Vice Squad - Punk Rock Radio

Generally when one talks about the "vice squad" one expects undercover police officers posing as prostitutes or police officers that investigate illegal gambling and while both endeavors are quite honorable, well I'm not talking about them.  The Vice Squad I am talking about is a British punk band.  Yes I said punk, what else would you expect so read on...

Bret Michaels Band - Mississippi Moon Bar

When we all look back at our birthday parties of years gone-by many mixed memories can rush toward us with the speed of a rescue panther.  Many of us remember birthdays with large animatronic mice schlepping nasty cardboard pizza, or having some sort of obnoxious hat thrust upon our heads whilst strangers sing sweet, out of tune birthday lyrics in a plethora of different languages.  Occasionally our birthdays are marked with the simple passing of the day into night but for Bret Michaels his birthday was incredibly different.

Kip Winger - Mississippi Moon Bar

As the lights went down in the city (okay, a cheap Journey reference sorry) and the lights began to raise on the stage of the Mississippi Moon Bar in Dubuque, IA a lone man with an aqua guitar took the stage.  Kip Winger was his name and he was there it make his presence known, but did he?

RapeDoor

As I sat reading a message I received on Facebook a great friend mentioned that there was a band I should look up from Minneapolis, its name... RapeDoor.  The name has connotations that could be quite the catalyst in the smoldering craws of those that are easily offended.  The good news is, I am not easily offended.  What did I learn as I listened, keep reading.

Cornfed Bruiser - National Cattle Congress

The National Cattle Congress doesn't sound like a place where one might think good music would ever come from, not to mention a place where one probably wouldn't go to hear good music.  Had I not known of the caliber of band that Cornfed Bruiser was I probably would have never given the location a chance.  Despite that I had only heard Cornfed Bruiser through studio recordings so how would the band be live?

Bobaflex - National Cattle Congress

While the name Bobaflex invokes "Star Wars" type thoughts in the remaining goo that is my brain, it became apparent that there was a pretty decent possibility that the two really weren't the same.  Sure that creepy bounty hunter "Boba Fett" was still flopping about the synopsis' as I wandered into the National Cattle Congress but that was merely a fleeting memory as Bobaflex took the stage.

Royal Bliss - National Cattle Congress

The name "Royal Bliss" has some interesting connotations and potential descriptions that could be misconstrued if one doesn't understand what is attached to it.  Certainly one could make the "dreaded" assumption that the name is some type of tribute to the nuptials of whatever the names of the latest Prince meets non-Royal are but alas me thinks it not to be true (so I tried "olde English, sue me).  What could such a name mean and why is it inside a music blog?  Well...