I was so desperate for a gig to see, I even considered going to see that guy who imitates Stevie Ray Vaughan. Here's hoping club owners/bookers realize the missed opportunity.
Those cantankerous words were written by yours truly after an especially moribund Memorial Day weekend in 2004. Look how far we've come since then.
There are three major outdoor festivals this weekend (Soundset, 93X Fest and KQ Rock Stock), one very cool underground fest (Heliotrope) and a bevy of noteworthy club gigs (Arctic Monkeys, Jason Isbell, Little Man, Soviettes). However, the only big music event that's free and all-ages, lasts all weekend and offers a wide cross-section of the local music scene is the Memory Lanes Block Party.
In its third year, the bowling alley's big bash has expanded: It boasts its first national act (Kansas twang-punks Split Lip Rayfield on Sunday), a second outdoor stage (with vintage/rockabilly acts) and an entire third day of music (Monday). That one extra day cannot exactly be credited to the event's growing popularity, however.
"Actually, we realized last year that most of the equipment just sat there on Monday not being used, because it didn't have to be turned in until Tuesday," explained booker Joe Holland.
The third day allowed Memory Lanes to add more punk and hardcore to the mix as a nod to its popular Punk Rock Bowling shows every Monday. Underground favorites Useless Wooden Toys and In Defence head up the closing-day lineup along with local vets Misery, the dormant God Damn Doo Wop Band and the ever-hyperactive F--- Knights.
The other days offer more of a musical mish-mash, with Mark Mallman, Pink Mink, the Goondas, the Birthday Suits/Mute Era collaboration Heated Seats, E.L.nO. and more Saturday. Sunday will also include Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles, the 4onthefloor, Sex Rays, Cadillac Kolstad and Davina & the Vagabonds. Start time is 3 p.m. each day.
Random mixGayngs won its lawsuit against the Nashville bus company that hijacked its gear and forced it to cancel a performance at last year's Austin City Limits Festival. The court awarded the band $100,000. ... Semi-local Gayngs member Justin Vernon might have another lawsuit on his hands after his new Bon Iver record leaked online last week. The culprit was none other than iTunes. Look for a local date in the fall behind the June 21 album. ...
