Rough Mix

ART ROCK Local singer-songwriters Matt Durfee and Matthew Loiacono are in the planning stages for heARTS, a one-of-a-kind event that, they hope, will turn into a series of one-of-a-kind events. The two performers have enlisted visual artists Ben Suhr and Jason Antonelli to illustrate 15 of their song titles on 3-by-5 inch note cards—“song cards.” On June 20, the Matthews convene for a show at Bread and Jam Café in Cohoes, at which audience members will pick the cards from a bucket to determine the setlist for the evening. Suhr and Antonelli will also have their work on display at the café for the month following the performance, and audience members will get to keep the song cards as souvenirs. Durfee and Loiacono hope to expand this concept to include other artists and performers over coming months. Visit myspace.com/mattdurfee for more on the heARTS show and, possibly, series.

Loiacono also has a great new collection of songs out called Penny Riddle. In the multi-instrumentalist’s apparent attempt to out-short Princess Mabel’s recent disc, Riddle features eight one-minute songs, four of which can be heard at myspace.com/matthewloiacono.

CITIZENS ON PATROL Metroland-endorsed metal soldiers Empire State Troopers are back in action with a brand new disc and East Coast tour. Turn Lights Out is the Troopers’ first full-length release, produced by Sebadoh/Fiery Furnaces man Jason Loewenstein. Released this week, Lights is a brisk blast of Sabbath- and Motorhead-influenced hard rock, led by Kelly Murphy’s primal howl. The band head out on the prowl for a 10-day tour starting tonight; they’ll be at Café Cabaret in Glens Falls on Monday. Check out empirestatetroopers.com for tour dates or to order the new CD.

A BIG DEAL Carl Schultz, bass player and singer for local progressive rock band Elf Project, reported this week that his band has signed a deal with Georgia label 10T Records. The label is home to a growing roster of prog, experimental, and contemporary Christian acts, with an eye on a wider range of styles. Elf Project, which features Israel Stark on guitar and Dave Wayne on drums, will have their new release, Mirage, distributed by 10T beginning June 23, with a street date (they still have those?) of July 21. Find out about Mirage at 10trecords.com.

THE BIG PICTURE You read about Flame, the Johnstown band made up of people with disabilities, here in Metroland a few years ago (“Making a Connection,” Listen Here, June 21, 2007). Now the band have announced a deal with Washington, D.C.-based Interface Media Group (IMG) to produce a documentary film about the band. The film will focus on “the band members in their daily lives, their rise to national prominence, and the agency, Lexington, that makes it all possible.” I’m not in the business of speculation, but I’d say it’s a safe bet we’ll be hearing a lot more over the next few years. Learn more about the band at flametheband.com.

CLINICALLY IMPRESSED If you’re the type of reader who enjoys parsing pages upon pages of event listings, you’ll really like our Summer Guide, coming in next week’s issue. The Metroland gnomes are busy compiling the June-September schedules for most area venues and concert series, and from what they tell me they’ve seen it’s going to be a good summer. Though there are a few notable absences (no more Monday Nights in the Park, and the Empire State Plaza has cut way back on its live schedule), the gaps are being filled elsewhere. Tune in next week, same bat time, et cetera, for all the details.

—John Brodeur

Let us know about local-music news and happenings for inclusion in Rough Mix: E-mail tips and information to tigerpop1@yahoo.com or metroland@metroland.net.