Despite some personnel shifts, The Lions Rampant were undeniable in 2010, on a steady rise since jolting the local club scene just a few short years ago. The band’s debut full-length, It’s Fun to Do Bad Things (the title is a quote from an unusually young “hoodrat”-turned-viral-video-superstar who was asked by a local TV crew why he went on his li’l crime spree), was finally released early in the year and nationally distributed by Deep Elm Records. The Lions toured the well-reviewed release, including a few weeks in Europe, put out some music videos, played practically everywhere in Cincinnati and scored the Album of the Year trophy at the 2010 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. Oh, and they also managed to release a series of 7-inch vinyl singles, each recorded with a different favorite producer. Their family Christmas letter is probably five pages this year. To cap it off, the poor fellas are even working on X-mas night!
Joining the Lions is one of the most promising new Rock & Roll bands in town: Leopard Messiah. The group’s first performance was in October opening The Greenhornes’ much-anticipated new album release show and they were also a highlight of the BRINK New Music Showcase a few weeks later. That they’re so good isn’t a total shock given the members’ pedigree (the musicians have spent time in great bands like The Virgins, The Fairmount Girls, Eat Sugar, Tough & Lovely, Moth, The Griefs and White Girls) and the charisma of singer Baby Strange, the only band virgin of the bunch.
The Lions Rampant and Leopard Messiah play Mainstay Rock Bar on Christmas night. Go here for Mike Breen’s full Spill It column, show times and ticket information.
This article appears in Dec 15-21, 2010.