By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

GDP showcases local rock, hip-hop, electronic acts

Try as I have over the years to consistently promote all aspects of the local music scene, it sometimes can be a difficult job. Convincing people to close their laptops and turn off the television to experience art for themselves, not through an impersonal monitor, is surprisingly tough given the wealth of talent in central Iowa. Human nature tells us that people can take for granted the things that come easy to them, or worse, fear taking risks to try something new.

Neither argument, however, applies when contemplating Friday’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) concert in downtown Des Moines. Seventeen Iowa bands spanning genres as diverse as indie rock, heavy metal, hip-hop, electronic, power-pop and psychedelic will gather at the Hotel Fort Des Moines to peddle their wares. Fourteen groups will play two of the hotel’s ballrooms, while three others will perform a post-fest show at the neighboring Raccoon River Brewing Co. For its organizers, the Greater Des Moines Music Coalition, the third annual GDP is an ideal way to showcase Iowa talent in a festival atmosphere.

“It’s the best up and coming acts and for many of these bands it’s the biggest audience they will play to all year,” said Tim Heaston, treasurer and events and festivals chair for the DMMC. “For us [DMMC] the show is a catalyst for more consistent support of local music.”

For the fans of participating bands like Poison Control Center, The Autumn Project, North of Grand and Leap Year, GDP is an opportunity to see their favorite groups mix it up with other equally talented acts. But for casual onlookers, GDP is a musical buffet that allows curiosity seekers the opportunity to sample an array of genres for one price in one setting. And if you’re not familiar with some or any of the acts slated to play GDP, then perhaps you should be aware that many of them are drawing attention from fans and music industry people outside our city.

For example, this year’s lineup includes SXSW veterans Poison Control Center; Death Ships, one of Alternative Press’s 2007 “100 Bands You Need to Know”; Vibe magazine’s “best Iowa rapper” Young Tripp; one of Spin magazine’s artists of the day, Radio Moscow, fresh off a tour of Europe with an album produced by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach; and Dirty Little Rabbits, featuring Slipknot’s Clown on drums, M. Shawn Crahan. Heaston said this year’s lineup boasts a number of bands that could steal the show.

“Poison Control Center has staying power; it’s a band that our board has always been behind. They consistently make good records and are always touring,” Heaston said. “Radio Moscow does a lot of things well. They fuse blues and garage rock ala the White Stripes. The Death Ships should be recognized on a national scale for what they do, and there’s a lot of buzz right now about the Dirty Little Rabbits’ radio singles that transcend the airwaves of the Des Moines market. I’m excited to hear all of them.”

Heaston said the DMMC hopes GDP would attract at least 1,000 fans. To help boost interest in this year’s event, the non-profit group has added an after-work event starting at 5:30 p.m. featuring drink specials and a post-fest concert by Slaughterhouse 6 (10:30 p.m.), Marcato (11:30 p.m.) and the Horseshoe Spatulas (12:30 a.m.) at Raccoon River Brewing Co. Admission to the post-fest show, which briefly overlaps with GDP, is free with a festival ticket stub and hand stamp, or $5. In addition to the added music, Digital Entertainment Collaborative will be on-hand to film the performances of each band at the hotel, providing them with professional footage the bands can sell as DVDs. Heaston said the DMMC would also post some of the footage on its Web site [www.DesMoinesMC.com].

“We think it’s a great opportunity to bring a lot of bands and fans together for one night,” Heaston said.

The lineup for the 2008 GDP includes:

• State Room — Deified (6 p.m.), Young Tripp (6:45 p.m.), Steve Robinson and the Foundation (7:30 p.m.), Finding the Warren (8:20 p.m.), Only (9:10 p.m.), North of Grand (10:05 p.m.) and Leap Year (11 p.m.).

• Grand Ballroom — The Autumn Project (6:10 p.m.), The Vandon Arms (7 p.m.), Maxilla Blue (7:50 p.m.), Radio Moscow (8:40 p.m.), Death Ships (9:40 p.m.), Dirty Little Rabbits (10:40 p.m.) and Poison Control Center (11:40 p.m.).

Blues Challenge kicks off

The 2008 Iowa Blues Challenge presented by the Central Iowa Blues, Mississippi Valley Blues and Lizard Creek Blues societies kicks off April 10 with the first of three preliminary rounds in which bands across the state compete for the opportunity to represent Iowa in the band competition at the 2009 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn., as well as prizes including cash, studio recording time and festival gigs. Ten bands from Des Moines will compete in two of the rounds, including Midnight Wine, Cold Shot, Avey Brothers, Trouble No More and Kent Burnside & New Generation on April 10 at Zimm’s at 8 p.m. The second round will be held April 17 at 8 p.m. at Blues on Grand and will include Hot Tamale & the Red Hots, Double Clutch, Case of the Blues, The Blues Bureau and The Soul Searchers. A third round to be held in the Quad Cities featuring Eastern Iowa bands will be held April 12 at RIBCO. Each band will perform a 30-minute set and two from Des Moines and one from the Quad Cities will advance to the final round of competition to be held May 17 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines. This year’s contest marks the 15th anniversary of the Iowa Blues Challenge, which is open to any Iowa band that has not been nominated for a Blues Music Award. Visit www.cibs.org.

Now hear this

KFMG 99.1 FM, the non-profit radio station that transmits to a radius of about seven miles from its studios at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, is celebrating its first anniversary with a concert on Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the hotel. The Nadas (unplugged), Lady Blue featuring Tina Haase Findlay and Sam Salomone will perform. Tickets are $30 at the door. Call 473-6001 or visit www.kfmg991.org.

Scene notes

Indie-rocker Alexa Wilkinson makes her Des Moines debut Monday at 7 p.m. at the Flying Mango restaurant, 4345 Hickman Road. Admission, which includes dinner, is $39. Call 255-4111. … Iowa State Fair officials announced that popular contemporary Christian artist Michael W. Smith and radio personality Garrison Keillor are the first of several acts to play the fair this year. Tickets for Smith’s Aug. 7 concert ($25) go on sale April 12 at 10 a.m. and tickets for Keillor’s Aug. 17 show ($25) go on sale April 19 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be sold through Ticketmaster. Tickets will not be available at the fair’s box office until July 7. Though fair officials have yet to confirm their appearance, Pollstar lists a number of other acts to play the fair, including Patty Smyth and Scandal, .38 Special, Eve 6, Shooter Jennings, Charlie Daniels, Tracy Lawrence and Foghat. … The Swingle Singers will play Hoyt Sherman Place on April 20. No, that’s not a typo. The choir, formed in 1962, sings instrumental compositions (don’t ask) and will perform with a handful of singers from five Iowa community colleges. Tickets are $18 through Ticketmaster. … Metro Station, which includes Miley Cyrus’ brother, plays an all-ages show at 4:30 p.m. at the House of Bricks on May 12. Tickets, $13, are on sale now through IowaTix.com. … Dig out your bumblebee costume. Blind Melon plays an 18-and-over show at People’s Court on May 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets, $15, are on sale now through IowaTix.com. … Tickets, $37-$57, are on sale now for Celtic Thunder’s Dec. 14 performance at Wells Fargo Arena. CV

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