Aye Aye, Captain

The release of Ryan Groff (lead singer of elsinore)’s solo CD has been pushed into June to accommodate the pressing time involved now that he has signed to local label Parasol Records. What was originally slated to be his CD release show will still take place in an altered state tonight at Cowboy Monkey, where Ryan will play a solo set on guitar and piano. He’ll be previewing some of what you’ll hear on the new release, People in the Midwest, along with elsinore favorites and a cover or two. Also on the bill is Larry Gates, making a rare solo acoustic appearance. Hopefully he’ll have some new material to preview as well, though a set of songs from his time as the frontman of Lorenzo Goetz would not disappoint. This show will also mark the debut of the new lineup of the band Darling Disarm, fronted by local songstress Kayla Brown. Backing her this time around will be P. Tyler Bundy on bass, Jim Treichler on drums and myself on guitars (OMFG self-promo!). Other acts are rumored for the show, so you might show up to find even more than you bargained for. The cover is $5 and showtime is 10 p.m.

Local hip-hop artist Krukid doesn’t have any shows this week, but the word is that his delivery of his album to Rawkus Records in New York City for inclusion in the Rawkus 50 was a success. This should mean that his new album, African, will get all sorts of promo from the label. That’s great news for a very deserving artist. If you haven’t caught Krukid around town, be sure to check out myspace.com/krukid.

Friday evening offers another show from Aye Aye Booking at the IMC in Urbana. The early show (6 p.m.) features Frank Must Go, The Matches, This Is Me Smiling and JigGsaw. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door, and the show is for all ages. Down the block at the Iron Post, The Leigh Meador Piano Trio will kick off a set a 7 p.m. for only $3, followed by a 9 p.m. show with Miami Heat Latin Jazz featuring Carlos Vega, also $3.

Mike ‘n Molly’s will offer another beer garden show on Friday, this time with MSF (Mad Science Fair), Brother Embassy, North of Grand and Trouvere. Again a reminder that a beer garden show at Mike ‘n Molly’s means that you can sit at a table, enjoy a drink, and smoke without having to get up! It’ll only cost you 5ish bucks, and it will commence at 8 p.m.

Saturday night will host what is being called the first CU Punk Fest, though I imagine some punk fests of the past will have something to say about that. This fest is being held at Megan’s house, which is somewhere out on Bloomington Road near Rising. I don’t think it’ll be too hard to find, really. Look for some horrified locals milling around outside the event and then park anywhere! Alleyway Sex, Carbomb Lottery, The Cockblocks, and many others are slated to perform, and the event is free. That’s right, it’s FREE, people. Kickoff is around 3 p.m.

Also at 3 p.m., the Iron Post has a show with Stone Crik, which Iron Post owner Paul Wirth describes as an “old-timey string band.” Cover is $3. For the late show, the Iron Post will host No Secret at 8:30 p.m. $4 cover.

Saturday night also gives you the opportunity to listen to the smooth sounds of Bruiser and The Virtues at Cowboy Monkey. This is good for a couple of reasons. The weather is supposed to be great, meaning you can sit in the beer garden all night. Plus, The Virtues, led by guitarist Bruce “Bruiser” Rummenie, happens to be one of the best bands in town when it comes to blues, swing and rockabilly. $4 will get you in the door with a 9:30 p.m. start.

The Highdive will run with a rare Sunday show this weekend, and for good reason. The folks in Minus the Bear (Suicide Squeeze Records) have left the comfort of their Seattle homes to tour the country, and we’re lucky enough to have them stop in, along with support from Chin Up Chin Up and Honorary Title. Minus the Bear represents some of the best of what the Seattle experimental scene has to offer, and is touring behind a new remix album, meaning we may see some new versions of some old favorites. Chicago’s Chin Up Chin Up has made several CU stops, playing alongside bands like the Appleseed Cast and of Montreal. Be prepared for awesomeness. 9 p.m. showtime, $14 in advance, $16 at the door.

This week’s WEFT Sessions band is Snowsera, the drummer-less local band that has been making quite a splash in the scene. See what all the fuss is about by tuning in to 90.1 FM on Monday night from 10-11 p.m. WEFT Sessions is a weekly live music show that features local artists. More info at weft.org.

The Beauty Shop will once again rock a mid-week show, this time throwing down at the Canopy Club this Wednesday. They’ll share the stage with Dress Code, Reds, and Super Stick Figure – 9 p.m., $5. Check out a new demo clip from The Beauty Shop at myspace.com/thebeautyshop.

Mike Ingram can be reached at forgottenwords@gmail.com.

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