Without warning or an introduction, sound check was over and the first notes were blasted. The sound slapped faces across The Melody Inn quicker than a sucker punch to the cheekbone. With the bar’s full attention, Verona Red delivered a rousing performance of “Warm Bloody Syndrome”, a saloon-style rock song. Before it concluded, lead guitarist Tony Focht and lead vocalist/supporting guitarist Chris Balzer both fell to the floor in a doubly pleasing display of guitar annihilation. Immediately transitioning to “In The Coat Check”, Balzer continued his captivating on-stage antics; first by scaling Mike Panagakis’ base drum for use as a platform, followed by an additional drop to the knees to support another wicked guitar solo.

Musically, Verona Red is a hodgepodge of characteristics from genres across the board. Fast tempos and heavy drums make nods to punk rock. Balzer’s deep, swing-style vocals hold a striking likeness to Murder By Death singer Adam Turla. Occasional use of a synthesizer generates a spacey, abstract feel (see: All We Ever Had). The placement of a microphone in front of all four members (something rarely seen in rock bands), provides continuous lyrical texture. Together, these combined forces create a dark, yet uplifting, bluesy sound that is both nostalgic and cutting-edge.

Continuing to play from their debut full-length Side Effects, “After All” and “Marjorie” pulled fans to the dance floor. Feeding off the crowd energy, Balzer returned to his perch atop the bass drum, Focht jumped up and down vigorously on the off beats, and bassist John Bottrell faced Panagakis in intense moments of driving rhythm. Recognizing the power of a well-translated cover song, the band gave the gift of John Lee Hooker in an unlikely rendition of “Boom Boom”. Balzer and Focht’s knees met the floor once again as they worked their guitar strings with emotional fury.

The highlight of Verona Red’s performance was easily “No Way Home”, an obscure experimental side track that was (unfortunately) not included on Side Effects. Balzer warned the audience, “You guys wanna do something weird?” as he and Focht put down their guitars in lieu of keys and a conga drum respectively. Panagakis led the song with a tribal-like cadence, complimented by Bottrell’s pounding bass line. Freed from a dance-restrictive guitar, Balzer seductively shook his hips in circles as he wailed into the microphone. The song was surprisingly long, refreshingly avant-garde, and admirably outside of the box.

Additional highlights included “Long Neck Deep Curves” with a special appearance by Indianapolis super-fan Kris Murphy on harmonica and an encore performance of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”. “Well, fuck us if we don’t play one more,” exclaimed Balzer in response to the audience demand for a final song.

Chicago-based Verona Red returns to Indianapolis on Saturday March 6th to shake The Vollrath with local indie-rockers Spare Time Killer. Expect to witness a grossly satisfying night of live music that’s sure to be high in energy, talent, and pure entertainment.

Prizzy Prizzy Please’s short 30-minute set kicked off with synth-heavy, spacey music and artsy, high-pitched vocals that hinted at an Of Montreal influence. The vibe was short-lived, however; their signature fast-paced hard rock kicked in shortly after playing began.

The band’s unique element is the absence of an electric guitar, essentially replaced by Ted Wells on the keyboard. Remaining members include Scott McNiece on the drum set, bassist Bob Allen, and sax player Mark Pallman – the latter two also providing a mix of falsetto vocals and punk rock scream-sings. As evidenced by the atypical instrument combination, Prizzy Prizzy Please creates a sound all their own. No other Indiana-based band rocks the way these guys do.

Through multiple techniques (whether intentional or not), Prizzy Prizzy creates an engaging atmosphere for their audience. Nearly every song comes packaged with an introduction that includes the title, as well as its subject matter. Without force, the songs have a natural ability to consume bodies and spit them back out with flailing arms and mile-a-minute fancy footwork.

The band has a strong following, too. Many familiar faces were present from their recent Local’s Only set during the Broad Ripple Music Festival. But here, at The Volrath, the crowd was lighter and the dance floor more accommodating, giving opportunity for piggy back rides, swing-step moshing, and overall chaotic disorder.

With an exhausting six-band lineup and the clock approaching 2 a.m., Prizzy Prizzy Please fans never tired through the duration of the set. They demanded an encore, to which the band answered with one final song.

The invincible, high-energy drive behind their music paired with admirable musicianship and a touch of quirkiness make Prizzy Prizzy Please a band worth seeing by fans of nearly any genre. Bonus points if you dig getting rowdy with your concert neighbors and listening outside your comfort zone. Meeting any of these conditions warrants a trip to the next Prizzy Prizzy show in your town.

[All photos by Rachel Rubenstein]

Early Saturday afternoon, the stage at Locals Only was filled with classically trained musicians from our southern neighbor-city, Louisville: bass, keyboard, drum set, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, two electric guitars, and one percussionist. Their sound ranged from freaky-bizarre carnival-esque instrumentals to super-fast punk to straight up noise rock. Lucky Pineapple has a special fondness for percussion toys, which simply enrich their full band sound and upgrade the fun factor. Dressed in slacks, button-up shirts, pull-over cardigans, and even a couple of ties; Lucky Pineapple’s vintage business-casual appearance made a statement: we are professional musicians and we let our playing entertain, not stage props or costumes.

The small crowd of listeners learned that the transmission on the Lucky Pineapple van went out en route to Indianapolis. As they prepared to play their final song, the title was muffled by slight stage confusion, but then announced as a dedication to the beloved band van. A completely satisfying close to their set, the song engaged the entire group from start to finish and the horn section got wild together with simultaneous trills and scales at the song’s climax. If this was paying a tribute to their van, consider it fact that Lucky Pineapple REALLY loved their (now defunct) mode of transportation.

Locals Only
Transpanther/ Joyful Noise / Standard Recording Stage
4:24 p.m.
I Need Sleep

Next, another out-of-town band (this time traveling from Knoxville, TN) played on the stage that they had taken the time to adorn with various plants of different size and breed. As a matching embellishment, one guitar even had a long, single leaf dangling from it. The guitarist’s pants matched the drummer’s shirt: solid, bright, neon green. All this and more (Hawaiian board shorts, a pink visor, zebra print shirts, rolled up pant legs) accomplished a true sense of an altered environment from the previous set. “Can we turn as many lights off as possible?” asked one member to the sound guy. And there was instant ambiance. I Need Sleep, too, enjoyed percussion toys like a child does candy. This fascination produced a lot of fun noise and grew smiles in the audience, while their intentionally peculiar voices and puzzling lyrics provoked curiosity. Thinking locally, I Need Sleep could be Amo Joy’s counterpart if Knoxville was Indy’s Bizarro World.

The Monkey’s Tail
5:34 p.m.
The Post Script

Inevitably, more than five hours into the festival, schedules began to fall behind. At The Monkey’s Tail this proved to be a good thing. 30 minutes past their start time, The Post Script were done setting up but still working to fix microphone shorts. Seizing the minutes of unused silence, bassist Blain “The Beast” Crawford began to pluck his guitar and stole the show before it even started. The impromptu solo jam distracted from technical difficulties but, more importantly, gave Crawford the well-deserved spotlight all to his funky self. When he wasn’t impressing with his bass skills, he utilized the microphone and engaged the audience with a natural, entertaining stage presence.

As a result of the late start, the set was shorter than scheduled, simply a warm-up for the band’s 8:00 p.m. show that would take place later at Indy CD & Vinyl. Still, one listening session with The Post Script and the genres they draw from quickly come into focus. With striking precision, they’ve managed to fuse pop, funk, and rock into something so universally appealing it could be dubbed “one sound, fits all”.

North Side News
Heavy Gun Blog Hip Hop Stage
6:15 p.m.
Grey Granite

North Side News, a small two-room café hidden at 54th and College, was Broad Ripple Music Festival’s most unsuspecting venue for all things great. DJ tables occupied a corner; rappers and beatmakers performed in front of the picturesque window; limited seating occupied the back; and a thick, lively crowd filled all spaces in between.

As a remixed Final Countdown blasted from the speakers, Grey Granite blazed through his audience with microphone in hand, jumping up and down while bumping into fans all through the room. When the song began to fade and Granite’s lyrics stopped flowing, he confessed between gasps for air, “I got too excited… I’m all out of breath and it’s only the first song!”

The set was short (at best, 15 minutes) but satisfying. The one-man-show known as Grey Granite truly is amplifying, and apparently it’s the music that does this to him. Granite closed with an original song, Highper, that begins with the vivid line “Snort this song, straight to the brain. Music gets me highhhh.” This put the crow in a frenzy as arms were thrown to the air to cheer, sing, and dance along. Mimicking the recorded version with uncanny likeness, mid-way through Granite orchestrated a massive crescendo to near-silence. DJ brought the sound down while Granite corralled the audience and literally lowered them to the floor. As quickly as it disappeared, the noise came back like a slap to the face and an orgasmic burst of energy erupted. Granite never once stopped moving, frequently hopping on chairs, pointing to the “HeavyGunBlog.com” sign, then jumping back down to the ground again.

HeavyGunBlog.com made public their gratitude to the Broad Ripple Music Festival for having a place for hip hop at 2009’s event. Judging from the high attendance numbers and amazing variety of local talent that participated, hip hop will certainly not be left out again in 2010.

La Jolla Wasted Space
Indianapolis Songwriters’s Café Stage
9:15 p.m.
Deep Cricket Night

Deep Cricket Night closed the Wasted Space Stage Saturday night. Although stationed in Chicago, the band has many ties to the Indianapolis and Bloomington music scenes and frequent the cities often. Deep Cricket Night returned to Broad Ripple as veterans of the village’s music festival; in 2008, they played early to a small audience at The Indy Hostel. This year, however, the band returned to its acoustic roots to make music with Lance Drake’s beautiful falsetto and wicked guitar skills; Joey Werner and Ciaran Cooper providing comedic relief, backing vocals, constant smiles, and percussion beats; and Geraldine Haas, vocally quiet but a musical powerhouse, playing her cello.

Deep Cricket Night played many songs from their 2008 release “Before Morning”. Live, though, the audience was treated to pleasing extended versions of DCN gems “”When You Fall Awake” and “Through The Arches”. As the set progressed, the band moved toward more obscure and lesser-known works, including the “Creepy Make Out Song” to which the introduction included instructions to “do your part.” As the end of the set approached, Cooper left his chair to join Drake at the front of the stage for a moving presentation of “Song on the Door”

With the absence of electric and bass guitar covered by the deep, rich sounds of Haas’ cello, Deep Cricket Night brought the stripped-down, folky feel of their album to life. The unique instrumentation adds a new dimension to listening not often experienced with other live performances of this genre. Evaluating the high degree of quality Deep Cricket Night achieves in singing, song-writing, and musicianship, the band easily ranks among the top of the list for the Broad Ripple Music Festival 2009.

This artist spotlight is part of a special ZapTown series in correlation with the 2009 Broad Ripple Music Fest: http://www.broadripplemusicfest.com/

Other BRMF interviews:
Heavy Hometown
Daniel Fahrner
Thunderhawk
Matt Mitchell Project
Deep Cricket Night
DJ Deanne
Stationary Odyssey
Elsinore
Phoenix Bodies
A Caesar Holiday

WHO: Grey Granite
WHERE: Northside News (5408 N College Ave), 7:25 p.m.
LINKS: http://www.myspace.com/greygranite
http://www.twitter.com/GreyGranite
http://www.heavygunblog.com

SAMPLE MP3:

Grey Granite- a contributor to the wildly popular and entertaining Heavy Gun Blog and creator of sexy, provocative, electronic hip hop- has developed a strong presence in the urban Indianapolis culture. Upon the release of his new album this month, Grey hopes to gain more exposure with the instant hit “Lay U Down”, crossing over onto the play lists of pop and rock fans alike. This Saturday, Grey shares the Heavy Gun Blog Stage with well known locals Oreo Jones, Com Dot, and Mudkids. Below, Grey speaks with ZapTown about his music and inspiration.

Sum up the Grey Granite experience in one sentence.

Grey Granite AMPLIFES your life.

What projects, events, and goals are you currently pursuing?

Well… We recently we have moved away from our traditional Hip Hop roots and came in to a new sound. I just needed to deliver a new type of energy, The album is called Lust Poisons Pride and the first single Lay You Down will be available 10-20-09 it’s a dancing, slutty, high energy song.

What will make your set stand out from others at the Broad Ripple Music Festival?

I make the best live shows. I go all out I give people a SHOW. I take you on a ride and get you involved- start to finish. plus my voice is amazing, it was compared to the sound of angel orgasms- in Time Magazine I think…

Finally, to gain insight into your personal music taste, what was the best concert/show you have recently attended? Album purchased?

Ha! Most definitely the new Yeah Yeah Yeah’s album won’t leave the car. I saw DJ Mike Realm; he does video mixing. That was amazing. I opened for Lupe Fiasco and he surprisingly had the highest level of energy I have ever seen! And, I have seen The Roots and Busta Rhymes. I roll with a lot of older music though. I’m not on that, “what’s hot this very second”. I believe if it’s good now then it will be good when I get around to listening to it, even if it takes ten years. I just got onto Danzig and I love that. Anything Mac Dre and MF Doom I roll with, too. There’s so much. The list keeps going (very hard question). The new Phoenix- I’m all about it. And of course I love The Killers. That’s why we did that whole remix album with their music (available on itunes).

This artist spotlight is part of a special ZapTown series in correlation with the 2009 Broad Ripple Music Fest: http://www.broadripplemusicfest.com/

Other BRMF interviews:
Heavy Hometown
Daniel Fahrner
Thunderhawk
Matt Mitchell Project
Deep Cricket Night
DJ Deanne
Stationary Odyssey
Elsinore
Phoenix Bodies

WHO: A Caesar Holiday
• Ben Masbaum – guitar/vocals
• Daniel Sansone – bass
• Lauren Eison – violin/vocals
• Zach Petersen – drums
• Andrew Rittenhouse – guitar

WHERE: Luna Music (52nd & College), 1 p.m.

LINKS: http://www.myspace.com/acaesarholiday

SAMPLE MP3:

A Caesar Holiday is not for the faint of heart. Their focus is on instrumentals, rather than vocals and lyrics. Their music is dark and emotional, yet full of life. With all members heavily engaged in other facets of life, as well as their collective efforts on the project, A Caesar Holiday has lurked in the shadows of the Indianapolis music scene for quite some time… until now. This Saturday during The Broad Ripple Music Festival, A Caesar Holiday will perform at Luna, exposing an unsuspecting crowd to their profuse and moving sound. Guitarist Ben Masbaum gives ZapTown a preview of their upcoming set:

While the instruments of a traditional rock band are present in your group (electric guitar, bass, and drums), explain what additional elements are included to create the deep, heavy sound that is A Caesar Holiday.

It’s not so much the instruments as it is the use of all of them together. A violin is the unconventional instrument in the band.

Some time has passed since the release of your self-titled debut album in 2007. What have you been working on since then and what does the future hold for A Caesar Holiday?

We are in the midst of recording a second album. As far as shows go, we plan on taking it slow for now. We all have work, school, and other creative ventures. We just want to focus on this next record for now and possibly market ourselves around that.

With so many shows to choose from during the BRMF, what makes a visit to Luna for your set an essential stop on any festival-goer’s itinerary?

Whether or not you like it when you hear it or even understand it, you won’t hear anything like it at the Broad Ripple Music Festival this year. If one might want to hear something borderline epic with a sprinkle of math and a spa-like ear massage that’s one-of-a-kind mixture, we will try to make one’s wildest dreams come true.

You performed at the Broad Ripple Music Festival last year. Describe that experience and what you’re looking forward to the most at this year’s event.

I always enjoy playing to people who may not have heard us before. Fresh faces and ears are beneficial to the performer as well.

Finally, to gain insight into your personal music taste, what was the best concert/show you have recently attended? Album purchased?

I haven’t been to any big shows recently. I always enjoy seeing Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum play live. Zach likes the metal.

Monday night concerts are tough. It can be difficult to find the ambition to leave the comfort of one’s home, especially after a day of recovering from the post-weekend blues. But, as My Old Kentucky Blog has proved time and time again, they know what will make your insides feel good on a night when you’d almost rather curl up in bed than stand in a crowd at The Vogue. Those who went to hear the rustic sounds of The Walkmen Monday night can certainly attest to the validity of this claim.

Formed as a sort of indie rock supergroup (see: Jonathan Fire*Eater and The Recoys) in 2000, The Walkmen are, indeed, a super group. Their discography includes 5 studio albums with 2008’s You & Me as the most recent release and focus of the tour. With a special preference for vintage instruments, their music is mellow and sounds aged. Upbeat numbers increase the tempo and add percussion to liven the crowd. Folky inspiration of western-born bands jazzed with east coast style drawn from their residence in New York and Pennsylvania define The Walkmen experience.

Frontman Hamilton Leithauser projects the voice of a withered man dripping with wisdom and life experiences, but maintains the appearance and baby face of a school boy- right down to his “too cool for you” demeanor and stance. If Leithauser’s voice fails to conjure thoughts of Bob Dylan in his “Like A Rolling Stone” glory days, we may need to reevaluate your musical credibility.

The Walkmen have found the perfect balance between serene folk and lively rock. At times, one could only stand and admire the musicianship as strings were plucked, drums were stricken, and keys were pushed. At other times, it was easy to unknowingly be swept away by a song’s velocity and find oneself rocking and bobbing to the music. The crowd was not idle but also not raucous; imagine the dance scene in A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Indianapolis was privileged to be the last stop of the Walkmen’s current tour. The night concluded with Leithauser’s introduction of all band members: Matt Barrick (drums), Paul Maroon (guitar), Pete Bauer (keys), and Walter Martin (bass). Trumpeters Mike Irwin and Paul Brandenburg, temporary members for the tour only, were thanked by Leithauser for their skillful contributions and great memories made. A generous three-song encore (which included 2004’s energetic hit “The Rat” that ignited the audience) finished the night around 10:30, allowing attendees to be home at a decent hour to catch adequate sleep before returning to work the next morning.

Special thanks to My Old Kentucky Blog for continuing to bring nationally recognized bands to our music-loving city, for hosting them at quality venues, for affordable ticket prices, and for early set times on weeknights. On behalf of concert fanatics across Indianapolis, we are grateful for you, MOKB.

This artist spotlight is part of a special ZapTown series in correlation with the 2009 Broad Ripple Music Fest: http://www.broadripplemusicfest.com/

Other BRMF interviews:
Heavy Hometown
Daniel Fahrner
Thunderhawk
Matt Mitchell Project
Deep Cricket Night

WHO: DJ Deanne
WHERE: Tru Nightclub (formerly Seven), 1:30 a.m.
LINKS: http://www.djdeanne.com/

Known for her lightning-fast fingers at the board and uber-physical shows, DJ Deanne has been igniting fires on electronic dance floors across Indianapolis since 2003. In a live setting, Deanne strives for constant dance floor drama, a term she defines as “[creating] elements of a song that make the hair on your arm stand up, that you’re not used to hearing. Synthesizer stabs or contrasting percussive elements. Intense buildups and dropouts.” She’s shared bills with world-renowned DJ’s such as Paul Van Dyk, Starkillers, DJ Dan, and George Acosta but is equally excited for her debut on the Broad Ripple Music Festival lineup.

Deanne recently discussed upcoming events and her own musical likings with Zap Town.

In one sentence, provide a description of your musical style.

I’m all about the big beats, strong synths, dramatic arrangements and soulful sprinkling of vocals that come from my combination of tech, electribal and progressive house.

What kind of projects, events, and/or aspirations are active in your musical career right now?

Special Events
• Sorry iParty at 8 Seconds Saloon on October 16th with Steve Smooth, JJ Flores, Slater Hogan, John Larner, Stu, and DJ Z
• Trancegiving: Above and Beyond at Talbott Street on November 16th
• Sharing the decks with Collette and Slater Hogan in late October
• Halloween at FortyFive
• A trip to Miami later this year

Regular Events
• Ascension at Talbott Street on the first Saturday of every month
• Blu Lounge every Sunday night
• Open deck night at Talbott Street on the last Friday of every month

Additionally, I have a mixshow that airs internationally on three internet stations every week. I am seeking bookings outside of Indianapolis and I have become involved with producing my own tracks. I hope to maintain this momentum going into 2010 and I am excited for what lies ahead.

With so many acts to choose from in so little time, why should Broad Ripple Music Festival attendees choose your set over the others?

Every DJ and artist has their individual flavor, has made their stamp on the music scene in Indy and beyond and is worth checking out. I would like to think that my style is fresh and unique and will open this year’s festival to a sound and a performance that is soul shaking and memorable.

Have you attended the Broad Ripple Music Festival in previous years?

I have, honestly, never been. So, it’s very exciting to me that my first experience will be one where I am a performer. There are a ton of great musicians and DJs and I am honored to be included in this year’s line-up.

Finally, to gain insight into your personal music taste, what was the best concert/show you have recently attended?

I recently went to Chicago to hear Chus & Ceballos at SpyBar and they were absolutely amazing! They are a duo from Spain, owners of the Stereo Productions label, masters of production and deliver an infectious blend of tribal and tech brilliance

This band spotlight is part of a special ZapTown series in correlation with the 2009 Broad Ripple Music Fest: http://www.broadripplemusicfest.com/

Other BRMF interviews:
Heavy Hometown
Daniel Fahrner
Thunderhawk

WHO: Matt Mitchell Project (MMP)
WHERE: Indy CD & Vinyl, 1 p.m.
LINKS: http://www.myspace.com/mattmitchellproject

Sample MP3:

What began as an intersection of hip hop devotion and guitar rock fascination in 2007 has gradually morphed into alternative rock’s freshest generation of a souped up classic sound. The Matt Mitchell Project boasts local appearances at Birdy’s Bar and Grill (71st & Keystone) and Brandon’s Pub (Southport & Five Points Rd) as well as playing notable venues such as The Vogue and Eight Seconds Saloon as recently as the summer of 2009. Of late, MMP is proud to have played on the Ramp Stage at September’s Oranje Art & Music Festival.

Co-founder Travis Kold gives a little insight on the genetics of their music and other MMP tidbits.

In one sentence, how would you describe the Matt Mitchell sound?

The Matt Mitchell Project sounds like Oasis meets Tom Petty and hangs out with OutKast.

What projects, events, and goals are on your plate right now?

We just finished our debut album, so right now we are trying to play shows and push our album to get the Matt Mitchell Project fan base built up.

What makes a stop at Indy CD & Vinyl for your set during the Broad Ripple Music Festival worth while?

Indy CD & Vinyl has been a great outlet for local, up-and-coming music and it’s a great honor to play there and build a strong relationship with such a respected establishment.

Finally, to gain insight into your personal music taste, what was the best concert/show you have recently attended? Album purchased?

Recently saw The Wallflowers in Louisville, KY. Great show. Those guys still sound great.

I just downloaded two songs off I-tunes by another local Indy up and comer named John Overton….hip hop tunes….great sound!

To an ex band geek such as myself (okay, who am I kidding; once a band geek, always a band geek) the allure of a “30 piece circus punk marching band” is instantaneous. To others, the thought of trumpets, saxophones, clarinets, and accordions replacing the traditional assortment of electric guitar, bass guitar, and drums is not one easily entertained. If you fall into this category, joining my camp may take some convincing.

Mucca Pazza is anything but typical. First, consider the size. The size of what? One, the size of the band- 30 members, their respective instruments, and the space required to play them. Two, the size of The Vollrath or, more importantly, the size of The Volrath’s performance stage. With knowledge of the above mentioned elements, one quickly realizes that the equation might be slightly out of balance. Amazingly, at any single point in the performance there were always at least 15 or more musicians playing on stage.

But don’t forget the members who were playing in the audience. Whimsical chaos is Mucca Pazza’s hallmark and nobody does it better than them. Occasionally, they formed a train and followed each other through the group of spectators as the leader darted front to back and left to right, never ceasing to play their horns in lieu of audience interaction. More frequently though, were independent ventures into the crowd rubbing shoulders with fans and blasting notes from their side. Multiple times I felt something brush against my ankle, only to find a trumpeter laying on the ground… still playing his instrument.

There were no vocals during the songs; the massive assortment of instruments did all the singing need. But, staying true to their claim of existence as a marching band, there was a bullhorn. Their drum major used this, instead of a microphone, to communicate with the band and crowd.

The music was grand and had a full body, naturally possessing the comprehensive sound of percussion (snare and bass drums, concert toms, crash cymbals, glockenspiel, and various other percussion toys), brass (sousaphone, trumpet, trombone), and woodwinds (alto & tenor saxophone and clarinet). For musical flare, an electric guitar, mandolin, violin, and accordions were added to the mix. Again demonstrating the atypical nature of the band, they covered everything from 60’s television show themes, rearranged rock tunes, and original compositions to Balkan brass, Czech folk songs, and the works of classical composers.

Mucca Pazza embraces the concept of the band geek identity and they wear it proudly on their sleeve… literally. All were dressed in mismatched and pieced together items of band uniforms past, some of antique quality. The thrift store treasures give the band a slightly cohesive, yet very rustic and nostalgic appearance. My favorite? The clarinet player sporting a blue, traditional jacket covered with all the embellishments; a pleated, navy-colored mini skirt; and thick, white, cat eye glasses.

The Vollrath hadn’t seen this much liveliness since The Woodhands performed in May. Mucca Pazza inhabited that same unique level of quirkiness, coupled with raw talent channeled in an awesomely eccentric way. With Mucca Pazza’s unmatchable twist on the classic concept of a marching band, it was impossible not to dance, jump, scream, and shout. And until they stopped playing and disappeared into the dark depths of the Vollrath’s basement, the sweat-soaked and energy-spent audience did exactly that.

Torrential rain and phenomenal wind prove time and time again to serve as no deterrent for the live music enthusiasts of Indianapolis. The Melody Inn, unsuspectingly thriving just north of the 38^th and Illinois intersection, was their destination on this stormy August Wednesday. The Cincinnati talent known as Losanti was the affair that persuaded them to leave the comfort and protection of their home and come out to support original touring musical acts.

Cincinnati’s gamut of accomplished bands runs as wide as the river it sits upon, boasting everything from funk pioneer Bootsy Collins to world renowned guitarist and talk-boxer Peter Frampton (although born in England, he now resides in Cincinnati). This rich, eclectic musical background comes to light when up-and-coming bands like Losanti treat a crowd to their unique sounds. Obviously inspired by weed-smoking, rasta-tinged Sublime, this band put the “oouu” in groove, complete with repeated rap singing from lead vocalist Jack “J Rhyme” Novak. Surprisingly though, they never stayed there long, frequently upping the tempo and channeling something harder, often in the same song. Spacey guitar solos leading into intense moments of punk-like rock parallel the works of Chicago jam banders Umphreys McGee.

The boys covered Jimi Hendrix with a rendition of “Fire”, allowing guitarist Colin Finch to prove his talent. But even when they returned to their own distinctive style, Finch continued to keep the delicate balance between straightforwardly heavy rock and mellower, reggae-esque tunes. The closing song for the set brought bassist Justin Segbers, and his right thumb, into the spotlight. As he stepped forward, utilizing the slap bass technique with conviction, Segbers and Losanti performed the funkiest song of the evening before saying good-bye to Indiana.

The only disappointment of the night was the length of the show, clocking in at just over a half hour. The audience would have easily been happy to listen for 30 more.

The Melody Inn has built a reputation for good taste in music. Whether it be their award winning jukebox or the fabulous assortment of original and independent artists they book, you can always count on outstanding entertainment at this venue… and Losanti was certainly no exception.

(All Photos by Gary Mead)