• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Event Calendar
    • Submit Event
  • About Us
    • Our Contributors
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Arts & Entertainment
    • Comedy
    • Dayton Club Scene
    • On Screen Dayton
      • On Screen Dayton Reviews
    • Road Trippin’
      • Cincinnati
      • Brunch
      • Columbus
      • Indianapolis
    • Spectator Sports
    • Street-Level Art
    • Visual Arts
  • Dayton Dining
    • Dayton Food Trucks
    • Dayton On Tap
    • Food Adventures
    • Happy Hour
    • Wine
    • Ten Questions
  • Dayton Music
    • Jazz
    • Music Calendar
  • On Stage Dayton
    • On Stage Dayton Previews
    • On Stage Dayton Reviews
  • Active Living
    • Canoeing/Kayaking
    • Cycling
    • Hiking/Backpacking
    • Runners
  • Dayton Dining Tours

Dayton Most Metro

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Juliet Fromholt

About Juliet Fromholt

Juliet Fromholt is a downtown Dayton resident who works for WYSO, 91.3FM doing many things including hosting Kaleidoscope - a weekly music program that airs every Wednesday night (8-11pm) and features interviews and live sets with local musicians, artists and filmmakers. Juliet is proud to serve as a board member for the Antioch Writers' Workshop and Cityfolk.

Local Bands To Reload The 90s Friday Night At Gilly’s

July 23, 2014 By Juliet Fromholt

10537436_732671790124137_5601893437841302519_nFriday, July 25th marks the fourth annual 90s Reloaded tribute show, the first time for this particular event, at Gilly’s in downtown Dayton.  The show will feature seven local bands performing sets that include both 90s favorites and their own original material, as well as five acoustic performers doing an “in the round” style set, belly dancing, DJ sets and more.

“The 90s is my second favorite musical decade,” says presenter Louie Wood Jr.. “I grew up on five albums: Emf Schubert’s Dip, Jesus Jones’ Doubt, Primitive Radio Gods’ Rocket, Kristen Barry’s The Beginning Is The Middle Is The End and U2’s Achtung Baby. I am a big fan of post punk, electronica, techno, alternative and EDM.”

90s Reloaded is one of several signature shows Wood produces throughout the year including 80s Rewind, which is heading into its sixth year, and Dayton Does Dayton, which will see its fifth Gem City outing in January.

“I think one of the very good things about these shows is that they sometimes present a challenge to musicians.  And a very worthy challenge,” Wood says.  “I saw this happen from the very start at the 2009 Dayton Dirt Collective Smiths/Morrissey tribute we threw, my very first tribute show.  Just a month after that it was a tribute to the Cure, which was just as interesting and fun as the Smiths/Morrissey tribute.  Bands get to succeed out of their element at these shows in front of new people.  This is a good thing for Dayton.”

The seven bands on Friday night’s bill are all original and will combine their own material with the 90s songs they’ve chosen to cover.

“I let all the bands/musicians choose their cover songs and then ask them to perform their best originals.  This of course is so that the bands get the most out of performing at the shows, and so they connect to the audience better.”

This year’s lineup features both new-to-the-scene and well-established acts with a range of styles and ages represented.

“Having lots of styles of music at these tribute show makes them special and a lot of fun, I think it really helps them succeed,” says Wood.  “The younger bands that participate in the shows are always very enthusiastic about performing and always put on a good presentation.  They are also always very talented; it always creates a cool energy at the beginning of the show to get the party started.”

In addition to the live music, Bronwen Dancer and her regional belly dancing troupe will perform a set as part of the evening’s festivities and Wood will DJ 90s music between sets.

“I like to do fun things while people are waiting for the bands to perform like play TV movie these songs and jingles from that era.  People really get a kick out of it.”

HOW TO GO:

Meghna Mahambrey will perform as part of 90s Reloaded

Meghna Mahambrey will perform as part of 90s Reloaded

90s Reloaded
Friday, July 25th at 7:30PM
at Gilly’s, 132 S. Jefferson St.
$7 at the door

Lineup includes:
Crazy Damn Good
Cinder Home
Plush
Able Danger
Queen of Hearts
Moroni Lane
Reyna Spears
Meghna Mahambrey
Katherine Mullins
Lost Cause
John Mullen
Daniel White aka Barefoot Dan
a 30 minute belly dance presentation by: Bronwen Dancer and her regional belly dancing troupe

Filed Under: Dayton Music, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Dayton Music, Gilly's

Get the Blues at the 29th Annual Dayton Blues Festival

July 17, 2014 By Juliet Fromholt

Free summer entertainment returns to downtown Dayton’s Dave Hall Plaza (Fourth and Jefferson Streets) on Sunday, July 20, as Recreation and Youth Services presents the 29th annual Dayton Blues Festival, with the finest in local and regional blues from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.The line-up includes:

  • Joe & Jack Waters – Dayton
  • The Wright Brothers Band – Dayton
  • Back Talk Blues Band, featuring Gary ‘Guitar’ Williams – Dayton
  • The Mojo Kings – Columbus
  • Mark May Band, with the Soul Horns – Columbus
  • Cheryl Renee Project – Cincinnati
  • Joey Gilmore ‘The Blues Legend’ – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
  • Emcee – Earl “South Side” Hayes

In addition to great blues, there will be food and merchandise vendors, and Heidelberg will offer premium beers. Concertgoers are welcome to bring lawn chairs or blankets.  However, shade tents, coolers, pets, outside food and drinks are not permitted.  The City of Dayton’s Take Back the Tap Trailer will offer free water (guests are encouraged to bring their own water cup or bottles).

The Dayton Blues Festival is the second of a three-festival Downtown Summer Music Series presented by the Dayton Department of Recreation and Youth Services, and is supported by Heidelberg Distributing, the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the Crowne Plaza Hotel, WROU Radio, and Martin Romie Talent.  The Downtown Summer Music Series will continue with the Dayton Reggae Festival on August 31, also at Dave Hall Plaza and with free admission.

Filed Under: Dayton Music Tagged With: Blues, Dave Hall Plaza, Dayton Music

Independent Comics, Film and Music To Be Celebrated At Inaugural I.C.E.

January 31, 2014 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

1485962_10202138664681127_355066017_o

Saturday February 1st marks the debut of the Independent Creators Expo, seasonally appropriately nicknamed I.C.E., at Wright State University’s Student Union. To the naked eye, I.C.E. May appear to be like a comic book convention and that’s a good starting point for understanding the event. But you won’t see Wolverine, Batman or Spider-man playing a prominent role at this show.

Artwork from Jason Young's Veggie Dog Saturn

Artwork from Jason Young’s Veggie Dog Saturn

“I want I.C.E. to be the show where people go to see original work and support the mediums they love at ‘ground zero,’ where it all begins,” says Brandon (Bjay) Johnson of Studio Akumakaze, the Kettering art/design studio hosting the event.

As the name suggests, I.C.E.’s focus is on the work of independent comic and graphic artists much like Columbus’ popular Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo (S.P.A.C.E.), which has celebrated many of the Dayton area’s independent comic creators for many years.

With its own manga-style comic book, SCRAP, Studio Akumakaze is part of a longstanding community of comic creators in the Miami Valley that includes Justin Wasson and Jason Young of Buyer Beware Comics, among many others.

“I thought that a show that focused entirely on original work and independent creators would be a nice companion show for Gem City Com Con [also held at Wright State],” says Johnson. “And also be a good way to kick off the year and stir up some excitement for the artistic community before the convention season begins in the spring.”

Another departure from the more traditional comic book convention is that in addition to comic/graphic artists, I.C.E. is welcoming local, independent filmmakers and musicians. Nightbeast and Red Hot Rebellion head up the musical offerings and filmmakers Eric Widing (Hellhounds) and Shawn Burkett (Concept Media) are among the motion picture guests who will also be joined by Dayton area horror host Baron Von Porkchop.

“In my opinion, it wouldn’t have made sense NOT to include [filmmakers and musicians],” said Johnson. “Independent music, film, and comics are all driven by the same desires: to create something new, to improve their individual genre/medium, to rebuild the heritage and credibility of their medium, to celebrate the things that inspire them to be an artist, and to challenge the mainstream with fresh new ideas/concepts. It only made sense to bring them all together and create an atmosphere that would be ripe with creativity and also be a place to share ideas, network and help one another reach a bigger audience.”

How To Go:
Independent Creators Expo (I.C.E.)
Saturday, February 1st, 10am-5pm
Wright State University Student Union Hall
Admission $3

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment Tagged With: comic books, Dayton Music, Independent Creators Expo, On Screen Dayton

To Canal Street: With Love, Dayton

November 26, 2013 By Juliet Fromholt 20 Comments

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

On Saturday night, Shrug will take the stage at 308 East 1st Street and when they are finished, the space will no longer officially be called Canal Street Tavern as founder Mick Montgomery’s association with the venue he founded over 30 years ago will end.  Right now reports say that the space will continue to host live music under its new ownership, and both fans and musicians will keep careful watch in the months to follow to see how this new reality for the space fits into our music community.

photo courtesy of Greg Simerlink/Grog

photo courtesy of Greg Simerlink/Grog

Like so many of us, Canal Street was the cornerstone of my musical education with side lessons in friendship and community.  I learned to be a listener in that room whether I was jumping up and down screaming along to the Luxury Pushers or finding truth in Tod Weidner’s lyrics in a room paying such close attention, you could have heard a pin drop.

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Mick tell the story of the founding of Canal Street a few times.  Once, I even got to sit on a panel with he and Jerry Gillotti about the Dayton music scene, an honor I still question whether I deserved.  Mick certainly succeed in his goal of creating a listening room, a place for music to be appreciated without pretense, but I wonder in those early days in 1981, if he knew that he was also creating a family as tight-knit and diverse and downright quirky as anything you’d see in a movie but a thousand times better.  This family would celebrate weddings on stage, send some of our best and brightest out into the world with one last show and welcome newcomers from near and far with open arms.

It’s in this spirit that I’ve invited some of my musical family, individuals who I met either directly or indirectly because of Canal Street, to share their thoughts, their memories and to say thank you to Mick for the time and energy he’s given our community.  It won’t be forgotten, and things we learned onstage and in the audience will carry on wherever we find ourselves playing or listening.

**UPDATE:  an online fund has been set up to help with bills from Mick’s Montgomery’s recent hospital stays.  More information on how to donation via the link.

 

photo by Juliet Fromholt

photo by Juliet Fromholt

Eric Cassidy

I played my first Musician’s Co-op, when I was 15 years old. Brian Wells, Thadd Brittain, and I played a bunch of Velvet Underground, Smashing Pumpkins, and Pearl Jam covers. We were probably terrible. Regardless, we were on a real stage, with real lights, PA, sound tech, listening audience…it was unbelievably cool. With King Droopy, Shrug, Human Cannonball, and solo performances, I’ve since been on that stage more times than I can count. KD did the Dayton Band Playoffs a couple of times. We got more votes than we deserved, and got to play with some great bands that blew our minds, and taught us about etiquette and connecting with audiences. When we got knocked out of the competition, we started getting show offers from the guy who counted the ballots. Enter Mick Montgomery.

If you love Canal Street Tavern, you love Mick Montgomery…the man behind the curtain. He has channeled passion, charm, elbow grease, and unrivaled stubbornness into the improbable anachronism that is CST. As a result of this work, he provided the community with an incubator for young performers, a reliable source of gigs for local bands, and intimate access to some of the best acts in the world. I’m very grateful to have been in this time and place to enjoy the spoils of Mick’s labor. I have shared that stage with incredible performers, who have often become incredible friends. I can’t express how much joy CST has brought into my life.

You want to sit 10 feet from Arlo Guthrie? Done.
You want to see Glenn Tilbrook stand on your table with no PA, singing your favorite Squeeze song? Done.
You want to hear Jay Bennett dish about Jeff Tweedy pretending to be sick in the Wilco movie (whether that’s true or not)? Done.
I could name drop all day. Just as special to me are the many weddings, birthday parties, and unforgettable events that I got to see and be a part of. The memory of hearing the words “This is for Gregg Spence” still sends waves of emotion over me.

Mick has also provided a place for like-minded and not-so-like-minded music lovers to get around the normal bar nonsense, and focus on the music. It’s such a great place to be a fan or performer; there are no TVs, blenders, games, or anything else that makes noise. If it’s a quiet performance, loud talking is not tolerated. The patrons enforce the rules as often as the staff. It’s just the right thing to do. Would you have a conversation during a movie? My CST friends replaced most of my school friends. The club is at least partly responsible for my wife and I getting together. Maybe it was the right time. It was certainly the right place. How many happy relationships can draw a path back to this room?

In return for giving us this special place, Mick has received very little.  He never made a fortune, sold out, or compromised (much) for anybody. I hope that he feels satisfaction of doing things his way, and the love of an obviously appreciative group of fans and friends. I can’t thank him enough.

 

photo courtesy of Greg Simerlink/Grog

photo courtesy of Greg Simerlink/Grog

Greg Simerlink/Grog

All Good Things…

Yeah, I know but still! I for one love change and really am not a fan of tradition, but Canal Street Tavern has been such a part of my life I have a hard time seeing it cease to exist as it has for so very long.

Among some of the most memorable moments for me:
– Playing my first show with The Oxymorons!
– Being the last place I played on stage (11/24/12)
– Having my first wedding & reception there (Mick gave away the bride!)
– Went on the first date there with my current wife
– Playing on stage to bring in the New Year
– Held several benefit shows there for my old zine Mutant Renegade
– Played my first sold out show

I’m sure I’ve played on that stage over 100 times and have seen hundreds of other bands there over the years. I’ve made countless friends with patrons, fans, employees & musicians at Canal Street. I have shared so many wonderful experiences there I cannot think anywhere else can ever replace it.

So, Mick it was great while it lasted. Thank you for doing so much for the Dayton music community. I for one really appreciated everything you did even if I didn’t always say it. Also thank you to all of the wonderful friends who have worked at Canal Street over the years.

R.I.P Canal Street Tavern…

 

Photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

Photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

Tim Pritchard

Canal Street Tavern is where I cut my teeth as a musician, bought my first (legal) drink, played my first sold out show, and basically came of age.  As a kid, it was the only place I wanted to hang out and my folks were gracious enough to make that happen once and a while.  I may have even snuck in under the radar from time to time on my own.  My teenage band landed a gig there when I was 17 and I accomplished what had perhaps been my most lofty goal to that point of my life.

I could go on and on about all the shows I’ve played and seen there since, but I’ll just mention a few of the moments that I’ll never forget.
-Playing Tod Weidner’s beat-to-hell Takamine for the first time at a Musician’s Co-Op, followed by “guess what I just got to do” type phone call to my best friend who’d moved to Nashville to go to school.  We both kind of idolized Shrug at that time.
-Flyaway Minion’s EP release in 2006 to a sold out bar sponsored by Camel (what the fuck?).  Crazy night.  Incredible.
-Seeing Chris Hillman and Herb Pederson a few years ago.  Still perhaps the best performance by a two-piece I’ve ever seen and completely enthralling as Hillman is a person hero of mine.
-Talking to Mick Montgomery for well over an hour, after closing time, about Donavan’s visit to Canal Street.

 

E. Ryan Roth

My fondest memory of Canal Street

I had been to my first show about a month earlier.  I had snuck into a Velour/Shrug show.  Shrug was just a 3 piece at the time, but I instantly was a fan. I liked the music, but the lyrics were pure poetry.  Such playful use of language used to paint Hemmngway-esque verbal pictures.  On my way out, an old hippy approached me.  I figured I was busted, but instead he asked me if I liked what I heard.  I of course said “yes”.  The man then told me if I liked that, then I should tell my parents to bring me back the next week to see a “Songwriters in the Round”.  I found a friend who was going the next weekend ( a member of Velour named Patrick Himes) who’s Dad would claim me as his own.  The next Sunday I entered the club legit for the first time in my life.  The first set of 3 songwriters wasn’t bad.  One guy wrote joke songs that were mildly funny, the other two were country guys….not my cup of tea.  At that point, I felt like the old hippy had steered me wrong.  Then set 2 happened.

photo by Sara Lynne Walsh

photo by Sara Lynne Walsh

The old hippy, now known to me as owner Mick Montgomery, introduced possibly the best set of music I have seen to date….and this includes Radiohead shows.  A possible giant named Tod Weidner was to play first.  I recognized him from the previous weekend.  A quite petite lady sat next to him.  Her name was Jayne Sachs.  Next to her was a pretty exotic looking lady named Phyllis Turner.

The sounds and words I was exposed to for the next hour rival the thrill of a skydive.  Tod played a song called “Drowsy” that instantly forced me to buy his album.  Jayne followed with a song called “Waiting”.  A beautiful melody and heartbreaking song that forced me to ask to buy her album as well.  She gave me both of her CDs for the price of 1 instead.  Phyllis lacked song titles that evening, but her voice cut through the other two like ginsu. “Disposable Soul”, “My Problem, “Special Neurotic Boy”, “On the Edge” and more followed.  I talked with Tod, possibly the most intimidating experience of my life the same night.  He and Mick told me about their musicians co-op on Tuesday nights if I liked what I heard that night.  In the years to come I would play a hundred or so times on that stage.  Some big shows, some for just a few people, some shows with bands, a ton of shows solo including a few dozen times getting to play a Songwriters in the Round, but like anything else in life, nothing burns brighter than the first time.  Thanks to Mick realizing that the 16 year old kid that just snuck into his bar was there for the love of music and not to get drunk, he made a fan for life.

Thank you sir.  The universe owes you at least three.

 

Chad Wells

photo by Ian Bonnett

photo by Ian Bonnett

You hear about those places… Magical musical venues where magical musical things happened – CBGB’s, The Fillmore, The Ritz, The Whisky A Go Go, The Troubador, First Avenue, The Bluebird Cafe, The 40 Watt Club and so many more – some still presenting music several nights a week – many fallen to history. Dayton, Ohio has Canal Street Tavern.

My first time stepping inside that building was around 1992 and I’ve played that wonderful little stage many times and whether the crowd was spilling over onto the stage and into the street or if we just played to a half dozen other singer songwriters at a Musician’s Co-Op, there has always been magic in that room. The historical location is likely beholden to some sort of energetic power spot or maybe it’s just the apparent amount of true love poured into that old wood through the years by Mick Montgomery and the myriad of musical spirits that have drifted up those steps and onto that stage.

There’s something about Canal Street that very few people understand – I had the awakening while attending a show at the Ryman in Nashville – all that old wood and organic material is, nightly, vibrated with the sounds that are pushed through the air and it retains an impression of that energy. Those old church pews and hard wood floor really are haunted by the songs that have been played there. If everything that exists is made of the same subatomic space stuff and the illusion of solidity is really just particles and waves acting and reacting at different frequencies then you have to imagine the intricate patterning inside that structure that we’ve come to know as Canal Street Tavern. Just like the graffiti and stickers that wallpapers the tiny backstage area, the sounds and spirit and love that has been shared and received at that particular longitude and latitude will be forever there. Whether the bank papers state the same name or even if that building eventually falls to the ages and some new, strange creature erupts from that corner… You will always be able to hear – or feel – the music that has been concentrated into that piece of ground. Thank you to Mick Montgomery and the countless staff members who made the room feel like home and kept the music playing.

 

photo courtesy of Shelly Huce

photo courtesy of Shelly Huce

Tod Weidner

Memories of Canal Street: Can’t choose. Won’t choose. Here are some, though. Meeting and becoming good friends with Peter Mulvey. Iodine, any time they played there. Christopher Corn’s co-op set after Tim Taylor died. The 93 and 95 Playoffs. The Monster Hops. Bill Frisell. Opening for the Aquarium Rescue Unit. Meeting Sharon A. Lane within minutes of walking in there for the first time. Opening for Richard Lloyd and listening to him reminisce about roller skating with Cheetah Chrome to a star-struck me and Jamy Holliday. Bill Kirchen. Opening for Ronnie Dawson. James McMurtry. Filling in as a janitor for a week for Will Dalgard. Going to the Century Bar and helping put in the bench seats along the walls. Hammel On Trial. Brian Cates. Settling up with Mick Montgomery and having him call me an “old rounder” (the highest compliment one can get from him). Songwriters In The Round. Gregg Spence. Hosting Co-op. Flying by the seat of my pants onstage more times than I can count. Being so pissed off at my performance one night that I punched a hole in the dressing room wall (it’s still there- I can show you). Hell, THE DRESSING ROOM WALL (and trying to remember where the perfectly-camouflaged electrical outlet is on it). Meeting girls. Meeting my wife. Weddings. Wakes. Learning how to be a musician and person over the course of 22 years and literally thousands of gigs on that stage.

 

courtesy of Shelly Hulce

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

Gladgirl Shelly Hulce

I invented myself there, many times over. And I witnessed the same of others.

It was my life in my early 20’s, then I dropped out of the scene to do the pregnancy/parenting thing.  When I was released from “baby jail,” I started revisiting my old identity to see if it was in tact.  Not long after re-entry, a band I was in entered the band playoffs. One night after a playoff session,  Mick pulled me in the office saying, “Good to see you back, kid. You look happy.” I said “Yeah, I guess I’ve come  full circle Mick.”  Mick, as usual, put things in perspective with one sentence “ Life isn’t one big circle Shell, it’s lots and lots of circles. You have lot’s of circles ahead.”  Mick is one of a few “gurus’ in my life. He and the late Greg Savage (Dingleberries founder) have big notches on the timeline of my life.

CST is home base for me. I was there watching the birth of GBV.  I was there watching the birth of The Breeders.  Had we only known what that would mean to the rest of the world….!

That room was everyone’s living room. The transition is like having your parents move out of your childhood home.  I always went there for comfort. I always felt safe, and there was never any trouble. It was my home. Not a lot of people have that luxury in their towns, a safe place you can go and be with your “family”. A very forgiving place where, if you fail, people help you back up. When you succeed, they lift you on their shoulders. This is where we got our news, and where we “made” our news.

Canal Street is a state of mind, a culture. It’s in Dayton’s DNA. (And most of Dayton’s DNA is in there as well.)  I witnessed many couple meet there for the first time. I’ve attended weddings there, and witnessed some break-ups and the awkward re-entry after those break-ups. That goes for bands too, not just couples.

From the outside, the place might not look like much, but for those who live and breath Dayton music, it’s romantic and gritty and real. It’s to Dayton what CBGB was to New York. I have many heroes locally, and in my mind they will always be bathed in the red glow of the CST stage. Some have aged and dropped out, others moved on to international fame, some are from the more current circle. I watched my heroes grow up there too: Tod Weidner, Jesse Remnant, Eric Cassidy, Dan Stahl. We, as a family, celebrated  the birth of many new voices, and clung to one another as some of our favorites fell silent.

If you’ve ever seen CST in the day time, or with all the lights on, it’s a real shocker. It’s like seeing your favorite performers at the pool or something. It messes with my perception. I like the dreamy mind set it created for me. I got most of my hug therapy there!  For me, the most beautiful and iconic piece of Dayton art is the dressing room of CST. The saying “If these walls could talk…” is fitting to say the least.

One personal favorite memory of mine is being in the Playoffs in 2003 ( I could be wrong on the year) .The band I was in, Ruetschley, advanced a few rounds and it was fun. We decided that I would transfer over to synth, and I was scared to death, having never played keys in a band before. So I took clear tape and wrote the chord on the keys and had a cheat sheet for which patch numbers to dial in for which songs. We had in ear monitors too (looking back, that was insane for that stage). So the first night I am to play keys in this band, during Playoffs, I put the monitors in my ears and I could hear my heart racing and every breath I took. This made me even more nervous, like I was ready to walk on the moon or something. Knowing I had all these notes and keys written was my safety net and my only source of comfort…..THEN they turned the house down and the red stage lights on. I couldn’t read a damn thing. I was terrified, but I faked my way through the first song. When it hit me that all the people in front of me were on my side, I was okay.

The biggest surprise to me when it came to playoffs was how supportive the bands were, at least the year I was in it.  When we would beat a band in a round, they would rally their fans to come support us, and we did the same when we got beat. It was then that I realized that Mick was a leader in building community.

As an events promoter, Mick taught me a lot too. I cut my teeth there by throwing shows. He knew I was there to learn. He has a lot of grace for people who care to keep learning. Must be the old school teacher in him.  I appreciated his love for antiques and whimsical things too. The styles of handwritten signs, the file they are kept in, the boards of THIS WEEK and  COMING UP that flank the stage…. I love those. Sharon’s piano, Rev. Cool’s big head, Woody Guthrie big as life, the crows nest with chairs that always ruined your pants, the creaky floor….. I love it all.  It’s home.

I love it that I could stand inches away from a guitar player and watch every pedal being used, read every note and setlist they had on the floor and feel the breeze come out of their amps. It’s magic and church and love and sex one song at a time.  I can truly say I have had a religious experience there many times over, especially with the Buffalo Killers. Those shows were every bit as Pentecostal as any alter call I experienced as a child raised in the church. The stained glass windows were no accident if you ask me!

 

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

photo courtesy of Shelly Hulce

Steven Gullett

November 30th is the last show at Canal Street Tavern. I worked there for 10 years and played onstage in 7 different bands, I grew up in that bar. It will always be a major part of who I am as a person musically and otherwise. I hope it gets a great sendoff. Thanks for everything Mick.

 

Angelle Haney Gullett

I knew about Canal Street as soon as I was old enough to read. The weekly ad in the newspaper seemed like a window into a rarefied and exotic world where people made lives around the most important thing in the world – music. I used to clip those ads, even though I didn’t know any of the bands, and paste them into a scrap book. It was the world I desperately wanted to be a part of.

When I was in grade school, my friend’s mom was a jazz and blues artist. I thought Sharon Lane was just about the most glamorous, amazing woman I had ever seen, and she worked at Canal Street Tavern.

When I finally got my job at Canal Street, I was neither glamorous nor amazing. I was 19, an unemployed high school drop out, and scared beyond belief because I had no idea what I was going to do with my life.

Canal Street Tavern had all my answers, even if I didn’t know it.

I watched my friends enter, lose, and eventually win the Dayton Band Playoffs. I got my high heels stuck in those hundred-year-old floorboards. I learned how to say no. I learned how to say yes. I met the man who would become my husband and the people who are my lifelong friends. I made the decision to get my GED. I started college. I waited tables, worked the day bar, remembered people by the drinks they ordered and saw hands-down the greatest live music of my entire life, night after night.

And I mean, I saw everything. Because Mick booked live, original music six nights a week, I found myself listening to everything from folk to alt-country to zydeco to Hawiaan slack-key guitar, all against the never-ending thrum of local punk, metal, and rock n’ roll. I only worked there for three years, but I kept coming back to see music, several nights a week, until I finally moved away. When I wanted to make my first movie, of course it was about Canal Street’s Musician’s Co-Op and how special it was.

Today, I live, work and see music in Los Angeles. I would like to say that I didn’t know how special Canal Street, and by extension the Dayton music scene was until I got away, but that would be a lie.

It was obvious to me that I was part of something very special the first time I stepped through those doors. I knew that bands like Iodine and Braniac and Shrug and Real Lulu and The Mystery Addicts were giving me the best nights of my life, even as it was happening.

And I owe that to Mick Montgomery, who always allowed 18 year olds in, because that’s the age when music matters to you so much you can’t survive without it. Who never let a blender, a pool table or a television screen through the door. Who always cared about the music first, the bar second, and the business third. Who made it very clear that, even though I was a cocktail waitress, I did not have to take a drunk’s disrespect, and neither did the people on stage.

Mick’s children are all grown now, and like them, I grew up in Canal Street Tavern. It made me who I am. It showed me what was possible, if people cared enough to make it happen. Whatever happens to the building and the bar, that’s a legacy that will grow and live on.

That’s Mick’s gift to all of us. And I will be forever in his debt.

Angelle Haney Gullett
Canal Street Tavern, Class of ‘94

This is for Mick, Sharon, Steven, Jamy, Amy, Heather, Rob, Cates, Stacy, Melissa, Elizabeth, Katy, Liz, Sandra, Doug, and Kimberly.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGkN2pjKGWw’]

Filed Under: Dayton Music, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Canal Street Tavern, Dayton Music

Baron Von Porkchop Returns to Local TV With Arcade Fever Special

August 9, 2013 By Juliet Fromholt 1 Comment

Artwork for the Arcade Fever Special by Eric Shonborn

Artwork for the Arcade Fever Special by Eric Shonborn

Late night movie fans will soon see the end of a nearly 10 month hiatus when Baron Von Porkchop returns to the local airwaves on August 16th. The Arcade Fever Special of Terrifying Tales of the Macabre will air at 11:59pm on DATV (Time Warner channel 5 or streamed at datv.org)

The 75 minute episode features local horror host Baron Von Porkchop’s quest to play a classic arcade machine at a local shop and is filled with quirky characters both old and new (including an appearance by your humble author in my recurring role as Susie the DJ). In between the Baron’s adventures, viewers will be treated to a cheesy staple of the B movie catalog, The Beast of Yucca Flats, which features Thor Johnson and Conrad Brooks of Plan 9 From Outer Space infamy.

The special will serve an appetizer for fans as the Terrifying Tales of the Macabre production team finishes work on season 3, set to air later this year.

“It feels good to be getting back in the saddle,” says writer, producer and director Matt Brassfield. “I really enjoy bringing this kind of programming to the Dayton area. We usually take a small break between seasons, but this year our cast and crew experienced two tragedies that kept us away from filming much longer than we originally intended. It’s nice to finally feel ready to get back to doing what I love.”

Earlier this year, two Terrifying Tales of the Macabre cast members died suddenly. In January, Brassfield’s mentor and fellow filmmaker Andy Copp passed away. Copp played Reverend Zealot, who shared his insights on cult films in a segment called the Cult Corner. In the spring the show lost, local musician and Brassfield’s longtime friend and coworker, Max Ervin, who played Sleazy Tom, the Baron’s goofy neighbor.

“Both Max and Andy were great friends and played great characters,” says Brassfield. “The zaniness of Sleazy Tom, who was one of our original concept characters, will definitely be missed as we move forward. Andy’s Reverend Zealot brought us great information on cult movies and is a character that originally appeared in New Shock Theatre, which Andy also directed. So he gave us not only his film knowledge, but a great connection to the shows that paved the way for us. Max and Andy were not only a big part of the show, but each was a big part of my life and are sorely missed.”

Baron Von Porkchop in the Arcade Fever Special of Terrifying Tales of the Macabre

Baron Von Porkchop in the Arcade Fever Special of Terrifying Tales of the Macabre

Brassfield created Terrifying Tales of the Macabre and the Baron Von Porkchop character in late 2010, having previously worked with Dayton’s own Dr. Creep and A. Ghastlee Ghoul. The show’s name comes from a movie concept that was being developed by Brassfield’s first film company, Independent B Movie.

“It was supposed to be an anthology film, kind of like Creepshow, says Brassfield. “With different scary stories through the film, connected through a sort of narration story.”

Brassfield had tapped Dr. Creep to be featured prominently in that narration story, but the film soon fell by the wayside as other projects and responsibilities took priority.

Terrifying Tales of the Macabre, the TV show, is produced through Brassfield’s current film company, Bloodline Video. The first two seasons and holiday specials follow the misadventures of the Baron, a Victorian era ghoul, in a modern setting with each episode’s storyline appearing in segments between a classic B movie or modern independent film. The third season will also follow this formula with a slight twist – Brassfield is enlisting local and regional filmmaker friends to write and direct some of the new batch of episodes.

Baron Von Porkchop (promotional photo by Fox Photography)

Baron Von Porkchop (promotional photo by Fox Photography)

“We’re always looking for ways to do new and creative things on the show while still staying true to the style we’ve developed,” says Brassfield. “For me, it’s going to be really cool to see filmmakers I’m friends with and whose work I admire, like Henrique Couto, Dusty Austin Joe Craven and Jeremy Hoyt, put their touch on what we’ve created.”

Despite the gap between the Arcade Fever Special and the launch of season 3, late night DATV viewers will still be able to get their horror host fix. Brassfield has curated a lineup of horror host programs from around the country to air in the Terrifying Tales of the Macabre timeslot until fresh Baron episodes can be delivered. The shows are part of a network called the Horror Host Underground, in which horror hosts from different parts of the country share episodes with one another to help promote hosting across the country and expose viewers to the wide variety of hosts that exist beyond their local market.

“I’m really excited about running the HHU block because I can expose the Dayton market to such hosts as Miss Misery from California, Nevada’s Sinister Minister and Cleveland’s Janet Decay. I really take a lot of joy in giving fans the opportunity to meet new hosts through their televisions and find the ones that they really connect to and identify with.”

If you want to learn more about the history of horror hosting in Ohio, be sure to check out Matt Brassfield’s Ohio Shock articles here on DMM. For updates on Terrifying Tales of the Macabre, check out the show’s Facebook page.

 

Filed Under: Arts & Entertainment, On Screen Dayton, The Featured Articles Tagged With: andy copp, baron von porkchop, DATV, Dr. Creep, horror, horror host, New Shock Theatre, Terrifying Tales of the Macabre

ReInvention Stories: Daniel Kinney

May 26, 2013 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

 

 

 

Daniel Kinney works third shift at UTC Aerospace Systems, a company that makes wheels and breaks for airplanes. He’s been an electrician for over twenty-five years. He and his wife Keshia own and operate Caribbacanas, a Caribbean food truck. They are part of a group of people reinventing dining. Kinney saw that the food truck movement has potential, and recognized the instability in manufacturing – so he decided to make the leap.

 

  • Listen
    2:34

 

Caribbacanas is now a member of the newly formed Miami Valley Mobile Food Association. The truck will be hitting the streets again this summer.

This ReInvention Story was produced by Steve Bognar, Basim Blunt  and Sarah Buckingham.

ReInvention Stories is brought to you by WYSO and Localore, a national initiative produced by AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio, Incorporated – in collaboration with Zeega- with financial support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

 

Tags:

 

Filed Under: Community, The Featured Articles Tagged With: Basin Blunt, Localore, ReInvention Story, Sarah Buckingham, steve bognar, WYSO

WYSO ReInvention Stories: Shane Anderson

May 15, 2013 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

 

 

This week on ReInvention Stories we meet Shane Anderson, owner of Ghostlight Coffee on Wayne Avenue in South Park.

Growing up, Anderson was a band kid. In high school, he dreamed of becoming a band director, which, he did. Anderson was a band director and music teacher for fourteen years. Most of that time was spent at Miami East High School and Vandalia-Butler High School. But he had another dream, of one day running a coffee shop. And he wanted to quit teaching before getting too burnt out.

 

  • Listen

Ghostlight Coffee celebrated its one-year anniversary in November of 2012.

This ReInvention Story was produced by Juliet Fromholt, Julia Reichert, Niki Dakota, and Sarah Buckingham.

ReInvention Stories is brought to you by WYSO and Localore, a national initiative produced by AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio, Incorporated – in collaboration with Zeega- with financial support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Shane Anderson from Reinvention on Vimeo.

 

Filed Under: Community, The Featured Articles Tagged With: ghostlight coffee, ReInvention Stories, Shane Anderson, WYSO

Kickstarting Local Musical Projects With Fan Funding

October 16, 2012 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

Over the past year or so, we’ve seen several local bands turn to their fans for funding musical projects.  The Motel Beds, Me & Mountains and Jasper the Colossal are just 3 of the bands who have been able to release new material thanks to successful campaigns on Kickstarter. There are currently 4 great local music projects on Kickstarter*, some with a deadline just around the corner and one that’s just launched.

Deadline: October 22nd
Trey Stone’s first full studio album, Ahead of the Pack

Trey Stone is the former music director of Chicago’s famous Second City Theater.  He’s landed in Dayton, has been an active participant in the music scene for a while now and is looking to complete his first full length album. Stone has already begun the recording process at Dayton’s Cyberteknics Studio so project funding will go towards the mixing and mastering of final product. Ahead of the Pack will feature Stone’s blend of rock and roll and country with a bit of a funky New Orleans twist.

Deadline: October 26th
Help F.M. Records reach WORLD DOMINATION!

F.M. records goal is to help local and Midwestern bands reach both a local and larger audience through recording, pressing, and distribution, while keeping it all in house. Founder Dustie Pitstick says: “We have an insane amount of local talent, as we have for years. It’s time for everyone to realize that. By talent I mean bands, studio engineers, artists, shops to sell in, and some of the most loyal listeners anyone could ask for. We truly have all the key ingredients in Dayton, so why bother to snub all the great locals who help out and send our work elsewhere? We plan to keep everything in house, and really tap into the potential of a city big enough to have a great music scene, but still small enough to be a tight, self supporting collective… All while putting out diverse and amazing music from so many talented locals!”  Project funding will help F.M. Records stock up on the necessary supplies to release its first 4-8 albums, the profits from which will go toward funding future releases.

Mandy Jewell

Deadline: November 5th
Mandy Jewell’s 1st Professional Demo

Mandy Jewell has been part of the open-mic/Musicians’ Co-op scene in Dayton for many years and has a passion for songwriting, but she’s never released a recording of her music.  Jewell’s songs have an alt-country influence in the vein of Kathleen Edwards.  Project funding will go towards producing a full length album or an EP.

Deadline: December 10th
Triad a new album by James Murrell

Jazz guitarist James Murrell has been a staple of the local jazz scene for several years.  His new album, Triad aims to feature old and new material record in collaboration with local musician serving as guest performing and will be recorded in the Dayton area.  Short solo guitar pieces will also be featured on the album.  Project funding will go toward the recording and production costs for Triad.
To see videos and learn more about each of these projects, including the incentives for backers, visit Kickstarter and search for Dayton, OH.

*Note:  there currently aren’t any local music projects on Indiegogo, a funding site similar to Kickstarter, but there are quite a few local, independent film projects including Filmdayton’s Freak Club web series.  So if you’re looking to support local projects in other realms, check there as well.

Filed Under: Dayton Music Tagged With: Dayton Music, F.M. Records, Kickstarter.com, Mandy Jewell, Trey Stone

WSWO Announces Annual Record Sale Blowout

October 3, 2012 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

Vinyl collectors, mark your calendars for November 10th and 11th when low power FM radio station WSWO will hold its annual record sale.  A wealth of music will be available for sale in an event that benefits the community station.

Local sponsors have donated various items for raffle prizes to raise additional money for the station, including a new USB digital turntable and record care accessories from Omega Music in downtown Dayton.

Known as “Ultimate Oldies Radio,” WSWO 97.5 & 101.1FM airs material that charted during the first 3 decades of rock and roll and is accented with jazz, R&B and cross over religious & country artists, also broadcasting Wayne Warrior sporting events and community based religious programming.  The record sale is the nonprofit station’s biggest fundraiser of the year; the rest of its budget is fleshed out by listener donations and sponsorships from local businesses.

WSWO is still taking music donations through November 1st of gently used 45’s, LP’s, CD’s & cassettes (no 78’s) as well as working turntables & jukeboxes. Donations can be taken to The Heights Cafe’ also located in the Huber Center, or arrangements can be made through the station.

 

Filed Under: Charity Events, Dayton Music Tagged With: Dayton Music, Radio, Records, Vinyl, WSWO

Dayton Music Fest Announces 2012 Lineup

August 29, 2012 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

We’re a little over a month away from one of my favorite local events: Dayton Music Fest (October 5th and 6th).  Yesterday the organizers announced a really exciting lineup that includes the addition of a stage at the Midwest Outdoor Experience (formerly Gearfest), two appearances from Southeast Engine and a live performance from Captain of Industry who we haven’t seen perform live since their series of reunion shows in 2011.  Of course with a great lineup, comes some tough choices.  Here’s the full lineup so you start mapping out your weekend.

Note:  Each venue links to the listing on Dayton Most Metro’s events calendar where you can hear samples of most of the bands performing in that particular place.

Southeast Engine

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5 

OMEGA MUSIC
5- Goodbye
6-The 1984 Draft
7- Shrug
8- Southeast Engine

CANAL STREET TAVERN
9- Grendaes?!
10- Roley Yuma
11- Vanity Theft
12- Astro Fang

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6

Me & Mountains

MIDWEST OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE (at Eastwood MetroPark)

NOON- Starving in the Belly of the Whale
1- Duke of Owls
2- Tim Pritchard & the Boxcar Suite
3- BJSR

SOUTH PARK TAVERN
5- Al Holbrook
6- City of Kings
7- Sleep Fleet

TROLLEY STOP
9- Stillwater River Band
10-The Turkish Delights
11-Me & Mountains
12- Ruckus Roboticus

TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION
9:30- Feathered Serpent
10:30- Abertooth Lincoln
11:30- Grand Mammoth
12:30- Dumbell

Gretta Smack of the Dirty Socialites

BLIND BOB’S
9- Shut Up
10- Robthebank
11- Motel Beds
12- Captain of Industry

OREGON EXPRESS
9:30- Bonneville
10:30- Electric Banana
11:30- Dirty Socialites
12:30- Jasper the Colossal

CANAL STREET TAVERN
9:30- Amnesia
10:30- Good English
11:30- Frontier Folk Nebraska
12:30- Southeast Engine

Filed Under: Dayton Music Tagged With: Dayton Music, Dayton Music Fest

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • …
  • Page 23
  • Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Featured Events

  • Fri
    15
  • Sat
    16
  • Sun
    17
  • Mon
    18
  • Tue
    19
  • Wed
    20
  • Thu
    21

Friday Night Flights Wine Tasting

5:00 pm | Whole Foods Market

Dayton Girls Pint Out Happiest Hour

5:00 pm | Eudora Brewing Company

Wine Tasting

5:30 pm | The Mall at Fairfield Commons

Polish Club Fish Fry

6:00 pm | Polish Club

Wine & Cheese Train

6:30 pm | Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad

Artisan Food & Wine Tasting

7:00 pm | Keener Farm Butcher Block

Valentine’s Evening Under the Stars

8:00 pm | Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

Couples Soldering Night: Valentine’s Day Edition

8:00 pm | Proto BuildBar

Dayton Ballet: Perspectives

8:00 pm | Victoria Theatre

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King And I

8:00 pm | Schuster Performing Arts Center

Love and Jams Featuring The Johnson Treatment

10:00 pm | Jimmie’s Ladder 11

Native American Indian Gathering

10:00 am | UAW Hall

Cupid’s Undie Run

12:00 pm | Austin Landing

Introduction to Archery

1:00 pm | The Salvation Army Kroc Center

LET’S TALK : Islamophobia and Racism Town Hall

2:00 pm | Wright Memorial Public Library

Mayflower Arts Center presents: Mosaic Radio Theatre Live!

2:00 pm | Mayflower Arts Center

Valentine’s Day Chocolate + Beer 5k/10k

3:00 pm | Brixx Ice Company
Joe Head

2019 Winter Bourbon Bash

6:00 pm | Greene County Fairgrounds

9th Annual Brick City Blast Fish Fry

6:00 pm | Huber Heights Athletic Center

TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME NIGHT

7:00 pm | American Legion Post 613

Cece Winans

8:00 pm | Kuss Auditorium

Live at the Irish Club – SHADOWFACTS –

8:00 pm | The Irish Club of Dayton

CeCe Winans

8:00 pm | Clark State Performing Arts Center

Dayton Ballet: Perspectives

8:00 pm | Victoria Theatre

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King And I

8:00 pm | Schuster Performing Arts Center

Brick City Blast Baseball Fish Fry & Monte Carlo Night

8:00 am |

Native American Indian Gathering

10:00 am | UAW Hall

Savor Your Sunday Brunch

10:00 am | Coco’s Bistro

Dayton’s Premier Bridal Showcase

11:00 am |

Turkish food festival

11:00 am | Taso Dayton

Puppy Social

1:00 pm | PetPeople

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King And I

2:00 pm | Schuster Performing Arts Center

Dayton Ballet: Perspectives

3:00 pm | Victoria Theatre

Plane Talks: Presidents Day

10:30 am | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Drivers License Reinstatement Clinic

3:00 pm | Dayton Metro Library – Northwest Branch

The Brightside Bridal Open House

6:00 pm | The Brightside Event & Music Venue

FSB Gives Back: Film Dayton

6:00 pm | Fifth Street Brewpub

DRAFT Meeting

7:00 pm |

President’s Day Hash

7:00 pm | Kittyhawk Golf Center

Trivia Night

7:30 pm | Yellow Springs Brewery

Scottish Country Dancing

7:30 pm | Mangan Banquet Center

Press Coffee Bar Opening Day

7:00 am | Press Belmont

Chipotle Fundraiser – Levitt Pavilion Dayton

4:00 pm | Chipotle Brown Street

Music Bingo For Heart Month

5:30 pm | The Brightside Event & Music Venue

Sing Dayton 2019

6:00 pm | Yellow Cab Tavern

Pop-Ed Series | Boards 101 x Co-Op Governance

6:00 pm | McKinley United Methodist Church

Taste of Soul Tuesday’s

6:30 pm | Taste

How Things Work at the Ohio Statehouse training

7:00 pm | Harmony Creek Church

Story Slam

7:00 pm | Wiley’s Comedy Club

The Toxic Offenders Comedy Showcase at Toxic Brew Co

8:00 pm | Toxic Brew Company

Backpacking Basics: “Trip Planning, Safety & Logistics”

6:00 pm | Great Miami Outfitters

Trivia Night with DJ Bear

7:00 pm | Eudora Brewing Company

90’s Sit-Com Trivia

7:00 pm | Bargos Grill & Tap

Assistance • Pay What You Want Preview & Talkback

7:00 pm | PNC Arts Annex

February Beer School

7:00 pm | Ollie’s Place

February Film Connections

7:00 pm | Wiley’s Comedy Club

Terell Stafford Quintet at the University of Dayton ArtsLIVE

7:30 pm |

Dayton Auto Show

12:00 pm | Dayton Convention Center

Food & Wine Pairing Event

5:00 pm | Ele Cake Co Bistro & Wine Bar

Black Noise

5:00 pm | Radial Gallery

4 Course Wine Pairing

6:00 pm | Ele Cake Co Bistro & Wine Bar

Seven-course Icon Dinner

6:00 pm | Watermark

What’s All This Fusing About

6:30 pm | Renaissance Glass Studio

Open Mic Night!

8:30 pm | The Barrel House

More Events…

DMM E-Newsletter


Give us your email address and we'll send you our DMM E-Newsletters
Email:  
For Email Marketing you can trust

Copyright © 2019 Dayton Most Metro · Terms & Conditions · Log in