Saint Cycle

The tension was palpable early Sunday as Canal Street Tavern owner Mick Montgomery sat at a folding table, slowly examining the ballots cast in the final round of the 22nd annual Dayton Band Playoffs. The clock moved toward 2:30 a.m. and representatives from the three finalists, Saint Cycle, the Sailing and Wes Tirey and the Easy Hearts, sat nervously across the table watching as Montgomery tossed each ballot in the corresponding bin for the final tally.
Musicians, friends, family members and hardcore fans milled about the club nursing lastcall beers while the club owner, seemingly oblivious to the rising tension, methodically counted the 448 votes.
The decision soon became clear and a round of celebratory cheers rang through the crowd even before Montgomery could reach the microphone to announce glam rockers Saint Cycle had taken first place with 172 votes.
Space rockers the Sailing finished second with 144 votes and Tirey and his roots rock outfit the Easy Hearts were close behind with 132 votes.
"It feels really good," Saint Cycle vocalist Zack Mehaffie said. "I was not expecting it whatsoever. I thought the Sailing had it, no question about it, but we pulled through. We did alright."
Mehaffie and his band mates Kevin Riehle (bass), Adam Brooks (guitar), Dave Hamilton (guitar) and Chaney Morrow (drums) were definitely the most polished act of the night and the most firmly established on the local scene.
"Saint Cycle made it to the semi-finals last year," Montgomery said. "They're greatly improved, just by leaps and bounds. They're pretty straight ahead rock and coming with sort of a glam rock vibe.
"Last year, they had much more of an alt vibe and it was kind of hard to put a finger on where they were going. I think this year they've got it more under control. They've grown tremendously as a band."
Mehaffie acknowledged the band had worked hard to advance to the finals, but he was quick to cite the support of Saint Cycle's followers.
"Our people were here for us at the other shows, but tonight our friends and our family came out for us like never before," he said. "They came out and sang our songs with us, they loved our songs just as we loved our songs and it was wonderful."
Saint Cycle opened at 9 p.m. Saturday.
Despite the early hour, the First Street club was packed with eager patrons, many of who were pressed against the front of the stage swaying with the music and singing along to song after song.
The members of the high energy quintet slapped hands with audience members and careened around the stage with rock 'n' roll abandon, occasionally tripping over each other.
Through it all Saint Cycle didn't miss a lick.
"We had a good time and that was our main goal," Mehaffie said. "Whether we won or lost we were going to have a good time and we did. We came out having fun and thank God almighty, I don't know how it happened, but we ended up winning."
The Sailing — Tech Honors (vocals, keyboards), James Webster (guitar, vocals), Michael Kirkland (bass) and Gus Stathes (drums) — performed last, taking the stage after midnight, but the quartet's engaging Brit-infused rock kept enough of the crowd entertained to garner a second place finish.
Nineteen-year-old Tirey (vocals, guitar, harmonica) and his new group the Easy Hearts — Johnny Moad (bass), Gabriel Mitchell (keyboards), Jack Waters (slide guitar), Will Leisure (mandolin) and Brandon Fisher (drums) — came a close third with 132 votes, which is quite an achievement considering the group had its first practice in May on the eve of its opening round slot.
"Every one of these bands is totally all about the music and where they're going with their bands," Montgomery said. "That's their whole trip. They all want to make it big and they're totally going for it. It's a pretty sincere group. I probably use that word too much, but I like that attitude and that feeling that they're trying
to be real."
- Dayton Daily News

The third round is in full swing at Canal Street and everything about it felt important. The parking lot outside spilled out onto 2nd street and, inside, a standing room-only crowd brought to life an atmosphere that made even the coolest cat break a sweat.
The coolest cat that night was decked out in a jean jacket, scarf, cut-off T, and sported a soap opera haircut. He paraded around the stage with his hands over his head while making eyes at the legions of glamour magazine girls with fake tans and short skirts who were screaming at the top of their lungs. St. Cycle’s lead singer was tonight’s Tom Jones.
St. Cycle had two solid sets. They were well-rehearsed with a high-energy show that was so enthusiastic, it was hypnotizing. This five-piece took an up-tempo, nu-metal sound and mixed it with a Hives/Vines-type vocal to create a final product that would make Clear Channel Radio very proud. Although some of their verse/chorus/verse/chorus songs became redundant, their strong stage presence overshadowed their lack of eclecticism. They wrote good, straight-ahead rock songs with hooks that were borderline catchy but off-key enough to give it credibility.
Their second set began with a suggestive song called “What I Would Do To You,” and then immediately the band whipped out a decent cover of “Revolution” by The Beatles. St. Cycle has the look, a trendy enough sound, and an extremely large loyal following that makes this band the most dangerous band left in the playoffs.
The second band of the night was Los Tres Compadres. I am a little rusty on my Spanish, but I believe their name means The Three Comrades, except I counted seven — two guitars, keys, drums, bongos, Jerry Garcia and 2pac. No, really.
2pac was onstage wearing a hemp necklace and patchouli oil. He was rolling a blunt with Jerry Garcia, who was decked out in overalls with nothing underneath. The band began with a cover of “Thug Mansion” by 2pac and then covered the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers. Their crowd was pushed to the front of the stage and singing along to their favorite songs.
The band showcased their talent by taking turns playing improvisational solos with feeling. They were loose onstage as they jammed out traditionally four-minute songs, and then stretched them to six or eight minutes. The highlight of their set for me was just watching the bass player and keyboardist of this band play their silky, smooth-sounding instruments.
They did very well with their cover tunes, but I enjoyed an original called ‘The County Line,” a song about “shooting my best friend.” Their biggest downfall was letting all their friends come on stage and sing because the band is better without the help.
However talented, the band wasn’t very bright as they were disqualified for trying to use a fake ID before the show even began. They were lucky that Canal St. owner Mick Montgomery found it in his heart to let them perform.
It would have been interesting to see the vote count if they were not disqualified because it would have been close, but I think St. Cycle would have still won and deservedly so.
St. Cycle will move on to play in Round Four on August 25 against the winner of the August 12 show between The Sheats and DIBS. I do not foresee either of these bands being able to take down St. Cycle, but The Sheats might cut it close if they should defeat DIBS.
- Dayton City Paper

A lone guitar resonates with an eerie, steady strand of chords, overlaid with male vocals reminiscent of Kurt Cobain. “Beautiful…” A sudden rush of distortion and drumbeats takes over for an instant, while Zack Mehaffie’s voice grows louder, ultimately breaking into a scream. “Stories in the Sky,” the first track on Dayton-based rock band Saint Cycle’s self-titled EP, reflects the multi-visioned artists well.


Grasping concepts unearthed by musicians such as Tool, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots, Saint Cycle begins the song with a guitar and bass core, slow and harnessed with light vocals and percussion and then completely lets go — unleashing sharp-edged, modern rock chords and aggressive riffs. Ending with intricately placed, lone piano sounds, the song comes to a close.
“White Lighter,” on the other hand, which the quartet refers to as its favorite tune, begins harsh and then calms down briefly, fluctuating between the disparate emotional states of Mehaffie, guitarist Adam Brooks, drummer Chaney Morrow and bassist Kevin Riehle.
The University of Dayton students came together with their current lineup last year, and Saint Cycle is the band’s first recording. Although it only features three songs, it’s a smart place for a new band to start.
“All in all, the reaction has been positive, especially since up until now we’ve relied on our live shows and word of mouth, so it has enabled us to promote our music more efficiently,” Riehle said.
According to him, thus far the only complaint the musicians have about the music business “is that we don’t know enough about it.”
With honest vulnerability, they admit that it takes time for a band to understand the logistics of self-promotion and exposure. However, Saint Cycle seems to be on the right track.
“We get off playing any kind of music as long as it’s loud and in front of people,” Riehle said. “We feel (driven by) just the basic energy between us and the crowd. But, truthfully, at times, we feel somewhat threatened due to the thick sexual tension between us and the crowd. Whether male or female, if you come to our live show you will either question your own sexuality or embrace it like never before.”
Unsure about that last comment, but nevertheless siding on the part of the band, it can be said that their music definitely offers a sort of familiar passion — that of musical versatility and variance in between soft and heavy sounds.
“We definitely offer something different from mainstream rock, but we would also be the first to admit that, even with the negative connotations that come with being radio-friendly, we still strive to create music that is pleasantly addictive,” Riehle said.

Saint Cycle will perform at Jag’s Nightclub, 1227 Wilmington Avenue, on Friday, May 14. The band plans to record a new, more extensive EP within the next few months. For more information, visit www.saintcycle.com.
- Dayton City Paper

This one should be tight. Saint Cycle plays straight-ahead rock while Side Show takes a unique approach mixing funk and sex on a waterbed groove. Saint Cycle should have the advantage in fashion sense (who does your hair?) and stage presence, but the more experienced musical ear will most likely favor Side Show. Although it’s a toss-up, a lot depends on the undecided patron. I predict that Saint Cycle, who has been near first throughout, will walk away the winner. However, the word on the street is their might be some bad blood between these two. This contest night could be very interesting indeed.

- Dayton City Paper

Rock, paper, scissors. The combination of three hand formations proves time and time again to play a key role in determining any dispute. There’s only one way to decide which Dayton-area band is the best, however, and it has nothing to do with rock, paper or scissors.

Leave the decision of best local musical outfit to Flyer Radio’s annual Battle of the Bands. And with two nights down, only five bands remain in the championship round.

“We worked really hard this year to improve the battle so more bands from the Dayton community could be able to play—not necessarily just campus—and to make it more fair to the most deserving winner,” said Greg Hansberry, Flyer Radio’s general manager and co-chair of the Battle.

So how is the champion crowned? The process began with 15-20 demo tapes submissions. Based on the band’s talent and quality of the tape, the staff of Flyer Radio’s music department slimmed the group down to 10 bands.

Over the course of three nights, the KU Pub is transformed into a concert hall as each band performs back to back sets. While Thursday night saw The Goods, The Maji, The Melting Room, Thesaurus and Nude Watusi rocking out to a packed crowd, Saturday night boasted The Figures, The Porcelain Project, Next Exit, The Dolly Rebels and The Saint Cycle.

The final round will take place Thursday. Pub doors open at 9 p.m.

Each night four judges made up from Flyer Radio’s music department, Flyer News, UD’s music department professors and Street Sounds (the student mangers of ArtStreet’s recording studio) rank the bands. Meanwhile, the audience casts their votes for who they think are most deserving of the number one and two spots. Collectively, the audience votes make up the fifth judge, having one-fifth of the pull on the ultimate outcome.

Having the audience cast their votes for both the number one and two spots is one attempt to make the procedure as fair as possible, Hansberry explained.

A band who brings a lot of their friends to support them will obviously receive a lot of votes. Making people choose another band in addition to their buddies’ prevents a band from winning who simply has a lot of friends in the crowd.

So far, the new rules seem to be playing out well.

“This was the best show our band ever played—hands down,” said senior John Zahnen, guitarist and singer for The Figures. “Thanks to ArtStreet Audio, [there was] a great crowd and high-energy level from the band.”

It’s no surprise then that The Figures, a four-piece band with a hint of The Black Keys, took Saturday’s top honor, garnering them a spot in the championship round.

Self-described as a “jazz-rock-jam fusion,” The Porcelain Project, and “experimental rock” outfit The Dolly Rebels tied for Saturday’s second place, making one more band advance to the finals than originally expected.

Thursday’s heat wasn’t quite so close. Thesaurus, an atypical jam band, firmly clutched the top vote.

Rob Chafin, one of the band’s members, was surprised by the outcome.

“I thought for sure The Goods were going to win,” Chafin said, “especially considering we’ve only been together for three rehearsals.”

With their clean rock sound, well-trained musicians and fun live show, The Melting Room secured the second-place spot on Thursday night, also promising them a spot in the championship.

“[Thursday’s final round] is going to be the best of the best battling for the title,” said one UD concert-goer, Missy Cashman.

Only one band will be able to rightfully blare “We Are the Champions” on their stereos after Thursday’s pinnacle show. It promises to be a hell of a lot more exciting then a rock-paper-scissors tournament.
- UD Flyer News

No matter how much of a longshot you know yourself to be, you don't enter the annual Dayton Band Playoffs at Canal Street Tavern without imagining yourself the winner. It could happen. Unknowns have come out of nowhere and won the summer-long contest before. But then local favorites have dominated from beginning to end as well. The thing is, no one can predict the outcome when the first of four competition rounds begins in May.
It's anyone's game.
But while everyone may dream of winning the thing — earning not only bragging rights, but also a variety of prizes — crowning a winner isn't the main point of the contest.
There are two main points, really — besides Canal Street's Mick Montgomery getting people into his club during the otherwise slow summer season — and they're interrelated.
The points: Exposure and support.
As Montgomery puts it, the playoffs offer "an opportunity for Dayton music fans to see and hear; critique and compare; but most of all, support the region's best, favorite, most talented bands."
Nathaniel Jobe, percussionist and drummer for the new local band Murmur, which got knocked out of this year's playoffs in the second round, agrees. He recently wrote about the benefits of playoffs participation in a blog at www.daytondailynews.com: "Winning really isn't the point. The point is to get some stage time, to shake some hands, to try to get asked back. . . . The Playoffs are an amazing stepping stone. You don't have to have any experience to get (on) the stage. You don't have to know anyone or grease any palms. You just sing up and play, period! How great is that!?!"
If Montgomery likes what he hears, regardless of your band's standing in the contest, he'll invite you back to the club later. The stage experience can lead to other gigs at other venues.
"Maybe you'll meet some other bands that dig your stuff and maybe you can get some opening slots for them," Jobe adds. "Slowly, people start to talk and see your name in print and one gig leads to another. That's how it works."
Still, it's nice to win. And that honor will be determined tonight when the three final contenders of this year's contest go head-to-head in one last round at the downtown club. They are: The Sailing, Saint Cycle and Wes Tirey and the Easy Hearts. Audience vote will determine the outcome, as has been the case all summer. Votes serve another purpose as well: Bands are paid according to the evening's final tally, a dollar a vote. So, really, everyone's a winner.
Contact Carol Simmons at 225-7309. PROFILES OF FINALISTS ON PAGE E9
HOW TO GO
• What: The final round of the 22nd annual Dayton Band Playoffs.
• Featuring: The Sailing, Saint Cycle and Wes Tirey and the Easy Hearts.
• When: 9 p.m. today, doors open at 8 p.m.
• Where: Canal Street Tavern, 308 E. First St.
• Admission: $7.
• More info: Call 461-9343 or visit online at www.canalstreettavern.com.
- Dayton Daily News

As June came to an end, so did the hopes of half the bands in Canal Street Tavern’s Dayton Band Playoffs. The second round begins this week and only 24 bands remain to fight. This round is single elimination, as the shows are head-to-head match-ups where the band with the most votes moves on while the other band goes home.

There is more pressure on the bands now, as they must perform two 40-minute sets instead of one, but the bands and the fans are ready for some entertaining shows.
The overwhelming favorite has got to be Simply Waiting. They have been here before, finishing second overall in last year’s playoffs, and so they know what it takes to move on. Furthermore, they are heading into round two as the number one overall vote-getter.
“The odds are looking good for us this year,” Matt Shetler, vocalist/guitarist for Simply Waiting, said. “Because of last year, we know what to expect, and that helps, but I think it will take just as much effort this time around as last. (But) being in first place definitely lifts morale.”
Simply Waiting combines power punk and emo to create an ear-pleasing collage of sound that has won over a tight-knit, supportive fan base. They are a five-piece that, in addition to Shetler, includes Justin Smith (guitar), Josh Guild (keyboard), Eric Dorney (bass) and Brandon Guthrie (drums). They are fresh off an extensive tour of the East Coast, and, on July 8, they released a new full-length CD, The Subtle Dynamics Between the Windshield and the Rearview.
“It will take a lot of support from our friends, family, and fans,” Shetler said. “We really need their help to make the finals.”
At number two in the standings heading into the second round is Saint Cycle. They were a late surprise in round one, drawing huge support from their fans.
The sleeper band is at number three overall, Benny Lipp & the DGC — a folksy, acoustic rock band who combines original compositions and crowd-pleasing covers to gain what seems to be a very loyal crowd.
At four in the standings are The Sheats, a comical two-piece with an entertaining stage show, and at five is Papaw’s Dawg, whose members hail mainly from Cincinnati and Kentucky. Both bands have a momentum that could pose a threat.
Of course, there are 24 bands left and any one of them can win.
I’d like to see The Poor Devils, Mona, or Side Show make a move, but it’s not likely that all of these bands will make the next round. By the end of this round, only half of these bands will be left. Only the fans have the power to decide who stays alive and who dies a shameful death.
Get out to Canal Street and vote for your favorite band because, unlike in the presidential election, here your vote really does count.
- Dayton City Paper

It was fairly obvious from the start of Saturday evening’s Dayton Band Playoff Finals which band the crowd was pulling for. Upon arriving Saturday evening, one was met at the door of a noisy Canal Street Tavern by a sweaty, pre-packaged line of hooting Gem City go-getters.
The very first thing I noticed upon entering the musty confines was a T-shirt for The Sailing, who would play the final set of the evening. I noticed several patrons of widely varied ages wearing these T-shirts. The Sailing was an early favorite and continued to be so throughout the summer, and the heavy T-shirt turnout proved they still held a firm grip.
The temperature inside the bar was hot enough to cook a Thanksgiving turkey. Scattered, tired ceiling fans attempted unsuccessfully to push the stagnant air throughout the bar. Bar personnel did their best by opening up the sidewalk outside as an impromptu beer garden/den for fans and band personnel. Bar employees sold burgers and folks mingled, but it was still so muggy outside that it offered little relief.
Early on, it seemed that Saint Cycle had a huge crowd response, with a sweaty throng huddled in front of the stage as the five-piece literally tore through original after original, their mop-headed lead vocalist poignantly touching his face, basically appearing as if he emerged from a long shower, running his hands through his hair as if it were falling out by the handful and required rescue.
Saint Cycle sounded good enough. The guitars and drums punished the Canal Street sound system, but one loses interest with music like this when other elements aren’t integrated into the sound. This would be the very opposite of the old saying, “if ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But something drastic needs to be broken here, though I’m not entirely sure what that would be.
Saint Cycle received the appropriate round of applause and Wes Tirey and The Easyhearts began to set up. There was a crushingly long wait between bands. Tirey was my personal favorite coming in to the evening but they sounded less inspirational and more rambling tonight. Tirey has his Bob Dylan strut down to a fine art form (including a crooked stance in front of the microphone that must be hell on his poor back) and his songs are truly laced with heartbreak, pain and regret, kind of like what it must feel like to eat a cereal bowl filled with broken glass. Tirey and Crew plowed through their set with gusto but the songs never really went anywhere and tended to drag. The band’s final set list turned out to be something like five songs. It was a nice change of pace but it didn’t seem to resonate very deeply with the overheated gaggle crowded around them.
The final performance of the evening finally reared its head early Sunday morning as the crowd returned to life and applauded triumphantly for the returning heroes.
The Sailing began their set with a rousing cover of “Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme).” Those in the know clapped the loudest as the band easily executed the rumbling theme with gusto. The guitarist for The Sailing is still the best thing about the band and his shock of red hair bobbed up and down as he tore through the beloved classic.
The Sailing then dove into an original that I can still confirm is the weakest part of their sets. The band’s original music is a true amalgam of styles that unfortunately couldn’t help transforming into jam band-inspired dreck as the night rolled on. It’s popular, its demanding, it’s what the Gem City apparently loves to hear. The Sailing performed and the crowd ate up every inch of it, applauding madly after every song.
Although early exit polls (i.e. the Canal Street bartender) indicated The Sailing enjoyed a commanding lead in the vote tallies, Saint Cycle would ultimately emerge victorious.
- Dayton City Paper

Chuck Palahniuk, the influential author of Fight Club, once said that he writes so that he can basically reshape unbearable experiences into enjoyable ones. I would genuinely like to utilize this method to transform the painful experience of watching Buddy Danko & the Tokens into an enjoyable one. Unfortunately, there is no amount of reshaping that would make Buddy Danko enjoyable in hindsight.
Danko and his Tokens are a bad southern blues rock band that sounds like the bad blues rock “headliner” that, humorously enough, followed blues legend Fred Chatman’s “opening” set in the film, Ghost World. If you’ve seen it, then you could’ve attended this show to be reminded again that people are pretty dumb and enjoy watered-down, homogenized versions of genuine art and beauty.
The band decided to kick off their set by murdering “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” by the Rolling Stones. They also went on to murder songs by the Beatles and Aretha Franklin. Either that or they just ripped off those songs in an attempt to play “originals,” I honestly couldn’t tell. They also covered the song (despite the fact that it is awful)that every single bar band in the world covers: That one Black Crowes song. I don’t know the name of it, and chances are you don’t either. But you know what song I mean.
The band members were all unintentionally funny onstage. The guitarist was one of those guys who makes faces like he’s in pain while he’s playing to make it look like he’s doing really hard work. He’s also the guy who looks at the crowd happily whenever there’s a chord change. The audience cheered whenever this happened for some reason. The drummer’s voice reminded me of someone doing a bad impression of Mississippi Gary from the “The Kids in the Hall.”
This band is the epitome of why many people complain about the Canal Street Playoffs. They’re a cover band with originals that no one cares about. This band should not be in the Semi-Finals, they should not be mentioned in the same breath as bands like Real Lulu or Shrug (past winners). They should be playing 25 Cent Wing Night at a sports bar in Kettering.
The Tokens are also the reason why people think Dayton is full of rednecks. Come on, Dayton, we’re a northern state. Let’s stop going to Buddy Danko shows and take the rebel flags out of the back windows of our El Caminos.
Saint (or Saint Cycle, as they’re called half the time) also played, but they’re not too great, either. But when compared to the Tokens, Saint is one of the greatest bands in existence. This is the same logic that people used to vote for John Kerry. A good friend of mine wrote in “Turd Sandwich” on her Playoffs voting ballot in humorous defiance.
Saint (Cycle) is clearly the better band. As I’ve said before, they are enjoyable and tight. They deserved to win the night which, despite the crowd’s obvious love of the Tokens, they did.
- Dayton City Paper

The 22nd annual Dayton Band Playoffs sponsored by Canal Street Tavern began in early summer with 29 local bands competing for bragging rights and a host of cash and prizes. After four rounds, the field has been reduced to three contenders: Wes Tirey and the Easy Hearts, the Sailing and Saint Cycle, who will square off in the championship round Saturday, beginning at 9 p.m. "This summer has been a pretty good playoff," said Canal Street owner Mick Montgomery. "Even though we started off with less bands than usual, the quality, overall, I think was maybe a notch above average. That's pretty cool."
Tirey (vocals, guitar, harmonica), a 19-year-old singersongwriter from Farmersville, first established himself locally as a solo artist.
He surprised many by advancing easily through the contest with his new roots-rock outfit, the Easy Hearts, comprised of Johnny Moad (bass), Gabriel Mitchell (keyboards), Jack Waters (steel guitar), Will Leisure (mandolin) and Brandon Fisher (drums).
"When I signed up for the playoffs, I was like, 'Let's just do it and hope something happens,' " Tirey said. "I knew we'd get some exposure, whether we got past the first round or not. … I just wanted to surround myself with great musicians, and I think that all comes through. It's an honor to be playing with some of the guys, because they're just so good."
Glam rockers Saint Cycle — Zack Mehaffie (vocals), Kevin Riehle (bass), Adam Brooks (guitar), Dave Hamilton (guitar) and Chaney Morrow (drums) — participated in the Band Playoffs last year, before getting eliminated in the semifinals.
"Honestly we're excited about doing one set this time," Mehaffie said. "We've been together for almost three years, so we really should have more material to play live, but we're really more comfortable playing about an hour. Going through the playoffs, you have to do two 45-minute sets, so we had to pull out some covers we weren't crazy about doing, and we also did some repeats. We think playing for an hour might work a bit to our advantage."
Space-rock group the Sailing — Tech Honors (vocals, keyboards), James Webster (guitar, vocals), Michael Kirkland (bass) and Gus Stathes (drums) — formed in 2002 and made its first appearance in the band playoffs this summer.
"It feels great to be in the finals," Kirkland said. "We're just trying to rule Dayton. We have some secret surprises up our sleeves for the finals that we can't divulge."
"We're just like any struggling Dayton band trying to get a record deal and take over the world," Webster said. "We figure we have to make a buzz first before we can really do anything. We're hoping winning this will unlock a lot of doors for us in Dayton, and that will unlock doors in cities like Cincinnati and Columbus."
The doors open Saturday at 8 p.m. Saint Cycle performs at 9 p.m., followed by Tirey at 10:30 and the Sailing at midnight. Admission is $7. For more details, visit www.canalstreettavern.com.
Rock Insider, by free-lance arts and music writer Don Thrasher, appears weekly and gives a behind-thescenes view of the Dayton music scene. - Dayton Daily News