Release The CDs!

A couple of local favorites that we cover regularly are dropping new discs Friday night, unfortunately not in the same place.

Harrisburg, PA's Abbey at ABC is the scene for one of the best local line-ups south central PA has seen in a very long time. Pure classic wall of sound style '80s pop is what Hershey's The April Skies are all about. Together since something like 1988, this is their 3rd full-length album since 2005 and their first since late 2006. Don't expect all new stuff though. They always break out the favorites and the occasional cover. (Their version of "A Forest" is stellar). 

A CD release party by the Skies is great, but adding in the other two bands on the bill makes this an all out raucous throw down. Middle Distance Runner has been getting some national play in a Harley ad and thanks to a loyal reader, they let us know they have been using "Out of Here" in a commercial on KTLA for their evening news. Yeah, its voiced over and just instrumental, but DC is getting play in LA. They just released a new 7" back in March and a new album is on the way. And yeah, they kick ass live. 

Also known to give it all they got on stage are Chambersburg's The Shackletons. Can't make it Friday night? Saturday, drop the Skies and add Philly's Drink Up Buttercup for another not to be missed local line-up at The Fire in Philly.

mp3: The April Skies - Punch Drunk Messiah (via band)
mp3: Middle Distance Runner - Brother John (via band)
mp3: The Shackeltons - Your Movement (via band)
mp3: Drink Up Buttercup - Lovers Play Dead (via daytrotter.com)


Middle Distance Runner "The Unbeliever" from maxwell sorensen on Vimeo.

Down in Fredericksburg, VA, The Library is hosting the CD release party for Tereu Tereu and their new disc All That Keeps Us Together. Check out some of their new tracks here. And get there early for fellow Virginians Carlos I'm Pregnant and The Like Whatevers. This show is all ages!

mp3: Tereu Tereu - Don't Be Sore Farmer John (via band)

Thursday and a Little Beyond

It is definitely Autumn. The weather is getting a bit cooler, kids are back in school and bands are out on their fall tours.


It's the last hurrah down the beach. The Dewey Beach Music Conference starts tonight and runs through Saturday. With over 100 bands from all over the country at 7 different venues, it is sure to have something for everyone. The best part is all nighttime shows are absolutely free! Local acts playing that we have covered are Philly favs The Swimmers and Hershey's The April Skies. And it's not just a local showcase either. Milwaukee's Fever Marlene and Brooklyn's In Flight Radio are just a few non-regional acts making their way to southern Delaware.

mp3: The Swimmers - St. Cecilia
mp3: The April Skies - Here Comes the Rush
mp3: Fever Marlene - Lemon King Mahoney
mp3: In Flight Radio - Red Flags

Big shows tonight and tomorrow as Cut Copy comes through the area with countrymen The Presets. Also on the bill is synth-pop duo Heartbreak. You can catch them at The Troc in Philly tonight, but it is a little late if you don't have tickets to the Friday show at 9:30 Club as it is sold out.

mp3: Cut Copy - Lights and Music

Another set of indie darlings are doing the city swap. SubPop artist Oxford Collapse is taking the stage tonight at Black Cat with Takka Takka. Then they head up to Philly for a show Friday at the Manhattan Room.

mp3: Oxford Collapse - Please Visit Your National Parks
mp3: Takka Takka - Everybody Say

Salt Lake City's Alt-country group Band of Annuals is joined by Hymns for two shows in the area. Starting Thursday at DC9, they end up at The Fire Saturday.

mp3: Hymns - Stop Talking

For a more local flavor, The Talking Head is featuring Rahim supporting new album Laughter with the Snowmen and Deleted Scenes. Over at IOTA, Bellflur is on stage with Pree.

mp3: Rahim - Through a Window
mp3: Deleted Scenes - Trying to Remember
mp3: Bellflur - First to the Moon

IA Anniversary Present: The April Skies

As much as Two if by Sea's original recording from early 2002 can be considered a relic, Hershey, PA's The April Skies have allowed us to share a true classic. For those of you who are not familiar with the band, they began in south central PA back in the late '80s and were a pretty big buzz band in the early '90s. This was a time when bands like The Ocean Blue and Live were not just bands that The Skies shared their local scene with, but they were bonafide major national bands. MTV still played videos, bands that are considered indie by today's standards were labeled alternative, and hardly anybody had the internet or e-mail. Bands made fans the old fashioned way, by word of mouth and playing their asses off.

The April Skies have reconfigured and changed their sound quite a bit since those days, but they are still going strong after almost 20 years and have recently shared the stage with bands like The Hold Steady, Le Loup, The Shackeltons, Plants & Animals and Middle Distance Runner. They even have a new album just about ready for the fall. For now, let's revisit a simpler time. When instead of being well into their 30's and juggling day jobs and families, they were a young and hungry band that was barely out high school and ready to take on the world. Enjoy the long forgotten "Someone Said" from 1992. Well, after you are done laughing at that recently uncovered picture from the same era. Ah, the early '90s.

mp3: Someone Said

Celebrate A Long Weekend

I love holidays that change the day of the week year to year. Having the 4th fall on a Friday, creates one huge weekend that starts Thursday and doesn't end until you stop partying on Sunday. Some may head to the beach (like me) and suffer through some crappy cover bands all weekend. Even though Philly is the city where our independence was declared, the pickings for a good show are light, but our nation's capital is happening, and there are a few shows elsewhere. So put down the fireworks and head to a show.

Kicking it all off Thursday is David Ford, who has been through this area recently more times than I can count. The best part is it's free, part of the WTMD First Thursdays. So get to West Mount Vernon Park early, Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends starts at 5:30.

Up in Philly, it's the latest tour of the Smoking Popes at Johnny Brenda's, with a new album in tow. Sure there will be new songs, but the classics are bound to come out. They are joined by two Philly bands, Restorations, making their performance debut (welcome to the scene) and Thinking Machines.

mp3: David Ford - Go To Hell
mp3: Smoking Popes - Need You Around

Not music related, but something just very offbeat, Thursday is wedding day for Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross. No, really, this is legit. Public ceremony 8 PM at Independence Hall.


Of course, Friday is our nation's birthday and it's usually celebrated by a cook-out and going to the park, listening to the symphony roll through the Sousa marches and the 1812 Overture and ends with watching some outrageous fireworks display. Well, add XPN sponsored Freedom Fest in the Marion Court Room in Lancaster, PA to that list. Headlining is former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell, supported by 11 other regional acts, such as The April Skies and Kheris. Gates open at 3 and go until midnight.

If you are down in DC for the festivities, make a stop across the river to IOTA and catch locals The Sketches.

mp3: The April Skies - Here Comes The Rush
mp3: The Sketches - Dizzy

For the post-4th party hangover, Saturday has a great local bill at the Black Cat, featuring Wye Oak joined by Metropolitan, in what may be their last DC show in a long time, and Bellflur.

mp3: Wye Oak - Family Glue
mp3: Metropolitan - Homeroom
mp3: Bellflur - Volcano Song

To close out the weekend, pick your city, pick your genre. For a more Latin flavor, head to the Black Cat for Dengue Fever and Chicha Libre. They will also be in Philly on Monday at Johnny Brendas. Feeling a little retro? Get an '80s new-wave flashback with Void Vision in Philly at the Manhattan Room. And for the absurdist in all of us, The Two Man Gentleman Band is at the Metro Gallery in Baltimore. Think They Might Be Giants performing Americana and Bluegrass.

mp3: Chicha Libre - Indian Summer
mp3: The Two Man Gentleman Band - William Howard Taft

The Skies in Philly

Tuesday nights are usually bland, a sit-at-home type of evening. Not this week. Tonight at Brownies 23 East on the Main Line in Ardmore, Hershey's The April Skies take the stage for "New Music Tuesdays". While this band is not new (they have been around since 1988), The Skies have the alternative sensabilities that remind those of us over a certain age (cough30cough) of our teenage years. Enjoy the show!

Here Comes The Rush
Long Way Down

Regional Weekend

It may be the middle of winter, but there is a pretty solid lineup on shows going down in the region this weekend.

Friday

- Shortstack (CD release)/Junior League/Suns of Guns @ Black Cat
- A Sunny Day In Glasgow/Karmella's Game/AVEC/Remote Islands @ Lo-Fi Social Club
- Army Of Me/The Dance Party/Exit Clov/Good Night, States @ Rock and Roll Hotel
- Olivia Mancini and The Housemates/The Ambitions/Cobra Collective @ 9:30 Club

A Sunny Day In Glasgow - The Best Summer Ever
AVEC - Albina Krobata
Remote Islands - Philadelphia
The Dance Paty - A-List
Exit Clov - Violent Berries
Good Night, States - Change of the Seasons
Olivia Mancini and The Housemates - I Wouldn't Worry
Cobra Collective - Joe Goda


Saturday

- A Sunny Day In Glasgow @ Velvet Lounge
- Aimee Mann @ Birchmere
- OK Go @ 9:30 Club
- The April Skies/The Shackeltons @ Gullifty's
- Caverns/The Hatch/Imperial China @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel

Aimee Mann - Superball
OK Go - Here It Goes Again
The Shackeltons - The Breaks
The April Skies - Here Comes The Rush

The Root Of It All

Way back in 1994, I went to my first indie rock show. I was in high school and Mike (yes, the one that runs this site with me) and I went to see The Lemonheads at the local college. I believe that we took his mother's station wagon, but that isn't really the point. The point is, that is where it all started. The angst, the passion, the freedom... it all was let loose that day. I was an indie kid entering his prime. Almost 14 years later, I sit here writing about indie rock and without that show, it probably never would have happened. There were obviously many more to come, but that was the start. Ironically, The Lemonheads are back on the road and they'll be all over the region for the next few days. Tonight's Lancaster show even has The April Skies on the bill, which makes that the best lineup of the whole lot. Either way, you can see them as follows:

12/18/07: Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA
12/19/07: Black Cat, Washington, DC
12/20/07: The Troc, Philadelphia, PA

The Lemonheads - Into Your Arms
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House

Tonight in DC

OK, so the big ticket show in DC tonight, is Neko Case at 9:30 Club. Well guess what? It's sold out. If you don't have tickets, you are in luck. The Red and The Black also has a great show. DC locals The Beanstalk Library are heading a wonderful bill. Hershey, PA's The April Skies will be joining them with their brand of Europop. Decatur, GA's Warm in the Wake open the very strong evening. So if you are looking for something new, I highly recommend checking this one out.

The Beanstalk Library - Elephantitus
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House
Warm in the Wake - Golden Inhibition Destroyer
Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On

indie @ the abbey: The Preview Show

One of the things that I have been working on over the past few months, has been indie @ the abbey. To sum things up quickly, a venue in Harrisburg, PA brought me in to help book a weekly indie rock showcase. It will run every Wednesday night, starting September 12. I will get into the details and lineups later. I just wanted to mention that we are having our preview show tonight. The bands include Hershey, PA's The April Skies and former Sire/Warner Bros artists Riverside. There is also a third act on the bill. Making their first ever appearance outside of DC, is this little band called Le Loup. The show starts at 9 and it's a great bill, so hopefully I will see you there.

Le Loup - We are Gods! We are Wolves!
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House

Oh Glorious Weekend

This has been one of those weeks. Finally, the weekend is here and there are a lot of shows worth seeing...

SATURDAY


The Kooks are invading America and DC is next on their agenda. They will be playing 9:30 Club along with the really good Pennsylvania band, Illinois.

The Kooks - Naive
Illinois - Alone Again


A trio of Philly bands will be playing the Rock and Roll Hotel. Dr. Dog, The Teeth and Hoots & Hellmouth are all on the bill. I can't speak for the other bands, but I accidentally caught Hoots & Hellmouth last September and they gave one of the most vital performances that I have ever seen. It was quite spiritual.

Dr. Dog - Worst Trip
The Teeth - Ball Of The Dead Rat
Hoots & Hellmouth - It's Close, I'm Undone


New York's The Orion Experience bring their indie pop sound to The Red and The Black.

The Orion Experience - There's No Love In February


DC locals Lejeune and The Antiques will release their long awaited new albums at IOTA. Julie Ocean will be providing support. This is pretty much the only big local show this weekend, but it's quite a good one.

Lejeune - Bizarre Histrionics
The Antiques - Bedsit Bones


Heading up to Baltimore, Elvis Costello brings his never ending supply of great songs to Ram's Head Live.

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up


If you are up for a short road trip, there is a nice show happening in Harrisburg, PA. Appalachian Brewing Company is having their 10 year anniversary. To celebrate, they booked bands for the entire day. They will cap it off at night with a free concert that is headlined by The Hold Steady. Hershey, PA's The April Skies will be opening.

The Hold Steady - The First Night
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House

SUNDAY


The very popular LCD Soundsystem is coming to 9:30 Club. The always eccentric YACHT is opening.

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
Yacht - See A Penny (Pick It Up)


Silversun Pickups are playing a show at Recher Theatre in Towson. Sea Wolf is also on the bill.

Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles
Sea Wolf - You're A Wolf


There is a Canadian Invasion in DC. Toronto bands Sloan and Small Sins will be bringing their brand of rock to Black Cat.

Small Sins - Stay
Sloan - Before The End Of The Race

Dewey Beach PopFest

I have returned from a long weekend at the beach. I am pretty sure that I couldn't have sold my right arm for better weather. So the weather was good, I relaxed a little, played some golf and oh yeah, watched some bands. The highlights of the weekend were The April Skies, Telograph and Middle Distance Runner. Anybody who has any familiarity with this site, is far from shocked by that announcement. In all fairness, those were basically the only bands that represented the indie genre.


The April Skies did their thing. They played a set covering their back catalog. Then they threw a curveball and played a lively cover of The Cure's "A Forest." Complete with feedback, reverb and solid bass, it was a highlight of the weekend.


Telograph had some traffic issues heading out of DC and basically jumped right on stage, set up and played the best set that I have ever seen from them. Little Bits of Plastic was basically played in full and they also played several new songs that deliver on the promise shown on the EP. The highlight was the closer, "We Won't Settle Down."


On Saturday, Middle Distance Runner played to a rather large crowd. They played their normal set mixing new tracks and cuts from Plane in Flames. Like usual, they ended with "Man of the People." For me, that was the highlight. They were all over the stage, jumping off of risers and speakers. As far as I am concerned, that is the live song that best showcases their raw energy.

All in all, not a bad weekend. It was really a shame that I had to leave the beach and come back to work. Oh well, there is always September.

The April Skies - Here Comes The Rush
Telograph - Beneath Your Feet
Middle Distance Runner - That's A Lie

The April Skies - X

One thing that I did do a lot of during my extended absence was organize, attend and promote shows. Here is a video of The April Skies performing "X" at our February 10 Chameleon Club show in Lancaster, PA.

Saturday @ Chameleon Club - Contest

I am sorry that the site has been so silent lately. I have been really busy, but I promise that things will get better very soon. As a matter of fact, I have come to make it up to you.

One of the things that has been taking up a lot of my time, is the show that I helped put together for this Saturday. It really is a great bill. Middle Distance Runner, Two if by Sea, The April Skies and Kheris are the bands. It is at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA. The tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. The main floor is over 21 and the balcony is all ages. Doors open @ 8 and the music starts at 8:30 or so.

For those of you who do not read the site regularly, let me give a little breakdown on the bands...

Two if by Sea is from Baltimore. They released Safety last fall and I have probably mentioned that CD half a dozen times since then. When I saw them in November, I was blown away. They are the loudest band on the bill, they play first and you do not want to miss them.

Middle Distance Runner has been mentioned on IA more than any other band. They are from DC and were the breakout band of 2006. Plane in Flames was one of the best CDs released last year and by the end of last year, everybody (Paste, KCRW, etc) was starting to give them love. They are the kind of band that makes the girls swoon, yet are also adored by the guys. Amazing live show. They will have people dancing. See them now, before they get big. Seriously...

Kheris is the hometown Lancaster band and they are the band that I am least familiar with. A couple weeks ago, Jake (from the April Skies) and I were putting together this bill and he sent me to see them. I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is a really good indie rock band. They put on a fine show and they have soul.

The April Skies are from Hershey, PA and they are the headliners. This band began in the late 80's. They were all over the place and played with bands like Ride and Lush. They went on hiatus in the late 90's and returned with a vengeance a few years ago. Last fall, they released How It All Played Out and it was the best release of their storied career. They are a south central PA institution and they will be returning to the stage that they have played so many times over the years. I have seen them many times and they always deliver.

For those who are not familiar with The Chameleon Club, it is THE historic venue in south central PA. More national bands have played there than I care to count. It is also the place that spawned the careers of bands like The Ocean Blue, Live and The Innocence Mission. The place is 10,000 square feet, with 3 floors and 5 bars. It is also an amazing place to see a show.

There you have it. I would really appreciate it if you supported us and original music. This bill is ridiculously good and if we can pull this off, you will be seeing many more of these shows. Tickets are only $6!! Send an e-mail if you are interested and we'll figure out how to get tickets to you. The venue is not very far from Philly and Baltimore, so please don't hesitate to road trip.

Now for the contest... Over the next few days, I will be giving away several pairs of tickets and various merchandise from bands on the bill. All you have to do is send me an e-mail with your name and location. Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified by Friday morning. Now enjoy some music...

Two if by Sea - White Zin On-Ice
Two if by Sea - All The Reasons To Leave
Two if by Sea - The Affair, Act II
Middle Distance Runner - Naturally
Middle Distance Runner - Man Of The People
Middle Distance Runner - That's A Lie
Middle Distance Runner - Out Of Here
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House
The April Skies - Here Comes The Rush
The April Skies - Unstoppable

Feb 10 @ the Chameleon Club

My friend Jake and I put together a little show on February 10. I am pretty excited about this lineup. Here's a little teaser, but I promise that more info will be coming soon. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to fire away.

Holiday Hangover Party

Going back to a normal work schedule kind of sucks, doesn't it? Well, we have a cure for you. On Saturday night, we are throwing a Holiday Hangover Party at Gullifty's in Harrisburg, PA. If you'll be around the area (Baltimore and Philly are both within 90 minutes), you should definitely check it out. The line-up features some fantastic bands and it's our first ever IA event.

DC's Soft Complex will be playing their premiere show in south central PA. They are a fantastic live band and they are definitely worth your time. If you are a fan of 80's alternative, you will not be disappointed. Hershey's excellent The April Skies, will also be featured on the bill. Rounding out the night, will be Harrisburg faves Parallax Project and The Thrives. Tickets are only $7 and drinks are half price from 9-11. If you need any additional information or plan on going, please drop us an e-mail. We hope to see you there.

Soft Complex - Barcelona
Soft Complex - Beat The Chill (ACE remix featuring Raw Poetic)
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House
The April Skies - Here Comes The Rush

How The April Skies Played Out

This doesn't happen very often, but a band that I was a fan of prior to this site, is releasing a new album. Hershey, PA's The April Skies are back with How It All Played Out. The release party will occur tomorrow night at Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg. After listening to the CD and having the honor of seeing most of tracks performed live, I can tell you that it is definitely a show that you would want to see. Plus, you can come wish me a Happy Birthday.

About 3 weeks ago, I had the pleasure of watching the guys play an intimate pre-release acoustic show and sitting down with them for an hour or so. They didn't give me a copy of the cd until after the show, so I heard most of the songs live for the first time. The songs were great stripped down and I am looking forward to hearing the full blown versions. It was also cool to hang out with them. We did our fair share of bs, but I also learned how serious they are about this disc.

How is the CD? I can tell you that it is great for long car drives to and from work, since it has been a constant for me during those times. It also sounds great turned up. There is a nice mix of straight out rock numbers and softer ballads. The album is quite personal and deals with hurt and heartache. It is also about letting go, moving on and looking forward. The Skies definitely upped their game for this one and it shows. The other thing that I noticed that night and hear on the CD, is how tight their sound is. If you just sit back and listen to the music, it is amazing how solid it is. That is also evident in their live show.

I had a hard time deciding which songs to include, so I went with a straight out rock track and a softer ballad. My Love is In This House is probably my favorite track on the CD and Unstoppable shows how powerful a ballad can be. I definitely recommend going to see them live and picking up a copy of this disc. Check out their myspace to stream more tracks and to download some of their older songs.

The April Skies - My Love Is In This House
The April Skies - Unstoppable

From The Inbox, Part II

As promised, I have some other bands to talk about....


Fluid is totally not what you would expect. They are from Brazil, but sing English language rock songs. I was very suspicious when they found me on myspace, but these guys really are great. They are in the process of sending me some more music, so I hope to post more about them in the near future. Until then, check out this track and visit them on myspace for some other samples.

Fluid - Crucify and Burn Me


The April Skies were the first band to request our friendship. This was totally ironic, because I have been a fan of this Hershey, PA band for years. They actually started in the late 80's, took a break at the end of the 90's and came back better than ever a few years ago. They have a new disc coming out next month and I am working with them on something special, so you really have not heard the last of them. This is a preview track from the new cd.

The April Skies - X