I want to begin this article by talking about the Shakin' Sheila compilation, Conspiracy 8a. I do not believe that I gave this project the recognition that it deserves. Some of the local bands really show quite a bit of potential. The first band that really stood out to me was The Month Of Sundays (great name). This band draws from many influences, the biggest seeming to be Sebadoh. But honestly, one cannot see the influence in this song unless they really search. Union also shines on this tape. With a sound that seems influenced by Orange County's Inside Out, Union belts out some of the heaviest rhythms that I have heard from Louisville in quite some time. Other highlights include: Blangk, Raze, Eleven-11 and Synapsis.
Initial Records has just released a split acoustic seven-inch, which contains Falling Forward and the ever-changing Metroschifter.
The Guilt synesthesia CD, which is actually the ten-inch with a couple of extra songs, will be out within two weeks. It will be the last record released with Initial for quite a while. Guilt's latest LP will be released in early August.
Enkindel is getting prepared to leave on a five-week tour. Guilt will also leave on a five-week tour, stopping in Louisville on July 9 with Earth Crisis to play a show at Players on Bardstown Road.
Players has begun to do shows and the people are shying away because of the usual clientele of the establishment. But as Sean Garrison of Kinghorse said, it is all we have left right now. The shows have gone well, with the exception of the relatively small turnouts.
Guilt played with Castner and the Stress Magnets from Maryland. The show went well and it looked to me as if everyone had fun. Kinghorse played with Out and Ted Bundy's Volkswagon at Players on June 18. I actually was only able to see Kinghorse.
They played a good show. Rat was extremely worked up, so he was screaming more than singing, which actually is good to see sometimes. As usual, the band was tight; it is usually good to see these guys play.
Players will also host all-ages shows on these dates: July 3 with Enkindel, Snapcase and the Doughnuts (an all-girl, straightedge band from Sweden). And on July 9 with Guilt, Earth Crisis and Damnation (this show is a part of the five-week tour).
The turnout at these summer shows has been rather a disappointment to all of the local bands. It would be nice to see a better turnout for the simple fact that shows are very difficult to put on and if there is no support, then the promoters and bands will eventually grow tired of trying. Louisville has been an over-age scene before and it could be again. I say this simply in an attempt to make people realize that the music scene is not about egos, but about supporting your musical interests by supporting local bands. It used to be so easy to have great touring bands play because our local scene was so supportive, but because the crowds are so fickle these days promoters have had to tum many bands away. The local all-ages scene is here to support its crowd. I can see this because I have worked in all areas of the all-ages scene. I have been a fan, a promoter, a bouncer (loosely) and I have been in bands. We all take advantage of our wonderful local music scene.
I would like to remind readers about the Sell Out Louisville radio program on WQMF 105.9. Sunday nights at 9:30. There are occasionally shows at The Louisville Pizza Company on Taylorsville Road and at Ground Zero on Bardstown Road. Flyers are growing increasingly harder to keep up on Bardstown Road, so people interested in going to all-ages shows should periodically check in their local punk record store for flyers, or call around to friends. The scene needs to come up with a solution to hanging up flyers, because the city is not giving anyone a chance to advertise. Remember freedom of speech is okay, but there is no such thing as free advertising.
Okay, because the summer months are usually so slow I will have to end this article now. I will be on tour for five weeks, so net month's article will reflect this fact. Once again, thank you for reading and keep supporting your scene, whatever it is…
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Our sympathy is extended to Duncan Barlow, whose mother, Linda Rueff Barlow, passed away on June 3.