The Chuck Shaffer Picture Show debuts in Cleveland

Virginia's premier rising band, The Chuck Shaffer Picture Show (CSPS), debuted in Cleveland at Peabody's Concert Club this weekend. The alternative rock three-piece band was originally introduced to the Northeast Ohio music scene earlier this year at the FTF Music Conference and Showcase in Kent. Impressed with the band's vivacity and musicianship, local new-wave metal band 3SO invited CSPS to join the roster of 10 progressive metal/rock bands at its headlining show on July 23.

CSPS' unique sound was lighter than the majority of the acts on the predominantly thrash metal and heavy rock lineup. But the band didn't need shredded guitar riffs and screaming vocals to demonstrate its power and talent. The trio's aggressive stage presence was defined by precise instrumentation, persistent percussion and frontman Ryan Johnson's crisp vocals.

Drummer Pat Kenney set it off with a rolling beat before Johnson entered with a celestial guitar melody that lead into a 30-minute rock orchestration. On bass, David Steifel projected the beat from body to instrument, emanating rhythmic bass-lines through the walls. Mid-set, the musicians entranced the audience with seductive pulsations of guitar and bass on their instrumental composition, Mercury. Individually, each musician demonstrated skill. Together, the band created a sound that catapults CSPS into a realm beyond many national touring acts.

CSPS followed up their introduction to Cleveland with a second show at The Outpost with headliner Carina on July 24. The band is touring its home state throughout the rest of the summer. Catch them at Jammin' Java in Vienna, Virginia on Saturday, July 31, or at Sweet Caroline's in Winchester on August 20.

The band's influences include the Deftones, Incubus, and Muse. If you like those bands, or any of the following, you may also enjoy The Chuck Shaffer Picture Show:

• Jimmy Eat World
• Hawthorne Heights
• Taking Back Sunday
• Linkin Park

3SO at Peabody's in Cleveland

F'ing Showboy flops at The Outpost

Set up and soundcheck can tell a lot about a band. At The Outpost on Saturday night, Showboy rolled out a large white bed sheet stating “Fucking Showboy” in black spray paint--a bit obnoxious. The lead vocalist’s sound check was a taunt to the wallflowers in the back of the room. The first song started with a few offbeat wails from the vocalist--confirming my original perception that this would be another band that has something to prove. The “singer” introduced the third song, "FLBJ," and commented that it did not stand for F*** LeBron James. I couldn’t tell one way or the other because the vocalist failed to annunciate any lyrics. After a few generic songs, the band surprised me with a somewhat like-able tune. The accompaniment was clean(er) and I could eek out a melody of sorts. The vocals improved. The band seemed to pull together as the set progressed. Overall, this band has a lot to improve on. I won’t be jumping at the opportunity to see their next show.

Autumn's Fall may rise in the future

Hard rock band Autumn’s Fall’s performance at The Outpost in Kent on Saturday, July 24, was energetic but lacked rigor. The musicianship was decent for the band’s sound. The vocals could use some fine-tuning. The back-up vocals were off key for most of the set, causing lead vocals to suffer at times. They had a humble demeanor albeit portrayed a hard-ass image. The frontman connected with the crowd and laughed it off when he realized he’d incorrectly introduced their second song. (The band should have just played it anyway. It was the third song on their set list.) The hope for this band is in recognizing the mistakes and fixing them in practice. I’m confident they will. I overheard the boys noting errors after tear-down. Overall, Autumn’s Fall had a great sound. I’ll look forward to hearing more from this group in the future.

Maid Myriad - The Outpost, Kent, Ohio

The Drift Effect 2010- DriftCleveland & Lake County Speedway