Lotus Plaza @ The Luminary Center for the Arts, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

If life imitates art, then the following pictures capture the blurry, musical art that was created by Lockett Pundt and Lotus Plaza.  A small and quiet crowd gathered at The Luminary Center for the Arts to take in the vast, sonic landscape that is Lotus Plaza.  Lotus Plaza is the side project of Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt.  Pudnt heavily exploits and experiments with electronic gadgets that can produce waves of sonic pleasure.  The mood of the evening was set by a solitary, unchanging blue-colored stage.  Lotus Plaza’s music is defined as shoegaze, a term that is defined by the musicians as they stare at their shoes while onstage.  The audience was here to listen to and showed little emotion outside of applauding in between songs.  Lotus Plaza played a short hour-long set due to some technical difficulties and Pundt recovering from the recent loss of his voice. Lotus Plaza is currently touring in support of their latest release, Spooky Action at a Distance, an album that at times can sound like English pop from the 80’s and then quickly turn around and bite you with a guitar sound that mimics Thurston Moore.  One of the standout songs from this album that melds these two styles perfectly is “Out of Touch.”  While onstage,  Pundt gives one the feeling that he is always thinking of how the music should be painted.  Tonight’s performance was portrayed somewhat dark but if you listen closely, as many did on this night in St. Louis, you’ll find every Lotus Plaza song has a splash of color.  Pictures of the show are below:

Read More

2012 Dallas International Guitar Festival @ Market Hall, Dallas, TX

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

They say it’s bigger and better in Texas.  I don’t know about all of Texas, but one thing that is bigger in Texas is the Dallas International Guitar Festival (DIGF).  This annual event draws thousands of visitors to the Dallas Market Hall to view custom made guitars, new products and gizmos, and to hear some of the finest guitar players on the planet.  This year I found my way to the DIGF two days in a row.  The Market Hall was packed, as usual, with guitar enthusiasts and vendors.  My first day at the show was kind of a preview day, but while previewing I had a chance to hear some excellent guitar players on both the indoor and outdoor stages.

Read More

Edgefest 22 @ FC Dallas Stadium, Frisco, TX

Words by Scott, pictures by Duane Clawson

Last Sunday, thousands descended upon FC Dallas Stadium (formerly Pizza Hut Park) for the 22nd installment of 102.1 KDGE's Edgefest.  The premier radio festival in North Texas has seen an array of talent in its 21 previous years including Muse and the Killers in 2008, Phoenix and Limp Bizkit? in 2010, Blink 182 and Goo Goo Dools in 1999 (my first Edgefest), et cetera.  But in past years, the festival has been drowned in alternative rock and nostalgic bands of the 90's, a sad reflection of their outdated playists on the station.  Not the case anymore.  This year, Edgefest returned to fine form with the inclusion of Cake, Garbage, Evanescence, Cage the Elephant, and headliners, the Black Keys.  The Black Keys alone were a draw for most concert goers, as they are headlining almost every major festival this year and have blown up within the last few years to go from underground wonders to full-blown superstars.

Read More

CAVO / Reaul @ Cicero’s, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

If you were looking to let loose after a long day of figuring those pesky taxes, Cicero’s in St. Louis was the place to be on this Sunday night.  But as with any reward, there was a little work involved to get one in to this show.  CAVO came up with a crafty promotion to secure a spot at this intimate venue.  Ala Willy Wonka, buy the latest CAVO album and if you were lucky you would have found a golden ticket, which would put you up close and personal with the band.  CAVO, collectively, is Casey Walker (vocals/occasional guitar), Chad La Roy (drums/percussion), Brian Smith (bass), and Chris Hobbs (guitar).  Formed sometime around 2000, the band started out as a hobby.  Then the realization set in that the band had a good local following in St. Louis and had a shot at becoming something so much bigger.  As the members of CAVO were soon to find out, with all things that have the potential to be great, there are many setbacks along the way.

Read More

The Head and the Heart @ the Pageant, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

Not that I’m complaining, but after two nights of screaming guitars and drunken rowdy crowds, I was ready for a break.  The Head and the Heart provided this break with a sound that was comparable to a two-hour, Swedish massage for my ears.  The band’s indie folk found a perfect fit for the current music scene in St. Louis, as the near capacity audience was proof of that.  When researching a band, I often try to think a descriptive word or term that defines the band best.  The term that came to mind most while researching this band was fast-rising.  Last June, the band played the famed St. Louis venue, the Duckroom, with a capacity  of 300.  Less than a year later, they moved across the street and plays a nearly sold out Pageant (capacity 2000).  Now that’s fast rising.  The band makes music that could appeal to nearly every musical taste.  From the barroom sing-a-long feel of “Ghosts”, to the Woody Guthriesque, “Lost In My Mind”.  The Head and the Heart has it covered.  The band’s choices in stage decor are fitting for the music being played.  Simple lighting and a stage set that resembles a backyard barbecue, complete with clear-bulb string lighting and suspended Chinese lanterns.

Read More

Joanne Shaw Taylor @ The Beale on Broadway, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

Joanne Shaw Taylor?  Never heard of her?  Hang on St. Louis, this young lady is about to introduce herself via a two-night stand at the Beale on Broadway.  For a music lover and part time guitar player, I knew all too well of what this 26-year old from Birmingham, England was capable of.  If you ask Joanne, I’m sure she would consider herself a blues guitarist but she rides a fine line between blues and rock, with a guitar sound that is as raw as Angus Young’s but bluesy in a Jimmy Page kinda way.  Joanne was discovered by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics at the age of 16 and was quickly recruited to play in Dave’s super group,  D.U.P., in 2002.  Today, Joanne is touring as part of a power-trio fashioned after some of her early influences such as Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Read More

Upcoming: White Denim @ Granada Theater, Dallas, TX

As White Denim returns to Dallas for their headlining show at Granada Theater on Thursday, you almost get a sense that the band has never left.  That's because the Austin band has been in the DFW area three times in the last year, most recently at the University of Texas at Dallas on March 20th.  And with a spot on one of the main stages at last year's 35 Conferette (pictured above) and headlining the inaugural Gorilla vs. Bear Festival, the band has been everywhere and continues to do nothing but rise.

With their catchy hooks and accessible pysch-rock sound, the band has had great success in North Texas and notably deserves their time to shine at Granada.  Continuing to tour off of last year's critically acclaimed album, D, the band has built a reputation for producing solid, well-constructed music and delivering exciting live performances.

Performing alongside fellow Austinites, Hundred Visions, and Dallas-bred rockers, Soviet, Thursday night's show should be nothing short of fantastic.  Tickets are still available online via Granada Theater ticketing or at the door.  But I suggest getting your tickets now, as this will be one of the better shows this week.

Where:  Granada Theater | map

When:  Thursday, April 5th

Times:  Doors @ 7pm, Show @ 8pm

enjoy.

Read More

Josh Garrett @ BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

If you were to travel the course of the Mississippi River, you would hear many variations of blues music. Starting in Chicago, the blues has a down and dirty club feel.  By the time you reach the southern end of the Mississippi, blues music turns acoustic.  Harmonicas and acoustic slide guitars replace the electrified Chicago sound.  Josh Garrett takes all things that are Delta Blues and mixes them with other sounds that are prevalent throughout the south such as Dixieland Jazz and Zydeco.  Josh brought to BB’s a large band capable of reproducing all of the aforementioned sounds.  Tonight’s band consisted of Josh Garrett (guitar/vocals), Mark Levron (trumpet/vocals/tambourine), Scott Jackson (bass), Clay White (harmonica), and St. Louis native Kyle Sharamitaro (drums/vocals).  Josh and the band took the stage to perform a lengthy set for a large Friday night crowd.  Josh explained that he makes it up to the St. Louis area around nine or ten times a year, and judging from the crowd size and their reaction, it’s no wonder he makes so many trips to the area.

Read More

Middle Class Fashion / The Ladybirds / Via Dove @ Cicero's, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson

Ah!  Saturday night and I’m back in my element.  As much fun as it was to test the waters in a big venue like Scottrade Center on the previous night, I still feel at home photographing bands in smaller clubs throughout St. Louis.  This show came to be through an invite from Jenn Malzone, lead singer of Middle Class Fashion.  After reviewing the band's album Girl Talk earlier this year, I was anxious to get out and see this band and hear their live sound.  I was in no way disappointed. Middle Class Fashion played a majority of songs from the aforementioned Girl Talk album.  Jenn, Brian, and Brad brought with them a large, local following that sang along with many of the songs from the new album.  At this point, I must mention that all three bands on this bill played varying styles of music but all three were very good at what they do.  Middle Class describes their sound as minor key pop.  I describe it as pretty darn cool.  Middle Class Fashion has a Facebook page that is full of useful info and links to the band’s music.

Read More

Other Lives w/ Radiohead @ Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO

Words and pictures by Duane Clawson 

It has been said life is not without challenges and this statement could not have been any truer on a Friday night in St. Louis.  The boss had secured my spot at the front of the stage inside one of the largest venues in STL.  OK, first challenge:  where does one enter the press area?  After some instruction from the nice lady at will call, this challenge was overcome.  After some confusion on behalf of the security team is cleared up, another photographer from Kansas City and myself were led up to the stage area.  My first impressions were that is a big stage and Other Lives takes up a good portion of this stage.  Feeling pretty confident I’ve made it to the stage with minimal difficultly, now let the waiting begin.  Challenge #2:  how am I going to shoot all this with my less than capable camera?  Solution:  one band member at a time.  As if my stress level was not high enough, now security is calling us back to meet up with a press liaison.  After a quick briefing, we were led back down to the stage.  Challenge #3:  now I have eight other photographers to contend with.  When the lights of the Scottrade Center went down, it didn’t take long for Challenge #4 to rear its ugly head:  bad lighting is reserved for the opening band.

Read More