JIM CATALANO/Journal Staff Rockin' out: Kiev, including bassist Maia Vidal, will return to the Haunt Saturday for a show featuring five high school bands. PHILIP GOULD/ Provided Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys bring their danceable Cajun grooves to the Rongo Friday night.

Recently, I've become more aware of some bands from Ithaca High School. Over the past few months, a handful of bands - Kiev, Immature Youth, London Dispersion, Egar Got Agitated, Subject to Change, and some others - have been playing regular gigs at various venues around town.

This Saturday, those five bands will team up for a showcase gig at the Haunt. Kicking off at 6:30 p.m. (cover is $5), the 16-and-up show offers a change to see some of the local music scene's next generation.

I hope to write about all the bands in upcoming columns, but this week I thought I'd focus on Kiev, since I've actually seen one of their shows.

Kiev includes Maia Vidal (bass, vocals), Taylor Quan (guitar) and Sylvie Froncek (drums), all sophomores at Ithaca High School.

"We used to go see shows, and wish that we were in a band," says Vidal. "And now we are."

Rather than trying to imitate any one particular band, Kiev decided to focus on writing original material. "We all have so many different influences, that we couldn't have agreed on any one style," says Quan, though all band members say they like the Beatles. (They occasionally cover "Back in the U.S.S.R.")

All the members contribute to the songwriting, and they love practicing together in Froncek's basement. "When we get into a groove, it's the coolest thing ever," says Quan.

"It's a lot of fun when we're jamming," agrees Vidal. "The energy can be a blast."

Kiev played its first show last November, and since then, has hit just about every downtown venue, from the Haunt and Lost Dog Lounge to WowNet and See Spot.

"Some gigs can be so cool, like at the Haunt," says Froncek. "The best thing about playing clubs is that no one really knows us, but people still stay to hear us."

A few weeks ago, Kiev released its debut CD, "Get Out Off My Basement." Recorded with producer Park Doing at his BrightSpark Studios. Comprising 10 songs, the CD spotlights the band's punk-pop-rock sound on its original songs. (You can hear three songs at www.theithacajournal.com/kiev.)

"It was a little stressful recording it at the time," says Vidal. "But in retrospect, it's pretty cool to actually have a CD."

The members says that being in Kiev has helped give them an identity around school. "We get recognized a lot for being in a band," says Vidal.

"It's how I know people," agrees Froncek.

Kiev has big plans for the summer. "If we can pull it off, we want to tour around Central New York," says Quan.

To learn more about Kiev, go to www.kiev.ithaca-ny.com.

I-Town Records releases third compilation

Local label I-Town Records is releasing its third compilation CD, with 13 tracks from recent and upcoming I-Town releases. Patti Witten kicks off the CD, followed by Hank Roberts and Wiggy Dog Boy, Sim Redmond Band, Oculus, Crow Greenspun, Paso Fino, 10 Ft Ganga Plant, Speer-Specker-Henrie, Cletus and The Burners, Justin Hinds with John Brown's Body (recorded live at the GrassRoots Festival), Tom Mank and Sera Smolen, David Gould, Sunny Weather and the Urban Horse Thieves.

To celebrate the new CD, I-Town is hosting a pair of showcases this weekend. Friday is band night at Castaways, with Oculus, Crow Greenspun, Hank Roberts and Wiggy Dog Boy, Urban Horse Thieves, David Gould (with his funk-soul-afro-jazz-dub-hiphop project) and special guest DJ Jed Ashton of Analog Sons. Cover is $10 ($8 with an Ithaca Festival button) for the 8 p.m. show.

Saturday, the Lost Dog Lounge hosts acoustic night, with Paso Fino, Trevor MacDonald, Patti Witten with Rich DePaolo, Speer-Specker-Henrie, and Tom Mank and Sera Smolen. Cover is $10 ($8 with an Ithaca Festival button) for the 8 p.m. show.

Visit www.itownrecords.com for more information on the shows and the CD.

Riley, Playboys return to the Rongo

We're heading into summer festival season this weekend, which means that the GrassRoots Festival is only a few weeks away. But for those who are looking to get their fill of hot Cajun music now, then head up to the Rongo Friday night to catch Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys at a show sponsored by the Cayuga Cajun Zydeco Community.

Hailing from Louisiana, the band has long been one of the hottest Cajun bands around. After a couple of contemporary-sounding albums (rock and roll influences, English lyrics, the Playboys return to their traditional roots on their latest recording, "Bon Reve." The album, which was nominated for a Grammy in the traditional folk category, contains the band's usual stellar vocal and instrumental arrangements with all the lyrics sung in French. Visit www.mamouplayboys.com to learn more.

The Rongo's dance floor is likely to be packed all night for this show. Advance tickets for the 10 p.m. show are $12 and available at the Rongo and Ithaca Guitar Works. At the door, admission is $15. Call 387-3334 for information.

Greencards' bluegrass at the Chapter House

Given the rich depth of the Austin, Texas, music scene, it's quite a big deal to be named the city's "Best New Band." That's the honor the Greencards picked up at the Austin Music Awards this spring for their driving, bluegrass-inflected acoustic sound, which you'll be able to hear at the Chapter House Tuesday night.

Comprising a pair of Australians -- Carol Young (vocals, bass) and Kym Warner (vocals, mandolin, bouzouki) -- and a Brit -- Eamon McLoughlin (vocals, fiddle, viola), the Greencards specialize in tight three-part harmonies and deft playing on their debut CD, "Movin' On." The disc earned raves from Kasey Chambers and Robert Earl Keen, as well as from No Depression and Bluegrass Unlimited magazines.

Local favorites Cornerstone open the 8 p.m. show. Cover is $5. Call 277-9782 for information.

More shows

The Ithaca Festival is chock-full of music, as usual, and you can hear many of the participating bands by tuning into www.radiofreeithaca.net, an online radio station that streams music from a ton of local bands. Programmed by Mike Levy, the webcast will be featuring blocks of songs by festival bands along with hourly announcements. Tune in and check it out.

While things are busy at the Ithaca Festival during the day, local clubs will be hopping at night. Besides the aforementioned shows, here are some others to consider.

After the Ithaca Festival parade tonight, you can head to the Haunt to catch the blues-rock of the Stone Soul Foundation and the Molly Shea Band, or pop upstairs to the Lost Dog Lounge to heard deejays DJSG, David Cross and Fictitious Commodity of 704B Productions spin a variety of tunes (www.704Bproductions.com).

Friday, Brand New Sin returns to the Haunt for a big heavy rock show. The Syracuse band is coming off a six-month hiatus from performing while working on songs for its next album, due out this summer on Bardic Records. Go to www.brandnewsin.com for details. Also on the bill are King Snyder, who have been busy working on a new CD, and Rochester's Heatseeker. Cover is $8 for the 8 p.m. show. Visit www.thehaunt.com for information.

Also on Friday, Boy with a Fish return to the Lost Dog Lounge for a 9:30 p.m. show, while the Thins get back to the Enuwan for a free 10 p.m. show.

Saturday, the Mofos headline a big show at Castaways. The band, which was particularly aggressive at its Chapter House show last month, will be joined by a trio of other bands for this show: The Priests, from Rochester, who specialize in a trashy brand of garage rock, as displayed on their excellent CD, "Streetwalker"; The Sutras, Ithaca's own alt-rock kings, whose "Thousandaire" was my choice for top local CD of 2003; and Black Labeled, an up-and-coming Ithaca punk band. Cover is $6 for the 9 p.m. show.

Also Saturday, the See Spot hosts an early 6 p.m. punk-metal show with Ithaca's Timur Lenk and Black Labeled and Elmira's Pushrods, and the Rongo hosts a stellar triple of local singer-songwriters Johnny Dowd, Jennie Stearns and Park Doing at 10 p.m. show at the Rongovian Embassy.

If you feel like heading out of town Saturday, the legendary Mose Allison is playing at the Earlville Opera House. It's a bit of a ride, but worth the trip; call (315) 691-3550 or go to www.earlvilleoperahouse.com for information. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention Air Supply's appearance at Touch of Texas in Johnson City (call 729-2323 for information).

Sunday, if you're looking to cool down from Ithaca Fest festivities at Stewart Park, head over to the Haunt for an all-star jam headlined by Pete Panek and the Blue Cats kicking off around 7 p.m. Cover is $5, but you get in free with an Ithaca Festival button. And a bit later, head up to the Rongo for the double bill of Oshe and Mountain Mojo Authority, who lay down the reggae and funk grooves starting at 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Baby Gramps performs at the Nines. The Washington State-based troubadour draws from early jazz, blues, ragtime and novelty songs, all delivered in an inimitable fashion. Influences range from Blind Blake and Uncle Dave Macon to Captain Beefheart, Tuvan Throat Singers and more. Notoriously hard-to-please critic Robert Cristgau of the Village Voice lauded Gramps, noting "if you feel like being amazed, he's a better bet than most." Surf to www.babygramps.com to learn more. There's a cover for the 10 p.m. show. Call 272-1888 for information.

Originally published Thursday, June 3, 2004