The Bass Geek

Download it here or listen at the site or on WFYI.

Because I usually post the weekend shows on the blog, I’ve been missing the shows that have been taking place at Studio 8 in the Murphy Building. They’re all of the hardcore variety, but maybe that’s what you’re in to. I dunno. In any case, May 4th has Bane, I Rise, Picked Clean and Deceiver at 7pm, and May 21st has The Effort, Take Control, The Pledge, and Axis and Allies beginning at 7:30pm. I’m not sure how they’re going to play Axis and Allies while all of that hardcore music is playing, but I trust in their efforts.

It’s a shoppin spree when my eMusic subscription rolls over, and this time I think I managed to use my allowance quite wisely.

El Michels Affair “Enter The 37th Chamber” is a fairly decent collection of instrumental Wu Tang Clan covers – I compare it to a twice-baked lasagna of instruments covering samples of instruments.

Melvin Gibbs’s Elevated Entities is an intriguing meld of hip-hop and funk with Afro-Brazilian rhythms and melodies. He’s a criminally underrated bassist and strong composer. Get it now.

And finally, Greg Tate’s Burnt Sugar The Arkestra does a great job of updating the 70s Miles Davis sound and the hinted-at Sun Ra influence. It still has a power and freshness to it, so it’s definitely worth a listen.

There’s a little time in the live show schedule right now, so it’s a good time to deal with a new recording project. My friends Eric, Kit et al. have put together some new tracks for the $1.99 Millers, our little slice of dysfunctional Americana from a few years ago. So I’m trying to write some new bass lines for the new songs and remember the old bass lines for some of Kit’s material that was played with the American Arsonists. I’m thinking P-Bass and Ampeg/Sansamp for all of the buttery goodness they bring to songs like this.

Also, as noted in one of the links above, the remixed versions of our two-disc set are available for download now and likely in iTunes and such in the future. Download now, pay later, whatever works for you. I’ve got a car door to fix – just sayin’.

Radio Radio has a packed weekend coming up – they welcome Lucero and Titus Andronicus tonight, and tomorrow is Mardelay’s CD release party with STATE and One Man’s Opinion.

Big Car Gallery features the Ever So Slightly music series with Lovely Houses and others.

Deano’s Vino has the Last Drop Juggers tonight and New Augusta tomorrow.

And finally, there’s live jazz at Maria’s Pizza from tonight. Enjoy your days off.

The Indyfringe Fashion Show went well – good comments all around, and the volume balance seemed great. I still have yet to get the amp above about 1.5, though. Time to join a death metal band, I suppose. Wonder how that music will go over at cocktail parties?

The new IMN podcast is up as well. Download it here, or listen at the site or WFYI.

No death metal on that show, either.

And I thought all of the visual spectacles were over with now that the burlesque show is finished. Turns out the Playboy Psychonauts show this Thursday is actually two opening slots for a fashion show featuring the stores of Massachusetts Avenue, as evidenced by the flyer reproduction below:

I’m not quite sure if my smoking jacket and fez will pass muster, but we’ll see. I’m banking on it being a timeless look.

Playing in a pit/house band situation again was fun, if only because we just had to play 30 to 40 seconds at a time. The burlesque skits at Radio Radio Saturday night went quite well, and the short transition times meant I just got to play the cool riffs and skip the other stuff. I also learned that the “mute” switch on the new amp cuts all output from the amp section, not just to the speakers. Unfortunately, this was learned via a loud pop through the PA. Didn’t do that again.

Monday’s lunchtime was spent at the Indy Culture Matters rally downtown at Monument Circle. Given the inclement weather, a decent crowd showed up to promote the need for support of our city’s cultural organizations. Mayor Ballard even showed up – can we dare hope for CIB-style funding for arts jobs and organizations in Indianapolis? Doubtful, but it was worth a shot. Just because a job come from the arts sector doesn’t make it any less of a job. People can make a living in the arts. It’s not a frivolous expenditure. It’s a living.

Radio Radio’s weekend centers around the Bottoms Up Burlesque show, featuring the ribald skits of the troupe along with the music of Stealing Volume and The Dockers. Full disclosure: I’m helping to provide the music for some of the skits, but that in no way colors my opinion – it’s for charity, so come out for a good cause.

Deano’s Vino has Ann McWilliams tonight and the John Harden Project tomorrow.

Finally, Maria’s Pizza has live jazz this evening from 7 to 9, and it’s entirely possible the Brass Ring Lounge will have some form of singing and playing going on as well. Enjoy.