The Wilders

with Rock Plaza Central, Cameron Johnston

June 18, 2008

8:00 pm

 

The Wilders are playing again here at Congress! You might remember The Wilders when they played here a couple years ago because they put on one hell of a show. People walked away with their admiration on their sleeves. We still get phone calls about this band, Tucson is always nagging and begging to have them come back. Well, The Wilders have been waiting to come back as well for some time now and as soon as we could, we set a playdate. Here’s a little bio info in case you are not familiar.

This often-heard quote accurately follows a performance by Kansas City’s unique hillbilly stringband, The Wilders. This talented group, formed in 1996, is regularly regarded as “the band to see” wherever they go. Led by singer, guitarist and country wisecracker, Ike Sheldon, the band grounds itself firmly in the early formative years of recorded country music. Featured in each performance are the hard driving old time fiddle tunes presided over by multi-award-winning fiddler, Betse Ellis. Her infectious fiddling is often the cause of spontaneous dancing by both the audience and the band!

 

“The Wilders have a deep and compelling, foottapping sense of rhythm that lays the foundation, whether it’s the oldtime “Jenny On The Road,” the harddriving “When The Levee’s Gone,” or the honkytonkin’ spiritual “Belshazzar.” You can easily imagine pretty much any of the early Opry acts doing “The Blues Come Around” or a ballad like “Together Apart.” Come to think of it, maybe that’s the best label for them-a oneband oldtime Opry show.” Bluegrass Unlimited

“The fresh news on “Throw Down” is two-fold: The Wilders wrote seven of the 14 songs…the originals all get along nicely with the other seven numbers… [The Wilders are] a vibrant old-time country band that takes its music seriously but leavens that cool efficiency with levity, enthusiasm and warmth.” The Kansas City Star

  Lots of things are happening around the ole’s Wilders fort,  for example when they get into town they are going straight to the NPR studios. They are ALSO doing a live ZIA records performance before their show!

Rock Plaza Central

 

Coming off the mean streets of Toronto and slanging some serious Americana fuzz folk is what Rock Plaza Central is all about. With a new album that sounds like it was taken out of Jeff Mangum’s dreams and mixed with a healthy obsession for the Equus caballus,

 

Here’s a little more information from the horses mouth:

The new record, Are We Not Horses, is all about robotic horses.

Robotic horses who think they are real horses.

For real.

Caught in a battle between good and evil. Between angels and humans. And after eradicating the world of the angels, wondering if they fought for the right side.

R.P.C is quickly becoming media darlings. They are probably used to getting shout outs in magazine’s and websites so when you write your review on your Mlog (music blog) or in your weekly entertainment guide, make sure not to copy all the ones below.

 

 

“Stars-in-waiting.” - Rolling Stone US

“Four stars (and then stuff in German).” - Rolling Stone Germany

“A masterpiece.” - Exclaim Magazine

“A massive achievement.” - Americana UK

“Truly something to be joyful about.” - Pitchfork

“A record most bands can only dream of creating.” - Glide

“Buy/borrow/steal the album. Indeed, at the risk of sounding like the NME, this could be the best thing you hear all year.” - Fat Controller UK

“Sure to have tears welling and fists aloft in raucous salute.” - Pop Matters

Doors open at: 8 pm
Tickets: 8 adv / 8 day of show
This event is: This Show is 21+ with ID