Federation of Horsepower
Apocalypse Meow 8 is coming up!
Midwest Music Foundation is proud to present the eighth annual Apocalypse Meow! Mark your calendars for November 6-8 and enjoy 3 nights of music at 3 great Kansas City spots for a very important cause.
Friday, November 6 at recordBar
Amy Farrand and the Like
Get your tickets here. 18+ / $7
Saturday, November 7 at Mills Record Company
A free, all ages show presented by The Deli KC!
Sunday, November 8 at Knuckleheads Saloon
Get your tickets here. 21+ / $15
Apocalypse Meow 8 benefits Abby’s Fund for Musicians’ Health Care, which provides emergency health care grants to musicians in need. Raffles will be held throughout the weekend and a silent auction will be held on Sunday at Knuckleheads, with items, gift certificates, and tickets donated by local businesses and organizations. Click here for a full list of items and contact rhonda@midwestmusicfound.org if you’d like to donate.
Huge thanks to all our sponsors, volunteers, and musicians that make this event possible each year! For more information and a full list of sponsors, please visit http://midwestmusicfound.org/apocalypse-meow-2015.
Album review: Federation of Horsepower - Hermanos de Sangre (EP)
I don't quite get the connection between authentic Spanish themes and Classic American Rock ‘n Roll, but it doesn't seem to matter on Hermanos de Sangre, the newest release from Federation of Horsepower.
These riffs are muy caliente! Hermanos de Sangre—which is Spanish for blood brothers—is a wonderful mix of straight ahead rock ‘n roll with a Mexican twist. Like a churro dipped in bourbon. With titles like “The Tijuana Upholstery Job” and “Fried Chicken for Breakfast,” one can infer that this tongue-in-cheek approach is backed up by serious pounding rock and Spanish guitar runs. Hermanos would be a wonderful soundtrack to From Dusk Till Dawn.
The four-song EP starts with an extremely traditional Spanish salsa of sorts in “De Estas Manos...” I can only assume this tune is a foreshadowing of the next three songs, in which FoHP rips and tears its way from the Midwest, to the deep south, all the way to Tijuana. As frontman Gregg Todt yells so perfectly, “Goin’ to Tijuana / gonna have myself a ball!”
One might even hear the EP as an homage to KC's very own little Mexico on Southwest Blvd. “The Queen of Rosedale” refers to a long-legged, teardrop-tattooed, dark-eyed lady cruising the Boulevard. Maybe there's a vixen of the Boulevard ruling the roost? Whoever they are referring to, it's obvious that there's a reason she’s the queen. Perhaps this queen is Monique Danielle, who provides additional vocals on this track?
Regardless, Federation of Horsepower sure has rolled itself a fatty burrito filled with tasty licks and savory salsas.
Hermanos de Sangre was released this week and was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Soundlab. Federation of Horsepower is heading on a mini-tour this weekend to St. Louis, Chicago, and Nashville, but you can catch them in KC again on June 21 at Davey’s Uptown.
--Josh Simcosky
Josh is a KC native that loves anything meat- or tube-driven related. He also plays guitar for Leering Heathens and Sharp Weapons.
Upcoming: Vive The Rock - Fundraiser for Académie Lafayette at recordBar, 2.8.13
Join an eclectic bill on Friday, February 8 at recordBar for a special fundraiser for Académie Lafayette, a K-8 public charter/French immersion school in KCMO. All proceeds go to the Académie Lafayette General Fund, which pays for music and arts education, interns, extracurricular programs, sports, free tutoring, etc.
Each band will feature at least one parent of an Académie Lafayette student. The Quivers will kick off the evening at 9:30 with a raucous set of soulful rock tunes, followed by the heartfelt songwriter pop of The Sexy Accident. Rounding out the evening will be the freak pop stylings of The Hillary Watts Riot and the heavy-hitting sounds of Federation of Horsepower. The show will be emcee'd by Cody Wyoming.
T-shirts for the event and raffle tickets will be sold. Tickets to the Friday show are available for $25 at this link. They will be $35 at the door.
--Michelle Bacon
Show review: Federation of Horsepower/The Heroine/Circle of Trust/Drew Black & Dirty Electric, 10.13.12
(Photo by Randy Pace)
Davey’s Uptown Rambler’s Club played host to a sum-greater-than-its-considerable-parts show, headlined by hard-hitting KC powerhouse Federation of Horsepower and San Antonio rock act The Heroine. Local bands Circle of Trust and Drew Black and Dirty Electric rounded out the night, bringing speed, rock grooves, and swagger to the already promisingly heavy mix of styles.
Mr. Black and crew kicked the evening off with a dirty, infectious bounce in their step, the lyrical ironies favored by the frontman adding extra depth to their focused 4-piece rock sound and head-bobbing, hip-swaying catalog. New song “Curio Doll” was a standout, showcasing a disco-rebirth vibe that managed to fit smoothly in with their viciously catchy offerings. Dirty Electric’s well-honed rhythm section kept the bodies movin' amongst both devoted and newly interested attendees.
Following Dirty Electric, Circle of Trust provided the evening’s first dose of metal guitars and blistering speeds. CoT put forth alternating tempos, deep growls and shouts, and the ability to dial back from full-bore metalocalypse levels for the sake of dynamics—a concept sometimes lost amidst bands of brutal BPMs and full-bore stage threats. Their style is worth noting; amongst the thrash and guttural vocals, the careful listener will discern melodies formed outside the strictures many similar acts confine themselves within.
As The Heroine took to the stage, the crowd’s anticipation for the San Antonio group’s set became palpable, and those who wait patiently are definitely rewarded. The Southern quintet quickly demonstrated total control of the proceedings, keeping eyes and ears firmly on themselves until the last chord had been struck. The Heroine’s Texas-tinged rock marries an edgy, soulful crunch with head-bangin' breakdowns and a dose of good old-fashioned revivalist callbacks. Frontman Lynnwood King’s raspy screech and manic, hand-raised stage presence was perfectly complemented by the rootsy solos and thumping, driving rhythm section of his band brethren.
With most of the crowd left intact, ten-year scene veterans Federation of Horsepower calmly setup, preparing to establish their dominance over the weary, tired, and thoroughly inebriated. None were left wanting, as grungy, bluesy, full-bore rock punishment followed. Not even the scaling down of their sound just enough for Davey’s could hide a simple truth; Federation is undeniably built to be heard through 50,000 watts by a crowd of thousands. The driving root-to-arpeggio lines from bassist Johnny Catfish told the tale of how much horsepower the Feds can bring to any show, anywhere. Don’t let their longevity in the scene fool you—you should check them out now, and often.
--Mark Johnson
| Mark is bassist, drummer, and jack of all trades in Dolls on Fire. He can pretty much do anything. |
Photos: Federation of Horsepower 10th Anniversary Show, 9.14.12
On September 14, all current and former members of Federation of Horsepower gathered at The Brick for an hard-hitting evening of rock 'n roll. Check out our photos here:
All photos by Todd Zimmer. Please do not use without permission.