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For Immediate Release |
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LOCAL
MUSIC NEWS COLUMN
by Tom Lounges A WAVY SUMMER’S END FOR BEATSTERS…
To
wrap up the waning days of summer, the Midwest BEAT photography staff decided to forgo it’s usual
restaurant meeting and gather on the sunny Michigan homestead of my
co-publisher, photographer and buddy, Kent
Follett. With the wily Capt.
Kent at the wheel we cast off and rode the Lake Michigan waves in
the newly christened BEAT boat [aka Kentster’s
Jules] on last time before sending it to dry dock for the
winter months. Along with myself and
my wife Julie, our scurvy crew of Beatsters included:
Kent’s lovely wife and fellow photog, Jules Follett, Photo
Editor Niva Bringas and his
lovely lady, Hildga, plus
staff shooters Daniel Locke,
Lyle A. Waisman, Rob Grabowski and Adam
Bielawski. We had such a good
time on the boat ride and the tasty cook-out that followed, that Kent
and I are already planning a whole staff party for next summer.
We’re even thinking of maybe hosting a second summer
gathering for our long term monthly who keep the BEAT
alive and well with their continued support… To Kent and
Jules…from Niva’s lensmen and myself –– “Thanks
for your hospitality and the most enjoyable BEAT
business meeting yet! “ HAPPY HALLOWEEN… Join Midwest BEAT for a spooktacular night of fun on October 31 at Sandbox Lounge in Roselawn, Indiana. Performing will be Diversion, Sadies Cage and perhaps one more band. Cash costume contests and lots of giveaways and games... BUDWEISER SUPPORTS ROCK IN THE REGION… I would like to officially welcome on board and thank the fine folks at Budweiser and Calumet Distributing for becoming my sponsor. The “Budweiser True Music” campaign has tied-in with both my XROCK 103.9 “Rock In The Region” segments and with my Midwest BEAT live music bashes! It’s looking to be a great union, because Budweiser is committed to helping me rock the region on the radio and in print! Join us at the
Bud-powered “Pointe
East 20th Reunion Bash.”
Be one of the first 300 paid admissions and get a special Bud
Key Card that could open the prize door and win you, concert tickets
to the Star Plaza Theatre, Bud
merchandise and even a collectible
Bud “True
Music” guitar autographed by Chicago rock icon, Jim Peterik. POINTE
EAST REUNION… Do not forget to join Midwest BEAT, X-Rock Radio and Budweiser on October 18 at Second Dimensions in Schererville, Indiana, as we mark the 20th Anniversary of the closing of Pointe East! ARRIVE EARLY TO WIN! The first 300 paid admissions will get a special “Budweiser True Music” key card. During the night try to unlock the “Budweiser True Music” prize door to win all sorts of great prizes – from t-shirts, to concert tickets, to a collectible Budweiser True Music guitar autographed by Jim Peterik. I would love to see as many of the old Pointe East clubgoers and former employees as possible show up to relive the memories, the music and the good times we shared at the old club. The music played that night will be a blast from the past... Performing a full concert set will be three Pointe East alumni entertainers. Opening up the festivities will be a solo acoustic performance by platinum-selling songwriter Jim Peterik, whose band Survivor was a mainstay on the Pointe East Stage. Jim will dust off all the old Survivor hits like “Eye Of The Tiger,” “Rebel Girl” and “The Search Is Over”, along with hits he’s written for bands like .38 Special (“Hold On Loosely”) and Ides Of March (“Vehicle”). Joining Jim for part of his performance that night will be singer Toby Hitchcock. Next up will be the original line-up of M&R
RUSH to give their final performance.
Closing will be Shuddup & Drive who logged in many nights
on Pointe East stage as both S&D and as Deep River Band. RUMBLE
BANDS ANNOUNCED… Picking just 10 bands from what was ultimately a rather large bunch of talented groups was tough and triggered some debates, but we’ve finally worked our way through the nearly 50 regional bands who submitted demo kits and applications to be part of Midwest BEAT’s now annual “Region Rumble” show at the Star Plaza.
In making the final selections, we try to pick bands that are not too similar, so that the broad musical flavors of the region is represented. There were some darn good bands this year...thanks to all who submitted kits for consideration. The all day
concert runs from 1p.m. to 11 p.m. and each of the 10 bands will
perform 35-minute sets of original music.
Back to co-host the event with me once again will be BEAT
colunist radio personality, FREAK,
and our two delicious BEAT
Babes –– Heather and Beth! This just in…another
stage host will be –– DOOGIE
The Bongwater Boy –– who will be giving away FREE bottles of Bongwater…
a “smokin’” new energy drink!
Thanks to Ian and
the Bongwater folks for coming on board! Watch for a special
pull-out section on the “Region Rumble 2003” bands next month! COME
MEET THE STARS… Midwest BEAT invites you
to come out and hang with rock stars this month. First we’ve got guitarist Mark Tremonti of Creed doing a fan meet ‘n’ greet at Music Lab in Lansing on October 4 from 2-4 p.m. on behalf of Paul Reed Smith guitars. More info: (708) 895-2218.
Then to wrap up the
month, I will be personally escorting two lucky Midwest
BEAT readers backstage for a private “meet
‘n’ greet” with the King of Southern Rock -- Charlie
Daniels -- on October 31 at Star
Plaza. For your chance to meet Daniels or to be one of five winners who will be getting FREE Charlie Daniels concert tickets, CDs and t-shirts from Midwest BEAT that night...turn to page 16 of this month’s print editon. BAND
BITS…
Notice in the photo shown here, that we are flying the colors of our new sponsor -- Budweiser – who is now working with us at the local level to promote rock in the region via their “True Music” campaign. • Northwest Indiana ska/punk rock combo, O’So E-Z, who broke up last spring are back together with a restructured line-up. Four of the five original members -- singer/guitarist Josh Drake, drummer Alex Ross, Rich Hoekstra on Tenor Sax, and Matt Lambert on trumpet – have welcomed aboard bassist Justin Richards, keyboardist Dave Lubarski, and baritone saxophonist Lauren “Lab” Brechner. “The resurrection was
just basically a realization of how much we love this band and love
playing together,” said Drake.
“This band was/is just
too good to let it go so quietly.” Drake and Lubarski, who
formed emo band, Amber, this summer say that group will also continue on. • So you have never attended a symphony? Hey even KISS has gotten hip to the power of a good symphony…just check out their new CD –– Symphony: Alive IV.
• Congratulations to Chicago country singer/songwriter -- Dayna Malow -- who is on quite a streak these days when it comes to winning contests, earning critical praise and getting herself noticed. The latest feather in Malow’s cap was beating out a multitude of Midwest artists in an original song contest sponsored by the online music publication, ChicagoMusicScene.com Securing Malow’s win was her original tune, “Anywhere But Here!” Malow will spend late October in Nashville, laying tracks for her newest indie CD, the follow up to her well-received 2001 CD, Anywhere But Here. The new release should be on sale by Christmas. In the meantime, a Spanish language song -- “Duermo en la Calle” -- Malow co-wrote has been recorded by renown Cuban artist and Grammy nominee, Albita Rodriguez. It already getting radio play on many Latin-music radio stations. For more info: www.daynamalow.com •
EIGHTY• 94, is the
latest band to lose a member due to band-busting malady known as
“girlfriend issues.” The
punk-pop group lost their singer/guitarist and are currently seeking
someone to step into that position.
Interested parties can contact them via email: eighty94@yahoo.com •
When not laying down the low end on Rick Springfield and Def
Leppard cover songs with his retro-rock band History’s
End, bassist Scott Hicks
is moonlighting on ultra-heavy original music with Organic,
a new band featuring ex-Gravelbone
guitarists Mike Sheffield
and Kenny Gannon ex-Lungbrush vocalist/frontman, Roach. • South Side heavy rock favorites, Flathead Fillups, have taken their two previous EPs -- Word Of Mout” and Pound -- and combined them into one full length “best of” style CD aptly titled, Totalled. For more info: www.flatheadfillups.com •
Chicago Americana group, Urban
Twang, who had their music featured in the hit indie film, “Almost Salinas,” are
becoming the talk of Europe. The
Sweet Pickle recording act has been getting favorable reviews across
the Big Pond on their most recent Better Days CD.
More info: www.sweetpicklemusic.com/gigs.htm • Chicago singer/songwriter/band leader, Pete Berwick (of Pete Berwick & The Renegades) has just had one of his original songs –– “Must Think She Loves Me” –– licensed for inclusion in the independent film, “Townies,” being produced by Neo-Pangea Films. Berwick is no stranger
to the world of film, his music and he himself as an actor has been
featured in various HOB original movies while he was living in
Nashville in the early ‘90s. •
Cosmic Slop is a new
“all covers” band put together strictly for fun by guitariast Derek See of the all original group, I-Sharko. Also on board
are Drake Blinco, Sam Carlson
and Matt Chandler, all
known for original music bands like Your
Neighbors, Long Division and The
Mudpuppees. •
Chicago’s Citizen Bob
have released their latest CD –– Second Helping –– a 14-song set that more than capably
follows up the group’s 4-song EP from last year, First
Piece. For
info on the band and to secure a copy of their disc: www.citizenbob.com • A new Hammond-based Christian Rock combo -- Narrow Way -- has been starting to book itself onto the local coffeehouse scene. The harder-edged rock group was formed by veteran region guitarist, Clint Tucker and his bass-slapping spouse Cheryl Tucker, who had both been longtime members of the area’s secular music scene while with the all original band Stranger Than Fiction. Rounding out the
quintet is a second husband/wife team, Marty
and Donna Bevill, and Tim Harper. •
Simple Something
report that they have posted a few new original songs on the web for
fans of heavy alt-metal to surf over to and check out... Find them at:
www.mp3.com/simplesomething •
Jef “One ‘F’ Jef”
Moll of St. John, Indiana made his name locally as an engineer on
projects with Smashing Pumpkins
and R. Kelly. Moll is now twisting knobs for guitarist Wes Borland’s new band, The
Damning Well, which also features Filter
vocalist Richard Patrick
and Danny Lohner of Nine Inch Nails. Catch them on the soundtrack for “Underworld,”
and note Moll’s engineering work. BAD
MOJO WORKING OVERTIME… There’s some bad mojo working on us these last few weeks. I wish speedy recoveries to my partner and friend, Kent Follett (convalescing in a California hospital), our photo editor Niva Bringas (recuperating in a Chicago hospital), our office manager Crystal Frost (finally out of hospital and back at home after weeks out). Also big “Get Better!” and “I love you!” shout out to my mother, Gabrielle Lounges, who for years has never flinched from stuffing envelopes, cleaning and assembling the frames for our annual BEAT Awards, and doing a lot of other unglamorous but necessary jobs... Hospitalized for the last several months, she is missed around here... To all of them, I say –– “Quit goldbricking you and get back to work!” To the rest of you... I ask that you PLEASE join me for our super special “Pointe East 20th Reunion Bash” on Oct. 18 @ 2nd Dimensions! Cheers! |
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So
WHO made the final cut and who will perform live at the Star Plaza
Theatre on Sunday, November 23?
Next,
Midwest BEAT will be
joining the management of Discount
Records in welcoming national nu-metal group, Mushroomhead, for a 4 p.m. meet ‘n’ greet at the South Side
record chain’s Frankfort location on October 14.
So
that said, I must point out that the amazing regional talents of our
very own Indiana Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of KIRK
MUSPRATT, will present a special HALLOWEEN
POPS concert at Star
Plaza Theatre on October 30.