Who are your favourite lesser-known bands in your city?
November 29, 2014 8:13 AM Subscribe
After spending more time crawling pubs and attending street fairs, I've discovered some very good local music that I might not have heard about otherwise. Usually, the most press they get is a small blurb in a local community events paper, and you generally only hear about them through word of mouth. I'd love to find less-famous musicians in other cities who deserve some love. Who are your favourite local bands? Can you link to one or two of their tracks?
From San Francisco, I like the most recent album by The Yellow Dress.
posted by needs more cowbell at 8:43 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by needs more cowbell at 8:43 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm not even from a city but the local awesome people here are Bow Thayer (who sometimes plays with his band Perfect Trainwreck) and they host a music festival out this way in the summertime. I like some of their more alt.country stuff like Snakebite and this is him tearing it up with the Benders (on banjo)
posted by jessamyn at 8:48 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn at 8:48 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Providence (and Rhode Island at large) boasts a lot of talented artists of all stripes!
- What Cheer Brigade is like a renegade band camp let loose on Eastern Europe and so much flipping fun!! A local institution that began with some students at Brown and RISD and other local musicians, they've become beloved by hipsters, rockers, dancers, and families alike. There is a lot of hot pants, glitter, and grease paint at their shows.
- The Silks are a high energy blues rock band that are hitting big locally and channel The Black Keys.
- Castle is fun and quirky and reminiscent of The Moldy Peaches.
- Plastic Horses has echoes of of a dark country western violin tinged Nick Cave.
- Brown Bird you may be familiar with already, is a charming entry in the American acoustic band genre with a bit of a gypsy twist
- Lightning Bolt, a fierce metal band with much local love.
posted by Queen of Spreadable Fats at 10:08 AM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
- What Cheer Brigade is like a renegade band camp let loose on Eastern Europe and so much flipping fun!! A local institution that began with some students at Brown and RISD and other local musicians, they've become beloved by hipsters, rockers, dancers, and families alike. There is a lot of hot pants, glitter, and grease paint at their shows.
- The Silks are a high energy blues rock band that are hitting big locally and channel The Black Keys.
- Castle is fun and quirky and reminiscent of The Moldy Peaches.
- Plastic Horses has echoes of of a dark country western violin tinged Nick Cave.
- Brown Bird you may be familiar with already, is a charming entry in the American acoustic band genre with a bit of a gypsy twist
- Lightning Bolt, a fierce metal band with much local love.
posted by Queen of Spreadable Fats at 10:08 AM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
Brown Bird is no longer really active, as Dave recently passed away from cancer. So sad. :(
And Lightning Bolt are tricking awesome. The Providence scene is so rad.
posted by youcancallmeal at 10:11 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
And Lightning Bolt are tricking awesome. The Providence scene is so rad.
posted by youcancallmeal at 10:11 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Full disclosure: they're friends of mine, but ... Fort Wilson Riot from Minneapolis — songs, videos.
posted by John Cohen at 10:15 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by John Cohen at 10:15 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Knoxville, TN: Christabel and the Jons.
posted by workerant at 11:14 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by workerant at 11:14 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
My friend's band was just on TV this morning! Wussy on CBS This Morning Saturday Sessions. They're Cincinnati locals.
posted by cooker girl at 11:54 AM on November 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 11:54 AM on November 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
When I lived in Santa Monica I was always delighted to run across Clare Means playing on the Third Street Promenade.
posted by town of cats at 11:57 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by town of cats at 11:57 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Ooh, we just added three bands to the "favorite local artists" list last night — and for a mere $10 cover! Score! (Plus it was the monthly "burlesque + bands" night, so that was a lot of fun too.)
New discoveries from last night:
Shelby Cobra and the Mustangs (although Shelby was solo last night)
"Me and JD"
"Show Some Respect"
rough live video, not sure which song
Grit and Gold
"All Hell"
live at Milk Bar, SF
live at the Stork Club, Oakland
Between Your Teeth
only video I could find — live at 924 Gilman
And discovered on previous "never heard of them, but it's only a $6 cover" evenings:
Drew Southern (you gonna make that much guitar face, you better play that much guitar. Luckily, Drew does)
"Going Down Slow"
"Drew's Jam"
"Strut"
Hibbity Dibbity (love those HibDib boys)
"Soul Butter" and "Torch" live at the Boom Boom Room
"Gold" live at the Boom Boom Room
Fantastic Negrito, who can sometimes be found serendipitously just playing on the Oakland streets:
"I've Got Feelin'"
"Where Did You Sleep Last Night?"
"Nobody Makes Money Anymore"
"Honest Man"
"Night Has Turned to Day"
(the spouse bumped into Negrito coming out of BART one night recently and got a brief personal performance)
posted by Lexica at 12:15 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
New discoveries from last night:
Shelby Cobra and the Mustangs (although Shelby was solo last night)
"Me and JD"
"Show Some Respect"
rough live video, not sure which song
Grit and Gold
"All Hell"
live at Milk Bar, SF
live at the Stork Club, Oakland
Between Your Teeth
only video I could find — live at 924 Gilman
And discovered on previous "never heard of them, but it's only a $6 cover" evenings:
Drew Southern (you gonna make that much guitar face, you better play that much guitar. Luckily, Drew does)
"Going Down Slow"
"Drew's Jam"
"Strut"
Hibbity Dibbity (love those HibDib boys)
"Soul Butter" and "Torch" live at the Boom Boom Room
"Gold" live at the Boom Boom Room
Fantastic Negrito, who can sometimes be found serendipitously just playing on the Oakland streets:
"I've Got Feelin'"
"Where Did You Sleep Last Night?"
"Nobody Makes Money Anymore"
"Honest Man"
"Night Has Turned to Day"
(the spouse bumped into Negrito coming out of BART one night recently and got a brief personal performance)
posted by Lexica at 12:15 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
There's another performer who at this point doesn't quite hit unknown/lesser-known, but since the first time I saw him was at the Bicycle Music Festival in Golden Gate Park being powered by a handful of people pedaling the Rock The Bike pedal-powered stage, I'm gonna try to slide him in under the radar: Sean Hayes.
Sticking only to live stuff (notes from a previous email to a friend, recommending his stuff):
Covering "Naive Melody"
Him and his guitar in a San Francisco Victorian living room - "Baby I Do"
Again solo with guitar (one of my very favorite songs ever) - "Flowering Spade"
Live at the New Parish in Oakland - "Powerful Stuff"
Live at the Black Gate Studios - "Turnaroundturnmeon"
Live solo at a house concert - "Shake Your Body"
Solo in Mendocino - "All for Love"
Live in the Van at Lagunitas Brewing Company - "Bam Bam"
Live in the Van, the autobiographical "Drop Down"
posted by Lexica at 1:10 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Sticking only to live stuff (notes from a previous email to a friend, recommending his stuff):
Covering "Naive Melody"
Him and his guitar in a San Francisco Victorian living room - "Baby I Do"
Again solo with guitar (one of my very favorite songs ever) - "Flowering Spade"
Live at the New Parish in Oakland - "Powerful Stuff"
Live at the Black Gate Studios - "Turnaroundturnmeon"
Live solo at a house concert - "Shake Your Body"
Solo in Mendocino - "All for Love"
Live in the Van at Lagunitas Brewing Company - "Bam Bam"
Live in the Van, the autobiographical "Drop Down"
posted by Lexica at 1:10 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Amplified Heat in Austin, TX. (Sorry, on phone, can't link)
posted by smashface at 2:02 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by smashface at 2:02 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Some Memphis stuff I've been enjoying lately:
posted by mrg at 2:43 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
- The Memphis Dawls have a new record out that's pretty great - here's a video from a few weeks ago. Folk.
- John Paul Keith does mostly rock stuff. An old video but a good couple of songs.
- Jim Mize is from Arkansas but that's pretty well close enough. SoundCloud link to a song off the new one.
posted by mrg at 2:43 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Sinners and Saints out of Charlotte, NC are great! Listen to their song Crazy 8's via the link.
posted by ZabeLeeZoo at 3:06 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ZabeLeeZoo at 3:06 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
From Columbus, Ohio, the venerable but little-known Earwig has been through many personnel changes over the years. Currently they have a Kickstarter going for a new album.
posted by Francolin at 3:10 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Francolin at 3:10 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Motel Glory out of Rock Hill, SC are good - punk tinged rock and roll.
posted by ZabeLeeZoo at 3:30 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ZabeLeeZoo at 3:30 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
From the DC area...
The Highballers
http://youtu.be/K6nr2vUGg4Y
http://youtu.be/0kFG3K8M970
Karen Jonas
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zmbkTaLCX3o
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m3auI7AYoZA
posted by COD at 5:03 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
The Highballers
http://youtu.be/K6nr2vUGg4Y
http://youtu.be/0kFG3K8M970
Karen Jonas
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zmbkTaLCX3o
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m3auI7AYoZA
posted by COD at 5:03 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Delhi 2 Dublin fits into this category, sort of...been around a while, tours a lot but not exactly a band with wide recognition. They're freakin' amazing live. The band is out of Vancouver BC, but they play up & down the West Coast and sometimes tour beyond.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 5:59 PM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by scaryblackdeath at 5:59 PM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
Bloomington, Indiana:
Mike Adams At His Honest Weight
Via Vegrandis
Champaign, Illinois:
Psychic Twin
Common Loon
Chicago, Illinois:
New Canyons
Pink Frost
posted by naju at 8:56 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Mike Adams At His Honest Weight
Via Vegrandis
Champaign, Illinois:
Psychic Twin
Common Loon
Chicago, Illinois:
New Canyons
Pink Frost
posted by naju at 8:56 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
From Cambridge, UK:
Jacqui and Geoff (another one)
posted by crocomancer at 5:50 AM on November 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Jacqui and Geoff (another one)
posted by crocomancer at 5:50 AM on November 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
From London, Teeth of the Sea.
Black Market Karma.
From Auckland, NZ, SJD.
Golden Axe.
posted by Sonny Jim at 7:35 AM on November 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Black Market Karma.
From Auckland, NZ, SJD.
Golden Axe.
posted by Sonny Jim at 7:35 AM on November 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
From Leamington Spa, UK
Atlum Schema I saw this guy recently supporting a Woodpidgeon gig in a small venue on a wet Wednesday in Coventry, I wasn't expecting much but it turned out to be a highlight of the show for me.
Coves are getting a fair bit of buzz at the moment, supporting St Vincent in Europe and are pretty interesting for a band from a place that's not exactly known for pushing the envelope.
posted by Middlemarch at 7:40 AM on November 30, 2014 [2 favorites]
Atlum Schema I saw this guy recently supporting a Woodpidgeon gig in a small venue on a wet Wednesday in Coventry, I wasn't expecting much but it turned out to be a highlight of the show for me.
Coves are getting a fair bit of buzz at the moment, supporting St Vincent in Europe and are pretty interesting for a band from a place that's not exactly known for pushing the envelope.
posted by Middlemarch at 7:40 AM on November 30, 2014 [2 favorites]
Caleb Stine is an excellent Baltimore singer-songwriter. (listening to a CD of his right now in fact.)
posted by spbmp at 10:49 AM on November 30, 2014
posted by spbmp at 10:49 AM on November 30, 2014
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posted by youcancallmeal at 8:39 AM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]