Peter Frampton at Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center 06 15 18
The Movement at Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River
Dirty Heads at Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River 06 14 18
Iration at Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River 06 14 18
16 Candles at Federal Hill Commons, 06 02 18
There's just something about '80s music that makes people happy, especially when that music is performed outdoors on a balmy evening, by a talented band who is doing what they love. If you've ever seen Chicago-based band 16 Candles, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't, you need to check them out! They rocked, bopped, and walked like Egyptians through an upbeat set that had people of all ages dancing and singing the night away at Federal Hill Commons park in Noblesville, Indiana.
Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press at Federal Hill Commons 05/20/18
Rod Tuffcurls and the Benchpress kicked off the Noblesville Parks Concerts at the Commons series with a set of popular tunes from a variety of genres. The talented foursome from Chicago played everything from vintage Elton John to the theme from Disney's "Moana," and they played it with sensational style and skill. Their entusiasm was contagious - they were there to have fun, and they made sure everyone else did, too. I can't wait for them to come back this way!
mc chris at The Hi-Fi Indy
Live Review
mc chris and Bitforce at The Hi-Fi Indy 04/26/18
By Laura Fox - assisted by Michele Livingston
I admit, I’m not a huge fan of rap; I’m more of a head-banging kind of girl. So why did I jump at the chance to do a live review of mc chris at The Hi-Fi Indy? Because mc chris isn’t your stereotypical rapper – he raps about nerdy stuff. And he’s wicked funny. And the opening act was a nerdcore band called Bitforce. (And yes, nerdcore is really a genre.) I expected a fun show, and that’s exactly what I got.
While waiting for the show to start, I couldn’t help overhearing bits of conversation around me. There were animated discussions about game characters and strategies, superheroes, bitcoins, wizards, and the latest Pokemon Go! raids. Although much of it was completely foreign to me, it was hard not to get caught up in the enthusiasm for all things nerdy. It was interesting (but not surprising) to note that the crowd was mostly male, bearded, and under the age of 40.
What did surprise me was that there were moshers during Bitcore’s set! From the futuristic opening notes of “Exordium of Heroes” to their last triumphant chord, Bitforce commanded respect from the audience with their warrior attitudes, LED-lit uniforms, and kick-ass metal music. The San Antonio-based trio played a nine-song set that included original compositions, as well as metal versions of movie, game, and TV theme songs. Crowd favorites included the Power Rangers theme song, a Batman/Teen Titans medley, “Castlevania,” and the Pokemon theme song. Vocalist/guitarist Joey Devine (AKA Banta), Bassist Marc Lopez (AKA Ryokuen), and percussionist Toph Lawrence (AKA Shiden), were polished, yet edgy, throughout the set, and when they decided to get heavy, they got REAL heavy. They were great fun to watch!
Things were pretty casual when mc chris first took the stage, munching on a cookie and chatting with the audience. Then he suddenly switched gears, launching into “mc chris the shit,” a frenetic, autobiographical rap that’s both self-promoting and self-deprecating. His distinctive voice meshed well with the synth-y background tracks, and although I had trouble catching all the lyrics, Chris’ in-your-face attitude came through loud and clear. The audience clearly had no trouble understanding the lyrics, singing along lustily to “Neville,” “Pizza Butt,” “Hoodie Ninja,” “Wiid,” “Smackababy,” “I Want Candy,” and “DQ Blizzard.”
With over 17 albums and EPs, along with numerous movie and TV show credits under his belt, mc chris has a vast repertoire, and his setlist is always different for every show. His set at the Hi-Fi Indy was comprised of 15 songs, and included topics such as Star Wars, pot, Mario Brothers, obesity, pot, drug dealing, Harry Potter, pot, and cannibalism. Many of the songs drip with irony and reference things only fans of nerd culture and fans of mc chris would understand. Others appear straight rap/hip-hop, but take a corkscrew twist when you listen closely to the lyrics. And they all are insanely fast-paced and energetic, with mc chris spitting out the words like machine-gun fire.
One of the things that struck me about this show was the incongruity of every element of mc chris and his music. Logic says combining references to General Patton, Legoland, The Avengers, and Elizabeth Warren – all in one song – should not work. But it does. As does the unique blend of hip-hop, rap, pop, and cartoon theme-song styles. What’s also a little strange is that the artist himself is a vertically challenged, helium-voiced, 42-year-old white dude from Libertyville, Illinois.
The other thing I noticed was the way Chris interacted with the audience between every song. He went beyond the typical, “Hey Indy, how ya feeling tonight?” and cracked jokes about politics, drugs, tour life, sex, food, and the ridiculousness of life. He also took song requests, as well as talked about his wife and son, his nephew’s battle with Cystic Fibrosis, and the inspiration for some of his songs. It made my night when he asked a very tall man in the front to move over so the shorter people behind him could see, and later addressed me as “my Linda McCartney,” which was very sweet. (Google the story if you don’t know it already.) His mid-show, funny t-shirt contest was a hoot, with so many potential participants they wouldn’t all fit on the stage. (The winning shirt had a Luigi graphic on it I didn’t really get, but the crowd loved it.)
The only negativity of the night came when a drunk heckler got so out of hand that mc chris stopped performing his last song to chew him out. Fortunately, the guy settled down a bit, and Chris was able to pull it back together. Starting “Fette’s Vette,” over, mc chris rounded out the set on a positive note, with the crowd cheering and singing along, sharing in the super-cool nerdcore experience.
mc chris Funny T-shirt Contest at The Hi-Fi Indy 4 26 18
The Funny T-Shirt Contest is a huge part of every mc chris show, and there were some awesome entries at the Hi-Fi Indy!
Bitforce at The Hi-Fi Indy
Vinyl Theatre at 416 Wabash, 04/03/18
Vinyl Theatre put 100% into their performance at 416 Wabash, entrancing and enthralling the crowd.
Vesperteen at 416 Wabash, 04/03/18
Despite having a broken foot, Vesperteen (A.K.A. Colin Rigsby) sang, drummed, stomped and danced his heart out at 416 Wabash in Indianapolis. Rigsby was accompanied by bassist Michael Bare of The New Schematics and keyboardist Michael Michael Cronin.
L.A. Guns at The Vogue 2/28/18
L.A. Guns, featuring original guitarist Tracii Guns and original vocalist Philip Lewis, wrapped up their Reunion Tour with a bang at The Vogue in Indianapolis, proving that they can still kick ass with the best of them!
Budderside at The Vogue 2/28/18
California-based Budderside showered their brotherly love on an enthralled Indianapolis crowd.
The Mowgli's at The Hi-Fi Indy 02/26/18
The Mowgli's brought a much-needed dose of west-coast sunshine and positive energy to the Hi-Fi Indy. Colorful, retro beach scenes provided the perfect backdrop for their catchy tunes and heartfelt messages.
Red Sun Rising at Old National Centre, 2/18/18
I saw Red Sun Rising for the first time in 2015 and was immediately hooked on them. They rock hard, with a post-grungy sort of edge and a sound that is completely their own. In addition, these guys know how to throw down a good show, and they do it with such energy and passion that you can't help but get caught up in it!
Flint Eastwood at The HiFi Indy, 2/9/18
I was both exhausted and exhilarated after photographing this amazing act from Detroit. Great, original music and positive messages, along with a fun, party atmosphere made for a fantastic evening at The HiFi Indy.
Live Review
Flint Eastwood, NYDGE at the HiFi Indy February 9, 2018
By Laura Fox
After my daughter, Kelly (aka Vixen Visuals), photographed Flint Eastwood last year, she told me it was one of the best shows she had ever seen. That’s high praise from someone who’s seen and shot about a hundred concerts in the past couple of years, so when I found out Flint Eastwood was coming to the HiFi Indy, I jumped on the chance to see for myself what she was talking about.
I was not disappointed. Although the Detroit-based group had no cool light effects, pyrotechnics, fancy backdrops or any of the trappings of a major event, they put on one hell of a concert. I completely understand now why the show sold out, and why Flint Eastwood’s fans will drive hundreds of miles for a live show.
Fellow Detroiter NYDGE (pronounced with a hard “i” like Nigel), currently on tour supporting Flint Eastwood, likewise needed a minimal amount of gear to entertain the packed house. His dreamy, original, synth-created compositions were as smooth as silk, creating a super chill atmosphere. Although he lists his genre as electropop or indietronica (TBH, I didn’t even know that was a thing), I also detected a pleasant R&B undercurrent in some of his songs. Whatever you call it, his music put everyone in a relaxed state of mind, kind of like a nice glass of wine before dinner.
When Flint Eastwood, came out, however, any sense of tranquility vaporized. Striding onto the stage like she owned it, vocalist Jax Anderson immediately took command of the audience, who willingly bowed to her will. When she told them to dance, they did. When she told them to crouch down, they did. When she told them, “Shhhh,” the entire room fell silent. That’s a lotta people to get to be quiet, especially people in a party mood on a Friday night. Frequently leaning over the edge of the stage, Anderson alternately wooed and challenged her audience, who hung on to her every word.
Backed by brother Seth (aka Sybling) on drums, touring bassist Joel Parks, and some slick tracks, Anderson was a ball of energy on stage. Dressed in Carhartt work overalls and sporting her signature braids, she belted out song after song with a sweet voice and a polish rivalling that of any mega-pop star. Her swagger, however, was more like that of a rapper, and there was a healthy dose of gritty Motor City mojo in her attitude. The genre-defying set reflected pop, rock, indie and techno influences with crowd favorites like “Glitches,” “Small Victories,” “Rewind,” and the latest single, “Monster,” all of which are as unique and different from each other as Flint Eastwood is from other artists. And maybe that’s the crucial element in Flint Eastwood’s fan base – there’s something for everyone to love.
Or maybe it’s the fact that Jax Anderson seems to genuinely care about her fans, and about people in general. More than once Friday night she exhorted them to be strong, to be kind, and to work hard. Before launching into the encore with her signature anthem, “Queen,” she again silenced the audience and spoke directly to them, saying “I have a message to the ladies out there…you are just as good as your heroes. The only difference…is that your heroes have put in a butt-ton more work than you have. So get out there, work your ass off, be nice to people and get shit done,” adding, “That also applies to the gentlemen in the room.” I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person who left the show both exhausted and inspired…and looking forward to seeing (and hearing) more from Flint Eastwood.
