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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE...

(Local Music News Column)

by Tom Lounges

      Well...the year 2000 is nearly over and we've survived!

    The global Y2K scare proved to be little more than a high-tech boogie
man, who like the closet-dweller of our childhood disappeared the moment the
lights came on.

     We survived a series of boring Presidential debates...or did we? Seems
the debate is STILL going on in Florida as I sit to write these words, and I
for one am bored with it. Count the damn votes and pick a winner already?

     But enough of that... At least you don't have to debate where to go on
Dec. 23 to gear up for the Christmas weekend. There's really only one choice
of the people, for the people and by the people - The Midwest Beat's Holiday
Bash!
Two Parties! Two Years!

    We're wrapping up the first year of our new millennium parties with a big
Holiday Bash on Dec. 23 at one of our favorite new live music rooms, The
Backdoor Lounge (811 Ridge Road) in Griffith. Rockin' 'round the Christmas
tree that night will be four region bands who each blend a mixture of
original and cover material - Inzane, Reality Check, Simon and Lug Nut -
ranging from heavy rock to dance-friendly commercial hits. From Beatles to
Bizkit...we'll be serving it up!

    Mindy the Beat Babe will be there in her sexy Santa outfit (see page 19)
to dish out door prizes in a free raffle.

     Once you have recovered from the holidays, Midwest Beat will be doing it
all again! We will take over the main stage at Finke's Entertainment Complex
in downtown Highland on Thursday, January 25. There we will present our
"2001: A Hard Rock Odyssey."

     Making their local stage debut that night will be Undertow, a heavy new
band that is currently recording their first major label album (due in 2001).
Joining them earlier in the night will be two of my personal region favorites
- Inzane and American Motherload. Another top Chicagoland band will be
added, so watch our web site - www.midwestbeat.com - for more updated i
nformation.

BAND BITS...

.   Sometimes Seven, the ever-evolving pop music project of
guitarist/vocalist Phil Avalos, is back in action after a summer/fall hiatus
for live shows spent regrouping, writing and recording. The Dyer-based
project has added new bassist Jay Fielder to its line-up.
    Released via the indie label, Round Circle Records, "Somehow You Just
Don't Get It," is the latest collection of Avalos-penned tunes. The song,
"Pretty Up," has already gotten air play on Q101's regional music program,
"Local 101." Sometimes Seven has also landed the song, "Apple of My Eye," on
the new Round Circle compilation CD, "When It Was As Good As Pillow Talk."
For more info: www.roundcirclerecords.com

.   Kevin Lee once the leader of the MCA recording act, Lonesome City Kings,
recently put together a new self-named band - guitarist Chris Lathrop
(ex-Mean Reds), bassist Chris Bernhardt (ex-The Buzz) and drummer Phil Brines
- and signed with New York's Grizzel Management. They are currently
recording at Rax Trax Studio. Sitting in on the sessions are -guitarist
Grant Tye and drummer Ed Breckenfeld (Cathy Richardson), bassist Fran Kondorf
(Juleps) and Lee's old Lonesome City Kings cohort, Peter Spero, on keyboards.

.   N.W. Indiana's Jef Sarver has formed an alliance with the indie label,
Shaved Cat Records. Sarver's latest slab of sound - Penny Arcane - has hit
local stores just in time for the holidays.   The 13-song set was recorded at
Shaved Cat Studios in Valparaiso and features bassist Dan Peters
(ex-Crossfire/ex-Force Five) and the Shaved Cat honcho Jon Uban on keyboards
and drum programming.

.   Medium who gave us the cool Identity Crisis CD back in 1999 has put
together a second platter of pop rock just in time for the holidays called,
Main Event.
    Only these days, the band is calling itself Don Baron & The Spin Cycle.
Backing Baron, the former frontman of Bravo Johnny, are bassist Gayle Hoyda
(ex-Mirrors), drummer Tony Schoon (ex-Devil Dogs) and Eric Kurutz (ex-Cactus
Priestly).

.    Northwest Indiana's hard rockin' original band, Motherload, have adopted
the new moniker of The American Motherload, following a dispute over it's
previous name.
     To help reintroduce themselves to the music community, the band is
presently recording a new 3-song CD to follow up to their excellent Burns
Like Whiskey debut album, released in early 2000.
    "We're laying down tracks at Rax Trax in Chicago for a sampler CD," said
bassist Geoff "Gino" Jania. "We'll give it out free to our fans at our
shows. Anywhere who requests one through our web site will get one mailed to
them."
    They hope to have copies in hand to give them out at Midwest BEAT's
"2001: A Hard Rock Odyssey" concert at Finke's Entertainment Complex on
January 25.
    The new songs pegged for the CD are - "Wash," "Mud To Dust" and "Final
Word" - all currently part of their live stage show.

.    Former Rachel's Demise guitarist Tom Ashe and vocalist Roger Lange have
teamed up to form the Little Star Travelin' Band and are currently working on
new original material while auditioning to complete the band's line-up.

.   Four local teenage bands are putting together an all-ages holiday concert
at the American Legion Hall (132 N. Wiggs St.)   in Griffith, IN on Dec. 18.
This is the third such show assembled and spearheaded by the Alt-Rock band,
Strange Reality.
    Other groups slated to perform and the early evening show (4 p.m. to 9
p.m.) are - Muhammad Tabasco (classic rock), SYB (alt-rock) and christian
rockers, S.W.A.T. (Students With A Testament). For more information, email
to: salczyns@purdue.edu or log on at:
www.angelfire.com/in2/StrangeReality/index.html

.   Region guitarist Kenny Lee (ex-Scarred) has not only formed his first new
band in nearly a half dozen years, but he's managed to get them a record deal
before ever playing a public performance.
     Lee's band - bassist Mike Davis, drummer Darrell Stewart and vocalist
Mike Brobeck - is called Locked 'N Loaded. The combo are already writing and
recording original songs for, Cocked Locked 'N Ready To Rock, their spring
2001 debut album for Metal Mayhem Records. Welcome back Kenny...it's about
freakin' time!

.    Regional singer/songwriter, Eric Lambert, (ex-Laughing Gnomes) has
joined up with an eclectic acoustic ensemble from West Virginia called, The
Hickory Project.
   With two full-length indie CDs to their credit and a new one in the works,
the string-driven combo weaves together elements of traditional and new
bluegrass, swing music and jazz all textured with three-part vocal harmonies.
    Lambert, who has released two critically-praised original albums as a
solo artist, will continue performing locally with The Merry Pranksters, when
not recording and touring with The Hickory Project.
    Log on - www.hickoryproject.com or
http://www.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/Eric-Lambert/ - for more information on
Lambert's projects.

.    The tasty modern rockers and indie recording act, The Nomad Planets,
announced that their longtime drummer Mark Bishop has left the fold. Repla
cing him is Drew Eastman.

.    Stranger Than Fiction, who for a short while came to be called, Grunk,
has changed their name to Flesh Boat and are ready to start playing out on a
regular basis after having taken more than a year's hiatus. The
husband/wife-led band now blend their hard rock originals with chestnuts by
Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult and AC/DC and others.

.    As a result of the obvious quantity of bands bearing the name Sour in
the world, the Chicagoland band who once bore that moniker has now become
known as Sour Deluxe.

.   The hard rock pride of the South Side, Disturbed, just had their debut
album for Giant Records - The Sickness - declared platinum by the RIAA.
    The band members - David Draiman, Dan Donegan, Fuzz and Mike Wengren -
received commemorative plaques for the accomplishment at a special awards
ceremony hosted by their record label in Los Angeles the last week of
October. Congrats guys...you deserve it!

.   Elder hometown rock heroes, Cheap Trick, were pegged by VH-1 as being one
of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock." The Rockford band came in ranked
at #25. Lest we forget, the Tricksters will ring in 2001 at the Star Plaza
Theatre on Dec. 31.

.   Porter County's hard rock outfit, 2-SYDZ, has just added Jennifer Eustice
as their full-time lead vocalist. Jennifer is the little sister of group
guitarist and band leader, Geoff Eustice, who sings lead on their CD, Double
Script.

.   Northwest Indiana's popular teen angst band, Heaven's Gate Conspiracy,
gave up the ghost on Halloween after performing one final two-hour set of
music at a farewell party. The members parted on good terms and are each be
pursuing other local music projects.

.   Condolences to bassist Mark Vasquez of SoulVasq on the loss of his father
last month.

.   Best wishes to our Beat buddy, Dave Grove who relocated to Ohio last
month. We'll miss the lil' bastard around the office but at least we all
have new place to crash when we travel to Ohio...

.   Mammoth-size birthday wishes to on of my oldest friends in the local rock
'n' roll scene - Ray Edmaiston of Shuddup & Drive - who turns the Big 50 on
December 8! He looks so good at his advanced age because Crown Royal is a
damn good preservative... Happy day old friend!
    Also a Happy Birthday goes out to Ceil Lounges, on Dec. 10. Ceil
contributes to these pages from time to time in design and layout .

- Happy Holidays To All!