Times New Viking roll back into town tomorrow night at the Wexner Center, along with Psandwich, Mike Rep and Tommy Jay. Spd Gvnr is at the Treehouse on Saturday. Rumtum, Shin Tower Music and Alleyes Path are at Carabar on Saturday as well. Plus I sample some of that awesome new lp by the Lindsay and the cassette release from Day Creep (Aaron Troyer of Day Creeper)

Download the podcast right now! (Right-click or Cntrl+click and Save-As): June 30 WCRS broadcast

Podcast Feed: patradio.org/mixtape.xml

Play List:
Times New Viking - "Ways to Go" from Dancer Equired
Times New Viking - "Want to Exist" from Dancer Equired
The Lindsay - "Power Auger" from Deep in the Queue
Day Creep - "Youth Shadow" from Underneath the Mess
Day Creep - "Acid Rain" from Underneath the Mess
Static Vessels - "Amoeba" from The Lovely Morning
Hebdo - "Come For Me" from prosciutto
Eric Nassau - "Borderline" from What's Left of Empty Space
Spd Gvnr - "Grant Park Compact" from 7"
Whoa Nellie! - "Everybody's Happy Now" from Showed Up Anyway
Mors Ontologica - "All the Kingsmen" from Hot Mess
Rumtum - "Red Room" from Soundcloud
SHIN TOWER MUSIC - "Everything At Once" from Mental Gold
alleyes path - "Merry Go Round" (featuring Illogic) single
Psandwich - "Sketchnya" live at Ruby Tuesday

Before the maelstrom that is "summer vacation" started for me, I had Bicentennial Bear in at Electraplay for our first-ever live broadcast. You can hear the results below. There's also live Psandwich, recorded back in February by Sperry, plus new stuff from Raw Milk. I'll post a play list later if I can find the time.

See Bicentennial Bear this Sunday at Comfest. Offramp stage.

Download: June 9, 2011 Podcast

Band photo by Erika Ray Photography.

Elvis Costello and the Imposters ripped through almost 30 songs in their two-plus hour set last night at the LC Pavilion, with a little help from audience members who helped construct the night's play list via a giant spinning wheel with 40 song titles on it.

It's a gimmick Elvis employed 25 years ago on the first 'spinning song book' tour, and he's resurrected the concept this spring, first with a few dates in major markets and then an expanded tour throughout June and July. I feel fortunate that the tour, now called "The Revolver Tour", touched down in Columbus last night, as I missed the original spinning song book tour, lo those many years ago.

Elvis relished his master-of-ceremonies role, as he plucked members of the audience and brought them on stage to spin the wheel. The lucky fans then got to sit in the "Society Lounge", a small bar next to a go-go dancing stand, while they enjoyed their selection. The free-spirited fans among the selected soon joined the dancer in the go-go cage.

Costello's voice showed signs of wear during slower balads like "Long Honeymoon" and "God Give Me Strength". He compensated by giving up-close-and-personal deliveries of the song, as he wandered through the crowd with a cordless mic. To call the vibe at the front of the stage a love-fest would be an understatement.

Elvis played several different guitars with abandon throughout the set. It's a guitar geek's dream watching these instruments come out over the course of the evening. While he's derisively referred to his guitar playing prowess as "little hands of concrete", I've always felt that Costello knows his limitations yet still adds effective solos to match the more frenetic numbers in his repertoire.

The Imposters were in top-notch form as usual. Pete Thomas (drums) and Davey Faragher (bass) made the rhythm seem effortless all night long. Keyboardist Steve Nieve switched from piano, to organ, to theremin, adding clever fills to some songs. The one I remember the most was "If I Only Had a Brain" from The Wizard of Oz, creeping into the end of the finale, "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding". A smile broke out on Nieve's face as he played the tune and glanced at his bandmates, and I thought that this must be how one must keep it fresh after playing the same songs night after night.

But it's not the same songs, at least not the same songs in the same order, thanks to the serendipity of the spinning wheel.

The best thing about the show was the reactions of the folks chosen to come on stage to spin the wheel. Elvis picked a number of youngsters, maybe between 13 and 17 years-old, throughout the night. One boy welled-up on stage and gave Elvis a big hug. Another girl had The Singing Dictionary with her and opened it up to the song she wanted him to sing. Elvis looked at it, muttered something and then asked the girl's friend to spin the wheel. It landed on "God Give Me Strength". When it was done, the guitar tech handed Elvis a battered, red Stratocaster, and he launched into the song that the girl had requested from her songbook, "Less Than Zero". She started tearing-up as he played it, and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek before being ushered off stage. She couldn't have been more than 16. It does my heart good to know that his music still resonates with young folks.

One clever son got his father and himself on stage with a hand-made sign that read "Mr Dynamite, please choose my dad on Father's Day." The boy's dad was ecstatic when the wheel landed on "Chelsea", and he danced in the go-go booth with a big grin on his face. Elvis took a short break after that tune and then came back out to sing "My Three Sons" in honor of Father's Day.

Near the end of the show, Elvis cheated (not the first time) to get the wheel to land on "Alison". Other highlights included a sing-along on "Everyday I Write the Book" and a cover of the Beatles' "And Your Bird Can Sing". "This is the Revolver Tour, after all," Elvis said, before starting the tune.

If you are a fan of 1977-86 era Elvis Costello, this tour will not disappoint, especially if you can get the wheel to land on "Happy" for Get Happy!!. See the play list (linked below) and you'll know what I mean.

Set list (from setlist.fm)

The Black Swans are releasing Don't Blame the Stars tomorrow night at the Rumba Cafe. There's also a two-night benefit for Joe Peppercorn at the Treehouse tomorrow and Saturday. Please stop in, make a donation, and stay for some awesome rock'n'roll music. Also, Ampline, from Cincinnati, are playing tonight at the Treehouse with The Garrison and Dead Indians. Finally, Organ Grinder Productions are throwing a Sadie Hawkins Dance at 400 Rich to usher the Dewdropper's EP into the world. That's happening on Saturday night. It's June. It's summer. Bring it.

Download this show (right-click or Cntrl+click and "Save As" this link): June 2, 2011 Broadcast

Play List:
In Silent Movies - "Smokescreen" from They Had Faces Then
Alert New London - "Silverdrive"
The Garrison - "Mind the Gap"
Ampline - "Passengers In Sleeping Trains" from You Will Be Buried Here
Moviola - "Disaster" (download it)
Alwood Sisters - "Water" from Black Falcon & the Forest Spirit
The Black Swans - "Blue Bayou" from Don't Blame the Stars
Strangers In Daylight - "Technical Blond" Strangers In Daylight
The Kyle Sowashes - "1997" from The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald 7"
Ghost Shirt - "Civil War" from Daniel
Two Cow Garage - "What Dying Is For" Sweet Saint Me
New City Gypsy - "Tugboat" from The Night Never Sleeps
The Receiver - "Goliath" from Decades
SHIN TOWER MUSIC - "Pink & Blue" from Mental Gold
The Dewdroppers - "Rosaline" from Comfest 2010 Demo