…yeah, we know it’s been a slow week in the 937. So, you’re probably ready to get into some action, yes? Well, have we got a treat for you, kids….

…one of our most anticipated releases of the year will be celebrated tonight at The Pearl as Squids Eye Records proudly presents the debut album by Toads & Mice. Although they’ve laid low on the radar for quite some time, this is their big coming out party. With a batch of songs this good, they can’t go unnoticed forever. Drawing on everything from post-punk to post-rock, these gentlemen could be one of the most promising bands to emerge out of the Gem City in quite some time…

…rounding out the bill this evening will be The Receiver from Columbus, sounding somewhere between Minus the Bear and Elliot Smith, and local up-and-comers Of Brothers and the Bear. Get out tonight and make up for a slow week…

…tonight it’s happening over on Brown St. at Jimmie’s Cornerstone. On tap, we have newer outfit, Jasper the Colossal,dishing out their brand of new-wave/punk, the mysterious Sitandance (we still haven’t seen them and they have no web presence; if anyone has the lowdown on these guys let’s hear it), and the inimitable gutter-garage of Switchblade Serenade. This will be their last show before the new disc, No One Cares, drops next week. See you there…

**CORRECTION** Switchblade Serenade WILL NOT be playing this evening. We apologize for the inaccuracy of our report.

If you need to get out tonight, you know where to go….

Join me, your Host, & DJ HEATHER for L’EIGHTIES NITE, FREE every TUESDAY at PEARL w/some kinda cool music from 9:00-11:00.

**This week- “80’s Baby! (Wolf’s wife) Cyn turns 27 on November 27th! Help her celebrate! Dress as your favorite 80’s movie character. Special guest appearance at 11:27 PM by The Freakshow Deluxe. No Cover / 18+ / Doors at 9:00 PM / Drink Specials. After the Freakshow is NEW WAVE/80’s until close w/ADAM & MARK serving YOU great drink specials- $2 PBR/HIGH LIFE & $3 LONG ISLANDS. PEARL 101 S. Saint Clair St. Dayton, OH

…you know Jay and Heather always have you covered on Tuesday nights, and you know Jay is always gonna dig up some song you forgot about or never even heard….

…while not as illustrious as it’s southern cousin, the North by Northeast in Toronto is a more subdued, but no less prestigious, affair. According to our research, a handful of Dayton bands have participated in the festival in recent memory, the most recent being My Latex Brain a couple of years ago….

…so, check out the link and submit your band…deadline is January 31….don’t wait…

If you’re in a band and looking for an opportunity to get into one of the bigger music festivals, here’s a good one to look into. The Forecastle Festival is held annually in Louisville and since its inception in 2002 has nearly doubled in attendance each subsequent year. Previous festival headliners include The Apples in Stereo, Sleater-Kinney, Girl Talk, and De La Soul. Local favorites Captain of Industry and Murder Your Darlings have also been selected to participate in the festival…

…submissions are being accepted now through March 15. If you need to know more about submitting, go here.

…at the unlikely venue of Ernie’s (corner of Wayne and Arbor), Marijuana Johnson and Kentucky Overflow will both be making rare appearances tonight. Allegedly, this will be MJ’s last show of the year as they prepare for a new batch of recordings. The show is free and starts at 10. See you there….

…despite the cold and a slow start to the evening, by the end of Mascot’s set, the crowd had gathered and was primed for the second band of the evening, The Teeth. Out on tour from Philadelphia with Park the Van Records labelmates, The High Strung, The Teeth hit the stage with a sense of purpose to win over every audient in the room. From our perspective, mission accomplished. Their high-octane vintage-flavored indie rock seemed to find its way into every ear in the room and by the end of their set they had won over virtually every non-believer…



…taking the stage next was local garage practitioners, The Goody Two Shoes. Although we had not been entirely impressed with previous outings, the band seems to be gelling and getting their sound together. This was definitely the best we’d seen them, as guitarist/vocalist C.J. brought her trademark stage presence in spades…

…closing out the evening was one of the hardest working bands out right now, The High Strung. Coming down from Detroit, the band seemed to have a stronger flirtation with the British Isles than the Motor City. As one chiming chorus after another whizzed by under attack from an endless stream of virtuostic bass runs and rollicking drum fills, the band made a strong case for why they could be one of the best bands in the modern cannon….(we apologize for the lack of visuals accompanying the High Strung set. Technical difficulties…)

All photos of The Goody Two Shoes by Marla Bremer

…over at Canal Street Tavern tonight, we have on tap some of the finest songwriters currently working in Dayton. Opening the night will be The Homeless Romantic, Wil Cope, who will be making his last appearance in Dayton before his relocation to Nashville this weekend. Next up is the relentless juggernaut that is Joe Anderl. Allegedly, there will be an all-star cast backing Joe up on this evening. Closing the show will be Dayton mainstays, Shrug, chock full of rock n’ roll goodness. You can’t miss on this one…

…to whet your appetite, here’s a recent video of Wil Cope in promotion of his new album, Borrowed Light…

photo of Joe Anderl courtesy of Kim at Picture the Sound

…the kids over at Do Tell Records are working their magic again tonight, bringing in two great touring bands to the Nite Owl: The Teeth and The High Strung, along with locals The Goody Two Shoes and Mascot. Touring together as Park The Van Records labelmates, The Teeth and The High Strung traffic in the sounds of The Kinks, Cheap Trick, Elvis Costello, Television, The Libertines, and whatever else you wanna think of. Local support act The Goody Two Shoes will deliver their raw garage goodness, while Mascot will open the evening with a solo acoustic set. Should be a good one….

…after gorging ourselves on the proverbial Thanksgiving feast, we regrouped and headed downtown for our first visit to J-Alan’s in order to catch Wild & Free and Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. Man, were we in for a perfect dessert to the day….

…opening the evening, somewhat unexpectedly, was Wild & Free. At this point, the band is building such an incredible momentum that they have willed themselves into being one of the best bands in this town within a matter of months. As guitarist/vocalist Jake Geisege continues to unveil one remarkable tune after another we can only say that Wild & Free is writing some of the most infectious and memorable songs in Dayton at the moment…



…without allowing any of the evening’s momentum slip, youngsters Andrew & the Pretty Punchers stepped right onto the stage like a well-seasoned band and delivered their own brand of high-intensity, earthy pop tunes. Enduring technical difficulties, the band soldiered on and whipped the crowd into a frenzy. With Josh Wickersham pulling double duty on bass this evening and Cry Baby Genius dropping in on drums, the lineup continues to expand and fluctuate. Eh, who cares? The songs are great. Truly, it was a great evening of great songs with two of the best young bands in Dayton….



…as it was our first time venturing into J-Alan’s for a show, we should say that we saw a lot of potential for this venue. With a sizeable stage, plenty of floor space, a pool table in back, and tables off to the side, both band and audience could be satisfied with the environs. Not to mention, there was no cover charge….so, who’s next?

For more photos from the evening, go here.