The St. Louis-based quintet may sing about the trials and travails of life, love and being young in the 21st century like the emo and screamo bands that epitomize the teen spirit that drives much modern rock. They do it, however, with a sense of cheeky aplomb, absurdity and pop cultural kitsch, providing a spoonful of sugar that not only makes the medicine go down easily but also enhances its curative powers.

Taking their name from the affable monster in the Jim Henson film Labyrinth, Ludo have won their band-on-the-rise stature the old fashioned way: working the tour circuit from their Midwest base with zealous discipline and devotion. A showbiz sense of entertainment along with music that’s both powerful and catchy has left a growing legion and fans in their wake.

“If this takes off, people will say we came out of nowhere,” observes guitarist Tim Ferrell. But the truth of the matter is, “We slept on floors for five years.”

Ferrell and singer/guitarist Andrew Volpe met in college in St. Louis. The group began to take form when they holed up in a house in Tulsa together. “We went somewhere where we knew no one and could only focus on Ludo and we did that and it worked,” says Volpe. When the two persuaded their friend Tim Convy to join as Ludo’s Moog synthesizer man, the band’s instrumental hook was found. Bassist Marshall Fanciullo and drummer Matt Palermo of Houston round out the act.

A self-titled indie album in 2004 and a 2005 EP-length rock opera, Broken Bride, stoked the buzz Ludo’s live show was already creating, prompting Alternative Press to name them one of its “Bands to Watch in 2007.” Major labels and top indies came courting, and Island Records won out.

Their major label debut, You’re Awful, I Love You, was produced by Matt Wallace (known for his work with Maroon 5, Faith No More and others), and has yielded the Modern Rock chart hit “Love Me Dead.” And the band is happy to have made the leap to the major leagues with their spirit, soul and humor intact, thanks to their producer. “He basically used all his Matt Wallace wisdom to help us realize our vision and make the album that we wanted to make,” says Volpe. “He has a sharp ear and really got out of us what we needed to get out.”

BMI’s Pick of the Month is a live monthly showcase series focusing on a band or artist whose talent is worthy of attention. The series is meant to help expose these artists to the music industry and public through a show held at a quality venue with discounted admission.

For guest list info, contact Jamil Walker at jwalker@bmi.com.

My Getaway is fast-tracking out of Central Florida and is comprised of five best friends. This past summer, My Getaway recorded in Chicago with producer, Marc McClusky (Powerspace, Hit the Lights, Ludo). The band recently had their final product mixed by Jeff Juliano (Lifehouse, Jason Mraz, John Mayer). With their live show, "being an excellent display of raw emotion, bursting with enthusiasm", the boys are excited about the future and their potential.

BMI’s stage attracted fans by kicking off daily shows at 11:15 a.m., resulting in a successful three-day run of memorable shows featuring the blues-inspired Back Door Slam; tween indie-rock duo Smoosh; swagger-heavy Inward Eye; and message-oriented Kevin Michael. Lake Michigan provided the backdrop as Chicago-based bands Bound Stems and Wax on Radio enticed fans old and new to check out their music, while giving the experience a participatory feel. Ireland’s Mr. North provided international representation, while Missouri-based quintet Ludo offered Lollapalooza attendees another dose of solid stateside sounds.

BMI also hosted an Acoustic Brunch on Saturday, August 4 at the Hard Rock Hotel with a surprise performance by Cameron McGill and the Quartet Offensive.

Photos by Jamil Walker

Perhaps it's Volpe's way with words along with the band's commitment to achieving that goal that has made Ludo so successful in the short time they've been together. The band put out their self-titled album at the end of August 2003, having never played a show. Ludo immediately hit the road, playing coffee houses, open-mics, college campuses, and anywhere else people would listen. Before too long, Ludo was headlining clubs and colleges throughout the Midwest and Texas, playing to crowds that were decked out in Ludo cherries and screaming every word. Things only got better as word about the band spread nationally. Fuse got word of the band, and Ludo appeared three times on Daily Download and their video for “Hum Along” was featured several times on Fuse programs - a first for an independent artist.

After a year and a half, over 200 shows, and 3000 copies sold, it was time for a new record. The band put everything else aside and spent the summer of 2005 writing and recording what became the Broken Bride EP. When it was said and done Ludo had created a rock opera - a love story that spanned from the beginning of time to the apocalypse. Music critics embraced the record as “a rock and roll adventure for the ages" and “a competitor for best EP of the year."

In 2006, Ludo signed with Island Records and is currently in the studio with Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Sugarcult, Faith No More), recording their major label debut.

Presenting acts from the U.S. and abroad, BMI will showcase an array of rising rock, pop and singer/songwriter acts. From the blues rock of the Isle of Man’s Back Door Slam, to the power rock trio of Inward Eye, infectiousness of Bang Bang Bang and John Paul White’s rhythmic guitar, BMI’s Lollapalooza stage is guaranteed to satisfy all musical tastes.

The schedule for the BMI sponsored Lollapalooza stage is as follows:

Friday, August 3
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. - The Switches: Hailing from London, England, the Switches debut album, Heart Tuned To D.E.A.D, is influenced by artists such as David Bowie, The Rakes, Super Furry Animals, and the Beach Boys.

12:30 – 1:15 p.m. - Tom Schraeder: With a delicate, drunken honesty and a knack for setting the simple desperation of young love against a background of Brit-pop-laced Americana, Tom Schraeder’s songs for his upcoming album, The Door, are not for the faint of heart.

1:45 – 2:30 p.m. - Bang Bang Bang: With influences like The Sex Pistols and Lenny Kravitz, Bang Bang Bang inked a record deal with Warner Brothers after dazzling them with their irresistible, infectious brand of greasy, sleazy Southern rock, spiked liberally with punk energy and songwriting smarts.

3:00 – 3:45 p.m. - Powerspace: This young quartet specialize in a cross between hooky power pop à la Fountains of Wayne, ironic glam metal in the tradition of the Darkness, and '80s-influenced dance-rock textures that recall early MTV stars like INXS and Duran Duran.

4:15 – 5:00 p.m. - Inward Eye: With a nod to the Jam and the Who, this rock trio from Winnipeg, Canada write and perform songs with the wit and guitar-based energy that have won them a global audience.

5:30 – 6:15 p.m. - Wax on Radio: Chicago' s Wax On Radio has emerged at the forefront of a new breed of important young rock bands. At once artistic, virtuosic, heavy, and reminiscent of an era when great songs and evocative aural atmospherics coexisted with strong hooks, the bands music resonates as an uncommonly multifaceted, engaging, and convincing statement.

Saturday, August 4
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Dear and the Headlights: Rock band Dear and the Headlights, calls Phoenix, Arizona home and consists of five members influenced by artists such as Radiohead, Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, and Leonard Cohen.

12:30 – 1:15 - Ludo: Critics embraced their second album, The Broken Bride, as “a rock and roll adventure for the ages” and “a competitor for the best EP of the year.”

1:45-2:30 - Kevin Michael: With an irresistible blend of soul, funk, r&b and pop, Kevin Michael invokes greats from the past while bringing something totally new to the game on his debut album, YaDig?

3:00 – 3:45 - Lady GaGa: Lady GaGa’s debut album combines her love of Beatles’ melodies with retro dance beats, plastic synth sounds, and a quirky rock piano style. Her dramatic live shows have won over fans and critics in her hometown of New York City.

4:15-5:00 - Cage the Elephant: Bowling Green, Kentucky’s Cage the Elephant formed in 2006, debuting their self-released album this past March. With a strong buzz off of their SXSW and Bonnaroo performances, the band is winning indie rock fans over with their no-frills,  no-boundaries performances.

5:30 – 6:15 - Back Door Slam: This blues-rock trio from the Isle of Man has made jaws drop when 19-year-old singer Davy Knowles showcases his exceptional blues-rock guitar skills and vocals, showing that the passion and heart of the blues is evolving outside the U.S.

Sunday, August 5
11:15 – 12:00 - The Graduate: After their debut album, Anhedonia, hit stores this past April, The Graduate has gained momentum due to memorable songs, an interactive live show and the friendly disposition of its members.

12:30 – 1:15 - Mr. North: This four-piece band, comprising two brothers, a first cousin and a next-door neighbor, started playing together when they were young teens. Their second album, Fear and Desire, showcases the bands’ powerful live sound.

1:45 – 2:30 - Smoosh: the first true rock Tween act to come from the indie scene, Smoosh offers a rare combination of honesty, perseverance, and passion for music.

3:00 – 3:45 - The Diffs: Inspired by early L.A. punk bands like The Germs, Black Flag and the Adolescents, the Diffs go back to the source and make the sound their own. The LA Weekly hails The Diffs as “L.A.’s coolest high-school band.”

4:15 – 5: -  John Paul White: John Paul White, a Lawrenceburg, Tennessee native, journeyed over to Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals this past fall to record his debut album with Capitol Records.

5:30 – 6:15 - Bound Stems: When reporting on the Bound Stems, Rolling Stone exclaimed, “These Chicago indie rockers build on Modest Mouse’s quirky popiness with low-fi samples and a bouncy groove all their own.”
Press credentials can be requested through Lollapalooza at www.lollapalooza.com/credentials_start.asp

BMI presents and sponsors a stage at all three of C3 and Capital Sports & Entertainment’s music festivals: Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival September 14-16, and the inaugural Big State Festival, October 13-14. BMI’s partnership with this elite festival is designed to offer more prime showcasing opportunities to its songwriters — a distinct priority of the organization. For more information on Lollapalooza, please visit www.lollapalooza.com; for information on the Austin City Limits Music Festival, visit www.aclfestival.com; and for details regarding the Big State Festival, please go to www.bigstatefestival.com.

At Lollapalooza, buzz artists including Nashville, Tennessee's Bang Bang Bang (www.myspace.com/bangbangbang), St. Louis, Missouri's Ludo (www.myspace.com/cagetheelephant) and Muscle Shoals, Alabama's John Paul White (www.myspace.comjohnpaulwhite) will perform on BMI's day stage. Set in Chicago's Grant Park, the indie-inspired festival presents legendary names like Iggy and the Stooges alongside a selection of the world's most promising independent up-and-comers.

The Austin City Limits Music Festival, the namesake of the long-running PBS series, fittingly invades the Austin, Texas, the Live Music Capitol of the World. Over three days in Zilker Park, BMI's stage at the festival will present an enticing line-up of auspicious up-and-comers and renowned singer/songwriters, including Memphis, Tennessee's Amy LaVere (www.myspace.com/amylavere), Nashville's Jeffrey Steele (www.jeffreysteele.com), Charleston, South Carolina's Cary Ann Hearst (www.myspace.com/caryannhearst), and Athens, Georgia's Patterson Hood (www.myspace.com/pattersonhood) of Drive by Truckers fame.

The Big State Festival is a new breed of country mega-concert held at Texas Motor Speedway in Bryan-College Station, Texas. The event will feature an all-star line-up and another impressive BMI showcase stage dedicated to highlighting honk-tonk-tinged artists that claim Texas roots. Over two days, the BMI stage will feature a line-up including Austin's Sunny Sweeney (www.myspace.com/sunnysweeney), New Braunfels's Drew Kennedy (www.myspace.com/drewkennedy), Austin's The Weary Boys (www.myspace.com/thewearyboys) and Austin's The Gougers (www.myspace.com/thegougers).

All three festivals are produced by C3 and Capital Sports & Entertainment. For more information on Lollapalooza, please visit www.lollapalooza.com; for information on the Austin City Limits Music Festival, visit www.aclfestival.com; and for details regarding the Big State Festival, please go to www.bigstatefestival.com.

Ivory’s piano-laden tracks excel in instigating dreamy gaits through dewy-eyed memories and yearnings. Recorded at Smart Studios in Madison, WI, the band’s self-released EP introduced their bubbly piano pop to indie rock connoisseurs. Ivory’s spruce arrangements embody mass appeal, capable of Generation Y adoration and baby-boomer appreciation. Kick back with a glass of red wine and Ivory’s “Coast of Maine.”

Tally Hall graciously side-step genre pigeon-holing. Vocalist/guitarist Joe explains: "If a certain idea requires a certain sound, then why limit ourselves?" The Boston Herald praises Tally Hall’s mix of “vintage Beastie Boys with snarky new wave and Beatles-y psychedelia,” while the Detroit Free Press calls the group’s debut, Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, “pop patchwork at its best.” A crew of serious composers, pianist/vocalist Andrew received the prestigious BMI/John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship as the band’s “Good Day” was featured on The OC. Discover Tally Hall here with “Spring and a Storm.”

Missouri-based quintet Ludo issued their self-titled debut in 2003 and hit the road. Packed venues across the Midwest and Texas led to heavy rotation on FUSE, including three appearances on the network’s Daily Download — a first for an independent band. Ludo’s follow-up, Broken Bride, broke EP molds, emerging as a cohesive rock opera that follows two lovers through time and tribulation. The band signed with Island Records in 2006 and is currently in the studio recording their major label debut. Sample Ludo’s brand of rock here with “Hum Along.”

The Nice Device take pride in their insistent evolution — growing pains are prettily exposed instead of swept under the rug. Delicate lead vocalist Alicia sets the buoyant tone, backed by happy guitar chords and the occasional foxy jolt of electronica. Pitchforkmedia.com proclaimed that the quintet’s Birth of a Lover EP "strikes a balance between charming sugar high and nuts 'n' bolts junkyard cacophony…a remarkably strong debut.” Soak up The Nice Device here with “Innocent.”

BMI’s “See It Hear First” podcast has become an important tool for exposing new BMI songwriters and artists to key industry professionals and fans alike. Since its release in May 2005, millions of listeners from around the world have tuned in to discover new music from a broad range of genres and regions. Past 'cast artists including singer/songwriter Brendan James, rockers somedaynew, Latin hip-hop artist Cosculluela, Canadian crossover band Soul Kid #1 and country-pop combo the Zac Brown Band have all grabbed the industry's attention through the BMI podcast, with some landing major recording and publishing deals, and others on the verge of being signed.

In addition to hearing great music from an array of new talent, podcast listeners can also vote for their favorite artist to help them win a CD duplication package from Disc Makers, the leading CD manufacturer for the independent musician. Winners get 1,000 discs, a prize with a promotional value of more than $10,000.

Tune in to bmi.com/podcast to hear all 18 editions of the BMI podcast, the first in the music industry to be listed in Apple's podcast directory. The "See It Hear First" series is also available from iTunes at bmi.com/itunes, from Yahoo! at podcasts.yahoo.com, or though Pod2Mob.com.

Perhaps it's Volpe's way with words along with the band's commitment to achieving that goal that has made Ludo so successful in the short time they've been together. The band put out their self-titled album at the end of August 2003, having never played a show. Ludo immediately hit the road, playing coffee houses, open-mics, college campuses, and anywhere else people would listen. Before too long, Ludo was headlining clubs and colleges throughout the Midwest and Texas, playing to crowds that were decked out in Ludo cherries and screaming every word. Things only got better as word about the band spread nationally. Fuse got word of the band, and Ludo appeared three times on Daily Download and their video for “Hum Along” was featured several times on Fuse programs - a first for an independent artist.

After a year and a half, over 200 shows, and 3000 copies sold, it was time for a new record. The band put everything else aside and spent the summer of 2005 writing and recording what became the Broken Bride EP. When it was said and done Ludo had created a rock opera - a love story that spanned from the beginning of time to the apocalypse. Music critics embraced the record as “a rock and roll adventure for the ages" and “a competitor for best EP of the year."

In 2006, Ludo signed with Island Records and is currently in the studio with Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Sugarcult, Faith No More), recording their major label debut.