The rumor mill had been buzzing about it, and last week Lorenzo Goetz officially announced that they will play their last show on New Year’s Eve. Incense shares took an immediate hit. It’s a sad moment for the local scene, as the only band funky enough to challenge Brother Embassy for the CU funk throne calls it quits after six years. The current lineup of Larry Gates (original member, lead vocals, guitar, chinstrap), Josh Miethe (original member on lead bass, now on guitar/raps), Eric Fisher (bass, tank-tops) and Jesse Greenlee (drums, backing vocals, fu Manchu), is the strongest lineup of a band that grew to be one of the best and most popular acts in town. In recent years, the band has toured all over the Midwest and East Coast, even playing CBGB’s in New York City on a few occasions. They have won several local awards, including back-to-back wins for “Best Rock Band” at the CU Music Awards in 2005 and 2006. The drunk girl who pulled a monitor off of the stage and onto herself during Lorenzo Goetz’s last Cowboy Monkey show was not available for comment, but I think she would be sad. She’s all about the music. Hopefully we’ll see the band’s members all move on to other great things. Thanks for all the great music, LG. Check out lorenzogoetz.com or myspace.com/lorenzogoetz for info about the few remaining shows.
Tonight at Cowboy Monkey you’ll find Jay Bennett, with Death Ships and locals the Tractor Kings. Jay has long been a CU favorite, having been a member of Wilco for years, and having put out some great collaborative work with Ed Burch after leaving Wilco. He has a new CD, The Magnificent Defeat, and is touring to support it. Check out some tracks at myspace.com/jaybennett. One of my favorite bands, Champaign’s Tractor Kings, will support. Showtime is 9:30 p.m., and the cover is $6.
Friday night, Muncie’s This Story rolls into town in their tour bus, which used to be a SWAT bus. Seriously. Is your tour bus a bus that was made for a SWAT team? Yeah, mine isn’t, either. Damn it. I want one. The best part about this is that the band is playing at Courtyard CafÇ. Where the hell are they going to park? This could be an epic parking journey. The band is part of the huge group of great bands currently coming out of the Indiana woodwork. Made up of at least eight members at the moment, most of which play several instruments, This Story has been a touring force in the Midwest. Check myspace.com/thisstory. Their Courtyard show starts a 9 p.m., and is $5 ($4 with UIUC ID). Berry opens.
Saturday night Watery Domestic plays a show at the Iron Post, with Bloomington-Normal band the Hubbards. Watery Domestic has recently acquired a new drummer, tightened their sound and moved up the wedding date of singer/guitarist Seth Hubbard and singer/keyboardist Rachel McArthur. Congrats to them. Showtime is 9 p.m., and the cover is $5.
Other options for the night: Duke Tumatoe (he was in REO!) & The Power Trio at Cowboy Monkey (10 p.m., $10), doing two sets. Probably Vampires at Canopy Club – shirtless and sassy-rocking your ass right off of you (9 p.m. $5).
The Canopy Club stays open on Sunday and Monday, hosting Flogging Molly and the Wailers, respectively. Head over to canopyclub.com for more info. And then on Tuesday, elsinore plays their third Rehearsal Space set. Enjoy cheap drinks, no cover and the band making fun of drummer Dave Pride – you guys are mean. Start time is 10-ish.
Also on Tuesday, local band Desafinado will release a new CD at the Highdive at 7:30 p.m. The band is one of the area’s finest world beat acts. Simone de Silva’s vocals are a treat.
Monday night’s WEFT Sessions artist is Jane Boxall (drummer, Triple Whip), who will be doing a solo marimba performance. WEFT Sessions happens every Monday night on 90.1FM at 10 p.m. The show hosts live, local music.
Looking ahead to next week -Lovedrug will play the IMC on Friday (10/27). This will be the third appearance in CU for the band in a year, having opened for Switchfoot at Follinger last spring, and then headlined the Canopy Club over the summer. Their CD Pretend You’re Alive has been a favorite of mine since I first stumbled across it, and they are absolutely outstanding in a live setting. The show is all ages, starts at 8 p.m., and is $10 in advance ($12 at the door).
Coming soon: Halloween weekend of justice! The mystery of Tritone revealed! A Nate Jones Christmas! Don Gerard vs. anyone that will listen! Openingbands vs. openingblands! The Champaign of Blogs vs. the Champagne of Beers!
Mike Ingram is buying flip-flops and going as Seth Fein for Halloween. He was going to go as Coulter, but he didn’t want to shave his head and he looks silly in those hats. He only likes the tiny pumpkins, and not the big ones that you carve. He is a booking agent, sometimes a musician and the local music director at 90.1 WEFT. You can reach him at forgottenwords@gmail.com.
