Upcoming Event: Dirty Beaches at White Rabbit Cabaret
Alex Zhang Huntai is the mind behind Dirty Beaches. His project has captivated me upon arrival. If I had to describe Huntai I would give him the title of Enigmatic Nomad. He has built his vision by evacuating his homeland Taiwan and migrating to Montreal. Badlands, is a story of travel and experience. Dirty Beaches is a project that performs smooth, but breeds uncertainty as we continue to search for an answer to Huntai’s message. Is he lost? Is he in love? Did he fall out of love?
Huntai embraces Elvis Presley as an influence. I am pulled to an obscure story coming from a roaming thinker. Paul Simon’s Graceland hooked with a mystery. Listen to Bandlands. Also check out Dirty Beaches / Ela Orleans 12’’ double feature:
MOKB Presents: Dirty Beaches (support: Frankie Rose), September 26, White Rabbit Cabaret. 1116 Prospect Street. $8 ADV / $10 Door. Buy your tickets HERE.
Written by Brett McGrath.
Concert Review: Muse: Verizon Wireless Music Center 8/3/11
Leaving a band behind in the dust is something I do all too often. I love a band, absorb their catalog, see them live and then let them escape my musical memory. I can’t figure out what the formula is for this. I believe it is a combination of band growing too big, coupled by my arrogance to ride the popular wave with them. Possibly it is as simple as stating as the movement from the Indie Cult to the ALT Cult. Wherever the rationale may happen to be, it is a mistake by me that must be fixed.
RECENT CASE OF IMMATURE MUSICAL RELEASE: MUSE
I was blown away when I saw Muse at Lollapalooza in 2007. The energy, the guitars, the lights captivated me. I left Chicago that weekend with a new found respect for the symphonic rock trio from Teignmouth, Devon. The problem was that I left my connection with Muse in Chicago that day and it was a huge mistake. Until yesterday.
Musical realizations are a phenomenal experience. It is a kick in the face and a wake-up call. I did not originally purchase a ticket when they went on sale. I ignored my previous memories of Muse and just viewed it as another concert on the crappy Deer Creek (Still not Verizon Wireless to me) Summer Bill. At the 11th hour a friend offered me a pavilion seat for $75. After deliberation, I accepted and it might have been my most strategic musical move of the year. WHAT. A. SHOW!!!!
I will be the first to admit that Muse is a better live band than studio group. I do not come home after a long day of work and crank their LP’s. It is too much energy for me. Seeing them live again blew me away though. I spent the entirety of their set bangin’ my head and jumping up and down. Without question the moment of the show was when they banged out fan favorite “Hysteria.” Songs like “Supermasssive Blackhole,” “Butterflies and Hurricanes” and “Stockholm Syndrome” kept the greater Indianapolis area fueled all night. Plug in Baby worked perfectly for the encore. As I exited the muddy parking lot I could not stop thinking about what I just saw on a sweet summer Wednesday night. I saw something that I will not let leave me…at least not this time.
Written and experienced by Brett McGrath
Thought on Tracks 
Oranje: Naptown’s Craziest Ten-Year-Old
The first few weeks in September tend to be the busiest of Indianapolis’ arts and social calendar. Penrod. French Market. Greek Fest. Irish Fest. Jazz Fest. Art vs. Art. The list goes on. September is possibly the only month that Hoosiers can rely upon consistent, pleasant weather. The humidity of Indiana’s swampy summer is usually behind us. But enough warmth remains for scantily clad nights on the town.
The unfortunate part about jamming some of the city’s most well attended artistic events together is that sacrifices must be made. This year, as I have for the last several, my Saturday night was spent at Oranje. The evening marked the tenth anniversary for the event that bills itself as “Indiana’s Premier Arts & Music Explosion.” Explosion proves an adequate description.
Oranje can be overwhelming. More than 30 musicians and 40 artists fill and surround a warehouse at 23rd and Illinois for a veritable feast of the senses. A whirlwind of sights, sounds and tastes combine for one of Indianapolis’ can’t miss parties. At its best, my memories of the evening wind up a blur of experiences that I rarely separate into individual performances. They all merge together into a single, enjoyable mind fuck.
From an outsider’s perspective, Oranje seems like our city’s ill-fated attempt at trendy, artistic expression. And to some extent all the necessary clichés are in place—half-naked hipsters, experimental music, interactive exhibits. Non-natives may wonder what original thought Hoosiers could offer such a scene. Those who have attended know better.
I always leave Oranje motivated and inspired. This city is home to so many talented, interesting minds. In a state that prides itself on our small government, public funding of the arts is scarce. But the relative low cost of living allows artists to thrive for a fraction of the cost that larger cities, like New York and Los Angeles, demand. What Indianapolis needs to improve upon is providing these artists with a voice. Oranje accomplishes this in spades, but it’s not enough.
Indy’s residents should not wait until the second weekend in September to take in the arts. Terrific, worthwhile events take place all over this city every week of the year. Indianapolis’ greatest strength is arguably its accessibility. We can get almost anywhere in twenty minutes. We can park. With such opportunities all within arm’s reach, there is no excuse for failing to take advantage of all that Indy has to offer.
I thank the Oranje crew for the massive amount of planning and hard work that goes into this annual bash. Their contribution to the Indianapolis art scene over the last decade has opened a lot of local eyes. Now we’ve got to keep those eyes open and get them out of the house before next September. Let’s face it, folks. The Colts are not getting any better. Luckily for us, there’s more than football in Indiana.
Written by Rob Peoni
Photos by Katie Kirkhoff