How’s the Canibus in Muncie, (IN)?

So okay, the (above) headline is a little lacking in the cutting-edge creativity y’all are accustomed to getting from your’s truly Capt. Westside. (But, hey even the best can an off day, right?) But…if you (hip-hop fan) happen to be in the Ball State University/Muncie area; about 50 miles North of Indianapolis (Mapquest that ish: here), the one-time Fugees affiliate/one-time battle-rap phenom/one-time of ‘victim’ of a L.L. Cool J lyrically beatdown will be making an appearance at Mo’s Tavern on July 18th!

I Know You Gonna Dig This cause with DJ Definition on the ‘Wheels of Steel’, the Kutthroatz (in-da-buildin’) and Lyrical Lounge alumni Merc Versus also performing, the show will most certainly be for the rhythmically inclined!

None of that ‘bumblegum rap’ rules apply at this show, so don’t sleep..

Hilarious! That’s the only word for it! Well, that, and a tad disturbing…

Alanis Morisette- My Humps

Seriously, this gives me a newfound respect for Alanis, both for making fun of them and for having fun herself.

Chris Mancini is a comedian, writer and filmmaker. He’s recently put together a collection of his short film work entitled MYOPIC VISIONS.

(Note: though the DVD is already out, there will be a DVD release party and standup performance by Mr. Mancini:

WHEN: March 28th at 8PM – DVD Release party and performances

WHERE: Improv,8162 Melrose Ave,Los Angeles, CA 90046

Now back to the review)

The title is probably the only weak thing about the DVD. It is an obvious allusion to the name of his company, Myopic Productions, but it doesn’t do anything to hint at what you’re getting in this package. I certainly hope it doesn’t hold back this DVD from reaching its full potential audience, because it is truly an interesting and fun collection.

The older stuff on the DVD is pretty good, but one of the best functions is to show the growth. The Man Who Loved Doughnuts was definitely interesting, but tried to stretch the premise out for too long of a bit. Paul F. Thompkins is a very good bit of casting for it, though. The twist a little more than half way through the short was just bizarre enough to renew my interest after the humor of Thompkins’ overly enthused doughnut fan began to wear on me like it wore down the diner seated next to him.

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Allow me to tell you, dear readers, of a little something that happened while I was on a trip to New York for the College Media Advisers Conference this year. It was a Thursday, still warm, but cold weather was looming. A friend and I were headed toward Times Square to meet with another member of our group when I looked up and stopped dead. I’d never been so thankful for being a tourist as I was at that moment: I saw “THE COMMITMENTS” in red on the marquee over BB King’s.

As a former member of Mr. Troy Brownfield’s Irish Culture class at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (it’s a good one!), I was familiar with the film, featuring such musical talents as Andrew Strong, the entire membership of the Corrs, and a bunch of crazy men who claimed that Elvis was a Cajun.

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There’s a longer review coming later, but for now, a three-line review of the Saviors of Soul’s recent show:

Awesome: Getting a last-minute ticket to a sold-out show in the middle of Manhattan on the weekend of St. Patrick’s Day.
Ironic: There was only one band member playing that was in the original film.
Awesome AND Ironic: It was the drummer.

More later.

Boy…did I have a weekend!

It all started with car repairs.

What? Doesn’t make sense? You try driving from the NC/VA border to NYC on bad brakes and bald tires and tell me how much sense that makes! So…the repairs make sense…but the hold for the repair costs being placed on my card TWICE didn’t…and it kept me from locking in last minute hotel deals.

So, when I hit the road Thursday evening, I had to crash with family. Got in around 2am or so…got to sleep after 3am…woke up at about 6:30am…and headed into the city to meet up with the man behind Newsarama.com, Matt Brady, at about 9:30am. Covered my first panel, unexpectedly, at 10am. Didn’t leave the convention until sometime after 9pm. Can’t remember when I got to crash on the floor of Brady’s hotel room (sometime after midnight). I can only remember that I didn’t sleep too well (spending more time awake than asleep) before heading back into the con some time before opening the next day.

Saturday saw me working the convention from just before 9am until sometime after 8pm. From that point, it was finally one of what I’d hoped would be a highlight of the weekend for me: convention after parties! Thanks, again, to The Brady, I was able to attend the C.B. Cebulski/Marvel party (at The Irish Rogue). I was around a lot of talented people having a lot of potent beverages…I just wish I had a legitimate conversation to strike up with a few of them. The one creator I had a real chance to conversate with was more than good enough: Christos Gage. He couldn’t tip his hand on anything he had coming up, but he was a down-to-Earth guy who shares some of my views on writing techniques (expressly as it applies to decompression).  I, also, got to share a few brief words with Frank Tieri as a bunch of us were walking back towards the New Yorker after the party. Matt and Frank discussed how Frank was responsible for adding a new word to a young boy’s vocabulary that afternoon (hoooooooo boy, was it a good one).

Then there was the Crazee Comics indie after party. I’ll try to blog more about that tomorrow, but it was a doozy. It needs its own blog to address all of that stuff.

Sunday wasn’t quite as hectic for me, but at that point, I was dead and the day was shorter. I didn’t get to sleep until 4am or so and, again, spent most of the overnight awake instead of asleep. I had the chance to spend some time as a fan on the floor of the convention and at some panels. I, also, got to sit down with Cheryl Lynn from Publisher’s Weekly and http://www.digitalfemme.com at the PW booth and discuss the con (which will lead to an interview popping up at Newsarama soon).

It was a great wrap to an amazing convention that…as the title of this blog would indicate…I’m just now recuperating from. God bless Matt Brady, though…he ran through the convention in NYC last weekend and just finished up doing the same at Wonder-Con this weekend…I still don’t know how he does it.

Saturday, March 3rd, 1pm Central…MC LARS Live on Play or Die!

That’s right boys and girls, it’s finally that time!

We teased you before…gave you a taste of the anticipation…

We told you he’d be on the phone, chatting with us, but it ended up being a farce- a lie- a, a, well, a mistake, really, but hey, who’s counting?

This time we’re making SURE he’s on the air by having MC Lars, the leader of the iGeneration LIVE IN THE STUDIO!!!

Who’s MC Lars you ask? For shame! Go whip yourself 3 times. You back? Great! www.mclars.com www.myspace.com/mclars

MC Lars is a fantastic post-punk laptop rapper. He rocks the nerdcore, he rolls with the English geek set, and sometimes, SOMEtimes, he just makes fun of the sorry state of affairs a lot of hip hop is in right now.

Play or Die is the show you know and love. We’ll still be talking all things geek: Comics, video games, tech; this time it’ll be with Lars giving input. We’ll be asking him those burning questions every fan wants to know to. You won’t know Lars unless you hear this interview.

So don’t miss MC Lars talking with The Geek (yours truly), Vag McCloud (there can be only one), The Viceroy (our man on the inside), Vicious Vince (the booth runner extraordinaire), and Victoris (always ready with a dick and fart joke), SATURDAY MARCH 3RD. Just click that lovely PLAY OR DIE link (or that one [or that one…or this one, for that matter]) and click “Listen AM” up towards the top. The show streams LIVE to YOUR computer from 1pm-3pm Central, and will be available for download in handy podcast form soon after.

And if you’re in the Chicago area, don’t forget to check out Lars LIVE at Champ’s. Just click the link for more info. Play or Die will be there, and you can meet us, greet us, and we’ll even let you buy us a drink! We’ll be in your ears at 1, and we’ll see you at Champs at 6!

-The Geek-

Greetings and welcome to the new ShotgunReviews.com. Since 1999, we’ve done our best to give you worthwhile (and often funny) reviews and columns, and it’s time to shake off the rust and do it a little differently. We’ve kicked around a few ideas regarding how we’d do this new thing, and we hope you like what you see.

The new design comes to us from Barb Hallock, a student of mine with the appropriate attitude for this place (that is, bad). The more bloggish format puts us more on par with the current landscape. After all, we’ve been doing this almost eight full years. It was time for a big change. I think that you’ll agree that the new format, with a huge list of categories and easy searching, is a good one.

As part of that big change, we’ve brought in an influx of new talent from a variety of places. The entirety of our Best Shots team, responsible for the Best Shots column that runs every Monday at Newsarama.com, is now operating here in several capacities. You’ll also meet several talented young writers, including Barb herself, who will be tackling a variety of topics.

However, if you’re one of the rare folks that has read us since 1999, don’t get too worried. Shawn Delaney will still grace us with terrific music reviews, as will Jonathan Birdsong and the Lyrical Lounge crew. The Russ is back on wrestling coverage in full force. L.I. Rapkin’s already kicking in some culture. Eric Barker’s already opened the film vaults. And they aren’t the only familiar faces lurking around.

In the next few days and weeks, you’ll see the roster expand a little more and you’ll see some new recurring columns and features that we hope will become favorites. If you want to check out the old stuff, the old site currently still exists in its full glory under the archive button. If you want to talk about any of the stuff, old or new, visit our newly established forums.

So there’s my big speech. Enjoy yourselves, express yourselves, and invite friends. ShotgunReviews.com never went away, but we are most certainly back. Thanks for your time.

Brugge Brasserie
1011a East Westfield Blvd. (Underneath Netheads)
Indianapolis, IN

I’ve never been to Belgium, but I do have  a cookbook that alleges everyone there eats well. If the food at Brugge Brasserie is anything to go by, I have no difficulty believing it. The space is a bit small, and got crowded quickly on a Thursday night; I can’t imagine how they’d fit a Saturday-night crowd in. However, the tables are generously sized, and the decor is comfortable and warm with the contemporary, offbeat look we all expect in Broad Ripple restauants and brewpubs (Brugge is both, but I’m not qualified to review beer, so you’ll have to do your own research.)

Housemate and I started off with a small order of frites, and while McDonald’s may be right next door, the fries are a world apart. There was barely any grease and minimal salt, just a crisp, gorgeous exterior dotted with herbs and a light, soft interior. They taste like—gasp—real potatoes. Fresh mayonnaise is traditional, but there are plenty of choices, from homemade ketchup (nothing like Heinz 57 and much the better for it) and two kinds of aioli to hot curry and pesto. I think that frites (and fries, for that matter) are like sushi, in that it’s better to go someplace good than make it yourself, because even if you have the tools and skills make it at home, somehow it’s never quite the same. This is the place to go.

Housemate ordered the moules frites, which is two pounds of large mussels with a side of frites and a chunk of fresh, lightly toasted French bread. Again, there are many choices  for the broth in which they’re cooked—European classics include beurre blanc and Provencal (butter, shallots & garlic, chardonnay, and herbes de Provence) and global fusion options red curry and citron (lime/jalepeno/cilantro/onion). In my mind, two pounds is a truly enormous serving, so if you prefer to eat light, bring a like-minded friend. The mussels were perfectly done—by which I mean they had a texture and it wasn’t rubbery—and I don’t recall seeing any unopened ones.

My entree was the grilled chicken crepe with Roquefort, endive, spinach, and garlic aioli. Unfolded, the crepe would have been larger than the plate, and was solid but not heavy. There was a generous, but not excessive portion of filling, with plenty of vegetables and chicken that tasted like chicken, rather than industrial protein. The chef had a light hand with strong flavors, including the Roquefort and aioli, so that all the various flavors of the dish were balanced. With it, I had a glass of the Moselland Riesling, which was fruity without being overly sweet.

The menu also offers mitraillettes (sub-style sandwiches), soups, and salads, with a decent selection of vegetarian (but not vegan) crepes and sandwiches. The dessert menu is entirely sweet crepes, and I wavered between the Nutella and the crepes Suzette with mascarpone. In the end, I simply didn’t have room for either, but I have intent to go back…many, many times.

So I’m in Glenda’s last night, right? (Glenda’s, for those of you wondering, is a fine establishment in West Terre Haute, IN., where there’s karaoke every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and it’s not a bad place.)

There’s this guy sitting at the counter. I notice, offhandedly, that he’s wearing a Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon shirt. Fair enough; this has caught my attention. I look closer, and there appears to be a track listing over the prism logo. Fair enough.

So I skim down the list, and down toward the bottom (in fact, the second-to-last item) said this:

Brian Damage

Let me say this again for emphasis. Brian Damage.

Am I the only person who ever wonders if others notice this sort of thing? It hurts me in my heart.

The Big Question with Steve Janiak of Devil To Pay
by Troy Brownfield

Many are the mentions of the Indianapolis music scene here at the mighty Shotgun. You may recall our descriptions of last year’s epic Battle of the Bands that culminated in a victory for the hard-working Devil To Pay. The four member band (l.tor. Chad Prifogle, Rob Secrist, Steve Janiak, Matt Stokes) pulled down the grand prize of 10-large and went on to release their highly acclaimed Thirty Pieces of Silver on Benchmark Records. DTP’s record has made an impact on both sides of the Atlantic. Heavy sources like Sleazegrinder hail it as “a clusterbomb of stoney booze metal” while the sentiments are echoed from as far away as France, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Australia. The group recently shot a video for their sublime anthem, Tractor Fuckin’ Trailer, and their laundry list of gigs keeps expanding throughout the Midwest and East Coast.

What may be better than the band’s constant ascent is the fact that it gets to happen at all. The extremely friendly Janiak, who serves as vocalist and guitarist, has had to conquer some difficult health issues in the past, including a genetically-related blood clotting disorder and some serious surgery. It was a true testament to the Indianapolis scene when bands threw in for a benefit to help out their pal.
(A sterling account of this tale by Danica Johson can be found here).

With that in their past and untold worlds to conquer in front of them, Steve Janiak of Devil to Pay took the time to visit and talk about throwing horns, the definition of troll, and how he outplays himself.
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Steve Janiak.

THE BIG Q&A

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The Big Question with Jason Weidner of Loretta
by Troy Brownfield

All right. We’ve been talking about Loretta throughout 2003 here at the mighty Shotgun. We’ve talked about how they’re Indy’s greatest musical treasure. We’ve talked about how they’re impacting national venues and radio. And now, the boys (l. to r. bassist Jim Shaffer, drummer Jeremy Weidner, vocalist/guitarist Jason Weidner, the amazingly limber vocalist/guitarist/keys Damon Weidner, guitarist Stan Muller) are about to take an even bigger stab at the masses.

In his review of their sterling new Benchmark Records release, “The Translation”, our Music Editor Shawn Delaney expounded that it was “an amazing introduction to one of Indianapolis’ finest rock outfits, offering up a virtual tour de force of layered guitars, terrific harmonies, and boundless energy.”

I can’t say it any plainer. These guys are The Deal. Their single “The Fire” is set to impact on national commercial radio on January 20th; it’s already been in heavy rotation on National Commercial Specialty Radio, college radio, and XM for months. You WILL know Loretta. Make an early jump and meet Jason Weidner right now. And make way for The Next Big Thing.

THE BIG Q&A

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