Large Local Fan Turnout At Recent New Album Signing For Cage The Elephant's "Social Cues" At Mellow Matt's Records & More In Bowling Green, Ky.

   

   Cage The Elephant and I go way back in Bowling Green during their early days before their second album release in 2011, "Thank You, Happy Birthday.'

Cage The Elephant

    Since CTE is from Bowling Green and my son, Tony Smith, who is also a Bowling Green musician, songwriter and producer and who now lives in East Nashville,  he became friends with CTE band brothers, Matt and Brad Shultz, earlier in their early days of the band's beginnings and eventually "Sleeper Agent," was formed (Tony's former band) and the rest is history. And that's another story to tell in of itself one day. However, the first time I saw CTE perform was at the second annual "Starry Nights Music Festival" in Bowling Green (which is now defunct) in the October of 2010. I was blown away by the band. (see video below) In the meantime, here's a little info about that time period during CTE's history with Sleeper Agent and the Bowling Green Music Scene on their Wikipedia page. I like to call it the "Heyday of the Bowling Green Music Scene":

Sleeper Agent

   'The group's audience expanded widely throughout 2011. Although they were formed in the 2000s, the band earned the top spot in Rolling Stone's "Reader's Poll: The Best New Artist of 2011". The band Sleeper Agent, another Bowling Green music group and close friends with Cage the Elephant, came in second place. The magazine also named Thank You, Happy Birthday as the 15th best album of the year. That year, Cage the Elephant and Manchester Orchestra embarked on a co-headlining tour with Sleeper Agent as the opening band. In January 2012, the band released the album Live from The Vic in Chicago, recorded during their 2011 tour, and also toured with the Big Day Out music festival."

   Even though that is a long and interesting story especially on Sleeper Agent's part as far as I'm concerned, I will stay focused in this particular blog segment on CTE's recent new album signing for "Social Cues" at Mellow Matt's Records and More on Smallhouse Road in Bowling Green which was a grand experience for CTE local fans and the Bowling Green Music Scene from all appearances while I videotaped the event from the outside of the building and in the parking lot as well as the grass.

CTE's New Album, "Social Cues"

    Mellow Matt's is a small record store with not much space in a strip shopping mall. However, Matt and his staff somehow manage large crowd turnouts in order for fans to get autographs on records and CD's from famous bands such as CTE. It's also where Sleeper Agent had their second release album party in 2014 for "About Last Night." The crowd for Sleeper Agent was not quite as large as CTE's but they nonetheless they had a good turnout and that was Matt's number one album selling album for the year he had claimed. Actually, this was CTE''s was second new album signing at Mellow Matt's. The first one was a couple of years ago at the store for their fourth album, "Tell I'm Pretty," in which they won a Grammy for "Best Rock Album in 2015. I was not able to make it to that signing. But since I have a new HD DVC camera that my son, Tony, gave to my birthday, I decided to try it out in the parking lot at the CTE signing at Mellow Matt's. There are three little short video clips that I posted below from my Youtube Channel. They are not perfect by no means but I do believe I was able to capture a little of the magic, spirit and excitement among CTE's many local fans that were lined up waiting to get inside. And hopefully, I'll get better with the camera as time goes on. (Note: I did receive Mellow Matt's permission on the phone prior the signing in order to make these video clips). I also included one of CTE performing the song "Tiny Robots" at the Starry Nights Music Festival in 2010. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the videos!

College Town At Christmas: 2017, "My Top 10 Crazy Christmas Wish List Items For The City of Bowling Green"

   

I am sorry to admit but I have struggled with getting into Christmas spirit this year so far.

I did not make it to the annual Christmas parade in downtown Bowling Green this past Saturday morning nor to the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Fountain Square Park this past Friday night either.  Like most Bowling Green citizens, I've been busy with work and life in general.  However, I have been trying to think of an idea for my annual "College Town At Christmas" blog for awhile now.  But I finally thought of idea today.  I thought, "What about if I wrote a blog based on my "My Top 10 Crazy Christmas Wish List Items For The City of Bowling Green?"  Yes, for our beloved City of Bowling Green located in Southcentral Kentucky! So here it goes.  It's some crazy, far out Christmas wish list items but I hope you enjoy them nevertheless! It's meant to be in all fun and for your amusement! I hope you enjoy them!

10.) An GM Corvette sports car themed Amusement Park like Disney World close to the Corvette plant, racetrack and museum next to I-65.  Bowling Green is the only place in the world where the Corvette is made.

9.)  A six to eight lane loop around the whole City of Bowling Green that will alleviate the heavy traffic problems especially on Campbell Lane and Nashville, Smallhouse, Three Springs and Scottsville roads.

8.) A Bowling Green and South Central Kentucky Rock & Roll Music Museum honoring the likes of Bowling Green based indie rock bands, "Cage The Elephant" and the former indie rock band "Sleeper Agent." Also, the hard rocking Kentucky rock band, "Black Stone Cherry" from nearby Edmonton, Ky., just down the road and Kentucky country cock rockers, "The Kentucky Headhunters," also from Edmonton.   Also, throw in "The Hilltoppers" from the early 50's who were from Western Kentucky University.  The museum would celebrate these bands who made an impact nationally and internationally and who have brought world-wide attention to Bowling Green and the region by national television appearances, newspaper and magazines articles, radio, internet and television interviews, albums, CD's, iTunes,  videos and concert appearances world-wide.  Also, include displays for Grammy winners "Cage The Elephant" and "The Kentucky Headhunters," as well as displays for all local and regional bands who have had an impact on the Bowling Green Music Scene.  And the museum, would feature a local beer brewery spotlighting Bowling Green's own regionally known and popular "White Squirrel" beer with a brew pub, full size restaurant and a large venue for indoor and outdoor concerts with lots of seating.

7.) Give "Cage The Elephant" and "The Kentucky Headhunters" keys to the City of Bowling Green for bringing world-wide attention to our city and region for their musical achievements with winning Grammys.

6.) A museum honoring some of Bowling Green most colorful and most recognized famous citizens, such as "Pauline Tabor," the famous madam who ran a brothel on Clay Street at one time, John Carpenter of Hollywood, Calif.,  the famous horror movie director of "Halloween" and other scary movies and the famous wrestler from Bowling Green, "Hillbilly Jim," just to name a few.

5.) A plaque somewhere downtown Bowling Green to honor and recognize the city's own local billionaire, "Brad Kelley," who likes to fly under the radar, incognito away from the public eye and press but for his founding of his former cigarette factory, "USA Gold" cigarettes and other brands.  As I understand he sold his business to Houchens Industries for a billion dollars and Houchens later sold for several more billions to a company in England.  Kelly is supposedly one of the top five landowners in the country.  We should all be proud he is from here.  "From farm boy to billionaire."

4.) A walkway bridge over University Avenue and the CSX railroad at the Old Morgantown Road entrance for the Western Kentucky University students to cross.  That's a very dangerous intersection for students to be crossing considering all of the automobile traffic and the amount of railroad traffic.

3.) A movie made about Ervin G. Houchens honoring the founder of Houchens Industries, based in Bowling Green, one the nation's largest employee stock ownership plans (ESOP).  It's basically a rags to riches story of a young boy who began working hard early life in rural Barren County, Ky.,  and later left a legacy of tremendous wealth in our community that still lives on today in many aspects and businesses.

2.) A monorail railway system for Western Kentucky University and the City of Bowling Green to alleviate all of the bus traffic.  Since we can't go underground because of karst cave systems, sinkholes and limestone underneath us, let's go above and beyond like Disney world!

1.) And finally but not least, let's create the world's largest dog park with hotels, swimming pools, cabins, lakes and pontoon boats with fishing included among other recreational things to do.  Since we have one dog park already in the city let's add new one out in the county somewhere.  Also local dog food manufacturers, Hills Pet Foods and Champion Pet Food Auburn could be major sponsors.  We could draw people in from all over the world!

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful 2017!

East Nashville Musician and Producer, Tony Smith, Hits A Home Run With Teem's "Afterglow"

     Okay, I will admit it right off the bat. I'm biased.

Yeah, I'm biased about my son, Tony Smith's new song, "Afterglow." I love it! Tony is a 2010 Graphic Design graduate of Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., a musician, producer, songwriter and recording engineer who now lives in East Nashville. He is also a former member of the Bowling Green based indie rock band, Sleeper Agent, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCQwcSr0E0VyOMmf1KJVI3w who toured the U.S., four times playing major music festivals and performed in Mexico as well as Canada. They also produced two albums, "Celabrasion" and "About Last Night." Not to mention they performed on live television, Jimmy Fallon and David Letterman.
   

Now his latest music project is called, "Teem." https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuU1IXIwgr8HllDY4DnK6-g It's a collabrative effort among fellow Nashville muscians and artists such as Lincoln Parish, fomerly of Cage The Elphant, Nick Brown of Mona and songwriter and performer, Lauren Strange. There are several other Nashville musicians who have also contributed to Teem's projects too.
   Tony and his other fellow musicians at Teem are a creative force of nature among the likes of of the late David Bowie and this type of genre in the artistic community of the music industry. With each song and video that Teem creates and produces, it will strike you as being different and you'll always be in for a big surprise as such in the case with "Afterglow."


http://www.teemcollab.com
An introduction to Teem and it's home, https://www.patreon.com/teem

https://www.facebook.com/Te...
Instagram: @teem.music
Twitter: @teem_music

https://itun.es/us/YpzMdb
https://play.spotify.com/tr...
https://teemmusic.bandcamp....

Congrats To Bowling Green, Ky.'s Own "Cage The Elephant" For Their "Best Rock Album" Grammy-"Tell Me I'm Pretty."

     I think there's a lot of people in Bowling Green right now who are extremely proud of our internationally known alternative rock sensations, "Cage The Elephant." Bowling Green has a big interest in their claim to fame! And we have been for a long time ever since their first album came out with their first hit song, "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked."

CTE at the Grammys, 2017,  in LA

My wife, Patty, Brad Shultz and me in Louisville 

     And now we are even proud of these young rockers with their latest and incredible accomplishment by winning a Grammy Sunday night for "Best Rock Album!" It's for their new album, "Tell Me I'm Pretty." These boys continue to be on a winning streak and I'm glad I got to know them through my son, Tony Smith of the now defunct Bowling Green alternative rock band, "Sleeper Agent." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeper_Agent_(band)
       Originally,  brothers, Matt and Brad Shultz were instrumental in helping Sleeper Agent get their start in the business by introducing them to their connections and Sleeper Agent even toured with Cage The Elephant for a while several years ago.  Matt also directed one of 

Sleeper Agent's videos for  "Get Burned."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qz0m5IYh10  I also know CTE drummer, Jared Champion's parents, Bill and Debbie Champion of Bowling Green.  They are super nice people! We go way back through some local church connections. I know they are proud of their son as well as all of the other parents and friends are of their sons in the band too.

    Anyway, again, all of us in Bowling Green are super proud of these fine musicians and for helping put Bowling Green on the map in the world of popular music and especially for keeping us in the international spotlight whether it be for GM, home of the Corvette, the giant sinkhole underneath the National Corvette Museum, Western Kentucky University or the Bowling Green Massacre. Again, congrats boys!

Matt Shultz and Galen several years ago in BG

Bowling Green's Cage The Elephant Continues To Bring World-Wide Attention To Southcentral Kentucky With Their Recent Grammy Nomination

"It's awesome to see that some of our local musicians such as Cage The Elephant have made an impact in the world of the music industry with their recent Grammy nomination, three albums and constant world-wide touring through the years. Not only have they and will continue to inspire other young musicians in Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky, they have also helped propel other BG bands get their start in their professional music careers in the industry such as SLEEPER/AGENT. Not to mention all the media attention that they have brought to our community and they have also help to produced our outdoor music music festival, "Starry Nights Music Festival." May we continue to sing Cage The Elephant's praises!"-Galen A. Smith Sr.


'BETTER AND BETTER'Grammy-nominated Cage the Elephant could inspire others

Jordan Strauss

Daniel Tichenor, from left, Brad Shultz, Matt Shultz and Jared Champion of Cage the Elephant arrive at the 57th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

By Laura Wilson, lwilson@bgdailynews.com

Bowling Green band Cage the Elephant didn’t win a Grammy on Sunday, but being nominated for the prestigious award brings the band recognition and could inspire other young musicians.

The band was nominated for best alternative album at the 57th annual Grammy Awards for its 2013 release “Melophobia.”

Though Cage the Elephant lost to St. Vincent at the awards ceremony, it was exciting to see the band nominated, local musician Tony Lindsey said.

“I think it’s just fantastic for a local band to be nominated for a Grammy,” he said. “ ... They’re very deserving. They’ve been in the trenches a long time.”

“Melophobia” shows the band’s at the forefront of alternative music, Lindsey said.

“It’s my favorite release that they’ve had so far, just commercial enough to appeal to a wide audience,” he said. “They just keep getting better and better.”

Cage the Elephant members Matt Shultz, Brad Shultz, Jared Champion and Daniel Tichenor grew up in Bowling Green and began their music career here, playing at local venues including Tidball’s, where they still perform occasionally. Since their breakout single “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” in 2009, the band has received national and international attention.

Lindsey believes their Grammy nomination will inspire other local bands.

“It will be a very positive thing for all the other young bands in the area to see what they can aspire to,” he said.

While in Los Angeles for the awards ceremony, Cage the Elephant members made their way around the city with various radio talk show hosts.

The band has performed on various nighttime talk shows, including “Late Show with David Letterman” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and at numerous music festivals, including Coachella and the Glastonbury Festival.

Cage the Elephant announced Jan. 23 that it’s working on its fourth album.

— Follow faith/general assignments reporter Laurel Wilson on Twitter at twitter.com/FaithinBG or visitbgdailynews.com.

Sun Club Will Shine Its Light On Rocky's Bar In Downtown Bowling Green, Ky., Thursday Night, Nov. 14th.

   Since the Bowling Green Music Scene has gained national and international attention these last couple of years thanks to alternative rock bands with major record deals and touring schedules such as Cage The Elephant and Sleeper Agent, Bowling Green has become a destination point for other lesser known groups to play shows.
   One of those such bands is "Sun Club" from Baltimore, MD. and they will perform at Rocky's Bar located on Main Street in downtown Bowling Green, Thursday night, Nov. 14th. According to band member, Shane Justice McCord, said they have been playing for a while.
   "We formed out of the ashes of another band in 2012. Last year we toured down to SXSW, passing through Bowling Green and lots of other cities on the way. We've been constantly touring since and are releasing our debut EP in early January," McCord said.
   On their Bandcamp web-site they describe themselves as "Sun Club is a group of buddies playing happy music." You can also hear two songs of theirs called, "Beauty Meat" and "Language Juice, " on the site. To find out more about Sun Club, go to their Bandcamp or Facebook pages at www.sunclubband.com and www.facebook.com/sunclubband
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Craig Fehrman's "Home Grown: Cage The Elephant and The Making Of A Modern Music Scene" Is A Smash!

      Last Summer, while talking to my wife, Patty, and Tony and Alex over dinner, (Tony Smith and Alex Kandel who are from the alternative indie rock band, Sleeper Agent. Tony is my son and Alex is our future daughter in-law), Tony informed us that a writer from New York had been in Bowling Green interviewing the guys from Cage The Elephant and other local musicians and key people in town about the Bowling Green Music Scene.
    Tony also said that the writer who had written for the New York Times and had interviewed him and Alex too. Of course, I thought that was really cool but Tony did not know a whole lot about it other than he just said that the writer was probably going to write an article of some sort about Cage and the booming music scene in Bowling Green. Tony said that he didn't know where it or when it was going to be published. After that conversation, I basically forgot all about it until over a year later when somebody posted it on Facebook last week, that Craig Fehrman's Kindle single, "Home Grown: Cage The Elephant and the Making of a Modern Music Scene" was now available on the internet. Of course, I bought it for $1.99 and then gobbled it up within an hour or so on my iPhone. It's a quick read and about a 20,000 word article or 58 pages. It has 13 chapters such as "Too Hot For Skinny Jeans," "It's Like Its Own Little Babylon in the Middle of the South. But With a Lot of Churches," and "Tidball's." I have to admit that I was totally fascinated how this very talented writer had captured the essence and the current mood our of fair city of 60,000 and its happening downtown and music scene.

"But Cage seemed different. A little Googling revealed that all five members still lived in or near Bowling Green. It also revealed that they were right about the quality of their tiny local scene. In the last few years, Bowling Green had birthed Sleeper Agent, a snappy retro rock group that had signed with the iconic Mom + Pop label, played on Fallon, toured with Weezer and fun. The city could also claim Morning Teleportation, a spacey jam band that packed their six-minutes song with 20 minutes's worth of hooks."

    Fehrman describes Cage in great detail and writes about Cage drummer Jared Champion's dad, (Bill Champion, who happens to be a friend of mine.). He also writes about local DJ, Tommy Starr from Bowling Green's legendary rock station, D93, who helped build the local music scene to what it is today through the years by his radio program, "Home Cookin'" showcasing local musicians and bands. Also featured in the book, is Bryan Graves, a Bowling Green resident and co-founder of the Starry Nights Music and Arts Festival along with Matt and Brad Shultz from Cage, that has gained a lot of widespread media attention these last few years as far as outdoor music festivals goes. He also interviews local Blues musician Kenny Smith and Jeremi Simon-Kinnaman from the indie rock band, "Schools" and writes about another up and coming band, "Buffalo Rodeo." Fehrman digs in deep and really gives the reader sharp insight of what's happening in the Bowling Green Music Scene and how it involved to where it is today. Fehrman even conducts a phone interview with John Carperter, the famous horror film movie director who lives in Hollywood who is originally from Bowling Green. Fehrman reveals that Carpenter is also a musician of many sorts.
    Here's the author's bio from is web-site: "Fehrman is a Ph.D. student in Yale’s English department and a freelance writer. He’s written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, and Slate, among others, and been interviewed on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered. (You can find a full archive of his work here.) He’s also working on a book about presidents and their books — and, more broadly, about how, when, and why we started expecting politicians to write books.
    Fehrman grew up in Dillsboro, Indiana, and graduated from the University of Southern Indiana in 2007, majoring in English literature and psychology. Both Yale and Connecticut represent new experiences for him, but, so far, they’ve been good ones. According to Fehrman, he's married to a beautiful and understanding woman named Candice, who works as a book editor in Fairfield, Connecticut."

    I give Fehrman's Kindle single, five stars.  It's an awesome read and spot on regarding the ins and outs about Cage The Elephant and the Bowling Green Music Scene. To download his book, go to Amazon.com here at http://www.amazon.com/Home-Grown-Elephant-Making-Modern-ebook/dp/B00G2N4JCE/ Also, to view Fehrman's web-site, go to http://craigfehrman.com/

Bowling Green, Ky's., Mariah's Restaurant And Legends Sports Bar Has A Touch Of Hollywood

     One of our favorite restaurants and sports bars in Southcentral Kentucky is "Mariah's Restaurant and Legends Sports Bar" located in downtown Bowling Green.  Mariah's claims to be the oldest brick house in Bowling Green built in 1818 and it's

located at 801 State St. in the downtown area.  Their motto is "Creative cuisine in a casual atmosphere." You can usually find my wife, Patty, and I sitting at a table in Legends Sports Bar on a Friday night enjoying the Happy Hours specials and delicious menu items such at the BBQ Grilled chicken sandwich along with a side item of fruit.  Also, you usually find our favorite head bartender, Bryan Graves, who just so happens to be co-founder of the Starry Nights Music and Arts Festival along with brothers, Matt and Brad Shultz of the internationally known alternative rock band and RCA recording artists, "Cage The Elephant."  Bryan is also involved in other aspects of the Bowling Green Music Scene by managing a local, up and coming  alternative rock band called "Buffalo Rodeo."

     While sitting at the bar several months back, I was admiring the beautiful, antique wood structure with the adorning columns and large mirrors.  I started asking questions about it and Bryan told me that the bar was removed from a restaurant in Chicago and brought to Bowling Green after Mariah's almost burned down back sometime in the 90's.  After they remodeled the restaurant and installed the antique bar in Legends, it has been a talking piece among patrons and bartenders ever since.  Bryan pulled out his cell phone and showed me a picture where the bar is in the background of a scene of a movie that came out in 1990 called, "Mr. Destiny" starring James Belushi and Michael Cain.  In the picture that Bryan showed me, Belushi is sitting at the bar talking to Cain who is acting as a bartender. Needless to say, I was intrigued by the photo.  So now we have another Hollywood connection besides horror film director and producer, John Carpenter, who is from Bowling Green.  If you ever make it down to Mariah's, check out the beautiful antique wood structure in Legends Sports Bar.  You won't be disappointed and you'll also love the painted murals of Western Kentucky University sports scenes on the wall.

Cage The Elephant's "Secret Show" At Bowling Green, Ky's TidballsTonight

Home of The BG Music Scene!

What started out to be a

secret is no longer a secret. Now the "cat is out of the bag" so to speak all over town and the internet. Bowling Green's and RCA Record's Indie Rock sensations, "Cage The Elephant" is playing a show tonight at the world-famous "Tidballs," ground zero for the Bowling Green Music Scene.   Don't ask me for any details because I don't have any.  All I know is that they will be there tonight because Facebook says so.  I just hope that they have some porta-johns on location to accommodate the flood of CTE fans.

L-R, Jared, Brad, Matt, Lincoln, Daniel

Bowling Green's Cage The Elephant and Sleeper Agent Are Ready To Blast Off Again

   Since both of the big name indie rock bands from Southcentral Kentucky have now completed recording their new albums, it will be a double hitter or a double headliner if you will, hopefully bringing more national and world-wide attention to the Bowling Green, Ky., music scene this Fall.
     When Cage The Elephant's and Sleeper Agent's latest albums come out on the RCA record label soon, both bands already have a lot in common.  Both bands are from Bowling Green, they are all friends, they both got their start at the famous local music venue, "Tidballs" and they both have the same Nashville producer, Jay Joyce.
     This will be Cage The Elephant's third album and Sleeper Agent's second.  Both bands toured together during 2010 and 2011 all over the country.  Even Cage The Elephant lead singer, Matt Schultz directed Sleeper Agent's "Get Burned" video which was filmed in an old brothel in downtown Bowling Green.
     However, since Sleeper Agent has a new manager, Missy Worth, the veteran from LA, she hooked them up with producer Eric Bass of Shinedown.  Sleeper Agent recorded three songs with Bass in Charleston, S.C., back in June.  Sleeper Agent also produced one of the songs and Joyce produced and recorded the rest.  Both both bands will be touring extensively all over to promote their new albums according to sources.

 

Bowling Green, Ky.'s National Indie Rock Acts And RCA Records Recording Artists, "Cage The Elephant" and "Sleeper Agent" Featured In Tourism Brochure

     There's a new tourism brochure out that can be picked up at just about any hotel or attraction in Bowling Green and throughout Southcentral Kentucky called "Get Rolling To Bowling Green, Ky."  It's a 26 page leaflet that features all of the popular local and regional attractions as well as restaurants and retail stores and shopping centers in the area.  It also contains a map of Bowling Green and offers some coupons and discounts in the back of the pamphlet.

     Under a section called, "Entertainment Venues," Bowling Green's ground zero for the indie rock scene is listed.  It's called "Tidballs" and just about everybody and anybody who knows anything around the indie rock music scene in Bowling Green has been there to see their favorite band perform.  Here's what it says about the local favorite music venue: "Tidball's, 522 Morris Alley, (270) 793-9958) Open Mon-Sat. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. For over a decade, Tiball's has been Bowling Green's premiere live music venue showcasing bands five nights a week from rock and hip hop to blues and country. Home to national acts Cage The Elephant and Sleeper Agent. Feel like a regular in this fair-priced, neighborhood bar located off Chestnut St. adjacent to the downtown square."

    Also, Tony Smith of the indie rock band, Sleeper Agent, is mentioned in the 2013 edition of the Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky Chamber of Commerce magazine.  In a feature on page 15 called, "Serving in Southcentral Kentucky for a Better Quality of Life," the article mentions Tony's name when he wore the "I Love BG" button during Sleeper Agent's debut national television performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in March of 2012.  You can pick up a free copy of the magazine at the Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky Chamber of Commerce in downtown BG and you can visit the Bowling Green Area Convention Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 352 Three Springs Road in Bowling Green to pick up a copy of the brochure or to find out where to obtain a copy.  You can also visit their web-site at www.visitBGKY.com or call (800) 326-7465.

    

Bowling Green, Ky.'s Buffalo Rodeo's Latest EP, "Home Videos" Takes You For A Wild Ride

     Being a 51 year-old married man with a grown son who is in his mid-twenties and who is now engaged, I find myself struggling at times to try to keep up with the latest trends in the Bowling Green, Ky., indie rock
music scene.
     However, this latest indie rock band from Bowling Green landed right in my lap via Bryan Graves, my friend who is one of the co-founders of the Bowling Green Starry Nights Music + Arts Festival along with brothers Matt and Brad Shultz from Cage The Elephant.  Bryan had instant messaged me on Facebook last week and wanted to know if I would review the latest EP from the young indie rock band called, "Buffalo Rodeo" from our fair city of 60,000 people.  I told him that I would be glad to write a review.  I have been hearing a lot about Buffalo Rodeo for a while now every since they won a spot to play at the Starry Nights Music Festival last September.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrqtUCvAAzI  I didn't get a chance to see them perform then but I did hear that they did an awesome job.  However, I did get a chance to see them perform live at this year's annual "Jambodians Holiday Bash" at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green this past December. I sincerely liked what I saw and heard. My son, Tony Smith and his fiancee', Alex Kandel from Sleeper Agent had told me that were friends with some of the members of the band and that they hang out together every now and then at Tony and Alex's apartment.  Tony and Alex said that they are some pretty cool and talented kids.
      So I took it upon myself to listen to their latest EP called "Home Videos" several times in the truck while working especially driving to and from the smaller towns located around Bowling Green.  Again, I really liked what I heard.  When I listen to something new, I like to hear it several times so that it will soak in.  I always try to get a fresh feel for the music in that regard. When the first track, "Tree Houses" started playing, I thought to myself, "Wow, what a big sound for a such a young band!"  Then I started thinking who they sounded like.  Being a older classic rock guy, who listens to our two local rock stations quite often-D93 and The Point-I am not real knowledgeable in the younger, college age music genre to tell the truth.  Of course, I feel like I know a lot about two of the most successful local indie rock bands to date, "Sleeper Agent" and "Cage The Elephant" especially being a big fan of theirs and all. Not to mention, being a "Rock Dad" to Tony Smith of Sleeper Agent.
    The only band that came to mind immediately while listening to the EP for the first time and that I could compare them with was the Grammy winning Nashville rock band, "Kings Of Leon."  After talking to Tony over dinner at O'Charley's the other night on my birthday and 27th wedding anniversary and I asked his opinion about Buffalo Rodeo since he knows the young musicians personally. He said he thought they sounded more like "Band Of Horses," "My Morning Jacket," "Manchester Orchestral" or a young "Wilco."  But to be completely honest, I think Buffalo Rodeo definitely has their own unique sound too. 
    In a Western Kentucky University College Heights Herald newspaper article that was published Jan. 27, 2012, another Bowling Green rock band member from "Canago," Robbie Neighbors is quoted in the article as saying that he is a pretty big fan of the band, "They have an amazing sounding, self-produced demo that hearkens to the Arcade Fire Sound. Their single has hooks that I'm surprised aren't already in car commercials. They have a sound that is suited for arenas."
    You know, that's what I was kind of thinking.  Their sound seems suited for arenas from listening to their latest EP.  Everyone should check this EP out! The five other songs on the EP are pretty awesome also.  All of the songs run anywhere to four to five minutes long or more.  The other titles of the songs on the EP are called, "Compass," "Remington," "Holly," "The Child In Me," and "My Window."
    In their artist bio page on Reverbnation.com the band described themselves in this fashion,
"Buffalo Rodeo is an indie progressive rock band hailing from the hills of Bowling Green, Ky. We play progressive indie rock with punchy drums, melodic bass riffs, ethereal synth textures, elaborate guitar tones, and addicting vocals. We're influenced by bands like Manchester Orchestra, Portugal. the Man, and our friends from BG Cage the Elephant. We like to play volleyball, hit grounders, ride minibikes, and play music. We don't take ourselves too seriously."
     It also appears that the band just finished up a small "Home Videos" tour with nine dates according to their Facebook page playing Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville, Chicago and venues in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. That's definitely a step in the right direction for new and upcoming band. All they need now is a record deal. If they stay on the track that they are on now, I'm sure it will happen soon for them. Talent, hard work and conviction is what it takes to make it in the record business this day and age.  And it looks like Buffalo Rodeo has all the elements from what I am seeing and hearing.
    If you want to want to see Buffalo Rodeo perform live, it looks like you will have a chance in the near future. They will be playing at the first annual Stucky Music Festival May 17th and 18th at Park Mammoth Resort on Highway Ky. 31-W right off I-65 at the Park City exit.
   Band members include, Nathaniel Davis - Guitar, Zach Prestion - Vocals, Ryan Gilbert - Drums, Patrick Duncan - Bass, Jordan Reynolds - Keys/Vocals. Apparently, this not their first EP or digital EP either. They have several others called, "Wanderers," July 2011, then "Common Cults," May 2012 and "Cargo," September 2012.
   You can check out Buffalo Rodeo on Facebook, Twitter, reverbnation.com/buffalorodeo and buffalrodeo.bandcamp.com

Bowling Green Music Scene Video

This a short little video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T81Z4IS--zUtribute to the Bowling Green Music Scene and it's sonic boom that has been heard around the world these last few years.  With Bowling Green indie rock bands such Cage The Elephant and Sleeper Agent, we have been in the spotlight in the world of rock music featured in national publications such as Rolling Stone, Spin and USA Today among many others as well as videos, video games, movies and talk shows. Thanks to the hundreds of people including BG Classic Rock D93 WDNS, Bowling Green Daily News, "The Amplifier" and the world famous famous BG music venue, "Tidballs" have helped make the Bowling Green Music Scene is what it is today.  Thank you very much to all.  We look forward to 2013 and may the New Year bring many more good fortunes!

Chicago's "Buying Trouble" Will Rock You Hard

     On their Reverbnation page, "Buying Trouble," https://www.reverbnation.com/buyingtrouble a young hard rock band from Chicago claim that they play so loud that they have hearing damage and they play so hard that they bleed sometimes. And that they play with so much emotion that the stage usually isn't big enough. "We freak out to promote freedom. And we hate hip hop.  Long live Hard Loud Rock N' Roll!"     This seems to be the creed of band members Derek Vaden, Mike Dooley and Andy Modaff. Patty and I met the band and their parents when they came down to Bowling Green to attend the Starry Nights Music + Arts Festival at the end of September. They are big fans of Bowling Green's indie rock bands "Cage The Elephant" and "Sleeper Agent." They were really nice kids and their parents were super nice people too.  We really enjoyed meeting them when we all had a late lunch at Cheddar's Restaurant in Bowling Green.  The band autographed an EP which they gave to our son, Tony Smith who is the lead song writer and guitar player as well as a singer for Sleeper Agent, a copy of their EP called "Ok, Whatever"   They also autographed it for Alex Kandel, lead singer for Sleeper Agent.

    A couple of weeks ago, Tony and I listened to the EP on the way to the store.  We listened to three hard rock pounding songs on the EP called, "Shakin'," "Christian Ears & Atheist Tongues" and "Novel America." Tony said that the band "is really good and they need to keep at it."  I thought that they sounded like a combination of the classic rock bands "Kiss,"  "Rush" and "The Black Crows" and that they have a lot of potential for the future.  With much practice and persistence,  I think they might have a chance of getting a record deal one day.  Please check out this young rock band.  Who knows, one day in the future, you may be seeing them on MTV,  VH1 and other music video channels. And you might one day be able to purchase their music at your local record store as well as from other other internet stores such as Amazon.com, eBay, iTunes and MP3.

Here's what they wrote on their Facebook page about themselves. Check it out!

About

Bringin back respect for music acts that play real instruments and try to further themselves as musicians and song writers.

Biography

Buying Trouble is a three piece rock band, hell bent on rocking your brains out. Mike Dooleys full, loud, metal inspired drum beats, routinely resulting in blood, lay out an industrial foundation for the heavy, gut rocking, shell shock of Andy Modaffs blistering bass lines. Derek Vaden screams and wails over it all, and so does his guitar, while trying to thrash around like a shark or something in an attempt to hurt himself. Together their covers, originals, and the occasional one-off songs they improvise on the spot, are a full on assault of the temporal lobe. They just released a 3 song EP and will be recording more soon so enjoy it. Or tell us we suck this is America so it's ok.

Description

your not a rocker till you stop cutting your hair...and start dropping acid - Jim Morrison

Band Interests

chillin, south park, writin music, listneing to slipknot, philosophy, Gigging, going to concerts

Artists We Also Like

Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Cage the Elephant, Slipknot, Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, Nirvana, Cream, The Doors, Humble Pie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Rolling Stones, Soundgarden, ZZ Top, The Who, The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Launched	September 2009
Release Date	9/10/09
Genre	Loud, Hard Rock N' Fuckin Roll
Members	Derek Vaden - Guitar/vocals Mike Dooley - Drums Andy Modaff - Bass/guitar
Hometown	Lisle, Illinois
Record Label	none currently
Influences	Living, Metaphysics, Spacing, new esoteric words, Playing Live Shows
Current Location	Lisle

Contact Info

Website	http://purevolume.com/buyingtrouble
Booking Agent	Derek Vaden 630 362 8875 - buyingtrouble@hotmail.com

An Epic Moment With A New Generation Of Rock Music At Starry Nights

OAKLAND, Ky. _ It hit me suddenly last Saturday night at  Ballance Farms* in Warren County while attending Starry Nights Music and Arts Festival.
     I was standing backstage when I heard the incredible loud roar of the crowd of thousands of people cheering, clapping, yelling and screaming for Bowling Green, Ky's own super-stellar indie rock band, "Cage The Elephant" as they performed their hit song "In One Ear" on the stage.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBXlbw0niUI&feature=relmfu.   Thousands of Cage fans were dazzled by the brights lights that flashed around the stage and showered the young musicians as they performed. The crowd danced, screamed and bounced around as the cacophony of intense rock music boomed into the late September starry night sky.

   I quickly realized that this was an epic moment for the new generation of indie rockers and their fans. Cage The Elephant and Bowling Green resident and founder of Starry Nights, Bryan Graves, had actually pulled it all off, bringing thousands of music lovers and campers to a large farm out in the middle of nowhere.  Starry Nights was held several miles outside of Bowling Green during a beautiful cool night illuminated by  a full moon and many stars!  Curators Matt and Brad Shultz  (Cage The Elephant) and founder Graves along with lots of volunteers and event staff brought music to people of all ages nationally.  Starry Nights has made history with the largest two day musical event to ever take place in Bowling Green and Southcentral Kentucky.
  The Starry Nights weekend officially began for me and Patty on Thursday night.  Since we had been networking on Facebook as band parents for quite a while, we had met several new friends who are fans of Sleeper Agent and Cage The Elephant. Facebook friends from Seattle, Wash.. flew in to Nashville and after checking into rooms at Marriott Courtyard in Bowling Green, called.  We met up with them for drinks and dinner at Double Dogs later that night.  And then on Friday afternoon, we met two family  Facebook friends from Chicago for lunch at Cheddars.  Patty said expect 1 or 50, she had no idea, but it turned out to be 20+ with parents and their rock star hopefuls.  Afterwards they would settle into their rooms at Hilton Garden Inn.  We also hosted  a great friend and photographer from Lexington who was one of the first to photograph Sleeper Agent in "LexScene" magazine.  Tony's godparents, Gay and Bill (also his aunt and Uncle) drove up from Memphis to hear the Sleepers perform for the very first time.
   Backstage underneath the hospitality tent,  a large gathering of  friends and family members  (by invitation only) surrounded the bands. In the crowd,  were band parents, close friends, media and other local band members and friends.  All of these were fans of the Bowling Green music scene, and we we basked in a celebration of the success of these fine musicians.  Of course, my wife, Patty and I were there with our son, Tony, guitarist and vocalist of Sleeper Agent.   It was also great to see Matt and Brad Shultz again from Cage The Elephant as well as Brad's wife, Lindsay.  And course, we greeted and shook hands with Bryan Graves, founder of the festival and complimented his great work. As always there were big hugs and hellos all around and brief conversations with Matt and Brad's parents, Margie and Brad Sr.,  We also met older Shultz brother, Jeremy and met and spoke with lead guitarist Tyler Parrish (another super-cool member of Cage The Elephant).  And what a pleasure to see rock promoter, band producer and good friend of Cage The Elephant and Sleeper Agent, Ryan "Zummy" Zumwalt and wife Laura of Nashville, Tenn.. Of course, it's always great to see and give hugs to the members of  the other Sleepers too, lead singer Alex Kandel, keyboardist Scott Gardner, drummer Justin Wilson, bassist Lee Williams and lead guitarist, Josh Martin. (All the Sleepers are BG residents, attending high school here and Western Kentucky University with exception of Martin from Nashville who joined the band in February 2011).  Also, Sleeper Agent road manager, Nick Hardy of Nashville was very gracious and friendly as always who gave a ride the stage to the backstage area in golf cart when we arrived at the festival.  Before the Sleepers went on stage, Patty and I spoke briefly with  well-known Rock DJ, Tommy Starr from WDNS-FM, D93, in Bowling Green.  Tommy was very cool and apparently is a big fan of Sleeper Agent like he is with a lot of other local bands.  Tommy is a big promoter of the Bowling Green music scene by hosting the former "Home Cookin'" on D93.  He still does a form of the show every afternoon Monday through Friday.
   We were able to see Sleeper Agent and Cage The Elephant perform from the side of the stage as "privileged holders" of backstage passes.  Had we left the back stage area, we would not have been allowed to return.  So we just watched from the sides of the stages and stayed backstage and enjoyed the company of  the family and friends and the members of the bands.  Sleeper Agent played one of their brand new songs that will be on their next album called "Be Brave." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlWepFPoVq4   They will be going into the studio beginning  Nov. 12 for a month in Nashville with producer, Jay Joyce, and the album will be released on the RCA record label.  And supposedly Tony and Alex from Sleeper Agent will be heading to Japan sometime in December to promote their first album, "Celabrasion" which is already being media blitz by RCA/Sony. Apparently, the album has a lot interest and popularity already by the Japanese.  RCA is also Cage The Elephant's new label for the next album too.  They will be going in the studio soon too with Joyce.  Joyce has produce Cage's first two album as well as Sleeper Agent's first album.
    Mainly, it was an incredible night to witness the Bowling Green music scene make history as Starry Nights translated energy and vibe into the minds and memories of thousands of people, young and old, who will remember this night for the rest of their lives.  Patty and I know we will.

*Ballance Farms located on  Louisville Rd on the outskirts of  Bowling Green is also known their country hams that were cured, sold and shipped all nationwide for many years.  It has also been home to Bluegrass music festivals and motocross racing events.

Starry Nights Music + Arts Festival: Bowling Green, Ky., Sept. 28 & 29

BOWLING GREEN, KY. _ Indie Rock invades Southcenteral Kentucky again!  And all eyes in the rock world will be on us! The 2012 Starry Nights Music + Arts Festival http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-as4PLTgHDY will be happening at Ballance Farms on U.S. 31-W several miles outside of Bowling Green, Sept. 28 & 29.  I was able to attend two years ago when it was out on Morgantown Road, northwest of Bowling Green to see indie rock bands Sleeper Agent and Cage The Elephant perform because a friend gave me a press pass from a local political party at the last minute.  Actually, I went to see my son, Tony Smith perform, who is a member of Sleeper Agent. But was I really impressed too when I saw Cage The Elephant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX5OOJ-IdfE&feature=relmfu perform for the first time.

 "This hometown music festival is Cage The Elephant's baby and they will curate Starry Nights again this year. CTE band members which include brothers Matt and Brad Shultz, Lincoln Paris, Daniel Tichenor and Jared Champion, are known to give back to the Bowling Green music scene by curating Starry Nights and helping other local bands get their start in the industry." 

     I had a chance to talk with Bryan Graves, founder of the music festival about a week ago and he said tickets sales are going great and they have festival goers from 32 states so far who plan to attend and as far as away as Australia.  This hometown music festival is Cage The Elephant's baby and they will curate Starry Nights again this year. CTE band members which include brothers Matt and Brad Shultz, Lincoln Paris, Daniel Tichenor and Jared Champion, are known to give back to the Bowling Green music scene by curating Starry Nights and helping other local bands get their start in the industry.  They are responsible for helping Bowling Green's Sleeper Agent get their first recording contract and are currently helping other bands with the same process too.
    However, 15 local band who are not currently on the line-up, have a chance to be voted on by fans to perform at Starry Nights this year.  Starry Nights officials have held five slots for Bowling Green's favorite local acts, but the final decision is up to the fans.  Go to the Starry Night'ss web-site to vote and fans can vote up to five times per band.  Voting will close on Friday, Sept. 7th at 11:59 p.m. CST.  Here's a list of local bands that you can vote for: Billy Swayze, The Black Shades, Buffalo Rodeo, Canago, DroBot, Fair-Weather Kings, Heavy Chase, The Japanese School Girls,  Mahtulu, Opossum Holler, Patson, Rainbow Kitty Kitty, Schools, The Sex Bombs and Technology vs. Horse.
And here is the line-up of the of international and nationally known bands that are already scheduled to perform during  the two day event:  Cage The Elephant (of course!), Sleeper Agent, Portugal The Man, Manchester Orchestra, Mimosa, Justin Townes Earle, The Whigs, Moon Taxi, Jeff  The Bortherhood, Margot and The Nuclear So and So's, Morning Teleportation, Wild Belle, Space Capone, Pujol, The Kingston Springs, Five Knives, Bad Cop and more.  Ticket are $45 and camping is included.

For more information, go to their web-site at http://www.starrynightsfestival.com/

    

Sleeper Agent And Schools At The Whiskey Bent Saloon In Downtown Nashville, Tenn.

     Patty and I drove down to downtown Nashville last Tuesday night, May 8th, along with a couple of friends from the Lexington, Ky., area to see Tony and his band mates from Sleeper Agent perform at The Whiskey Bent Saloon.  We also had a chance to see another up and coming Bowling Green, Ky., based band, "Schools" also perform.
    I always enjoy going to Nashville because when you get downtown, you always feel the history of the place.  The place is really wild and very cool at the same time.  It's kinda like a little New Orleans with a party festive atmosphere in a country funky, twangy sort of way.  Even on a weekday night.  When you are there, you know that this is where country music and its honky tonks all began.  I remember seeing "WW and The Dixie Dance Kings" starring Burt Reynolds as a kid back in the early 70's growing up in Memphis, Tenn., and the film took place in downtown Nashville right on Broadway Avenue where we were Tuesday night.  The movie had scenes from the old Grand Ole Opry, "The Ryman Theater" and the world famous honky tonk bar, "Tootsies" which is all right in that general area.
    I remember in 1984 when I was attending Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., I used to go to Nashville to visit with my fraternity brother and his family.  We drove down Broadway towards the Cumberland River and it was nothing like it is today.  Basically, that part of town seemed dead back then.  Nowadays, it has made a full-fledged comeback and things are very much alive and kicking.  Downtown Nashville on Broadway where the strip is, it's a rockin'!
   It was quite of a quaint setting for Sleeper Agent to be performing.  They are used to performing on much larger stages and venues lately especially after just arriving back from Coachella 2012 Music Fest in Palm Springs, Calif.  They put on a great show regardless. However, they were paid a pretty penny to perform in conjunction with the "Short Mountain Distillery's" grand opening celebration.  Short Mountain was giving out free shots of their new whiskey but I did not drink any because I do not drink hard liquor (anymore.)  The Whiskey Bent Saloon on Broadway seems like a fairly new bar and music venue but it has an old time honky tonk feel too it.  It's a very nice, clean place also.  Check it sometime when you're in downtown Nashville.
   I was able to speak with lead singer, Jeremi Simon-Kinnaman of Schools and he said that they are still searching for a record deal.  I encouraged him and told him that it would probably happen soon.  Those guys are awesome!  Also, Brad Shultz from Cage The Elephant and his wife, Lindsey, attended the show and I enjoyed talking to him and his lovely wife for while.  Brad and I talked about the Bowling Green music scene and how it has grown lately.  I complimented him and told him, "You guys (Cage The Elephant) brought the world to Bowling Green through your music."  Now Sleeper Agent is following in their footsteps and Schools is on their way to do the same too.  What's interesting is that all three bands have a lot of the same interconnections and they all used the famous Nashville based country and rock music producer, Jay Joyce to record and produce all of their albums.

    I would dare say that Tuesday night was one of those Southern, rock music and regional things via way of Bowling Green and Nashville, taking the music world by storm.  However, if that's the case, then we were sitting right in the middle of an eye of a hurricane Tuesday night in downtown Nashville.  And it sure felt like it too!