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LIFE
Dave Lavender: Gear up for X-Fest with upcoming hard-core shows
We're still a couple of months out from X-Fest, but there's a ton of cool, incoming metal shows to scratch that live, hard-core music itch starting tonight.
Buffalo, N.Y.-based hardcore act Dead Hearts brings the noise to the all-ages hotspot, the YWCA, 633 5th Ave., at 7 p.m. Cover is $8 and that show also features Beyond All Hope, Most Ill and We Stand Corrected.
Another bit of news from the Cornzine camp, which put together that show.
Cornzine founder Dana White's band Holden Caulfield has its "last show ever" set for Aug. 30 at the YWCA with Beyond All Hope, Lex Vegas, Smoke & Mirrors Friends, Family and others.
Trash bash with Bobaflex
Back to this weekend, if you're up for a short road trip up to southern Ohio, the Vinton County town of McArthur's Sweet and Easy Campground hosts the Big Starr Trash Bash, two days and nights of blistering metal and hardcore.
Bobaflex headlines an eight-band bill tonight, and on Saturday, there's a dozen bands including headliners Until I Collapse at the campground, which is located at 73545 Ohio 50 East, in McArthur (just a few minutes north of Jackson, Ohio, and about an hour north of Ironton).
Tickets are $20 for both days and includes free camping.
Go online at www.myspace.com/trashybash for more info.
If the outdoor Trash Bash sounds like too much sweating, then you can hit the A/C for some Bobaflex on Wednesday, as they're back in the city at Fluid, 611 4th Ave., with Dope.
Fluid's got a bunch of hardcore shows stacked. Many have six to eight bands on the bill, giving metal fans more than their burger's worth. The biggest incoming show is a Sunday, Aug. 17, visit by Bay Area thrash titans Testament, which is heading out Tuesday for some dates with Judas Priest.
Testament then joins up with Motorhead and Heaven and Hell for the Metal Masters Tour that kicks off Aug. 6 at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, N.J., and wraps up Aug. 31 in Testament's hometown of San Francisco.
The band's new CD, "The Formation of Damnation" debuted at 59 on the Billboard Top 200, giving the band its highest charting release in their 24-year history.
Go online at www.testament legions.com to get a shot.
Moving the mountain
While I was away on vacation, the news came over that National Public Radio will now be distributing our home-grown, internationally known eclectic live music show, "Mountain Stage with Larry Groce."
On the Web at www.npr.org/music, you can click onto Programs and Mountain Stage, and listen to the growing stock of recent shows being added to the site from the weekly, two-hour live performance radio show featuring roots and contemporary, rock, folk, indie, ethnic and country music.
"Mountain Stage" has some great shows coming up.
On July 27, the red-hot country/grassers SteelDrivers are on a diverse bill at the Cultural Center Theatre in Charleston, which also features Amos Lee, Papa Mali, Peter Bradley Adams and Sharon Little.
On Aug. 10, Phish bassist Mike Gordon, who played the All Good Music Festival last weekend, makes a return to the Mountain State and to "Mountain Stage" on a show that also features Vienna Teng, Crooked Still, The Rescues and Carrie Rodriguez.
Both of those shows are only $10.50 in advance -- always an amazing musical deal.
Go online at www.mountainstage.org. Call 800-594-TIXX or stop by the great indie book store and cafe Taylor Books in downtown Charleston for tickets.
Woodsongs hits the 500 show mark
A shout-out to our music loving brethren over in the heart of the bluegrass, Michael Johnathon.
The hardest-thinking troubadour in the business and his volunteer-run show WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour recorded on Mondays in Lexington, Ky., celebrate its 500th show on Monday, Sept. 15.
Tickets are on sale for the show at the beautiful Kentucky Theatre in downtown Lexington.
Special guest is longtime folk friend Richie Havens, who opened the Woodstock Festival in 1969. His performance received continuous ovations and he kept playing encores until he ran out of songs. Finally, he decided to improvise a version of "Motherless Child;" the song was featured in the Woodstock film and became an international hit.
The 500th broadcast will be a special event fundraiser for the broadcast. There will be a wine and beer cash bar, plus food in the lobby and the release of the WoodSongs Souvenir Program that will include the new "Best of WoodSongs, Volume II" CD, given free to every ticket holder that night. Tickets are $30 each and available at the Kentucky Theater box office only.
Go online at www.woodsongs.com for more info.
Contest is blowing in the wind
Calling all harmonica players, a reminder here that The Harmonica Club of Huntington is hosting the 2nd annual West Virginia Harmonica Championship at Pullman Square at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, as the last event of the 4th annual Hotdog Festival.
First prize is $200, second prize $100, and third prize, $50.
Last year, 13 people from Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia competed in the event.
You can read about and listen to last year's event at www.theharmonicaclub.com. You may register the day of the event or pre-register at www.theharmonicaclub.com, or mail entries to The Harmonica Club, c/o Jim Rumbaugh, 722 22nd St. W, Huntington, WV 25704.
You can learn more about the 4th annual Hotdog Festival at www.wvhotdogfestival.com.
Dave Lavender writes about music and other entertainment for The Herald-Dispatch. Contact him at 304-526-6686 or at lavender@herald- dispatch.com.
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J. Chris Newberg 
First Friday and Second Look Saturday 
Lions Arts and Crafts Show 
"The Nutcracker" 
Christmas Tour of Homes 
2nd annual Holiday Candlelight Tour 
Marshall Artists Series: "Wizard of Oz" 
16th annual Joy to the World Holiday Concert 
"Cowboy" Bill Martin 
