Archive for November, 2010

GIRL POWER SHOW: Quincy duo The Sharrows, Nalani Proctor of Keokuk, Iowa, Quincyan Esther Moore and nationally touring musician Erin McCarley of Nashville.

Martin-Cate

With my background and love of music, I am often asked which musical act would be good for this or that event, or sometimes given the name of a performer and asked who would be good paired with it. This happened today via email and then later today I had a conversation with fellow Local Q blogger, Clinton Begley, about pairings for some concert ideas.

I love thinking about these, often the name comes to mind quickly, like peanut butter and jelly, as I am always working with local musicians, but other times I have to mull it over, until an idea strikes and it rings so true, I get excited to suggest it. The latter is a bit more fun and feels like solving a puzzle.

I also, like to come up with all star lineups in my mind when I see shows have a less than stellar grouping of artists, not as a dig at the show, but just to see if I could think of something different than they chose.

A few examples of what I would consider obvious awesome pairing are below, mostly local or regional, let me know what you think:

ACOUSTIC GIRL POWER
A great lineup woud be acoustic female artists Esther Moore of Quincy and Nalani Proctor of Keokuk, Iowa, and maybe have The Sharrows, a female acoustic duo, open up, with a somewhat realistic national artist Erin McCarley headline from Nashville, Tenn., she is great! The quartet would be girl power at its best and quite random as the area doesn’t see many female singers performing in this capacity. I’m picturing the State Room, lit nicely would candles everywhere and lot’s of good wine and seating.

COLLEGE EXTRAVAGANZA: The Graduate, top, Peach, Cheeks McGee and hip hop duo Double Vision.

COLLEGE EXTRAVAGANZA
Hip hop duo Double Vision, who has moved from Quincy to California to persue their hip hop dreams, acoustic extraordinaire Cheeks McGee and his magic loop machine, St. Louis female-fronted trio Peach, and last but not least Quincy/Springfield act The Graduate, who’s pop punk sound has somewhat graduated to indie in recent times. When it comes to a College Extravaganza, you need all the popular genre’s represented in a sleek well-groomed package, so in the lineup you have hip hop, acoustic pop, female indie pop/rock and indie/pop punk. There’s nothing too extreme and the acts will make a nice bright poster. I see this occurring in an outdoor setting like a riverfront park and open to all ages during the first week of classes.

RAWK YOUR FACE
Galesburg gem Silence Before Suicide, a trio that combines hip hop, metal and costumes gloriously, Quincy’s Predawn Hour that can go from ballads to metal screams in pure rock fashion, and California-based band Lojic, which includes Quincy native Chris Schnack, who has elements of 311 and Rage Against Machine in a slick package. If I were to add a bigger headliner to this, I would probably throw in Chicago band Janus that is making waves on the modern rock charts, think Breaking Benjamin meets your favorite local rock group. I picture this show at a stadium with a big sound and light system thumping and pulsing at night in spring or fall.

METAL YOUNGINS
Endsmet, who is reuniting this weekend after a hiatus, popular Hannibal hardcore group Inlow and Springfield darlings Renae, who’s high energy performances literally created a scene movement. This would make sense under the Crux moniker at Coolbyke in Hannibal, Mo., as an all ages fest.

DUDES WITH ACOUSTIC GUITARS
Self-proclaimed punk Bryce Zirkel of Keokuk, Iowa, Quincyan George Cate, singer/songwriter from Predawn Hour, popular Quincy jam band Fielder that requires dancing, and Montrose, Iowa, native William Elliott Whitmore, who tours internationally and sounds like an old soul with a loyal following. This lineup will give a rootsy, rock, blues vibe that will keep you captivated and make you tap your feet. This event needs to be held in the country, with a bonfire and a caravan of vehicles with true fans heading out, I know just the place if we can get it going.

WHO NEEDS GENRE’S
Macomb’s Mayhew the Traitor, who truly have their own sound and a great CD out right now, Kentucky Knife Fight, which includes member Quincy native Jason Holler, Surf/Western act Texas Funerals of Quincy, punk/rockabilly group Mob Action and the amazing Richard James and the Special Riders, who are very original and a see it to believe it kind of thing. There is no place for this show other than the Kix Club, it just fits.

CLASSIC BAR COVERS
Notorious Nightcrawlers, Harlot, The Cheeseburgers and TNT. These are all classic rock cover bands that will get you dancing and singing along. The Nightcrawlers is one of the BEST classic rock cover bands I’ve ever seen, with old blues covers that include the requisite steel guitar and harmonica, to the random Beastie Boys tune that required the lead-singer, who looked like my dad, to take off the straw hat and replace it with a backwards baseball cap. Harlot boasts a female singer who goes from Joan Jett to Heart, which is rare and just plain fun. The Cheeseburgers are a great party and dancing band and TNT can mimic ACDC and Guns N’ Roses, two of rocks toughest frontmen to emulate. This time I think they’d do well rocking the outside area at the Flying Inn in the fall with lots of rowdy patrons having a great time.

METAL LOVEFEST
Iowa band Infliction of Need, area group Atresia and Quincy act Small Time Crook featuring the Krazy Kaucasionz.

ALTERNATIVE FRENZY
Area bands Nowake, Days Taken, Damaged Goods and St. Louis act Descending New Angels, probably in the nice back room of Kerley’s Pub in Hannibal, Mo.

There are many other bands, but at some point, I realized I had to stop or this was going to be a book. One band I was unable to find quite the right show for, but one that must not be overlooked is St. Louis trio Logos. They are incredible, to read my review, click here.

••The links on this page go to previous reviews by me or stories for the Herald-Whig.

Jessica M. Martin-Cate