Time for a thoughtful song as we approach thoughtful times. One of the overlooked songs from R.E.M. was the ninth track on Life’s Rich Pageant (1986, re-released in 1998). This song asked the listener to pause and take a moment to reflect upon their actions and the effects of their actions on others. A refrain heard on several other songs from Life’s Rich Pageant. Without being preachy or overbearing, this song asked an important question about the kind of community that we all want to inhabit and in which we live our lives.
“What If We Give It Away?”
On the outside, underneath the wall
All the money couldn’t buy
You’re mistaken, no one’s standing there
For the record, no one triedOh, I try to
What if we give it away?Overlooking with a hollow eye
What’s pretending isn’t right
Eye for order, a hand for what’s in line
Couldn’t follow, couldn’t writeOh, I try to
What if we give it away?
And our life is fine here
Stitch it on your tie here
Here’s the trailer, Tom
A year has come and gone
We’re not moving, wasn’t right
Take the order, sew it on your tie
We couldn’t follow, couldn’t try
Oh, I try to
What if we give it away?
What if we give it away?
There are show that capture your attention and you have to talk about them. You must share your experience as quickly as you can with as many fellow music lovers as you can find. Tonight, we had such an experience.
Earlier this evening the Athens, Ohio group The Ridges finished off their current tour with a stop in Dayton – home base for Mrs. Dr. J and Dr. J. We have seen this band perform a few additional times in Cincinnati and this was our first time seeing them on our home turf as we missed a show in February. Tonight we got to the venue — South Park Tavern — in plenty of time to see the opening band – Method Air. They were solid and reminded Dr. J of a more primal version of Japandroids.
The Ridges hit the stage ready and able to play. The double Cello attack was driving throughout the set. The fret work was nimble across an all too soon completed set. Talor Smith was captivating as she swayed and danced with her cello to the music that was being created before our eyes. She danced, sang, and played with feeling for the entire set. Chuck Poulsen contributed to the sound with a banjo that was played with precision and power. All too often the banjo becomes an overlooked instrument in far too many rock and roll bands. Not since Sweethearts of the Rodeo-era Byrds has a banjo player held their own as a lead instrument in a series of rock and roll songs.
The stand-up bass was strong and steady throughout the set. Not since some Richard Thompson concerts, have we seen such a terrific command of the stand-up. The groove was centered when it needed to be and flexible and funky through the tempo changes of several Ridges’ songs. Kudos to the bass player for following arrangements that asked him to be able to move in different directions that served the songs and the band incredibly well this night.
The backbone of the music this band made this night was the drummer. With a modest yet propulsive drum kit, the drumming was a critical part of The Ridges success tonight. Following key and tempo changes without sounding forced, wooden, or stodgy — the drummer was able to provide foundation for songs that veered from rock and roll to folk to orchestral arrangements. This was part of what made The Ridges a must watch performance tonight, incredibly complex yet fun and rocking stylistic flourishes that kept the audience rapt.
Speaking of what held our attention – the center of the band’s aesthetic and performance tonight had to be the energetic guitar and vocals of Victor Rasgaitis. Rarely have we seen a lead singer and guitar player prance with such intensity and feeling without seeming propagandist. Victor was in fine authentic voice and the enthusiasm that he captured grabbed the audience members by the ears and the heart — and then made you feel in some small way, what he was feeling. It would be criminal not to note the terrific backing vocals of Talor Smith and Chuck Poulsen. They did more than simply fill open moments, they added additional heft and often very sweet harmonies to the vocal arrangements. In fact, several songs depended on the vocal harmonies that Victor, Talor, Chuck and the other band members sewed together.
Victor was a consummate showman who never stayed still. He moved about the small space with a purpose and an energy that drew the audience into the performance. On more than one occasion, he found himself on his knees while continuing to sing. I know, I know… you are about to say how forced that sounds; but in the moment of the performance, you agreed with the movement. The song, the lyrics, the music required subservience in a way that only a moment of contrition can supply. You believed that he needed to be on his knees – that the deference to the song required it.
There is much more that we could say about the feeling of excitement at seeing a band at the height of their ability, playing music that is as rock and roll if they had several electrical guitars and was instead the result of an acoustic guitar, stand-up bass, banjo, drums, and two cellos but honestly, you need to take some time to see The Ridges when the opportunity presents itself to you.
During our annual holiday show we have often been joined by guests. Today was no exception. Click this link to see a vine that we took of Tom Gilliam at WUDR Studios Today where he played live. We hope to have some video and audio for you soon!
Sadly we have lost one of our own in the music community in Dayton.
The Phillip Bremer Memorial Fund has been established at the Montgomery county credit union at 409 E Monument Ave. Dayton, OH 45402. 937-224-4050 for Phillip Bremer. Phillip passed unexpectedly and we are seeking support. He leaves two young children behind so please give what you can. The website for the credit union where the fund has been set up is http://www.mccuinc.com.
Hometown institution The Connells bring their distinct brand of guitar-oriented, melodic, power pop to The Lincoln Theatre for their annual holiday party! With new material in the works and most of their catalog now available through Amazon and iTunes, the band continues to play throughout the southeast US at festivals, fundraisers and clubs. The Connells current lineup features:
Mike Connell – Guitar, Vocals
David Connell – Bass
Doug MacMillan – Vocals
Mike Ayers – Lead Guitar
Steve Potak – Keyboard
Rob Ladd – Drums
Joel Rhodes – Trumpet
“Five men, one mission: musical stratospherics, stellar arrangements and guitar heroics. Coming soon to a theater near you!” Sixteen Tons is a brand new ensemble from North Carolina composed of an all star lineup of veteran musicians including:
Rod Abernethy – Guitar
Jon Heames – Bass, Bass VI
Mike Krause – Guitar
Chris Stephenson – Drums
Bo Taylor – Guitar
They have performed and/or recorded with a wide spectrum of established artists from North Carolina and beyond including Arrogance, Paul Rothchild (The Doors, Bonnie Raitt), John Anthony (Roxy Music, Queen), David Lord (Peter Gabriel, Tori Amos, Tears for Fears, The Pretenders), Let’s Active, Motocaster, Tonk, Bandway, Tift Merritt, Caitlin Cary (Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Ryan Adams), Big Al Anderson (NRBQ, World Famous Headliners), Chris Stamey, Thad Cockrell, International Orange (Ben Folds Five, The Old Ceremony, Bus Stop), Andy Kuncl, The Connells, John Howie Jr. and the Rosewood Bluff and members of Patty Griffin, Levon Helm, The Jayhawks and the Dex Romweber Duo among others.
Known for her multi-faceted artistic expression and fearless individuality, emerging musician, photographer and actress Hanna Elsie Chapman is just as likely to capture imagery through her lens and jump into character as she is to compose a piece of music. Angelic and hypnotic, bold and melodic… Chapman challenges her listeners to see ones vulnerability in lifes fleeting moments . “I am always absorbed in some medium of person-to-person communication. Striving for artistic expression is like burning into nothingness during atmosphere re-entry; vulnerable, risky, terrifying and necessary” says Chapman. Make sure to arrive in time to see Hannah kick the night off at 8:30!
This week we will discuss several of our favorite songs and albums from this past year. What did you like? What did you love? Join us from 3-6pm on December 10th on WUDR with your top ten lists for albums, songs, and anything else that you care to make a top ten list about.
Black Flag (Greg Gin, Ron Reyes and Gregory Moore) – “What the … [MP3]” (22-track album is their first since 1985; Hear here; Read here; Vinyl; CD) (SST)
Boston – “Life, Love & Hope” (their first album since 2002’s “Corporate America”; includes some vocals from the late Brad Delp; Hear here; Read here; MP3) (Frontiers)
The Stone Roses – “Made of Stone [DVD]” (new documentary directed by Shane Meadows will be shown in select theaters this month; See here; Blu-ray) (MVD Entertainment Group)
The coolest part of the UD Self, Community, and Society in the 21st Century Living and Learning Community this year…
From discussions on religion and social media, the C21 LLC turned our attention to entertainment, music, identity, and techniques of the use of social media in our community. On Tuesday, October 29th from 6:30-8:30pm the members of C21 met with local Dayton musicians in the Science Center Auditorium. What is Dayton music like? How do local musicians share information about their music, concerts, and other events? We learned that the independent music scene in the Miami valley is not only incredibly diverse and active but that they use social media and traditional media to share information with the larger community.
We will be playing tons of great indie and alternative holiday music on December 17th! Join Dr. J and Mrs. Dr. J who will have a guest in the studio, The Rebel Set‘s Tom Gilliam! We are also very excited about other special guests.
Streaming Forward, Powered By The Past - if you love the 80s music, new music, Eurovision, cheesy pop and awesome playlists then let's get this pop party started!
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