CU SOUND REVUE

When this issue hits your hot little hands, the second annual Pygmalion Music Festival will have kicked off. Over Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week, book-ended by opening and closing shows on Wednesday and Sunday, the festival will invade several venues around town. Bands and fans from all over the country will be wandering around the twin cities. Feel free to take in a stray for the weekend. Musicians are cute, cuddly and best of all, many have no other skills with which to earn their keep as your guest. This mag has already run a comprehensive guide to the fest, so I’ll just give a short rundown of what I’m looking forward to the most. Check out pygmalionmusicfestival.com for all the info there is to be had.

Thursday night at the Canopy Club, the band that has reigned supreme on my iTunes and lastfm plays for the last year, Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s, returns. It’s hard to describe just how perfect their music is to me, but a few things to note: amazing harmonies, killer songwriting and a stage bursting with musicians. If you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing the band, check out myspace.com/margotandthenuclearsoandsos. Headlining the show is Murder By Death, another Indiana band that’s garnering national buzz. Ever seen the rock brought by a cello? Even if you answer yes, I doubt you’ve seen it like this, and by such a lovely person. Local rockers Shipwreck, along with Low Skies, The Metal Hearts, and Unwed Sailor round out the bill. The show is $10 in advance, and $12 at the door, unless you were smart and bought a festival wristband!

Friday my heart lies at Cowboy Monkey, but mainly just because Darling Disarm is playing, and I’m in that band. But don’t go just because you want to see my smiling face. Also playing is 2006 CU Local Music Awards winner for best live band, elsinore, St. Louis indie kids Gentleman Auction House, and Howling Hex (10 p.m., $7). The early Krannert show with Danielson and Dave Bazan (of Pedro the Lion, Headphones) will be a good place to hipster watch.

Urbana is hot on Saturday, with the Polyvinyl Show at the Canopy (of Montreal, Headlights, Owen, and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin). Over at the Iron Post you can catch two of my absolute favorites, the Wandering Sons and the Elanors. The way the crowds have been building every time the Sons play in CU is a testament to just how amazing they are. And, having recently added the Elanors’ Adriel Harris to the lineup, the Sons will have some new arrangements to show off. The Elanors make their first post-CD release stop here, after having hit the road with Husky Rescue after last month’s Highdive show. Don’t let Noah Harris’ lack of a sales pitch while on stage fool you, he has a brand new CD to sell you, and it’s fantastic. Rounding out the bill are Judah Johnson and Ellestel (9 p.m., $7).

Sunday night is the post-show at the Iron Post (ha, post) in Urbana. It’s free, and will feature Casey Daniel and Water Between Continents, as well as several surprise sets.

What’s the moral of this story? Get out and see some music this weekend. We’re lucky to have something like this happening in our little burg. The wristband is a good call if you’re going to try to hit a ton of shows, but even if you only have time for one or two, do your best to make it. Head honcho Seth Fein will be running around like a madman at the Urbana shows, while the esteemed veep, Mike Ingram, will be cracking the whip in Champaign. Say hi to us, but don’t be offended if we don’t stop for small talk – it’s a busy time. However, Seth will probably say something that actually will offend you. Don’t worry, he’ll apologize in his column next week. Again, check out pygmalionmusicfestival.com for tons of info about the bands that are playing. You might just stumble upon a new band to treasure.

And finally, a word about the Sarah Michelson’s bar guide in the Kitchen Sync. It seems to be all anyone can talk about lately, so I thought I would add my two cents, which no one asked for. Yes, we all love the Blind Pig, and yes, we all have our own problems with service, drinks, decor (wait, what? decor?) and “the vibe,” so it’s not really worth it to comment on that. My only real problem with the reviews was the lack of specifics involved when things like music were brought up. Saying that Cowboy Monkey is, “mediocre for live music,” without expanding on it seemed a tad irresponsible to me. What’s mediocre about it? Are the bands not good, or is it the sound system? Sure, there was a limit to the amount of words that she could turn in, I imagine – but if that’s the case, why bother to scratch the surface so meekly like that? Some of the comments just seemed unneeded, and as if they didn’t have much knowledge on the subject to back the words. The sound is muddy at the Canopy Club? But I want to know more!! Oh well, I guess that’s just what you get when you try to squeeze all there is to know about a bar into a tiny paragraph. Regardless, I like Sarah, and look forward to reading things from her that go into more detail.

Mike Ingram wants American TV to be more like Japanese TV. He encourages you to head to YouTube and search “Japanese Tongue Twister.” He is a musician and booking agent, and the Local Music Director at 90.1 WEFT, where he books WEFT Sessions. He brakes for most animals, but tries to run over opossum. You can reach him at forgottenwords@gmail.com.

Leave a Reply