Concert Review: MOKB Presents Yuck at Radio Radio
Operation Indy: A Saturday Night with Yuck
If you have observed this blog since its inception you already know that Thought on Tracks likes Yuck… a lot. For me, they contribute to the renaissance of the 90’s indie rock sound. A period of time where friends were collaborating in basements with beers, determined to dominate college radio with distorted guitars. While J Mascis, Robert Pollard, and Stephen Malkmus continue to make new music, they have also inherited the title “Grandfathers of Indie Rock.” This designation makes it possible for developing bands like Yuck to pull from their sound.
Yuck’s debut, self-titled release has been the topic of hundreds of blogs and has maintained major staying power in 2011. The album was released on Fat Possum on February 21 and continues to remain relevant. I continue to say that 2011 has been one of the best years for new music in recent memory and Yuck has found a way to continue to build a fan base during this time. Songs such as “The Wall”, “Get Away”, “Holing Out”, “Georgia” and “Operation” all are in the conversation as favorite songs when you talk to Yuck fans. The fact that this band does not rely on one song to carry their message makes them extremely valuable with only one release under their belt. The power of having a handful of songs to connect with was displayed Saturday night as the British quartet invaded Radio Radio.
As mentioned previously, this was my third time seeing Yuck. This has not only made me think that I am beginning to form an addiction to the live music experience, but also made me realize that there is something about these guys that resonates. I attribute it directly to my love of bands like Pavement, Guided By Voices, and Dinosaur Jr. I caught these bands halfway through their formation while Yuck offers an early invitation to jump on their bandwagon. I saw Yuck play at Pitchfork and hit their after show at Schubas in Chicago in July. The maturation process shined on Saturday night. This was the strongest performance of the three and after witnessing the fan reaction, I knew something special was brewing.
On a night that brought the Avett Brothers to town, like-minded individuals still swarmed to Radio Radio to embrace a band that they had a mere six months to connect with. The crowd was pumped, they knew the words, and Yuck delivered. “Operation” stood out to me and I contend that it is their best song. Blasting guitars and a plea to become someone else for somebody else. This is the type of music that I eat up.
Yuck went up and down their album and even offered us newer songs like “Milkshake.” An invitation to the crowd to meet up for drinks after the show made me realize that this group knows how to maintain their fan base. This band is only going to get better with time and building a fan foundation seems important. A valuable asset held by a young group with mounds of potential. Give us a half a year more and another handful of songs and I might be anointing Yuck as one of my favorite current bands. I can only hope.
Yuck’s introduction to the Circle City and through the checkered flags made me proud to be a part of a growing music scene in Indianapolis. I think more people in Indy are beginning to get it and I could not be any happier. As the culture of Indianapolis grows, so do the wishes of bands like Yuck. Who knows? They could be our next Pavement. We all have high hopes.
Story and Photograph by Brett McGrath
Venue Review: Fountain Square’s Radio Radio
Embracing a music venue is no small task. In my career I have noticed that it takes many positive experiences in a row to earn my loyalty. Sure, a good promoter and solid booking always helps the cause, but there is also a myriad of variables that need to align to in order to swoon me.
- Intimate without the coffee shop chairs
- It has character
- ATP (Average Ticket Price) is around 12 USD
- A sound system that is clear. Lyrics sound crisp and understood.
- 5 minutes or less to get another drink
- Pit stop crew speed on the band changes
- Clean Toilets
- Nice to have: Local beer on tap
Fountain Square’s indie rock lair Radio Radio strongly embraces these attributes while contributing to the culture of Indianapolis. Every time I step foot in Radio Radio I feel like I am surrounded by a group of like-minded strangers who are contributing to the cultural advancement of a city we all own. Before I was old enough to go to places like Radio Radio I felt very similar to Matthew Lillard’s character Steveo in the 1998 film SLC Punk! Steveo was struggling with seeing cultural progression in dreary conservative Salt Lake City, Utah. As a young punker looking for a release, Steveo’s surroundings attempted to limit his identity progression.
It is amazing how a new venue can not only bring you happiness, but also enable distinctiveness. It is these 2 ½ hour long moments of unity I get on a weekly basis that keep me level. I want to thank Radio Radio for contributing to my musical growth and serving as the projector of live experiences with some really radical bands. Sleigh Bells, Andy D, We are Hex, Free Energy, Beta Male, Rural Alberta Advantage all stand out in recent memory. With bands like Yuck, Bear Hands, Tapes N’ Tapes, and legendary Sebadoh on the upcoming calendar, Radio Radio allows for many more opportunities to contribute to building out my character, but also blazing a new cultural path for Indianapolis.
Written by Brett McGrath
This Saturday, Radio Radio will host Marmoset’s record release party.
1119 E. Prospect Street
Indianapolis, IN 46203
Tel: +317.955.0995
Thought on Tracks 
Video: Alabama Shakes “Hold On” & “You Ain’t Alone”
The Alabama Shakes will be playing at Radio Radio on Wednesday, December 14th. Tickets are $10. I suggest you act swiftly Indianapolis, as this will likely be the last time you will ever have the chance to see this band for such a moderate price. And it’s sure as shit the last time you’ll ever see them in a venue as small and intimate as Fountain Square’s Radio Radio.
This Athens, AL quartet is winning over crowds all over the country of late. Their performance at Jack White’s Third Man Records during Next Big Nashville’s Soundland music festival in September was a consensus critic favorite. A couple of weeks ago, they followed suit by knocking the socks off of a packed Bowery Ballroom as part of CMJ Music Marathon in NYC. The New York Times’ Jon Pareles had this to say:
“But some of CMJ’s best moments this year looked even further back: toward roots-rock, far away from laptops, concepts and surface cleverness. The Texas bluesman Gary Clark Jr. played sets that were simply incendiary, following bleak sentiments with slashing guitar solos. And a band called Alabama Shakes, led by a bespectacled songwriter and guitarist, Brittany Howard, harked back to the fervor and smoldering drama of 1960s Southern soul and left its audience screaming for more. They were working CMJ the old-fashioned way: making converts with sheer live impact, now letting the Internet multiply the word of mouth.”
Pareles drives home the point that this band is beyond buzzworthy. This is whiskey drenched, headboard rattling, soulful rock n’ roll. Watch below for evidence. The top video was recorded at Pegasus Records as part of the Live from the Shoals video series. Watch “Hold On”:
Below is a music video for the song “You Ain’t Alone” featuring footage from The Alabama Shakes’ performance at Chattanooga’s Track 29. The video was directed by Joshua Shoemaker. Both songs are featured on the band’s debut self-titled EP: Album Stream – Alabama Shakes. Do not sleep on this show Indianapolis. Get to Fountain Square on December 14th or risk kicking yourself come Christmas.
Written by Rob Peoni