Can't Miss Show: Sweetbleeders CD release party

By Benjamin Leatherman

Party hard with Sweetbleeders tonight at the Ruby Room during their CD release show.

So watcha got planned for tonight? Heading out to the monthly First Friday festivities or perhaps dropping by the nearby multiplex to watch The Dark Knight for the 863rd time?

We say bollocks to both those options and recommend you make tracks for the Ruby Room, 717 South Central Avenue, for what promises to be a pretty stellar show by downtown music scene darlings Sweetbleeders.

The indie rock band is celebrating the release of their new five-song EP The Lightning Bug Luau, which they recorded in only a week. ‘Bleeders guitarist Robin Vining describes the album differs from the “meandering” songs on their last disc, 2007’s Bzzz.

“It’s kinda a collection of shorter pop-rock songs that seem to go well together,” Vining says. “A little bit more raw and straightforward pop-writing then what was on our last record.”

Sweetbleeders will also feature a horn section for a few of their songs, comprised of Mike Red (of Sonorous) on trombone, Allyn Swanson on trumpet, and Mike Hall on tuba.

Also on the bill for tonight’s affair will be the indie rockers of Reubens Accomplice (who’ve spent the last two years working on their soon-to-be-released new album), as well as Travolta, an indie-pop duo consisting of Fatigo’s Mike Montoya and Donald Martinez (formerly of Budget Sinatra and current proprietor of the Shizz web-board). The band dates back to the mid-90s, long before both musician’s current gigs, and they recently reunited for a show at the Willow House.

Vining says Travolta’s musical repertoire includes a good deal of “hilarious writing and humorous topics,” so get ready for some witful irony if in attendance.

Dena Johnson, the artist behind Vanishing House who’s also designed the coverwork for the Sweetbleeders CD, will also stage a puppet show.

The gig gets going at 9 p.m. and admission is $10 (and includes a copy of The Lightning Bug Luau).

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