TheFourFour

The Show Report, 1/2: New year, new albums… and release parties

Posted on02. Jan, 2010 by thederosh.

We’re not even 48 hours into 2010 and already bands are rolling out fresh albums for your purchasing pleasure. In the world of the live show, of course, that often means another thing: It’s time for the CD release parties. There are two tonight: The Verbs (Redux) doin’ tha thang at Lindberg’s, while White Atlantic posts up at The Outland Ballroom with assists from The First Teenager Ever, Tyler Pitchford and Rocky Death Patrol. Talk about starting the new year off on the right foot.

Much, much more on tonight’s docket, too:

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The Show Report, 1/1: It’s a nice day to…. start agaaaaaaaiiiiin….

Posted on01. Jan, 2010 by thederosh.

It might even be a nice day for a white wedding. We’re not experts in such things; you might check with Billy Idol about that. Regardless, the first day of 2010 brings with it one band’s revival, a fresh start of sorts. Fearless Before Persecution is back tonight at The Outland Ballroom for its first show in a year and a half, matched up with When Words Become Flesh, The Murlesque and The Allen Array. The show also marks the return of Vance Productions, which stopped booking shows in the fall. Here’s to new opportunities in the new year. Tickets for tonight’s show are $10 at the door, and the doors open at 8 p.m.

Elsewhere in The Springfield Music Scene:

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The Show Report, 12/31: Ditch Ryan Seacrest. Now.

Posted on31. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

With due apologies to Al Gore, we’ve heard plenty of “inconvenient truths” over time–his as well as others–so let’s begin the last day of a surprisingly bullish year in local music with a very convenient truth instead: New Year’s Rockin’ Eve… is never that rockin’. It was an institution when Dick Clark hosted it, but now the television countdown program is hosted primarily by the cold bowl of oatmeal known as Ryan Seacrest. Really, ABC? You replace the vanguard of American Bandstand’s movement–multiple movements, when you think about it–with a guy who didn’t even hold down hosting American Idol on his own to start out?

Why is this convenient? Because television isn’t the place for a party tonight anyway. There is far to much to experience live, in 3-D and surround sound. The TAG Team (yes, we just took it there) will be posting up for the night in the Outland complex, bouncing between The Detectives at The Outland, Members Only at The High Life Live Martini Lounge and the VideoVamp/Snozzberry/One Violet Green/Break the Barrier show at The Outland Ballroom. Drop in, do a shot with us and say hey to the new home of TheFourFour.

More partying! More, we say! After the break!

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The Show Report, 12/29: Adios, Dead Aheads

Posted on29. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

Goodbyes are rarely fun, but tonight’s going-away show for local punk rock group The Dead Aheads at Lindberg’s is a likely exception. Drummer Patrick Fallwell is moving to St. Louis in less than two weeks, and rather than carry on with a new drummer the band decided to give its current one a proper sendoff in proper punk style:

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The Show Report, 12/26: Reunion Show Weekend, Part Deux

Posted on26. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

On yesterday’s episode of The Show Report…

Blaine: How dare you insult me like that, Forrest?! I am not a fool! I’m just a man trying to keep this family together while his wife receives treatment for her brain tumor. I sir, am not a fool, and there is nothing wrong with my face!

Forrest: No, Blaine, I said Fools Face, and I wasn’t talking about you. They were a really big band in Springfield years back, and they reunited last night. There are lots more bands reuniting tonight, too. Sort of a “To Be Continued…” in a way.

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The Show Report, 12/25: Reunion Show Weekend begins

Posted on25. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

Merry Christmas, indeed. The holidays always bring out-of-towners back to Springfield for some musical frolicking, meaning this is one of the peak times of year to catch a favorite band from yesteryear back onstage. There are several going on this weekend, starting with Fools Face at The Outland Ballroom, a group that led the way for local pop-rock in the early ’80s. Dale McCoy, Jimmy Frink, Jim Wirt (pictured above, having a rock ‘n’ roll moment), Brian Coffman and Tommy Dwyer (hopefully, in the last case; he didn’t make it last year) will be back onstage in Springfield for the first time since, well, Christmastime last year when they played at The High Life Live Martini Lounge. You’ll likely have a little more elbow room this year… though not much. It will be packed.

Also playing tonight:

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The Show Report, 12/19: Thanks be to Jah

Posted on19. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

Who would have believed last spring that we would ever see Jah Roots play onstage again? Granted, it’s not the band’s lineup as we once knew it (singer Josh Heinrichs has moved on), but the fact that this concert is happening at all is a triumph in itself. To fill in for the departed Heinrichs, Aaron “I-Ron” Berger will take on more onstage duties than his usual dancehall raps and guest performers (rapper SincerelyYours among them) will help carry the load as well. This could be a fascinating rebirth for one of the city’s most popular acts.
Naturally, there’s a lot more to do, and show-hopping is encouraged. Pencil these into your itinerary:

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The Show Report, 12/17: A night for thrash ‘n’ ’stache

Posted on17. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

One can already feel the week starting to wind down, which, of course, means a corresponding spike upward in the number of shows taking place throughout the city. Aren’t reverse correlations wonderful things? The show card is full of regular weekly shows back to make you dance, rock or both, but a couple switch things up a bit. One is the return of prog-metal group Super String Theory, a band that plays infrequently enough to justify calling each of its shows “the return of Super String Theory.” The latest return is tonight at The Outland Ballroom, paired with openers Hessian Crucible, Gnash Rambler and Offset. If you have never seen SST before, you’ve missed some of the fastest, craziest guitar work in local music, not to mention the best mustache, all courtesy of Aaron Roten.

Wanting more? Come get it after the break.

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The Show Report, 12/12: Your Saturday, List-Style

Posted on12. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

It’s already been a day of constant action, starting with the annual downtown Christmas parade and transitioning into the Blues Society of the Ozarks’ meeting at Patton Alley Pub with Tripwire. The result: We’re a little behind on our Show Report, dear reader, and for that we apologize. Music waits for no person, and with [...]

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The Show Report, 12/11: Dia Muerto?

Posted on11. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

Here at FourFour HQ, we find the phrase “Dead Day” to be a gross misrepresentation of what today actually is. Yeah, we get that local universities are heading into final exams and are allowing students a free day to devote to studying (cough), but today and tonight are by no means without life. As evidence, we submit Exhibit A: John Henry & The Engine comes to Springfield to release the vinyl pressings of its I Don’t Wanna Know EP, and brings Truett & The Traitors along for the ride. The boys will rock and the girls will swoon, you can count on that. The EP, a rootsier progression from the band’s previous album, Under the Yellow Moon, is already available for $2.97 on iTunes, but tonight is the first time you can pick up the physical copy. Vinyl lives!

Know what? That’s not even the only CD release party you can go to tonight. More–lots more–after the break.

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The Show Report, 12/10: Goodbye, Hello

Posted on10. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

One era ends for a popular local act tonight, with a new era beginning soon. First the goodbye: The Shotgun Brothers are playing their last show with their original bassist, Dustin “Duk” Rehagen (pictured far right), tonight at Patton Alley Pub. The band promises the hello–the debut of its new bassist–at its next show, also at Patton, on January 15, but in the meantime the rootsy bluegrass/rock/jam group is giving Duk a proper sendoff in front of fans and friends with opening act Andy Frasco.

But that’s only the start of Dead Day Eve. Oh, yes, it is. Click for an anniversary, some racy performances, some local faves back onstage and more.

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