· Successful local Rock trio Heartless Bastards have been announced as one of the artists performing at this summer's Desdemona Festival, an impressively ambitious new Indie Rock fest spearheaded by co-owner of downtown hot spot alchemize, Nick Spencer. Running June 23-25 along the Ohio River's edge at Sawyer Point, the outdoor event — similar to Chicago's Intonation Festival (or even a mini-Lollapalooza, minus the crass commercialism and whatever band Perry Farrell is in today) — will present up-and-coming and established acts, as well as a sprinkling of locals. The festival is a perfect magnet to attract regional fans thirsty for the hottest new Indie talent and could even provide Cincinnati a cred boost with the "Cincinnati sucks, there's never anything to do" set (don't worry, they'll find something to complain about — "It's too close to that disgusting river!"). Initial bands announced include The Stills, The Walkmen, Radio 4, Annie and The Fiery Furnaces. Spencer has been rolling out the lineup gradually at his blog, nickspencer.blogspot.com; the fest also has a site at myspace.com/desdemonafestival. Tickets are slated to go on sale Monday.
· Blues/Rock kings Pearlene are looking to give their hometown fans a little more elbow room with their gig this Saturday. While singer/guitarist Reuben Glaser says they love playing Northside's The Comet and Northside Tavern, he and his bandmates wanted to try a new bar in the neighborhood where "people don't have to be packed in right next to the band on the floor." So, Saturday, Pearlene and special guests The High & Low will rattle the walls (and actual stage) at Preacher's on Spring Grove Avenue (across from Casablanca Vintage Clothing). On the recording front, Pearlene — who had one of their songs featured in a commercial for Nissan's XTerra this winter (the one with the extreme kayaker) — have been working with local engineer John Curley for a forthcoming summer release.
To hear a few tracks from the new CD, go to myspace.com/pearlene.
· If your band was compared to the Guns N' Roses of today, you'd likely punch the person making the connection (unless of course you've developed a Botox addiction, glued fake dreadlocks to your head and turned the band's lineup over more times than Menudo). Luckily for local rockers Kill City, their inclusion on an upcoming compilation CD is a nod to their similarities (in spirit, anyway) to the untouchable, pre-inanity Guns. The disc, compiled by the folks at Sleazegrinder (sleazegrinder.com), is titled Sons of Guns: 15 New Bands With An Appetite For Destruction, and is available with the May issue of British mag, Classic Rock (available locally at Everybody's, Phil's and Shake It Records, as well as Borders). Kill City offers up the track "Dyin' For Love" for the comp. Here's hoping they don't go all Axl and wait 13 years to release another song. The band's next local appearance is May 13 at the Rhythm and Blues Café, as a part of the second annual, multi-bar/multi-band "Jammin' On ..." fest. (killcityrock.com)
· Thursday, psychodots play acoustically at the Cincinnati Zoo for the "Tunes & Blooms" event, showcasing the Zoo's "Botanical Garden" component. "Gypsy Jazz" masters Faux Frenchmen are also performing at the concert, which kicks off at 5 p.m.
· Local Indie Pop/Rock crew The Hinges play the Southgate House this Thursday as a part of a multi-floored event that also features Sweet Ray Laurel, A Decade to Die For, Black Tie Affair, Skrewd, The Frankl Project, Legal in Vegas and Hierophant. The Hinges are putting the finishing touches on the four-track EP, Unhinged, which they plan on releasing in June. (thehingesmusic.com)
· Also preparing for a CD release is Goose, whose long-in-the-works debut is currently being mastered in New York. The band plays a free show at the Courtyard Café on Main this Saturday with Wake the Bear, the solo guise of former Promenade singer Scott Cunningham.
CONTACT MIKE BREEN: mbreen (at) citybeat.com
