“F#*% it, I’m tired of waiting. Let’s go.”

The Kickback’s drummer Danny Yost decides he’s spent too much time trying to figure out why sound hasn’t been coming out of his monitor as he and his bandmates try to set up for their show at Sioux Falls JazzFest. He’s ready to play.

Danny jumps on stage and hits his snare drum a couple of times in a frustrated sort of way that makes it seem like he’s spent years dealing with unpredictable bar PA systems and sketchy sound technicians. His brother, Billy Yost, steps up to the microphone, and in a mild voice thanks the crowd for coming before jumping up in the air and coming down hard with a loud first chord to their opening song. The crowd collectively throws their arms in the air and yells, eager for their Dakotan-grown boys to start slinging decibels into their ears. This is the first time they’ve played in Sioux Falls since their New Years Eve show over six months ago, and The Kickback isn’t about to disappoint.

This is, after all, home turf. After the band left South Dakota for Chicago, coming back to the motherland reminds both the fans and the band members that this place is home. “We’re from here; the people here are great,” Billy Yost said before going on stage. “We’re the kids from South Dakota regardless of where we go. For some reason we just can’t turn our backs on this place.”

Now, Billy Yost is about halfway through a hard, catchy riff of a song called “The Crack Up” and looks like he’s ready to burst. The entire band has an energy that is hard to come by these days, and Billy’s feet are always eager to leave the ground, stomping and sliding about the stage like he’s playing on fire and amplification is the only way to beat back the flames.

The crowd seems to appreciate the sentiment. They’re drawn into the noise like the moths that flutter around the stage lights, swarming to the heat of the tube amps and the sound of Zachariah Verdoorn’s bass lines that swell throughout the July night. Danny Yost disregards the faulty speakers next to his drum set and hammers down hard, nodding along to the music. Unfortunately, just as The Kickback gets the audience members right where they want them, they’re forced to finish their set amidst the festival’s firework show that announces the closing of another year of JazzFest.

But the band hasn’t finished.

“Alright, guys, thanks again for coming out,” Billy Yost announces over the roars and whistling. “Let’s take this thing to Club David. We’ll see you all there.”

The mob of fans stumble across Sioux Falls to the club after Danny Yost commandeered a drum kit from local band Harriet Tweed. The Kickback sets up for round two, stabbing their next set deep into the early hours of the morning. The newer members of the band, guitarist Tyler Zee and jack-of-all-trades Peter Alexander get a chance to prove themselves once again at the bar that helped give rise to The Kickback.

Even after playing a full set at JazzFest, the band digs deep and keeps the momentum rolling hard into the tightly packed dance floor as they launch into their opening songs. They skid around the stage, all of them slicked with sweat and swinging their guitars around in the air, narrowly missing each other and the audience members. About halfway through the show, everybody switches instruments willy-nilly-musical-chairs style and starts playing cover songs, even going so far as to play a punked out version of Brittney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time” to a crowd that would have been just as happy to hear them play an electrified rendition of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

But Club David, too, can’t handle the energy Billy Yost and friends are capable of pushing through their amps. Just after 2 a.m., as the band catapults into “Crawl, Crawl,” bar management flicks on the lights and shuts down the soundboard. They send patrons and musicians alike sprawling out the door, and even though it’s 70 degrees outside, it feels frigid compared to the heat generated by dancing bodies and the relentless band that was inside the venue.

Most people found rides home in taxis or on bicycle handlebars, but The Kickback can’t be tied down to the one thing that could slow the speed at which its musicians exist:

Sleep.

After playing two full sets, they still showed no signs of slowing down whatsoever, ending up at a nearby after-party until sometime around 4:30 a.m., catching up with friends they hadn’t seen in awhile, doing interviews with a late night reporter and waiting for the sun to crest the east horizon.

Few bands have the ability to play with such vigor, and if you’ve never seen them on stage, you probably wouldn’t guess it. Offstage, they’re all a bunch of mild mannered Clark Kents: Billy Yost works as a substitute teacher. Danny Yost walks dogs. Zachariah Verdoorn works at a Guitar Center. Peter Alexander writes jingles for ads and sometimes works as a studio musician. Both he and Tyler Zee are Chicago natives, and were haphazardly found on Craigslist after the band started looking for new members.

They are all surprisingly soft-spoken when offstage, not cast in the same self-centered mold that you might expect from a band that’s starting to attract so much attention. No, these boys earn their stripes the way rock and roll intended them to—playing edgy riffs faster than speeding bullets, delivering bass beats more powerful than locomotives, and leaping over tall expectations with every wild-eyed show they play.

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If you turned around and left the Main Stage, made your way through the minefield of lawn chairs, past the beer garden and the people smuggling in flasks, down the walkway riddled with women in skimpy festival clothing, and found yourself under the Second Stage tent, you saw that JazzFest’s sideshow is still alive and thriving.

During the July 15-17 weekend, impressive performances from the likes of Marcia Ball and Los Lobos graced the Main Stage, but the music that was played on JazzFest’s underbelly was the reason for many people heading to Yankton Trail Park the past few days. Though bands like Pasque deserved a much bigger crowd with their soul-stained lyrics and homegrown guitar melodies, Thursday’s Second Stage shows stuck out as a solid omen for the following two days of music.

By the time We All Have Hooks for Hands took the stage on Friday, the crowd under the tent had worked its way into a sizeable mob that pressed toward the stage. The band took off in their set with duel drummers Isaac Show and Tory Stollen battling off against each other, bouncing through their set with their quirky-rock sound. Despite some sound problems, frontman Eli Show was pleased about the performance.

“It was fun, a lot of people came out,” he said. “The sound wasn’t the greatest, but it was fun as hell though. We had a great time.”

When Soulcrate Music came on later that night, the audience was eager for their next fix of amplification. After they went on stage around 11 p.m., Attention Def, Dirt Dee and DJ Absolute controlled the crowd. People shouted Soulcrate’s name in unison, jumping and waving their fists to “Rap Music from the Middle of Nowhere” and “Novocaine Rain.”

At one point during their set, an audience member went so far as to spray a fire extinguisher over the audience and stage, further perpetuating the intensity of the show, forcing police officers to jump onstage and pull flashlights from their shorts’ pockets in an attempt to shine intimidation and sense into the crowds’ eyes, eventually shutting the show down early.

“It was pretty punk rock,” Hooks for Hands’ Eli Show said. “I haven’t seen anyone get shut down by the cops like that since basement shows. It was crazy. It sucks it had to happen like that, but it does make it kind of funny.”

Saturday, after some ominous looking skies and a little rain, The Kickback took the stage as the final act on Second Stage for JazzFest 2010. Like We All Have Hooks for Hands, the band had some initial sound problems, but still barreled through their set with an explosiveness that carried the whole audience, who had no doubt spent a significant amount of the JazzFest weekend fighting off early-morning headaches and sleep deprivation. By the end of the weekend, after being sustained almost entirely on corndogs, funnel cakes and beer, the crowd appreciated the shock of energy that Kickback guitar player and vocalist Billy Yost can deliver.

Much like Soulcrate, The Kickback had the audience swaying and jumping all around the stage. And while there were no fire extinguisher incidents or mustached cops in Bermuda shorts to keep things lively, hordes of fans were fighting and squeezing their way to the front of the stage.

“I think people really made an effort to come out,” Yost said. “There are a lot of good bands around, and it means a lot that we had so much support. I can’t complain.”

Throughout the weekend, spectators at Second Stage could hear Los Lonely Boys or Corey Stevens playing in the distance, and, after all, jazz and blues is what the festival has always been about. But there is something to be said for the people who make it down to Second Stage in support of local music: the wild ones who start mosh pits, the 14 year-old kids who smoke cigarettes trying to look cool, the sight-stumbling middle-aged adults, and other such hallmarks that JazzFest lets slide for a couple of Midwestern nights, are the reasons we are reminded that Sioux Falls always has some life left in it.

Photos of Soulcrate at JazzFest on Friday, July 16. Taken by Steve Brua

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On May 28, Soulcrate Music hosted a summer kick-off show at the Lie’Brary Bar in Sioux Falls.

The local rap group brought on the help of Prof and Rahzwell from Minneapolis and Midwest Blessed with Adapt from Sioux Falls to help open the show.

Post photographer, John Nelson, was there to capture all the great moments. Check them out below.

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Jeremy Burckhard, 23, Jack Kilstrom, 15, and Spencer Raap, 11,  had never played together before last weekend.

But, for 48 hours, they formed Valömilsk.

Valömilsk, along with four other bands, competed in the 5th Annual Battle of the Two Day Bands competition this weekend in Aberdeen.

Hosted by Red Rooster Coffee House, the event began with a group of musicians and vocalists of all ages (from 11 to 53) and abilities. These creatives were randomly grouped together to form bands of three or four members on Friday evening and then tasked with performing on Sunday afternoon.

And by the way, there were several stipulations for their performances which were also judged.

The bands had to “creatively” incorporate two words that they drew out of a hat into their performance. For example, if the word “hat” is drawn the band could include that word in a song lyric or the band could all wear hats.

Each band also picked one item out of a box. They had to use it as inspiration for for the band’s name and as part of their stage performance.

They then picked a CD with recordings of random cover songs on it. They had to play one (or a medley of more than one) as part of their three song set. Each band also wrote a song title to give to another band, which was to be used as a muse for one of two original songs.

That’s a lot to to follow and, from a non-musician perspective, it seemed difficult. On top of all of that, this needs to be done in less than 48 hours.

One would think that all of these guidelines would be very difficult to deal with and actually hinder creativity. Valömilsk, the 2010 Battle of the Two Day Bands champion, says the affect is quite the opposite.

“I think it’s actually easier with all the guidelines. Without them it would be like playing soccer without any boundaries or rules … people would be all over the place not knowing what to do or what direction to go”, Burckhard said.

Though they were given all of this direction they felt like there was still plenty of room for them to be completely original and creative. In fact, they felt like they were better able to focus on that aspect of their performance because of the guidelines they had to follow. They had a path to go down. They just had to find their own way.

While Burckhard (guitar, drums) had been involved in the competition before, Kilstrom (cello, guitar, piano) and Raap (guitar) were newbies.
It would make sense to assume that once these guys found out who was in their group they would immediately find a rehearsal space and spend the next day and a half in a routine of minimal sleep and nearly non-stop practice attempting to craft the best possible performance in adherence with all of the rules.

Not the case.

“We only practiced for probably five hours or so. I was pretty surprised at how easy it came for us. I was expecting it to be a lot more difficult, ” Kilstrom said.

This isn’t necessarily a common theme and Valömilsk attributes a lot of this to just the luck of the draw. Everyone has different capabilities and personalities so you never know how you’ll mesh.

“We just clicked really well. We had a really easy time working together,” added Rapp.

The band picked a piece of candy called Valomilk as their item. Obviously this was the influence for their name. It was also creatively incorporated into their performance.

They drew the words butterfly, tourniquet, and crankcase. They didn’t have much trouble working these into their performance. “Butterfly” was used in a lyric. Burckhard told a story to the crowd in between songs about an incident (which I’m told was true) that required a “tourniquet”. Then they all yelled “crankcase!” as they toasted a bite of Valomilk to cap off their set.

“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gainer was their cover song of choice. This is no doubt a classic tune and they had a great time with it, but they said it was actually easier to write and learn their original songs.

Thanks to another band in the competition, one of the Valömilsk originals was titled “Anti-gravity Propulsion at the Old Folks Home”.

“Well, it really didn’t make much sense, but basically it was about anti-gravity propulsion at the old folks home,” said Kilstrom with a smile. His bandmates credit him with writing that one.

Burckhard, Kilstrom and Raap all agree that they had a great time with the whole event and plan to be back again next year.

Though this is the fifth year of the event, this was my first time attending. To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Above all, I can say without any doubt, that the musicians along with the crowd had a great time. The nature of the contest lends itself to some pretty “rough around the edges” performances, but it’s very easy to see the talents and creativity of the musicians and vocalists shine through. It’s inspiring, even. It’s an event that encourages creative, talented people to get together in the common interest of creating something original and entertaining. Though it is technically a competition, it doesn’t really feel like that. The musicians were there to challenge themselves and put on a great show and the crowd was there to enjoy the fruits of some talented folks.
Both groups got what they wanted.
Photo: Battle of the Two Day Bands champions Valömilsk – Jeremy Burckhard, Jack Kilstron, Spencer Raap. (Matt Reich/The Post.)

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Released on April 6, A Noisy World marks Avian Sunrise’s second EP. The five-piece settled in to Black Lodge Studios in Eudora, Kan., to record a stunning piece of work that sets a new high for the band.

The album begins with the title track, a minute-long intro filled with slow instruments and one simple line: “Sleep’s not coming so easily; it’s been so hard to find in such a noisy world.” It’s a perfect beginning and a calm foreword to “Fear No More”, a more up-tempo yet smooth track.

“What You Deserve” is a lullaby-esque track with emotional lyrics and soft rhythms. It exemplifies the powerful movement behind the entire album and moves gently in to “Set You Free”, a standout track on the record. Though still offering the piano element that sets the band apart, the track also lets the drum and guitar aspects of the group shine through.

The fifth track, titled “The Loved,” presents a more personal look into the band’s music, and more specifically, their relationship with God. I wouldn’t go as far to say that this album is a “worship” type of album, but it’s evident that religion has an affect on the members’ attitudes and influences. The middle of the track offers a great example of the musicians’ ability to create solid music together as it contains two minutes of intricate instrumentals, which continue throughout the rest of the track with very little vocals.

“Alive” starts as one of the slower tracks on the album, but picks up pace and energy towards the chorus. Though it doesn’t offer a standout moment on the record, it’s in a great position before “Brightest Day”, another prominent track. Offering an energetic end to the EP, the track illustrates a classic Avian Sunrise sound. It leaves a very tasty end to a great album.

The total running time of the album is less than 30 minutes but offers a solid amount of piano-driven, pop-rock perfection. The Vermillion-locals clearly know how to write inspiring music that appeals to fans of bands like Quietdrive, Switchfoot and Brighten. A Noisy World is only Avian’s second EP, making it evident that these guys not only know how to make excellent music, but they’ll be doing it for a very long time.

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You no longer have an excuse to be bored in Sioux Falls: The Post is your link to great events within the next week. Check below for a short calendar. We hope to see your faces and some great art, music and benefit events.

Friday, March 5
5 pm: Emerging Artists Showcase opening at Rug and Relic. Free – All Ages.

6 pm: Drawntown art gallery opening at Ipso Gallery. Free – All Ages.

9 pm: Trey Lane “All Things Considered” Tour Kickoff at Nutty’s North with Adapt, Kool Taj, Maniac and Grayline. Hosted by V the Noble One. $8 – 21+

9 pm: DJ Royski’s Benefit for Haiti at Club David. The red carpet event include “The Reistroffer Design Photo Booth” and “Battle For The Arts” exhibition on stage with a live artwork auction. Guests who wear Red and White will get free entry to the Club. A suggested $3 door cover will be asked of guests not wearing red and white.

Saturday, March 6
8 pm: Down and Above at Rookies Sports and Music Theater. Free – 21+

8:30 pm: The Giving Tree Band at Latitude 44 Music Bar. $6 – 21+

9 pm: Snakebeard Jackson farewell show at the Sioux Falls VFW with White Iron Band and Pasque. Pre-party with free kegs at 7 pm. $10 – 21+

9 pm: DJ Royski’s Benefit for Haiti at Club David. The red carpet event include “The Reistroffer Design Photo Booth” and “Battle For The Arts” exhibition on stage with a live artwork auction. Guests who wear Red and White will get free entry to the Club. A suggested $3 door cover will be asked of guests not wearing red and white.

Tuesday, March 9
8:30 pm: An Evening with Michael Vanasek at Latitude 44. $3 – 21+

Thursday, March 12
8 pm: Bonne Finken and the Collective at Club David with Analog Kickin’. $7 – 21+

9 pm : Steve Eager Band at Latitude 44. $5 – 21+

Saturday, March 13
3 pm: Soulcrate Music in-store performance at Best Buy. Free – All Ages

9 pm: Soulcrate Music CD Release show at Club David with Maxilla Blue. Pre-sale tickets are available at Last Stop CD Shops, Ernie November (41^st Street location), or The Collective Efforts Union. $10 – 18+

9 pm: The Evening Rig at Nutty’s North with We Are the Willows and The Tinder Box. 21+

Thursday, March 18
7 pm doors/ 8 pm show: Mason Jennings at the Sioux Falls Orpheum Theatre. All Ages – All Seats Reserved – Tickets available at the Sioux Falls Arena, Ticketmaster, or Jade Presents.

8 pm: A Night in the Box at Latitude 44. $6 – 21+

Friday, March 19
8 pm: Rock 4 Haiti at Nutty’s North with Tennessee Murder Club, In Search of Atlantis, Riders of Mearas, Damn Your Eyes, Touch Me! Touch You! $4 – 21+

8:30 pm: Kris Lager and Jeremiah Weirs Electric Stomp at Latitude 44. $7 – 21+

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I’ll admit it – when it comes to music, I’m a lyrics person.

That’s what always drew me to Soulcrate’s music. If they don’t give you Midwest-based narratives to relate to, they give you a story to immerse yourself in. With their latest album, they didn’t disappoint to present listeners with even more of this characteristic trait.

The Heartland Panic essentially begins with the same format of their last album, Cardboard Cut Outs, as the first minute and then some is pure Corey ‘DJ Absolute’ Gerlach creativity. While the beat featuring signature percussion and horns pulls you in, there’s something different about this album. It’s gritty and gloomy – almost ominous; a feeling the group was probably purposely going for.

Vocally, the Eisenhauer brothers haven’t changed much – but that’s not a bad thing. It’s easy to recognize Dan ‘Dirt Dee’ as he opens the setting to “Let It Shine” and Wes ‘Attn: Def’ when he jumps in 20 seconds later. While the guys have a unique voice to each of them, the similarity strikes in the flow and ease as they bounce back and forth in less of a battle-like approach and more of a co-operative venture.

The album continues with “Evil In It” (easily one of the darkest tracks on the disc), which runs heavy in to “Clouds in My Head” (a slightly more upbeat and jazzy tune). The songs are almost opposites of each other, but pull the same attention with smooth verses and hooks that get stuck in your mind for days.

Up to this point, the album is impressive. But it’s the fourth track, “Electric Heavy Glow”, that completely blows me away. You can tell within the first 20 seconds of hard-hitting percussion and gang vocals screaming ‘ohhhh’ that the song is going to be a hit. The quick tempo and pounding beat carries on throughout the song, begging your head to nod along. The vocals are quick, smooth and intense. You can feel the energy behind each line as the guys step to the front of Midwest hip-hop scene with a pure “we’re here” statement. It’s sure to be a crowd favorite and hit single that will gain them incredible exposure.

Track five, “Keep Hope Dead”, continues the fast-paced energy with a detailed snare entrance and staccato horn sections throughout. The speed finally slows down a bit with “Drop Sound”, a steady track with incredible strings setting the background. The track gives you a ‘waiting on better days’ feel. The chorus alone explains the song nearly perfect with the dragging words: “I listen to the rain drop down – I’m laying around I’m stuck in this town – no need to make a god damn sound – I’m running away from this right now”.

“Old vs Dumb” is the second shining star on this album, but not just for its unique backing music. Absolute’s almost regal entrance to the track is a perfect set up before the bass drum kicks in and the hook is thrown at you. Breaking the first verse in with “knowing it all we live it reckless and dumb – promote definitely doing dumb shit when you’re young,” the track is a statement of the struggle between age brackets and is sure to become an anthem for younger generations. It may not be the first single, but it’s definitely a close second, so it’s no wonder the guys chose to release this song early on 2DopeBoyz as a free download.

Funk takes over as the album transitions in to “Made It Break”. Using lines like “we do the blue collar no king crowned at birth – taught the meaning of the dollar – we get down to work”, the track seems to pay homage to the hard work put in to creating their careers. The jazzy beat continues through “Think About Me”, but the pace slows a bit. Standing as the most relaxed song on the record, the track offers the vocalists a chance to really showcase their range. It’s a smooth song and reminds me of a bar-close anthem – something your friends will be slurring along with at 3 am after an epic night.

“Wake Up” picks up a little speed but continues the slower portion of the album. It also carries the least amount of content than any other track. While the chanting vocals will repeat in your head for days, it doesn’t appear to have a specific verse or chorus. Neither Wes nor Dan go solo and the short track seems to pass quickly. Although it feels like a bit of a filler song, it’s still a good representation of the different material these guys can produce.

Track 13, “Sleep Awake,” carries a steady yet slightly gloomy beat which the Eisenhauers flow easily over top of with low tones that create an even darker tone. I believe the group once compared the album to a “Midwest winter” and that is exactly what this track makes me think of.

The album finally picks up to full pace with the last track, “Learn From It.” Perfectly placed at the end, the song feels like the most personal one on the album. While many of the songs created a statement of emergence, this track creates a statement of permanence. With lines like “I politely refuse to take life so serious – if it’s good it’s great and if it’s bad it’s experience,” it’s evident that this group is only going to continue growing.

The Heartland Panic may not be what you expect, but it’s exactly what you need. Production wise, Cardboard Cut Outs was a great record for South Dakota, but The Heartland Panic is a great record for anywhere. If you want a replica of CCO, I suggest you go play it on repeat because you’re not going to get it in this new one. The stripped-down vocals and dirty funk and jazz inspired beats pay off as the group reaches the next level of musicianship. Knowing how much time and effort has been put in to this release, this one should feel good.

The Heartland Panic is currently available for preorder over at Lethalville. On March 9, the album will be officially released and available on iTunes, Best Buy, FYE, and at Soulcrate’s website. The group also has a busy week coming up to help promote the album. Stay tuned to The Post for more information tomorrow.

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The 2010 Olympic Winter Games begin today, but local Sioux Falls music fans can also get a glimpse of competition right here on The Post.

Local alternative rock group, In Search of Atlantis, went through what we like to call ISOAlympics. I met with the five guys and challenged them five separate games. Each event was scored and totaled to find the winner. Read below to find a more detailed explanation of each game, and watch the video to find out who the winner was.

Part One: Hula Hoops
Each member was given a turn with a hula hoop. They were scored based on how long they could keep the hoop spinning. (First: four points. Second: three points. Third: two points. Fourth and fifth: one point.)

Part Two: Paper Airplanes
Each member was given sheets of blank paper and asked to make an airplane. They were scored based on how far their airplane could go. (First: four points. Second: three points. Third: two points. Fourth and fifth: one point.)

Part Three: Balance Act
Each member had to spin in a chair for five cycles. They then had to balance a book on their head while walking a short distance, around a trashcan, and back. They were scored on how fast their total spinning and walking time was. (First: four points. Second: three points. Third: two points. Fourth and fifth: one point.)

Part Four: Name That Artist
The members were shown ten different photos of lead singers. They had to then name the singer and the band they performed in. Two points were available for each photo. (One point for artist name, one point for band name.)

Part Five: Whipped Cream Bubblegum
Each member was given a pie tin filled with whipped cream. Under the whipped cream was a piece of bubblegum. Without using their hands, they had to find the piece of bubblegum, and blow a bubble. They were scored based on shortest time needed. (First: four points. Second: three points. Third: two points. Fourth and fifth: one point.)

In Search of Atlantis will be playing a show tonight at Senor Weiner with Hands, Onward to Olympas and And The Greatest of These. Doors open at 7:30 pm with music at 8 pm, and costs $7.

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