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October 27, 2009 by

We have upgraded and have moved off of WordPress.com and onto our own servers. Please visit us at TheFourFour.com for the new and improved site. Thank you for supporting local music.

Fiera wins battle yo open for Lamb Of God!!!

October 18, 2009 by

Fiera topped the other bands to win the right to open for Lamb Of God at the Shrine. It was a close battle and an amazing night for local metal in Springfield, MO. Congrats to all and what a great night!

The Show Report, 10/16: I wanna find one face that ain’t lookin’ through me, I wanna find one place, I wanna spit in the face of these…

October 16, 2009 by

bruce-springsteen-2Tonight brings a show your humble Show Report writer has been anticipating for a long time: An all-star cast of performers, including members of The Eric Weiler Band, The Bootheel, The BoogeyMen and more combine talents in a Bruce Springsteen tribute at Lindberg’s. Why, you ask? It’s National Boss’s Day, and how better to pay tribute to bosses than to pay tribute to “The Boss.” The night will start with a special treat: An all-acoustic set by Eric Weiler (of The Eric Weiler Band) and Todd Balisle (of The Bootheel) playing all of Springsteen’s 1982 album Nebraska. After that, it’s time to pump fists and shout choruses, and you can bet this word-typing goofball will be in on it at some point.

Lots more after the break, too. Get ready to barhop.

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The Show Report, 10/15: It’s getting hectic

October 15, 2009 by

Ah, it’s good to have The Steve Ewing Band back in town tonight, especially if you’re among the local masses who remember his days fronting St. Louis-based ska-rock group The Urge. Rockin’ it solo-style now, Ewing’s shows haven’t gone down much in intensity (he’s a little older now, of course, but he still bounds around the stage same as always) and he’s even been known to incorporate the local talent into his shows with guest performers plucked from his opening acts. With The Highest Priest and My Wasted Life sharing the bill tonight at The Outland Ballroom, we can’t wait to see what the results might be. Keep an eye out for some surprise collabos and more than a few old faves.

Also playing tonight:

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From the Palm-To-Forehead File: Jason Boland & The Stragglers coming to Remmingtons Downtown… er, tomorrow

October 14, 2009 by

bolandflyerMeetings: They consume time, they consume thought processes and they have, at least lately, consumed our gnatlike attention spans. So with the recent flurry of meetings we’ve had to sit through we’ve whiffed on a potentially big show: Jason Boland & The Stragglers, longtime faves of Snorty Horsers (can we adopt that phrase instead of “Red Dirt country lovers?” The latter phrase feels a little tired. Topic for another time; got it), are back in Springfield Thursday, October 15 (also known as tomorrow night) for a show with opener Brian Lumley & Red Dirt Underground. The all-ages show starts at 8 p.m. and costs $10 to get in. Of course, you could have learned all of that by reading the adjacent show poster, but we’ve neglected enough already.

Your next chance to win tickets to It Might Get Loud: Tonight at 5 p.m. Watch The Twitters.

October 14, 2009 by

It Might Get LoudIt may be a little uncooth of us–when are we not uncooth, really–but we’re willing to bet you’ve never met Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page before. Or U2‘s The Edge. Or Jack White of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs. (It’s okay. Neither have we.) Consider Friday night’s premiere of It Might Get Loud at The Moxie an opportunity to get up close and personal with all three at the same time–something that had never happened before the documentary’s filming–all without leaving the comfort of your theater seat or having to do pesky things such as be introduced to the men first. The cost to get in if you’re an adult is $8… unless you win two tickets through our next giveaway, which is tonight at 5 p.m. on our Twitter feed. Be the first to answer the question correctly and you’re in the door for zero dollars. By the end of the night, you’ll know more about three of the most recognized guitarists in music than anyone not in the theater with you. It’s not “Hello, my name is The Edge, and you are…” but it’s pretty sweet nonetheless. Just try to remember not to act overly casual when you do meet them. Yo, Jack! What up, Jack! Long time, no talk, broseph!

The Show Report, 10/13: Let the wellspring flow

October 13, 2009 by

Cavo_Remmingtons_gsIt’s a good night for creativity’s many forms, Springfield, and you’ll find tonight’s shows are appropriately all over the map. At The Outland Ballroom you’ll find a feisty hard-rock show, singer-songwriter showcasing at Lindberg’s, less structured showcasing at The Outland and Dennis’ Place and more. Click through for the details.

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Newest from Forever Endeavor: Cursive @ Outland Ballroom 11/25

October 13, 2009 by

CursiveSuch are the benefits of putting on wildly successful shows such as the recent A Day To Remember/Parkway Drive concert: They afford the financial means to bring in smaller-drawing acts for the benefit of the music community. Case in point: The Omaha, Nebraska-based rock group Cursive is coming to The Outland Ballroom for a show November 25 with Capgun Coup and more, one of two new concerts announced by Forever Endeavor Productions this morning. The other show is Outbreak, Soul Control and Only the Brave at Club Neon (1611 N. Campbell Ave.) on November 14. 

Outbreak is about to release its self-titled album November 10 and has a song on the upcoming Saw VI soundtrack, so the band should come to Springfield riding quite the high. It’s the Cursive show that carries the advance-purchase ticket option (psssst, click here to get in on that), and if you were at the band’s last Springfield show you know why. Of course, since then Cursive has release its own new album, Mama I’m Swollen, and even popped its network-TV cherry to boot with a performance on The Late Show With David Letterman last March. Let the anticipation begin.

Frog Eye Jug Band and Honky Suckle become one… called Honky Suckle

October 12, 2009 by

In the world of music and bands, band changes are nothing new. Bands add members, subtract members, change members, change names and just generally break up. It’s pretty much all been done. So it’s with a certain bit of thanks to the bands involved for the slight curveball that we bring this news: Frog Eye Jug Band and Honky Suckle have combined bands and consolidated members… all while continuing to call the new group Honky Suckle. Didn’t they just form a new band, basically? Was the name Honky Eye Suckle Band taken? (We checked. The answer is no.) Anyway, the new Honky Suckle lineup now includes Davey Smith, Eric Howell, Dave Harp, RJ Florez and Kyle Young. The flip side of the announcement, of course, is that there no longer is a Frog Eye Jug Band, but here’s to hoping Honky Suckle 2.0 is even stronger than the two bands it sort of replaces.

The Seed looks to grow

October 12, 2009 by

theseedIf you saw The Seed‘s performance at Oktoberfest at the Oasis Hotel Convention Center Saturday afternoon, you may have noticed an extra player onstage. The group added more percussion for the show, and it appears the chill-reggae group is looking to add horn players as well. According to The Seed’s MySpace blog, the band is currently searching for a horn player and a saxophone player. Interested parties should send a message to the band’s MySpace site. Let the auditions begin!

CAVO show moved to Outland Ballroom

October 9, 2009 by

Cavo_Remmingtons_gsSt. Louis’ own chart-topper Cavo was set to hit Remmington’s Downtown on Tuesday (October 13), but the show has been moved to the Outland Ballroom. The show also features St. Louisans Brookroyal and Springfield’s own Glass Bottom Boat Ride. This reduced and capacity significantly. With Cavo having a top 10 single on the radio this is sure to sell out. If you actually want to get in the door to see them, you’d better get your tix online NOW at Metrotix.com. We’ll see you there.

Rev Theory adds a local to its lineup (for now)

October 8, 2009 by

JacobYou won’t see it on the band’s website, but Rev Theory, who has played Springfield a time or two, recently made a temporary change to its rhythm guitar player. The new guy: Jacob Showalter, best known in The Springfield Scene as guitarist for Playing With Matches. Showalter worked for a time as a bartender at downtown karaoke bar (and periodic live music spot) Bugsy Malone’s and still keeps in contact with the staff there, and the news was posted to the Bugsy’s events blog. It’s not a long-term move from the sound of it, but it opens up possibilities for the future. It has happened before, after all. We’ll let you know more as we find out.

BoogeyMen + Bukkake = Match made in heaven

October 8, 2009 by

boogeymenYou read that right and wrong, all at the same time. Daniel Maple, known best as Johnny Bukkake of The Sociables (he also plays in Urban Legend and The Never Saints and is the man behind Wired Woods Studio), confirmed this morning that he is now a member of The BoogeyMen. The band, known for its mask-wearing onstage personas and Morricone-meets-surf-rock songs, now has keyboards to add to its lineup of guitars, bass, drums and theremin. It’s the latest bit of good news for a band in the middle of a successful period, opening for Koffin Kats last weekend and preparing to go into the studio to record soon. What more awaits?

New Music Tuesday: Meet Bomb the Bay

October 6, 2009 by
Bomb the Bay

Photo by Brian DeMint of Eyeworks Photography

We mentioned in a previous post that one of the big concerts on Springfield’s horizon was the debut show of newly formed rock group Bomb the Bay, which features a combination of members of A Day Away, Glass Bottom Boat Ride and Playing With Matches. Longtime Springfield showgoers could imagine the fruits of that combo already, but now we have finished and recorded tracks to listen to from the new group. The band released a three-song sampler CD to hand out in promotion of its show November 14 at The Outland Ballroom with Speak Up!, Benefit of a Doubt and Uno. Didn’t get one? Click here to listen to “A Perfect Disaster,” “Spacebar” and “Give It Away.”

New Music Tuesday: “Waves Of Concern (Live),” by Holstein

October 6, 2009 by

With the band on a restructuring hiatus, it comes as a bit of a surprise to see a new track turn up from local rock group Holstein. But as something of a forget-me-not the group released a live cut of its song “Waves Of Concern” on its website. Don’t try to look for much else on the site for the time being; with so much in flux with the group, the website is basically a splash page with the band’s logo. But the live track is an added bonus for fans, and you can hear it by putting index finger to mouse button over these off-colored words.