Down On The Corner

By Paul Moffett

Louisville music is most definitely on the upswing these days, with two bands making appearances on late night television shows and a third scoring the music for an animated show on Fox. That would be, in order, My Morning Jacket , most recently on Letterman; Houndmouth, most recently on the Conan O'Brian show and Wax Fang, whose music was featured on "American Dad."

Other performers are scoring slots on various tours, including Little Heart Records' artists Uh Huh Baby Yeah!, who have been invited to play the Warped Tour , which is a pretty big deal.

Cheyenne Mize is generating considerable buzz as well, with the new video "Among The Grey" premiered by Spin Magazine.

The hardcore band Coliseum has been building a solid national-level reputation through dedicated touring, so that their activities often show in national media.

The Louisville music scene is noted for spawning new groups from old ones, as happens elsewhere, of course, and in every genre. Eddy Metal's News From The Pit column usually features one or two new bands every month. This time, the new band is called Early Age and is staffed by two Thienemans, Amber Estes of Sandpaper Dolls, Young Scamels and Liberation Prophecy and her spouse Nick of Breather Resist, Young Widows, Brain Banger and Black Cross; Carrie Neumayer from Second Story Man, Minnow and Julie of the Wolves plus Ben Sears of Whips/Chains, Prideswallower and Mountain Asleep. The band plays a debut show on July 5 at Zanzabar with Xerxes and The Foxery.

For more information, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/earlyagelouisville.

Finally, a new release from Rodan came out in June, called Fifteen Quiet Years, which caused a bit of a stir in the music world, illustrating the continuing influence that the band has had and continues to have in what is usually called the post-rock and/or math rock genres.

When you've played and dominated all the major festivals, it seems that the only thing left to do is create your own – and that is precisely what My Morning Jacket is planning. It'll be a four-day event title 'One Big Holiday' and it's set to take place next January 26-30 at the soon-to-re-open Hard Rock Hotel at the Riviera Maya in Mexico. The festival will feature three concerts by MMJ, plus a huge dance party, daytime activities including yoga classes, tequila tastings and off-site trips. The best part: all drinks are included.

Prices range from $1,249 to $2,599, depending on the room. Tickets are on sale. Start saving your money, kiddies.

There'll be a benefit for the Mag Bar on July 20 at the Mag Bar, which was severely damaged when a vehicle drove into the structure earlier last month. Scheduled to play are Trophy Wives, Neighbor, BEARHAMMER, Misery, Great Floods and Crippled Tongue. The ticket is $10.

The questions have continued to be asked about how the costs of the KFC Yum! Center will be paid for, inasmuch as the Center itself has not been generating enough revenue, to the point that the City Of Louisville had to pony up the maximum of $9.8 million in order for bond holders to be paid. AEG Entertainment claims that revenue from concerts and other events is increasing. The large special Taxing District which surrounds the Center has not generated the revenue projected, but it is claimed that those revenues are increasing as well.

InsiderLouisville.com's Terry Boyd did some actual reporting about the matter, including talking to Ed Glasscock, authority general counsel, and Jerry Hurt, a director at Louisville-based accounting firm Deming, Malone, Livesay and Ostroff and accountant for the Louisville Arena Authority. The take-away might be that this time last year, Moody's downgraded the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority's Louisville Arena Project Revenue Bonds to Ba2 from Baa3 – high risk junk bonds. They're scheduled to revisit that bond rating shortly, at which point a new assessment will be in order.

Pikeville and Fairdale Kentucky's Patty Loveless was honored by the Grand Ole Opry for 25 years of membership this past weekend with memorable performances by Loveless, fellow Opry members Vince Gill and Loretta Lynn, and more. Loveless was inducted as an Opry member on June 11, 1988.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Dawn McCarthy will perform at the Bomhard Theatre on August 4. The event is a benefit for the Network Center for Community Change, a Louisville organization dedicated to building connections among neighborhoods, suburban and urban in Louisville. Tickets are $30 and are on sale.

Uncle Slayton 's will close at the end of July. The small music hall proved to be too small to be viable, according to co-owner Rebecca Kessler.

Karate Body Records' artist Old Baby has a new CD, Love Hangover, all ready for your pre-order over at http://www.karatebodyrecords.com.