Many St. Joe music fans think the only exciting thing about summer is traveling to KC or Lawrence, Kan., to check out some of the big music acts.

News flash! These people are seriously mistaken.

As it turns out, between the new albums being released from notable local and regional bands and a few of the possible acts that may be coming here this summer, music lovers have plenty of reasons to stay put and see what's happening.

SUMMER RELEASES

Pompous Pilot

Album: "Roads ?" (tentatively)

Release date: June 24 CD release party at The Riot Room in Kansas City

One of the first side projects to emerge from St. Joe post-rock heroes The Rogers, the alt-rock/shoegaze group Pompous Pilot delivers 10 tracks that showcase the band's desire to never stay stagnant. "Roads ?" is a 50/50 collection of older, crowd favorites like "St. Joe" and new songs recorded at the beginning of the year, and the album throws in everything from be-bop to punk to metal.

"Whenever I buy a CD, I like it to sound different each song," says guitarist/vocalist Kiley Bodenhamer. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing with this CD. We'll see how people react to it."

(www.myspace.com/pompouspilot)

The Waystation

Album: "The Awakening"

Release date: late August/early September

The experimental indie rock quartet of multi-instrumentalists has become of one of St. Joe's most popular original bands. The band's first official album, "The Awakening," may not come out until the end of the summer, but the group will be trying out the material at local venues all summer. The Waystation's manager, Jeff Harper, says the group's experimentation continues on this album, with 12 tracks that delve into alt-country, "borderline rock 'n' metal" and stretching soundscapes.

"Just the whole sense of it is taken from a different stance on where it was before," Harper says. "It shows a broader perspective of what the band is capable of doing."

(www.myspace.com/thewaystation)

Injected Element

Album: "IE"

Release date: CD release party at 10 p.m. May 23 at The Rendezvous

Local groove metal mainstays Injected Element got the idea for "IE's" title with a little help from its fans.

"That is a chant that our fans do for us," says drummer Pat Jonas. "We thought our first album would be kind of like a payback for them for what they've done for us."

Having won Kansas City's Metal Wars for the past two years, those fans must be on to something. For the band's first official release, the seven tracks showcase a knack for intricate musicianship, brutal guitars worthy of Mudvayne and moveable rhythms that may conjure up a band Injected Element has long admired.

"We put the heart and groove and soul into it like Pantera used to," Jonas says. "I think we add elements of a lot of good bands that a lot of people like, and I think that has a lot to do with it."

www.myspace.com/injectedelement

True North

Album: "Dime Store Hemingway"

Release date: June

They may not be from St. Joe, but roots country rockers True North get plenty of local appreciation. When they come to St. Joe to perform at the Sounds of Summer Concert series on June 12, they'll be bringing their latest disc "Dime Store Hemingway" with them. The album's 10 tracks were recorded during a week-long trip to Nashville in early November 2008, and the sextet of talented musicians stepped into some new musical territory with songs that blend their straight-up country rock with Memphis-inspired country blues and even a bit of The Beatles for inspiration.

"I would have to say I think it's a little edgier and there's a much wider range, too," says bassist Rick McKnight. "We're not just one dimensional, and this CD is going to show it."

www.true-northmusic.com

Hollywood Aliaz

Album: "Welcome to Joe City"

Release date: TBA

St. Joe's prolific hip-hop hope Brandon Smith, a.k.a. Hollywood Aliaz from the Joe Mizzery Crew, is probably in the studio as we speak laying down tracks (which is probably why we couldn't get a hold of him for this story). Unfortunately, a lot of that material hasn't been released since "Sign or Die" back in 2006. But it's worth noting that Hollywood Aliaz has "Welcome to Joe City" dropping soon and an album of 2007 material, "That Deal (A Day in the Life)," available to download for free at www.myspace.com/mraliaz.

HOT JOETOWN CONCERTS

There may not be big concerts that would require a space as large as the Missouri Theater or the Civic Arena, but there are plenty of tentative concerts coming to Joetown to get pumped about.

Mike Bransfield, manager at Room 107, says the downtown club is in talks with an endless number of tribute bands that may come this summer, including Bone Jovi ('80s hair metal) on May 29 and groups like Rattle and Hum (U2), KISS Alive (KISS), 40 OZ. of Freedom (Sublime) and Liverpool (The Beatles) expected to drop by this summer.

"It's a huge successful thing right now," Bransfield says of tribute bands. "All over the country, those things are blowing up."

Room 107 also plans to bring in some notable original acts, like the jazzy acoustic country of Texas' Josh Grider Trio and a name you should surely know in outlaw country icon David Allen Coe, which Bransfield is optimistic about but is not quite "written in blood yet."

Country fans also will have something to look forward when country heartthrob Ty Herndon comes to perform on Aug. 1 at the Buffalo Bar. Herndon has charted three number-one country singles since debuting in 1995, which include his most notable hits "What Matters Most" and "Living in the Moment."

The Rendezvous also is getting with the tribute bandwagon. Owner Jimmy Green says he's in the initial phases of negotiations with both Styx and Blues Brothers tribute bands who could make appearances this summer.

As for Hammerjacks Rock-N-Roll Sports Bar, they will have the NYC hard rockers Sex Slaves on July 19.

If you are a local or regional artist with an album coming out this summer or a venue with a big concert on the way, e-mail us at stjoelive@npgco.com. And make sure to pick up future copies of St. Joe Live to find out if and when these and other acts are coming.

But from the looks of things, St. Joe music fans should have very few complaints.

- BLAKE HANNON | ST. JOE LIVE STAFF