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Tim’s Picks: A music galore edition

Your weekly dose of five choice ideas for the weekend and beyond in Lafayette/West Lafayette.

Dave Bangert

May 25, 2023

Thanks today to the Round the Fountain Art Fair, marking its 49^th year on Saturday and looking forward to its 50^th in 2024. Round the Fountain, featuring artists from across the Midwest, supports arts education at Greater Lafayette schools and local public art projects. Round the Fountain is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday around the Tippecanoe County Courthouse. For more information, go to: roundthefountain.org.

And now, your weekly dose of five choice ideas for the weekend and beyond in Lafayette/West Lafayette …

By Tim Brouk / For Based in Lafayette

David Rempis and Tyler Damon, 8 p.m. Thursday, May 25, The Spot Tavern, 409 S. Fourth St., Lafayette — The saxophone and drum duo of David Rempis and Tyler Damon will represent the underground improvisational jazz scene of Chicago with a fiery live performance that will take listeners up, down and all around. While both are part of numerous other projects, Rempis and Damon, who are neighbors, concentrated on this duo project during the peak of COVID-19, hosting weekly outdoor concerts in their neighborhood park. The shows caught on and featured other improvisors from around the Windy City. When things reopened, Rempis and Damon took the duo outside the park and into clubs around Chicago and beyond. $10 or pay what you can.

Tyler Damon and David Rempis. (Photo provided)

What a Woman! with Gabbie Elise, Violin Olga, Little Umbrellas, Luna Worldcast and Sheeza, 7 p.m. Friday, May 26, Rat Pak Venue, 102 N. Third St., Lafayette — Local and regional female solo artists and female-fronted bands drive the new live music showcase What a Woman! Created and presented by Claire Tchoula of Sheeza fame, the event’s goal is to “pay homage to female empowerment, leadership and creativity.” The live music scene has officially turned a corner to be able to offer such quality and diverse acts in a recurring showcase. Classically trained, Violin Olga has been a local sensation with her unique interpretations of pop tunes, while wife and husband duo Luna Worldcast have climbed to prominence thanks to hard work and talent. I caught one of their early gigs playing to almost no one at Curley’s while Purdue men’s basketball lost to St. Peter’s in the 2022 NCAA tournament. Talk about tough gigs. Little Umbrellas consists of singer-songwriter Naomi Wolsieffer and bassist extraordinaire Davide Marzoli, while young singer-songwriter Gabbie Elise was inspired by the likes of Ed Sheeran and someone named Taylor Swift to pick up the guitar and start writing her own music. Elise’s song “21” is an early, excellent result of her drive and skills. This show is an 18-and-older affair. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Tickets.

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Shelby Ryan, 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 27, The Tap, 100 S. Chauncey Ave., West Lafayette — Either as a solo artist, half of the Ryan O’Brien group or lead singer of The Jazz Goblins, Shelby Ryan is the hardest working woman in Kankakee Valley show business due to her regular gigging up and down Indiana and Illinois. Ryan returns to The Tap in West Lafayette for a start-of-summer mix of rock, folk and pop tunes. The young musician got her start in southwest Michigan area in 2017 before taking her talents “south” to the northern Illinois and Indiana border area.

Punk vs. Metal BBQ IV with Radkey, Tiger Sex, The Mound Builders, Lucifist and DJ Circle T, 7 p.m. Sunday, May 28, The Hollow (behind People’s Brewing Company), 2006 N. Ninth St., Lafayette — Meat! Metal! Mayhem (of the punk rock variety)! Yes, it’s time for the annual Punk vs. Metal BBQ, where tag teams of heavy metal and punk bands square off over grilled barbecue offerings. Punk is the odds-on favorite this year with two out-of-state ringers that will get your ears ringing. Tiger Sex from Cincinnati returns to town led by the fiery vocals and antics of singer Kelly Chelston. Then there’s Radkey, an international punk rock smash. The young band of three brothers — Dee, Solomon and Isaiah Radke — from Missouri has been touring and growing in success for the last dozen years. Today, Radkey is a Riot Fest regular, tours Europe and gobbles up media exposure. But this exciting punk trio doesn’t forget its Midwest roots, as Radkey will make its Lafayette debut after playing Indianapolis several times over the years. Representing heavy riffage, Lafayette scene veterans The Mound Builders and Lucifist will certainly hold their own in this battle of rock. The two bands just finished a split release on cassette and digital download, and they recently rocked together in Chicago and Indy. $20. Tickets.

Moon Goons, 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 30, People’s Brewing Company, 2006 N. Ninth St., Lafayette — Indianapolis psychedelic-garage outfit Moon Goons planted its flag at The Spot last year, and the band is finally back in our orbit. For fans of punk and prog, Moon Goons sound is sci-fi on speed, spacey yet danceable, and if you’re too impatient for “Dune: Part Two,” check out the band’s latest recording, “Sandworm.” It has the spice. $10. Tickets.

Tim Brouk is a longtime arts and entertainment reporter. He writes here (almost) weekly, tracking things to do for Based in Lafayette.

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Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com. Follow and like Based in Lafayette on Facebook: Based in Lafayette