I just returned to Baltimore from a lengthy stay in the Midwest, my old stomping grounds. While twiddling my thumbs at the airport, I got the idea to do a Midwest-centric set featuring a smattering of bands from flyover country. We’ll touch down in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky (Louisville bands always played in Illinois so I think of them as Midwesterners—sue me), Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Lots of obvious choices here, but also a healthy number of oddballs and obscurities (like The Frogs, pictured). Enjoy this hotdish with a side of Jell-O.
Playlist
- Dow Jones And The Industrials — Can’t Stand The Midwest
- Shoes — I Don’t Wanna Hear It
- Get Smart! — Berlin On The Plains
- Big Black — The Power Of Independent Trucking
- The Frogs — Hot Cock Annie
- Guided By Voices — Shocker In Gloomtown
- The Dangtrippers — When Time Runs Out
- The Outnumbered — I Feel So Sorry Now
- Babylon Dance Band — When I’m Home
- Butterglory — Jinxed
- The Sea And Cake — Soft And Sleep
- Nikki & The Corvettes — Just What I Need
- Bunnygrunt — Just Like Suppertime
- Liz Phair — Jealousy
- Naked Raygun — Knock Me Down
- Die Kreuzen — Mannequin
- Negative Approach — Ready To Fight
- Toxic Reasons — Noise Boys
- Uncle Tupelo — Nothing
- Ass Ponys — Disappointed
- Red Red Meat — Cillamange
- The Replacements — I Don’t Know
- Baby Astronauts — Lost At Your Party
- Dollface — Toulouse-Lautrec
- Urge Overkill — Woman To Woman
- The Jesus Lizard — If You Had Lips
- The Appliances — Living In America
- Proof Of Utah — Betty’s Pleasure
- Pere Ubu — The Modern Dance
- Breaking Circus — Lady In The Lake
- Ministry — Everyday (Is Halloween)
- My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult — The International Sin Set
- Brainiac — Sexual Frustration
- Husker Du — Pink Turns To Blue
- Material Issue — Out Right Now
- The Pedaljets — Liking You
- Soul Asylum — P-9
- Palace Brothers — Ohio River Boat Song
- Outrageous Cherry — ‘Til I Run Out
- The Gories — Thunderbird ESQ
- Zero Boys — Hightime
- Didjits — Killboy Powerhead
- Devo — Uncontrollable Urge
- Violent Femmes — Kiss Off