Over the next couple months, we here at Nati Sound are going to be doing all we can to rattle this scene. Change is coming and we’re going to be your weathermen, forecasting the whole thing. Here are a few ideas we are currently cultivating.
Nati Sound Compilation
A proposed CD/mp3 compilation of various artists from the Cincinnati area. Everybody from metal bands to techno junkies to acoustic artists are welcome to submit material for the compilation. There will be 12-15 available tracks and the best submissions will be featured in the comp. The compilations will be free of charge, you will be able to download it directly from our site or you will can find a copy at any number of supporting shows that we will be sure to mention. If the first one is successful, we may expand on the idea and release new compilations every year.
Musicians interested in submitting music for the compilation, e-mail us at natisound@heffronbros.com for more details.
Open Mic Showcase
Another idea we’ve been throwing around is having a one night open mic event where acoustic singer/songwriters, comedians, poets, and other performers can present their talents to a new audience. Each performer will get two songs, two poems, or five minutes of performance time, so everyone can participate. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. This is supposed to be an opportunity for artists who may never have had the chance to play in front of a crowd before. More details will be given as we move this idea forward.
Nati Sound Radio
A far off idea, but one that we think is really cool. We’d love to set up an online radio station that only plays local music. We might do it in segments, like metal mondays, acoustic thursdays, etc. or we might just put it on a 24 hour shuffle and you can be surprised by what you might hear. Again, this idea is one we will focus on farther into the future. If you like this idea, let us know and we could make it happen sooner.
Support from you, the reader, is the most important thing we strive for. We report on the music so you can discover new artists. We work for free because there is talent in this city that deserves to be recognized and appreciated, no matter what. Local music is where it all starts; there is something magical about a band that you share roots with. We encourage everyone to do your part for art. Go see a show. Listen to a new band’s myspace player. Quit sitting on the bench and get involved in what is happening.
Thanks again for your continuing support,
-The Nati Sound Team
A news and entertainment source for fans of Cincinnati music.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Nati Sound Reviews
Band: Cutie Massacre
Album: 2009 Demo
Reviewer: Ellen Bangs
Cutie Massacre - a name that conjours up images of beautiful women, slaughtered in the street, blood running in the gutters and birds of prey circling overhead. However, Autumn Marie Foster (who plays under the macabre moniker) is far from intimidating and her music has no tones of death or violence. The twenty-year-old songstress explains her stage name on her myspace: “‘Cutie’ is the outer- core or what people see on the outside...this petite blond. The ‘Massacre’ stands for my music and [the] explosive impact it gives when projected. The words explode into thin air-sharp, crisp, and raw. Can you handle the massacre?’”
Crisp and raw is also the best way to describe CM’s eight track demo. The recording quality comes off as sophisticated low fidelity. The arrangements consist of just a single acoustic guitar with a room-quality undertone that accents Cutie’s gentle crooning, pittered with small, charming imperfections that add to the realness of the record. It is clear she did not play to a metronome because many of her tempos fluctuate mid-song. Her voice also wavers with uncertainty in places, adding to overall cuteness of Cutie Massacre.
In this age of everything auto-tuned, synthesized, and fabricated, Cutie Massacre keeps it real with her soulful emotional style. Her songwriting gives off a Jack Johnson-esque feel, with a feminine touch (obviously), on tracks “In December”, “Goodbye Sunshine” and “Spring Training”. Her lyrics are playful yet meaningful and meld beautifully with her delicate voice. In other songs like “Jonah”, “When It Was Me”, and “Your Lie” Miss Massacre gives us a naked portrait of her most shattered feelings. Her angelic soprano over the jangly, switch-tempo rhythm guitar gives the listener chills as they are thrust into her inner psyche.
Fans of Colbie Caillat, The Moldy Peaches, Jack Johnson, Ani Difranco, and Mia Carruthers & The Retros will certainly enjoy Cutie Massacre’s down-to-Earth acoustic demo. After this stripped down record I have to wonder if Cutie will follow this up with more solo material, or whether she will form a band to support her songs and take them to another level. Until then, I recommend you pick up a copy of Cutie Massacre’s demo or visit her online at myspace.com/cutiemassacre.
Album: 2009 Demo
Reviewer: Ellen Bangs
Cutie Massacre - a name that conjours up images of beautiful women, slaughtered in the street, blood running in the gutters and birds of prey circling overhead. However, Autumn Marie Foster (who plays under the macabre moniker) is far from intimidating and her music has no tones of death or violence. The twenty-year-old songstress explains her stage name on her myspace: “‘Cutie’ is the outer- core or what people see on the outside...this petite blond. The ‘Massacre’ stands for my music and [the] explosive impact it gives when projected. The words explode into thin air-sharp, crisp, and raw. Can you handle the massacre?’”
Crisp and raw is also the best way to describe CM’s eight track demo. The recording quality comes off as sophisticated low fidelity. The arrangements consist of just a single acoustic guitar with a room-quality undertone that accents Cutie’s gentle crooning, pittered with small, charming imperfections that add to the realness of the record. It is clear she did not play to a metronome because many of her tempos fluctuate mid-song. Her voice also wavers with uncertainty in places, adding to overall cuteness of Cutie Massacre.
In this age of everything auto-tuned, synthesized, and fabricated, Cutie Massacre keeps it real with her soulful emotional style. Her songwriting gives off a Jack Johnson-esque feel, with a feminine touch (obviously), on tracks “In December”, “Goodbye Sunshine” and “Spring Training”. Her lyrics are playful yet meaningful and meld beautifully with her delicate voice. In other songs like “Jonah”, “When It Was Me”, and “Your Lie” Miss Massacre gives us a naked portrait of her most shattered feelings. Her angelic soprano over the jangly, switch-tempo rhythm guitar gives the listener chills as they are thrust into her inner psyche.
Fans of Colbie Caillat, The Moldy Peaches, Jack Johnson, Ani Difranco, and Mia Carruthers & The Retros will certainly enjoy Cutie Massacre’s down-to-Earth acoustic demo. After this stripped down record I have to wonder if Cutie will follow this up with more solo material, or whether she will form a band to support her songs and take them to another level. Until then, I recommend you pick up a copy of Cutie Massacre’s demo or visit her online at myspace.com/cutiemassacre.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
UPCOMING SHOWS - January 2011
SHOW: Mad Hatter Battle of the Bands Round 2!!
WHEN?: Sunday, January 16 - 6:30pm - 9:30pm
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd.
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: n/a*
ALL AGES
SHOW: Future Trends, Reptar, Bear (The Ghost), Great Young Hunters
WHEN?: Monday, January 17 - 8:30pm - ???
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd.
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: $7 advance
ALL AGES
buy tickets here
SHOW: Rocky Loves Emily, 21st Streamline, and More...
WHEN?: Tuesday, January 18 · 7:00pm - 11:00pm
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd.
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: Pre-Sale $5
At the Door $10
ALL AGES
buy tickets here
SHOW: Bayside, The Sleeping, Terrible Things, with The Upset Victory
WHEN?: Wednesday, January 19 - 6:30pm - 11:00pm
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: $13.50 advance
$16 day of show
ALL AGES
buy tickets here
SHOW: Mug Of Metal Beer Bash with Pain Link, Boomslang, Black Tractor, Wicked Intent, Critical Moment
WHEN?: Friday, January 21 - 7:00pm - ???
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: $5 advance
ALL AGES
buy tickets here
SHOW: Freddie Gibbs with special guests TBA
WHEN?: Saturday, January 22 - 6:00pm - ???
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: $12 advance
18+ ONLY
buy tickets here
SHOW: Point Five, Welcome To Nowheresville, Quicksand Swim Club, Hear Me Out, and Part Time Hero
WHEN?: Saturday, January 22 - 6:00pm - ???
WHERE?: The Venue at Kidd Coffee
WHERE’S THAT?: 6589 Terhune Drive
Middletown, OH 45044
HOW MUCH?: $7 advance
$8 day of
ALL AGES
buy tickets here
SHOW: Greater Cincinnati Band Challenge Semi Finals
WHEN?: Wednesday, January 26 - 6:00pm - 11:30pm
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd.
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: $8
ALL AGES
SHOW: The Icarus Account, Remember When, Harmon, The Falling Object Model, 21 Pilots, and Irela
WHEN?: Saturday, January 29 - 6:00m - ???
WHERE?: The Venue at Kidd Coffee
WHERE’S THAT?: 6589 Terhune Drive
Middletown, OH 45044
HOW MUCH?: $8 advance
$10 day of show
ALL AGES
buy tickets here
SHOW: Northland Noise, Chief Effect, The Way We Are, Corporate Lions, and UnKured
WHEN?: Saturday, January 29 - 7:00pm - 10:00pm
WHERE?: The Underground
WHERE’S THAT?: 1140 Smiley Ave.
Forest Park, OH
HOW MUCH?: $8
SHOW?: Young The Giant and Pomegranates
WHEN?: Saturday, January 29 - 7:00pm - 11:00pm
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: $13.50 advance
$16 day of show
buy tickets here
SHOW?: Live Loud Presents Ender & Catalepsy, Did You Mean Australia, Upon Hallowed Ground, Fetus Between Us, Sicarii, Conditional Compromise
WHEN?: Monday, January 31 - 6:00pm
WHERE?: The Mad Hatter
WHERE’S THAT?: 620 Scott Blvd
Covington, KY
HOW MUCH?: $10 advance
$12 day of show
ALL AGES
buy tickets here
This a small number of the shows coming up this month, check CityBeat for additional listings. If you are in a band or know of a show happening soon, let me know: natisound@heffronbros.com.
We wish the best of luck to Walk The Moon as they will be out of town on the Dance Marathon Tour for the rest of the month!
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MUSICIANS
Monday, January 10, 2011
First Impressions: He Became The Martyr
First Impressions of He Became The Martyr
Genre: Electronic/Southern/Metal
For Those Who Like: Underoath, A Skylit Drive, Confide, Asking Alexandria
Check Them Out: www.myspace.com/hebecamethemartyr
or search for them on Facebook
By: Mike Heffron
As I pulled up to “The Good Stuff” warehouse on Spring Grove avenue I couldn’t help but smile at the irony of the name. They unknowingly reflect to the city the overwhelming talent of the bands and artists that create in the rented nooks within. The crumbling building is a used furniture store topped by band practice rooms. I expected to have to wait outside to be let in, but the door was surprisingly unlocked. Up creaky, crooked stairs I met Blake Hawk, drummer of the newly formed band He Became The Martyr.
He led me up another set of narrow stairs to the third floor. Muffled bands jammed out behind the numbered doors. The peeling walls were graffitied and dimly lit by overhead incandescents. In the hallway we came upon the rest of HBTM and flooded into their practice room. The walls were high, covered in carpet stapled from floor to ceiling. Their one large window was held open to spill their sonic fervor out into the quiet Cincinnati night.
Even though they were just practicing, the energy of the band was like being at a show. They clustered close to together and head banged wildly in time to their skull-cracking breakdowns and heartfelt southern metal riffing. Their guitars create a wall of sound that opens in gateways to allow the melodic synth runs and electronic dance rhythms to give beautiful contrast to the weight of the hardcore distortion. Dave’s and Blake’s vocals cut through the mix of instruments to give a soul-wrenching human element to their aural onslaught.
While He Became The Martyr might be a new band, the members are certainly not n00bs to the Cinci scene. They’ve all been playing for years, sharpening their musical skills and now they’re ready to sink their teeth into a new project. Despite their music’s heavy and serious sound, the HBTM guys seem light-hearted and fun. They goof around and crack jokes that always result in resounding laughter from the group. To start the interview we gathered around on the floor of their room and sat in a circle like a kindergarten class.
Nati Sound: Ok, He Became The Martyr, what’s up?
He Became The Martyr: Hello. Hey.
Nati Sound: So, tell us about how you all met each other and how you formed the band.
Blake: Taylor, me, and Andy used to be in a band together called Arm The Masses. We all kind of wanted to branch out with our sound and what we were doing. We started jamming on the side, doing a little bit different kind of stuff. When[sic] Arm The Masses broke up we decided to take that on as a full project, our main project I guess. We recruited our buddy Dave, who was actually in Arm The Masses a long time ago, to do vocals. We had a couple people on bass and guitar, but it didn’t really work out so well, so we got Brad to play bass for us; who is also an ex-member of Arm The Masses. Then Dave recommended his friend Peter for guitar, who has never been in Arm The Masses, ever (laugh).
Nati Sound: You guys have a very interesting style. How would you guys describe your style of playing together?
Blake: In general terms, I don’t if we really encompass this, but like the Southern feel of the parts, and the straight-up metal feel of the parts, some breakdowns, also electronica and dance feel of some parts.
Taylor: Electronic Southern metal.
Nati Sound: By “Southern” what exactly do you mean?
Taylor: A little bit of twang.
Nati Sound: In the guitar parts?
Blake: Definitely in the guitar parts.
Peter: As long as you pull off to open, you’re fine. (laugh)
Blake: A lot of the rhythms, off tempo, swung kind of rhythms.
Andy: Swing rhythms.
Nati: It seems like every hardcore/metalcore band sort of gets chocked together. What sets you guys apart for your peers in the scene?
Dave: I would honestly say: Andy, and the way he writes his key parts. It’s different from the anybody else who has written any kind of key parts, ever.
Peter: What Dave is trying to say is that we’re all expendable except for Andy. (laugh)
Blake: A lot of the stuff we do. Instead of sticking to one style we like to do new things. We’re open to new things, we not just saying ‘hey, we’re this style, we’re[sic] ‘metal’, we’re ‘Southern’ or ‘electronica’, this is what we’re always going to be doing.’ We’re trying to branch out and encompass all of our talents and influences. I feel like we’re a diverse band. There are a lot of good bands in Cincinnati, but we’re trying to kind of set ourselves apart by having a real professional sound and working really hard to write music.
Peter: Another thing is, not taking ourselves too seriously. At the end of the day, it’s all about that we love playing music together. It’s not like we’re out there trying to get signed tomorrow or something. We’re just enjoying what we can.
Andy: At the same time, everybody’s in a band. A lot of people say ‘oh, we’re different.’ But forreal, everybody in this band listens to completely different styles of music. Blake listens to indie, alternative type stuff. Me, I listen to a lot of heavier stuff.
Taylor: Andy’s the breakdown guy (laugh)
Dave: After watching a lot of other bands we play with, I think our chemistry has something to do with it[sic]. We all just click with each other.
Peter: We’re still brand new, so it’s going to get better.
(Blake)
Nati Sound: What are some of your short term goals for the next couple months?
Blake: We’re really trying to play out as much as we can, trying to write new stuff too. The first songs we have we pumped out in a few months, which is relatively quick for our writing style, so we’re really sitting down and going through every song bit by bit. It’s going to be better than any stuff we’ve done so far. We’re recording an EP that will out Spring or early Summer. We’re picking up our new shirts and just getting our name there.
Peter: Getting Andy’s van back from the mechanic.
Taylor: Yeah, that’s a huge goal.
Nati Sound: Could you elaborate for us about your name “He Became The Martry”?
Dave: We were struggling to think up a name for a couple weeks, and as I was driving home from a hang out session the name just kind of popped into my head. It was stuck in my head, I couldn’t get rid of it, so I next time I saw the guys I told them and each one of them did the same thing: paused and said “I like that.” It doesn’t necessarily reflect a message, but it’s open to interpretation. It could be a religious theme or a war type thing, we just want our audience to think about it. For us, it’s a cool name.
Nati Sound: You mentioned that all of you except Peter were in Arm The Masses at one time or another. Can you tell us a little bit about what broke up Arm The Masses and got you to where you are now?
Blake: Like we said earlier, the point of this band is too really have a blast playing music. Arm The Masses was together for three years and by the end it just wasn’t fun. We were getting on some big shows and had a lot of great opportunities coming up, we put a lot of hard work into, a lot of time and a lot of money into it, but at the end of the day it wasn’t satisfying, it wasn’t fun. Andy, Taylor, and I talked about it and we decided it just wasn’t the way we wanted to go. We couldn’t act as one unit anymore so it was the best idea for us to go our separate ways.
Dave: Even before they broke up you could sense that the band just wasn’t a family, and I think that for a band to work and be taken seriously you have to be a family with each other. There was some tension between some of the band members, and some things that just kept happening contributed to it.
(Brad)
Nati Sound: What do you think is unique about playing in Cincinnati?
Blake: As of right now, I kind of f’ing hate playing in Cincinnati (laugh). Our past experiences in trying to get our name out here have showed that a lot of people in this scene really aren’t receptive unless you a big name or a lot of friends. It’s hard to book shows, you get ripped off by shitty people, and it’s hard to get people to come to shows. The upside about playing in Cincinnati is the amount people and it has huge potential. It’s a matter of promotion, playing in the right places at the right times. We don’t want to play here every week. Our goal is to play here once every couple months maybe. If you play anywhere too much people will stop coming to your shows.
Peter: A big part of it is that the Cincinnati music scene is pretty homogenous. There isn’t a lot of unique sound to it. What sets bands apart is who has a more expensive rig or who has more friends. This is where our roots are and it’s important for us to revive this scene. A lot of venues out here don’t have the right equipment and they can make you sound horrible and turn people off toward you. Venues don’t do a very good job promoting bands and people don’t know where to check for shows.
Dave: I remember four or five years ago people were going to shows left and right, whether you knew the band or not, every weekend. Around three years ago people seemed to stop coming to shows. We need to get people to come to shows again. A lot of kids do like to go to shows still, because its something fun to do. Kids will see a band, go home, look them up, and spread the word.
Peter: We blame Justin Bieber. (laugh)
Brad: And the Jonas Brothers. (laugh)
Nati Sound: What other local bands do you really like or have influenced you?
Blake: A lot of bands we liked when we were in Arm The Masses are..gone. Devil Wears Prada and Beneath The Sky, before they got signed, I saw them at The Underground and liked them before and like them now. The one band from that time that never broke up is The Beneath. They don’t influence us musically, but they are all awesome musicians and the way they do things is awesome. A friend of mine, in another band, is now the screamer for Corpus Christi. They are really good guys and help us out a lot. Except they’re not allowed to borrow our trailer anymore because they fucked it up. (laugh)
(Taylor)
Nati Sound: You guys only started playing shows two weeks ago. How were your first shows?
Dave: This was the first band I’ve ever been a vocalist in, so I expected to be super nervous, but I wasn’t; it felt really natural. The first show the crowd got really into it and that’s what I set my standards up to. The second show I was kind of disappointed because the crowd wasn’t really responding, but we as a band played great both nights.
Peter: I had a lot of fun. Our first show, The First Friday at Fogarty’s one, it was a little more intimate and it was great; great for a first show. Despite the fact that my wireless didn’t want to work, and we had trouble with the head and took forever to set up. We had a blast and had some good crowd chemistry. We have a blast playing so being nervous is not an issue. The second show was just different, I wouldn’t say bad. We played great, met some cool people, and there was a playground nearby. (laugh) I’m really excited to play the next shows, and I’m even excited to come to practice.
Blake: We’ve had a better response that any of us expected. We’re getting a lot more attention than we thought we would. We’ve gotten four show offers just in our first month of playing out together. In December we’re playing with A Hero A Fake and Corpus Christi, so we’ll tickets for that as soon as we get details from the Mad Hatter.
Nati Sound: Is there any final thoughts you’d like to give to readers?
Blake: If you see us at a show or on the street or whatever, say hey and come talk to us. We’re always down to meet to people and hang out. Give us feedback if you love us or if you hate us.
Peter: Try to reach us and we’ll always respond. We have no friends, so if you’d like to be... (laugh)
www.myspace.com/hebecamethemartyr
Genre: Electronic/Southern/Metal
For Those Who Like: Underoath, A Skylit Drive, Confide, Asking Alexandria
Check Them Out: www.myspace.com/hebecamethemartyr
or search for them on Facebook
By: Mike Heffron
As I pulled up to “The Good Stuff” warehouse on Spring Grove avenue I couldn’t help but smile at the irony of the name. They unknowingly reflect to the city the overwhelming talent of the bands and artists that create in the rented nooks within. The crumbling building is a used furniture store topped by band practice rooms. I expected to have to wait outside to be let in, but the door was surprisingly unlocked. Up creaky, crooked stairs I met Blake Hawk, drummer of the newly formed band He Became The Martyr.
He led me up another set of narrow stairs to the third floor. Muffled bands jammed out behind the numbered doors. The peeling walls were graffitied and dimly lit by overhead incandescents. In the hallway we came upon the rest of HBTM and flooded into their practice room. The walls were high, covered in carpet stapled from floor to ceiling. Their one large window was held open to spill their sonic fervor out into the quiet Cincinnati night.
Even though they were just practicing, the energy of the band was like being at a show. They clustered close to together and head banged wildly in time to their skull-cracking breakdowns and heartfelt southern metal riffing. Their guitars create a wall of sound that opens in gateways to allow the melodic synth runs and electronic dance rhythms to give beautiful contrast to the weight of the hardcore distortion. Dave’s and Blake’s vocals cut through the mix of instruments to give a soul-wrenching human element to their aural onslaught.
While He Became The Martyr might be a new band, the members are certainly not n00bs to the Cinci scene. They’ve all been playing for years, sharpening their musical skills and now they’re ready to sink their teeth into a new project. Despite their music’s heavy and serious sound, the HBTM guys seem light-hearted and fun. They goof around and crack jokes that always result in resounding laughter from the group. To start the interview we gathered around on the floor of their room and sat in a circle like a kindergarten class.
Nati Sound: Ok, He Became The Martyr, what’s up?
He Became The Martyr: Hello. Hey.
Nati Sound: So, tell us about how you all met each other and how you formed the band.
Blake: Taylor, me, and Andy used to be in a band together called Arm The Masses. We all kind of wanted to branch out with our sound and what we were doing. We started jamming on the side, doing a little bit different kind of stuff. When[sic] Arm The Masses broke up we decided to take that on as a full project, our main project I guess. We recruited our buddy Dave, who was actually in Arm The Masses a long time ago, to do vocals. We had a couple people on bass and guitar, but it didn’t really work out so well, so we got Brad to play bass for us; who is also an ex-member of Arm The Masses. Then Dave recommended his friend Peter for guitar, who has never been in Arm The Masses, ever (laugh).
Nati Sound: You guys have a very interesting style. How would you guys describe your style of playing together?
Blake: In general terms, I don’t if we really encompass this, but like the Southern feel of the parts, and the straight-up metal feel of the parts, some breakdowns, also electronica and dance feel of some parts.
Taylor: Electronic Southern metal.
Nati Sound: By “Southern” what exactly do you mean?
Taylor: A little bit of twang.
Nati Sound: In the guitar parts?
Blake: Definitely in the guitar parts.
Peter: As long as you pull off to open, you’re fine. (laugh)
Blake: A lot of the rhythms, off tempo, swung kind of rhythms.
Andy: Swing rhythms.
Nati: It seems like every hardcore/metalcore band sort of gets chocked together. What sets you guys apart for your peers in the scene?
Dave: I would honestly say: Andy, and the way he writes his key parts. It’s different from the anybody else who has written any kind of key parts, ever.
Peter: What Dave is trying to say is that we’re all expendable except for Andy. (laugh)
Blake: A lot of the stuff we do. Instead of sticking to one style we like to do new things. We’re open to new things, we not just saying ‘hey, we’re this style, we’re[sic] ‘metal’, we’re ‘Southern’ or ‘electronica’, this is what we’re always going to be doing.’ We’re trying to branch out and encompass all of our talents and influences. I feel like we’re a diverse band. There are a lot of good bands in Cincinnati, but we’re trying to kind of set ourselves apart by having a real professional sound and working really hard to write music.
Peter: Another thing is, not taking ourselves too seriously. At the end of the day, it’s all about that we love playing music together. It’s not like we’re out there trying to get signed tomorrow or something. We’re just enjoying what we can.
Andy: At the same time, everybody’s in a band. A lot of people say ‘oh, we’re different.’ But forreal, everybody in this band listens to completely different styles of music. Blake listens to indie, alternative type stuff. Me, I listen to a lot of heavier stuff.
Taylor: Andy’s the breakdown guy (laugh)
Dave: After watching a lot of other bands we play with, I think our chemistry has something to do with it[sic]. We all just click with each other.
Peter: We’re still brand new, so it’s going to get better.
(Blake)
Nati Sound: What are some of your short term goals for the next couple months?
Blake: We’re really trying to play out as much as we can, trying to write new stuff too. The first songs we have we pumped out in a few months, which is relatively quick for our writing style, so we’re really sitting down and going through every song bit by bit. It’s going to be better than any stuff we’ve done so far. We’re recording an EP that will out Spring or early Summer. We’re picking up our new shirts and just getting our name there.
Peter: Getting Andy’s van back from the mechanic.
Taylor: Yeah, that’s a huge goal.
Nati Sound: Could you elaborate for us about your name “He Became The Martry”?
Dave: We were struggling to think up a name for a couple weeks, and as I was driving home from a hang out session the name just kind of popped into my head. It was stuck in my head, I couldn’t get rid of it, so I next time I saw the guys I told them and each one of them did the same thing: paused and said “I like that.” It doesn’t necessarily reflect a message, but it’s open to interpretation. It could be a religious theme or a war type thing, we just want our audience to think about it. For us, it’s a cool name.
Nati Sound: You mentioned that all of you except Peter were in Arm The Masses at one time or another. Can you tell us a little bit about what broke up Arm The Masses and got you to where you are now?
Blake: Like we said earlier, the point of this band is too really have a blast playing music. Arm The Masses was together for three years and by the end it just wasn’t fun. We were getting on some big shows and had a lot of great opportunities coming up, we put a lot of hard work into, a lot of time and a lot of money into it, but at the end of the day it wasn’t satisfying, it wasn’t fun. Andy, Taylor, and I talked about it and we decided it just wasn’t the way we wanted to go. We couldn’t act as one unit anymore so it was the best idea for us to go our separate ways.
Dave: Even before they broke up you could sense that the band just wasn’t a family, and I think that for a band to work and be taken seriously you have to be a family with each other. There was some tension between some of the band members, and some things that just kept happening contributed to it.
(Brad)
Nati Sound: What do you think is unique about playing in Cincinnati?
Blake: As of right now, I kind of f’ing hate playing in Cincinnati (laugh). Our past experiences in trying to get our name out here have showed that a lot of people in this scene really aren’t receptive unless you a big name or a lot of friends. It’s hard to book shows, you get ripped off by shitty people, and it’s hard to get people to come to shows. The upside about playing in Cincinnati is the amount people and it has huge potential. It’s a matter of promotion, playing in the right places at the right times. We don’t want to play here every week. Our goal is to play here once every couple months maybe. If you play anywhere too much people will stop coming to your shows.
Peter: A big part of it is that the Cincinnati music scene is pretty homogenous. There isn’t a lot of unique sound to it. What sets bands apart is who has a more expensive rig or who has more friends. This is where our roots are and it’s important for us to revive this scene. A lot of venues out here don’t have the right equipment and they can make you sound horrible and turn people off toward you. Venues don’t do a very good job promoting bands and people don’t know where to check for shows.
Dave: I remember four or five years ago people were going to shows left and right, whether you knew the band or not, every weekend. Around three years ago people seemed to stop coming to shows. We need to get people to come to shows again. A lot of kids do like to go to shows still, because its something fun to do. Kids will see a band, go home, look them up, and spread the word.
Peter: We blame Justin Bieber. (laugh)
Brad: And the Jonas Brothers. (laugh)
Nati Sound: What other local bands do you really like or have influenced you?
Blake: A lot of bands we liked when we were in Arm The Masses are..gone. Devil Wears Prada and Beneath The Sky, before they got signed, I saw them at The Underground and liked them before and like them now. The one band from that time that never broke up is The Beneath. They don’t influence us musically, but they are all awesome musicians and the way they do things is awesome. A friend of mine, in another band, is now the screamer for Corpus Christi. They are really good guys and help us out a lot. Except they’re not allowed to borrow our trailer anymore because they fucked it up. (laugh)
(Taylor)
Nati Sound: You guys only started playing shows two weeks ago. How were your first shows?
Dave: This was the first band I’ve ever been a vocalist in, so I expected to be super nervous, but I wasn’t; it felt really natural. The first show the crowd got really into it and that’s what I set my standards up to. The second show I was kind of disappointed because the crowd wasn’t really responding, but we as a band played great both nights.
Peter: I had a lot of fun. Our first show, The First Friday at Fogarty’s one, it was a little more intimate and it was great; great for a first show. Despite the fact that my wireless didn’t want to work, and we had trouble with the head and took forever to set up. We had a blast and had some good crowd chemistry. We have a blast playing so being nervous is not an issue. The second show was just different, I wouldn’t say bad. We played great, met some cool people, and there was a playground nearby. (laugh) I’m really excited to play the next shows, and I’m even excited to come to practice.
Blake: We’ve had a better response that any of us expected. We’re getting a lot more attention than we thought we would. We’ve gotten four show offers just in our first month of playing out together. In December we’re playing with A Hero A Fake and Corpus Christi, so we’ll tickets for that as soon as we get details from the Mad Hatter.
Nati Sound: Is there any final thoughts you’d like to give to readers?
Blake: If you see us at a show or on the street or whatever, say hey and come talk to us. We’re always down to meet to people and hang out. Give us feedback if you love us or if you hate us.
Peter: Try to reach us and we’ll always respond. We have no friends, so if you’d like to be... (laugh)
www.myspace.com/hebecamethemartyr
Friday, January 7, 2011
Nati Sound Reviews
Band: The Frankl Project
Album: Riot Fest 2009 Demo
Reviewer: Kelly Tucker
Photos: Ryan Thomas
Frankl Project vocalist Jake Tippey has a timeless voice. His stylistic virtuosity allows him to soulfully belt, scream, growl and murmur softly to fit each of the Frankl Project's “Riot Fest 2009's” unique tracks.
The whole band covers every genre, from soulful, hard-hitting blues to hardcore flavored punk to acoustic soul to poetic folk. Not only do members Tippey, Joe Frankl and Paul Schroder possess great technical skill, they add the extra pauses and calculated rhythm to create a climatic musical experience that sends chills down the listener's spine.
The compilation begins just as it should — with the unforgettably powerful “Juicy Jackhammer.” The infectiously foreboding lyrical hook, “Mississippi’s burnin’” draws the listener into a unique whirlwind of electric guitar buildups and pounding percussion with intense energy.
The first track immediately gives way to, “Greyhound Bust,” with a mature, muted intro that dives into a somewhat contemporary blues style. Other highlights of the compilation include the acoustic, “Home Tonight,” a fast-paced folk track that plays like a beautiful, lovesick rush. “The Past” combines soulful harmonies and choruses with carefree acoustic strumming that puts a decades-old spin on the band’s sound.
The Frankl Project are one of the few local bands that possess the talent and musical range to gracefully transition from one genre to the next with an ease that provides a little something for every listener. “Riot Fest 2009” is not just a dabbling sampler of multiple genres, but proof that the musicians have mastered a multitude of musical expression.
After listening to “Riot Fest 2009,” there is no question why the band has been recognized with a Cincinnati Entertainment Award. After having conquered the Cincinnati music scene, it’s just a matter of time before these passionate musicians gain the national recognition “Riot Fest 2009” demands.
Album: Riot Fest 2009 Demo
Reviewer: Kelly Tucker
Photos: Ryan Thomas
Frankl Project vocalist Jake Tippey has a timeless voice. His stylistic virtuosity allows him to soulfully belt, scream, growl and murmur softly to fit each of the Frankl Project's “Riot Fest 2009's” unique tracks.
The whole band covers every genre, from soulful, hard-hitting blues to hardcore flavored punk to acoustic soul to poetic folk. Not only do members Tippey, Joe Frankl and Paul Schroder possess great technical skill, they add the extra pauses and calculated rhythm to create a climatic musical experience that sends chills down the listener's spine.
The compilation begins just as it should — with the unforgettably powerful “Juicy Jackhammer.” The infectiously foreboding lyrical hook, “Mississippi’s burnin’” draws the listener into a unique whirlwind of electric guitar buildups and pounding percussion with intense energy.
The first track immediately gives way to, “Greyhound Bust,” with a mature, muted intro that dives into a somewhat contemporary blues style. Other highlights of the compilation include the acoustic, “Home Tonight,” a fast-paced folk track that plays like a beautiful, lovesick rush. “The Past” combines soulful harmonies and choruses with carefree acoustic strumming that puts a decades-old spin on the band’s sound.
The Frankl Project are one of the few local bands that possess the talent and musical range to gracefully transition from one genre to the next with an ease that provides a little something for every listener. “Riot Fest 2009” is not just a dabbling sampler of multiple genres, but proof that the musicians have mastered a multitude of musical expression.
After listening to “Riot Fest 2009,” there is no question why the band has been recognized with a Cincinnati Entertainment Award. After having conquered the Cincinnati music scene, it’s just a matter of time before these passionate musicians gain the national recognition “Riot Fest 2009” demands.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Mic Check, Mic Check...Is This Thing On?
A safari through one of the hottest spots in Clifton's arty night life.
by: Zeke Haskell
According to Google there are over ten different colleges in the Cincinnati area. However, none have grown a college town environment quite like the University of Cincinnati. It’s sprawling campus has become the acropolis of Clifton, a neighborhood so densely populated for its small size it might be in danger of violating a city evacuation code or something to the effect. Made up primarily of students, arty types, drug dealers, and frat-boy alumni who aren’t ready to cut their greek umbilical cords; Clifton is the embodiment of college-town living in Cincinnati.
Appropriately, Clifton is an exciting center of creativity. Despite the closing of many of Clifton’s iconic venues (R.I.P. Top Cats and Sudsy Malone’s) the neighborhood has a lot to offer. Bogart’s on Short Vine still draws big name acts both underground and mainstream, The Mad Frog consistently books great local bands, and coffee houses like Taza, Aquarius Star, and Sitwells all offer local talent the chance to showcase their art. However, one open mic night has grown into a Frankenstein-like monster of a show: Thursdays at Baba Budan’s.
Nati Sound sent me up to Baba’s to candidly observe and report on this watering hole gathering of performing artists. I struggled up and down the cramped side-streets searching for anything resembling a parking space; eventually I succumbed to parking in a lot that charged a quarter for every ten minutes. I had just parked and already I felt like I’d been mugged.
I causally sauntered into the crowded coffee house/bar. Baba’s boasts “Clifton’s longest running open mic night” and their experience shows in the efficiency with which the night is run. I took a seat by the wall, sipping a $1.50 PBR and scribbling notes. The artists came in like refugees, hauling arm-fulls of equipment and instrument cases. They are immediately greeted by the master of ceremonies, John Funcheon; a bearded mid-20s chap who is, on occasion, known to appear in a scottish kilt. He holds in his power a clipboard that determines the order of playing for all the open mic attendees. Mr. Funcheon inherited the open mic night from the M.C.s Rome and Skandal in April of 2010 when they left for greener pastures. John enthusiastically took up the torch, refusing to let the bastion of free expression die out.
This open mic night is not just a guy-and-a-guitar type affair. The bar is packed with comedians, rappers, R&B/Soul singers, full-band blues groups, solo-bass guitar virtuosos, poets, techno-electronic DJs, and ukulele songstresses. There is really no telling what you will see next, and the range of talent makes for an incredibly entertaining evening. Each performer plays two or three songs, providing a delicious bite-size morsel of their style without allowing it to go stale to the ears. If there is ever an act you dislike, a cigarette smoke later there will be a new artist on stage doing something completely different. The acts that aren’t very good only go to show how good the talented ones really are, making the overall show even better in my opinion.
The people that attend the open mic are as varied as the acts. Girls with dreadlocks and long skirts mix with mohawked punks, Cinci-fitted University bros, indie hipsters, and rappers. Throughout the crowd, the atmosphere is friendly and supportive. Roaring applause is awarded to every act as they finish, putting a blush on each performer’s face. Strangers approached me and struck up idle conversation; I enjoyed getting to know people almost as much I did watching the show. The dim yellow lighting and the scents of beer, coffee, and patchouli set the perfect scene in which to imbibe these budding artists as they poured their souls, one after another, into their ten minutes of stage time.
Over the course of the night, I started to catch on to the cast of characters that frequent Baba’s open mic. An acoustic/soul artist Thom Foolery, can be found playing multiple sets every Thursday. Another singer-songwriter that goes by the name of White Rabbit is also a routine performer. The Heffron Bros, Oh, Valiance!, Kevin Behm, and countless others will often appear to give the congregation a sample of their newest material. For others, it is their very first time performing at Baba’s, or anywhere ever; like the funk/blues band Clear that features a standing drummer who is also the lead vocalist.
A poet, who’s name I failed to catch, received a standing ovation after delivering a particularly striking speech. I clapped and cheered with the rest of the room, touched to my core by the young Cliftonite’s impassioned words. Another performer, dressed entirely in marijuana related apparel, sang two R&B/Raggae songs about how much he loves smoking pot and listening to Bob Marley. The night grew late and the list of artists dwindled to the end. As the crowds sifted out into the bright intersections of Clifton and McMillan, the atmosphere became more intimate and the performances just as intense. My beer and coffee had both worn off but I continued starring on in a swirling haze of awe until the final chord was struck and John wished us all a good night.
Baba Budan’s open mic night is an experience unrivaled in its variety and entertainment value. A modern vaudevillian speakeasy show with a college-town charm. In a city where the bland and boring choke our weekdays, Baba’s open mic is an oasis of interest and excitement on a Thursday night in lively, lovely Clifton Heights. As I walked toward my car, watching cigarette smoke curl up toward the moon, I smiled in pleasant fulfillment. Perhaps Cincinnati’s art scene is not as dead as everyone would make it out to be. Just when I thought my night was complete I realized my car was no longer in the parking lot where I had left it. I was so caught up in the show that I had forgotten to pay the meter. Oh, Clifton...you are a cruel mistresss...
by: Zeke Haskell
According to Google there are over ten different colleges in the Cincinnati area. However, none have grown a college town environment quite like the University of Cincinnati. It’s sprawling campus has become the acropolis of Clifton, a neighborhood so densely populated for its small size it might be in danger of violating a city evacuation code or something to the effect. Made up primarily of students, arty types, drug dealers, and frat-boy alumni who aren’t ready to cut their greek umbilical cords; Clifton is the embodiment of college-town living in Cincinnati.
Appropriately, Clifton is an exciting center of creativity. Despite the closing of many of Clifton’s iconic venues (R.I.P. Top Cats and Sudsy Malone’s) the neighborhood has a lot to offer. Bogart’s on Short Vine still draws big name acts both underground and mainstream, The Mad Frog consistently books great local bands, and coffee houses like Taza, Aquarius Star, and Sitwells all offer local talent the chance to showcase their art. However, one open mic night has grown into a Frankenstein-like monster of a show: Thursdays at Baba Budan’s.
Nati Sound sent me up to Baba’s to candidly observe and report on this watering hole gathering of performing artists. I struggled up and down the cramped side-streets searching for anything resembling a parking space; eventually I succumbed to parking in a lot that charged a quarter for every ten minutes. I had just parked and already I felt like I’d been mugged.
I causally sauntered into the crowded coffee house/bar. Baba’s boasts “Clifton’s longest running open mic night” and their experience shows in the efficiency with which the night is run. I took a seat by the wall, sipping a $1.50 PBR and scribbling notes. The artists came in like refugees, hauling arm-fulls of equipment and instrument cases. They are immediately greeted by the master of ceremonies, John Funcheon; a bearded mid-20s chap who is, on occasion, known to appear in a scottish kilt. He holds in his power a clipboard that determines the order of playing for all the open mic attendees. Mr. Funcheon inherited the open mic night from the M.C.s Rome and Skandal in April of 2010 when they left for greener pastures. John enthusiastically took up the torch, refusing to let the bastion of free expression die out.
This open mic night is not just a guy-and-a-guitar type affair. The bar is packed with comedians, rappers, R&B/Soul singers, full-band blues groups, solo-bass guitar virtuosos, poets, techno-electronic DJs, and ukulele songstresses. There is really no telling what you will see next, and the range of talent makes for an incredibly entertaining evening. Each performer plays two or three songs, providing a delicious bite-size morsel of their style without allowing it to go stale to the ears. If there is ever an act you dislike, a cigarette smoke later there will be a new artist on stage doing something completely different. The acts that aren’t very good only go to show how good the talented ones really are, making the overall show even better in my opinion.
The people that attend the open mic are as varied as the acts. Girls with dreadlocks and long skirts mix with mohawked punks, Cinci-fitted University bros, indie hipsters, and rappers. Throughout the crowd, the atmosphere is friendly and supportive. Roaring applause is awarded to every act as they finish, putting a blush on each performer’s face. Strangers approached me and struck up idle conversation; I enjoyed getting to know people almost as much I did watching the show. The dim yellow lighting and the scents of beer, coffee, and patchouli set the perfect scene in which to imbibe these budding artists as they poured their souls, one after another, into their ten minutes of stage time.
Over the course of the night, I started to catch on to the cast of characters that frequent Baba’s open mic. An acoustic/soul artist Thom Foolery, can be found playing multiple sets every Thursday. Another singer-songwriter that goes by the name of White Rabbit is also a routine performer. The Heffron Bros, Oh, Valiance!, Kevin Behm, and countless others will often appear to give the congregation a sample of their newest material. For others, it is their very first time performing at Baba’s, or anywhere ever; like the funk/blues band Clear that features a standing drummer who is also the lead vocalist.
A poet, who’s name I failed to catch, received a standing ovation after delivering a particularly striking speech. I clapped and cheered with the rest of the room, touched to my core by the young Cliftonite’s impassioned words. Another performer, dressed entirely in marijuana related apparel, sang two R&B/Raggae songs about how much he loves smoking pot and listening to Bob Marley. The night grew late and the list of artists dwindled to the end. As the crowds sifted out into the bright intersections of Clifton and McMillan, the atmosphere became more intimate and the performances just as intense. My beer and coffee had both worn off but I continued starring on in a swirling haze of awe until the final chord was struck and John wished us all a good night.
Baba Budan’s open mic night is an experience unrivaled in its variety and entertainment value. A modern vaudevillian speakeasy show with a college-town charm. In a city where the bland and boring choke our weekdays, Baba’s open mic is an oasis of interest and excitement on a Thursday night in lively, lovely Clifton Heights. As I walked toward my car, watching cigarette smoke curl up toward the moon, I smiled in pleasant fulfillment. Perhaps Cincinnati’s art scene is not as dead as everyone would make it out to be. Just when I thought my night was complete I realized my car was no longer in the parking lot where I had left it. I was so caught up in the show that I had forgotten to pay the meter. Oh, Clifton...you are a cruel mistresss...
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A New Year's Resolution
Salutations to anyone reading this! Regardless of how you discovered us, one thing is clear; you’re a true music fan, but not only that, you’re a CINCINNATI music fan. The Nati Sound is your prescribed dose of local music news, capsulated and pasteurized for you; the unique reader. Our mission: bring light to the waves of talent quietly rippling in the Queen City underground.
The music scene is a metaphorical organism, thriving on the blood flow of talented artists and the oxygen of music lovers. However, this organism may die if the blood goes bad or gets stifled by a lack of fresh air. Cincinnati is full of vibrant characters making sensational music but sadly, much of it falls on deaf ears and thin wallets. The Nati Sound is here to dump gasoline on this dying ember of a scene.
So BOOKMARK US! In Firefox you just have to hit Control+D (or command+D for Macs) and remember to check back every other day where you’ll find news, interviews, show listings, contests, event coverage, and reviews all about the music of your hometown and the surrounding region.
Lastly, if you are in a band or know band you’d like us to connect with LET US KNOW. Send suggestions along with comments and feedback to natisound@heffronbros.com.
“Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.” ~Stella Adler
“What art offers is space - a certain breathing room for the spirit.” ~John Updike
“Art is... a question mark in the minds of those who want to know what's happening.” ~Aaron Howard
We look forward to a new year of local music progression and a new drive for the propagation of this movement.
Our sincerest thanks and love,
-Nati Sound Staff
The music scene is a metaphorical organism, thriving on the blood flow of talented artists and the oxygen of music lovers. However, this organism may die if the blood goes bad or gets stifled by a lack of fresh air. Cincinnati is full of vibrant characters making sensational music but sadly, much of it falls on deaf ears and thin wallets. The Nati Sound is here to dump gasoline on this dying ember of a scene.
So BOOKMARK US! In Firefox you just have to hit Control+D (or command+D for Macs) and remember to check back every other day where you’ll find news, interviews, show listings, contests, event coverage, and reviews all about the music of your hometown and the surrounding region.
Lastly, if you are in a band or know band you’d like us to connect with LET US KNOW. Send suggestions along with comments and feedback to natisound@heffronbros.com.
“Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.” ~Stella Adler
“What art offers is space - a certain breathing room for the spirit.” ~John Updike
“Art is... a question mark in the minds of those who want to know what's happening.” ~Aaron Howard
We look forward to a new year of local music progression and a new drive for the propagation of this movement.
Our sincerest thanks and love,
-Nati Sound Staff
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