First off, I have to kudos to the folks at Sonar for upgrading the sound system. The sound at the Club Stage is so much better than the last time I had been there, and I’m told the sound at the Main Stage is even better. This recording of Ponytail is a testament to the upgraded sound, though it does suffer in spots due to an over-chatty audience.

I’ll forgive those who stood around and talked while Ponytail played, assuming they were telling each other how incredible this band is. Incredible indeed! Quickly becoming my fave local band, Ponytail brings a frenetic energy that only fuels the crowd to further heights of aural delight. I’m not really sure what genre of music I’d throw Ponytail in, it’s not really traditional rock and it’s not what I consider punk music either, but somewhere in the middle. Regardless of what you might label the band or their music, Ponytail is just one incredible band live and I was looking forward to their next gig before this one had even finished. If anything, check out the last song, “Celebrate The Body Electric (It Came From An Angel)”, one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard in a long time.

Ponytail open for Plastic Little and Bonde Do Role, with a quick Spank Rock set in between.

Check out the setlist for the Ponytail set.

The audio files for this show have been removed.

My dad makes fun of me for buying records and my mom doesn’t really understand what I do at nights. With them in mind, I am going to film a series of introductory videos that show different things that I do. Of course, there are many videos like this out there, but this way they can forward a clip of their very own boychik to grandma.

This was a fun show. Not only did I get to perform, but I also got to watch two awesome bands rip it up. One was Rosemary Krust, who I was not able to film. Fortunately, I was able to film The Agrarians. This is probably the most prolific band in Baltimore right now, having released four albums within the span of a year. This show also served as a release party of sorts for their newest LP, A Body Through the Day. The songs performed are “Loving the Loving”, “Always a Lady”, and “O Jesus.” Also, I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen an acoustic guitar with the signature Fender headstock, except for a guitar I saw in Josie and the Pussycats. Wild!!

The first time I saw the Baltimore band Soihadto was at The Ottobar on January 6, 2006 when they opened for Delicious (NC) and Big In Japan (Baltimore). They totally blew me away at that show. Unfortunately, it’s taken me a year and a half to see them a second time, largely because they don’t play all that often and when they do play, they play venues I don’t tape at. After their set from last Friday, I think I’m gonna have to reconsider taping at some of the venues they play: again, I was blown away!

I think a good number of the audience was there because of the tie-in with “Ace of Cakes“, the Food Network series that features Chef Duff Goldman. As is turns out, Duff also plays bass for Soihadto. I didn’t have any of the cake, but judging from the number of women who sounded like they were having orgasms with each bite, perhaps I should have. But I didn’t come for cake. I came for Soihadto and they did not disappoint. Well, there was one disappointment: I wanted to buy a shirt and they didn’t have any XXL’s, which I found surprising since Duff himself would require nothing less than an XXL himself.

Check out the setlist for this show.

The audio files for this show have been removed.

This past Friday night, The Ottobar held the first of several shows to mark their 10th anniversary…why they invited The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad will probably remain a mystery. Opening the night was Geof Manthorne on acoustic guitar, followed by the band Shineola playing hard rock. The third band up was the fantastic Baltimore-based Soihadto, which includes a celebrity of sorts: Chef Duff from “Ace of Cakes” and Charm City Cakes fame on blazing guitar riffs. After chowing down on cake, The Flute Squad hit the stage and most of the crowd hit the road…damn shame because this was one of the best DMFS shows I’ve seen. The set featured the vocal debut of El Spaghettio as he ruthlessly sprayed the crowd with Bad Brains (Banned in DC), as well as the song debut of what should soon become a festival anthem: “Show Us Your Boobs, Buy Me A Beer.”

Check out the setlist for this show.

You can download the flac files at The Live Music Archive (as well as check out other live Flute Squad shows).

Last night the Lo Fi Social Club had its Grand Re-Opening at the Charles St. location and I came out to tape my fave band from the state of Pennsylvania, Pariah Piranha. Pariah Piranha is a trio of women who play hard rock/grunge. If I were to compare their sound to more well-known bands, I’d say they sounded like a cross between Nirvana and L7, though I think they have a unique sound all their own.

I think once the Lo Fi works out the kinks of opening up, they’ll be a strong prescence in the Baltimore music community. The venue is in a great location, the owner is committed to the Baltimore music scene and the sound system is already one of my favorites in the area. It’s not a smoke-free venue (though even as a smoker, I think it should be) and there aren’t too many spots to find a seat, but these are minor inconveniences. I’m looking forward to coming out to the Lo Fi alot because I know they’ll consistently book bands that I want to see: Baltimore bands. Like The Talking Head before it, and The Metro Gallery now, The Lo Fi will specialize in providing local bands a place to play.

Check out the Setlist for the show.

The audio files for this show have been removed.

Private Eleanor has been on my radar for over a year, I just haven’t found the right time to go see them…until this past Thursday, September 6, when they opened for Au Revoir Simone and Oh No! Oh My! at The Ottobar. Based out of Baltimore and on the Beechfields label, Private Eleanor plays melodic soft rock.

Check out the setlist for this show.

The audio files for this show have been removed.

I put up these two videos a little more than a month ago. Not many have seen these, I feel like they were totally slept on. But anyway, Smart Growth rocks, and he doesn’t disappointed in these videos. He plays “Our Own Place” and “Money in the Banks.”

I admit it: I enjoy a good cover band from time to time. There are a couple of other Led Zeppelin cover acts, but none with a name that forces a smile across your face quite like Lez Zeppelin. As the name implies, Lez Zeppelin is an all-girl band, though I’m unsure as far as the lezziness of the members.

The sound quality of this recording is excellent, partly because I’m not running crappy mics, but also because the venue, which holds about 1800, had an audience of no more than 75 people. The show was very nice, though I was a bit surprised that they didn’t cover the one Led Zeppelin song that everyone and their brother knows: Stairway to Heaven. Still, this show is not clamoring for hits and every now and then it finds its way into my playlist.

Check out the setlist for this show.

Check out my blog for a list of my recordings, reviews and upcoming shows to be taped.

The audio files for this show have been removed.

Here’s a very entertaining and brand new video to kick things off. This is an abridged production of Seung-Hui Cho’s mindfuck of a play, Richard McBeef, produced and directed by local jack of all trades Duncan Moore. I filmed this last Friday (August 31), at the 14 Karat Cabaret in downtown Baltimore. Mike Allison, Duncan Moore, and Alex Parlato star as “Richard McBeef”, “John”, and “Sue”, respectively. Jack and Max from Needle Gun did the music.

For most of you on the internet, this inspiring work of fiction needs no introduction…so I’m not going to write one.