A few last words on October:
Wesley Willis, Wesley Willis...
The show was a success. Wesley Willis played to an absolutely stunned crowd at Sudsy Malones', most of whom didn't know whether to laugh or form a mob to physically remove Wesley from the stage. This six-foot four, three-hundred plus pounded, diagnosed schizophrenic from Chicago was a little much for a Thursday night crowd to handle. For the most part Wesley was very entertaining with his onslaught of verbal homages and/or attacks of all the famous people he could think to name in song. The ten minute Casio keyboard solos, however, were bad enough to drive most of the sizeable crowd out before the end of his set (Wesley performs alone on stage, seated at his keyboard and picking at it like a novice typist, while half slurring his rants into a slobbery microphone. Not a pretty sight). This guy is highly recommended. Local absurdists' Fudgie and Fufu opened along with some guy named Randy Hermann or something who was horrible.
Saturday, November 1, somewhere in Lockland, Ohio:
Moth, Love America, Little Billy Catfish Trio, Fudgie and FuFu, Salvador Deli, Zy O. Lyn.
What a great room for a concert. The whole event took place on the third floor of a Kung Fu Academy. I hope the neighbors aren't easily disturbed.
Former Mad Orange Fools frontman Zy O. Lyn opened the show with a somber, solo, acoustic set of songs (actually the Fools bassist joined him on a few numbers. It's nice to hear some thoughtful, intelligent song writing once in a while, and Zy does it very well. Blending elements of Robyn Hitchcock, the Beatles, and even Guided By Voices into his harrowing set, Zy O. Lyn was perhaps a little heavy for these Saturday night partygoer.
Dayton hipsters Salvador Deli, came all this way to less the crowd with some genuine indie rock. While the band played in front of what was to be the largest influx of bodies in the room, a good number of people were side tracked by the trampoline set up in the back of the room (this same trampoline was also responsible for turning Love America into a one man act, as one guitar player had to be taken to the hospital with a sprained ankle).
Next came local acts Fudgie and Fufu, then the Little Billy Catfish Trio, two of the best, most omnipresent bands in Cincinnati. They both have big spreads elsewhere on this Website, so suffice to say, they were awesome Billy had plenty of blues to go around while Fudgie and Fufu had plenty of doughnuts?
Love America, as mentioned, ran into some health problems, but Will the lead singer still managed to pull off some heavy slide guitar blues all by himself 1 think these guys are shopping around for a new drummer. Maybe they'll end up finding a diamond in the rough too. Either way we wish them luck, as that big belting voice of Will's keeps getting stronger.
The final act of the evening, Moth, did a very good job of entertaining the remaining five people in the place. It was 2:00 am by the time they started, and surpnsingly, they seemed out of energy. It was a fun show anyway, I hope the guys in the band weren't too discouraged. They're working on a lot of new material, and someone will notice soon enough, they're sure.
Anyway, if you're planning on going out for a big night of drinking and driving this month of November (as we know you all are, how else do you get your cars home?) here are a couple of tips: 1) Stay out of Lockland 2) Clean the baked goods out of your hair as soon as Fudgie and FuFu leave the stage, before you get in the car 3) VISINE 4) Remove the squirrel pelted crotch-protector and the matching headdress. Remember, not all cops have a sense of humor.