The Horse Shoe

Be My Doppelganger Announce New Record!

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 12:15:00 -0500

Long time Evansville punk rockers, Be My Doppelganger, have recently come out of the studio with what will be their 3rd full length record, Artless. The album was produced by Louisville based producer Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket, Coliseum).

The band is now taking pre-orders for their new album via Kickstarter and have come up with some very creative and original rewards for raising the funds to press the record. They have many of the standard prizes for the lower tiered pledgers, but the upper tiered options are all about “kicking it forward.” The band wants to show support to other artists by doing things such as wearing another band’s T-shirt to all of their shows for one full year or designing posters or T-shirts for other bands. If there are any bands out there with some deep pockets looking to get some additional exposure or graphic designs, this is a great way to do it while supporting another artist.

Check out their Kickstarter page and all of the possible rewards by clicking HERE. Give any amount over a dollar and you automatically receive a digital download of the new album. That’s a deal to good to pass on for some great local punk jams!

Keep up to date with all things BMD: Like on Facebook, follow on Twitter, check out their Website. Listen to a track from the new album, “Why,” below!

Wired: Re-Opened For Good?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:40:54 -0600

Well, what do you know? Wired Coffee House and Music Venue is doing shows once again! But how is anyone to trust that it will last? Wired has re-opned several times since they relocated from Main Street back in 2007. After set backs due to lack of funding, Wired finally opened its doors again in 2008, only to be shut down for another year. This time it was rumored for not having proper permits. In 2009 they finally got their act together and started putting on shows on a simi-regular basis. Some touring acts even managed to make it through their doors during this period. Giant Radio, Winston Audio (Favorite Gentleman), and Death On Two Wheels (Favorite Gentleman) to name a few. But such things must not last. For some unknown reason Wired faded away into obscurity once again.

Now it is 2012 and Wired is at it once again, but this time there’s a new face behind it all. Jillian Luttrell is now acting as the new manager at Wired Coffee House and Music Venue, and she plans to make the most out of the quality space they have at their new 4th Street home. Jillian says she wants to start having shows at the venue two to three times a month, bringing in local and touring bands alike. Here’s what Jillian has to say on Wired’s new space:

“I want to fill it with good music and provide musicians a quality space to engage in their art.”

Wired has already had a few shows to kick of 2012. The Scandalmongers, This Noise, Tinderbox Effect and others have already played shows there since their re-opening. Here’s what Andrew Fallwell of This Noise has to say about his experience at Wired:

“The sound (system) was the best in Evansville I thought. The venue is really nice, it’s all carpet. People are great. We had a really good time, one of the more fun shows we’ve had.”

The best way to find out about the re-opened Wired is to go check it out for yourself! If you haven’t been to the new location, it’s on 4th street, between Sycamore and Vine. It’s right near the Old Court House. Here’s links to their website and Facebook page for more info.

Back In The Saddle

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:43:00 -0600

Happy New Year! I know there has been a lack of postings on this site for the past couple months, but what better way to change that with a New Year’s resolution to post more stories about music happenings in our lovely town! There are already a ton of great new things on the horizons for 2012. New albums, new venues, and new artists, to name a few. As always, keep the emails coming with suggestions as to what bands or venues you would like to see stories on next!

Email: thehorseshoemusic@gmail.com.

I want to leave you with a new song from local indie rockers, The Willows. The song title, Melonade, pays tribute to Homestar Runner and his contractually obligated drink of choice. The song was recorded by Mr. Scott Wambach himself at The Room Recording Studio (see article below). There is also a pretty nifty trumpet part at the end featuring Kenneth DeMoss of The Soylent Coil. Enjoy!

Melonade by the willows

Kid Yellow

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:09:00 -0500

When you hit the play button your iPod, CD player, radio, or even cassette player, you generally are expected to be taken on some sort of journey. This journey may be as simple as the musical structure of a song; from verse to chorus, from chorus to the songs climax. Or it could be the classic journey of a broken hearted man pouring his soul out into song. In the case of Louie Stumpf, an epic journey unfolds before the listener as they are swept away, past the constraints of space and time and into a place that can only be described as a Time Before Time.

Before we get in too deep talking about the album, let’s clear up some confusion on who or what Kid Yellow is exactly. Kid Yellow is the title that is given to all of Louie Stumpf’s musical endeavors. Its the project that he channels all of his musical/creative energy and ideas into. With the help of different friends along the way, Louie takes the songs he writes on acoustic guitar and transforms them into a soundscape of various sounds.

Of Wasps And Woodpeckers, Kid Yellow’s previous album, was driven primarily by acoustic guitars. With the addition of banjo and harmonica to some songs, this gave the album a very folky feel. If you listened to the two albums back to back, you would be taken back by the remarkable changes that have taken place in the sound of Kid Yellow. In his new album, Louie has put down the acoustic guitar and picked up the electric. But there is more than a change of instrumentation on his new album, there is a noticeable maturity in his new album as well.

The album Time Before Time, almost tell a story as it flows from one track to the next, like an endless stream of musical dialogue. The story starts out with the resonating line of the first track, “Leviathan.” Louie sings, “Oh, you’ll never get back home.” Then we are taken out to sea, “passing islands and chasing sirens.” From there we cover a wide range of emotions, going from the upbeat “Come Out Tonight” to the melancholy “Zodiac.” ”Time Before Time,” the title track and highlight of the album does a fantastic job of transitioning between the first half of the album to the last half. I could elaborate more, and tell you about every song, but that would ruin the story for you. Maybe you should just listen for yourself. After all, the album is available for free download on Kid Yellow’s band camp. Just follow the link and click the words “Free Download.”

Keep up to date on what Louie is up to by following him on Facebook as well. If your still not convinced, take a listen to a track off the album. This one is titled “Zodiac.”

Zodiac by kidyellow

Tinderbox Effect

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:25:00 -0500

Tinderbox Effect may at first appear to be your classic three piece alt rock band. Nick Berry plays guitar and sings, Ben Lippe plays the bass and Levi Graham drums. But the one thing that is not so usual about these three musicians is that they are very passionate about the Evansville community. The guys see community service as an essential part to the bands purpose. They have played at numerous charity events where proceeds have gone to help people in various ways, ranging from the sexually abused to helping cancer patients. The band has lost friends and family to cancer over the years, and feels a since of fulfillment by helping other cancer patients through their music.

The band has just released a brand new EP titled, The Means To Cope. It was recorded with Zach Grace of Mock Orange at Safe iN Sound Studios. The album carries a feel akin to that of Switchfoot, one of the bands biggest influences. The band plans on having an album release party sometime in the near future, but in the mean time the best way to purchase a CD is by sending an email to tinderboxeffect@hotmail.com. Keep up with the band on their Facebook page for all the latest news and information.

Check out a track off their new EP titled, “Broken In.”

broken in by tinderbox effect

Check out this awesome music video done by the incredible Thomas...

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:14:00 -0500

Check out this awesome music video done by the incredible Thomas Bernardin. It’s for A Hero En Route’s new song, Blind Eyes. So cool!

New Tunes

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:17:32 -0500

Right now there is some pretty awesome stuff being released by some pretty cool artists! Three bands to look out for:

1. The Scandalmongers

They just released a full length entitled, Dangerous Kids. Find it on Itunes, Amazon, etc.

2. A Hero En Route

These guys just put up a free download from a song off their upcoming album, Old Atlas. Go download the song for free here.

3. Quin

The gentlemen of Quin recently released a tape of most of their bands work up until now. You can pick up a free copy from the band at any of their shows.

Recording Studio Profile: The Room

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:15:00 -0500

Only ten years ago, a band recording themselves, or a kid in high school setting up a recording studio was something that was unheard of. It was just too expensive to be able to afford all of the equipment. Today, it is something that is quite common and happens throughout the Evansville music scene. With the industry’s switch to digital recording, bands can now easily (with enough money) acquire recording software and equipment. Because of this, home recording studios have been popping up around the Evansville area for the past few years. They are usually no more than little basement corners turned into make shift studios. These little studios come and go, but one studio in Evansville seems to stands out from the rest. The Room Recording Studio is a home recording studio engineered and owned by Scott Wambach. Scott began like most do, at home, in his mom’s house, recording some of his friends bands and other bands for free. He earned his degree in Audio Recording from Vincennnes University, but claims to have learned most of what he knows from working with different bands, and listening closely to other recordings. As more and more bands wanted to record with Scott, he started charging for his services. By doing this, Scott was able to invest into his studio, purchasing more equipment and programs to give his clients better sounding music. Since moving locations a few different times, the studio is now in the basement of Scott’s north side home.

The Control Room.

One of the tracking rooms.

If you’re looking for professional quality recordings, The Room is your place to record. Rates vary from project to project, but keep in mind, there is a steep price for professional sounding recordings. If you’re interested in working with Scott on one of your projects, call or text him at 812-204-0200. To listen to some of Scotts work, check out The Room Recording Studio’s Facebook page.

Evansville Bands On Tour

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 12:13:36 -0500

The Evansville scene has always been about doing things on your own, whether it’s designing fliers, making merch, or booking shows. In some ways, this is a great thing, for it creates a very tight nit group of bands and show goers who truly care about the bands and the music. But being a DIY band in Evansville also presents its challenges. For example, it gets very difficult to try to actually get shows booked outside of Evansville. For any local band who knowns nothing but simply asking their friends bands to play a show with them at the same local venue they’ve played at ten times before, booking an out of town show (much less a whole tour) can be a very daunting task. Nevertheless, Evansville bands manage to break free of the barriers of comfort and set forth into the towns and cities across the Mid-Western United States. These bands get a taste of what a life on the road could be like, and all of the adventures and mishaps that come along with touring.

Check out a few of these bands who have managed to make it out on the road this summer.

Solitary

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:43:00 -0500

Guitar delay, dreamy key textures, and mellow vocals is what you will find in the music of one of Evansville’s newest projects. Crafted from the minds of two musicians, Hunter Harris, who plays keys while singing and Jeremy Nellis who plays guitar, Solitary has something new to offer the Evansville music scene. Their style of piano driven post-rock is something not regularly seen in the venues around our city.

Solitary playing at The Hatch on May 27th.

The band recently released an EP titled Weaving Into Hearts. The EP has drums accompanying the guitars and keys. The album is streaming on their Facebook page, be sure to to give it a listen!

XMAS IN JULY

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:34:00 -0500

Drive a couple blocks east of Penny Lane Coffee House on 2nd Street. Park your car and walk around to the back of the house numbered 803. Go into the back door, through the kitchen and down the stairs. You are now standing in the basement of what is known as The Hockey House. This past Christmas season, The Hockey House hosted a day long festival of local Evansville bands that was known as XMAS FEST. To many who attended, it was one of the most incredible local shows they had ever been to. For a lot of show goers, it was a relief to be outside of the normal venue environment. Bands played continuously from four in the afternoon until around midnight from two different stages. Sets were never too long, only about 20 minutes. It was a beautiful night for the Evansville music scene, so many good bands in one place. And the best part about it all, no cover charge.

Eric DeLong of The Apprentice preforming in the basement.

Sean Little preforming in the living room.

The Hockey House plans to do it all once again. They’ve even stuck with the Christmas theme, except this time the event is going to be even bigger. XMAS IN JULY is planned to take place Saturday July 16th at The Hockey House. Twenty-five bands/artists will take the stage from noon until midnight. Genres range from Hardcore to Indie to Folk to Hip-Hop. Here is the complete schedule:

12:00pm Nate Barchett
12:25pm Stella
12:50pm Steven Hamilton
1:15pm 56 Coyotes
1:40pm Welcome, Welcome, Avalanche
2:05pm City Grimm
2:30pm Seth Grundhoefer
2:55pm Vulpes
3:20pm Sans Duke
3:45pm Torches
4:10pm Intentions To Break
4:35pm Onward to Iowa
5:00pm Scandalmongers
5:25pm The Fictionals
6:15pm Cannonhands
6:40pm Quin
7:05pm The Soylent Coil
7:30pm Sean Little
7:55pm A Hero En Route
8:20pm The Willows
8:45pm Tropical Pain Forest
9:10pm The Apprentice
9:45pm Bad Taste
10:30pm ATM
11:30pm SOL

Arrive early and plan on staying late, because there are great acts scattered throughout the day. Be sure to check out the Facebook event and click that you’re attending to get updates and more information. Also if you’re still uncertain about how to get to The Hockey House click here.

Remembering Do Androids Dream?

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 22:28:14 -0500

Once a power-pop group that went under the name, Oh So Obvious, the boys in Do Androids Dream? grew out of their angsty younger musical stylings and into a more mature type of songwriting. Their new songs, which were never officially released, carry a very indie pop vibe. Their lyrics cover more mature themes such as reflections on human nature and human emotion. Unfortunately, before they could record an album with all their new songs, the band decided to call it quits. All we are left with is the demos they recorded in preparation for the album that never came. Here is their song “In It’s Place,” a very powerful and emotional song that they often opened their shows with.

In Its Place by Do Androids Dream?

Check out more of the DAD? demos on their F acebook page.

Since their beginnings over three years ago, A Hero En Route...

Mon, 30 May 2011 16:34:39 -0500

Since their beginnings over three years ago, A Hero En Route have been constantly changing their sound. Their newest EP, Wary As Bears is no exception. The songs on the EP seem to carry a more mature attitude, flowing with smooth jams complimented well by the warm voice Bobby Angle adds. Preformed live at Evansville’s own The Room Recording Studio, “Light and the Dark” is a perfect example of this newly found maturity. You can find more of live songs from their EP on their YouTube channel.

The Hatch: A New Name For A Classic Venue

Wed, 25 May 2011 22:11:00 -0500

In honor of the grand opening of The Hatch, the brand new music venue opening up on the south side of town, I decided to talk with Heather Vaught, one of the faces behind the venue, to asker her a few questions. The interview answers a lot of questions people have been asking and wondering about the new venue.

Horse Shoe: First off, tell me a little about The Hatch. What’s it all about?

Heather Vaught: It’s basically just a continuation of the church we’ve been doing the past couple years. Its opening up in the place of The Rev, which is basically just a venue that was open in the late 90s, early 2000s. We just kind of want it to be a place for people to come; a safe environment where people can listen to music.

HS: Cool. I’ve heard from people who used to go to The Rev, back in the day that some pretty big name bands have come through The Rev, like Jimmy Eat World came through there before. Is this true, do you know anything about this?

HV: Yeah, I don’t know anything specifically about Jimmy Eat World, but I know P.O.D. played there, and Relient K, before they were really signed to a label or anything. Bands kind of like that. And then tons of, as far as hardcore bands go, tons of bands like NIV and stuff like that have played there. And I know as far as bands and people we have talked to from the West Coast, like I talked to someone at Cornerstone last year, he basically said if you asked any hardcore band out in California what one of their top five favorite places to play, they would have said The Rev. Which is crazy.

HS: That’s pretty cool.

HV: Yeah, it was a really big deal in that time period, and in that culture and everything. We’re just hoping to carry on that tradition, but with a fresh start at the same time.

HS: What kind of music can a person expect who comes to a show at The Hatch? How does that correlate with the kind of shows do you have booked for this summer?

HV: Generally, in the past, the shows we’ve booked have been hardcore shows, but we’re looking to do a lot more shows like the shows we’ve been doing downtown the past couple months. We’re hoping to carry that over here and do a lot more indie shows and shows like we’ve done at the other locations we’ve done shows at. We’re hoping to have a good mix of things. It also depends on what tours we get, it’ll still be a good amount of hardcore shows, but we’re hoping to have a good mixture in there too.

HS: Cool. So what’s with the name? Lost reference, right?

HV: Yeah (laughs), basically a lot of the people who are involved in working on or getting The Hatch up and going really like Lost a lot. When we were trying to come up with a name for the place it just kind of seemed fitting cause its down in a basement and its kind of mysterious so, it just kind of fit.

HS: Yeah, sounds like a good fit. I know there’s been some concern with the under 18 rules, what’s the deal with that?

HV: Basically there’s no re-entry if you’re under 18. Which is basically just because the venue is in the middle of the ghetto (laughs), and its just not a very safe neighborhood. I’d rather have some people be upset about not getting to go outside in between the bands then having something bad happen. I figure if your over 18, you should be able to be responsible for yourself. I just don’t want parents dropping their 15 year old daughter off and having something happen. You know? But the place is a pretty good size, so it’s not cramped or anything.

HS: Will there be places for people to hang out other than the big room?

HV: No, not necessarily. But the room is big enough where they won’t have to hang out right in front of the stage. Like we’re gonna have a concession stand and everything in the back. I just figured we would rather be safe than sorry. I know a lot of people aren’t stoked on that, but it’s just kind of what needs to happen.

HS: What are you looking forward to the most about the grand opening of the venue?

HV: I’m just excited to see all the worked we’ve put into getting everything ready. Get a good turn out and give the people who go to shows in Evansville a new place to be able to just come and be comfortable and see good music. I’m really excited about having a really legit place to do shows, because everything has been kind of make shift in the past, and we just had to do with what we had. But we’re hoping to progressively get a better PA, as those things are able to be afforded. I’m just really excited to have a real place that can just be a venue, and its not 20 other places or things during the week.

HS: Yeah, it’s very exciting. Well I suppose thats all, thanks for taking time out of your day to awnser some questions.

HV: No problem!

The grand opening for The Hatch is set for May 27th. Cool Hand Luke will be headlining, with Evansville locals Cannonhands, The Willows, This Noise and Solitary.

Facebook event.

The Stockholm Robot

Fri, 20 May 2011 18:21:00 -0500

Today, The Stockholm Robot is featured on The Horse Shoe! Carrying a folky/acoustic feel, The Stockholm Robot (TSR), combines their acoustic guitars, keys and vocals to create a unique sound for acoustic music. Their grooves are like that of a folky blues band, and yet they have the vocal hooks of pop music. And somehow, TSR always seems to keep things calm and relaxed. Influenced by names such as Nickel Creek, John Mayer and Andy McKee, it is easy to see where they get their sound from. Keep up to date on all shows and info on The Stockholm Robot at their Facebook page.

Check out their demo for the song, Melancholy Dreams of Stationary Objects.

Melancholy Dreams of Stationary Objects (Demo) by user7836329

Captured in a live on air performance at USI’s radio...

Sat, 14 May 2011 11:07:57 -0500

Captured in a live on air performance at USI’s radio station, Steve Hamilton of Quin pours out his heart and soul into his original song, The Day I Landed. Catch Quin playing with a full band this Monday at The Duck Inn.

Mock Orange - Disguised As Ghosts

Tue, 10 May 2011 09:41:00 -0500

Mock Orange seems to be the perfect band to kickstart this website. A nationally acclaimed act that has had their music featured everywhere from movie sound tracks to MTV, Mock Orange are not at all new to Evansville’s music scene. As of late, Mock Orange has halted all touring, appearing as though to be quite content with only making rare appearances at The Duck Inn. During their time of hermitage, the band has been at work in their very own studio, Safe iN Sound, producing their new album, Disguised As Ghosts. This album is very akin to their last album, Captain Love, capturing its very guitar driven indie rock/pop sound that made the album feel so driven and lively. Upon listening to the new album, “My Car” stuck out as something new and different for Mock Orange. It carries a sort of robotic feel, meshing electronic noises and vocal effects with quirky acoustic guitars. While tracks like “End Of The World” still carry the unique Mock Orange feel that combines Ryan Grisham’s reminiscent 90s emo vocal stylings, akin to those of Jeremy Enigk (Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft), with guitar riffs so catchy that you can shake them out of your head for days.

Disguised As Ghosts is out today on Wednesday Records, available on their website. The CD Release Party is set to take place May 14th at The Duck Inn. Links below.

Wednesday Records

CD Release Party