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Five questions with Travis Leonard from Vanattica

Local band Vannatica bring a heavy-edge to their power punk tunes. Or maybe they bring a pop-tinge to their metal tunes. Whatever the case, they provide plenty of virtuoso guitar and catchy, but not quite sing-a-long choruses on their new Behind Closed Eyes EP. In advance of Saturday's Cowboy Monkey show, vocalist/guitarist Travis Leonard gave us a few minutes of his time.

Favorite C-U band past or present
Hum was the best local band of all time. Jaron, our bassist, works with Matt Talbott over at Millikin University for recording stuff.

Favorite C-U venue
Cowboy Monkey and the Highdive are at a tie. Cowboy Monkey has the best sound system; Highdive has the most epic stage.

Favorite C-U restaurant/bar entree, dessert or drink
We love Ruby Tuesday's. It's a chain, I know, but their bison bacon cheeseburgers are to die for. If I had to go local, I'd say Lil' Porgy's.

Favorite album of all time (does not have to be from C-U)
They're Only Chasing Safety by Underoath. It changed my life musically. I bought the album before I even liked screaming in music, and that turned me on to it. We don't scream in Vanattica, but we enjoy the heavier things also.

Why readers should come see your show on Saturday
We always have free cookies for our Cowboy Monkey shows. 100 of your closest friends will be there. It's the last time to see us locally for quite some time, since we'll be going down to South by South West and on tour this summer.

Vanattica perform this Saturday at the Cowboy Monkey with JigGsaw and The Poets Dance. (10 p.m. $5)


Most Recent Music Comments

isaac arms avatar

represent, Matt.

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Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.

{username}

*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…

isaac arms avatar

Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet.  John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…

isaac arms avatar

What?  Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?

{username}

That article almost looks like something out of The Onion

{username}

Thanks! I’m looking forward to writing even more….

Annie Weisner avatar

Yay!  Love this!  Welcome to the family!

isaac arms avatar

that last photo’s a doozie, Chris.  good work.

{username}

that city center house show was one of those life-affirming things.

Most Recent Comments

{username}

I also got to visit Big Grove Tavern during the soft open and definitely enjoyed the pork belly the most of all the dishes I sampled. The cheesy grits and the vinegary pickled vegetables were a perfect compliment to the rich pork belly.

Michael Feltes avatar

The Alan Partridge lookalike on the right in the first small photo has nothing to condescend to anyone about. AH HA!

{username}

Snell and the little Hitlers of the neighborhood association need to chill out. Legitimate businesses should have the freedom to exist without having to endure the slings and arrows of ignorant and misguided opposition.

isaac arms avatar

represent, Matt.

{username}

Yeah, I’d agree that Transporter Room 3 is the worst house venue I’ve ever seen.

{username}

Food trucks are the start-up, small businesses of the future for those unable to afford real estate. No surprise, that merchants who pay rent, utilities, and maintenance on a property would despise the traveling competition. Or developers who build more empty retail spaces would want to close…

{username}

Not so much far-right Tea Party as a balanced, moderate viewpoint between letting businesses succeed and protecting society with reasonable regulations. In spite of what the city reps are saying, the interpretation of policy on this issue certainly has changed. Letting a business start up under one…

Rob McColley avatar

I think it’s neat that SP has turned rightward, now espousing a Tea Party-style frustration with government regulations & taxes.

Annie Weisner avatar

This makes me so sad.  (Happy to live in Urbana, though!)  Crave Truck has been a GREAT addition to the food choices in C-U, and it’d be a travesty to chase them away.  This town should be supporting small businesses.  I’m glad to hear that they’ll still…

{username}

*slow. clap.* Still offering no threat of intelligence…. I know I said I thought you should just write this whole column yourself next year, Isaac, but now that you’ve gone and taken a “part deux” run at it, I’d like to modify my request: Best Music 2013,…

isaac arms avatar

Actually, it’s kind of nice, the quiet.  John Heoffleur’s engaging commentary/dialogue is sorely missed, however. In lieu of someone intelligent saying something, I’ve compiled a list of Honourable Mentions: BEST ROCK BAND: Take Care ::these gentlemen have four completely different sets at their disposal right now (which…

isaac arms avatar

What?  Echo! (Echo!) Where’s the dischord and dissent?

Mike Ingram avatar

This weekend will mark the first appearance of Kayla Brown’s Fire Doll Candle booth at the Market.  Check it:  http://www.facebook.com/firedollcandles

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And without bloodshed. Sounds like the Savoy trustees aren’t as narrow-minded as some of their whiny pants constituents. Do you think quack Snell is already planning an asinine counterattack or is he still laying low after those “threats” against his person?

isaac arms avatar

hey, if hair ain’t gon’ be over your head, my jokes may as well be.

{username}

Okay, almost 24 hours later and I finally got Issac’s Summer joke. I’m an idiot.

isaac arms avatar

Excellent.  I am glad sometimes American dreams are encouraged, rather than stifled.

{username}

Swap the dog for a fire pit and it sounds like you’re writing about my back yard. Very nice.

isaac arms avatar

funny, as your summer begins, another Summer ends.

Jason Brown avatar

@Dan - Wow. Unfortunately, I have to refrain from further comment due to a previous employment relationship. But with that brief context you might be able to imagine possible comments or responses I could have.

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