Show this weekend and muxtape

Hey - we're playing (second)this Friday night at the Hi Tone with Antenna Shoes.

Also - I made a muxtape. Take a listen.

Vending Machine w/Antenna Shoes

We will be playing Friday April 4th, 2008 with Antenna Shoes at the Hi-Tone.

More soon.

Vending Machine with The Whigs - January 12th, 2008

Vending Machine and Secret Service Show - Thanksgiving Eve 2007

Let us pray -

poster by Brian Dixon

Vending Machine and Secret Service Wednesday Novemeber 21st, 2007 at the Hi-Tone.

Gonerfest is this weekend

Four nights of rock n roll insanity featuring 39 bands from 3 continents starts this Wednesday (9/26) at Gonerfest 4! Vending Machine is playing Saturday afternoon at Murphy's. 2 stages (one inside/one outside) - cover is $8.

Murphy's Schedule:

Inside Stage
2 p.m. Ooga Boogas (Melbourne, Australia)
3 p.m. Vending Machine (Memphis)
4 p.m. Hipshakes (Sheffield, England)
5 p.m. Goodnight Loving (Milwaukee)
6 p.m. Digger & the Pussycats (Melbourne, Australia)

Outside Stage
2:30 p.m. Headache City (Chicago)
3:30 p.m. Perfect Fits (Memphis)
4:30 p.m. Cococoma (Chicago)
5:30 p.m. Black Rose Band (New Orleans)
6:30 p.m. Evil Army (Memphis)

More info on the entire Gonerfest:
http://www.gonerfest.com

ARTICLE: Cooper-Young festival has grown into a large regional outdoors event

FROM:
http://commercialappeal.com/news/2007/sep/14/block-party/

By Bob Mehr

Friday, September 14, 2007

As the Cooper-Young Festival enters its 20th year, the sheer numbers associated with the event have become eye-popping: 17 bands, 18 sponsors, 360-plus booths, and expected crowds of up to 65,000 are set to descend on the Midtown neighborhood this Saturday.

Started in 1988 as a small gathering, the annual festival -- staged by the Cooper-Young Business Association -- has grown exponentially since its humble beginnings. No longer just a showcase for local merchants, it's become one of the bigger outdoor festivals in the region, attracting a unique mix of people from throughout the Memphis area.

"I grew up in New York City, and I've traveled all over the world," says festival director Lyn Patrick Myers, "but this one-day happening is amazing. It's special in how it brings the various communities in Memphis together. A lot of people out east don't typically come into Midtown or Downtown or Cooper-Young, they stay out east. Our festival is a grand opportunity for family and friends from all over town to get together in one place, have a big party and kiss goodbye to summer."

The event -- at the intersection of Cooper and Young streets (see map Page 19) -- combines a variety of attractions, from concerts to booths featuring the works of local artisans, antique dealers and food vendors. "Aside from artisans and restaurants, we have everything from non-profits to doctors who do acupuncture on animals," Myers said. "It's a lovely group."

Parking is available on neighborhood streets.

Still, the main entertainment component of the event is musical. This year, 17 acts will be spread across three stages. Cameron Mann, manager of Young Avenue Sound recording studio -- who, like almost everyone involved with the festival, volunteers his time -- is handling the booking for the third consecutive year. He says the trick in selecting acts is to look at the big picture.

"With the festival being as large as it is, we get a pretty wide cross-section of people coming from Memphis and the surrounding areas," says Mann. "So what I try to do when I'm booking bands is to be as diverse as possible, really, to showcase as much variety as I can in terms of what's happening in the Memphis music scene."

Mann adds that the event strives to keep its focus on local and original talent. "One of the things we really pride ourselves on is supporting Memphis music and musicians, especially original musicians. Everybody who is playing the festival is from here. We don't take submissions from out-of-towners, and while a lot of cover bands apply, we really like to showcase original bands."

This year's lineup runs the gamut from Symbiosis, a Latin percussion group that resembles Buena Vista Social Club, to Giant Bear, an up-and-coming combo that puts a twist on bluegrass and roots music.

"We've also got Darrel Petties and Strength in Praise, an incredible gospel group," says Mann. "Then there's our headliners, Lucero, who are a great alt-country/punktry band. We've got Twin Pilot, which is a shoegazer group, as well as a lot of indie rock of varying kinds, plus singer-songwriters like Holly Cole and Blair Combest."

The growth of the C-Y Fest has become so pronounced in recent years, that it's actually spawned some side events, like the Two Chicks and a Broom "Chick Party." Candace Mills, who owns the Cooper-Young-based green cleaning company, originally launched her backyard concert bash three years ago as a small appreciation party for her employees, or Chicks.

"Now, we get several hundred people in and out through the whole day," says Mills, whose co-tenant, Light Years Vintage, also plays host to the event. "We ask for donations at the door and give all the money to a local charity each year. Our Chicks work hard, and there are so many musicians and artists among them, we wanted to show off their bands."

This year's Chick Party will feature half a dozen acts including psych-tinged instrumentalists Noise Choir, post-hardcore outfit Antique Curtains, indie-poppers Arma Secreta, performance art punks The Barbaras, and Mouserocket members Alicja Trout and Robby Grant playing an acoustic set.

Like the festival itself, Mills sees her event as a way for Memphians who aren't habitués of the area to get a snapshot of the neighborhood's charms. "This event is really family friendly. A lot of the parents of the Chicks will come. Or relatives or friends from out east who don't normally get a chance to enjoy Cooper-Young will come out and make a day of it."

As Lyn Patrick Myers notes, with summer temperatures suddenly taking a cooler turn, this year's festival might turn out to be the biggest ever. "If we have the weather that's predicted -- which is the high 70s and sunny with no humidity, we may get the entire world showing up," says Myers. "And we hope we do. It's like, 'What if you threw a party for 100,000 people and they all showed up?' It would be great."


Music lineup


Cooper-Young Festival Saturday

East stage:

12:30 p.m. - Hi Electric

1:30 p.m. - Twin Pilot

2:30 p.m. - Noise Choir

3:30 p.m. - The Third Man

4:30 p.m. - Jump Back Jake

First Congregational Church parking lot:

12:15 p.m. - Holly Cole

1:15 p.m. - Blair Combest

2:15 p.m. - Symbiosis

3:15 p.m. - Zazerac

4:15 p.m. - Ron Franklin and November 6th St.

Main stage

11:30 a.m. - Rhythm Realm

12:15 p.m. - U of M Jazz band

1:15 p.m. - Giant Bear

2:15 p.m. - Antenna Shoes

3:15 p.m. - Darrel Petties and Strength in Praise

4:15 p.m. - Vending Machine

5:15 p.m. - Lucero

Two Chicks and a Broom ''Chick Party'' at 885 S. Cooper

1 p.m. Noise Choir

2 p.m. Antique Curtains

3 p.m. Arma Secreta

4 p.m. The Barbaras

5 p.m. Alicja Trout and Robby Grant

6 p.m. Hi Electric

Suggested $6 donation for charity. Beer will be availble.

Cooper Young Festival this weekend

Cooper Young Festival is this weekend. Vending Machine is playing at 4:15pm in front of the Young Avenue Deli.

Alicja Trout and I will also be playing around 6pm behind 2 Chicks and a Broom.

Weather looks to be great!

Mouserocket show tonight in Memphis

Festivals, festivals, festivals

Seems like Vending Machine is playing a lot of festivals coming up. The first one is soon (July) and the other are in September. Keep an eye out for some other shows to be added soon (mainly a short early September tour).
----------------

Memphis Pops: July 28th

http://www.memphispops.com/

Saturday, July 28 at the Hi Tone Café Memphis

6:00 Ardent Records 40th Year Documentary

7:00 Tim Lee 3 featuring Tim Lee from the Windbreakers!

8:15 Vending Machine

9:30 Antenna Shoes

10:45 Goner Recording stars The Carbonas

12:00 The Everyday Parade featuring members of The Crime!

1:15 Viva L'American Death Ray

Also Featuring Special Guest Debonair DJ/MC Zak Wilders!

There's also an early thing at Shangri-La that day as well. Quinn Powers' band, the Arch Rivals will be playing.

------------

Coooper Young Festival: September 15th

http://www.cooperyoungfestival.com/index.php

Other bands: Lucero, Secret Service, Antenna Shoes, and more.

------------

Gonerfest: September 26th - 30th

http://www.goner-records.com/gonerfest/

Vending Machine is playing Saturday afternoon - September 29th at Murphy's. I think Mouserocket might be playing Sunday afternoon as well.

Full list of bands and activities at the website.

SHOW: Hi-Tone Cafe Friday Night June 8th, 2007

Bret Preston, Justice Natchez and Vending Machine (Robby and Quinn only)
9pm doors
$5 cover
at the Hi-Tone

Memphis Pops - July 28th, 2007

Saturday, July 28 at the Hi Tone Café Memphis
www.myspace.com/memphispops
6:00 Ardent Records 40th Year Documentary
7:00 70s sultry pop punks The Klits
8:15 Vending Machine
9:30 Antenna Shoes
10:45 Goner Recording star The Carbonas
12:00 The Everyday Parade featuring members of The Crime!
1:15 Viva L'American Death Ray

More info:

Vending Machine
www.myspace.com/vendingmachineband

Memphis’ Vending Machine is the nom-de-band of Robby Grant, a one-man local institution with a musical resume longer than Dom DeLuise’s grocery list. A journeyman aesthete that picks his projects and co-players with care, Mr. Grant has held down the guitar slot in Big Ass Truck, Mouserocket, and the Glitches to name a few. But Vending Machine is his baby, a great excuse to exercise an exceptional talent for furious, quirky pop. And I don’t mean “quirky” in the bad word sense, nor do I mean “pop” in the overt, uh, “pop” way. This is leftfield Southern eccentricity at its finest, without what you may associate with Southern rock, but more than a passing hint of the individuality that made early R.E.M. and Pylon so great. King Cobras Do is the fourth Vending Machine album in six years (plus a 7”), which is literally a saturation in Memphis music time, but that’s sort of what it takes in this town when you have the moxy to make something that falls outside of garage rock, blues, or Americana. Let’s hope that a widespread national appreciation follows in the wake of King Cobras Do, as an opening song like “Babies” deserves nothing less. It’s almost a chore to get to the rest of the album, as this song’s furious guitar/organ herky-jerking and sticky falsetto hook will be enjoyed 5 – 10 times before one realizes that it has eleven worthy successors. “44 Times” is dark indie blues (but catchy!! they’re all catchy!!) and the syncopated blip and burp of “Saturn National Anthem” shows a loose playfulness before its early-Pink Floydish meltdown. “Runaway” is like early acousti-lectric Sebadoh, and it’s neighbor, “Garden 1040 A.D.” is simply gorgeous and closes with a brilliantly haunting guitar-god solo. Not to lapse into the blow-by-blow format, as these things are wont to do, so I left out some treasures that need finding. Underrated? Sure, but those days are numbered. Hear the magic.

Antenna Shoes
www.myspace.com/antennashoes

Antenna Shoes features Tim Regan's versatile workmanship and pop songwriting skills, culling songs from new inspirations, old dreams and ancient sagas. Regan took a sabbatical from his other all-consuming project, Memphis' Snowglobe, to live in the Smokey Mountains creating the ideal environment to write and record his first proper solo album. Along the way, Regan hooked up with fellow Appalachian Mark Linkus, of national indie stalwarts Sparklehorse, doing piano sessions for Sparklehorse's Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain. Regan has now decided the time is right to push Antenna Shoes to the next level and take this project on the road. Antenna Shoes' Generous Gambler looks the listener directly in the eyes with a sincerity and forthright honesty that has made Regan the coveted sideman he's become. Regan's debut CD pulls no punches, yet the range of emotions Antenna Shoes offers affect a warmth and sincerity that commands attention, listen after listen. www.antennashoes.com myspace.com/antennashoes

CARBONAS
www.myspace.com/thecarbonas

This one's a punk rock broken-hearted valentine for sure. With three sold-out singles and two sold-out full-lengths behind them, Atlanta's Carbonas are next to explode out of the happening Atlanta indie scene - fast in the footsteps of garage freaks The Black Lips and psych-poppers Deerhoof. Their new album on Goner Records is a twenty minute buzzsaw sugar rush full of massive guitar hooks and hummable choruses that won't shake out of your head. LP/CD in stores late August

VIVA L'AMERICAN DEATHRAY MUSIC
www.myspace.com/vivalamericandeathraymusic

2007 finds Viva L'American Deathray Music at the height of their powers as a three-piece, kings of all things hip, aloof, and intense. After years as Memphis' finest glam/soul VU spectacle this side of a quaalude and a time machine, they have morphed into a more calculated no-wave DIY juggernaut that does not fear the future. Their most recent record, "In the Meantime," was released on Kid Congo Powers' New York Night Train Label. They sound like Television and have the drummer from the Polyphonic Spree. Rather obviously, they are ace. - NME, 2006

The Everyday Parade
www.myspace.com/theeverydayparade

The Crime ruled Memphis new wave in the early '80s. In those days, everyone had a skinny tie and a Rickenbocker, but not everyone could write a song. Those that could often never left their parent's garage. The Crime did it all - killer harmonies, ripping guitar leads, and panty-littered stages. Now, Jeff Golightly and Rick Camp return, and, miraculously, the voices and the songs are still there! Backed by a crack crew of indie vets, Golightly is back in the fray, with a new album set to come out in July.

Friday May 11th: Hi-Tone Memphis,Tn

w/Antenna Shoes and Nice Digs.

Flyer by Alex Harrison

April 28th 2007: Rock N Romp

More inf0 on the Memphis Rock N' Romp web site

April 21st 2007: Maria Montessori School Regatta and Duck Race

Vending Machine is playing an acoustic set at the Maria Montessori School Regatta and Duck Race on Saturday April 21st, 2007.

The lineup is:
Rae Ray 3:30
Vending Machine 4:30
Amy Lavere 5:30

More info:
http://www.mariamontessorischool.org/

Show this Monday Night - April 9th

WHEN: Monday April 9th at 9pm
WHERE: Hi-Tone Cafe - Memphis, TN


Vending Machine is playing with The Wallendas (featuring our bass player, Grayson) this Monday night at the Hi-Tone. We're playing first around 930pm. Come early.

Who are the Wallendas?

The following may or may not be true about the Memphis band known as THE WALLENDAS:

· Members of THE WALLENDAS play with (or have played with) the Panther Burns, Reigning Sound, Gun Club, Big Ass Truck, Harlan T. Bobo, Pump Action Retards, Vending Machine and Alex Chilton.

· THE WALLENDAS are complete social outcasts whom you do not want to encounter in a dark alley.

· The lead guitar player is in it for the tunes only and has a secret intense dislike for the other three.

· THE WALLENDAS aim to resemble “the Lovin’ Spoonful on meth.”

· THE WALLENDAS are in the middle of writing and rehearsing a mini-rock opera about life in midtown Memphis, tentatively titled “Baby I Hate Your Pants.”

· The bass player is the ladies man of the group and may or may not hit on you at their next gig.

· THE WALLENDAS have been together for about six months as of this writing. (Feb 2007)

· During the recording of THE WALLENDAS’ first demos, their recordist, Chuck Vicious, tore open his shirt, screamed “I have no son!” then tumbled down the attic stairs.

· The rhythm guitar player/songwriter gets inspiration in equal measure from people he meets/hangs out with, and people on mid-afternoon “judge” shows. Sometimes he finds the two groups interchangeable.

· THE WALLENDAS once took a field trip together to catch a midget-tossing contest. (Okay, poor choice of words there.)

· The drummer REALLY likes midgets.

· THE WALLENDAS hope to have a full-length record done by the end of this year.

March 2007 Shows

WHEN: Friday March 30th at 5pm WHERE:Shangri-La Records - Memphis, TN Shangri-La started doing "Happy Hour" shows back in November. I played one with Alicja Trout back in December and it was a lot of fun. Vending Machine will be playing an acoustic set starting around 6pm on the 30th. All merchandise in the store is 20% off from 5-7pm. Come on down!

WHEN: Saturday March 31st at 10pm WHERE: The Buccaneer - Memphis, TN We are playing with the great Jeffrey James and The Haul. We will also have a super special guest, Jonathan Kirkscey, playing first at 10pm. Jonathan (also in Mouserocket) will be doing a solo cello piece. Come early so you don't miss it!

Embed the flyer on your site. Copy the html below:
<a href="http://www.vendingmachineband.com/2007/02/march-2007-shows.html"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/427593091_15e25056f3.jpg" /></a>


Poster by Gabe Martin