ARTIST PROFILES: LIONEL THE JAILBIRD

Written by Raad Shubaily

Who: Lionel the Jailbird

What: AMAZING Rock performance

For more info on Lionel The Jailbird, check out

http://www.lionelthejailbird.com

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One of the busiest bands in town, Lionel the Jailbird, is quickly gaining momentum.  Now with a weekly slot at Ruby Tuesday, there’s always a chance to catch this four-piece rock outfit in town.  Between weekend performances and their slot at Ruby Tuesday, there’s no reason to miss them.

             

Though primarily a rock band, there’s a certain level of complexity found in their music.  There are hot guitar licks dispersed all through the set, inspired often by the blues.  They aren’t without peaks and valleys though. They can do the slow ballads just as well as loud-fast rock tunes, even incorporating an acoustic guitar at times. 

Jonathan Giacalone - bass

Paul Talbot- Guitar

With a bit of jam-band feel, including extended solos, their main influences are obvious.   Their take on the Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” is a wonderful example, as well as Led Zeppelin’s  “Dazed and Confused.” These songs seem to coincide perfectly with Lionel the Jailbird originals, as the roaring bass lines are reminiscent of something found on a Led Zeppelin album.

Drummer- Mitchell Rowland

 The drumming is also Zeppelin-esque, in fact, Lionel the Jailbird might possibly have the only drummer I’ve ever seen casually chewing bubblegum amidst blazing drum fills. 

Singer Dominique De Biasio

 A nice addition to an otherwise common instrumentation is the violin.  Singer Dominique, who sounds like Janis Joplin, Grace Slick of the Jefferson Airplane and Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach combined, also wails on the the violin - which seems to absolutely weep whenever she picks it up.  It’s a nice compliment to the sweet sounding, slower parts of the set in between the fiery riff-rock.

      

Lionel the Jailbird is a group of four friends doing what they love to do, and doing it well.  This Saturday is their one-year anniversary show at Ace of Cups and they’ve done nothing but grow in that time.

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VENUE: DICK'S DEN

Written By Josh Weiker

Location:  2417 N. High Street (between Maynard and Blake Ave.)

 Events Calendar:   http://www.dicksdencolumbus.com/

Genres:  Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, R&B, Funk, …

Cover:  $4  

Drinks:  Under $5

Perks: Patio, Pool Table  

        




 If you feel comfy in a dim, hole-in-the-wall bar with chill people that just don’t give a damn, then you should ask yourself ‘Why Not?’ Far away enough from the hustle and bustle of the OSU campus crowd, Dick’s Den is one of the best kept secrets in Columbus. Just located just off the corner of High Street and Blake Avenue, Dick’s Den is easy to miss with any run of the mill passerby, but it only takes one glimpse to notice.

         On any given night, Dick’s Den provides a stable platform for local Bluegrass, R&B, Jazz, Blues, and Funk music (just to name a few).  The true gem of the Den is the virtually non-existent separation from the performers and audience; the stage sits right on top of you - and more often than not performers end up on the floor, in front of what is surely to be a crowd of enthusiasts, dancing.

Even if you might happen to stumble in, and not necessarily dig the bands, (you may) wander out to the patio (just beyond the pool table) where I promise, an interesting conversation awaits you.  Feel free to chat with the amazing musicians that just consistently deliver your multiple ‘eargasms’ and breathe life into BusTown. There aren’t many places where you can take advantage of this opportunity; and it’s extraordinarily refreshing to hear that they enjoy playing for you, as much as you enjoy listening. 

         There is almost always a $4 cover (except on Tuesdays), but once you’re in, the drinks are cheap, the bar staff is excellent, and the bands are outstanding. Go to Dick’s Den, meet the people, listen to the bands, and enjoy yourself … I mean, why not?

BusTown Reviews was produced by Joey Gurwin 

BusTown Music General Manager is DP Krukrubo

Shout out to the BusTown Music Family

Special Thanks to the great Columbus folks

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VENUE: KOBO

Written by Raad Shubaily

Address:  2590 N. High St, Columbus, OH 43202

website:  http://www.kobolive.com/ 

Genres:  Funk, Hip-Hop, Alternative/Indie, Country, Rock …  

 Cover:  under $5 

Drinks:  under $5

 
On a fine piece of real estate near Hudson St. & High St. lies a music junkie’s mecca. Kobo, which is the Japanese word for an “Artist’s Workspace,” seems to have found its niche in Columbus.  Usually booked for months in advance, there are few venues in town with such an intimate aura.

The stage is very small, giving fans a rare and original opportunity to interact with performers.  There’s live music almost every day, with a 90’s night on Mondays and karaoke night on Wednesdays. 

The bands that come through Kobo’s doors usually fall under the blanket category of rock/pop.  Some local favorites that appear fairly often include Ghost Shirt, Karate Coyote and the Phantods.  There’s also a monthly dance party called Dance or Die, hosted by DJ Self Help and DJ Barticus. 

Kobo has become a staple of local music, hosting events with the Hot 17, the Columbus Music Co-op and various other local sponsors. When it comes to keeping up on the hottest bands in town, Kobo keeps a close eye on the pulse of the city’s ever changing, diverse musical tastes. 

If you’re interested in local music, you’re going to find yourself here one way or another.  It’s a fantastic location to catch your favorite bands because, one day, you might not be able to walk right up to the stage they’re playing on.  Though this venue can be considered small in square footage, it’s quite sizeable in the local music scene.

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ARTIST PROFILE: DESCENDRE

Written by Josh Weiker

Members:    

Adam Smith – Keyboard/Synthesizer

Stan Smith – Guitar

Jim Tussing – Bass / Synthesizer

Justin Campbell – Percussion

Accompanied by: Nicole Rachelle – Saxophone

Genre/Sound: Lucid Instrumental Psychedelic Fusion Jazz Soundtrack

- like if you were to remake the Herbie Hancock album ‘FutureShock’, for the original Zelda … on acid

Observations:

Descendre Live @ Ruby's

There’s no beating around the bush with Descendre – they come right out, and smack you in the mouth. Go ahead and pick your jaw up off the ground, wipe that confused look of amazement off of your face. 

This is live music that is intense, wonderfully orchestrated, and more than anything … enchanting.

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VENUE: BROTHERS DRAKE MEADERY

Written by Raad Shubaily

Location: 26 E. 5th. Ave., Columbus, Ohio.

Cover: $0

Drinks: $6.25-$7.25/glass
             $24-$28 per bottle

Specials: $15 for tastings (5 different types of mead)

Website: 
 http://brothersdrake.com/wordpress/



      





 Try telling your friends you’re going down to the local meadery for the evening.  The quizzical faces come on swiftly: “The what? Meatery?,” “Something about meat?”  The answers to these questions are simple, if I wanted to purchase some fine cuts of beef, I would go to the butcher.
The Brothers Drake Meadery is Columbus’ first and only meadery, which explains why few people seem to grasp the concept of mead.  To be brief, mead is wine made of honey.

Raad Shubaily interviewing Oron Benary

    Brothers Drake was co-founded by Woody and Eric Drake in 2007 at a location in Worthington.  Oron Benary helped oversee a transition to the new location on 5th Ave. in September 2010, where he took on the position in helping to manage and grow the business.

     Bustown Music was lucky enough to have a tour of the back room, where the mead is actually made.  They receive their honey from local honey producers while the product is very much in its raw state, including a dash of the noble bees’ wings. 
    






 The first process in making mead is fermentation, where the ingredients are compiled and fermented for 6 to 12 months.  The next process is filtration.  At the end, there’s the maturation process, which takes the most amount of time.

In the front room, there is a bar offering five different types of mead.  Brothers Drake is currently looking to double the mead selection and get ahold of a liquor license.  After obtaining said license, they plan on selling only locally made alcohol.  



    



The idea is to create a self-sustaining local economy by using only local products and selling only to local clients.  They won’t ship outdise of greater Columbus as a matter of principal, it’s a philosophical idea of supporting Columbus’ vibrant nature.  Also in the front side of the building is a performance space.

  There’s usually a performance every week, including improvisational jazz performers, dancers, painters, musicians and V.J.s, or visual jockeys. Outside of some touring and local bands, there are also a few bands that come through every couple weeks, the Devil Doves and Rawkadeus. 

    



 Brothers Drake Meadery is very welcoming, staff members are both friendly and very informative of their product.  They even have something that looks like a mad scientist’s laboratory in the back, where they create and test new flavors to keep the vibe fresh for the regulars.  With an artistic, west-coast vibe and a positive outlook on building local relationships, it’s obvious why the clientele keep going back for more.

 













  

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VENUE: RUMBA CAFE

Written By Josh Weiker
LISTEN NOW 

         Rumba Café is a cool little bar with a new-bohemian vibe. Showcasing a variety of local acts and musical genres, the most constant and perhaps best known feature at Rumba Café is the Hoo Doo Soul Band, which plays every Sunday. While this venue is somewhat isolated from the constant traffic of High street, and away from the lights of Downtown, taking a trip to Rumba is a must.

         With both cover charges and drink prices ranging from cheap to mid-range, this quaint little bar offers a very intimate musician-to-audience environment. The stage is slightly elevated yet relatively small, and the bar itself doesn’t offer much room for a venue - but that doesn’t stop the patrons from having a good time. If you get there early, you can secure a table and some seats (seating also available alongside the bar) but as the show begins people will stand (and/or dance) right in front of the stage – almost assuring to block the view for anyone sitting (just a warning). So get up and dance!

         Like most great bars in Columbus, Rumba offers a fantastic patio – probably one of the most comfy in the city – It’s like you are in your friend’s backyard, at a cookout (which they have been known to do from time to time). Fanciful lights are strung about the area, creating a dim yet substantially illuminated kingdom of happiness. Luckily, there seems to be more room on the patio, than inside the bar - you can almost always find somewhere to sit outside, gather around a table, and have a crazy conversation with great people.

         Rumba Café has also recently made outreaches to local artists and creative organizations. One recent event combined elements of live music, art installations, and a live interactive mural demonstration (which was created throughout the night during the performance, with audience participation). By doing events like these, the folks at Rumba have truly stepped up to provide an outlet for the next level of expression, interacting within the physicality of your night’s experiences.

                                Location:  2507 Summit Street (near Hudson St.)

                                Events Calendar:   http://www.myspace.com/rumbacafe39/shows

                                Genres:  Jazz, Blues, Funk, Alternative/Indie, …

                                Cover:  $5 and up

                                Drinks:  $5 - $10

                                Perks: Patio

 BusTown Reviews are produced by our Assistant Executive Producer,  Joey Gurwin

 I am Josh Weiker,  Chief Columnist for BusTown Music

Special thanks to the BusTown Music Family, 
Very Special thanks to the people of Columbus, 
we'll see you soon...

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VENUE: RUBY TUESDAY

Written by Josh Weiker

Location:  1978 Summit Street (near 19^th Ave.) 

Click Here for Event Calender  

Genres:  Jazz, Funk, Hip-Hop, Alternative/Indie, …

Cover:  under $5

  Drinks:  under $5

Perks: Patio, Pool Tables

     Tucked away on Summit Street between 20^th and 19^th avenues, you’ll find Ruby Tuesdays - a decent size venue in the middle of Ohio State’s residential area, and yet this bar is surprisingly barren. Despite a great line-up of musicians regularly scheduled throughout the week, it would seem that this venue almost blends into the scenery too well. Aside from the fencing around the front patio area, it can be hard to spot, and it doesn’t help that it looks very similar to many of the houses up and down Summit Street.

  
  
      Inside, you’ll find two pool tables, a good sized wrap-around bar, a relatively large stage (I’ve once counted 11 musicians on the stage at once), a small dance floor, and ample seating. The setting at Ruby’s is very laid back – musicians will often wander on and off the stage during songs, as many of the shows are open jam sessions, or composed of a collective of musicians that are comfortably interchangeable. Despite the seemingly amateur appearance of a show at Ruby’s, the sound and performance qualities are amazing.
     This venue offers a stage to many local artists, and because of that you can catch a variety of styles. Soul, funk, jazz, blues, hip-hop, rock, alternative, indie, whatever kinds of music, however you care to label it; and you can probably find it here at some point during the week.

     The cover charge is usually four or five bucks, and drinks rarely go above five – always a plus. Right now, Ruby’s is a great spot to go if you’d like to catch some shockingly impressive live local music, without having to worry about the hassle of crowds. If you like enjoying some live music while you study or get some alone time, this is your place. It is also a fantastic spot for a date – not too crowded, good music, and it’s inexpensive. While Ruby Tuesdays may take an acquired taste, or particular show to be truly enjoyed at its utmost dimension, it is loaded with potential and constantly promotes the area’s most passionate musicians.

VIDEO: EVAN OBERLA'S JAM SHOWDOWN @ RUBY'S

BusTown Music Reviews are written Josh Weiker

BusTown Music Assistant Executive Producer is Joey Gurwin

BusTown Music Executive Producer is Aaron Oakley

 BusTown Music Artistic Director is Evan Oberla

BusTown Music Managing Director is DP Krukrubo

 Our Visual Director is Ollie D Bahba Hightower

BusTown Music's Social Network Coordinator is Nimi Krukrubo

Aaron Quinn is Director & Host of BusTown Music Jazz & Improv.

SPECIAL THANKS TO...

COLUMBUS MUSIC LOVERS!!

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