Rockville 1993

In 1993, Erik Voeks released an album called Sand Box. (Read my review of it here.) It’s one of those many great records that slipped through the cracks over the years, but has remained championed by a small and fortunate few. Fortunate enough to hear it, that is. Voeks recorded the album in St. Louis, the city in which he used to live, and it features some stellar guitar work from the late, legendary Jay Bennett (Wilco, Titanic Love Affair).

Since then, Voeks has relocated to Kansas City. In addition to a variety of projects that include a meticulously faithful Guided by Voices tribute band, he also started his own band, Miss America. My friend Randy Paske turned me on to Sand Box, and I was like “Who IS this guy?”, and Randy told me the story, while also throwing in the fact that Voeks is an appreciator of my band, The Dead Girls. Right away, I started thinking, “Man, some of those Sand Box tunes would be really fun to play live…”

Now, in partial thanks to Randy, Jesse Kates of the Sexy Accident and Indie Pop Alliance, and Voeks himself, this little party is coming to fruition tomorrow night at the Brick for the next Indie Pop Alliance show. Along with Atlantic Fadeout, Making Movies, and the Sexy Accident, Erik Voeks will perform songs from Sand Box with The Dead Girls as his backing band. Voeks will also be performing solo as well.

If you haven’t been fortunate enough to hear Voeks yet, I am doing you all a favor—here is a download of Sand Box. Please, listen to it, love it, and come out tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 4) to hear some of these songs live, Voeks/Dead Girls style!