The Hidden Mitten

garrett-guitar vocals; mike-baritone guitar vocals; melanie-keyboard percussion vocals; tom-drums percussion autoparts

This is one of my favorite local bands right now. I haven't made it out to as many of their show as I would like recently but they do play often. I saw them once in the spring when melanie was about 7 months pregnant and again last Sunday, only weeks after she had given birth! That's rock and roll. They have great chemistry on stage, especially erin and garrett. Their sound rock/90spunk but is still very catchy (see weezer), and they play a wicked Rentals cover of the love I'm searching for that fits in so perfectly with their rotation that if you weren't paying attention in 1997 you would think that it is one of their own (go, go gadget run on sentence.)
I heard rumblings of a recording session and an ep but haven't see it yet, apparently there is some trouble getting a hold of the masters.
Get out and see them ASAP. The next show is in December at Cal's Liquors.

Panther Style

Jeanne McClure - bass, vocals, Al Rodis - lead guitar, Melissa Koehl - guitar, backing vocals, Handsome Dan Lutger - drums

Are you looking for something to fill that void that The Pixies have left? Do you find yourself listing to surfer rosa at least twice a week? Do you wish they had recorded more songs with Kim Deal on lead vocals because there was just something too "chicky" about The Breeders? Look no further than Panther Style.
I caught this band last weekend at the Empty Bottle. Jeanne sounds a lot like Kim Deal, and plays bass, imagine that, but she has surrounded her self with great talent and isn't forced to carry the band, unlike The Breeders. Al is extremely talented and shines in the live solos. Dan Lutger's drums are sharp dynamic but not overwhelming, especially on the recordings, and Melissa adds a great dimension that The Breeders never had with her vocals and rhythm guitar.
If I was still 16 I think I would have gotten a fake just so I could get into clubs to see them. I do not know of any ep's out for them, they only had a mailing list at the merch table, but the four songs on their myspace page are of studio recording quality.

www.myspace.com/pantherstylemusic

The Pumps

The Pumps formed in April of 2005. Singer Lauria Lovekill (Vicki, Il Jesu), bassist Sara Thunder (Vicki, Jonny and the Limelites) and keyboardist Lara Hollywood got together for a few informal practices, ultimately laying down the bare-bones structures of two future Pumps songs, "Blood Vessel Pop" and "Choke."


They really put on an electric show, I saw them in the spring at the Beat Kitchen. Lauria reminds me of a young Debbie Hairy and their sound is like early 80s go-go's drug induced punk. They do have an album and an ep out right now but you have to go to a show to get it. Try to catch them with The Hidden Mitten.

www.myspace.com/thepumps