THE BEAT: Stardog - On the Ropes - Self-released

By Kevin Oliver

When the sudden news of Stardog guitarist Beau Long’s death spread through the local rock scene last year, it looked like a void had opened up that would be difficult to fill. Long’s proficiency in the kind of 70s/80s arena-ready rock swagger that Stardog excelled at is not something that’s all that common anymore. How would the band soldier on, or would they? 

Turns out that Long had one more fight left in him; his guitar parts for the band’s next album were completed prior to his passing. It is a fitting tribute to their late bandmate that the remaining band members chose to press on and finish what they’d started with Long. 

Four of the six tunes here are new compositions–Long’s last written and played with the rest of the band. There’s the boxing allegory, “The Left Hand,” which equates the sweet science to life lessons learned the hard way. “Lying” brings the Stardog sound into a more swinging 90’s alt-rock direction, more Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots than anything that might have worn spandex tights on stage. It’s also lead singer Artie Joyner’s peak performance, vocally, where he’s just soaring above the music on the chorus, yet emotive and restrained in the verses when he needs to be. 

 “All Time High,” with an insistent tempo driven by rock solid drummer Scott Mark King and a chorus that invites fist pumping and singing along, is typical of the band’s strengths–taking something that in lesser hands might be considered dated and cheesy and making it sound fresh and exciting all over again.  

The other thing that Stardog does well is create the kind of songs that make you think you’ve heard them before. “Nobody’s Sleeping” is one of two older songs included on this new release, It opens the proceedings with a not-so-subtle Van Halen style arrangement; stick around for the scorching Beau Long guitar solo–it’s worth the wait. “Lemonade Girl” is built on a riff and chord progression that’s naggingly familiar (I have my suspicions, but I’ll let you figure it out for yourself) before the full band kicks in for yet another great singalong chorus.

There is no pretense or artifice in the music Stardog plays, nor has there ever been. The band’s signature style is pure unadulterated over the top FM rock grandiosity, and here they deliver it like they are playing for the kids in the cheap nosebleed seats, lighters raised for an encore.

THE BEAT: Local All-Star Ramones Tribute Show by Kevin Oliver

Although the Ramones disbanded in 1996 after a 20-year run of albums and legendary live shows, the New York punk band’s influence remains strong. It was that legacy which led bassist Jason Carrion of Isabelle’s Gift to choose their music to pay tribute to in this coming Saturday night’s all-star tribute show at the Art Bar. This isn’t just any tribute act, however. Carrion has enlisted a “Who’s Who” list of local musical luminaries to play and sing together in a rotating cast that will present Ramones tunes from the familiar to the more obscure deep cuts.

“This whole thing grew out of my desire to see more of my music friends that I’d been missing the last couple years because of Covid,” Carrion says. “I had lunch with Jay Matheson (of the Jam Room and multiple local bands), and he was on board immediately, as were the people at the Art Bar.” 

The calls to other musicians came next, and Carrion says almost everyone said ‘yes.’ Logistically the preparations have been tricky, with several players coming in from other cities and even other states. 

“Jay let us use the Jam Room for practice, and Web Hulon of lowercase gods opened up his place for us too, so we had different combinations practicing different places with different people,” Carrion says. “Brian Vogle, who used to be in Drown Mary with me, is coming from Atlanta to play this show.” 

Other participants include Carrion’s bandmates Chris Sutton and Scott Frey from Isabelle’s Gift, Patti Davis, currently of the Transonics but also from the late great punk band Six Ten Split, among others, Claude Spurlock of Gruzer, Billy Riot of Soda City Riot, members of Brandy and the Butcher, and Jeremy Martin. Carrion’s own son, who usually does hip-hop music, is involved as well. 

It’s a real history of local bands,” Carrion says. “Jay started playing here in the 80’s, Chris and I came out of the 1990s along with Patti, and the Gruzer guys and Soda City Riot are more recent, down to Brandy and the Butcher.” Even the bands of more contemporary vintage include members who have been around the local music scene for years. 

The camaraderie of getting together and rehearsing these songs has been the biggest benefit for everyone, he adds. 

“There are no full bands participating in this as a single unit,” Carrion says. “Everyone is mixed up with people from other bands, some of whom they’ve never played music with before–that’s been the fun part.” 

While everyone was mostly familiar with the songs, there were some choices made on songs and who would sing what. Not everyone can do “I Wanna Be Sedated,” after all, and there were some songs that even the musicians didn’t want to have to learn. 

“Ramones songs are more complex than people realize,” says Web Hulon, who will be singing two of the set’s 18 picks. “One of my favorites got voted down because it would have been too hard to do, but it was Jason’s idea for me to sing ‘Do You Wanna Dance,’ an older song that was a cover when the Ramones did it.” 

Carrion sees this as a confirmation of being into playing live music just for the sake of playing, nothing else, and he’s excited to be playing with a group of musicians who feel the same way.

“I went to see Soda City Riot for the first time a while back, since Travis Nicholson is playing with them and now also with us in Isabelle’s Gift,” He recalls. “They just brought it that night, every part of that band is great–that’s the kind of energy and level of fun we want to bring to this.”  

The Ramones Tribute Show happens Friday, April 15th at the Art Bar, doors open at 8:00 with the show starting at 10. $8 cover, 21+ only.