It's not exactly a night at the Apollo. But it will feature the Berklee-hatched trio Apollo Sunshine at the famed Iron Horse Music Hall. Even though said Sunshine band has burst onto the international scene with the recent release of Shall Noise Upon—a stunning 16-track exercise in fuzz-infused, harmony-laden psychedelia that spawned the band's current world tour—don't expect to experience a note of it when the band comes to town Oct. 31. They won't be bringing the Noise. Rather, Apollo Sunshine has declared its Noho stop a full-blown Jimi jam.
"The Hendrix Experience was very influential to us when we started out, so we decided to honor that and, at the same time, have the chance to really stretch out and rip it up," says drummer Jeremy Black.
While stopping short of committing to a set list for the All Hallows' Hendrix experience, Black did shed light on Sunshine's sonic intentions: a mix of material from the legendary artist and possibly some covers done in the "Hendrix style."
Regardless of the tunage ultimately selected, don't look for Black and bandmates Jesse Gallagher and Sam Cohen to play it close to the frilly vest, let alone break out the lighter fluid.
"We're way more interested in bringing energy and excitement to the live show than getting every sound and nuance right, [and I don't expect] we'll be lighting more than joints, but we'll see how crazy things get," he concludes.
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In other news, West Springfield-based Ciderhouse has ruled the club circuit for nearly two years now, turning in a seemingly ceaseless string of mesmerizing sets on the strength of singer Callie Katsounakis and her Joplin-esque delivery, Gary Phelps' raucous, Crowes-y guitar crunch and a crack rhythm section capable of wild flights of audio fancy with little to no warning.
Still, the band has yet to release a studio effort—a situation they have remedied in the form of the recently pressed debut No Sympathy, which they celebrate this Friday, Oct. 31 at Pearl Street.
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Similarly celebrating new product this Saturday, Nov. 1 at The Elevens are Jose Ayerve and his Nuclear Waste Management Club (a self-titled disc) and Watcher (with Into The Woods). The latter, drummer Rudy Renaud revealed, plans to utilize the local show as a possible springboard to a North American tour and to… possible political asylum?
"We love Quebec City and plan to put together another mini-Canadian tour," she explains. "And who knows, if Obama doesn't win, maybe we'll stay up there. Ha!"
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Lastly, while Rub Wrongways Records' Henning Ohlenbusch falls short of an official endorsement for election '08, he will—in true political fashion—resort to bribery, it seems, when it comes to the prospect of enticing potential voters into the booth this Tuesday.
Simply avail yourself of the political process, snap a photo of either yourself at your voting locale and/or flaunting your "I Voted" sticker, and submit it to rubwrongways.com "Pop the Vote" campaign (directions for doing so are posted online). You'll receive instant access to download one of dozens of albums in the Wrongways catalogue absolutely free.
Which reminds me… although Ohlenbusch's own School For The Dead celebrated its latest effort, A Telephone Built For Two, last month, the band's lead singer/chief songwriter says that its morbid moniker practically mandates an annual All Hallow's Eve performance as well.
Since the guys in Haunt share the same dilemma, it's understandable that they jumped on the bill for the Dead-heads' upcoming Oct. 31 bash at the World War II Club in Noho… but how do fellow performers The Novels fit into the frightful fold?
"We love them, but you're right," Ohlenbusch says. "Maybe for this night only, they'll be The Novels That Are Bound in Human Flesh And Want To Eat You."
Much better.
Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 698-9373 or email Garycarra@aol.com.
