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‘Live’ Category

  1. SEE THIS: Big Black Delta’s Album Release Show at The Satellite

    September 26, 2011 by Steph

    IFUCKINGLOVEYOU from Big Black Delta on Vimeo.

    “Capsize” from BBDLP1 out September 26 on Coming Home Records

    If you live in Los Angeles and you haven’t been to one of Big Black Delta’s shows yet, you’d be making a huge mistake by missing the last night of their residency at The Satellite tonight. I’ve been to a few already and the live show is incredible–no house lights, just a multi-colored light board synchronized with the music. Jonathan Bates (aka Big Black Delta) slinking around the stage with the mic chord slung over his shoulders twiddling with his laptop and, let’s not forget, two female drummers with full kits frame either side of the stage–Mahsa Zargaran and Amy Wood. It’s 35 minutes of pure energy and once you’ve emerged from the pool of vibrations, you will be converted.

    Plus, some perks of this last show: today marks the release of Big Black Delta’s debut LP BBDLP1. They’ll be selling their limited-edition colored vinyl tonight, which I think is pretty damn sexy.

    Also, highly-buzzed band Letting Up Despite Great Faults will be playing just before BBD so get there early!

    SET TIMES:
    9.26 Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite (Free Residency, BBD record release party)
    12 pm – Echoes de Luxe
    11 pm – Big Black Delta
    10 pm – Letting Up Despite Great Fault
    9 pm – Death Kit

    And in case you’re a new fan, download the older EP for free…

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  2. The Pacific Festival:OC Reviewed

    August 26, 2011 by Steph

    Written for TheAudioPerv.com
    Photos by Tamea Agle (photobytamea.com)
    More photos below.

    Upon arriving at the large canyon where Pacific Festival: OC was situated, my first thought was “where is everyone?” Even though the festival had already been going on for about an hour before my photographer Tamea and I got there, there was no line getting in and barely anyone wandering around the grounds. We staked out the place, crossing through the main stage area, through the array of still-close food trucks, to a giant dirt lot pulsing with electronic beats.

    AROD

    Gotta Dance Dirty’s AROD was positioned in a colorful Teepee-of-a-stage and grooving to white headphones behind a laptop and a turntable or two. Everything felt like the wrong setting. The crowd was sparse and the sun was bright overhead in what looked plainly like a desert, but the tunes were dark, hot, and wet. AROD is the girl at the club who is drunk and sweaty but too far gone to care. The samples were a whirlwind of textures, never leaning too house or aggressive–just a good time. Or rather, it would have been given the right place and crowd. He was just a victim of festival scheduling, but still made a good impression.

    Sneaking into the artist lounge to take a break from the sun and re-collect, we were happy to discover, THERE WAS HUMMUS. Once we had come up with a game plan, we set out for the Pacific stage where Superhumanoids was up next. (more…)

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  3. Taking Back Sunday, Thursday & The Colour Revolt in Phoenix

    July 15, 2011 by Guest

    By: Greg Grits

    I had the distinct pleasure of spending part of my fourth of July weekend with Taking Back Sunday in Phoenix, AZ at The Marquee Theater. It’s been a few years since I last joined them and not only are they back with their strongest album in a long while, but this tour also marks the return of TBS’s original line up.

    The show started with The New Regime who were decent, but ultimately forgettable. After a few more drinks The Colour Revolt took the stage and if you haven’t seen this band, you’re missing out. They were the best parts of mewithoutyou with their own style, but end of the day were just super awesome. I bought their record after the show.

    Next up was Thursday, a band I loved in my younger days, but who lost me somewhere along the way. Their set was great, exactly how I remembered them. Tight, full of energy. Their set was mostly newer material, but they did bring out the deep classic “Jet Black New Year” off of the somewhat obscure Five Stories Falling EP and the place erupted with happy fans.

    Taking Back Sunday took the stage in grand fashion, kicking off their set with “MakeDamnSure,” which made the whole room release all the energy they’d been storing up until that point. It’s always gutsy to open a show with one of your biggest hits, but this definitely set the stage for the rest of the night. Despite the fact that I had promised a review for this show, I needed to mosh to this set. Taking Back Sunday practically demands it (in fact, I think they may have literally demanded it). I did, like a pissed off 15-year-old and it was the most fun I’d had in a while. Their set was a great mix of old favorites and new songs that reminded me why I love this band. So much energy, and a sense of passion that can sometimes be forgotten in all of the “chillwave” and “reverb.” TBS played a great show and they’ve still got it.

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  4. Jimmy Eat World in Seattle

    July 6, 2011 by Dave

    Jimmy Eat World by Dave Endicott

    Jimmy Eat World, what a show to begin my Seattle based rock journalism efforts with.   It has been almost precisely ten years since I’ve seen them live (their Bleed American tour in 2001) and the decade has certainly treated them well.  It started a little tumultuously with the departure of Mike Trombino from the “Futures” project in 2004, as he had produced/recorded with/ or engineered every major release of theirs since 96 when he produced their first studio album Static Prevails.  It was said that this was due to the band not having enough material to feel comfortable recording a full cohesive album and then later having scheduling conflicts with Trombino.  While this was indeed traumatic as far as the production of the album was concerned it gave the band a chance to break away and construct something completely different.  They took a little time to get back into the creation phase and after building out a few of the key tracks of Futures they teamed up with Gil Norton who was known widely for his work with the Pixies and Dashboard Confessional and put out an album that was a far reach from anything that they had done before.   I found the album to be a testament to the many layers of the group that was continually being displayed through the evolution of each album.   The band then toured with Taking back Sunday and Greenday before returning to the studio to record their next album “Chase This Light”

    Chase This Light came at an interesting time for me because I was heavily involved in the creation of tour apparel for major label bands for a merch company in Los Angeles and  was constantly immersed in the music world.  While I didn’t have the pleasure of working on any Jimmy t-shirts they were definitely played through my headphones while I worked away in adobe.  When Chase This Light came out I couldn’t stop listening.  It felt like an incredible call back to the days of Bleed American where every track could be a single.  It was one of those albums where there was no wasted space, every song was worth listening to every time.  This time they decided to self produce the album, which involved getting a bunch of talented producers working together with them to create something amazing.  (Chris Testa and John Fields as co-producers and Butch Vig as exec producer)

    After announcing that they were going to start working on their next album in 2008 Atkins began work in a bit of an unconventional method for “Invented”.  He would spend time studying the works of photographers like Cindy Sherman and Hannah Starkey before putting pen and ink to paper and because of this method a lot of the songs have their own distinct message.  Each track communicates an individual idea but is woven together to form a fully cohesive set of thoughts communicated through the band’s music.

    While putting together the material for Invented, Jimmy Eat World traveled for a tenth anniversary tour of the release of their first studio album Clarity in which they performed ten sold out shows across the US in which they played the album Clarity in its entirety.  It was on this tour that the band regained connections to Trombino while playing in San Diego.  They then decided to work with him again to produce their most recent work.  One of the reasons they worked so well together on this production was Trombino’s willingness to produce in an unconventional method.  The band would record their tracks in their home studio space “Unit 2” in Arizona and then send the tracks off to Trombino who was located in Los Angeles.  It was an interesting long distance relationship but no one can deny the results.  “Invented” very clearly follows the path of greatness that has been made standard by this band.  With Atkins new approach to the lyrics and the return to Trombino’s production style (you can hear elements of Clarity and Bleed American pulse through this album) I was again amazed by their work.  It should also be noted that another flavor was added to the recording in singer/song writer Courtney Marie Andrews who provided an integral part to the sound of the album and again in the show I just witnessed.

    I will admit that Jimmy has seen a little less face time on my playlists over the last few years but this show reminded me of why I’ve been a fan for so damn long.  When you run into bands throwing down shows after establishing a pretty extensive catalogue of music there is no telling what can come up, Atkins and crew played almost everything I wanted to hear from the more obscure to the classics to some tracks off of their most recent album “Invented”.  I can liken it best to having just had exactly what I wanted from a meal.  I walked away from that music feast satisfied and since the show they’ve definitely seen resurgence in my library.

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  5. Rosebuds and Other Lives

    July 5, 2011 by Steph

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  6. Sasquatch Through the Lens of Dave

    July 5, 2011 by Dave

    After seeing the lineup of Sasquatch this year I almost wanted to ditch that whole “photographer” gig and just go as a fan.  A fan of so many bands throwing down at the festival that I wanted to stay and watch each act to the end (a luxury not given to those who have 50 bands to cover and only the first 10-15 minutes or so of each performance to shoot).  Their songs had penetrated my most often selected playlists and had often sound-tracked my long days editing content at Amazon or bike rides through Venice and since the move, Seattle. Obviously my love for my craft led me to the right decision.  Packing my camera gear, Hilary, a tent, and some basic supplies we headed out across the state to hit what I consider to be the greatest music venue I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.

    We arrived at the festival only to find out that the campground area of the
    Gorge had filled to capacity (something about overbooking the festival by some 1500 people) and we were to be camped in a parking lot close to the entrance. We drove out over the long bladed grass, parked and began setting up camp.  It was game time, in the next 4 days we would cover 50 unique and dynamic groups across 4 stages at the edge of some of the most beautiful scenery one could ask for.

    Foo Fighters
    Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears
    Wye Oak
    Dan Mangen
    Talk Demonic
    The Thermals
    Aloe Blacc
    !!!

    (more…)

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  7. Kitten at The Echo

    July 4, 2011 by Steph

    Petite Chloe Chaidez flit around the venue saying hello to friends in her hometown as if they had come to see her high school play or ballet recital. Quite to the contrary, with her band she was about to rock the house. Charging the stage with full energy, she opened the set with a cover of Joy Divisions “Transmission” and while it’s quite a risk to cover such a well-loved band, Kitten pulled it off with ease.

    With each song, Chloe danced the stage into submission, commanding attention of the whole room. As young as she is, her demeanor was dark and brooding, flinging herself like a broken doll. She rocked “Japanese Eyes” and then my favorite new track from her upcoming full length “Apples and Cigarettes” (I’d like to think per my request). It was the only song in the set that she slowed down to catch her breath and it was sensational. She flashed through “Kill the Light” from the Sunday School EP, a new one “Hot Rod,” a personal favorite “Johnny Johnny Johnny,” and another newer one “Catholic Boys,” among other tracks. She closed with “Kitten with a Whip” from the EP. She barely stop for a second, whirring and writhing around the stage. The performance was spectacular, fascinating, and made everyone observing pine for more of this great band.

    If you haven’t gotten to see them live yet, they’ll be on the road all summer (tour dates below). Also, if you haven’t read it yet, I had a great interview with Chloe just a few days earlier.

    Listen to a demo of “Apples and Cigarettes”:

    TOUR DATES:

    (more…)

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  8. Interview with Seryn of Denton, TX

    June 30, 2011 by Steph

     

    A few weeks ago I had a pleasantly surprised to find an amazing band playing at Redwood when just grabbing a drink with a friend. As I saw them assembling their gear, I became more and more curious of the mystery band. A whole stage full of instruments that could belong to 10 bluegrass band players, Seryn finally took the stage. Their dynamics were amazing, building a complete soundcape with every instrument and vocal part intertwining intricately. It’s as if Freelance Whales decided to make a Mumford and Sons record with Greg Laswell as the front man (and it could not have been a better combination). I was so in awe of them live that I was completely fixated and harassed them the next day for a copy of their recent record This Is Where We Are. Although the record isn’t as visceral and tangible as their live show, both are supreme. I decided to ask Nathan and Chelsea of the Denton band a few questions…

    Listen to “We Will All Be Changed” by Seryn:

    S: So first off, I saw your guys’ set at Redwoods in Los Angeles and your live show is pretty spectacular and dynamic. Was a great introduction to the band. Had you played Los Angeles before?

    Nathan: Thanks so much! Glad you made it out. We have never played in LA before, so it was a great first night there.

    S: Did you get to do anything exciting while you were in town? Do any sightseeing?

    Nathan: We spent a few hours down in Huntington Beach. We don’t really have Pacific Oceans in Texas, so it was a must.

    S: You guys have been touring almost non-stop all year, including a highly-praised stint at SXSW in Austin. Is it taxing to be on the road so much or do you love it? And what have been some of the highlights? (more…)

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  9. Jarrod Gorbel at The Troubadour

    June 29, 2011 by Steph

    Jarrod Gorbel at The Troubadour

    It would be easy, having been a fan of The Honorary Title, to spend a whole review comparing Jarrod Gorbel’s solo material to his old work as part of the band. I will do my best to refrain.

    Jarrod Gorbel’s work as a solo artist is not far from his previous project, except with a folky twang. The stage set-up included a violinist and back-up vocalist Abby and keyboard player Dustin. Gorbel’s voice fills a room and soars with all it’s imperfections, pleading each word in songs like “Desperate Hands” and “Miserable Without You.” Always a trademark of Gorbel, his voice was perfection in every imperfection and every wavering note last week at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. “Miserable Without You” was a great rendition of his song from his recent EP Bruises From Your Bad Dreams named from a line in the song. I liked Abby’s voice and her violin skills were fantastic.

    Gorbel seems to be in constant apology with lyrics pegging him the victim and the villain in alternating songs. However, it’s his puppy dog eyes and sweet vocals that make you forgive him every time, connecting you to him and begging him for more.

    Listen to “Miserable Without You” featuring Nicole Atkins:

    If you haven’t gotten “Bruises From Your Bad Dreams” yet, it’s worth far more than the $5 it’ll cost you on iTunes.

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