Photos: Urban Cone at Popscene

Urban Cone

Urban Cone is an electronic dance-pop group from Stockholm, Sweden that counts Rasmus Flyckt, Magnus Folkö, Tim Formgren, Emil Gustafsson, Jacob William Sjöberg as its members.

They headlined the Popscene show at Rickshaw Stop on January 31, and Maggie Corwin was there to get some awesome snaps!

Ghost Beach headlines Popscene Thursday, February 7. Buy tickets.

Urban Cone

Urban Cone

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Solange breaks away from sister’s shadow at The Independent

Solange

Solange played to packed house at The Independent Tuesday night. A diverse, young & mainstream crowd gathered early to find out what all the hype is about. While Solange has proven to be a talented hit-maker in her own right, it must be mentioned that Solange Knowles is the younger sister of Beyoncé (she’s so hot right now).

Solange

Solange

Solange is a different artist than her mega-star sis. Solange’s music is rooted in R&B 80’s Pop, as opposed to producing catchy girl-power anthems. If you came to this show looking for something similar to the swagger and control Beyoncé exuded at her much ballyhooed Superbowl halftime performance, you failed the expectation game.

Solange

Solange

This show marked the opening of Solange’s stateside tour, and the quick 11-song set was heavy in tracks from her third LP True, which was released at the end of 2012 to critical acclaim. At one point Solange admitted she was “out of shape” after a dance number toward the end of the set. She allows her personality to show with her stage banter and facial expressions, but Solange’s stage presence and dancing is relatively reserved. And that’s fine – it matches the tone and mood of her music.

Overall, the set felt extremely short and the best song live was a cover of Selena’s “I Could Fall in Love.” Solange should hone in on her live act as her tour progresses – Just don’t expect Beyoncé Jr.

Solange

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Solange

Marco Benevento gets TigerFaced at The Independent

Marco-Benevento

Marco Benevento and Mike Dillon, the melodic elements behind the jazz-fusion supergroup Garage A Trios, played a long and excellent show at The Independent on Saturday, February 2.

It was a night of delightfully endless jams and improvisation, and the fun crowd was there to party, dance and celebrate life behind the exuberant leadership of the Tigerfaced headliner Marco Benevento.

Marco-Benevento

Mike-Dillon

Mike-Dillon

Mike Dillon began the evening with an eclectic “New Orleans Punk” set. Since last summer, Mike Dillon has been touring with trombone upstart Carley Meyers, who is a New Orleans-based star in the making. Meyers plays the trombone with perfection, passion and she matches Mike Dillon’s punk rock stage persona. Meyers should be part of the NOLA staple of musicians that reign over Jazzfest for the foreseeable future.

Mike-Dillon

Marco Benevento joined the Mike Dillon group for their final song in his casual pre-show digs.

Marco Benevento joined Mike Dillon, Carly Meyers & the rest of Dillon’s band for their final song
in his casual pre-show digs.

Marco-Benevento

Marco-Benevento

Benevento’s positive vibes and mellow, zen-like leadership capabilities are something to behold at a live show. He listens, adapts, reacts and obviously gets high from music. You can see it in Marco’s face when a song hits a peak or euphoric point. Benevento soaks up the moments, taking them in with a genuine smile.

Marco-Benevento

This tour, Marco Benevento has been rockin’ futuristic coke-bottle glasses, and this night he didn’t leave the piano until the end of the set, when he put the tiger-face that had been adorning his piano on his head. This led to a couple more tracks from his 2012 LP TigerFace, and a show closing number with “Limbs of a Pine.”

Marco-Benevento

Upcoming shows like Marco Benevento at The Independent:
The Wailers perform Survival on Thursday, February 7.
•North Mississippi Allstars – Friday February 8, Saturday February 9
•The Dirty Dozen Brass Band – Friday February 15, Saturday February 16

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New Music Tuesday: My Bloody Valentine • Eels • Frightened Rabbit • The Bronx • Unknown Mortal Orchestra • Jim James • Thao and The Get Down Stay Down

My Bloody Valentine - m b v

Every Tuesday, we focus on new music releases by naming our top tracks, album highlights, lowlights and important takeaways for select albums.


My Bloody Valentinem b v

4-BamsTop Tracks:
“Only Tomorrow”
“If This and Yes”
“In Another Way”

Album Highlights: Much like the bulk of My Bloody Valentine’s catalog, this album feels like a grouping of EPs, which could be due to the lengthy history of this album. The first 3 tracks sound like they may have been from some of the sessions from the mid-nineties that have only now seen light of day. The second trio of songs bring you back to earth with a heavy dose of pop-tinged shoegaze, almost a contemplative section of soaring harmonies brought by Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher. The last three songs are serious. This is likely the “new” sound of MBV, which is a little more straight ahead than what we are used to. Songs like “in another way” may sound tame with it’s 4/4 drum beat to some aficionados, but there is enough tweaking with the timing to make it purely MBV. Then to close the album with “wonder 2” is just a stroke of brilliance, as this track is the real deal; an otherworldly rapture of drums, synths and distorted vocals.

Album Lowlight: Very few. The hardcore fans will like it, but potentially grumble as there isn’t any astounding departure of the MBV sound.

Takeaway: It’s been a long time coming for this release, almost 22 years to be exact, and it certainly does not disappoint on any level. Truly jumping back in where they left off when no follow-up materialized after Loveless shows the dedication Shields has to the fuzzy auditory landscape he meticulously crafts. A gem to be enjoyed via one’s best pair of headphones, and hopefully live this year.

~Kevin Quandt

Download My Bloody Valentine’s new record m b v at the band’s website (pay what you want).


EelsWonderful, Glorious

3-BamsTop Tracks:
“Bombs Away”
“Peach Blossom”
“New Alphabet”

Album Highlights: Wonderful, Glorious, the 10th studio album by Eels and first since 2010, doesn’t break much new ground but keeps a good thing going. Eels mastermind Mark Oliver Everett (aka E) has been around the block and has had his share of heartbreak, which is a common theme in his music. Wonderful, Glorious, however, has a much more optimistic outlook compared to previous work. He even sings about tiger lilies and marigolds in the song “Peach Blossom.”

Album Lowlight: It probably won’t win over any Eels fans who were on the fringe, although it will please diehard fans. Eels just continue doing what they’ve done best for over a decade: creating introspective indie albums with a side of gritty blues. If nothing else, this album is the next chapter in the fascinating life of Everett. It’s as self-reflective and heart-wrenching, yet liberating as ever.

Takeaway: E’s pain and heartbreak still comes through on this album, yet there is positivity and hopefulness that shines through the bleak cloud cover. This self-reflection and balance between anguish and hope provide a captivating dynamic. E said it best on the track “New Alphabet”: “You know what, I’m in a good mood today. Well I’m so happy it’s not yesterday.”

Well, I am in a good mood today, too — for I have just listened to this record. You should, too.

~Kevin Raos


Frightened RabbitPedestrian Verse

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Late March, Death March”
“Housing (In/Out)”
“State Hospital”

Album Highlight: Rhythmically feverish, “Housing (In/Out)” is quintessential Frightened Rabbit and is perfectly placed at the midway point of the album’s narrative. Reflecting upon the style most fans of the band are familiar with while expanding upon their talent as songwriters, this two-part track bookends the strongest section of the album with catchy guitar riffs and a relentless drum beat.

Album Lowlight: “Oil Slick” is an unnecessary and uncharacteristically cheesy love song. With an album already accomplishing a full circle of emotions without compromising the artistic integrity of the band, this track comes off as a last ditch attempt for air play. It would’ve served better as a b-side or bonus track.

Takeaway: From the initial notes, you are aware that “State Hospital” is going to have an epic build up and musical evolution. Lyrically documenting the journey of a journey from pain to redemption, the drum beat guides you throughout the track until it triumphantly crescendos into an explosive finale filled with soaring vocals, a huge chorus and an effortless fade into the emotionally charged ballad.

~Molly Kish


The BronxThe Bronx (IV)

4-BamsTop Tracks:
“Under The Rabbit”
“Life Less Ordinary”
“Too Many Devils”

Album Highlight: With The Bronx IV, The Bronx are back to its roots, but show more maturity and depth than in its previous offerings, especially in the vocal department. Singer Matt Caughthran sounds much more polished now; he’s actually able to hit notes without breaking into screams to cover up range. His voice and the band’s sound still has a hardcore edge to it, but now legitimate melody comes into play, making it much more approachable to someone not accustom to the band or hardcore in general. “Style Over Everything” is a good example of the back and forth the band delivers between melody and straightforward, ass-kicking hardcore punk.

Album Lowlight: The only downside to the album was some of the songs felt a bit forced in trying to call back to past Bronx albums, and it seemed to trip up the flow of the album at times, especially when I really started to get into hearing the maturity and growth in other songs.

Takeaway: I’ll admit that after hearing the brilliance of Mariachi El Bronx, I wasn’t sure how I would accept a new album after all these years. I feared that it would try too hard to show that the band hadn’t forgotten its hardcore roots by trying too hard to be all heavy guitars and screams all the time, but this album shows remarkable maturity and growth for a band that is talented enough to be two successful bands at the same time. Personal favorites on this album are “Under The Rabbit” (which reminds me of their earlier albums the most), “Life Less Ordinary” (which has a Mariachi El Bronx vocal feel to it), “Too Many Devils,” “Pilot Light,” and “Along for The Ride.” Overall it’s a great album and worth picking up if you’re a slightly more melodic hardcore fan or just a fan of The Bronx in general.

~Sean Little


Unknown Mortal OrchestraII

4.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Faded in the Morning”
“From the Sun”
“Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)”

Album Highlight: This one is a keeper. UMO’s second record balances catchy psych-pop songs like “From the Sun” with tracks that are dominated by thrashing electric guitar. “Faded in the Morning” combines the psych-pop and guitar work to the most optimal balance. “So Good at Being in Trouble” is a timeless Motown baby-maker.

Album Lowlight: The closing ballad “Secret Xtians” is a bit lackluster. The tracks dominated by electric guitar can do no wrong; Ruban Nielson should allow his guitar hero-tendencies to take over.

Takeaway: There is some early Syd Barrett/Pink Floyd influence in UMO’s second record, but the more recent album often more cohesive than that of Piper at the Gates of Dawn. The one-two punch of upbeat tracks “The Opposite of Afternoon” and “No Need for a Leader” could be the strongest part of the LP. Unknown Mortal Orchestra is a top live act to see in 2013.

~Mike Frash


Jim JamesRegions of Light and Sound of God

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Know til Now”
“Dear One”
“A New Life”

Album Highlights: As Always, Jim James’ vocals are outstanding and truly shine on his debut solo album. The record is full of many different textures throughout, including full string arrangements and keyboards that gel perfectly together with his angelic voice.

Album Lowlight: I understand that James is getting very spiritual with his writing, but his lyrics are a little to “Bible-Pushing” for me. He based this album off the graphic novel “God’s Man” by Lynn Ward, so I get what he is after. I just feel he might have tried a little too hard.

Takeaway: James made himself a very beautiful album here that I can see myself playing on Sunday mornings or maybe for a sunset, but I don’t see it getting in the Friday rotation. I’m glad that James created this album as an outlet for his work with My Morning Jacket because you can sense this a very personal album for him. I can definitely enjoy this album at the right time and place.

~Pete Mauch


Thao and The Get Down Stay DownWe the Common

3-BamsTop Tracks:
“We The Common (For Valerie Bolden)”
“Holy Roller”
“Kindness Be Conceived”

Album Highlight: Thao Nguyen is ready for the spotlight and radio-play with the release of We the Common. The album’s title track “We the Common (For Valerie Bolden)” will be a hit — and for a good reason. The track plays on multiple genres successfully, weaving together bluegrass, alt-rock beat transitions and poppy, Regina Spektor-like accessible lyrics. By the time the refrain kicks in (“Whooo-a-hooo, haha), it becomes easy to speculate that Thao and The Get Down Stay Down could have a big year.

Album Lowlight: The latter half of We the Common contains clunkers like “Clouds For Brains” and “Age of Ice.” The first half of the record is solid.

Takeaway: One of San Francisco’s finest is about to hit the national stage, but the record is pretty hit or miss. “City,” “Holy Roller” and “Kindness Be Conceived” are delightful songs, but many of the others feel forced and a bit kitschy. The record has its moments and a huge one in “We the Common (For Valerie Bolden) that will put Thao Nguyen on the map.

~Mike Frash

WKEND MIXTAPE: Smalltown DJs – Best of 2012 Mix

Smalltown-Best-of-2012

For most, the month of January was a time for resolutions, going back to the gym, and the prospect of a better year. All of these apply to me along with the fevered anticipation of this week’s mix.

Now in its fifth year, the Smalltown DJs bring another installment of their favorite (non-club) songs of the last year. And as expected, this year does not disappoint. Check the tracklist below and you can see the range of artists and styles that are mixed with precision over the course of 90+ minutes.

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Tracklist:
1. Not Giving In (Bondax Remix) – Rudimental feat Alex Clare
2. Sleepless – Flume
3. From Nowhere – Dan Croll
4. The Mother We Share – CHVRCHES
5. Hollywood Cemetery – Father John Misty
6. On n On (Ruined by Rick Rubin) – Justice
7. Warm and Easy – The 2 Bears
8. Only Everything – Poolside
9. Friends of Friends – Hospitality
10. U Don’t Know Me – UTern
11. Belispeak II (feat Danny Brown) – Purity Ring
12. The Streets Will Never Look The Same – Chromatics
13. Landloper – Win Win
14. She’s On Fire (Oh Shit! Edit) – Bo Saris
15. Dinner – Blood Orange
16. Losing You – Solange
17. JoJo’s Chillin – Killer Mike
18. Default – Django Django
19. So Will Be Now – John Talabot feat Pional
20. Wanted Exotic – Michna
21. Tongue Tied (Gigamesh Remix) – Grouplove
22. Second Summer – Yacht
23. I Waited For You – Simian Mobile Disco
24. Au Seve – Julio Bashmore
25. Skankin (2 Bears Remix) – Wiley
26. What I Might Do – Ben Pearce
27. Household Goods (Justin Martin Remix) – Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
28. All of Me – Tanlines
29. Chinatown – Wild Nothing
30. Running (Disclosure Remix) – Jessie Ware
31. All in the Blink – Fake Blood
32. Friend Crush – Friends
33. Hyperparadise (Flume Remix) – Hermitude
34. Disparate Youth – Santigold
35. Sweet n Sour – MVSCLES
36. Swimming Pools (Drank) – Kendrick Lamaer
37. Oblivion – Grimes
39. Five Seconds – Twin Shadow

Coachella 2013: What you should know before you go

Coachella 2013

So now that we have had time to let the 2013 Coachella line-up settle in, it’s pretty good, right? People were freakin’ out there for a minute. There has been a universal panning of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers performing as the closing headliner, even though they were a last hour addition. And rightfully so – there have been some popular sets that have shut down Coachella the past few years (Dre/Snoop, Kanye West, Gorillaz).

Goldenvoice clearly lost an expectation game with the reactions to the headliners this year, most notably due to the rumors swirling around Daft Punk and Rolling Stone. That didn’t stop them from selling out both weekends within a day, including weekend one within 15 minutes, so saying Goldenvoice lost anything is pure silliness.

Coachella 2013

Rock, particularly British Rock, leads the charge this year (Blur, The Stone Roses, the xx, New Order, Hot Chip, Grizzly Bear, James Blake, alt-J, Jessie Ware).

Conversely, Electronic Dance Music bro-house is gone compared to 2012. There is no major DJ act closing out a night on the main stage for the first time in years. There are no EDM acts on the top two lines of any day. It seems like a concerted effort was made by Goldenvoice to enact a change in direction, and it has been welcomed by many Coachella vets.

Subscribe to the Spotify Playlist Coachella 2013.
Coachella-2013Friday 2013

Friday should be a day to remember, as there are plenty of reunions and first time performances scheduled (see below). Lou Reed fits the “living legend” bill, Nick Cave’s supposedly on-hiatus Grinderman will appear for a one-off, and half of The Smiths songwriting partnership will be present with Johnny Marr performing. Bassnectar or Dog Blood (Skrillex & Boys Noize project) will close the Sahara Tent, and Justin Vernon’s new blues project The Shouting Matches will play one of their first shows. Hopefully Vernon sticks around for the weekends and makes some surprise appearances with the many acts he is associated with.

Friday Reunions

Damon Albarn’s Blur returning to the US for the first time since their reunion is a pretty big deal, though the American masses may not agree. Sure “Song 2” is a bit played out, but there are albums full of some of the best Brit-pop in decades. Songs like “Coffee and TV” and “She’s So High” beckon back to the 90s for many, but not all. Luckily this reunion is including Graham Coxon, a seminal part to the vocal arrangements of Blur. 


The co-headliner for Friday is also an English exported reunion, courtesy of the Manchester sound-makers The Stone Roses, fresh off a 15 year hiatus. Sure, New Order captured American fans a little more than the Roses, but they created a serious body of work for well over a decade starting in the mid-80s. John Squire’s guitar-work is something to marvel in as aspects of the Roses’ sound would be borrowed by some serious US acts like the Pixies. Having released an album last year, the Coachella masses should plan to hear these tracks coupled with hits like, “I Wanna Be Adored.”


Jurassic 5 is a name more fans will recognize over the one-two combo of Blur and the Roses. After a 6 year break, the LA hip-hop collective are back on the circuit with a banner set. The question will be if all the original members show up, as many of the artists have branched off to become successful solo artists; mainly Cut Chemist, Chali 2na and Nu-Mark. While the landscape of hip-hop has shifted a bit since their departure, tracks like “Quality Control” and “Concrete Schoolyard” will whip the crowd into a frenzy as equally as Danny Brown.

UPDATE – Jurassic 5 doesn’t know “How far” reunion can go.

Possible Friday Collaborations
Johnny Marr with Modest Mouse
Justin Vernon with Poliça

Friday Firsts (First shows ever/First in the US)

How To Destroy Angels – Trent, Marqueen, and Atticus will debut their newest project on Friday, and boy is it gonna be something. As many miss Nine Inch Nails, this band is pretty damned close in sound and personnel, and their two released EPs show great strength and should be an awesome early evening set in the warm desert winds. Look for their upcoming LP, and likely national tour. 


TNGHT – The duo that is Hudson Mohawke and Lunice has almost single handedly birthed the trap music sub-genre that is permeating bass music and hip-hop alike. Their debut EP is so fresh and hot, I needed an oven mitt to flip the vinyl. Having only played a show or two in NYC, this will be the marquee US debut of this Canadian meets Scottish production duo. The kids are gonna be losing their shit for this set, as trap is all the rage on the dance floor. Second in command to this movement is Baauer, who is featured this year as well. Will Kanye make an odd appearance on stage as he did in New York?


Earl Sweatshirt – Years in the making, and the anticipation is still sky high for Thebe’s live, full set premier. Expect massive crowds for this Odd Future cast-away, as his talent is undeniable, his story unbelievable and his allure is unquenchable. This set has lots of guest potential, as his OFWGKTA crew will likely be in tow for support both morally and lyrically. The Earl mixtape from a few years ago is such an impressive collection of explicit, yet Rhodes smart tunes that many fans are dying to hear them first hand from the man himself. Will Flying Lotus don his Captain Murphy cape and back Earl on the massive track “Between Friends?” Will Syd tha Kid be on the decks and buttons? 

Best Friday “Bottom-Liners”

Purity Ring’s sound is as future-pop as it gets, and the light-show matches the duo’s vibe and timing. Each light change is controlled by percussionist & beat-maker Corin Roddick’s drum strikes. Hopefully they are given a night tent set so they can show what they’ve got.

Jamie xx (Jamie Smith) is the chief producer, percussionist and DJ for The xx (performing Saturday), and he’s already well known for his progressive sound and excellent remixes.

•The lo-fi dream-pop from Trevor Powers’ Youth Lagoon will be a chill way to get started Friday.

Beardyman uses live sounds to make instant dance grooves, and it’s impressive how good he is at his niche skill.

Lord Huron is an indie-folk rock group on the rise. Their 2012 record Lonesome Dreams was highly underrated.

Palma Violets are a buzzy British psych-rock group that wil likely have a big year. Catch them early when most people haven’t arrived yet.

Coachella-2013Saturday 2013
Saturday is stacked: Phoenix, the xx, The Postal Service, Sigur Rós, New Order, Hot Chip, Grizzly Bear. If you are as excited as we are about the top two lines for Saturday, be ready to make tough decisions. There will be conflict. This doesn’t even include Yeasayer, Franz Ferdinand or Spiritualized into the conflict factor. Saturday is fucking stacked. It appears Knife Party will close the Sahara, and Simian Mobile Disco, Major Lazer & Richie Hawtin should deliver top notch electronic sets. Saturday also features FOALS, Ben Howard, Danny Brown, Janelle Monáe, Wild Nothing, El-P, & Booka Shade.

Saturday Reunions

The banner reunion on Saturday is squarely held by The Postal Service, the exciting collaboration of Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello. Their first announced show since 2005 came as a surprise to most music junkies as mumblings of The Smiths, as always, took first prize in the reunion hype category. Their upbeat electro-pop sound is pretty perfect for a sunset Saturday show, maybe warming up the majority to the dance-rock stylings of Phoenix later that night. Will Jenny Lewis make an appearance to sing as she did many times in their touring days a decade ago?


Many readers and attendees may not be familiar with The Make-Up, and that’s cool, but this soul-garage-politico-punk act is a force to see. The organ driven sound is highly infectious, and their live show has been compared to a punk rock gospel. Having only recently regrouped to play ATP, persuaded by Les Savvy Fav, this will be their marquee return, similar to Refused last year. Maybe Dischord co-owner Ian McKaye will accompany his labelmates for a track.


Violent Femmes slowly faded off the radar about 5 years ago as Gordon Gano and Brian Ritchie were tangled in royalty lawsuits stemming from the sale of “Blister in the Sun” to Wendy’s. It now appears the hatchet has been buried and they are returning to what they have been at for a couple of decades, making kitschy alternative rock. Their folk-driven sound is unmistakably likable, and devastatingly difficult to not sing along to. “Gone Daddy Gone” and “Add it Up” will be heard throughout the polo fields in the afternoon on Saturday. Will we get some surprise members to their infamous Horns of Dilemma? 


Toss The Descendents in the “sort-of reunion” column, but don’t diminish their key addition to the quintessential Southern California festival lineup. Birthed in Manhattan Beach in the late 70s, this seminal punk band that pioneered the skate, even pop-punk sound is still playing shows when singer Milo Aukerman can fit it between his demanding job as a biologist. Surely, the majority of attendees will recognize the Buddy Holly-glasses wearing frontman and his cartoonish caricature. They’ve been back at it a few years now, but mainly at small punk festivals, not the 80,000-size crowd that will be in attendance. Milo Goes to College is a must in your pre-fest rotation.

Possible collaborations:
Danny Brown & El-P
Danny Brown & Purity Ring
Ian McKaye with The Descendents

Saturday “Firsts:” (First shows ever/First in the US)

Savages – London’s all-female post-punk band have been building lots of buzz and lots of comparisons as they bring a fresh act to the music landscape this year. It’s hard to not hear Siouxsie and Banshees and the infectious howl of Karen O at first listen, but there’s a lot more going on here. Coachella will be their first trip across the ‘Pond’ and they will be hitting the road hard before, after and in the middle of the festival. 

Best Saturday “Bottom-Liners”

Birdy Nam Nam is a four man turntabilist crew from France, and their sound champions a mix of jazz, funk & downtempo. Asses will be shaking.

Action Bronson is fire breathin’ fat fuck who spits mostly about food, and he does it damn well over sick beats. All true.

•Bummed about no Warpaint? Get your girl power on early with Savages (check out the preview above).

•Singer-songwriter Kurt Vile made a delicious record with Smoke Ring For My Halo in 2011, and he’s got a new LP lined up for later this year. Preview his new songs in April.

•If you like Hot Chip, check out The 2 Bears, which is a DJ collaboration between Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard and producer Raf Rundell. Think Hot Chip’s tone with more dancing and less instruments.

Coachella-2013Sunday 2013

Sunday has the “dreaded” Red Hot Chili Peppers headlining, but Wu-Tang will get more love. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and RHCP may create the most empty scene on the main stage ever. Cool dads will profit. On the other side of the field Pretty Lights and Eric Prydz will be spilling ragers outside of the Sahara Tent parameter. If there is a god Tame Impala will get a sunset slot. Where will the house crew consisting of Julio Bashmore, Jamie Jones, Loco Dice, Maya Jane Coles, etc. end up? Sunday has a deep undercard with Grimes, the Faint, Father John Misty, Tanlines, Jessie Ware, Disclosure, Cloud Nothings & Thee Oh Sees.

Sunday Reunions

Wu Tang Clan’s inclusion this year isn’t so much a reunion, but a re-introduction. After talk of a new album around 2011 went quiet, fueled by reserved speculation by some members, it appears this new recording will see the light of day this year, and Coachella will likely mark the beginning of a busy year for RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Master Killah.

Possible Collaborations:
Jessie Ware live with Disclosure
Justin Vernon with James Blake

Sunday “Firsts:” (First shows ever/First in the US)

Excision – Many EDM artists are creating bigger, brighter and blinkier stages on the road and festival circuit, and Canadian brostep artist Excision is the next to toss his hat into the ring. Excision presents the Executioner will be making it’s big stage debut at Coachella after a few US dates. It promises to be loud, flashing and full of pre-pubescent kids losing their collective minds. 

La Roux – Even though the synth-pop princess and her producer aren’t a new act to the US or even Coachella, their cancellation from last year is being rectified with a slot in 2013. Look for some new material from this act in the upcoming year after a hiccup in the previous.

Best Sunday “Bottom-Liners:”

•Zachary Cole Smith from Beach Fossils started DIIV (originally “Dive” until they were sued) as a solo project, and their dreamy, building indie songs will put a smile on your face.

Little Green Cars offers five-part harmony anthems in the vein of Local Natives and First Aid Kit.

•The electro-pop group White Arrows put on a great show, and their set can get pleasantly psychedelic and heady at times.

Wild Belle is a prime candidate to be a 2013 breakout group, and their set at Treasure Island Music Festival went over well last October. Elliot and Natalie Bergman’s debut LP will arrive in March.

Subscribe to the Spotify Playlist Coachella 2013.

Coachella 2013

SF-based DJ Mike Relm tells us about avoiding the ‘made-to-order whatevers’

Mike-RelmPhotos by Mike Frash // Written by Molly Kish //

I had the pleasure of conducting an intimate hotel interview with Mike Relm while he was on location shooting his Serrato Live “Icon Series” feature. We spoke about his roots as a Daly City DJ, his passion for film and pop culture and his innovative approach to an art form he’s single handedly elevated. Showbams spoke with Relm leading up to his hometown “Ghetto Blaster” tour stop at The Independent in San Francisco.


Mike-Relm

Showbams: Before you became involved in turtabalism and the whole DJ game, did you have any prior musical training/background?

Relm: I mean like for real, for real…not really. Well, when I was younger I played piano for a little bit and then I played trumpet in elementary. But, it wasn’t anything that I took like extremely seriously. You know it was like, “this is what kids do,” probably because I’m Asian. Once that faded I started playing sports and collecting comics, just doing kid stuff, not really thinking about how it was going to effect my life later. I wanted to draw comics for a long time, but then I discovered DJ’ing and movies and thought that this was a little more interesting to me. Then in high school…there was a lot of DJs where I went to school. I don’t know why I thought that was normal.

Showbams: This was out in Daly City, right?

Relm: Yeah, in Daly City for some reason there were a lot of DJ’s. There were crews of them and they had their cool jackets and they got to go to all the parties. I wasn’t like a loner or anything, but I didn’t have a cool “thing.” So I just kind of investigated and figured out that I could do that, it made sense to me. I heard things on the radio and I was like, “okay, how does this guy mix this song into that?” You know I tried it on my cassette deck and I couldn’t figure out how he made it speed up and how the beats matched. I could hear that it was blending, he wasn’t just pressing play and then it was fading on top of each other. I knew there was something going on, I just didn’t know how it was done because I couldn’t see it.

Mike-Relm

So, my brother he knew this other kid who had an older brother who DJ’d and said, “you know he uses turntables.” I was like “Ohhh” because you can slow the platter and manipulate it, you can actually touch the sound. It wasn’t like a reel where you were struggling to match the beats, which made a lot of sense. So I just got more into that and took it kind of like a type of art. Because you know most of the guys who were in the jackets, they didn’t really DJ and were more of the “crew.” They would set up the equipment and stuff and that’s fine, but I wanted to be “the guy!” I wanted to be the one mixing and scratching, which is kind of how it all started. It was such a young art form, and it still is. There was just so much to learn and discover in it.

Showbams: Are you innately drawn to or put off by any certain genre of music when putting together your mix-tapes and mash-ups?

Relm: Definitely hip-hop, obviously that’s where I started. Dance is pretty easy to mash stuff up on because it has a very consistent quality. Like classical has different time signatures, so if your trying to make like a 4-4 beat of it, you have to kind of edit it and repeat or drop things out. You’re not forcing it if you’re doing it right, but you have to sort of massage it a little bit to make it work.

I tend to gravitate towards beats with swing. It doesn’t have to ba a jazz swing or rock swing, it just has to work. There are so many samples, that you’re like “that’s such a cool sound, but why is he doing that?” Or “how can I make it work,” or “this would sound good if this was done with it.” What I’m drawn to isn’t necessarily perfect sounding or in my mind feels complete because then, what am I going to do with it? There are some songs that are amazing but I don’t want to touch them. Yeah like I’ll listen to it, but I don’t want to do anything to it, because I like it so much.

Mike-Relm

Showbams: Are you ever able to turn off this type of innate re-mixing while listening to music, or is it something that is constantly going on in your head?

Relm: I can’t and I’m not trying to. It’s not like “OH GOD, TURN OFF THE NOISE.” It’s great, that’s how I enjoy things. I’m definitely not like a lyrics first person. I listen to a song and just kind of dissect it sonically. I love organ chords, something about them just feels epic! I also can tell when “oh that person listened to this other song and maybe they liked it so much they just wanted to make it their own version.” Which is great, but I definitely listen to things actively and I don’t remember lyrics too well. When other people are singing along to a pretty popular song, I find myself thinking, “Woah, I don’t know this song.” I know how it goes, where it goes and I know the drum rolls and everything but I don’t know what they’re saying. I’m not completely deaf, I’ll know enough but it’s kind of cool because going into film and television, it helped me look at that in a totally different way. I really enjoy movies, but I look at them as samples. I’m listening, paying attention to the editing and watching to see if I could use it for something.

Mike-Relm

Showbams: You were going to SF State and studying film when your career as a turntablist really started taking off. Was it always your intention to have your background in cinema play such a large roll in the type of work you produced, or was it just naturally what your interests developed into?

Relm: Kind of both, I didn’t know that I could DJ for this long. Back then a couple guys were doing it and it was either you could be the crazy guy and take a chance scratching for a living or you could play it safe and Dj at a club. Not that DJing was a safe career compared to like a business person or something that has a 401K, but for me those were the two options that were laid out at the time.

As time went on though I was pretty lucky because when I was doing the scratch battles, it was probably at the peak of when you could have been doing it. Now there are so many contests that have come and gone, that it doesn’t mean as much. I was going to school and studying film which is what I really wanted to do, but now I can combine both. It was the way the technology worked out…

Mike-Relm

Showbams: The timing was perfect really.

Relm: Yeah, I got really extremely lucky, I was in the sweet spot for doing that. If I had started a little later as a DJ, I probably wouldn’t really understand a lot of the things. It’s like a photographer who starts shooting on film, they understand lighting far greater then someone who starts on digital. They’re like, “I can see it, I can see things going on,” but your backgrounds blown out, change your F-stop! When they got to digital, they just understand it better, they can apply the same effects to digital. The same thing applies to vinyl, serrato scratch live and those programs, it’s analogous. You can throw somebody in straight digital and they’ll be fine, but there’s certain things that you just kind of pick up that you can teach, but it’s very tough to translate. I can tell kids, you know like we used to scratch when the sounds were actually on the record. They’re all, “but that doesn’t make sense, but the waveforms they’re all here?” I’m all, “we didn’t have waveforms, you had to like LISTEN TO IT to match the beats.”

Showbams: I know that your shows have a lot of multimedia and video aspects in them. Do you have any directors or film composers that you draw influence from?

Relm: I guess from the beginning it was always Tarentino and Michel Gondry. The way Tarentino does his films are already like re-mixes. You can hear it in the dialogue and see it in the way he sets up the scenes. A lot of people think he is just ripping off others, but he’s not. Really, everything’s a re-mix. Anything anyone has ever done, you know like Craigslist, is a re-mix of a newspaper! Nothing is completely original anymore. Not to say that we are less human beings than the generation before, but they got influenced by others as well.

The way I set my show up is different in that I’m not the “yeah, ya’ll put your hands up” guy, I’m not “that guy!” That’s just not me. One of the lessons I’ve taken from Tarentino is that in his films he never really lets you forget that you’re watching a movie. He’s not trying to to be like, “you’re in a different world now,” it’s like no, you’re watching a movie. That’s kind of the way I do my live show, I’m not trying to make you think that you’re anywhere else except a box where there’s loud music, a screen and lights. I like to have that kind of communication. As for scores, Elfman, ever since I was a kid I was like okay, that guy can do no wrong!

Mike-Relm

Showbams: As an artist where most of your work draws from well known samples and copy-written material, what are some of the barriers you face with distribution and marketing?

Relm: Distribution channels are definitely different if you’re doing it the way I am. You can’t just press up blue ray copies of whatever I’m doing and sell it at Best Buy. But there are so many other channels now that are available. Before it was just me putting the files up on my website and you could watch it there. Now there’s YouTube, but even in that as you gain more popularity it gets challenging. I’m not completely under the radar anymore like in the beginning when I would just be doing a lot of art shows and stuff. Where it was like “Oh, there’s this guy doing this cool new thing where he’s scratching video.” And earlier the art community really embraced it, they’re always kind of first anyways, because I think they understood kind of what I was doing. It was interesting to me, that’s why I did it.

I think as time went on, I wouldn’t say my approach became more mainstream but it cast a wider net. I wasn’t trying to take like crazy “found footage” and do something with it. I wanted to work with things that people recognize, that’s part of the fun! There’s a huge learning curve, even within my shows when I take something that people are unfamiliar with and doing something with it, because they don’t know what’s being done. But if I work with something like The Peanuts or Led Zeppelin, they know what it’s originally supposed to look like. Then when they see what’s being done with it, they’re like “Oh, oh that’s, I get it!” I don’t have to sit there and explain like, “Okay guys, so I have this record and this record controls the files…” nah, I don’t want that. Then it cuts the umbilical chord of the show. I don’t want them to have to sit and intellectualize it too hard. That doesn’t make for an entertaining time.

Mike-Relm

Showbams: You play off “the association” and people can connect on that level too, in which they can appreciate you creatively tweaking something they’re familiar with.

Relm: You always get the like, “Oh, I remember that,” or “Oh, I get that one!” That even comes with being a DJ, because we do that with songs. With copy write, I don’t know, I guess I’m pretty lucky with that as well. I don’t make a piece for a show and think, “huh, am I going to get in trouble for this,” because if so, I would never do anything! When I first started DJ’ing, people would ask me like, “how do you get permission to play the songs?” I’d be like, “What?! I’m just playing a song, what are you talking about?” I guess it’s a little different now, but what it comes down to is that no one is watching my show thinking “well he did this thing with Office Space, I was going to buy it on Blu-Ray, but I’m good.” No, why would you do that?

Mike-Relm

Showbams: Beyond creating mix-tapes and sampling for your live show, you wear several other creative hats as a director of commercials, producer of short films and re-mixer of pop culture events and full length movies. How do you go about choosing the content that you work with in such facets?

Relm: Just kind of goes back to how I listen to things. Hearing music as a teenager, I used to take in a song and store it in my mental library under things I want to play or scratch with or re-mix. That’s kind of how I do everything now. I’m trained so that even when I watch TV, I feel like I need to go find these soundbites or re-watch that clip. Like I just did a Key and Pele re-mix and that was simply due to the fact that I liked the show. I saw that sketch and it was so musical how they were doing it. I just thought, I’m going to make it more musical.

There’s so much going on in media and entertainment, it’s not hard. I used to just take cult things. That was my deal, and you couldn’t hate on that. But now, you can do things with pop culture and put a different spin on it, and it’s almost less corny. Like you can watch Honey Boo Boo the TV show, and my remix is not as corny but still kind of funny. Part of it is taking guilty pleasures, I don’t know…

Showbams: Are you watching something for instance and just have that moment where you’re like “Aha!”?

Relm: It is very “Aha!” Like I’ll be watching something from TMZ, and a day later people will send it to me and tell me I should re-mix it. But it’s not the same, the humor won’t be there. Because it sort of is my voice, there is a genuine quality to it where as even if it is Honey Boo Boo/Gangam Style, it has to come from me. It’s weird because you can’t quantify it like, I can’t make a list where these are the things that make me want to re-mix something and you can go do this now. Which I think is the way it should be with everybody.

Because if you’re not you’re just doing “made-to-order whatevers.” I know people that are working on videos or something and they have a checklist?! I’m like, “why do you have that,” can’t you just go listen to stuff and watch things, you’re supposed to enjoy what you do. Even when I’m doing my movie trailers and things like that, I’m not trying to make fun of anybody. I just think okay, how can I elevate the energy of this? But, when it’s pop culture I can take a few more comedic liberties with things. It just really comes down to what your voice is I guess.

Mike-Relm

Showbams: Have there ever been any directors or producers of the material you are working with contact you after seeing your re-mixes of their work?

Relm: Yeah, a lot of them do and because I’m not making fun of them. I’m fans of the things I re-mix. Like Jon Favreau liked the Iron Man thing I did, and Edgar Write liked the Scott Pilgrim thing I did. Those were early on before I started doing things directly with the studios and filmmakers. It was just me doing it because I liked it. That was extremely cool! You could see people were watching it, but you didn’t know who. They were just numbers that were racking up and I was like “Hey a lot of people are watching this, what should I do next?”

Then all of the sudden you get a tweet from Favreau or Write and they could’ve gone either way. They could have said, “take this shit down dude, this is mine.” But they’re were like no, this is cool, do another one or what else you got, this is interesting. Which says a lot about filmmakers too, because your first assumption would be “ah man here it is, here’s the take down notice.” But, it’s not, and I think that there are people like that, and the people who want to act that way just kind of don’t get it.

Unless I’m pissing on it, you know like taking their work and drawing bunny ears and penises on it, that’s just disrespectful and you have every right to take that down. I’m trying to basically in my own way promote their film, because I like it and that’s my tribute to it. As long as that comes through, it’s a good thing, because I actually care about the stuff. It is very cool when they come back and say, “this is dope.”

Mike-Relm

Showbams: Currently you’re in SF filming a project right now. Could you elaborate on it?

Relm: I’m shooting with Serrato. They have something they call “The Icon Series” which are features on people who use the software and embrace it, focusing on what it is about the individuals that makes them special. When you’re looking at gear in general, it can get dry, like “oh, this gear changed my life, because I used to use this, now I use this, see!” Yes of course, it’s technology which gets better, so yeah, this thing replaced that. Buy a new car!

It get’s kind of predictable, so what they’re doing is interesting, not only because I’m a part of it but I like biographies, like the old school Ted Talks, where you can be like “wow that guy is really saying something.” You have designers who aren’t talking about how they use Photoshop but rather the thought process and theories. That’s kind of what they’re doing but in a shorter package. They’re beautifully shot, everyone looks great in it, so yeah I’m excited!

Local Natives drench Fox Theater Oakland in harmonious grooves

Local NativesBy Marc Fong //

Local Natives //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
January 30th, 2013 //

Local Natives sold out the Fox Theater Oakland on Wednesday night, supporting their brand new LP Hummingbird (read our review here). The LA-based group put on a strong show, and they have a great stage presence as they deliver ascending harmonies over contemplative grooves.

Check them out live if you can, as they should be touring throughout most of 2013.

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PHOTOS: Cody ChesnuTT at The Independent 1/29

Cody ChestnuttPhotos by Marc Fong

Cody ChesnuTT brought his R&B, neo-soul stylings and battle gear to The Independent on Tuesday. Most of the songs performed this night were from his two most recent efforts, Black Skin No Value and Landing on a Hundred.



Upcoming Independent shows similar to Cody ChesnuTT:
The Wailers performing Survival on February 7
North Mississippi Allstars on February 8 and 9
Con Brio on February 22

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Reggie Watts & Michael Winslow join forces for the “Sound Effects Summit”

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Pop-culture nostalgia was in full swing Monday night at The Independent, as live sound effects expert Michael Winslow (from the Police Academy movies) joined Reggie Watts for part two of his “Reggidency” for SF Sketchfest.

Winslow started with a solo set, followed by a Watts solo set. Then the two joined forces for a very weird, one-off performance dubbed “The Sound Effects Summit.”

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Watts welcomed the audience and introduced Winslow, and Winslow launched into his audio/visual act that is completely pre-conceived; Winslow’s set was accompanied by a DVD menu, so it looks like this is an act he has done many times. Watts watched from the side of the stage taking in the set, enjoying it with those at the sold out show.

Michael-Winslow

And it was pretty fun and entertaining. He pleased the crowd with his trademark voices and sound effects. Winslow created an alternate take on a scene from Star Wars, providing all of the dialogue, sound effects and musical score from his mouth. (Princess Leah: “Ahhhh! I have to go the bathroom!”)

Michael-Winslow

The set ended in costume, as Winslow impersonated Jimi Hendrix fully glitched-out.

Watts then took over with his delightfully awkward pauses, anticipatory teasing and unique, looping songs. In the end, it would have been nice to have a little more Watts solo time.

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Reggie-Watts

He seems to thrive on improvisation, avoiding routine and repetition. For example, at his Outside Lands set in 2012, he walked off stage halfway through, thanking the crowd. He came back a minute later, saying “They tell me I have 25 minutes” and launched into improv. It’s almost as if he tests himself on improvisation, forcing situations where he has to dig his way out. And he usually thrives in this situation.

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Watts’ ramblings are entertaining; he’s able to captivate a 450-person room talking under his breath, promising to start his first song 5 times before actually doing so. Part of the comedy is that he is shy and understated at times, then he’ll build a tasty groove and get sassy.

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The third set of the evening was what everyone was waiting for, and both solo sets had already delivered.

This wacky collaboration started with two songs pretty quickly, and Winslow provided beats and sounds a capella while Watts layered in instrumentals and provided the lead singing. It was a strong start to an experience that got increasingly awkward.

From there it became Andy Kauffman-esque, as it seemed like the duo were playing a trick on the audience. And it probably wasn’t intentional. The awkwardness was a product of improvisation meeting rehearsed comedy.

Winslow started relying on some of his female character voices and bad jokes, which was a little over-the-top, and you could tell it was throwing Watts off his improv game. He even asked if this was the Carol Burnett show or if he was Gilda Ratner. Yes, those two are comedy icons, but that is not exactly why folks were here.

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Beyond the unfunny tangents and self-conscious moments Reggie Watts was having, it was a set worth seeing. Overall, the “Sound Effects Summit” delivered on its titled premise.

SIDENOTE: There was a 3-camera crew and sign-off waivers present on the door to The Independent, as Watts was filming an “Untitled Reggie Watts Documentary.” I’m sure they got some usable footage for whatever Watts is producing.

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New Music Tuesday: Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite • Tegan and Sara • Local Natives • Emmy Rossum • Tomahawk • Ducktails

Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite - Get Up

Every Tuesday, we focus on new music releases by naming our top tracks, album highlights, lowlights and important takeaways for select albums.


Ben Harper with Charlie MusselwhiteGet Up!

4-BamsTop Tracks:
“I Don’t Believe a Word You Say”
“I Ride at Dawn”
“Get Up!”

Album Highlight: Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite’s new collaboration Get Up! is one of the best blues albums I’ve heard in a while. A mix of acoustic and electric, Get Up! showcases the strengths of both artists. Musselwhite’s haunting and impassioned harmonica is a constant throughout, while Ben Harper’s signature slide guitar finds it’s moments to shine.

Album Lowlight: This album is very bluesy, and although that is what makes it work so well, it is also the reason it can be a little pedestrian at time. I really would love to hear what Musselwhite can do outside of the realm of blues.

Takeaway: Harper and Musselwhite have created a rejuvenating blues album merging what we love about both artists into one cohesive record. It sounds like Musselwhite had carte blanche to layer his trademark sound throughout. This is a record that will get regular play in my rotation.

~Kevin Raos


Tegan and SaraHeartthrob

3-BamsTop Tracks:
“Closer”
“Drove Me Wild”
“I Couldn’t Be Your Friend”

Album Highlight: “Closer” is the catchiest and most club friendly track on the album. Tegan and Sara divert from their typically indie-rock, girl band strengths to produce a fantastically successful new-wave dance jam. “Closer” showcases their strong grasp of current pop music trends and signifies their evolution as songwriters. However, the opening track falsely sets you up for a less than exciting sophomore effort.

Album Lowlight: “Now I’m All Messed Up” feels like the overproduced, female vocalized electro-rock bands songs of the late nineties. The track lacks in both lyrical content and musical style. The added effects and distorted chorus almost seem like a cover-up for the lack of song structure and lyrics that sound like a high school journal entry.

Takeaway: “I Couldn’t Be Your Friend” has a great piano hook from the beginning, but takes a minute to pick up. Once involved in the chorus though, it is one song that you can’t help but continue to listen and maybe even sing along. “I couldn’t Be Your Friend” is the best lyrical effort on the album and all around most complete track on Heartthrob.

~Molly Kish


Emmy RossumSentimental Journey

2-BamsTop Tracks:
“Sentimental Journey”
“I’ll Be with You in Apple Blossom”
“Nobody Knows You When You’re Down”
“All I Do Is Dream of You”

Album Highlight: “Sentimental Journey” is the title track and best example of the direction this album should have gone in. This song is a wonderful display of Rossum’s vocals and unlike the rest of the obnoxiously campy show-tune album has a beautifully simplistic blues arrangement, paying homage to the female jazz legends she is attempting to emulate.

Album Lowlight: Although an obvious cover straight off the 1933 soundtrack for Roman Scandals, the final track of the album “Keep Young and Beautiful” further accentuates the actress/musician cross-over effort Rossum struggles with throughout the entire album. It’s over the top within the opening five seconds of the track’s vaudeville monologue and instantly makes me want to listen to it as an actresses’ audition rather than as a recording artists tribute.

Takeaway: Amidst the various efforts on the album to display contemporary jazz ballads, “All I Do Is Dream of You” is the most successful. Rossum clearly has the chops to produce a beautiful love song, best done in this manner of a stripped-down standard.

~Molly Kish


TomahawkOddfellows

2.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Stone Letter”
“White Hats/Black Hats”
“South Paw”

Album Highlight: Mike Patton has always had a knack for the experimental, whether it be Mr. Bungle, Peeping Tom or any of his various acts. “Rise Up Dirty Waters” displays the balance between quiet beauty and maniacal frenzy, always keeping his listeners on their toes.

Album Lowlight: Their sound is kind of stuck in an area of Nu-metal meets Les Claypool. One needs to truly love the singing style of Mike Patton in order to truly appreciate — and enjoy — Tomahawk.

Takeaway: This alt-metal supergroup has been featuring the weird, Patton-fueled sound for over a decade, and this album continues that tradition. A fun romp of a listen for any Nine Inch Nails or Tool fan still holding onto the hard rock heydays of the 90’s and early 2000’s.

~Kevin Quandt


DucktailsThe Flower Lane

3-BamsTop Tracks:
“Flower Lane”
“Under Cover”
“Academy Avenue”

Album Highlight: The Flower Lane is a Steely Dan-inspired album with a fuller sound than previous releases, yet it’s still in the beach vibe of Matt Mondanile. Tracks like “Assistant Director” feature electronic effects and a danceable vibe, a new sound to this once solo project.

Album Lowlight: I feel like a few of these songs might get a better treatment from his No. 1 gig, Real Estate. Vocals could leave a little to be desired, but it doesn’t subtract from the overall sound much.

Takeaway: Ducktails takes the breezy feel of Real Estate and mixes in more 80’s pop and world influence. For fans of heavy reverb! The inclusion of Big Troubles as Mondanile’s backing band adds the feeling of a full band as opposed to the entirely solo efforts previously released under the Ducktails moniker.

~Kevin Quandt

The Walkmen, Father John Misty team up to rock The Fillmore

The-WalkmenPhotos by Sam Heller // Written by Kevin Quandt //

The Walkmen & Father John Misty //
The Fillmore – San Francisco
January 24th, 2013 //

2012 marked successful years for both Father John Misty and The Walkmen, as one sprouted to life and another continued on their steady ascent. However the pairing of these two groups over a few dates came as a bit of a surprise for some West Coast fans. Luckily, you knew you were guaranteed an amazing night of music at The Fillmore with this co-bill.

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Father-John-Misty

The growth and popularity of Father John Misty is little surprise to this writer as Fear Fun was easily one of the best albums of the 2012. Naturally, Josh Tillman and band opened with its leading track, “Fun Times in Babylon.” From there they played a bevy of stellar tracks from their banner debut album highlighted by “Nancy From Now On” and “Only Son of a Ladiesman”. Tillman’s demeanor on stage is so casual and effortless; full of banter, dance moves and general merriment. One track that has become a live highlight over the past year is “This is Sally Hatchet”, full of slow build till Tillman and band explode into a frenzied noise before crashing back to Earth.

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The element of storytelling these tracks have taken on is part of the wonder that has attracted fans to this band. It’s even more bizarre when you find out Tillman served as the drummer in Fleet Foxes over the past many years. “Everyman Needs a Companion” brought the pace down for a few before capping the set with spotlight track “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”. It’s songs like these that make so many thrilled at what this freshman act are capable of in the future, as Tillman has proven to be an incredibly dynamic songwriter and performer.

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The Walkmen took headlining privileges this night, delivering a career-spanning set to the sold-out crowd. “On the Water”, off of You and Me, was the set opener, which is rarely featured in the No. 1 spot. The Walkmen had a busy year with the release of Heaven coupled with relentless touring and festival appearances. Hamilton Leithauser’s style of singing is both impressive and powerful, which lends his voice to be strained on certain nights. But tonight he sounded rested and fresh.

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From there the all original 5-piece band launched into some crowd favorites like “The Rat” and “In the New Year,” creating a sing along for the capacity crowd. “Woe is Me” changed the pace and tempo of the show to a more light, calypso-esque tone with this standout track from Lisbon. Songs like this show the true variety of sounds and tempos this band has mastered over their 11 year history. One aspect of The Walkmen that is truly astounding is the maturity they have garnered and displayed through these years, growing from youthful angst to aged wisdom in a genuine manner.

“Line by Line” was once a quiet, yet powerful, show opener, while Hamilton and Paul Maroon’s duo rendition has grown to the full band for this contemplative song. It is still a tender bit to an emotionally charged act. The Walkmen have the reputation of using vintage instruments to compose their unique sound, whether it be stand-up pianos older than the members themselves or well used guitars. “Blue as Your Blood” features the latter instrument, giving the song an almost haunting quality while Hamilton croons, “The sky above is blue as your blood.” The set continued on with more selections from Lisbon.

The-Walkmen

The raucous bop of “Angela Surf City” led into the introduction of tonight’s horn section, provided by San Francisco’s own Magik*Magik Orchestra. The expanded collective played “Stranded” in beautiful form, beckoning a sound one might hear walking the streets of the Portuguese capital city for which this album is titled. Once this Lisbon suite had been rounded out, the band led into a highlight track from their seminal early album, Bows and Arrows. “138th Street” was a pleasant surprise, keeping things subdued and a bit contemplative while Leithauser eloquently crawled through the angst ridden lyrics, even painting a picture of some desolate Manhattan evening.

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The band ended their set with a pair of selections off their latest release. “We Can’t Be Beat” and “Heaven” displayed more of the band’s maturity, both lyrically and musically. The encore brought the return of the horn section for the Sun Studios inspired track “Louisiana,” peaking with a truly revelrous section of horns and stand-up piano flourishes. An old classic would be the last song played on this Thursday night. “We’ve Been Had” is the quintessential early career Walkmen track featuring their own unique jangly instrumentation, capped with the powerful vocals of Hamilton coupled with the every-man life-lesson lyrics.

Pairing an exciting fresh act like Father John Misty with the perpetually consistent warriors like The Walkmen is a brilliant plan, hopefully introducing fans to unknown acts. We can only look forward to the directions both of them take in 2013, likely collecting devotees and winning accolades with songwriting and performing equally.

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Father-John-Misty

Father-John-Misty

WKEND MIXTAPE: DJ Shadow – All Basses Covered

DJ-Shadow---WKEND-MIXTAPE

Bay Area local DJ Shadow is our highlight this week with an expansive mix of music showcasing what some have dubbed as “too future” for the club.

Shadow was playing at Mansion Nightclub in Miami when shortly after starting was asked to end his set (see video below). Much has been written on the incident, so no need rehash this here. What we gained from this is the release of a 90-minute version of his set. I think Shadow sums this up best:

“Beginning in the Summer of 2012 with his Low End Theory guest spots, DJ Shadow’s “All Basses Covered” set has morphed and evolved to incorporate as many different contemporary genres of urban and electronic music as possible. From hardcore rap to footwork and juke and beyond, Shadow has combed the web to curate seamless and dexterous blends of the most progressive sounds bubbling up from the underground. ‘Too hard?’ ‘Too future?’ Or just too raw? As always, DJ Shadow has provoked crucial flashpoints of discussion about the discipline of DJ’ing that have defined our turbulent times.”

For more mixes and music from DJ Shadow check out his Soundcloud page.

Gemini Club reflect on implementing technology for successful benefits

Gemini ClubPhotos by Maggie Corwin // Written by Molly Kish //

Showbams interviewed Tom Gavlin and Gordon Bramli from Gemini Club before their show on January 17th at Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco. Recognized for their modified audio techniques and improvisational live performances, Gemini Club thrives in a state of chaos, which they claim is imperative to their success. The band’s been a topic of interest on several indie blogs and music websites and has been a consistent recommendation from my colleagues.

They took the stage in SF, playing to a sold-out Popscene audience suited for battle with an armada of franken-synths and an attitude to match. Before blowing the minds of a fully packed Rickshaw Stop that evening, I got a chance to talk with both Tom and Gordon about what makes their band “scary,” in a good way.


Gemini Club

Showbams: Tom, I know that you met Dan back in college at Columbia where you bonded over electronic music, shared demos back and forth and eventually met Gordon and got him on board for live shows. What type of projects were you guys working on pre-Gemini Club?

Gavlin: We were in a band together, called the Balkans. It was really straight forward: two guitars, a synthesizer, bass and drums. I was a very bad guitar player then, so they we were like “maybe we could just go as a four piece” and I was like “okay.” Then I got into electronic music on my own. I started making demos, and Dan and I had a politics class together. When I had showed him my demo. He was like, “this is good, I like this a lot!” Dan was really getting into electronic music and wanting to do that so he decided to one up me with his own demo, and a week later we we’re at his house up really late, putting some vocals to it and just haven’t stopped.

Gemini Club

Showbams: Gordon, at that time you were doing your own kind of DJ stuff. Were you ever trying to spin in an indie medium or was it something completely different?

Bramli: Yeah, well I had a night at this bar and I was hosting it as well as DJing. It was through friends that I heard Dan and booked him. He DJ’d, and I liked what I saw. Then one day he was like “come over” and he played me some Gemini Club, the early tracks. I enjoyed what I was hearing. He asked me if I wanted to be in the band and I said yes right away.

Showbams: From conception, was the live performance something you all agreed upon would be the main focus of the band, or was it something that just naturally evolved?

Gavlin: To a certain extent, it all starts in the studios with the songs first. Then we figure out how to re-create them live in a way that’s genuine and utilizes to the utmost extent the technology that we implement in our shows. We knew we had the capabilities of exploiting that technology and making it cool. When I say “cool,” it’s because I can sit and bore you for twenty minutes about the complexities of the things that are going on, none of which I do because it scares me. Dan’s rig scares me!

Gemini Club

Showbams: Your live shows are unique, not only in the equipment, but also material and consistently changing nature of your performance. A lot of which has to do with the type of audio tools you’re using, most notably the Gemini Rig. Can you explain what a “rig” is?

Gavlin: So there’s two rigs in the band, Dan has one and Gordon has the other. Baisically we run Ableton Live, and I have an APC 40 and innovation keyboard, and I do samples and beats. With that I am Midi clocked to Dan and he plays the synthesizer and guitar.

I have the master clock and can effect his piano playing, make effects on it and everything. We tilt our gear towards the audience, so they can see what were doing live and it’s very versitile. Each song we can change parts and re-sample, it’s a lot of fun.

Gemini Club

Showbams: Beyond that, you guys also play with another piece of equipment called the Gemini Capsule …

Bramli: So, that’s an eight-step sequencer synthesizer that we’re building with a company called Unitronix, from Chicago. It’s all bulit in Chicago and we’re super proud of it. We’re actually going to launch it this year, right around SXSW.

Showbams: I know this type of equipment allows you to do on the fly re-mixes, which personalizes the experience for audiences on a nightly basis. Conversely though, this makes for a very rigorous tour schedule and is something most bands would shy away from. Do you ever wish that maybe you would of stuck with a simpler set up?

Gavlin: Sure you know, maybe we should’ve stuck to horses instead of making cars. No, not at all.

Gemini Club

Showbams: Is it in anyway nerve-wracking to incorporate such an improv element?

Gavlin: Yes, the rigs scare me … there have been panic attacks during soundchecks (laughs). Today, I had to walk away and do something else. Yes, it’s very scary!

Bramli: The rewards of it being difficult and the element of failure is really important to us, because we thrive on taking such risks. Because when we do succeed, it means that much more to us. It’s real.

Gavlin: Like we were saying, we use this type of equipment for it’s benefits, not to make it easier. People talk about backing tracks and launching clips … however the hell you feel about it, everybody does that! I’m not saying like everyone at some folk festival would do it but it’s you know, how you do it! Do you make it interesting?

Gemini Club

Showbams: Has there ever been a moment that things didn’t pan out the way you had hoped them to?

Bramli: (Laughs) Many times … all the time!

Gavlin: I’ll never forget the time that we were playing in our earlier days when I pulled out a cable, trying to climb up a ladder on a stage and I completely unplugged Gordon’s APC. Which means the music stops. I mean we’ve probably had a good dozen moments where a computer crashes.

During a sold-out show at Lincoln Hall, Gordon’s APC, which normally scrolls through clips as the set progresses, started scrolling on it’s own. I saw this at practice and was like “this is weird,” but figured it’s a bug and takes about two minutes to fix itself. This happened like two days before, and I was OK with it, two minutes we could work with. So playing live, I look over and see the screen scrolling. I’m thinking, okay two minutes I can just chit chat and make jokes. It ended up however, feeling a lot longer.

Bramli: Meanwhile, I’m frantically rebooting, sweating, dying!

Gavlin: But we managed. Once we fixed it and got back on stage, no one even noticed. It was a good feeling! It’s like being sick. I’ve been sick for two days and you just deal with it. You either let it break you down or have it build you up. You learn or quit.

Gemini Club

Showbams: Since 2009, you’ve put out two albums and are currently starting the West Coast leg of your tour, debuting new material throughout. In your blog, you allude to a full-length album in the works. When can we expect more info regarding such?

Gavlin: Yes, we’re working on a full-length record now. We have five tracks written and are playing three of them tonight. We are going into the studio in February following that, and I would expect new music in early summer after South by Southwest.

Gemini Club


After we talked, the guys gushed about how they loved SF “more than they like most people.” They shared stories of their road trip to Sausalito with the founder of Tellason denim and their love/hate relationship with the Midwest.

They’ll be finishing their tour up back at home in early March, diving straight into completing their heavily anticipated full length. After catching their performance at Rickshaw Stop, my prediction is that the boys will be scheduling a return visit out here for festival season.

Femi Kuti and The Positive Force bring their Booty-Shaking Grooves to LA

Femi-Kuti

Veteran afrobeat musician Femi Kuti and his band marched into the El Rey Theater last Friday and performed an inspiring set of African grooves. Femi, the son of the late legendary musician and activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti carries on his fathers mission of performing politically-charged dance anthems to the masses.

Femi-Kuti

Femi-Kuti

Femi Kuti and his band, The Positive Force, started the night off with their classic opener “Truth Don Die.” The song proved to be a perfect way to begin a show, as it starts with an instrumental jam and makes way to Femi singing and playing keys. As always, Femi has a couple dancers hypnotizing the crowd with their non-stop booty shaking, and I must say, the dancers are quite impressive.

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Femi-Kuti

Femi Kuti knows how to keep the audience engaged at all times, whether it be from his amazing leads on saxophone, trumpet, keyboards, or with his powerful lyrics. In between a couple songs, Femi took the time to give short speeches about violence and awareness of many different topics around the world. But he kept the talking short overall and got right back to the show, so it never seemed too preachy.

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The band went thru many staples like “Beng Beng Beng” and “Dem Bobo.”  They also played a lot of newer tracks, which I’m sure will be on his upcoming album No Place For My Dream which is due out later this year.

Femi Kuti and The Positive Force are truly a fun and inspiring show to see live and I can’t wait to hear his new album. BAM!

Femi-Kuti

New Music Tuesday: Bad Religion • Toro y Moi • Ra Ra Riot • The Joy Formidable • Nosaj Thing • FIDLAR • The Growlers • Foxygen

Bad Religion - True North

Every Tuesday, we focus on new music releases by naming our top tracks, album highlights, lowlights and important takeaways for select albums.


Bad ReligionTrue North

4-BamsTop Tracks:
“Past is Dead”
“Hello Cruel World”
“Dept. of False Hope”

Album Highlight: Bad Religion’s sound has been crafted over three and a half decades, and it hasn’t deviated much from a strong drive, mixed in with educated, anti-establishment lyrics and endless touring. Some faster tracks from the “80-85” era are a pleasant surprise.

Album Lowlight: A few odd songs like “Dharma and the Bomb” could have been omitted, as they are a little goofy and misplaced. If you aren’t a fan of 90’s punk drumming, this album may not be for you.

Takeaway: A must for any fan of Bad Religion or punk-tinged rock and roll fan. There are lots of thoughtful lyrics sung masterfully. True North continues a great punk rock tradition, what you’d expect from vets like Greg Graffin and Co.

~Kevin Quandt


Toro y MoiAnything in Return

4.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“So Many Details”
“Say That”
“Cola”
“Cake”

Album Highlight: Chazwick Bundick’s new LP Anything in Return is heavily dance-influenced compared to his prior works, and he’s brought a new beat to the table by lacing his first three tracks with UK deep house and R&B sensibilities. The opening section of the record has the freshest sound on the record.

Album Lowlight: It’s Toro y Moi’s longest record, and it does feel a bit long. “Touch” and “Day One” aren’t spectacular, but they aren’t bad either.

Takeaway: Anything in Return blends tracks influenced by dance (“Harm in Change” and “Say That”), R&B (“So Many Details”), micro-house (“Rose Quartz”), disco/chillwave (“Studies”), electronic pop (“Cake”) and funk (“High Living”). It’s a sexy, cohesive album, and Bundick takes a mature look at youthful living with his smooth lyrics. This is a winning record.

~Mike Frash


Ra Ra RiotBeta Love

4.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Dance with Me”
“Is It Too Much”
“Angel, Please”
“Binary Mind”

Album Highlight: Ra Ra Riot’s new album Beta Love is upbeat and infectious, combining many elements from their previous work with a more developed electronic sound. If Ra Ra Riot was in the alpha phase before, they have certainly progressed into the Beta phase with ‘Beta Love.’

Album Lowlight: Nitpicking here, but the second half of the album doesn’t quite retain the all-out dance party of the first half. After “Angel, Please”, the LP settles down a little and takes the listener into a nocturnal state with “When I Dream”.

Takeaway: Ra Ra Riot has created a tremendous indie electropop album. The band’s sound has evolved, moving away from the heavier, classical sounding music to a more electronic, synth vibe. Ra Ra Riot purists might be skeptical towards the change, but I love it. One of the best albums in a very young 2013, IMO.

~Kevin Raos


The Joy FormidableWolf’s Law

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“This Ladder Is Ours”
“The Turnaround/Wolf’s Law”
“The Leaopard And the Lung”

Album Highlight: The second half of Wolf’s Law contains enjoyable tracks that don’t sound like the typical, upbeat alt rock this group usually puts out. Check out “The Leaopard And the Lung” and a slow but lovely “Silent Treatment.”

Album Lowlight: Why throw a 70-second gap in the middle of the last track “The Turnaround/Wolf’s Law”? Both the parts within this track are excellent and could have been bridged. I’m sure there’s a reason they weren’t completely merged, but it just breaks up a beautiful final song in an unspectacular way. And “Maw Maw Song” is a little meh.

Takeaway: The Joy Formidable produce a noisy wall of sound that abruptly comes and goes, and Ritzy Bryan’s guitar-work dominates this album. If you’re a fan of The Joy Formidable, give it a spin, but you may be stumped by the odd, yet entertaining second half of the record. Overall, there isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking to be found in this LP.

~Mike Frash


Nosaj ThingHome

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Glue”
“Tell”
“Try” feat. Toro y Moi

Album Highlight: Subtle, yet contemporary beauty at its finest. Tracks such as “Distance” from LA electronic musician Jason Chung feature a fresher take on old legends like Boards of Canada. “Tell” leans closer to the dub-scape sound of London-based beat maker Burial.

Album Lowlight: Though it’s not Chung’s style, one bigger, fuller or faster track could have helped full-album listening experience. I had higher expectations, as this album was nearly four years in the making. I guess when you’re producing for hip-hop stars, it gets time-consuming.

Take-away: It was well worth the wait for Jason Chung’s new album under his Nosaj Thing monicker, as this fresh batch of progressive down-beat tracks is full of his unique sound.

~Kevin Quandt

FIDLARFIDLAR

3-BamsTop Tracks:
“Cheap Beer”
“Wake Bake Skate”
“5-9”
“Blackout Stout”
“No Waves”

Album Highlight: “Cheap Beer” is the lead single and party anthem of the album, leading into the record apologetically with screeching distortion, pelting lyrics and surf rock guitar riffs. The song sets course for a 14-track homage to the grittier side of punk rock, highlighting the angst of wasted youth set in the streets of LA.

Album Lowlight: “LDA”, reminiscent of a Ramones ballad, is a song that sidetracks from the anxious energy that keeps this album interesting. Appearing in rotation after the most lively track on the album “5-9”, the song stunts the manic motion of Fidlar’s material in what seems like a forced attempt to squeeze a cheesy love song into the mix.

Takeaway: “Paycheck,” a track which starts off unconventionally slow, is sung in unison, and is placed on the coattails of the least impressive song on the album. One might pass this up the first listen or two. The latter half of this song shreds, slapping the listener in the face with the albums’ strongest guitar solo.

~Molly Kish


The GrowlersHung at Heart

3.5-BamsTop Tracks:
“Someday”
“Naked Kids”
“One Million Lovers”
“Row”

Album Highlight: The opening one-two punch of “Someday” and “Naked Kids” gets the album started in a big way. “Someday” finds Brooks Nielson singing about the future and “when tall boys turn into champagne, and Bologna turns to steak”. “Naked Kids” is a slower-paced psychedelic ode to a lost lover, and he swears he’s changed and has had an epiphany. Great opening tracks here.

Album Lowlight: Every song seems to blend together — it’s hard to distinguish between different tracks. Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys was supposed to produce this album, but The Growlers weren’t happy with Auerbach’s touch, so they went back in the studio and did it their way. It does make me wonder what Auerbach could have done with these songs.

Takeaway: All in all, this album is enjoyable, especially the lyrics and the 60’s SoCal psych-rock vibe, but I feel it could have had stronger material. All the songs are good, but only a couple stand out from the others.

~Pete Mauch


FoxygenWe Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic

4-BamsTop Tracks:
“Shuggie”
“We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic”
“San Francisco”
“Oh Yeah”

Album Highlight: “We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic” is the album’s title track and undoubtedly the strongest song. A psychedelic freak-out coated with soulful shrieks, impressive percussion, steady guitar riffs and someone ripping on the organ, Sam France and Jonathan Rado showcase their incredible musical talent and chops for songwriting.

Album Lowlight: The least complicated effort on the album, “No Destruction”, lacks in production value and lyrical content. It’s great in the context of a stripped-down country song, but it doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of the tracks on this album.

Takeaway: With its borderline obnoxious lyrical interludes, “On Blue Mountain” seems silly at first. I was at first deterred from what ends up being one of the most enigmatic tracks on the album. Approach this album with acceptance of the ironic song structure, and you’ll sure to be smitten by the end.

~Molly Kish

Tycho guide fans into an ethereal trance in SF

TychoPhotos & videos by Kevin Raos // Written by Mike Frash //

Tycho //
The Independent – San Francisco
January 18th-19th, 2013 //

SF ambient-techno producer Scott Hansen, better known by his stage name Tycho, played two sold-out shows at The Independent last weekend to highly attentive audiences. Tycho’s music has the uncanny ability to lull you into into a semi-dream state with ambient melodies, then a well-timed minimalist house beat kicks in to pick up the pace and euphoria.

Friday’s crowd was guided into a hypnotic trance by Scott Hansen, who has been playing live shows with drummer Rory O’Connor and bassist/guitarist Zac Brown for more than a couple years now.

The visual imagery at a Tycho live show is striking and certainly complimentary to Hansen’s unique sound. For his photographic and design works, he also goes by the moniker ISO50, so Hansen is clearly a man of many aliases. The timing of the visual editing matches the beats and emotional builds perfectly.

The chillwave, downtempo adventure Tycho leads in a live environment provides a floaty, ethereal experience. More than most other live shows, a Tycho set allows the concertgoer to close their eyes and forget where they are.

Tycho

Tycho

Tycho

Tycho

Tycho

Tycho

Tycho

Tycho

PHOTOS: The Knocks and Gemini Club @ Popscene

The Knocks headlined Popscene Thursday night at Rickshaw Stop

The Knocks headlined Popscene Thursday night at Rickshaw Stop

Live electronic awesomeness saturated Rickshaw Stop Thursday night in SF, as The Knocks and Gemini Club performed to a sold out crowd.

Take a look at this fresh eye-candy from Maggie Corwin.

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Gemini Club opened, but they should be headlining in no time...

Gemini Club opened, but they should be headlining in no time…

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WKEND MIXTAPE: Tycho x Heathered Pearls – Dazed Mag Mix

Tycho--WKEND-MIXTAPE

Our mix this week comes from San Francisco’s own Tycho. We are lucky to have him playing two sold out shows (hope you have tickets!) this weekend at the Independent. Tycho played a stellar show at Treasure Island Music Festival, and we expect the same this weekend. Although this mix is from last year, it holds up without question.

The tracklist is below to follow along, and is also available for download at Soundcloud. Enjoy!

For more mixes and music from Tycho check out his Soundcloud page.

Tracklist
Caribou – Sinuses
Com Truise – Karova
Broker/Dealer – On A Claire Day
Cloudland Canyon – Krautwerk
Tame Impala – Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind?
Bibio – Saint Christopher
Black Moth Super Rainbow – From The See
Odd Nosdam – Up In Flames
Bonobo – Recurring
J Dilla – One
18 Carat Affair – Phil Spector Daydream
Broadcast & The Focus Group – One Million Years Ago
Ulrich Schnauss – Stars
Beck – Hotwax

Eric McFadden and his star-studded cast shred The Mint in LA

McFadden-and-FriendsBy Pete Mauch //

Eric McFadden //
The Mint – Los Angeles
January 16th, 2013 //

The Mint is hosting San Francisco native Eric McFadden every Wednesday this month, and I was fortunate enough to catch the most anticipated third Wednesday show in January. The evening’s All-Star lineup featured guitarist Nels Cline from Wilco and bassist Mike Watt from The Minutemen.

Eric McFadden is considered by many, especially his peers, to be a straight-up, bad-ass guitar virtuoso, and he showcased his many different skills on this night.

McFadden-and-Friends

McFadden started things off with a couple solo songs with just him and an acoustic guitar, which he actually plays more like an electric. His playing is hard to pin-point because he can switch from a hard-rocking solo to a finger-picking flamenco jam. I particularly liked the second song he played called “Sister Maggie, Brother Sam”, which has a Western feel to it — almost to the point where it should be on the soundtrack for “Django Unchained”. McFadden has a very dark side to his songs, and this one definitely fits the category.

Throughout the night, McFadden would alternate his cast of All-Stars, but he started with Seth Ford-Young from Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros on bass and studio drummer Curt Bisquera on the skins.

McFadden-and-Friends

Also, the amazing Norton Wisdom was painting live on stage, which was truly amazing to see. He never stays with one painting, but instead just wipes it away and starts on a new one. He repeated this at least ten times and he truly added to the overall atmosphere, which was a little twisted.  

McFadden-and-Friends

Staying with the theme, McFadden then covered “Blight”, which pleased the Widespread Panic fans in attendance. The song is a nod to his bandmate Dave Schools, who he plays with in the band Stockholm Syndrome.

Nels Cline and Mike Watt finally joined forces in the second set, and they absolutely rocked out. It got really loud and a little drowned out, but the fire between Cline and Watt is undeniable. They play in a supergroup together called Banyan with Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction and Wisdom, who paints at every show of theirs as well.

McFadden-and-Friends

Mike Watt only stayed on stage for about t30 minutes, but he definitely made his presence known. Nels Cline stayed on stage for the majority of the second set, and he never disappoints. He is a master of the whammy bar, alternating his tone all while wailing away.
 
McFadden and company encored with “Maggot Brain” by Parliament Funkadelic. McFadden previously toured with P-Funk as their first mandolin player but later played guitar with the band.

McFadden-and-Friends

It was one hell of a night out, and I can’t wait to do it all again next week when McFadden once again brings some amazing talent, including Steve Molitz of Particle, to the stage.

You can buy tickets here for the next Eric McFadden residency show on Wednesday, January 23rd at The Mint.