Oddbodys Hosts Aria Marie Foundation Show

Saturday July 9, four of Dayton’s finest graced the Oddbodys stage supporting the Aria Marie Foundation. The AMF is a foundation founded by the Spradling family which aids in the care and compensation of children during the holidays who have lost one or both parents. The foundation was started as a tribute in memory of their 20 year-old-daughter Aria Marie who went missing in September 2013 near Dixie Dr. Her body was found six weeks later in a Vandalia park.  Since its inception the foundation has sponsored groups of kids providing food at Thanksgiving and presents at Christmas from Santa. The group has traveled nationwide giving one parent homes and adopted kid’s holiday cheer.  One of the group’s long-term goals is to start college funds for each kid. WYSO’s Niki Dakota and WTUE’s B Man John Beaulieu helped promote the show, sponsored by Centerville Pizza and BBQ.

Team Void, Jasper the Colossal, Shotgun Surprise and The Nightbeast played a unique and diverse showcase from masked musical avengers to the pop-rap-rock highly tattooed male specimens.

From parts unknown, somewhere in the state of euphoria came the Lucha party assault of Team Void. They started the show with a 30 minute instrumental throw down basking in the waves of 1950’s surf movies; masked superhero’s fighting evil villains and beach volley ball surf and turf. There may have been some vintage scary monsters lurking as well.

The Main Event started the show. It wasn’t a no holds barred, anything goes, Texas death cage match but it was fun to watch. The Lions Head Watches the Dove with a sharp witchy focus waiting to pounce, the dove better Scram. It was time for a magical mystery tour ride on the Mexican Bus. They ended with the roof, the roof, on fire, Burning the House Down.

The three woman trio Jasper the Colossal came up to jam mid-evening. Their infectious mix of grunge, punk, indie rock and high energy have won them, dedicated crowds and followings from the Oregon to the Old Yellow Cab and beyond.

Stories of lived, learned and sometimes repeated drinking, partying, AA and rough mornings after were bestowed on the gathering. Paige Beller sported the shades of success for the evening.  The repeated story of the inebriated Whine-O rang out true for everyone once in a while. Crowd favorite Slayer Kinney has been played on many stages and caught on camera in Henrique Couto’s movies.

The MC of the night Dale Spradling came up to play and raffle off a Aria guitar and amp donated by a friend. Shotgun Surprise  played next. Before the show they presented long time business partner, master cook and friend Robert Benson of Centerville Pizza and BBQ a plague of acknowledgement for supporting their events and feeding the fans and crew wherever they went. Benson told a story about them in Myrtle Beach when Spradling showed him pictures of the families and kids they made sure had a Christmas, pledging his support to the cause.

Supporting 2016’s Aria Marie release they cranked out a few covers and some of their own. Black Days started the shin-dig. They covered the man with the spiked hair and perpetual snarled lip with a Rebel Yell as the crowd chanted, more, more, more.  The purple one received a heavenly shout out and they Loc-ed after dark with the Funky Cold Medina.

The band was officially sponsored by Cold Cock Whisky.  The tunes continued with general election theme song No More Lies, ending with a common problem that a lot of guys go through at least one. There’s nothing wrong with having a Whisky Dick.

The full-stage of moving parts that make The Nightbeast work, were accounted for. They pumped up the jams and rocked out in their uniquely bizarre but genuine and fascinating way. They brought out the grooves, the riffs and let the ink sweat. They’re not pretty but they are colorful. They were college free but still offered chicks a Full Ride. They enjoy the July heat like no others from the street. When they’re standing above you (on stage) they’re hard to ignore, even if you’re staring at your phone looking away (for Pokémon).

They’re a fun high energy, multi-expressional, spirited spectacle of sorts. You may not completely understand it but you’ll remember it. They’re always Living Large in the summertime. When the doors close, it’s time to get physical like a ‘80s workout video. We’ve all experimented with the birds and the bees and there’s no shame to exclaim it, we’re all fans of The Grown Up here. Everything was OK, they were Paid and Rowdy and everything was right in the world.

They’ve given word that new tunes are coming.

Images by Mike Ritchie