Dayton Music Rocks.

[Crossposted between here and polishing dayton]

I originally got into the local, live music scene in my hometown when this place was the Dry House. (It’s got a fascinating history that I totally did NOT appreciate at the time.) It was awesome. Sure, sometimes the bands sucked, or broke up, or whatever. But it was awesome.

Flash foward twenty years (and remind me of Dag Nasty’s All Ages Show, yeah, I know). Dayton’s got a live music scene that reminds me a lot of those early days – but because this is a larger city, there’s lots of venues. On top of that, I simply can’t spend as much time as I’d like finding out which bands rock and which… well, don’t.

Here’s the bands I’ve found (and liked) so far, with their genre and a short writeup. Links usually go to a MySpace page, because the bands have put previews there. Add yours in the comments – my tastes are pretty specific and limited, y’know?

Singer/Songwriter
Hands down, Joe Anderl takes the cake for me here. His lyrics are poignant and intelligent, and the man is skilled and friendly. Also awesome when he decides to plug the guitar in and do an anti-acoustic show. Check out “Vanishing Voice” on his page.

Experimental
Sleepybird is one of the most unusual acts I’ve had the pleasure of hearing. Their first two albums are an acquired taste; The Sadness Lasts Forever is much more accessible and reminds me more of the way they sound live. “All Things Are Mine” is a good song, but I’m not horribly fond of the recording on the page here.

Punk (melodic punk?)
God, I have never been able to keep up with the various types of subgenres in punk and metal. Jasper the Colossal reminds me of acts I’d find on Fat Wreck Chords like Tilt (and I’m an absolute fan of female vocalists and all-female bands). Awesome fun energy live, and a definite must-see. Give “You Should’ve Been There” a listen.

Rock
The Story Changes is a technically fascinating, high-energy, and fun band. These guys are obviously having a blast just rocking. I get out to see them whenever I can, and I really can’t describe them any better than that. Listen to “New Ground”, then see them for yourself. Fun. Rock. Go.

Metal
I’ve only had a chance to see Fluwid once, but bought their album right then. Metal – like punk – has so many subgenres that I’m not even going to try. They’ve got the skills to make it worthwhile, and while they do the growling vocals every so often, it’s not a big deal. They’re dark, and fast, and heavy, and melodic. They managed to get me really moving, which is saying something. And, oh yeah, they were nice guys. Check out “Mirrors” or “The Phoenix”.

I saw The Paramedic a few weeks ago, and they were tight. Amazingly so. And their site illustrates the problem with genres – a review calls them “post-hardcore”, and I have no freaking idea what that is anymore. I’m definitely picking up their EP, and want to see them again. Check out “Explorers” and “Horoscopes”. And yes, I love intros for metal songs. Give me a break.

The Falling Object Model impressed me when I saw them live – largely because these guys are still in high school. They’re rather good now (and were significantly better than the band that was before them), and I can only imagine how much better they’ll get as they get older. They also mix in some electronic elements, which tends to amuse the heck out of me. “Jazz Odyssey” (which is totally not jazz) illustrates a lot of the things I like about them.