"And watch me break em with the 7, 7-11, 7-11, 7 even back door Little Joe"

Though that title is in reference to the seven shows I saw in an eleven day period, it also works because it comes from "It Was a Good Day" by Ice Cube, a classic song that samples what could be an even better song, "Footprints Part 1 & 2" by the Isley Brothers, a fact I discovered on Thursday and a tune Chops and I have been humming since. It is also a tune that our new band, The Funky Beer Situation, will be learning and then pounding into the funky ground. I got a bari sax bitch, look out!

Cuz I'm Fast (Fast) Like Deion Sanders...
On Wednesday the 13th, Tom (from work), Davekwon and I went to Little Brothers for Living Legends (sans Murs), J-Live, Pigeon John, the Lab Rats, and DJ Derek Johnson, who opened things up with downtempo dopeness. The Lab Rats hit it quick and hard, and we all got free EPs. Umar Bin Hassan (of the Last Poets and the new Common single, "Corners," which he performed part of) hosted the night, which was a pleasant surprise. Pigeon John was cool at first, but his energy and girl-problem-songs got tiresome. It was dope to finally see J-Live live, especially his scratch and rap at the same time trick. The Legends were also dope, though it was obvious that the tour was sponsored by the LRG clothing brand, as six of the eight folks onstage (7 MCs + 1 DJ) were visibly wearing the brand. Oh well, good show. A more detailed review was written and lost to the e-ages!

On Thursday the 14th, I went by my lonesome to the Thirsty Ear Tavern to see current jazz organ master Joey Defrancesco and his trio make a Bustown appearance. Good stuff, I thought his music might be a bit too schmaltzy for my tastes, but no, they rocked it pretty hard. His drummer, Byron "Wookie" Landham, is a monster. Joey recorded the album pictured above with Jimmy Smith just before he died and is touring in support of it. I don't have time for a major rant here, but he was charging $25!!! No way, there's always Amazon.

Tax Day meant my second Dirtbombs show in two weeks, this time at Little Brothers with Murder Your Darlings again and Columbus' Grafton. All the bands rocked hard, and I got a sweet poster made by local designers Enginehouse 13. The 'Bombs once again failed to play "I'm Through With White Girls," but since Andy didn't make it, it was only right. Adam and I rocked out quite well.

I returned to Little Brothers the next night with Andy for his uncle's band The Ritchey Brothers and The Spikedrivers. Good hippie dancin music. The Ritcheys rock some enjoyable old man jam-jams, and I recommend them to you!

Monday night (18th), Chops and I ventured to Lil Bros for The Apes' grand return to Columbus. We missed Meta4ce and showed up for the end of El Jesus de Magico's set, which was aiight. Then the Apes commenced to rock, weird 70s stylee. Amanda "Majestic Ape" is still hot, I had to add that. They had snappy homemade costumes. They kicked out some organ-bass jams, and the drummer is a fuckin' beast. The singer was in all white and caught the drummer in the head with a tambourine toss. Great stuff the Apes are.

4-20 was a busy night. I started out with my grand return (and likely farewell) to WCWS, 90.9 FM Wooster (Fuck some WOO 91 bullshit!) on Double Dee's show. Good times. Lotsa hip-hop, some African funk, some Out-hud, a lil something for everybody. Then I came back and made it to Lil Bros in time for The 45s, a fine garage rock band from Atlanta. They came out with all guns blazin, and kept it up. Awesome. Then I made it to System Link's "Hook and Sling" funk and soul dance party, which had sorta died but was still fonkay. Good night.

Featured Show of the Week

Saturday night, I managed to drag Renkes and Chops to Little Brothers (6 LB shows in 11 days) for Vertical Slum's Bring It!, which brought together four awesome Ohio rawk bands. El Jesus de Magico played my favorite set of theirs so far, and Dayton's Wet Leather rocked their sex rock jams well. Then, Cleveland's Roue hit the stage and melted faces with their heavy attack. Meanwhile, an uber-drunk douchebag in the audience was hitting the peak of his suckitude. Earlier, he had put a chair and a traffic cone onstage during the bands' sets. During Roue's set, he decided to start drinking the band's drinks. Boo. The lead singer noticed this and poured a drink on the guy's head. The drunk processed this for a second, and then threw his (and by his, I mean one of Roue's) beer bottle at the singer! What ensued was maybe my favorite Columbus rock moment ever. The lead singer flew off the stage and onto the idiot, laying the smack down before the fight was broken up and the dude was kicked out. Fuckin awesome. The set might have been a bit short, but it was great. The headliner, Cleveland's This Moment in Black History, then followed with some kickass spaz-punk-core something, which was awesome as usual. Great fucking rock show. Thanks to the Slum for a good time.

Damn, I'm done. Go listen to the new Edan album, Beauty and the Beat, and thank me later. Hopefully I'll finish "Ap(e)rock" strong. Peace in da middle east.