Vaudeville Mews Event Calendar

Our Time to Shine - Tue, February 21, 5:00 pm

With: Nu Depths, Horizon, Kemyst, Joey Ashby, RJ4GOD

Tue, February 21, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $5

All Around Hip Hop Presents...

Tikly Launch Party - Wed, February 22, 5:00 pm

With: The Nadas, Seedlings, Parlours

Wed, February 22, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $0

The Vaudeville Mews presents...

Tikly is a ticketing service that places the tickets back in the hands of the talent. With lower overhead and no external commitments, we provide lower service fees to the fan and more revenue to the band and/or venue. We are focused on making the entire ticketing experience, from event set-up to settle, a positive one.

Unknown Component - Thu, February 23, 7:30 pm

With: Seedlings, The Half Hearts, I, Colossus

Thu, February 23, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $5

folk/pop/alternative

Unknown Component is the musical project of Keith Lynch based out of Des Moines, Iowa. To date, the project consists of seven self-released independent albums, and two unreleased albums, volumes I and II. All of which were written, and recorded by Lynch. The most recently released album, titled 'The Infinite Definitive' was made available in the fall of 2010.

Rabid Rabbit - Fri, February 24, 5:00 pm

With: Taciturn, Omens, Primal Breath

Fri, February 24, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $5

Metal Up Your Tap presents...

In support of their upcoming new album entitled "Czarny Sen" out December 6th on BloodLust! Records, Chicago-based female-fronted doom machine known as Rabid Rabbit has just premiered the first new track from their forthcoming release at AOL's Noisecreep.com. Titled "Goliad," the second track on the album prods and pummels the listener into a dark oblivion that provides the soundtrack to a slow deep spiral into the center of the universe. Fans of Babes in Toyland and L7 looking for this decade's new hero of a front-woman take note, this is about as brutal and beautiful as it gets.

The Autumn Project - Fri, February 24, 9:30 pm

With: Fetal Pig

Fri, February 24, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

progressive/rock/alternative

The Autumn Project was first a simple one time moniker for the solo work of Mike Gustafson, upon the musical introduction of life long friend Jess Huffman and his brother John Huffman and two years of experimenting in the basement we are now again The Autumn Project, but in instrumental form. Formed officially in 2000, it wasn't until 2003 with the release of The Autumn Project's debut record "Fable" that TAP began moving forward into the direction we are heading now. After two West Coast tours, countless Midwest outings and 3 full length records The Autumn Project are setting the stage for national exposure. After self releasing "La Luna de Negra" in 2004 and signing onto Imagine It Records for the re-issue of "Fable" in 2005, The Autumn Project have now signed with the Boston, MA label Deepsend Records. Both Deepsend and Imagine It Records are best more in the hardcore metal worlds and we feel that we fit into that realm better than any other.

Mrs. Glass - Sat, February 25, 6:00 pm

With: Eric Kennedy

Sat, February 25, Doors: 6:00 pm - Show: 6:30 pm - All Ages. - $5

blues/soul/alternative

Mrs. Glass plays the blues in Austin, Texas. He ain't from Texas though, and he don't play Texas blues - thank the lord. Armed with an acoustic dobro and a voice that transcends his twenty-two years of age by many a decade, Mrs. Glass resurrects songs from the Mississippi Delta on his self-titled debut, and although borrowed, this young man from NOLA by way of Iowa does the sound right. The result blows like a fresh autumn breeze into the bluesy soul of the Capital City.

Ghost Science - Sat, February 25, 9:30 pm

With: HooD-TeK, Jesse Jamz, Rawdogg, MindBlur

Sat, February 25, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

dubstep/bass/electronica

Matt Marlow AKA Ghost Science has always had a love for music, playing drums and guitar most of his youth. He has spent many of his teen years going to shows on the jamband scene mostly following Phish. In 2004 he went to his first Sound Tribe Sector 9 show which opened the doors of electronic music and the beat scene where he found a home. After a few years of listening to everything from drum and bass to downtempo IDM he was introduced to dubstep in 2007 and fell in love. In 2008 he decided to give production a try and he has been making bass oriented music ever since. Matt is always on a constant path of learning and refining his sounds. Ghost Science shows vary from live PA to DJ sets making him a versatile performer, DJ sets range from anything like future bass, downtempo to thugstep and straight filth. He is always able to read a crowd and sure to deliver a good show. At the forefront of the local emerging bass community his goal is to bring ground breaking cutting edge music to his local music scene and getting his sound out to the masses. Ghost Science is about evolving into a constant flow of change while making a soundtrack to your life. Be sure to watch out for this emerging artist in 2011.

Rock Band Concert - Sun, February 26, 1:30 pm

Sun, February 26, Doors: 1:30 pm - Show: 2:00 pm - All Ages. - $0

Central Iowa Music Lab presents...

Central Iowa Music Lab (CIML) was created in 2009 by James Biehn, a prominent musician/instructor in the Des Moines area. The goals of CIML are twofold: 1. To give a student enough musical skills to creatively interact with other musicians 2. To incorporate computer and Internet technology into each student's lessons to help accelerate the learning process.

Rock Band Concert - Sun, February 26, 4:00 pm

Sun, February 26, Doors: 4:00 pm - Show: 4:30 pm - All Ages. - $0

Central Iowa Music Lab presents...

Central Iowa Music Lab (CIML) was created in 2009 by James Biehn, a prominent musician/instructor in the Des Moines area. The goals of CIML are twofold: 1. To give a student enough musical skills to creatively interact with other musicians 2. To incorporate computer and Internet technology into each student's lessons to help accelerate the learning process.

Ben Bennett - Sun, February 26, 7:30 pm

With: Distant Trains, Matthew Dake's Homoerotic Air Strike, Office Park

Sun, February 26, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $5

noise/experimental

Ben Bennett is a totally legit musician based in Columbus, Ohio. He is continuously looking for ways to make the most varied and visceral array of sounds from the simplest instruments. His ongoing investigation of the drum set has led him to distill it to its essential sound-making apparatus - the vibrating membrane. He plays an evolving pile of often home-made instruments, which includes tuned drum heads, frame-drums, rubber stretched across a hoop, rubber by itself, sheet metal, and wind instruments with reeds made from drum heads. All this stuff fits easily on his back or on his bike, and can get rained on, dragged along the ground, or tossed down the stairs with no worry. Unencumbered by expensive, delicate, or complicated gear and electronics, little if anything stands between the sounds heard and the bodily movement required to make them.

IN DEFENCE - Tue, February 28, 5:00 pm

With: Nancy Grace Death Squad

Tue, February 28, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $6

punk/hardcore/punk

Rocky Loves Emily - Wed, February 29, 5:00 pm

With: Display Case

Wed, February 29, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $10

pop/rock/alternative

What is the American dream? For Rocky Loves Emily that dream isn't a white picket fence and a nine-to-five job. For them, the dream is something unique to each person, something that can only be defined from within. For Rocky Loves Emily, the American dream is traveling around the country in a beat-up van, making friends, and playing music that brings joy to people's hearts. The pop-rock group, who hail from a suburb of Detroit, MI, has lived their vision every day since the band formed in early 2009. They released their first EP at the stroke of midnight that New Years Eve posting three songs on the Internet, just to see what would happen.�� The response was so positive the group booked a show at a local venue in Detroit; a performance that evolved into many more throughout 2009 and 2010. Rocky Loves Emily self-booked their own tours, aiming to hit the same cities every few months to reconnect with the friends and fans they met across the country.

The Jackboys Winter Showcase 2.0 - Thu, March 01, 5:00 pm

With: The Kid, C Note G, Yung Hogg, Yung Sir, Swagg Team, Casper C Matic

Thu, March 01, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:45 pm - All Ages. - $7

rap/hip hop/alternative

The Jackboys are an emerging young group that doesn't live inside the boundaries that other "independent" artists live by. They don't try to define their sound or put it in a specific category or just do one thing. The Jackboys have a very diverse sound and any one of their songs could be about a number of different things. The Jackboys consist of Kik B (24), P.C. (24), and T-Baby (23), and they were formed on the streets of Des Moines, Ia...515...."Dirty Money Island". Fueled by a never-ending supply of "T-Baby Beats" The Jackboys have one goal and that is to be heard and they are pushing hard with all new music, promo tours, merchandising and more all coming very soon! 2011 is the year you will hear about The Jackboys....start spreading the word and telling your friends now!

Stevie Stone - Fri, March 02, 5:00 pm

With: DJ P. Caso, P-Nut, Lil Scooby, Kemyst, Bomber, 5.1.5.

Fri, March 02, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $15

rap/hip hop/alternative

Strange Music is proud to announce the newest addition to its roster — Stevie Stone. Best known to Tech N9ne fans from his performances on the K.O.D. Tour, as well as the standout track "Midwest Explosion" that featured Tech, Stevie Stone proudly carries the torch for Midwest rap. "I'm home" Stone said when asked about how it feels to be signed with Strange, "It's something I've been wanting for a long time — it feels like it was destined to happen. It's a testimony that if you believe in something, work hard at something, that dreams can come true". With an instantly recognizable voice, energetic stage show and impressive lyrical skills, Stevie Stone and Fly Moves Productions definitely found a fitting home with Strange Music. There are definitely big things in the future for Stevie Stone and his crew.

Maxilla Blue Album Release Party - Fri, March 02, 9:30 pm

With: DJ Episode, Old Irving w Robust, Qwazaar (Typical Cats)

Fri, March 02, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $8

hip hop/rap/soul

Led by the cue of Dj TouchNice, powered by the production of Aeon Grey and anchored by the vocal illustration of Asphate Woodhavet, the Des Moines based trio provides listeners with a dense, immovable, and often somber or "blue" bite of this reality as well as the next. Hailing from an often overlooked and undernourished locale, Maxilla's creative approach has found it unnecessary to bend to the common trends and popular evolution of rap culture. As a result, the crew's intepretation of music remains intact amidst failed fads, and followers of the work understand the natural encouragement to bend the enigmatic sound illustration to their own interpretations, adding to the timeless quality of each piece. Each member, an avid vinyl collector of over 10 years and dedicated practitioner of his respective craft, carries the innate desire to create, regardless of the recognition attached.

Cleo's Apartment - Sat, March 03, 7:30 pm

With: Mumford's, Longshadowmen, Vag of Courage, Brutus and the Psychedelic Explosions

Sat, March 03, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $7

funk/soul/folk/jazz/experimental

Cleo's Apartment is a well-known and beloved Des Moines institution. Originally a duo of keyboards and a DJ created in 1998, the group gradually added horns, percussion and in 2006, a vocalist. Cleo's Apartment combines elements of funk, jazz, soul, electronic, hip-hop and rock to create a "kitchen sink" that appeals to youngsters and oldsters alike. The creativity never stops with Cleo's Apartment and with their constantly evolving sound they offer something for everyone to enjoy. Last year's showing at 80/35 kept a lot of fans and newcomers standing in the rain just to hear their full set.

Ocelot Eyes - Sun, March 04, 5:00 pm

With: Marah in the Mainsail, Diamonds For Eyes, Chris Fairbank, Brianna Brewster

Sun, March 04, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:15 pm - All Ages. - $5

folk/pop/alternative

Once, there were four little baby humans who were abandoned out in the wilderness to die. But strangely, a pack of wild ocelots happened upon them one day. The ocelots took in the little humans and adopted them, raising them to manhood. The time in which these fellows left their ocelot families was very bittersweet indeed. But it was bound to happen someday. The last memory they have of their ocelot family is those sad, deep, Ocelot Eyes wishing them well in their future endeavors. However, the boys moved into regular human society. They often play music together and occasionally they invite their friends to have a listen. However, they still have a few "ocelot quarks"...occasionally they can be heard speaking ocelot amongst themselves...

At War With Giants - Mon, March 05, 4:30 pm

With: Taking Strides, Kings, They Will Repent, Stand By Your Anchors, Impact of Reason

Mon, March 05, Doors: 4:30 pm - Show: 5:00 pm - All Ages. - $5

screamo/experimental/hardcore

We strive to make music that not only people enjoy listening to, but music that they can get lost in. Music is about emotion and expression. Within all of us is a passion, a journey, and a dream. The most important thing in life is to live, and we choose to share our experiences, our emotions, and our lives through music in hope that someone will hear it and be happy with the gift of life they have been given.

Sara Routh - Mon, March 05, 9:30 pm

Mon, March 05, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

folk/acoustic/rock

Mid-Western born, bi-coastal housed, world traveled and recently Shanghai settled girl striving to do good things daily. They all seem to start and end with music. All my songs tell stories of people I've met along my journey. I push through all the steel doors put in my way and come out the other end a stronger person. I think that's what we all really want to do. Come out the other side, a stronger person.

Water Liars - Tue, March 06, 7:30 pm

With: Why Make Clocks, Canyons, Eric Kennedy

Tue, March 06, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/folk/soul

Perhaps one of the greatest albums in Misra's canon, Water Liars' debut was entirely unplanned. Recorded on a whim, with one microphone, the then unnamed rock band — consisting of St. Louis, MO songwriter, vocalist, guitarist J...ustin Kinkel-Schuster and Oxford, MS drummer, producer, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bryant — casually convened to play and record. Over the course of three days, in the small milltown of Pittsboro, MS, a series of ineffable and magical recordings came together. It was one of those seemingly providential experiences — far too remarkable to be denied. Water Liars was born.

The Oak Creek Band - Wed, March 07, 6:00 pm

With: Thankful Dirt

Wed, March 07, Doors: 6:00 pm - Show: 6:30 pm - All Ages. - $7

americana/folk/rock

The Oak Creek Band is a 5 piece American Rock group originally from Sedona, Az - now based out of Denver, Colorado. The groups sound is described as an eclectic mix of folk and soul influenced indie-rock. The band is known for its soaring 4-part harmonies, original melodic arrangements, and it's high energy live performances. Oak Creek is currently working on its second EP entitled, "Fingerprints", with the release date set for Spring 2012. The bands members include founders Daniel and Jenna Watters on guitar and lead vocals, Paul Morris on guitar and piano, Steve Rodgers on Bass, and Carl Sorensen on Drums. Oak Creek regularly tours the southwest and looks to expand its circuit to the southeast in 2012.

Labirinto - Thu, March 08, 8:30 pm

With: Skin of Earth, Statocyst

Thu, March 08, Doors: 8:30 pm - Show: 9:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/progressive/experimental

Formed in mid-2003, by friends who sought to materialize their various musical and personal influences through instrumental composition, Labirinto seeks to create textures and environments full of imagery, as in a movie soundtrack, in which the scenes are on account of the listener's imagination. The dedication and the diligence of Labirinto's first album drew attention of the specialized media, that acclaimed Anatema as one of the best 2010 releases and as a fundamental piece of the current effervescent post-rock worldwide scene.

Unicycle Loves You - Fri, March 09, 7:30 pm

With: The Wheelers, Wolves In The Attic, Love Songs For Lonely Monsters, The New Bodies

Fri, March 09, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/pop/alternative

Chicago's Unicycle Loves You is unabashedly a noise-pop band, but not in the (no-fi) sense that Sisters, Japanther, Railcars, or early No Age jams are noise-pop. Rather, singer/guitarist Jim Carroll, singer/bassist Nicole Vitale, and drummer J.T. Baker author lo-fi indie-pop bangers that graft together figurative bits and pieces of underground 1990s/2000s bands they love with oddball sonic feints ...and samples. In Unicycle songs-which somehow manage to combine "mid-tempo" with "high-octane"-you might encounter trace amounts of My Bloody Valentine, Belly, Guided By Voices, Of Montreal, the High Water Marks, the Fiery Furnaces, The Strokes, and Belle & Sebastian, bathed in Carroll and Vitale's mawkish, harmonized sarcasm and concentrated bursts of effects-pedal napalm. - The Village Voice

As They Sleep - Sat, March 10, 4:30 pm

With: Nightshade, It Lies Within, Micawber, Agrinex

Sat, March 10, Doors: 4:30 pm - Show: 5:00 pm - All Ages. - $10

metal/thrash/death metal

As They Sleep delivers brutally heavy and savagely technical death metal of the highest order, crafting songs that put all pretenders to shame with energizing riffs and blasting disharmony. Dynasty, the band's second album and Solid State debut, proves exactly why they were chosen as "The Next Great Metal Band" in a 2009 contest presented by Metal Blade & Metal Hammer. At a time when many so called "metal" bands are absent any true knowledge about or dedication to the genre's roots, this fearsome fivesome shares more in common with Suffocation and contemporaries like Despised Icon and Black Dahlia Murder than anything trendy. Presented with pulverizing precision, Dynasty was mixed by powerhouse audio wizard Jason Suecoff (All That Remains, DevilDriver, Demon Hunter). Tracks like "Bedlam at the Nile" and "To the Republic" are driven by the fire of true heavy metal which burns deep inside As They Sleep

Havokkrier - Sat, March 10, 9:30 pm

With: Superchief, Carbellion

Sat, March 10, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $3

metal/rock/alternative

Havokkrier hails from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is striking the metal music scene with an aggressive style that forges European Metal, Thrash Metal, and Death Metal into their own unique breed of fast paced, high energy music. With charged lyrics that provoke thought, riffs that ignite, and solos that engage the soul, Havokkrier delivers a musical feast to the metal masses. Havokkrier was formed in 2007 by founding members Curt Harman and Douglas Burch. Jason Feight, formerly of Leven, was brought in later that year and Mark Allen completed the line-up in the Fall of 2007. Since its formation, the band has been playing their home state of Iowa and surrounding states with the mission of bringing new fans to the "Metal Fold". Havokkrier can be described as "melodic death metal", however the band strives to write well thought out, intricate, skillful, catchy, high-powered metal songs. Havokkrier is very demanding of themselves when it comes to the writing and production of their music. Havokkrier is notorious for the energy they bring to the stage during a live performance. This energy is delivered every time without compromising the technical aspects of their music that fans have come to know and love.

Roster McCabe - Sun, March 11, 8:30 pm

Sun, March 11, Doors: 8:30 pm - Show: 9:00 pm - 21+ - $8

funk/reggae/jam

Roster McCabe... mixing reggae, funk and guitar-rock... led by Steele's searing vocals and Daum's twisting guitar solos... [is one of] five up-and-coming jam bands that could draw audiences to the festivals of tomorrow. - BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Roster McCabe likes to stay one step ahead. Musically, people know they love it, but they can't fully describe it. The bands coined phrase "Funky Reggae Dance Rock" gives a good hint of what you can expect from the 5 piece rock band, but speaks nothing to the depth and sincerity of the music. Professionally, the band is leading the way in the independent music world. Giving away all of their music for free, Roster McCabe has built a large, loyal following eager to share their music and bring friends to the live shows.

Avian Sunrise - Mon, March 12, 5:00 pm

With: The Icarus Account

Mon, March 12, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $7

rock/pop/alternative

The Piano-based alternative rock group Avian Sunrise formed in the latter part of 2008 during the frigid winter months in South Dakota. Shortly after their establishment as a band, vocalist Bryan Wehrkamp's sister lost her battle with depression. This tragedy would become a major driving force for Wehrkamp and the rest of the members to write music that can connect with others, no matter what facet of life one is going through. Meeting the listener at eye-level with each song has and always will be the group's central purpose when writing and performing.

The Heligoats - Tue, March 13, 7:30 pm

With: Callen's Mudmen, Tires, Limbs Band

Tue, March 13, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $5

folk/pop/punk/experimental

We all know that "long-awaited" is overused in band bios, but ask any hardcore Heligoats or Troubled Hubble fans and they will tell you that they've worn out the edges of their seats waiting for the newest release from Chris Otepka, the man behind The Heligoats. The Heligoats was Otepka's first songwriting outlet. He wrote his first pieces in 1998 before eventually forming Chicago-based Troubled Hubble, a successful touring band that took up much of his musical energy from 1999-2005. During lulls in Troubled Hubble's career, Otepka would still write songs for The Heligoats, some of which ended up as TH songs, but most of which can be found on his various Heligoats recordings: Heated Arguments, Mountains, Sapling Sessions, etc. After Troubled Hubble played their last show, Otepka began working on The End of All-Purpose.

Toki Wright - Wed, March 14, 5:00 pm

With: Maxilla Blue, Mayda, Haphduzn, Tajh

Wed, March 14, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $7

hip hop/rap/soul

Continuing it's longtime tradition of exposing people to new voices, Rhymesayers Entertainment presents the Spotlight Series. This new series of releases is aimed at giving developing talent a platform to bring their message to the masses. Specifically priced for retail this series promises to bring emerging artists to the forefront. The first artist in the Rhymesayers Spotlight Series is none other than Toki Wright. Most known as opening act and hypeman for Brother Ali, Toki is not only a well established emcee but one of the hardest working community activists in the Twin Cities area. With numerous accolades and a tour history that has taken him from New York to Uganda, Toki Wright Is ready to take his next step with A Different Mirror.

Burnham - Thu, March 15, 5:00 pm

With: Romance On A Rocketship, Weatherstar, Kick

Thu, March 15, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $12

rock/pop/alternative

Alex, Andre and Forrest Burnham have been performing together for seven years, which is pretty remarkable because the three brothers from Vermont are, respectively, just 19, 18 and 15. Early on Burnham took over their family living room and converted it into a jam space where they honed their skills playing for four to five hours a day. "When we plug in and start playing, we lose all sense of time." After almost five years of performing live, a friend hooked them up with NY based producers, Freddy Shehadi and Andy Marvel, who signed them to their production Company, Headspinners, developed their demo package, and set-up several showcases with various major record labels.

Mad Wheel Starfish - Fri, March 16, 5:30 pm

With: Dresden Style, The Jerkles

Fri, March 16, Doors: 5:30 pm - Show: 6:00 pm - All Ages. - $5

rock/alternative

This is music. It's not pop, hip-hop, R&B, metal, or hard-rock. It will most likely never be on the radio because of that fact. There are no dance moves. There is no bassist. There are no guitar picks. Just fingers and drum sticks.

Tyborn Jig - Fri, March 16, 9:30 pm

With: The Great Sabatini, Omens, DJ Eight Ten

Fri, March 16, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/metal/hardcore

Tyborn Jig is a Des Moines, IA rock'n'roll band. They play rock'n'roll. Get used to it! R.I.P. Chris Benoit!

Strange Arrangement - Sat, March 17, 8:00 pm

With: Aquamarine Dream Machine

Sat, March 17, Doors: 8:00 pm - Show: 9:00 pm - 21+ - $7

funk/jazz/jam/psychedelic/rock

In just a few brief years, Strange Arrangement has routinely filled larger venues throughout the MidWest as their ever evolving sound steadily gains more and more notoriety. Drawing on influences from the likes of Phish, Herbie Hancock, Umphreys McGee, and Wilco, a Strange Arrangement show will take an audience through several different musical genres touching upon jazz, funk, rockabilly, soul, and progressive and psychedelic rock. Opening for National Touring Acts such as Future Rock, Outformation, The New Mastersounds, and Umphreys McGee as well as performing at large festivals like Summer Camp, Hookahville, Hoxeyville, and North Coast Music Festival Strange Arrangement's original brand of dance friendly progressive funk has music fans taking notice. The relationship Strange Arrangement shares with its ever growing audience is based around the idea of creating a moment in time where one can laugh, dance, sing, and connect with the band and its music.

Rachel Platten - Sun, March 18, 6:30 pm

With: Bess Rogers

Sun, March 18, Doors: 6:30 pm - Show: 7:00 pm - All Ages. - $10

pop/soul/singer-songwriter

Beautiful, but not brazen. Passionate, but never preachy. Populist, but definitely not prosaic. New York City singer-songwriter, pianist and beatboxer Rachel Platten is by no means your average headliner-in-the-making. Her Rock Ridge Music debut, Be Here, is a bewitching collection of 10 wise-beyond-their-years piano-driven pop songs that echo elements of Alanis Morissette, Carole King, Tori Amos and Regina Spektor, while retaining a singular sense of self that is rarely found in such a young performer. Be Here was born over the course of an epic trans-Atlantic journey that took the singer-songwriter from London to Los Angeles, on to Stockholm and then back home to New York City. At each stop, she collaborated with top-tier production teams, including Fredrik Thomander (Nsync, Lady Gaga), Jerry Abbott and Grant Black (Robbie Williams, Craig David) and the Wizardz of Oz (Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne). The results are immediately appealing, spirit lifting, heartwarming and mind opening no matter where in the world you are.

Warbringer - Mon, March 19, 5:00 pm

With: Dark Mirror

Mon, March 19, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $12

Metro Concerts Live presents...

Hardly satisfied with any of the new trends in the metal scene, we decided to take a step back and prove that old-school heavy metal is just as fucking heavy, loud, and shreds twice as hard as anything to date. Formed in late 2004, we set out to show the local metal scene that Warbringer was a force to be reckoned with, playing no-holds barred rip-roaring thrash metal. After a 4-song demo and ton...s of shows with fellow ragers like Merciless Death, Fueled By Fire, Hirax, Dekapitator, and Toxic Holocaust, we released our "One by One the Wicked Fall" EP in October of 2006. Later that year we had the privilege of signing to one of the most respected heavy metal labels in the world, Century Media.

Design the Skyline - Tue, March 20, 4:45 pm

With: The Browning, From Atlantis, Nightmares for Dreamers, Corpse

Tue, March 20, Doors: 4:45 pm - Show: 5:00 pm - All Ages. - $12

Metro Concerts Live presents...

We are Design the Skyline, a 7 piece Experimental band formed in Corpus Christi, TX early 2010. With a strong ambition and unparalleled creativity, we strive to spread new sounds and open minds throughout the world.

State Champion - Tue, March 20, 9:30 pm

With: Wolves In The Attic, Patrick Tape Fleming (of The Poison Control Center)

Tue, March 20, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/pop/alternative

As exemplified by Parson Weems and too the personality cult of Dave Thomas; a thin line exists between fact and fable. A spatial vacuum occupied only by His Airness. Gaps in parchment and in scroll are susceptible to the sway of the raconteur. Like the clay tablets of Samaria and the Annunaki creation myth, an understanding of origins is fundamental. State Champion is no different. It was June 21, 2007, the summer solstice; a 13-year old girl's legs were severed just below the knee at Kentucky Kingdom. The Hellevator was reportedly being dismantled. WHAS was running a special report. Aaron Osbourne could see Vicki Dortch, the Clip-Art graphics and the scrolling Hot Lotto picks but he was thinking about the Hellavator. He was beside himself, like DEA Agent Sean Vetter in A Man Apart after his wife Stacy is taken out by Diablo. The ghostly relics of the mid-90s came back to him one-by-one; Starchaser, The Vampire, Quake--all dismantled at the climax of their reign; scrapped and sold while the relics of their existence were doomed to fade like the taglines of dead wrestlers.

The Mynabirds - Wed, March 21, 7:30 pm

With: Big Harp, Dustin Smith & the Sunday Silos

Wed, March 21, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $10

soul/garage/country

The Mynabirds are currently in the process of putting the finishing touches on their new album. They'll be hitting the road for a short US tour in March, including dates in the Midwest, on the west coast, and down south for SXSW. Check out all the tour dates and come hear new songs live. More album info, including title and release date coming soon from Saddle Creek.

David Wax Museum - Thu, March 22, 7:30 pm

Thu, March 22, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $10

americana/folk/acoustic

Why do we need museums? They show us something familiar and traditional, while at the same time documenting our innovation, showing us possible directions for the future. This is the same reason we need David Wax Museum �" to give us music that is somehow familiar, as if it has always existed somewhere in our cultural ether, but is at the same time undeniably fresh. Recently anointed as Boston’s Americana Artist of the Year (2010 Boston Music Awards), the David Wax Museum has been called “pure, irresistible joy” (Bob Boilen, NPR) and hailed by TIME.com for its “virtuosic musical skill and virtuous harmonies.” It is no surprise that its acclaimed performance at the 2010 Newport Folk Festival was hailed as one of highlights of the entire weekend by NPR. The Museum fuses traditional Mexican folk with American roots and indie rock to create an utterly unique Mexo- Americana aesthetic. Combining Latin rhythms, call-and-response hollering, and donkey jawbone rattling, they have electrified audiences across the country and are “kicking up a cloud of excitement with their high-energy border-crossing sensibility” (The New Yorker)

Greg the Hero - Fri, March 23, 4:00 pm

With: Pressing Forward, Engage This Nightmare, They Will Repent, A Crimson Sea, There Goes My Hero

Fri, March 23, Doors: 4:00 pm - Show: 4:30 pm - All Ages. - $5

Iowacore presents...

Greg the Hero is composed of six members writing music that they enjoy. Greg the Hero recently released their debut EP "Of Defiance" which they recorded with Brian Hood at 456 Recordings in Huntsville, AL. With this release Greg has rapidly made 2011 their year and have no plans to let 2012 pass them by. They have successfully completed two US tours and are currently planning for the summer of 2012.

Smooth Money Gesture - Fri, March 23, 9:30 pm

With: The Workshy

Fri, March 23, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

funk/jam/rock

Smooth Money Gesture is infectious groove funk with ear twitching space jams, face melting solos and tight rhythmic changes. Since the new millennium, the band has been honing in on their sound, bringing their music from the East Coast to Alaska; finally landing in Nederland, Colorado where the band permanently resides. The sextet's sound is rooted in rock and roll with elements of funk, bluegrass, metal, and electronica producing a jam based high energy psychedelic creation all their own. With a variety of musical influences feeding the improvisational groove, and the majority of members contributing vocals and to songwriting, Smooth Money Gesture takes one on an adrenaline rich celebratory journey that never runs out of fuel. The band has just released their debut CD "The Grand Scubian: Evolution" and with their ever expanding tour schedule, are making forays beyond their homebase of Colorado. This next year will see them traverse the Western states and cross the great Mississippi.

Infected - Sat, March 24, 4:00 pm

With: Creepy Kids, C.H.U.D., Suburban Scum, Violent Knights, The Mutts

Sat, March 24, Doors: 4:00 pm - Show: 4:30 pm - All Ages. - $7

punk/rock/thrash

The Infected were formed by Nathan Waters, Robert Gunning and Brandon Faukner in 1993. This was the lineup for the limited release of "All the Shit You Hate", recorded in 1994 and 1995. "Buff" Mike Nagiec joined to play bass in 1995, and Sean Degan joined as second guitarist later on. Faukner left in late 1996, citing creative differences, and Degan was pressed into drumming. This lineup released the band's first full-length studio LP, "New Defiance" and the notable 'Alano' show, bootlegs of which are one of the few known live recordings of this version of the band. Kevin Davis, former member of several local punk bands, notably 'Blatherskyte' with Nathan Waters, replaced Degan on drums in 1996. A few weeks later, Andrew "Andy-Boy" Hibpshman joined as second guitarist, but moved to bass when Naigec decided to quit the band. This lineup lasted a year.[5]

Wrestling With Wolves - Sat, March 24, 9:30 pm

With: The Bitterroot Fires, Dan Mariska

Sat, March 24, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/pop/folk

Like the snarls and ferocity of it's namesake, Des Moines band Wrestling WIth Wolves tear through their unique brand of emotional rock and roll with a vengeance. Emerging from the garages of rural Iowa, WWW have begun to garner a well deserved following in and around the Des Moines metro, opening for such notable acts as Cloud Cult and Filter. Known for their explosive live show, Wolves capture the whiskey grit of rock and roll with the emotional candor of songwriting greats. The band also features Jonathan Rowl on guitar, Tyler Meinders on drums, and recently adding Gregg Cupp to the roster on bass. Their first full length album, "The Cast of Shadows" was recorded and produced by the band's singer/songwriter Danny Wolf, and released on his independent label "The Market of The Beast.""Cast" is a journey into the depths of Wolf's mind and soul.

A Loss For Words - Sun, March 25, 4:30 pm

Sun, March 25, Doors: 4:30 pm - Show: 5:00 pm - All Ages. - $12

First Fleet Concerts presents...

Brian Wheat - Sun, March 25, 9:30 pm

With: Jason Walsmith (of The Nadas), Justin Lamoureux (of Midwest Dilemma), Dan Hutchison (of Why Make Clocks)

Sun, March 25, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

indie/folk/acoustic

In casual conversation, Brian Wheat is a man who pauses occasionally, carefully pondering each exchanged word before responding. Similarly, his songwriting demonstrates fascinating detail that surpasses simple storytelling, and delves into patient studies of the emotional context surrounding a moment. Wheat's recent transplanting to Minneapolis, MN seems a fitting extension of his formative years, which were spent in rural Western New York, surrounded by a close-knit network of musicians and family. He developed a deep admiration for the tradition and intimacy of rural life school, homework, listening to classic rock radio, learning to hunt and farm. Wheat also explored his fascination with the relics and cast offs of his hometown the things that other people left behind or gave away.

The Contortionist - Mon, March 26, 4:45 pm

With: The Curse of Hail, The Boomstick Revival

Mon, March 26, Doors: 4:45 pm - Show: 5:00 pm - All Ages. - $12

Metro Concerts Live presents...

Bottom heavy open chords that resonate strong enough to shake the core of the earth. Skyrocketing bursts of oscillating guitar leads layer an ominous and dark undercurrent of rhythm. While hardcore punk may be the sound that rules the day in The Contortionist hometown of Indianapolis, it is the band's signature brand of forward thinking heavy metal that has made them stick out as hometown favorites. The band worked hard to amass a following beyond Indiana though consistent regional shows, coastal touring, and two self-released EPs. They clearly began to define their sound and grow as musicians on their EP titled "Apparition".

Drew Grow & The Pastors' Wives - Mon, March 26, 9:30 pm

With: Canyons, Nuclear Rodeo

Mon, March 26, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/soul/alternative

Across the globe, there are hundreds of young men and women who have taken up acoustic guitars, inspired by the grand folk and country tradition, and set about put their sleeve-worn hearts into musical form. But the result is often feather light and wispy and all too easily forgotten amid the din of the modern age. Not so with the music of Drew Grow and the Pastors Wives. The music on the band...'s self-titled LP (released on their own Amigo/Amiga label) shares the influence of many current indie artists, but carries with much more meat and gristle to chew on. It feels like it was molded after a long life of ups and downs, all set a soundtrack of the curlicued songwriting of Bob Dylan, the drowsy despair of Bill Callahan/Smog, and a thick stack of dusty Motown and Stax 45s.

This Must Be The Band - Wed, March 28, 8:30 pm

Wed, March 28, Doors: 8:30 pm - Show: 9:00 pm - 21+ - $10

A Talking Heads tribute band

This Must be the Band is a Talking Heads tribute. Since May 2006 they have been playing to sold out crowds all over the midwest, and have recently expanded to national touring, especially in the Rocky Mountains. They are known and loved for their ability to bring Heads music alive in a new way every show. Once a year, however, they feel the need to play Heads music note for note, and they do so by re-creating the famous Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. In 2010, they sold out the Park West in Chicago with this show, and again in 2011 at the Vic Theater. This band likes to play for many many hours, so please contact them if you feel the need to dance for many many hours.

Cheyenne Marie Mize - Thu, March 29, 7:30 pm

With: Monday Mourners, Elizabeth Arynn, Ira Grace & the Bible Belt Prophets

Thu, March 29, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $7

indie/rock/folk/country

Whimsical, haunting, dreamlike music that eschews the traditional formulae, Cheyenne Marie Mize presents a rainbow of juxtapositions. The New York Times described her 2010 debut, Before Lately, as "sweet without being cloying, weary without hopelessness," noting the vast space between notes, yet lack of air. Before Lately was a slow-burning, introspective, meditative affair. Her follow-up EP, We Don't Need (out Jan. 24, 2012 on Yep Rock) offers an expansion of the sonic palette she's established — with more dynamic moods, instrumentation, and experimentation. Using only a dense array of percussion, the opener "Wishing Well" nods to both classic R&B flavors and adventurous modern pop. A somber funeral march provides the backbeat of "Don't Call Me Beautiful" before Cheyenne showcases her upbeat troubadour chops within the resplendent piano swing of "Going Under." "Keep It" and "It Lingers" conjures a bombastic form of classic college radio songwriting. Instrumental album closer "Back Around" goes full desert chamber rock — monolithic walls of cavernous sound fill the backdrop behind spacey vocal samples and cinematic strings.

I Set My Friends On Fire - Fri, March 30, 4:00 pm

With: Greeley Estates, A Bullet For Pretty Boy, A Lot Like Birds, Engage This Nightmare, A Century at the Gallows

Fri, March 30, Doors: 4:00 pm - Show: 4:15 pm - All Ages. - $14

Metro Concerts Live presents...

Stand Up Comedy - Fri, March 30, 9:30 pm

Fri, March 30, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $3

Stand-up Comedy

Longbottom Leaf - Sat, March 31, 5:30 pm

Sat, March 31, Doors: 5:30 pm - Show: 6:00 pm - All Ages. - $5

psychedelic/rock/alternative

Longbottom Leaf is made up of Blake Brown (Cardboard Canary), Erik Brown (Grimfeather), Jordan Krohn (Fileo), and Justin Norman (Cardboard Canary, Grimfeather, Make Believe Machines). Formed in Early 2008, Blake and Jordan added Erik and Justin and completed their first Album in August of 2009. The music is questioning in nature and honest in its attempt. It often blurs the intensely personal lives of the artist with experience of the listener. We strive to bring intelligent lyrics and creative music to any who would listen.

Sons of Great Dane - Sat, March 31, 9:30 pm

With: Bright Giant, Holy White Hounds

Sat, March 31, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

pop/rock/americana

Sons of Great Dane began with singer/songwriter Brent Windler and bass player Nolle Bond. After playing lead guitar in bands around the Kansas City area, Windler moved his focus towards song structure and lyric writing. He joined up with Bond, who had been looking for a project since moving to the area. They began playing shows opening for friends, using a variety of fellow musicians to fill in as drummer and lead guitar; however, Windler and Bond remained solid in the line-up. They put their first album, "Why Ramble?" together with drummer Nathan "Jr" Richardson, and recorded in Springfield, MO with engineer/producer Lou Whitney, whose past projects included Wilco's "Being There". The album was released in 2009 and received positive reviews from The Pitch, Powerpop Station, Daggerzine, and Absolute Powerpop, just to name a few. The band was praised for their mix of country and pop influences, and favorably compared to such acts as Wilco, The Old 97's, and Big Star.

The David Mayfield Parade - Sun, April 01, 7:30 pm

Sun, April 01, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $5

americana/folk/rock

Leaving the 1956 Flex tour bus David Mayfield and his family called home to start his nightly shift at the tool and die along side his father it's easy to understand why he celebrates every performance he's afforded. David Mayfield is the "other" voice and lead guitarist, as well as a contributing songwriter for folk rock favorites Cadillac Sky, whose last album "Letters In The Deep" was produced by Dan Auerbach (Black Keys) but his role as a member of the Texas by way of Nashville quintet is just one of the many musical paths this Grammy-nominated artist has journeyed. Growing up in Kent, Ohio, David was surrounded by Bluegrass music. At the age of twelve he was playing bass for the family band, traveling from festival to festival, along with his younger sister, noted songstress, Jessica Lea Mayfield, singing and absorbing the stories and lessons taught by road hard veterans, all the while picking up tips on how to play a lick on guitar or mandolin. By the time he was a teenager, Mayfield had won several national awards for his guitar and mandolin playing and his reputation was being forged in the world of Bluegrass as a player to watch out for.

Sister Crayon - Mon, April 02, 7:30 pm

Mon, April 02, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $10

electronica/trip-hop/soul

Everyone experiences pain in life. But there are a precious few who know how to turn it into something truly beautiful. Growing up in the rougher neighborhoods of Sacramento, music was always a refuge for Terra Lopez. But it wasn't until a period of quiet isolation in Long Beach after high school that she first began to write and perform her own songs, armed only with a loop pedal, a classical guitar and her haunting voice. Music was no longer just an escape, but a way of processing and sharing her pain with the world. Around this time, Lopez wrote a letter to a close friend after a night of drinking. When she awoke the next morning, she noticed that she had inexplicably signed the letter "Sister Crayon." The name seemed to fit perfectly with the new electronically driven songs she would soon develop with Dani Fernandez (beats/programming) and Jeffrey LaTour (keyboards/guitar).

Country Mice - Wed, April 04, 5:00 pm

With: The Seed of Something, John The Bastard, Luke Rauch

Wed, April 04, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:45 pm - All Ages. - $8

rock/americana/garage

It's always refreshing to hear a band from Brooklyn that actually likes to play some good ol' rock and roll. I'm at the point where I see "Brooklyn" next to a band name and I immediately lower my expectations. I know its unfounded, but my perception is that every email submission we get from a Brooklyn band is an experimental concoction of lo-fi bedroom dream pop created on a Powerbook. But the moniker Country Mice gave me hope. A little country twang coming from Brooklyn? As I found my way to their myspace page (yes, I am the guy who still goes there) I was hoping that this wasn't some ironic name for a laptop punching hipster. Thankfully it wasn't. The four-piece incorporate their Midwestern roots with 90′s style distorted guitar. It's easy to hear shades of Crazy Horse, but I am also reminded of the punk-country band, Trainwreck Riders.

Todd Clouser - Wed, April 04, 9:30 pm

With: Dead Larry

Wed, April 04, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

jazz/funk/jam

Baja, Mexico-based-by way of Minneapolis-guitarist Todd Clouser and his band, A Love Electric, make their Royal Potato Family recording debut with 20th Century Folk Selections. The album, which is part of a series of releases planned for 2012 by the much buzzed about young jazz artist, collects eight interpretations of songs he calls "folkloric in nature." Ranging from his anthemic take on protest singer Malvina Reynolds "Little Boxes" to a psychedelicized, guitar freak out on the Beastie Boys iconic "Gratitude," Clouser displays a muso's appreciation of songs and styles through the lens of jazz-inspired improvisation. His reading of Neil Young's "The Needle And The Damage Done" deconstructs its haunted melody to uncover even deeper sorrow in the storyteller's tale, while a gorgeous straight-ahead take on Nirvana's "All Apologies" replaces Kurt Cobain's classic lyric with the dark moan of a trumpet. Special guests joining A Love Electric on 20th Century Folk Selections include trumpeter Steven Bernstein and percussionist Cyro Baptista.

Murder By Death - Thu, April 05, 7:00 pm

With: Derek Lambert & the Prairie Fires, The River Monks

Thu, April 05, Doors: 7:00 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $14

rock/indie/americana

They may call Bloomington, Indiana, home, but since their 2000 formation, Murder by Death have been a band without musical borders. Theirs is a world where Old West murder ballads mingle with rock-injected Western classicism; where an album's sequencing can take listeners from a haunted back alley in rural Mexico to a raucous Irish pub. All of which is to say, Murder by Death albums don't just string together songs; they create experiences. With their fifth album (and second for Vagrant), Good Morning, Magpie (04/06/10), Murder by Death continue the tradition of border expansion that drove career standouts like 2006's In Bocca al Lupo and 2008's Red of Tooth and Claw. The difference, however, is that this time, the band literally went off the map to get there.

Christopher Paul Stelling - Fri, April 06, 5:00 pm

Fri, April 06, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:45 pm - All Ages. - $5

gospel/ambient/folk

"The musical storytelling of Christopher Paul Stelling embodies a long road full of lush folkloric, mythological and religious imagery." - WNYC "There is a reverence in and of Christopher Paul Stelling that is immediately perceptible. It's striking and it's powerful. It's a draw. It's a magnetism that sucks you right into the landscape that he sees." - Sean Moeller, Daytrotter "...organic, southern Gothic-meets-classic folk. Everything about his performing style and songs was inspiring, refreshing, and also blissfully familiar." - Beyond Race Magazine "...it wasn't until Christopher Paul Stelling performed that the final emotional wall came crashing down. As though Stelling was reliving every emotional moment that went into the creation of each of his songs, he dug deeper than I've seen just about anyone, and everyone in the room was channeled into every second. It was heartbreaking. It was draining. It was revitalizing. It was genuine." - New York Press

Mantis Pincers - Fri, April 06, 9:30 pm

With: The Films of John C. Reilly, Darrell Hamburger & the Grease Fires

Fri, April 06, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

Clint's 40th Birthday presents...

Dark Mirror - Sat, April 07, 5:00 pm

Sat, April 07, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $6

metal/rock/alternative

We are just a group of metalheads who thoroughly enjoy playing. We don't worry about what everyone else is doing, what's popular, or getting rich because we believe the metal movement is about enjoying the music, staying true to ourselves, and supporting everyone else who is doing the same.

The Melismatics - Sat, April 07, 9:30 pm

Sat, April 07, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

pop/punk/new wave

The Melismatics formed at the turn of the century in the fertile ground of the Minneapolis indie-rock scene. Their debut album "Postmodern Rock" quickly caught the attention of college radio stations around the country and garnered favorable reviews from critics around the world. Shortly thereafter, Minneapolis indie-rock king pin Ed Ackerson (Motion City Sountrack, The Replacements, The Jayhawks) signed the band to Susstones Records and produced their next two albums "New Infection" and "Turn It On". The Melismatics toured the country numerous times over and continued to win loyal fans with their high-energy and unpredictable live shows. Their music has been featured on MTV's "The Hills," "The City"and "Laguna Beach," NBC's "Windfall"; Animal Planet's "Jockeys" and they've played such notable events as Lollapalooza, Summerfest, and CMJ. The Melismatics released "The Acid Test" on CC Entertainment/E1 Music (2008). Renowned producer John Fields caught the band performing at 2007 SXSW in Austin, Texas and signed on to produce the album. The music video for "Digging Deep" charted at #2 on MTVU and received widespread airplay.

Needmore - Mon, April 09, 5:30 pm

With: Vanity Theft

Mon, April 09, Doors: 5:30 pm - Show: 6:00 pm - All Ages. - $10

pop/rock/alternative

Self Made. No gimmicks. Meet NEEDMORE. Being some of the nicest, down to earth, midwestern-rooted boys you've ever met, they are hands down one of the hardest working groups of today. Since their "story-worthy" inception in Los Angeles, California (2007), they have been writing, recording, and touring non-stop. Named the #1 Rock Band by MTV's OurStage, and dubbed an "Artist on the Verge" by New Music seminar, NEEDMORE is quickly becoming one of the biggest buzz bands today. They have reached #1 on several US internet music charts, and are an NME "Breakthrough" Artist in the UK. If that weren't enough, Microsoft chose the band for their "Windows Media" campaign, and Delta Airlines chose their single "Lost My Way" for in-flight programming on every Delta flight around the world. To say the least, the spotlight is on them!

Too Fly, Too Affiliated - Sat, April 14, 5:00 pm

With: Oktane Gang, Kyd n Tre, Kemyst, Swagg Team, Ace

Sat, April 14, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:30 pm - All Ages. - $5

hip hop/r&b/rap

B.A.M/T.F.L IS A UP N COMING SUPER-GROUP, A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, AND SOON TO BE EMPIRE! A SKILLED,VERSITILE, HUMBLE, 4 HEADED MONSTER SO TO SPEAK. B.A.M/T.F.L HAVE COME TOGETHER TO BECOME AFFILIATED WHICH HAS SHOWN TO BE A WISE MOVE. IT HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN, STARTING THE FIRE IN THE MIDWEST, SOON TO BLAZE THE TRAIL WORLDWIDE! B.A.M/T.F.L IS THE CLICK. AFFILIATED IS THE MOVEMENT. GONE!

Tig Notaro - Sat, April 14, 9:30 pm

Sat, April 14, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $10

Stand-up Comedy

On August 2nd, Secretly Canadian is proud to release the debut album by Tig Notaro entitled Good One. She is the first and only comedian we've had the good fortunte to work with. Good One contains well crafted and silly material touching on subjects such as her family tree, Mexican hotel door signs, birthing a dinosaur, and how Taylor Dayne is the easiest person in the world to run into, amongst other things. A deluxe version of the album contains the long anticipated DVD of Have Tig At Your Party, the human equivalent to the "burning log" DVDs. Tig has had recurring roles on several TV Shows. Most notably, she played "Officer Tig" on Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program and was a Series Regular on ABC's In the Motherhood, opposite Cheryl Hines and Megan Mullally. Most recently, Tig Guest Starred on NBC's Community and is slated to appear on HBO's animated series, The Life and Times of Tim. She is currently working with Sarah Silverman on a TV adaptation of her popular monthly live show at Largo, Tig Has Friends. Tig's weekly podcast Professor Blastoff, through The Earwolf Network, premiered at #1 on iTunes on May 2nd 2011. Tig has performed stand-up on her own half hour special on Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and The Benson Interruption. Tig appears regularly at some of the most reputable comedy and music festivals such as SXSW, Montreal Just For Laughs, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sasquatch, Bonnaroo, Sketchfest and Bumbershoot just to name a few.

Watain - Sun, April 15, 5:00 pm

With: Nethervoid, Agrinex

Sun, April 15, Doors: 5:00 pm - Show: 5:00 pm - All Ages. - $15

Metro Concerts Live presents...

Watain is a Swedish black metal band, formed in Uppsala, Sweden in 1998. The name is taken from a recording by the American black metal group Von. Their first release was the 7" EP "The Essence of Black Purity" on Swedish Grimrune Productions, recorded in Necromorbus Studios 1999. The French black metal label Drakkar Productions offered Watain a deal for two full length albums, and the debut album "Rabid Death's Curse" was released in 2000. After the release, Watain toured and performed alongside bands such as Rotting Christ, Antaeus, Dark Funeral, Malign etc.

Thankful Dirt - Wed, April 18, 7:30 pm

With: ZuhG, Musical Charis, Orion Walsh, Steve Robinson & the Foundation

Wed, April 18, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $5

americana/funk/reggae

Darren and Molly Matthews, the Indie/Americana Des Moines-based duo Thankful Dirt, developed their musical artistry steeped in Iowa's music scene, a scene as fertile as Iowa soil. Since joining musical forces in October of 2008, they've performed at various Iowa venues, including coffee shops, benefits, and area bars. Quality performances attract a loyal following. Though their musical backgrounds differ, electricity sparks when they write and perform songs.

Scru Face Jean - Fri, April 20, 6:00 pm

With: Gadema w Richie Daggers, Oktane Gang

Fri, April 20, Doors: 6:00 pm - Show: 6:30 pm - All Ages. - $5

hip hop/rap/alternative

Scru Face Jean made his debut directly after graduating High School in June 2010. In his first year he dropped 5 fully loaded CD's (available at http://www.scrufacejean.com/fr_music.cfm), becoming a local phenomenon in Lincoln,NE with hopes of expanding regional and national. One of those CD's was "Ndamukong Scru", hosted by DJ Chuck T, and featured the hit track "Act A Timmy" which has over 10,000 youtube views. It has also been featured on "Down South Slangin' DVDs V. 5" and "When All Goes South v. 7". It has been played in popular bars throughout Lincoln and has been played several times on Omaha's Power 106.9.

John Lefler - Fri, April 20, 9:30 pm

With: Dustin Smith, Goatee Brothers

Fri, April 20, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

folk/pop/alternative

I hate writing about myself, but will for you - specifically. I am a musician, largely because, at this point, I am qualified for little else. I play the guitar, piano, ukulele, banjo, and tennis. I write songs, and do my best to sing them. I am from Sugar Land, TX, and currently open my mail in Dallas - though this is a secret - to all, but you. A little information about me: most of you are looking at this because, for the last 9, or 10 years, I have been the lead guitarist/pianist for the band Dashboard Confessional. That's totally cool. I'm just glad you are here. The other guys in Dashboard are my good friends, so we have a pretty good time - all the time. Sometimes, it's good to be the guy with the guitar playing for lots of people, rather than being the guy singing and playing guitar, for less than lots of people. Both good, though. Moving on...

Reflections - Sat, April 21, 4:30 pm

With: An Empire Falls, Follow By Leading, Nightmares for Dreamers, The Impact of Reason

Sat, April 21, Doors: 4:30 pm - Show: 5:00 pm - All Ages. - $10

Metro Concerts Live presents...

Iwrestledabearonce - Thu, April 26, 4:00 pm

With: Molotov Solution, Glass Cloud, The Greenery

Thu, April 26, Doors: 4:00 pm - Show: 4:30 pm - All Ages. - $14

First Fleet Concerts presents...

Iwrestledabearonce snap necks with a smile. On their debut album, It's All Happening (Century Media Records), the Shreveport, LA quintet embraces elements of grindcore, electronica, jazz, rock 'n' roll and even a little country for a chaotic aural concoction that's as intoxicating as it is incendiary. Produced by Ryan Boesch (Norma Jean) and released in June 2009, It's All Happening segues from Steven Bradley and John Ganey's syncopated spastic riffs to dance floor ready rhythms and beats courtesy of bassist Mike "Rickshaw" Martin and drummer Mikey Montgomery. Above this explosion of styles, vocalist Krysta Cameron screams with precise brutality, before crooning out hauntingly ethereal passages. On cuts like "Danger in the Manger" and "You Ain't No Family," her voice swings like a sledgehammer from bludgeoning to beautiful. On June 29, 2010 the band will unleash the It's All Remixed! CD/DVD, a reissue of It's All Happening featuring a host of remixes and exclusive video. Iwrestledabearonce could be the bastard children of Dillinger Escape Plan and Portishead, and they're just what music needs at the moment-a swift and repeated kick in the ass.

Terry Malts - Thu, April 26, 9:30 pm

Thu, April 26, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $7

pop/rock/punk

Attention Public, After careful, weeklong consideration, Terry Malts (San Francisco, CA) have decided to go forth and record a debut LP as per the request of Slumberland Records. Displaying a slick, intelligent take on modern chainsaw pop, KILLING TIME certainly lives up to its name! The wrong turns that led us here: a 6-song cassette (Log Lady; 2010, now in its second pressing), and two 7" singles (both Slumberland; 2011). Who is/are/was/will be Terry Malts? A yellow-pages private dick has gleaned the following: Corey Cunningham (guitar, backing vox), by way of Dickson, TN-cum-cardboard-box-in-Toronto, was asked to housesit in Fresno, CA. Duties fulfilled, he shot north on a graffiti trip to 924 Gilman St. and immediately bonded with fellow men's room "artists" Phil Benson (bass guitar, lead vox) and the unfortunately-named Nathan Sweatt (drums, backing vox).

Clocks and Clouds - Fri, April 27, 9:30 pm

With: The Steepwater Band, Brother Trucker

Fri, April 27, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/roots/americana

Over the years, three musicians have actively performed with several music groups all over the world utilizing almost every genre of music from classical to rock. Their experiences evolved and their paths crossed and eventually birthed the new instrumental group, Clocks & Clouds. This group culminates their passions and true desires to perform music that not only entertains, but also inspires their listeners. C&C successfully combines their classical training as well as their enthusiasm for rock 'n roll to write pieces that display the power and passion of music. This group consists of violinist Stephanie Shogren, cellist Lucas Shogren, and drummer/percussionist Derek Powers. By adding pick-ups to the acoustic instruments, guitar effects, a full drum kit, and original rock music written for string instruments, a sound is created that is instantly appealing to the audience. It was clear after their first performance that this group was going to be something that others would want to hear.

Chapters - Sat, April 28, 4:00 pm

With: Shadow of Indra, Stand By Your Anchors, The Impact of Reason, Nightmares For Dreamers, Divided

Sat, April 28, Doors: 4:00 pm - Show: 4:30 pm - All Ages. - $5

Iowacore presents...

BBU - Sat, April 28, 9:30 pm

With: Aeon Grey, Gadema w Richie Daggers, 2AM

Sat, April 28, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $7

hip hop/rap/alternative

BBU - Born out of brothels and developed underground in the subways and roadways of Chicago, IL. Bin Laden Blowing Up - also known as BBU (Black, Brown and Ugly) - is a loosely organized group of high-flying hooligans who are united under the common goal of world liberation. They lack a unified command, yet they are linked by a common ideology and capable of autonomous operation. Illekt, Epic and Jasson Perez, the three bandits behind BBU, are a product of the 80s: survivors of the inequitable public policies of the reactionary Reagan era. Their music hits Western Imperialism with a one-two punch and seeks liberation from the systematic oppression that exasperates poverty, unemployment, the crack epidemic, as well as the massive dysfunctional conditions in urban U.S.A. The Boom, Boom, Bang and the Bump, Bump, Bump are the key signs that Bin Laden Blowin' Up is getting down.

Desert Noises - Thu, May 03, 7:30 pm

With: The River Monks, Seedlings, Sara Swenson

Thu, May 03, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/pop/folk

The Provo, Utah, based indie rock band Desert Noises (Kyle Henderson, Timothy George, Tyler Osmond and Pat Boyer) recently released their excellent sophomore album, Mountain Sea, on various platforms. The digital version dropped on iTunes in October 2011. The four-piece has been blazing trails across the country, constantly on tour, throughout 2011.

Deviator - Fri, May 04, 9:30 pm

With: Superchief, Izzy Starchild

Fri, May 04, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/progressive/metal

Bassist/Vocalist Travis Kirschner, who was born on November 20, 1981, has bass playing skills that sometimes reminds one of Geddy Lee (and Les Claypool though don't tell him that), and his voice can be sometimes reminiscent of a Jack Bruce and/or a Jim Morrison, while still being able to reach the highs without struggling. Travis' stage presence is not a combination of past performers; his personality alone helps keep the band together and his sense of humor keeps crowds begging for more. He is their senior and writes most of the songs for Deviator.

Making Movies - Fri, May 11, 9:30 pm

With: Parranderos, The Uplift

Fri, May 11, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

afro/cuban/salsa/jazz

After performing for two consecutive nights at Estrella Negra and the House of Blues, the guys of Latin rock band Making Movies were thrilled to be playing once again at the Cobra Lounge for their weekend tour in Chicago. Making Movies, originally from Kansas City, Mo, is made up of Enrique Chi on lead guitar and vocals, Juan-Carlos Chaurand on percussion and keys, Nic Kolar on bass and Brendan Culp on drums. The band's set for the night included songs off of their LP, "In Deo Speramus", as well as a salsa classic, a catchy cumbia cover of "Float On" by Modest Mouse, and a few of their new songs. The guys strive to maintain a personal and friendly connection with their fans, making them feel right at ease. "We're never standoffish with our fans," said Chaurand. "We're very appreciative, and we thank them for all of the support they've given us these past two years." With no publicist or manager, the band makes its goal of being independent much more clearly. "Our goal isn't to sell as many records as possible-we just want to make the best music that we can for everyone and travel," said Chi. "We're not trying to get signed; I mean, it'd be awesome if someone came up to us and said, 'Hey, we want to sign you guys to our label and let you make music the way you want to,' but that never happens. But it's nice to be able to manage ourselves."

Redbush - Sat, May 12, 9:30 pm

With: Callen's Mudmen, The Wheelers

Sat, May 12, Doors: 9:30 pm - Show: 10:00 pm - 21+ - $5

rock/punk/alternative

Due to the fact that there is not much to do in Laramie, WY, Redbush has spent quite some time dedicated to the almighty riff. With members that have been writing music since the early 2000's, minds have met, inspiration has swelled, vast amounts of booze has been drank, all leading up to the composition of some killer songs. Influenced by rock n' roll legends Nomeansno, The Melvins, FEAR and The Who, Redbush has developed a unique sound reminiscent of a time when music didn't suck. "Aerosmith has sex appeal, Boston has sex appeal, Redbush DOES NOT have sex appeal" - Brad Williamson(professional carpet installer)

A Sound of Thunder - Mon, May 14, 5:30 pm

With: Dark Mirror, Hath No Fury

Mon, May 14, Doors: 5:30 pm - Show: 6:00 pm - All Ages. - $5

metal/rock/progressive

A Sound of Thunder is a Washington DC based, female fronted heavy metal band. Their four piece band consists of Josh Schwartz on guitar, Nina Osegueda on vocals, Jesse Keen on bass, and Chris Haren on drums. A Sound of Thunder conquers metal realms ranging from '70s blues-based proto-metal a la Black Sabbath and early Judas Priest, to triumphant modern power metal a la Hammerfall and Primal Fear. Soaring vocals, incendiary instrumentals, and classic songs combine to form an unrelenting, unapologetic slab of metal to stand the test of time.

Quintron and Miss Pussycat - Tue, May 15, 7:30 pm

With: Utopia Park

Tue, May 15, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $10

pop/rock/experimental

"Quintron has been making genre-defying noise and "Swamp-Tech" dance music in New Orleans for over fifteen years. The majority of his 13 full-length albums have the psychedelic soul of New Orleans garage R&B filtered through a tough distorted Hammond B-3 and a cache of self-made electronic instruments. He has also released strange soundscapes based on inner-city field recordings of frogs and neighborhood ambiance. Quintron regards his most significant creation to be his patented instrument called the THE DRUM BUDDY, a light activated analog synthesizer that creates murky, low-fidelity, rhythmic patterns. Notable DRUM BUDDY clients include performers Nels Cline of Wilco, Laurie Anderson, Fred Armisen, and DJ Mr. Dibbs. Quintron's permanent collaborator is none other than master puppeteer, MISS PUSSYCAT who plays maracas and sings, as well as entertaining all age groups with her highly amusing technicolor puppet shows. Hers are complex puppet shows beautifully crafted for success in intimate venues of late night rock and roll drinking and dancing: tactile, idiosyncratic characters, pithy dialogue, electronically pixilated soundtracks, and charming black light effects create a visual and engaging overture/finale to Quintron and Miss Pussycat's music sets. Quintron aids in puppet manipulation and voicing. Miss Pussycat, in turn, sings lead and back-up with a steady maraca beat during Quintron's performances.

David Dondero - Thu, June 14, 7:30 pm

With: Canyons, Dustin Harmsen

Thu, June 14, Doors: 7:30 pm - Show: 8:00 pm - 21+ - $10

folk/indie/rock

Few songwriters have experienced and expressed the sinking depths and uplifting optimism of humanity like David Dondero, and his ability to shine a light on the human condition (his own included) is inspiring. Dondero is best known for his narrative tales of America. Having spent most of his life on the road, Dave uses his staggering lyrical talent to paint tales of life in the US of A through clever word play and sarcastic humor (as represented in the album title) about some of life's most sensitive subjects.