AUGUST 20-26 , 2015 BRASS RAIL, FLAMINGO NOSEBLEED • PAGE 2 Brass Rail: Best Rock Club Making a Home for Original Rock It’s been eight years since Corey Rader and his What they added was probably the most important THANK YOU business partner John Commorato Jr. threw caution to thing, and that was music. The Rail quickly became the wind and decided to buy the Brass Rail. If you’d the place in town to hear live, original music. seen the Brass Rail back then, you would have thought “There weren’t a lot of places booking bands that FOR YOUR CONTINUED that either Rader and Commorato were crazy or the didn’t play cover songs,” Rader said. “There were a lot wind simply ripped caution from their fists. of bands that wanted a place to play and that wanted to Now they look like seers whose fingers weren’t tour themselves. We gave them a place to play and a SUPPORT OF robbed of prudence by violent gusts place to host their friends from out but were intentionally opened to the of state.” portentous breeze blowing by. Rock bands usually hit the Or maybe it was luck. Or beer. road in vans, going from gig to gig Whatever it was, the Rail quickly earning barely enough money for LIVE became the place to be, and for the gas and even less for food. The Rail past five years the Rail has won the put Fort Wayne on that circuit. Lo- Whammy for Best Rock Club. cal bands would get gigs at the Rail “Naivety,” Rader said when I for out-of-state bands they liked in MUSIC asked him what made him think he exchange for the same courtesy. It’s could run a rock club. “I was drink- a sort of quid pro quo for rockers. ing and listening to music. It’s one “We can get you a show here of those jobs everybody thinks they if you get us a show in your city,” can do or want to do. Neither one of Rader said. “It was very helpful to them was probably true.” have a lot of great local talented mu- Rader and Commorato opened sicians that wanted to put on shows for business June 2, 2007. “The first Corey Rader at unbelievably cheap prices.” day of the smoking ban,” Rader And the Rail has added stabil- said. At first they didn’t do much to the interior. But ity to a chaotic world. that was likely a big part of the appeal for the cultur- “It just made it so it’s more solid,” Rader said. @brassrailfw ally aware crowd that started showing up. “Before that it was weird venues that people had to #brassrailfw “I think we changed what needed to be changed find. It was kind of a pain, but also kind of romantic. and kept what needed to stay,” Rader said. “People You were not sure what burned out warehouse you don’t come here for the décor.” were going to go to on Friday night.” (Mark Hunter) Flamingo Nosebleed: Best Punk Performer Punk Band Leaves ’em Wanting More It didn’t take for Flamingo Nosebleed to establish gotta pick and choose. It’s a small enough city that themselves as the favorite punk band among whatzup you don’t want to over-saturate it.” readers. Since bursting noisily onto the scene in 2009, With a couple of big trips coming in the next the trio has won the Best Punk Performer Whammy few month, the guys have been hitting it pretty hard. five times. They’re got a small tour of Southern California in Maintaining such a loyal following doesn’t come late September, followed by a week of surf and sun in easy. According to Flamingo Nosebleed frontman, Hawaii. Which brings us to rule No. 2: helping other guitarist and vocalist Jake bands find gigs. Emissions, lasting success de- “There’s this band I rives from a combination of like from Italy called the Mang- things: a delicate blend of hide- es, kind of like a big Ramonesy and-seek, reciprocity in gig punk band, and the singer hits hookups and a commitment to me up every six months just grinding the most out of origi- to talk,” Emissions explained, nal, three-chord, ear-ripping “and he’s like ‘I had a weird tunes inspired by his unlikely dream last night that we played heroes. a show together in Hawaii,’ and Emissions, who writes most he’s like ‘I’m going to Hawaii of the group’s songs, said it’s in early October. Can you guys important for a band to be wary of overexposure. It’s go?’ And I’m like yeah, I think we can figure it out.” the old show-biz chestnut that says you should always As for the third Nosebleed key to success, it all leave them wanting more. It’s advice Emissions and starts with the song. When he was growing up, Emis- his bandmates – bassist Phil Nieswander and drummer sions was drawn to the music of Roy Orbison, Buddy Mike Singleton – take to heart. Holly, the Beach Boys and Dick Dale. As a songwrit- “Don’t overplay,” Emissions said. “When you’re er, Emissions relies on the same need for originality a new band, play as much as you possibly can. But that drove his influences. when you actually start getting a little bit of a follow- “Writing your own music is the coolest thing,” he ing, the trick is to play once a month or less. Some- said. “I’d rather write a song some people think sucks times we break that rule, especially if we need to raise than play somebody else’s song. Just trying to push money for a trip or something like that, or if there are my own writing keeps me interested I guess.” (Mark a bunch of cool bands coming through, but you just Hunter) 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com -------------------------------------------------------------August 20, 2015 whatzup Volume 20, Number 3 ormally we use this space to say something witty, or at least mildly interesting, about the issue of whatzup you’re about to read. As you Kat can see, though, there just isn’t a whole lot of space in which to do Bowser thatN this week, and that’s due to the fact that there’s just way too much going on. Live at Saturday, Nov. 21 • 8pm • $25-$40 So instead of trying to describe it all to you in this limited space, we’re just Don Hall’s going to recommend that you take a look at the contents below and then read this Guesthouse GREAT WHITE sucker cover to cover (including the ads) and then maybe grab a calendar and ACOUSTIC SHOW see how many fun things to do it can accommodate. Then go out and actually Pop~rock~blues~Standards do as many of those things that you possibly can while telling the folks you meet Friday & Saturday, aug. 21-22~9pm-12:30am along the way that it was whatzup that made you aware of this very fun things 1313 W. Washington Center Rd., Fort Wayne to do, thank you very much. (260) 489-2524 So whether it’s sampling all the arts Fort Wayne has to offer, enjoying some great music at one of the city’s fine venues, attending a theatrical performance or tak- ing a home and garden tour, we’re here to help you find what appeals to you. It’s up to you to find it, and then go do it. You’re welcome. 2015-2016 SEASON inside the issue The Best Season Ticket Deal Just Got Better! Buy 3 shows Get 1 Free! • readers poll winners OUT & ABOUT ................................ 13 Zep Fest Adding a Touch of AC/DC Buy a pair and save even more* BRASS RAIL.................................................... 2 ROAD NOTEZ ................................. 18 Adult Senior(60+) Student Best Rock Club FLIX ................................................ 20 FLAMINGO NOSEBLEED ............................ 2 Ricki and the Flash First $45 $36 $30 Best Punk Performer SCREEN TIME ...............................20 Second $40 $30 $25 Can the Year in Cinema Be Saved? Maybe • features FARE WARNING ............................ 21 *Mix and match Adult, Senior or Student Harrison Hill Home & Garden Tour TASTE OF THE ARTS .................................4 tickets to make a pair Eats, Arts & Buskers Too CURTAIN CALL ...............................22 Little Women CLINT BLACK...............................................5 Discount good through August 31 Outlasting the Hype ON BOOKS .....................................23 In Defense of a Liberal Education Call 260.745.4364 to order your season tickets or ALL FOR ONE PRODUCTIONS ..................6 New Season, New Digs • calendars Visit all for One online at www.allforonefw.org SIERRA LEONE REFUGEE ALL STARS ..7 Music That Makes You Smile LIVE MUSIC & COMEDY ................13 EMILY ARATA..............................................8 MUSIC/ON THE ROAD ...................18 The Center of Attention ROAD TRIPZ ..................................19 BC FUZZZ ....................................................9 Performances at the PPG ArtsLab Familiar Songs You Won’t Recognize THINGS TO DO ..............................21 300 E. Main Street, Fort Wayne STAGE & DANCE ...........................22 • columns & reviews ART & ARTIFACTS .........................23 SPINS ............................................ 10 Cover by Greg W. Locke Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars cover photo by Sharon Van Etten, Joe Satriani Jay Dickman, page 7 photo by Kisha Bari BACKTRACKS ............................... 10 Bat Boy: The Musical photo on page 8 by Jen Eric Clapton, Slowhand (1977) Poiry-Prough August 20, 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 BROUGHT TO YOU BY: 20 Past 4 and More .............................................................17 Allen Co. Public Library/Rock the Plaza ................................5 all for One productions ...........................................................3 The Alley Sports Bar/Pro Bowl West ................................19 ARCH/Harrison Hill Home and Garden Tour ........................8