Saint Andrew (ex-Knifedance, Stepsister) has a new duo, the
Snake Handlers. They makes their live debut Thursday, June 18,
at Now That’s Class (11213 Detroit Ave.)
“Right now, it’s just a two-piece,” says Andrew. “Think Black Keys
meets the Stooges, with some Velvet Underground kinda stuff. This is
the format I really wanted — [previous one-man-band] Saint Andrew
was just figuring out how to sing so I could sing rock ‘n’ roll.”
Drummer Saint Mathew relocated from New York because Cleveland is
cheaper. Previously, he briefly played with the Fugitive Kind. The show
is headlined by the Strange Boys, a lo-fi garage-pop combo from Austin.
It kicks off at 9.
This Moment in Black History is nearly ready to unleash their
third full-length, Public Square, which they recorded
last summer at Cleveland’s Zombie Proof studio. The album will be an
independent, old-school effort.
Says frontman Christopher Kulcsar, “Due to the economic downturn, we
will soon be self-releasing Public Square on our own label, Snax
Records and Tapes. This will be a limited cassette-only release, and
these will also come with Buck Rogers-style download coupons free in
every box. This will be available on our upcoming East Coast Week/Weak
tour in July.”
Drummer headlines Musica (51 E. Market St.) on Friday, June
19. The Akron indie all-star band includes members of the Black Keys
and Party of Helicopters. The melodic shoegazer-rock quintet is
recording its full-length debut in the Rubber City with producer Ben
Vehorn (Other Girls, Love As Laughter). Bassist Patrick
Carney says it should be done by July.
Kent’s the Phoebe Cates and the Party of Helicopters played one-off reunion shows on Friday, June 12, at the Beachland
Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd.). It was the Phoebe Cates’ first show in a
decade. Helicopters, who broke up in 2004, hadn’t played since a 2007
reunion gig. Helicopters guitarist Jamie Stillman (who now plays
with Drummer) performed old favorites and songs from a half-finished
lost album, which they may finish “one of these days. We’ll record it
by the time we’re 40,” says Stillman. The bands reunited to celebrate
the belated bachelor party of Hot Rails frontman Ken
Janssen.
This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2009.