The Modern Electric Northcoast Christmas Show at Grog Shop tonight – Thursday, December 22

Raise your voice at the The Modern Electric's Northcoast Christmas show tonight at The Grog Shop. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $6.

Hear the band's latest ditty a "Northcoast Christmas," which the group describes as a song that captures the joys, struggles and triumphs of a Christmas on the Northcoast.

Opening acts include:

• Tom Evanchuck and The Old Money – From acoustic folk tunes to Rock 'n' Roll-infused blues ballads, Tom Evanchuck and band put on a hell of a live show that is sure to get you on your feet and moving on the dance floor. 
• The Ruby Spirit – This spunky indie rock band hails from Toronto, Canada. The five-member group fosters an old-time feel with an exuberance for trippy synth play, ragtime dramatics and mod-era rock orchestrations.  
• The Plastic Hearts – With an intermixing of Americana roots and indie nonchalance, The Plastic Hearts adds an absorbent resonance to the night's eclectic roster of musicians.

The Grog Shop is located at 2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44106.

Show to See: Thursday, Oct. 27 – Nicky English at Grog Shop

Rocker Nicky English will play at Grog Shop on Thursday, October 27, with TS & The Past Haunts (featuring Travis Shettel of Piebald), Aficionado and ME before he migrates southwest from the cold, coming winter to make Southern California his new home.

The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10, purchase in advance here.

The former Posh Army frontman recorded a Live From Bad Racket session earlier this year. Watch Nicky English and band perform "Call You Back."

Live From Bad Racket is an award-winning series produced by Aaron Freeder. 

A Rhythm Report Film – The Great Unsaid: Documented

I know many of you have been waiting for it. And to my patient patrons and Benjamin Barr fans, I present The Great Unsaid: A Documented Tale.

In March 2011, Barr produced and directed a music video to accompany the debut of his musically inclined alter ego Jim Truth's single "The Great Unsaid." The song is the sixth track on the album Caught and Held Fast, which Barr originally released under a different title in 2010 and re-recorded under its new moniker with the help of Bad Racket Recording Studio earlier this year.

Filmed at The Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights and Barr's Ohio City home, The Great Unsaid: A Documented Tale captures the escapades of the crew and cast during the two-day video shoot as well as the director's reflections on the production. The documentary premiered at the music video release party in June. This is the first time it has been released online.

The Great Unsaid: Documented

Run time: 10 minutes, 44 seconds

Produced and directed by Priscilla Tasker of The Rhythm Report and De los angeles Productions 

in association with Benjamin Barr and Failure Films

Standard definition Grog Shop footage shot by Priscilla Tasker

HD Grog Shop footage shot by Eric Leiser, Sian Wright and Len Ganley

Director interview filmed by Sian Wright and Eric Leiser

Watch the music video for Jim Truth's "The Great Unsaid," too.

The Great Unsaid from Benjamin Liar on Vimeo.

Local artist Rob Geer’s last show at Grog Shop signals beginning of new life out West

Written by Priscilla Tasker

Photo courtesy of
Kathleen Grace Kazsmer  

Rob Geer made his final Grog Shop appearance as The Conductor and The Creator Sunday, September 18, before he traverses the nation to settle in Denver, Co., in October. Ever-loyal friends and fans appropriately gathered for a send-off show, which featured Humble Home, who organized the event, and The Lighthouse and The Whaler. 

The indie-folk-inspired rock lineup showcased distinctive talents while keeping with a style of music compatible to the tone Geer set for the evening.

"I loved every second of it. It was a good set of bands. There's always an oddball in the line up but not tonight," Geer told Humble Home's Nick Wise in post-show conversation.

Geer led the night with a six-song set. Waiting in line to enter the venue, I heard the bass and guitars signal the start of the band’s first song – a sound which incited an anxious desire to cut the 10 to 15 people in front of me. I waited patiently. Yet, as if he read my mind, the man ahead of me offered reprieve by holding the door and saying, “You can go ahead.”

Grateful chivalry lives on, I made my way to the stage. Geer’s vocals enveloped the space. Seemingly effortless projection is a talent Geer has honed well – and one of the artistic traits that caught my attention the first time I’d heard him play at Nemeth’s Lounge in Painesville, Ohio, earlier this year. 

Geer was backed by his “Conductor” counterparts, whose soulful flavor enlivens the singer-songwriter's sound. [Watch this video from February 5, 2011 for an extraordinary example of the band's abilities.] Lead guitarist Matthew Augusta and bassist Dan Thompson played a bluesy, soft jazz teaser leading into "It Might Be" and an R&B interlude before "Under Devil's Skin." 

The Lighthouse and The Whaler – Daytrotter Session Download

Illustration by Johnnie Cluney
Source: Daytrotter.com

Earlier this summer, The Lighthouse and The Whaler of Cleveland had the heartening experience of recording at The Horseshack in Rock Island, Ill. for the band's first Daytrotter Session, which was engineered by Patrick Stolley. The result of their visit was four up-lifting tracks recorded straight to tape, converted to MP3 and captured for a lifetime.

The music takes you floating above the shade of life's puffy white clouds. Breezy melodies sweep over syncopated steps – skipping, dancing on the silver lining as the sun bursts through.

The free download of the band's Daytrotter Session includes:

• "The Adriatic Sea"
• "Pioneers" 
• "Venice"
• "White Days"

The Lighthouse and The Whaler performs live Sunday, September 18 – with Rob Geer, Humble Home and Aunt Martha – at Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6 and are available here.