
Reviews
Z. Wheeler (demo)
While contagious choruses alone do not make a successful demo, Z. Wheeler sells us its highly singable tunes with a solid effort at serious songwriting.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/january/reviews/music/zwheeler.htm
Imaginary Bill - [self titled]
Despite any initial misgivings and urges to trash it at the bottom the heap, another listen will keep this album in your permanent collection. As the opening track, "Clark Kent," asserts, "You turn me off when you turn me on."
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/january/reviews/music/imaginary_bill.htm
Pete Yorn-Musicforthemorningafter
Although Music…included the typical songwriter's repertoire of forlorn tunes written for desperate friends and lovers, Yorn infused it with a pop appeal no one could ignore.
Prince-- The Rainbow Children
Name and symbol changes aside, there is no denying that Prince has class. The Rainbow Children displayed the man at his best --- fully matured, confident, comfortable, and sexier than ever. Philosophically spiritual and at the same time crudely primitive, this album was sophistication at its finest --- a perfect welcome mat for the new millennium.
Chris Whitley-- Rocket House
Masterfully "borrowing" from the past rather than stealing, Chris Whitley's Rocket House captured the dirty roots of rock while fully anticipating its creative future. Pulling together a wide array of instruments and influences, including some fine-tuned electronic efforts by DJ Logic, Whitley crafted another elegant collection of masterpieces in their own right.
http://www.altarnative.com/2002/january/2001best.htm
October 2001
Features
Nicola
Nicola successfully harnesses the unleashed power of Aretha Franklin and the raw emotion of Ani DiFranco, while softening it with the gentle lilting of Tori Amos and the tender sentiment of Billie Holiday. She is strong and fiery, yet she has a big heart and a sensitive spirit.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/october/localnative/thelocals/nyc.htm
August 2001
Reviews
Funktellignece - …Until Now
Our generation needs to find our own voice in modern music, and while it's intelligent to look back and learn from the past, it's not so funky to repeat it.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/august/reviews/music/funktelligence.htm
Ian Moore - Via Satellite
Ian Moore's Via Satellite is a live album created for listeners - those who cannot make it to a live performance, those who enjoy the live performance so much they want to hear it all the time, and those loyal fans who continually yearn for any new material.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/august/reviews/music/ianmoore.htm
June 2001
Features
Homunculus
Traditionally, a homunculus is the idea of a little man that lives within our heads, which sees the images and words we see and understands them for us. This Homunculus not only supplies comprehension, but also incites crazy dancing and musical fanaticism everywhere it appears.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/june/localnative/thelocals/cincinnati.htm
Reviews
Homunculus - Words
Although Homunculus may seem a bit frenzied and more than a little eclectic, don't all the little men in our heads?
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/june/reviews/homunculus.htm
Twigs - Epicure
Although the Twigs sound may take some getting used to, it's the multiple layers that make this album worthwhile. Catchy pop melodies laden with thrashy guitars and carefully cultivated lyrics characterize Epicure, and it may take a while to dig through the mud to find the gem, but it's there.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/june/reviews/twigs.htm
May 2001
Features
Freekbass
Energizing crowds all over the Midwest, Freekbass is instigating a resurgence of funk… As the band asserts in their groove-based millennium tune "2YK," "The funk is the truth and the truth is the funk."
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/may/localnative/thelocals/cincinnati.htm
Reviews
Freekbass - Body Over Mind
While Freekbass's straight-off funk attitude may lead people to believe the band's sound is outdated, a closer listen makes it clear that clever intricacies update that sound for the new millennium.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/may/reviews/freekbass.htm
Promenade - Save the Radio
A local favorite for their frequent live performances, Promenade's Save the Radio is full of melodic wonders, complemented by simple beats and catchy lyrics.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/may/reviews/promenade.htm
April 2001
Features
Travis Brant
Brant's vast instrumental abilities and talents are showcased brilliantly on Fuzzy Biscuit. Brant's songwriting is simple and direct, but also somewhat naive. "As a musician, I like groups who are geared more toward technical playing," says Brant, citing Rush as a prime example.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/april/localnative/thelocals/cincinnati.htm
March 2001
Reviews
AbbotFinney - [self titled]
In a musical Eden, this handsome, quite-talented quartet would be the musical gage for bands seeking the crushes of a teenage girl audience, and we would never again have to endure another sleepless night of a Backstreet Boys nightmare.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/march/reviews/reviews_index.htm#abbot
Mojosmoke-- Time Bomb, Baby
Distinctly Modern Rock with a classic edge, all of Mojosmoke's tunes are approachable. The duo's traditional blues influence is evident, but without the threat of old, hashed-out Southern Rock. And the maturity of the songs, especially in the lyrics, appeals to a wide variety of listeners.
http://www.altarnative.com/2001/march/reviews/reviews_index.htm#mojo
February 2001
Features
Uptown Sinclair
The band certainly emphasizes fun in music-making, but never mistake Uptown Sinclair's relaxed attitude for laziness. Hill defends their professionalism, saying, "We take writing songs seriously."
"But we don't take ourselves seriously," Pfeiffer is quick to add.
http://www.altarnative.com/feb2001/localnative/thelocals/cincinnati.htm
Reviews
Jag Star-- The Beginning
Expertly fusing classical strings with typical rock instruments, the husband-and-wife duo execute highly unique, difficult harmonies with apparent ease.
http://www.altarnative.com/feb2001/reviews/cd.htm#jag
January 2001
Features/News
Cincinnati Local Native
In Critic's Choice Music Awards, The Stapletons won Best New Artist, CEA veterans The Ass Ponys took Album of the Year with Some Stupid with a Flare Gun, and The Simpletons (surprise, surprise) garnered Artist of the Year. The evening also included dynamic performances by local favorites The Fairmount Girls, The Simpletons (yes, them again), and Steve Schmidt Quintet. Even with a sparkling new CEA Award to boost their egos, Lucky & The Zionites are keeping their regular appointments at The Mad Frog every Thursday night.
http://www.altarnative.com/jan2001/localnative/local_native_main.htm
Reviews
Ian Moore-- And All the Colors...
From the satiric "Johnny Cash and his Electric Bible" to the euphoric "RollerCoaster" and the quietly observant "Oceansize," the album showcases Moore's outstanding ability to craft a wide variety of emotional masterpieces. As a songwriter, his wit is unprecedented, and as a musician, his proficiency is unmatched.
Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise-- Time to Discover
Combining a young, energetic band, an old, blind Alabama-born street musician, and a guest appearance by Kid Rock, this Motor City album could be easily confused with staged, overproduced money-hungry debuts. But Time to Discover, RBBS's sophomore effort, is quite the opposite - a classy, artful modern blues-rock album.
Yo La Tengo-- And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
The one thing that keeps Yo La Tengo on the cutting edge is that they keep changing. This album isn't a major departure from what they've done before, but it certainly sounds more developed, more cohesive and is a major step in the right direction.
http://www.altarnative.com/jan2001/jan2001.htm
December 2000
Features/News
Oval Opus
Oval Opus, always conscious of the possibility of crossing the line between originality and marketability, admits to purposely creating a radio-friendly album, but adamantly defends their position.
http://www.citybeat.com/2000-12-07/musiclocalsonly.shtml
November 2000
Features/News
Cincinnati Local Native
In more local news, bands are renaming and reforming. Big Bill Pickle & the Jerkin Gerkins are now The Warsaw Falcons. Jam band Ray's Music Exchange continues under the same name, while exploring new horizons with side projects Soma, Uncle JoeBob, and Nu Porno Nation, which play the Barrelhouse downtown on alternating Tuesdays.
http://www.altarnative.com/nov2000/localnative/local_native_main.htm
Psonica -- High Tech, Low Life
The debut album for two-year-old Psonica, High Tech, Low Life represents a highly esteemed effort to bridge the generational gap between classic rock, 80s new wave, and today's modern rock.
http://www.altarnative.com/nov2000/nov2000.htm
October 2000
Features/News
Cincinnati Local Native
Although summer's over, don't count out outdoor music festivals just yet. WorldJam, Oct. 7 and 8 at Sawyer Point, will feature an extremely diverse array of regional, national, and international artists on two stages, beginning at 1:30 p.m. each day. Saturday's lineup includes local favorite Lucky and the Zionites, Chris Duarte, Paula Monsalve, Koko Taylor, and Ekoostik Hookah. On Sunday, listen for Greg Schaber and High Street, Robin Lacy and DeZydeco, Angelique Kidjo, New Europa Troubadours, and Emmylou Harris. The free (yes, FREE) event, sponsored by the non-profit Cincinnati Arts Festival and Delta Air Lines, also has plenty of multi-cultural, interactive activities for the little ones in your group. And bring Rover along - he's invited, too, courtesy of Iams.
http://www.altarnative.com/oct2000/oct2000.htm
Reviews
Yun Hui - Disoriental
This Indianapolis chickrocker explores a wide range on Disoriental, implying that she's still in the experimental stages. Yet she expresses a signature sound, which leads one to believe she's already found her niche, and plans to stay there. This unfortunately leaves little room for the next album, but rest assured that Hui will discover new paths to follow and avoid a future one-hit-wonder syndrome.
http://www.altarnative.com/oct2000/reviews/reviews_index.htm
September 2000
Features/News
Cincinnati Local Native
Benefit concerts are not just for the big cities anymore. Cincinnati was host to two such shows in one weekend this past month. Local band Kruhm hosted a festival concert at Seasongood Pavilion in Eden Park Friday, August 11. Organized by students to raise awareness among young people about labor rights and sweatshops, the event featured 42 Real, Hook 22 and Hypnopaedia.
The following day, supporters of public broadcasting gathered for a Psychodots tribute at Southgate House, where ten bands (both electric and acoustic) played covers of Raisins, Psychodots, and Bears songs. Proceeds from the concert went to WAIF-FM, Cincinnati's public radio station.
http://www.altarnative.com/9_2000/9_2000.htm
Reviews
Allergic To - [self titled]
A handwritten press release, a pure do-it-yourself dorm room recording, and three 21-year-olds in T-shirts and flannels - music doesn't come much cheaper these days. But every now and then, one encounters a real bargain. The fuzzy guitar effects are actually enhanced by the cheap recording equipment, poor microphone techniques and generally bad acoustics of dorm room architecture.
http://www.altarnative.com/9_2000/reviews/reviews_index.htm
August 2000
Features/News
Cincinnati Local Native
Summer is good for making a few changes. And lately it's only been for the better. Downtown Cincinnati's popularity is definitely continuing to grow, but it's not just the dance clubs and meat markets. The Overflow has been the one gem in the Main Street scene for the last few months. Here, you can hear the best local rock acts in a small, musically supportive venue almost every night of the week.
http://www.altarnative.com/issue21/issue21.htm
June 2000
Features/News
Cincinnati Local Native
Freekbass' Jammin' On Main show was so well received by the general public that organizers, who recently revived the LaRosa's Party in the Park, invited them out to do a free outdoor concert on May 24. The weather couldn't have been better, and despite concerns of how the conservative after-work crowd would respond to this far-out funk group, the early evening show proved to be a huge success. Little children danced around the steps in front of the stage, to the delight of the band and its fans. Too bad one overzealous 30-something male fan copped the kids' idea and tried to jump up on stage with the band. Parents made a mad dash for their kids and security had to kindly ask the man to move elsewhere.
http://www.altarnative.com/issue19/issue19.htm
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