Squirm Orchestra (IN/MI)

Great  Architect (Charlotte, NC)

Bandname (Philadelphia, PA)

Squirm Orchestra is a semi local instrumental band that still doesn't like to talk about itself. Experimental Rock made out of paper and scissors, drums and guitars, glockenspiels and live sampling, and whatever else is close at hand. They have performed live scores for a half dozen silent films at the Vickers Theater, been called "very fine" by BBC's Radio 3, and have gotten exclamation points from The Onion and WFMU.   Review here.

Great Architect is a band consisting of sax, guitar, cello, violin, lap steel, drums, and a  sampler. You could call them experimental jazz, but they're are much too varied to hang an unfortunate moniker like that on them. At times a cinematic whisper, at others a full on fiery growl (think Albert Ayler or Pharoah Sanders), but always with a collective focus.  Impressive.

Bandname is a rock trio from Philly that runs roughshod over mopey rockisms. They say "ex art school punk rock". We say The Fall/Pavement/Sonic Youth/Huggy Bear mashed together with the last party you went to where everyone was dancing like gas was $3 a gallon. Mmm hmmm. On a Monday.