Broad Ripple Gazette vol 9, no 3

 first published in the Broad Ripple Gazette

Welcome Super Bowl visitors – we’re happy to have you visiting our fine Village. You’ll find plenty of music, shopping, and restaurants for all tastes. 

Grab an official Broad Ripple Celebration Site program to get the scoop on the concerts and festivities.

And for those of you that will still be around after February 5^th, there are some great shows on the horizon.

Five Year Mission CD release, The Shake Weights, The Innocent Boys
Friday, February 10, 2012
Locals Only
2449 E. 56^th Street
21+, 8:00 pm, $5.00

Five Year Mission fascinates me. The band is more than just a nerdy gimmick: they are five established musicians, who are unabashed Star Trek nerds. They are writing a song for every episode of Star Trek. Yep, you read that right. They are celebrating the release of their second record, which covers the second sixteen episodes in the series.

Their songs are clever and catchy. You don’t have to be a fan of the series to enjoy the music, in fact I’ve even seen an episode of Star Trek (hold the calls and letters, some of my best friends are Trekkies, between not watching television as a kid and not having cable, I’m out of the SciFi loop), but really dig the band.

Speaking of slightly nerdy, The Shake Weights are Mike “Shimmercore” Contreras and Tom Breedlove, friends since their junior-high school days in the 1980s. You will recognize Mike from his other musical projects, Red Light Driver, Pop Lolita, and the United States Army band and you’ve seen Tom on the comedy circuit. They put it all together creating a punk/comedy sound.

The Innocent Boys play a mash-up of punk, bluegrass, and swing for a sound that is all their own.

This show will have something for everyone, and everyone is welcome at Locals Only. The venue offers a nice mix of table and bar area, with room for those of us that like to stand. The food is great, with healthy choices on the menu. Be sure and try Robin’s More Salsa, it is delightful. The beer selection is deep and they have a full bar. What more could you ask for?

http://fiveyearmission.net
http://localsonlyindy.com

Victor Villarreal, Meryll, Heavy Hometown
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Melody Inn
3826 North Illinois Street
21+, $5.00, doors at 8:00, show at 9:00

Legendary guitarist, Victor Villarreal (Joan of Arc) will pop in to the Melody Inn during his ambitious 23 city tour. He is celebrating his first solo proper full-length record, Invisible Cinema. 

Often credited as a pioneer of modern indie rock through his work with Cap'n Jazz, Owls, Ghosts & Vodka, and more recently, Joan of Arc, Victor’s solo venture is full of excellent, but unpretentious record. Elements of classical and Spanish guitar, as well as indie and metal are all present in this diverse batch of songs. I’m sure his concert will feature all of those songs and more. 

The Melody Inn has been around since your grandparent’s era. The Melody Inn is one of the oldest bars in Indianapolis (est. 1935). The vinyl booths are from the old Teepee Restaurant and the oak bar is the original.  It’s a great place to kick back and relax. 

www.melodyindy.com