TheFourFour

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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VIDEO: Fools Face performs “American Girl”

Posted on26. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

So you missed the epic Fools Face reunion concert last night at The Outland Ballroom, eh? Darn that food coma.While you were napping, or perhaps watching basketball on television, the band whipped out numerous old favorites, not to mention a handful of covers. Luckily, local friend of the music scene and videographer extraordinaire Blondie was [...]

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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, 12/18: The “Sex Mansion” is now open

Posted on18. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

Yes, the album has actually been out for a while, but tonight is The First Teenager Ever’s CD release party at The Ugly Mug Live Music Tavern. Things are better when you have to wait for them, right? Think about it: You have to wait through dinner to get to dessert, you have to wait through the workday to get to happy hour and you have to wait through wait through most of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to get to the musical guests. Patience wins, basically, and TFTE is rewarding yours tonight with not only their show but those of Ghost Dance, White Atlantic and Kudzu. The show kicks off at 9 p.m. and is open to anyone 18 years or older. (Bring two more dollars than the standard $5 cover if you’re below drinking age.) For a 10-spot, you can see the show and get a copy of the (according to drummer Blake Walker, untitled, not self-titled) album. Sweet deal.

Naturally, there’s more:

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Pilot Whale splashdown on KSMU today

Posted on18. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

As this is being written, you’re less than two hours away from the latest appearance of the sometimes elusive, relentlessly quirky and thoroughly entertaining Pilot Whale. That’s right, the solo project of J.R. Top (his not-solo project being Sweetwater Abilene) swims onto your radio airwaves today at noon on KSMU with a live in-studio performance [...]

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Cross Canadian Ragweed returns in February

Posted on17. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

When CCR invades Springfield, the line at the designated venue forms to the left. No, no Credence Clearwater Revival, and certainly not Credence Clearwater Revisited. We’re talking about Cross Canadian Ragweed, the band at the forefront of Red Dirt country’s popularity. The band has been out on the road since the release of its latest album, Happiness and All the Other Things, and is set to bring the drinkin’ tunes back to Springfield. Wanna know more? Keep to the left and click the link below.

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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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Waking the Dead Horse(s): Bottlefish and Jah Roots return this weekend

Posted on15. Dec, 2009 by thederosh.

Because your holiday season simply hasn’t been crazy enough already, we’re hit with the double whammy that the recently relaxing (i.e. taking a break, rather than a “hiatus”) alt-country/Americana rock group Bottlefish is playing a show at The High Life Live Martini Lounge this Friday night, December 18, followed by the first Jah Roots concert [...]

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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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