Kill The Rabbit

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Kill the Rabbit are so beloved by their fans that they have their own chad. Remember those dangling things that caused such a stir during the 2004 Presidential election? In the case of this year’s Battle of the Bands final round ballots, however, there was no mistaking a vote for Kill the Rabbit. The circle next to their name wasn’t just colored in: it had bunny ears.

And there were 123 of them. The support of fans helped propel the Van Wert, Ohio-based fivesome to the top of the heap, and what a heap it was. After three months’ worth of preliminary rounds, the final bout of Battle of the Bands VII – which took place Thursday, August 26 at Columbia Street West – was a veritable mountain of rock n’ roll.

The first act to take the stage was Blood From a Stone, a hard-rocking, working-class hero quartet who placed fourth. They were followed by Exterminate All Rational Thought, a four-piece, all-original, all-instrumental act whose playing ability far outstrips their collective age. (Seriously, what’s with kids today being so damned good?) EART placed third in the night’s contest, but you’d never know it from their ecstatic reaction when Battle of the Bands emcee Jerrdog (of 98.9 The Bear) called their name. Their smiles were almost as bright as bassist Jamie DeVinney’s blue hair.

Third to play was Krimsha, another quintet who, despite the fact that lead singer Bryan Barnhart was plagued first with an infected tooth (right before the first round) and next with the flu (right before the finals), had the crowd chanting their name after almost every song of their 30-minute set. Krimsha, who placed third in last year’s battle, took second prize this year, impressing the event’s seven judges with their superior musicianship and genuine devotion to their craft.

Kill the Rabbit – Scotty Hayes on vocals, Marc Baker on bass, Sheridan Lippi on drums and Tony Gardner and Mike “Patch” Adams on guitar – brought the battle to a close with a seven-song original set of power ballads and rock anthems that whipped their fans into a fine frenzy. It all began with Hayes (decked out in skin-tight jeans, a black vest, leather motorcycle gloves and a fedora) grabbing his now trademark bullhorn and belting out the title track to KTR’s upcoming CD, Pieces. The bullhorn is something Hayes had been carrying around in his car for years, and when Digitracks owner Dan Middleton suggested Hayes use the horn in the recording of “Pieces,” Hayes and the other guys from KTR were impressed with the effect.

So were the crowds at Columbia Street who sang along and waved pitchers of beer while Hayes climbed on top of an amp, ripped his vest off and sang into a horn which reads “M.I.L.F.” on one side and “Patrol” on the other.

“We’re all getting older,” Hayes said in a phone conversation the day after the battle. “MILFs are more our speed now.”

KTR followed “Pieces” with “Nervous Breakdown,” “As I Am,” “Your Song,” “Need You Now,” “Mr. Condescending” and “Flee.”

Listening to Kill the Rabbit is a little like being transported to a simpler, dare I say better, time when Bret Michaels was still just a rock star and no one had ever heard of Justin Bieber. That makes sense when you consider the fact that they first came together in 1993. Back then they were primarily a cover band, and they broke up after about four years to pursue other projects. In 2005 they played a reunion show, but it didn’t really stick until 2008 when they decided to enter Battle of the Bands for the first time. They made it to round two, and according to Hayes their only goal for this year was to make it to round three.

“We had no idea we’d get to the finals, let alone win. We’re just blown away by the fan support and the love. It’s awesome,” he said.

Awesome is as awesome plays, and these guys can play. The KTR lineup was solidified this year with the addition of Gardner and Adams, who came in to fill the void left by previous guitarist Bob Finger (his real name). Finger left the band because of a job promotion, but not before he helped pen several of the songs for KTR’s debut album, which is scheduled to drop October 1.

Hayes said the band is going to take a one-month hiatus from gigging to put the finishing touches on Pieces, and then, who knows? For now, the Decatur resident said he’s living in the moment.

“I put on all my Kill the Rabbit gear this morning and took a long motorcycle ride. I ran into a lot of friends who were really excited for us. I’ve been getting texts all day, people saying congratulations. We’re happy as hell.”

That’s pretty much Kill the Rabbit’s M.O. Hayes said that whether they’re practicing in one of the guys’ garages, playing a show or just hanging out at a bar until closing time, he and his bandmates are always joking, laughing and having a good time.

“I’ve been playing in bands for years and years, and I think I have more fun with these guys at practices than I ever had with my other bands at gigs,” he said. “We love making music. That’s what it’s all about. We love being silly and goofy and retarded. It’s like it was back when we were young.”

by Deborah Kennedy

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Wednesday, August 23

Things To Do

Community Unity Night — Dinner, games and prizes for the kids and neighborhood safety forum, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, Jennings Recreation Center, Fort Wayne, free, 427-8311

National Shows

Happy Together Tour feat. The Turtles' Flo & Eddie, Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night, The Association, The Cowsills, The Boxtops, The Archies' Ron Dante — Pop at Foellinger Outdoor Theatre, Fort Wayne, 7 p.m., $39-$79, 427-6715

Music & Comedy

Joe Justice — Variety at Arbor Glen Retirement Village, Fort Wayne, 4 p.m.-5 p.m., no cover, 492-2202

John Fishell — Rock at Auer Performance Hall, Rhinehart Music Center, IPFW, Fort Wayne, 7:30 p.m., free, 481-0777

Carolyn Martin — Variety at Don Hall's Guesthouse, Fort Wayne, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., no cover, 489-2524

Jared Schneider w/DJ Aleon — Karaoke/DJ at Columbia Street West, Fort Wayne, 9 p.m., no cover, 422-5055

Open Jam — Hosted by G-Money at Nick's Martini & Wine Bar, Fort Wayne, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., no cover, 482-6425

Open Mic — Hosted by Mike Mowry at Pedal City, Fort Wayne, 9 p.m.-12 a.m., no cover, 415-6167

Paul New Stewart — Variety at The Venice Restaurant, Fort Wayne, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., $1, 482-1618

Karaoke & DJs

Classic City Karaoke w/Bryan Lee — Karaoke at Pine Valley Bar & Grill, Fort Wayne, 8:30 p.m., no cover, 490-9464

Fort Wayne Karaoke w/Brian — Variety at AJ's Bar and Grill, Fort Wayne, 8 p.m., no cover, 434-1980

Fort Wayne Karaoke w/TJ — Variety at Chevvy's, Fort Wayne, 9 p.m., no cover,

Jared Schneider w/DJ Aleon — Karaoke/DJ at Columbia Street West, Fort Wayne, 9 p.m., no cover, 422-5055

Karaoke w/Bucca — Variety at Wrigley Field Bar & Grill, Fort Wayne, 10 p.m., no cover, 485-1038

Karaoke with Rooster — Variety at By: Belle Haven, South Whitley, 8 p.m., no cover, 866-716-9243

Shooting Star Prod. w/Stu — Variety at Office Tavern, Fort Wayne, 8 p.m., no cover, 478-5827

Shut Up and Sing — Karaoke at Duesy's Sports Bar, Fort Wayne, 7 p.m.-11 p.m., no cover, 483-5681

Three Rivers Karaoke — at Dupont Bar & Grill, Fort Wayne, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., no cover, 483-1311

Stage & Dance

Movies

Art & Artifacts

45th International Glass Invitational Award Winners — Contemporary glass sculptures presented by Habatat Galleries of Detroit, Tuesday-Sunday thru Sept. 10, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, $6-$8 (members, free), 422-6467

American Brilliant Cut Glass: New World Innovation from 1876-1917 — Works from the permanent collection of the American Cut Glass Association, Tuesday-Sunday thru Dec. 31, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, $6-$8 (members, free), 422-6467

Beautiful and Obsolete: Obituaries for the Machine Age — Works from Fort Wayne painter and printmaker Kay Gregg that explore once ubiquitous mechanical equipment made obsolete by the digital revolution, daily thru Sept. 1, Franco D’Agostino Art Gallery, Academic Center, Indiana Tech, Fort Wayne, 399-2826

Becoming Present: Louis I. Kahn and the Arts United Center — An exhibition of the chronological and biographical history of the Louis I. Kahn-designed Arts United Center, Tuesday-Sunday thru Oct. 15 (closing party featuring lecture by architect Zack Benedict 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, $10-$15), Fort Wayne Museum of Art, $6-$8 (members, free), 422-6467

Colorful Glass — Works by local and regional artists, Monday-Saturday thru Aug. 31, Orchard Gallery of Fine Art, Fort Wayne, 436-0927

Fort Wayne Artist Guild’s July Exhibitions — Works by Doni Adam at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Nancy Longmate at Allen County Retinal Surgeons, Frank Allen at Citizens Square (2nd floor), Judi Renkenberger at Citizens Square (3rd floor), Emily Butler at The Einhaus Group for Women’s Health, Stevie Ross at Heritage of Fort Wayne, Ray Watkins at Ophthalmology Consultants (Southwest), Karen Bixler at Ophthalmology Consultants (North), Lynn Padget and Nancy Longmate at Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Wayne, Frank Allen at ResCare Inc. Adult Day Service, Patricia Weiss at Town House Retirement, Judi Renkenberger at Visiting Nurse Hospice and Stevie Ross and Dick Heffelfinger at Will Jewelers, thru August 31, fortwayneartistguild.org.

Glass: A Medium in Art and Automobiles — Dale Chihuly blown glass and fiberglass auto, daily thru Sept. 8, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, Auburn, $7.50-$12.50, 925-1444

Gregg Coffey — Fort Wayne-based artist’s exhibition of 35 paintings and carved and inlaid instruments, Monday-Saturday thru Aug. 30, Firefly Coffee House, Fort Wayne, 423-3595

Light and Line: The Matrix Series of Brent Kee Young — Complex glass works works by Cleveland-based glass artist, Tuesday-Sunday thru Sept. 10, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, $6-$8 (members, free), 422-6467

Middle Waves Poster Show — An exhibit of posters promoting the Fort Wayne music festival from some of the region’s best designers, Tuesday-Sunday thru Sept. 15, Artlink Contemporary Art Gallery, Fort Wayne, 424-7195

Nathan Taves/Heather Miller — Landscapes (Taves) and three-dimensional works (Miller), Friday-Sunday, thru Sept. 8 , Garrett Museum of Art, Garrett, 704-5400

On the Pursuit of Perfection: The Legacy Architecture of Louis I. Kahn in Our City — An exhibition of modern architecture and Louis Kahn, the architect who envisioned a chimerical arts campus where the Arts United Center and Fort Wayne Museum of Art presently sit, Tuesday-Sunday thru Oct. 15 (closing party featuring lecture by architect Zack Benedict 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, $10-$15), Fort Wayne Museum of Art, $6-$8 (members, free), 422-6467

Rachel Von: Dementia, Death, and Dealing with Loss — Exhibition in three parts dedicated to the photographer’s grandfather, the late George Wiggin, who suffered from dementia, Tuesday-Sunday thru Sept. 15, Artlink Contemporary Art Gallery, Fort Wayne, 424-7195

The Secret Rooms of Katja Oxman — Selections from the major acquisition by FWMoA of prints and printmaking ephemera spanning the career of Katja Oxman, Tuesday-Sunday, thru Nov. 5, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, $6-$8 (members, free), 422-6467

Summer Harvest — Original works by local, regional and nationally recognized artists, Tuesday-Saturday thru Sept. 30, , Castle Gallery Fine Art, Fort Wayne, 426-6568

Terry Pulley: New Abstractions — Abstract landscapes and still lifes from Wabash-based painter, Tuesday-Sunday thru Oct. 1, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, $6-$8 (members, free), 422-6467

Tim Brumbeloe Photography — Works by local photographer, Tuesday-Saturday thru Aug. 28, Crestwoods Frame Shop & Gallery, Roanoke, 672-2080

Wabash Art Guild — Works from local artists, daily thru Aug. 27, Clark Gallery, Honeywell Center, Wabash, 563-1102

The World of Studio Glass — Works from some of the world’s most innovative glass sculptors, with new work by Robert Comploj, Eunush Choi and Harue Shimomoto, Tuesday-Sunday thru Sept. 10, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, $6-$8 (members, free), 422-6467