Some of you lucky Wilco fans got a chance to see Jeff Tweedy live at Foellinger almost two years ago. The show was amazing and arguably the best Star Course has put on lately.
The concert was recorded and there just happen to be quite a few copies of it out there. For those of you who do not have it or just feel like listening to Jeff Tweedy as much as I do, I’ve embedded some dream streams! Enjoy!
I suppose the only person capable of making Feist any cooler is The Colbert Report Anchor himself. Feist appeared on the show and gave Stephen a little treat!
Here she is performing an acoustic “I Feel It All”:
Band Members: Brad Miller - Guitar, Vocals Dan Wonsover - Bass, Vocals Kris Ahrens - Drums, Vocals Mike Donato - Keys BIGS - Bringer of Light (This guy did the lights at Ben Folds via Knoxarray Event Production - pretty bad ass)
On this campus, one band is synonymous with Jam: Zmick. They play progressive rock fused with elements of reggae, jazz, and funk with the intent of “bringing people together and giving them an opportunity to dance, sing, laugh and bond with other music lovers.” You can find Zmick playing their Monday Night Rage spot over at the Canopy Club every week (including tonight! go!).
Here is a small dose of the live Zmick experience:
Zmick was kind enough to answer some of my questions for a Local Artist Profile interview:
the217: Summer Camp 2008 is fast approaching! Using the time since your 2007 participation as a benchmark, how has your band changed in the past year?
Zmick: The line-up now only has two of the original six members. The two new members, Mike and Brad, and our lighting designer, BIGS, bring the mother fuckin heat!! As for Summer Camp, it’s an unbelievable festival and nothing can completely prepare you for the unexpected moments that make the experience. This year, we have found an amazing place to practice that has really helped develop our sound and community.
Courtesy: Canopy Club
the217: Monday Night Rage has become a Canopy Club staple. Do you have plans to continue it into the summer and next school year?
Zmick: As of now, we are still working out details for the future. This past year has brought us joy through the expanding community based on music in Champaign/Urbana and our involvement in it. The Canopy Club has been extremely good to us and we hope to continue to have a good relationship.
the217: You list your influences as Jambands, Progressive Rock, Jazz, Reggae, Metal, Funk, Bluegrass, Electronica, Hip-Hop, and Classical. Are there any specific bands that stand out as truly inspiring to you?
Zmick: This has always been a hard question for us to answer. We pride ourselves on the all the different music we listen to. Basically, we think that we can’t be influenced by the people we’ve never heard, and are influenced by the people we have.
Courtesy: Zmick
the217: Four reasons why people should go to a Zmick Show!
Zmick: We have a good crowd of friends and fans that enjoy dancing to different genres of music (something for everyone). Each show has new improvisations, new covers and different setlists to make each show unique. Ultimately we try to have a good time with our audience and interact with them so that they’re contributing to the experience as much as we are.
the217: Any exciting future plans for the band?
Zmick: Outside of Summer Camp, we really look forward to improving and expanding our repertoire over the summer!
More Zmick Video!
Make sure you check out Zmick at their Monday Night Rage shows at Canopy Club! There is NO COVER and super cheap drinks ($1.50 Domestic Drafts, $2.50 Import Drafts), if you need some extra convincing.
The night that could have been called The Great Mash-Up is over and my ears have barely survived the ordeal thanks to Athens, GA natives Dark Meat. Indie Rock, meet Hip Hop was a showcase of largely marginalized genres that rely on people with good sense and keen ears for survival. That being said, I was torn between disappointment at the fairly poor turnout and joy at the excellent exhibition of creativity and musical diversity. This show was fun and it’s just sad so many people missed out on a strong dose of local prowess.
The following were my favorite acts of the night (minus pictures because my camera was stolen *sad face*):
Influenced strictly by Vampire Weekend, how could this band not be phenomenal? Seriously though, besides Brian McGovern’s striking resemblance to Ezra when he wears a sweater, World’s First Flying Machine is nothing like the oxford commas. In the spirit of the night, their sound and performance was a lot more Indie Rock than Indie Folk. The extra energy resulted in broken guitar strings, teeth riffs, and a swift kick in the ass to the lethargic crowd. My leg was tappin’ and it wasn’t even nine o’clock yet! (I never tap till ten on principle)
In a true show of ambassadorship, Agent Mos joined World’s First Flying Machine on stage for a special improvised mash! I know a lot of people give Krukid lots of attention, as they should, but AMS has a really great flow and the self-admitted nerdiness is quite endearing. The special session managed to get everyone out of their seats and onto the floor dancing. I can only imagine the reaction if this had been a later time slot.
Check out this video of World’s First Flying Machine performing “Inefficient Machines” live:
I only caught the last two songs of this set due to an unforeseen trip out of the Canopy, but that is all they needed to impress me. We all know Krukid has the flow, and as one of Rawkus Records newest artists he is gonna be on the go! The Sugargliders were a vibrant edition to Krukid’s MCing. They had the crowd dancing and shouting lyrics back the entire set.
While crude, that was my exact reaction to the indescribable live performance given by Dark Meat. A stage full of people, dressed in the weirdest shit you have ever seen, all seemingly trying their hardest to destroy your ear drums! After much deliberation, the only way I can accurately characterize this band is with two words: Organized Chaos. Songs that began in complete cacophony slowly evolved into Souther Rock-ish chord progressions designed to melt your face. I was uncontrollably rocking to the disaster within a few seconds into the first song. In fact, I think I spilled more beer than I drank during the entire set.
While angry that I could not take my own pictures, the ones provided by Dark Meat’s label Vice Records are pretty telling:
Emily Armond on Piccolo channeling Uma Thurman Pulp Fiction Style
There will be a full Indie Rock, Meet Hip Hop show review up sometime today, but for now I thought I would just comment on the level of hearing loss I sustained last night. Dark Meat was so loud and crazy that I think I discovered a new level of hearing that is attainable once you lose your regular ability. Ow and Wow!
Members Ryan Groff: guitars/lead vocals Dave Pride: percussion/vocals Mark Woolwine: piano/vocals Chris Eitel: bass/vocals
It is only appropriate that I start off the Local Artist Profiles with one of CU’s most loved and listened to bands. Elsinore has existed for three years with a Folk / Americana sound, releasing an LP in 2006 - Nothing For Design. Only recently have they made the choice to concentrate on Indie Rock song writing.
Business as usual… [Photo by Brittany Pyle, courtesy Elsinore]
Elsinore answers many of the questions surrounding their change of heart in their Local Artist Profile Interview:
the217: It seems that somebody finally got your new sound’s genre direction right with the Indie Rock meets Hip Hop show. Can we still expect this new record out this summer?
Elsinore: We’re looking more realistically at a Fall release, but next month we’ll put out a 3-song tour EP for ‘The General’, which will be on the full-length album. Also on the EP will be a b-side studio version of ‘Antonymity’ and an alternate version of ‘Wooden Houses’, which will also be on the full-length.
the217: “Landlocked” and “The General”, among your new material, definitely make you sound like a band reborn. Is there a fresh feeling to your relationship as a band or your performances? I was at Memphis on Main for most of your set and I definitely felt like I was watching something entirely new.
Elsinore: We just had an epiphany one night at rehearsal that we weren’t into the music we’d been making. We didn’t feel like an Americana band, but we played songs in that genre. I mean, we used to be happy with them. That’s where the band came from…folk and Americana roots. But, I started playing the electric guitar and started a pedal farm with hundreds of effects pedals sprouting every day. Well, almost. But, we realized that we all liked Wilco and Spoon and Arcade Fire and Radiohead more than what we sounded like. We felt like a computer that hadn’t been updated in a looooooong time…our operating system was slow, our drive was full. So, we made a conscious decision to take some of my new song ideas and play them the way we felt was right: an amp turned up and a freaking real drumset! Luckily, it wasn’t just an experiment, but a realization that we needed a change if we were going to be happy and go any further as a band. Now we’re a songwriting band instead of just taking my or Chris’ song ideas and sort of piecing them together. We’re a collective and more cohesive with our co-writing.
the217: Are there any plans to mix up a set with any of the Hip Hop artists during Thursday’s show?
Elsinore: Well, Krukid has a lifetime invitation to hop on our stage anytime he wants.
the217: Who are you sharing a stage with at Summer Camp this May? Excited for the tour this summer?
Elsinore: The Flaming Lips, The Roots, The Headlights, New Pornographers, Bro-A-R(kidding) will all be there and we think that’s a good thing. As far as the tour, we’re planning a week out in June, and then 36 days from July 5-August 9th. This will be the biggest anything we’ve ever done. So, excitement doesn’t even scratch it.
the217: Favorite Hip Hop Artist of all time. Go!
Mark: DJ Shadow
Dave: Colour Me Badd
Chris: Mos Def
Ryan: I was into Bel Biv Devoe in Jr. High, but how can I live so close to someone like Krukid and NOT call him my favorite?
**
Been wondering who that awesome Beck cover band was at The Great Cover Up this year? Guess who…
Sweet wig Ryan.
Make sure you check out Elsinore’s great new sound at their myspace! Also, if you haven’t figured it out by now, they will be playing at the Canopy Club TONIGHT for the Indie Rock, meet Hip Hop show. Murphy’s is over-done, go to Canopy!
Elsinore Contact Info:
website: elsinoremusic.com
myspace: myspace.com/elsinoremusic
booking: Please send all inquiries to Mike Ingram at Amnesiac Booking Co. - mikeingram@gmail.com
In keeping with the spirit of local support that has become a serious priority to Illini Media, I have decided to add a new feature to this blog. The Local Artist Profiles will present interviews and updates about each of your favorite bands and performers.
I probably won’t follow the Band of the Week list, as it has already started, but I will eventually get to all of those featured by WPGU. Make sure you take the time to read up on CU’s Local Artists, but more importantly - GO TO THEIR SHOWS!
I know this is self-serving, but Star Course now has a blog set up.
We will be posting information about shows, the organization, and its members. Make sure you check on it, as well as our website for our newest events this coming Fall!
What? You think throwing these genres together would create a musical cacophony that would destroy the world? That’s just silly. Allow me to allay your fears with a little mash-up magic!
If you haven’t heard of The Hood Internet already, they are a group of DJ’s and audiophiles that fuse Hip Hop with Rock or Indie Rock. Usually this is done by using the acapella and main beat from the Hip Hop track and making it follow the Indie Rock song. My favorite mash-up of all time (besides Girl Talk of course) is a song The Hood Internet did last year.
Imagine Spoon performing with Ghostface Killah, or don’t because it might make your head explode, but seriously that would be awesome. To get an idea of exactly what it would sound like check out the track “The Ghostface Of You Lingers” over at the Hood’s myspace. If you think that is the shit, which you will, download their whole mixtape vol.1 for free at their website!
Now, there are not necessarily going to be any mash-ups going on at the show, but I have heard Elsinore is always ready to throw a little Krukid into their set!
Look for interviews with several of the artists performing in this week’s Buzz and make sure you head over to the Canopy Club Thursday night. It’s gonna get rowdy!
$5 in advance, $7 before 8:00pm and $8 after 8:00pm
My Morning Jacket at Foellinger Auditorium [12/05/06] Photo: Jono Baron
Jim James and Co. are about to put out their new album June 10th! The album is called Evil Urges, a title as cool as the band that picked it. They will also be playing the huge Coachella festival next week!
My Morning Jacket has released the first single off of the new album also called “Evil Urges”. You have until next Friday to download it for free, so don’t wait!
The track is definitely more along the lines of what we heard from Z, but I’m still crossing my fingers for a little It Still Moves Southern Rock sound
![[courtesy Zmick]](http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa195/krisAhrens/Zmick.jpg)
![Dark Meat @ SXSW [courtesy Vice Records]](http://blogs.the217.com/hesaidhesaid/files/2008/04/_mg_1011.jpg)
