Sounds Good: Ashes to Immortality@Barnyard, Ava Luna@Jackpot, Radiohead@Sprint

A little something for everyone this week…

I’ll break it down for you:

If you’re a beer fan, you’ve ever skinny dipped in only cowboy boots, and you would certainly try a homemade possum recipe, then The Barnyard‘s the place for you Thursday night.

If you’re the adventurous type looking for something new, something that might put you a bit out of your element, and you enjoy thick rimmed glasses and semi-choreographed stage dancing by three girls from NYC, check out the Jackpot Friday.

And if you’re a lucky SOB and you already have tickets for Sprint Center Sunday – Yep, it’s Radiohead week.

On to the picks…

Thursday, March 8th
 

Ashes to Immortality and Menage of Twang at the Barnyard in Lawrence

As I mentioned last week, there’s a new Americana/bluegrass venue in Larryville that’s drawing the beard and washboard crowd out from the hills.  The place is called the Barnyard, and they also happen to be a microbrew (I suggest the porter).  This Thursday represents a bit of a jumping off point for the masterminds behind this scruffy new venture located just behind the Merc (look for the barn doors).  They’ve been ramping up their beer production and are hosting a couple of the best up and coming bluegrass-ish bands in the area.

The headliners are Ashes to Immortality, a folk-roots act that’s helped to spur on the somewhat recent Lawrence bluegrass revival alongside bands like Dumptruck Butterlips and Deadman Flats.  Lead singer Bayley Kate Hartman’s simple and silky style first caught my ear about a year ago, when her band was just getting started playing opening slots at the Jackpot.  Since then they’ve gone on to play with the likes of Split Lip at its New Year’s Eve show at the Bottleneck, and are slated to hit up several festivals this summer.

Also featured are the twangy pickin’ stylings of Menage of Twang, a band not short on songs about drinkin’ and cussin’ and drinkin’. 

As if that weren’t enough, 92.9 The Bull will be on hand to record the whole hootenany.  The tape, edited down to the best 50 minutes per band, will become the pilot episode of LIVE!stock at Barnyad Beer, which will eventually become a weekly radio show featuring up and coming bands as they swing by the Barnyard.  Kind of like Daytrotter, but without the cartoony illustrations.  And with better beer. 

Plus, if you go to Barnyard Beer’s Facebook page you can get a free ticket.  Otherwise it’s $10 at the door.

Friday, March 9th

Ava Luna & Night Moves at the Jackpot in Lawrence

You know Jacki Becker right?  She’s the brains behind Lawrence’s Eleven Productions, the outfit that brings the cool bands into town before you even know that they’re the cool bands.  Well, here’s one show Jacki circled in red on her calendar so you should probably check it.  Plus, then later you can tell all your friends that you saw Ava Luna at the Jackpot in ’12.  Seriously, if I have to hear one more hipster’s story about seeing Arcade Fire at the Jackpot five years ago, I might strangle that hipster. 

Because I’m jealous. 

Ava Luna are… ummm… kinda weird.  They combine elements of post punk, soul, rock, hip hop kind of… Let’s just say they are very interesting and feature a trio of female vocalists alongside a falsetto wailing synth player with Buddy Holly glasses.  Did I sell it for you?  If you still don’t believe me, check this out:  http://www.infinitebestrecordings.com/2011/09/services-3rd-avenue-island/

They’re cruising through town on their way to SXSW where they’re playing an impressive seven shows in four days.  Along for the ride are Minneapolis psych-rockers Night Moves, who recently signed onto London-based Domino Records to put out their debut sometime later this year.      

 
Sunday, March 11th

Radiohead at the Sprint Center in KC

Do I really need to say anything about these guys? 

Well, first things first: the show is sold out and has been since about 20 minutes after tickets were released several months ago.  What else?  Well, they’ve put out some of the best albums of the past two decades, like OK Computer, The Bends, Kid A, and Amnesiac. 

And yes, they’ve raked in loads of awards, from just about every music magazine on earth as well as multiple Grammys. 

But perhaps the most interesting thing about Radiohead is their ability to literally dictate what is cool.  I’ll give you a hint: whatever Radiohead does, that’s what is cool.  When they wanted to shift away from the alt-rock thing and embark on a more personal art rock journey with OK Computer, they did it.  In doing so they redefined the genre and gave birth to countless imitators.  When the band wanted to try a more electronic sound, they put out Kid A, and of course, it was a revelation.

That’s just what Radiohead does.