Drink Up Buttercup; Talent Abounds

No secret, I fucking love this group. My first impression back in May of 07 has not wavered. They are young, fresh, talented, and eager to venture into all creative realms. I like that they are true to themselves with a creative vision for their future. The unbridled energy they bring to the stage extends to other projects. They are in charge! Below is a music video for their UK single “Mr. Pie Eyes,” directed by Virgil F. Cardamone, which is a crazy comic book kidnapping heist and slapstick Russian roulette splashed with graphic zing.

"Mr. Pie Eyes"

I’ve been following two of their member’s videos and side projects. I’m hooked on Farzad’s (Captain Dum Dum) campy pop video called “Fever." Mike Cammarata, Drinkup’s youngest member is quite the thespian. His side project Yemen is a team effort partnered with Yoski Arocki is crazy as it gets. "Broccoli" Video.

Go to Drink Up Buttercup's MySpace site to hear the brand new “Young Ladies” track off LP recorded at American Diamond Recording.

Drink Up Buttercup @ Less Artists –More Condos

Enthusiastic Female Fan Joining Drink Up Buttercup on stage

I love alternative venues and the people associated with such endeavors. The line-up Saturday night was coordinated by The Rats of Nimh and presented at Less Artists - More Condos. Booked as an underage show, it has a very grown-up atmosphere. This is a great loft space with comfortable furniture and a nice size area for music. So you can socialize while listening to the music or venture into the closed-off music space and get personal. Perfect!! I specifically wanted my friends to see Drink Up Buttercup. They never disappoint. To me, the highlight was their acoustic set at the end. The audience did a stomp and clap as Drink Up brought forth their marvelous gift of harmony, singing “The Lovers Play Dead.” While they warmly sang, Ben Money made deviant time beating a trash can lid to the floor. My astute and musically credentialed friend described their music with one awesome idiom, “Campfire Metal.” Shit, wish I had come up with that one.  Acoustic Campfire Circle Video, filmed at The Moose in Doylestown, PA
 

Flickr Set Here to keep up to date with all ages events go to Sleep When Dead NYC

Drink Up Buttercup; Piano's Residency

Drink Up Buttercup’s spirited residency at Piano’s began last night. I had to be there. I love this band. What struck me is the gloriously jam-packed uproar they create. Extraordinary harmonies, lyrics, and instrumentation are audible simultaneously. Nothing is sacrificed. Edgy disorder gone right!

I am not the only New Yorker taken with Drink Up. One fan came alone for the sole purpose of embracing the music. She danced, smiled, clapped, and when the band asked if anyone wanted to join in for the song “Gods and Gentleman,” she willingly volunteered. With a trashcan in one hand and a shaker in the other, she banged with complete abandon. I love her!

Others took notice! Go to earfarm for review, pictures, and two uploaded videos and dates.

Catch the Contagious Delight of Drink Up Buttercup! Scroll and view all related posts here!
Flickr Set

Fun Sound of Contagious Delight

Drink up Buttercup does something few bands know how to do. They put on a great show. Headlining at the Cake Shop only makes it better. Their insanely zany acrobatic stage antics mixed with a full-bodied sound of harmonic delight, produced an atmosphere of sensory overdrive.

The garbage can and auxiliary percussion were banged and harmonies fully intact. Involuntary operatic passages and rough bawdy instrumentation all came into play. What emerged is a band worthy of praise.

The crowd was deep in the dank basement of the Cake Shop, comprised of new and recent converts. After the show one newbie on vacation from Dublin, enthusiastically rattled off a list of influences that she felt comprise their sound. She sited, The Beatles (Sgt Pepper), Beach Boys (circa Pet Sounds), The Kinks and punk influence The Clash. It was nice to hear a fresh point of view and one that was so acute.

Drink Up Buttercup’s sound is an experimental melding of the best of various styles. Unbridled and openly, unchecked.

I derive pleasure from content driven songs and music that enhances lyrics. It is very unusual for me to LOVE a band like Drink Up Buttercup. I don’t give a shit about their lyrics. “Sosey and Dosey”, who are they, who cares. They played that song with a one two beat adding the crashing drunken keyboard. The sound broadly grew when the harmonies reached an explosive volume, singing / he held her mittens in his HAND......Every song in their set was delivered with that kind of gusto and bravado.

Accompanying them on stage for their last song “Gods and Gentleman” was the ramshackle audience orchestra, beating any form of percussion they could find. That was the clincher. The crowd craved more and Drink Up abandoned their mics and delivered an acoustic rendition of “The Lovers Play Dead” in the middle of the venue. With their shakers in hand, they included us in their energetic music circle of warmth.

For me, the only downer of the night is when a very beautiful young woman asked me quite sweetly, if I was one of the band members mother. Damn, I might be old but life is short, seeing Drink Up Buttercup is worth my time and yours.

Openers: Trtl soup
Trtl soup combine cool geeky tech mixed with a DIY low-fi attitude that is refreshing. Bass, guitar and drums are interspersed with an audio system of spliced sound frequencies. The bands occasional ranting vocals, stood out in a funny way / girls go to college to gain more knowledge / boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider /. United with the light moments is a socio political edginess and sound assemblages that reflect our subliminal communal consciousness. Interesting Group!

Flickr Set Drink Up
Flickr Set Trtl soup

Obsession Collection: Noteworthy Music News and Dates

Langhorne Slim Has Found a Home!! Langhorne Slim has signed with Kemado Records. The much anticipated self-titled album their fans have been waiting for will be released on April 29th.

Visit their myspace page to listen to two great new tracks.

"Rebel Side of Heaven" and "Diamonds and Gold"
Langhorne Slim myspace Page

Photo credit : the great Crackerfarm

Drink Up Buttercup @ the Cake Shop 1/19/08 Saturday night. You know what I'll be doing!! If you can't catch them tomorrow, they are doing a residency at Piano's during February, on Tuesdays!
Philadelphia Weekly
Drink up Buttercup myspace


Peasant AKA Damien Derose Coffee Shop Series: Starting on January 29th with a creative acoustic lineup at the Cake Shop: Chris Archibald of the band Illinois doing a solo stint, Peasant, and Ben Thornewill of Jukebox the Ghost.
I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be.
Check Peasant's myspace for a complete schedule.

Illinois myspace
Jukebox the Ghost myspace




Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned the new Release The Thing About Time
Looking forward to seeing them again!!

Nice words from My Old Kentucky Blog

myspace site

Drink Up Buttercup

A little treat for all my readers: A video clip of Drink Up Buttercup! They have had quite a year and the New Year looks very bright. They have recently worked with Bill Moriarty the recording engineer for Dr. Dog and Man Man, and have shared some of the new tracks on their myspace site. Their site will make you dizzy or smile! Seeing them live is an experience! The show dates in NY and Philly are listed on their site.

Drink Up Buttercup @ The Cake Shop

After seeing Drink Up Buttercup's set at the Cake Shop I am convinced of their broad appeal, talent and ability for getting people to take notice. This band needs no warm up time and being openers, they didn't have any.

Without a moment to waste they started with the song "Mr. Pie Eyes” that was delivered with gusto, playing garbage cans, big shakers and their vocals in full throttle. Especially enthralling is their ability to slow things down and instantly pick up the velocity. They are FUN to watch.

They combine theatrics. experimental instrumentation and rough percussion with added Beatle like harmonies. Yes, their harmonies and vocals are always on pitch and that good. They sound like Animal Collective goes pop.

It is great to see a young band with so much promise and enthusiasm, who are eager and ready to make somebody's day. They made mine.
Flicker Set

PA Bands Bus Trip To The Bitter End

PA bands Bus trip to The Bitter End
Line up: France on Fire, Downtown Harvest, Drink Up Buttercup

Booking a bus for three PA bands and their fans to a NY venue is a fun and creative idea. This was a love fest transplanted to The Bitter End.

I came to the Venue to see a young band from Bucks County PA called Drink Up Buttercup. I heard them play on The Indie Café, a small college radio station on the Internet. I was tuning in to hear my favorite Peasant and was taken off guard listening to Drink Up Buttercup's raw energy and experimental sound. It translated so well in virtual space.

France on Fire from Bucks County PA was first of the three to play. The band never missed a beat and seamlessly and joylessly played one song after another. They have great harmonies and catchy choruses. The crowd enthusiastically sang along. They add percussion, keyboards maracas, lots of clapping and use the Kazoo as a serious instrument. France On Fire are fun, full of love and infectious.


Downtown Harvest came on and the venue seemed to expand with patrons. This is not the kind of music I typically listen to or go out to see, but this is a very talented group of accomplished musicians. Fusing melodic rock, jazz, funk, hip hop and dance beats successfully. With The Beatles like harmonies, and connections to the music of Sly and The Family Stone, Beck, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Meters they create a classic association. While these references can be found, It's the merging of all these styles that forge originality.


The drummer Christopher C, Wood is a savant. He can switch styles and beats dramatically and his vocal styling is low, raw and distinctive. The lead guitarist and vocalist Larry Thomas Moore has a higher register that is great for harmonies and vocals. Frank Ewing the saxophonist vocalist and keyboard player adds the unique funky zest that takes the band to a different level. Bobby Cahill plays the bass and switches gear as the tone changes from groove to harmony. Downtown Harvest is ready for success on a broader commercial scale. Their versatility is a tribute to their six years playing together.

The young musicians I came to see were attentively listening to The Downtown Harvest’s set. They looked a little anxious and so was I. It is hard to play, following such an accomplished group.

Drink Up Buttercup came on stage, bringing with them an assortment of strange instruments. One large metal garbage pan, stumpf fiddle, maracas, an acoustic guitar with duct tape over the hollow to create a muffled sound, tiny Casio keyboard, a tubular instrument called the melodica and distortion and delay pedal. Then there was the usual; drums, keyboard, bass.

Well in an instant the unbridled energy and fun-loving spirit of this young band came to life. James Harvey the steady vocalist and guitar player enthusiastically leads as Farzad Houshiarnejad and Ben Money play and change instruments as fast as a blink of an eye. Mike Cammarata keeps the beat up with drums and auxiliary percussion. Sing along, shaky percussion and bells, crazy beats, theatrical acrobatics with instruments in tow, shape their circus like commotion.

James Harvey’s voice is strong and authoritative but to my surprise he is an opera singer. He is classically trained and when he lets go it is a treasured delight. As his voice travels up and down the band picks up the pulse.

This is a newly formed band with James Harvey having the most experience formally of Playwright. They are just getting started and only have demos out. Playing to a supportive crowd in Doylestown PA gives them the opportunity to hone their craft with supportive fans. At some point they have to venture out to the cold hard world. I think they will get a warm welcome.

web Album link