press

Haymaker Records Celebrates 10 Years

This entry was posted in Be/Non Freight Train Rabbit Killer Jorge Arana Trio news press shows and tagged 10 Year Anniversary be/non freight train rabbit killer haymaker showcase jorge arana trio on

Kansas City-based record label Haymaker Records marks the anniversary of ten years of existence with a special concert at recordBar on Saturday, May 4 2024. Performing on the stage are three artists who have seen multiple releases on the label over its ten years. Mathy jazz-rock group Jorge Arana Trio, space rock supergroup Be/Non, and doom blues duo Freight Train Rabbit Killer are the featured performers on the night.

Haymaker Records was formed in January 2014. The label chose to focus on boundary-pushing artists and provide a home and promotional arm for music that might not find a home on traditional pop radio. Jorge Arana Trio became the first band the label worked with and by July 2014, a cassette and LP for the Oso EP had been released. Since that first release, the label has released a total of 24 recordings from 10 different artists including Be/Non, Freight Train Rabbit Killer, Schwervon!, Monta, HMPH!, and Sie Lieben Maschinen. 14 releases have made their way onto vinyl. Also included are two compilations featuring artists from the Kansas City area as well as national and international acts from Arkansas to Norway.

The concert at recordBar has doors opening at 7PM on May 4th with an entry of $15. Event information can be reviewed here. The Facebook event is available here. Haymaker Records will be located in the merchandise area with a collection of vinyl, cassettes, and other merchandise available for purchase from the ten-year history of the record label.

Haymaker Records 10-Year Anniversary Show
Haymaker Records 10-Year Anniversary Show

Freight Train Rabbit Killer Celebrate 10 Years with Concerts & New Album

This entry was posted in Freight Train Rabbit Killer news press releases shows Uncategorized and tagged album concerts freight train rabbit killer pre-order vinyl on

Haymaker Records will help celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the doom blues group Freight Train Rabbit Killer with a series of concerts and the release of a new full-length album.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer is a duo made up of Kris Bruders (Freight Train) and Mark Smeltzer (Rabbit Killer). Described as a heavy doom blues American Roots opera, they have been performing for a period of ten years since the group formed around Halloween 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri. Since then, they have been able to play shows and festivals in more than twenty U.S. states, two tours of Europe, a residency with the Kansas City Art Institute, two fashion shows featuring their own hand-created clothing designs, the release of a comic book, and the completion of three full-length albums and four 7-Inch singles.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer - Common Thorns
Freight Train Rabbit Killer – Common Thorns

In celebration of the groups 10-year anniversary, Freight Train Rabbit Killer will be performing a set of three concerts over seven days in Kansas City. The first performance will be at Boulevard Brewing Beer Hall (2534 Madison Ave. KCMO) on Tuesday October 24 from 6-8PM. This is a free event and will feature a 10-year art retrospective with artist Hector Casanova and student works from the Kansas City Art Institute. The appearance by the duo will include an interview and performance broadcasted live over the KTBG 90.9FM airwaves. The second event happens at Stockyards Brewing Co. (1600 Genessee St. #100 KCMO) on Saturday October 28 from 7-10PM. The free event will feature a multimedia performance with video projections and props. The final event will be Halloween night Tuesday October 31 from 7-11PM at The Ship (1221 Union Ave. KCMO). The $10 cover will include a special Halloween blacklight performance featuring Freight Train Rabbit Killer, The Peculiar Pretzelmen, and The Black Mariah Theater and a blacklight costume contest with prizes for the top three costumes.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer - Mule to Plow
Freight Train Rabbit Killer – Mule to Plow

 The new album The Ten Year will be pressed to vinyl and released on digital media platforms in early 2024 through Kansas City’s Haymaker Records. The LP contains one side of four new songs and a second side of the 22-minute drone / ambient piece “A Forest of Whispers”. The songs “Commons Thorns” and “Mule to Plow”, will see an advance digital release on all digital media platforms on October 20 in celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the band. Pre-orders for the new album will be available at all three shows. Check back with Haymaker Records website for future information about pre-ordering the new album.

Food People Soundtrack

This entry was posted in Be/Non news press stories and tagged animated series be/non crush media food people haymaker records on

Haymaker Records and our friends at Crush Media have just released the Food People Soundtrack, the audio compliment for the Food People animated series. Food People is an animated sitcom cooking show about what our foods are, where they come from, and how they can all work together to become part of a bigger recipe. Food People used an ambitious Kickstarter campaign to get the series off the ground and provide employment to underemployed voice actors during this COVID-19 pandemic. The show is funny, educational, and whimsical with an all-star voice acting cast and superb music provided by Brodie Rush of Be/Non. Brodie also functions as creator and animator with Cori Anne Weber as the writer and producer and a cast of other artists and voice actors. A few episodes are available online already at www.foodpeople.tv. The soundtrack features Brodie’s original score for the show, the cast of Food People with snippets jingles and voiceovers, and full songs from two Kansas City bands; space rock group Be/Non and jazz / jump blues specialists Grand Marquis. Check out the soundtrack at Food People Bandcamp.

New Be/Non Digital Release – “A Valley of No: The Alternate A Mountain of Yeses”

This entry was posted in Be/Non interview news press releases and tagged be/non digital download haymaker records kkfi release on

Be/Non have a new digital release today on Haymaker Records (HAY022-DD). A Valley of No: The Alternate A Mountain of Yeses is a journey into the sculpting process of creating Be/Non’s “A Mountain of Yeses” (2009). In contrast to the original release, this compilation contains alternate mixes, isolated tracks and demo versions. Be/Non presents a bizarro-like version of the AMOY album, showing an alternate universe what could have been if the creation of the album went on a divergent path. Behold the paradoxical serendipity of Be/Non’s unique take on constructing a space-themed story/album. A visual accompaniment to the album has been in production since 2008 and now has a 2021 release date. A Valley of No: The Alternate A Mountain of Yeses is a name-your-price download through bandcamp.

HMPH! release new album “HMPH!”

This entry was posted in HMPH! news pre-order press releases shows and tagged cd release haymaker records hmph! lp math-rock progressive rock vinyl on

HMPH! - "HMPH!"

HMPH! – “HMPH!”

HMPH! is the three-piece math-rock outfit of Ryan Lee Toms (RLT), Jonathan Thatch, and Kitten Boggs. As an instrumental group with guitar, bass, drums, looping pedal and effects, the ingredients are simple but the result is not. Using staples of the math rock genre, such as technical patterned guitar riffs, odd time signatures, and herky-jerky start/stops, the songs greet your ears with a jarring wake up call. A unique sense of melody and structure cement a listening experience filled with unlikely anthems.

HMPH!’s second album, the self-titled “HMPH!” releases worldwide on November 15, 2019 and features their signature math-rock sound with a progressive rock and avant-jazz twist. The songs on HMPH! are more sprawling than on 2015’s Headrush, with lots of detours and left turns along the way. Recorded by the band in their home recording studio, the album had time to evolve, and the complicated arrangements materialized through this process. This album also features heavy basslines provided by Kitten Boggs, a significant addition since their first record. This album is a choose your own adventure of abrupt rhythm changes, dissident chords, or even about-face genre-hops into funk, punk, or samba. “HMPH!” is a different kind of album from a different kind of band.

The album features album artwork by Ryan Lee Toms and Kitten Boggs and was pressed on CD and translucent green vinyl with digital download included. The LP includes a bonus re-working of the track “Trudge Dredge” from the first album.

HMPH! Release Parties

HMPH! Release Parties

Preview the album!

Release parties are planned for Friday, November 1st at Farewell Transmission in Kansas City, Missouri (joined by Jorge Arana Trio, Shiny Jets, and DJ Dimesack) and Saturday, November 2nd at Replay Lounge in Lawrence, Kansas (joined by Pale Tongue and After Nations).

Outer Reaches 2019

This entry was posted in artists Be/Non KC Psych Fest Monta at Odds news Outer Reaches press shows stories and tagged be/non concert festival haymaker records KC Psych Fest midwest music foundation monta at odds outer reaches party psych recordbar shiny jets on

Outer Reaches 2019

Outer Reaches 2019

Haymaker Records is once again a sponsor of the Outer Reaches music festival in Kansas City, Missouri. This year’s festival will be celebrated Saturday October 19 at recordBar (1520 Grand Blvd). The eighth annual lineup spans across two stages and features two touring acts including space rock band Lumerians (Oakland, CA) and pop duo Thunder Jackson (Oklahoma / Wales). Kansas City bands featured at the festival this year include cosmic jazz legends BCR (Black Crack Revue), experimental hip hop duo FACEFACE, experimental music / performance artist Unicorns in the Snow, as well as Haymaker Records’ synthesizer-based psychedelic rock band Monta at Odds, and art-rock duo Shiny Jets space rock band Be/Non [We regret that Be/Non have had to cancel due to an emergency]. Accompanying live video projections will be provided by XO Blackwater.

Tickets are $15 and available in advance at the recordBar venue and website and also online here. You can also check out the Facebook event for updates and view the official website at www.outerreachesfest.com.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer “Hammer of Judgment” Recording Session Tickets

This entry was posted in Freight Train Rabbit Killer news pre-order press releases shows and tagged concert freight train rabbit killer haymaker records pre-order recording session tickets on

Freight Train Rabbit Killer - Hammer of Judgment Recording Session Poster

Freight Train Rabbit Killer – Hammer of Judgment Recording Session Poster

Freight Train Rabbit Killer want YOU to be a part of the next album!! Enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the recording of a full length album. Hammer of Judgment will be released in vinyl LP and other formats on Haymaker Records in October 2019. This album will be created from the music captured at four different live recording sessions with the best tracks pressed to vinyl.

There are four different recording session dates that will happen at the new downtown Blue Springs recording studio GFM Modern Recording (1118 W. Main St. Blue Springs, Missouri) the fourth weekend of April [NOTE: This is a venue change from what was stated previously]. This will be an intimate performance with tickets for each show capped at 25 seats and available through this website. Each night’s music will be different with three of the performances featuring the backing band The Hammer of Judgment.

Check out the online shop items below for advance pre-sale ticket options and the four different bundles (featuring limited items and pre-orders unique to this special set of performances).


July 2018 News

This entry was posted in Freight Train Rabbit Killer Jorge Arana Trio news pre-order press releases shows and tagged 7-inch concert freight train rabbit killer haymaker records haymaker showcase jorge arana trio recordbar release release party temp tats vinyl on

Haymaker Party 2018-07-25

Haymaker Party 2018-07-25

Hay there. Here are a few updates on happenings for the month of July…

Concerts

Releases
Freight Train Rabbit Killer‘s “Wake Snake Death Dance” Vol. 3 is available for pre-order on 7-Inch vinyl from Haymaker Records in black vinyl and limited edition blood red vinyl. The sleeves are hand screen-printed by the band themselves. Orders will ship around the end of July. You can also pre-order the entire four volume 7-Inch bundle of “Wake Snake Death Dance”.

Haymaker Records & Bullseye Records partner up for show at The Greenwood Social Hall

This entry was posted in news press shows and tagged bullseye records concert greenwood social hall haymaker records mary ocher party on

Haymaker Records and label upstart Bullseye Records announce an intimate night of otherworldly music at The Greenwood Social Hall on Tuesday May 29, 2018. The show will feature a solo vibraphone performance by Mike Dillon (New Orleans, LA), the raw emotional pop music of singer-songwriter Calvin Arsenia (Kansas City, Missouri), and the ethereal avant-pop of Mary Ocher (Berlin, Germany). This all-ages event will be held at 7:30PM in Kansas City, Missouri at The Greenwood Social Hall, 1750 Belleview Ave., with a $20 advance general admission ticket purchase.

Greenwood Social Hall - 2018/05/29

Greenwood Social Hall – 2018/05/29

The night’s entertainment takes place in the comfy confines of the private arts venue The Greenwood Social Hall. Converted from a 1920s Baptist church, the space offers an intimate setting and amazing natural acoustics suitable for the performances on vibraphone, harp, piano, guitar, keys, percussion, and vocals. The Greenwood Social Hall was featured in a recent spread by the The New York Times. Mike Dillon has been praised as a “punk rock provateur”, a “jazz vibraphone visionary”, and a “percussion virtuoso”, having worked with such artists as Les Claypool, Rickie Lee Jones, and Ani Difranco and performing in groups such as The Dead Kenny G’s, Critters Buggin, Hairy Apes BMX, and Billy Goat. Dillon joins the stage after multiple May appearances at New Orleans Jazz Fest. Recent Bullseye Records signing Calvin Arsenia, accompanied by a percussionist, will highlight his skills on harp, piano, and classically trained voice. A mix of bizarre and experimental musings with swooping, hearty melodies, and raw acoustic emotion form the gentle, heartfelt style that defines his music. Berlin multidisciplinary artist Mary Ocher’s work is as enchanting as it is polarizing, guiding itself through genres as diverse as traditional folk, raw 60s garage, synth-driven ambient, and experimental pop. She’s back in North America with her new album “The West Against the People” and its companion release “Faust Studio Sessions”, following a European release tour of 20 countries. “The West Against The People” was released on the German label Klangbad in spring 2017 and recorded with Hans Joachim Irmler of Krautrock pioneers Faust.

Please review the Facebook event page for complete details on the event. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer Release 7-Inch Record Series on Haymaker Records

This entry was posted in Freight Train Rabbit Killer news pre-order press releases shows tours and tagged 7-inch concert doom blues free freight train rabbit killer haymaker records midwest music foundation release party vinyl on

Haymaker Records releases a new series of 7-Inch records by doom blues group Freight Train Rabbit Killer on vinyl on Saturday October 28, 2017. “Old Man of the Mountain” / “Maybe It’s You” is the first 7-Inch in the “Wake Snake Death Dance” 7-Inch Series and will be celebrated with a FREE release party in Kansas City, Missouri at Stockyards Brewing Co., 1600 Genessee St. #100, Kansas City, MO, on Saturday October 28 th at 8PM.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Freight Train Rabbit Killer

Freight Train Rabbit Killer is a duo made up of Kris Bruders (Freight Train) and Mark Smeltzer (Rabbit Killer). Described as a heavy doom blues American Roots opera – a shaman of the hills and a vigilante bent on justice, they have been performing out of their hometown of Kansas City, Missouri and on the road for three years. It’s storytelling through music, doom blues with screaming electric guitars, all accompanied by suits and masks. The 7-Inch series is a collaborative effort of Kansas City’s Haymaker Records and the groups’ own imprint Rural Grit Records and will be represented with four separate 7-Inch releases over the next year. The four 7-Inch records are a part of a greater puzzle, assembled by the band and complete with riddles, codes, and maps. The goal of this interactive game is to eventually lead the listener to a trove of artifacts revealed with the final release in the series. The hand screen-printed artwork for each volume will combine to create one larger piece of art. Through a special crowd-funding campaign, the entire four 7-Inch bundle can be pre-ordered and delivered separately at the time of release. An option will also be present for donating money to the trove of artifacts awarded to the winner of the interactive game. “Old Man of the Mountain” / “Maybe It’s You” is the first 7-Inch in the series and will be released on a limited run of 100 blood red hand-numbered copies with a limited number on black vinyl thereafter.

Freight Train Rabbit Killer Vinyl Release Party 2017

Freight Train Rabbit Killer Vinyl Release Party 2017

Freight Train Rabbit Killer will be joined by Kansas City punk rock group GASCAN for the Stockyards Brewing Co. release show on October 28th. The release party is a FREE event and will be celebrated with a special Halloween costume party beginning at 8PM. In addition to the release show, Freight Train Rabbit Killer are one of the featured performers the following night, Sunday October 29th at recordBar for SocialHeart’s Rockin’ Halloween benefit for Midwest Music Foundation. Copies of the new 7-Inch vinyl record of “Old Man on the Mountain” / “Maybe It’s Me” will be made available to the public for the first time at these events. Check out the Facebook event page for complete details on the event.

Pre-order “Old Man of the Mountain” / “Maybe It’s You” or the entire four 7-Inch bundle now!