Checked out Kids of 88 tonight at The Satellite and my feelings are mixed. The beats were heavy and probably the best part of the set, creating a sick vibe their bio describes as “a cross between a late 80s police drama intro theme and a sophisticated super hussy.” The electro melody coming from the laptop and keyboard were certainly danceable, if just a little too simplistic. The drum beats were redundant, but I guess that runs true in the electro/dance genre. The lyrics are sleazy, but in a sultry delectable way. My main gripe is with frontman Sam McCarthy. His vocals were strained and weak, wavering on and off pitch at random. Totally unaware of his lack of vocal control, Sam rocked his body with total confidence in his sensuality, demanding attention to his bony hipster frame writhing on stage. The music was great and would make the perfect soundtrack to an awesome dance party, but watching them somehow pissed me off.
I was magically paired up with great photographer Micah Wright to hang out with friends and check out Detroit Bar a few Tuesdays ago to see Miniature Tigers and Freelance Whales. The night opened with a local band called The New Limb. I hadn’t heard much from them, but now that I’m looking them up, I’m guessing I should have. Winners of Best Band 2010 for OC Music Awards and OC Weekly’s Best Live Band of 2009 and nominees for several more, I realize I definitely should have caught more of their set. They brought quite an excited crowd and I’ll definitely have to make it out to another of their shows.
Next up was Miniature Tigers, a band I heard about in the spring when their single “Gold Skull” with Neon Indian for their sophomore album Fortress was released. I was instantly in love, but as it was a collaboration, the rest of the album made a different impression. Not bad, but not what I had hoped for. Going into the night with only moderate expectations, I was pleasantly surprised. The psych rock mixed with folk elements drew me in like hypnosis and required my swaying with the music. In a venue that small, the music sounded giant and enveloped the crowd just like the smoke from the fog machines. Even though they never played “Gold Skull,” I was more than satisfied with the set. (I didn’t get any video of them because I kept hoping to record Gold Skull)
Freelance Whales was up next. This is a band that I have been following since before the release of their debut album Weathervanes in April of last year. The set started out a bit shakey–Judah’s vocals sounded intentionally rough as though sounding like Conor Oberst was the only way to convey his emotion. After a few songs, the set shaped up into the tight eclectic pop that I recognized. They played all the favorites, which means practically everything from their album. All the members rotated instruments, incorporating glockenspiel and harmonium as well as the traditional synth, guitar, and drums. The band also played three new songs, the last of which was my favorite, but I don’t know the names. With that much new music ready to play live, it wouldn’t surprise me if they had a release date for some time next year. Overall, the band was light and fun with a level of intensity that surprised me. The eclectic nature of the music seemed organic and not as some contrived indie-hipster creation. I loved it and I could have listened to hours more.
After the band left the stage, I decided to approach Judah and ask him a question that had been on my mind about the album. Whether “Hannah Takes The Stairs” had something to do with the movie of the same name. He explained the association, saying that after he watched the film he had a dream and that’s how the song came about.
Both bands were great and I was so glad that Micah Wright was able to come shoot the show because the photos are beautiful. If you haven’t checked out these bands yet, do so now!
Experiencing Albany, New York for the first time, Mozart Season and Letlive. were a long way from home.
Sacramento, California’s finest, Mozart Season (Equal Vision Records), is fashioned of vocalist Nate Richardson, guitarists’ Benton Christensen and Sam Trux, bassist Troy Cooper, and drummer Luke Allen. The quintette released their debut EP on Equal Vision Records in July entitled Nightmares. Nightmares express real life issues, experiences, and struggles, conveyed through vocal and instrumental assaults. The EP’s reflection motif echoes Mozart Season’s style of passionate melodic post-hardcore.
The band radiates a contagious “Positive Mental Attitude”, as tattooed on Benton wrist, creating and spreading good energy. Tearing at the stage, Mozart Season’s energetic stage presence was extremely tight.
Los Angeles, California’s Letlive. (Tragic Hero Records) spent more time in the crowd than on stage. Together, vocalist Jason Butler, bassist Ryan Johnson, drummer Anthony Rivera, and guitarists Jean Nascimento and Jeff Sahyoun have redefined the hardcore punk genre. Front man Jason Butler was up, down, over, and out – back flipping off the walls, howling from his knees, tearing through the crowd, screaming at the top of his lungs, aggressive and tireless. “We will play no matter how many people show up” – revealed Sahyoun – confession of truly honorable musician. Letlive. is built upon a foundation of enthusiasm and intensity. They released their third album, Fake History, in April.
Never have I met such inspiring and kind people.
Category Live | Tags: Letlive.,Mozart Season | Comments Off on Mozart Season and Letlive. in Albany, NY
So after seeing A Sound Aside play with Eye Alaska in June, I decided to make it out to Chain Reaction for their show on Friday, August 27th. I got to talk to the boys a bit before the show and they talked about recording some new demos and a possible West Coast tour this winter.
Their set was great! The vocals were spot-on and so lovely. These guys are the kind of pop rock with a slight twang reminiscent of The Fray. However, don’t be quick to lob them into the adult contemporary genre because they’re strapping young men ready to rile up the pop rock scene. Even in a show with the great Lydia, they stood out and held their own. It won’t surprise me if they’re caught up on tours with bands like The Rocket Summer or The Summer Set soon.
Check out one of my favorite songs of the night, “Perfect Thing To Say.”
Category Interviews, Live | Tags: | Comments Off on A Sound Aside at Chain Reaction
12:15 AM Taxi
12:45 Set Your Goals
1:00 Interview with Bryce of The Rocket Summer
2:00 Reel Big Fish
2:15 Riverboat Gamblers
2:20 Interview with Ace of I Can Make A Mess
2:45 Artist Vs. Poet
3:00 Everclear // Mayday Parade
3:15 The Rocket Summer
3:50 Alkaline Trio
4:30 Interview with Art of Everclear
5:00 Interview with Mayday Parade
5:15 Fake Problems
5:40 Anti-Flag
5:45 I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business
6:30 Dropkick Murphys
6:45 Alesana
7:00 Agent Orange
7:– Lost Cause
7:15 You Me At Six
7:15 Never Shout Never
For Warped Tour Twenty Ten, friend and photographer Dave Endicott made out way up to Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, CA to be greeted with an already-hot day as usual. We knew the drill—go to the blow up schedule, decide on the bands to see, and then check in at the press tent for interviews.
After we had gotten our bearings and planned our schedule for the day, Dave and I wandered around, trying to kill some time before Set Your Goals played at 12:45. We caught a few minutes of a band called AM Taxi who, as Dave puts it, “didn’t suck,” so we snagged a few photos of them playing a song called “The Mistake.”
Set Your Goals by David Endicott
We headed over to the Altek stage and made it a few minutes before Set Your Goals was scheduled to start. Already there was a huge crowd, definitely larger than the last two years they’ve been a part of the tour, and the fans were excited for this punk-leaning pop-punk trio. A booming voice in true boxing-ring style blasted over the PA, “And the love child of Liza Minelli, rocky Set Your Goals!” They started with “Gaia Bleeds (Make Way For Man)” and followed with “The Fallen…” Although they were ready to roar and shredding as always, somehow the “punk kid” in them shined through—the weird kid that sat in the back of class and dreamed of following in the footsteps of their heroes in Rancid. Only, these guys are “livin’ the dream” The last song they called what I thought was “This May Never Happen” (is it new?) and we jetted back to the press tent for an interview with Bryce of The Rocket Summer.
Reel Big Fish by Stephanie Spear
Reel Big Fish must be the only band in history to start their Warped Tour set early. As far as I know, the band was scheduled to start at 2:00, but at five-till we were still looking for the right stage and heard “Everything Sucks” blaring with brass section ablaze. “Thanks for watching Reel Big Fish” says lead singer and they begin to walk off stage. The crowd looked around shocked and a few boos could be heard. The band hadn’t even made it off the stage before they turned back around. “They said we have time to do one more song.” Those pranksters! “I Want Your Girlfriend to Be My Girlfriend Too” was their “encore” and they proceeded to thank the crowd again, only to come back “Okay, they said we can do one more.” They played nothing but favorites—“Your Guts (I Hate ‘Em), “She Has A Girlfriend Now” with great girl guest vocals, “Suburban Rhythm” and a ton of other greats. Being the first time I’d seen RBF live and them having been one of the first bands I heard that was not being played on the radio (yeah, that was a long time ago), I was absolutely impressed!
Dave and I split ways—him to capture Riverboat Gamblers, Artist Vs. Poet and Everclear and me Mayday Parade and The Rocket Summer. On my way to Mayday Parade’s set, I passed a girl playing an acoustic show in the Altec Live tent. Becca was drawing in a crowd little by little and whether it was because she was a grungy girl wearing a leopard negligee or because she was rocking the acoustic guitar with powerful vocals, I’m not sure, but I liked it.
I made it to the Mayday Parade stage with time to spare, but the stage was running a bit behind schedule. After waiting ten minutes, I decided to cut my losses and make sure I was in time for The Rocket Summer.
The Rocket Summer by David Endicott
As always, Bryce of The Rocket Summer put on a great show, opening the set with my favorite track off the new album Of Men And Angeles and also the You Gotta Believe EP– “Hills and Valleys.” An absolutely heartfelt yet upbeat song, the crowd sang it back to him as if it’d become their own anthem. He followed it with “Do You Feel” and then was inspired by the scenery to “create a song” performing his one-man-song via looping. It’s impressive to say the least—building a song by creating a drum track and adding keyboard, bass, and then playing a guitar solo. To those who hadn’t seen this several times already, it most certainly inspire awe. After he played one of my favorite songs “Brat Pack,” I regrettably had to move on to make it to the other side of the fairgrounds to see Alkaline Trio.
On my way, I did catch a song of Mayday Parade—black cat. Which inspired me fore a few of my interview questions for Mayday Parade.
Alkaline Trio by David Endicott
Then Alkaline trio, which I would probably consider one of my favorite bands, performed well, but their set was a bit disappointing. From the majority of their set that I watched, they didn’t play any of my favorites. I’m sure that long-time fans loved that they rocked some oldies like “My Friend Peter” and “Armageddon,” but I didn’t hear any of the essentials like “Radio” or anything at all from Crimson. Opening with “Armageddon,” they followed it with “Dine, Dine My Darling” for “every time I dine” said Dan Andriano. “Calling All Skeletons” was giving guitarist some awful feedback that would have made some rock stars livid, but he worked with it and kept the song going. “The American Scream” from their newest album This Addiction was the last song I heard of their set, which they dedicated to “our friends at Epitaph Records.” It’s good to hear that some bands are happy with their label.
Then we snagged Ace of I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business from his merch tent and asked him a couple of questions…
With some time to kill, Dave and I wandered over to Fake Problems, catching a few photos of another band on the way. While I was a little worried about Fake Problems after hearing a short preview the night before, I was pleasantly surprised. I suppose I shouldn’t expect any less from a Side One Dummy band. They were busting out some great Americana rock, but it lacked the normal clichés. They played a new song “5-6-7-8” from their upcoming album Real Ghosts Caught on Tape (Sept 21 release) which had some familiar riffs, but I couldn’t place them.
Dave and I parted ways again so he could capture Anti-Flag whose set he said was “insane” and they were “fucking awesome.”
I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business by Steph
Ace Enders, having played in The Early November and as Ace Enders and a Million Different People, is back playing under the nom de plume I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody’s Business, a band name that seemed to be omnipresent among music lovers back in 2004. After playing two older songs, he performed a new song called “Old Man………………………”, which started slow and wandering and then had a great pick up into an upbeat track. The next song, “The Best Happiness That Money Can Buy” went out to “people who have a little feeling that never lets you stop.” He seemed so genuinely grateful for us just listening and “helping him achieve his dreams” and it was incredibly moving. It was hard at that moment not to be in love. His closing track was a big surprise—a partially-acoustic version of The Early November’s “Ever So Sweet.” And it was.
Immediately after, on the adjacent stage, an announcer said to the crowd something to the effect of “she’s had a long day so show her some love” and out came a skinny blonde who looked like she didn’t give a shit. Whether it was part of the act or she really was having a rough day I have no idea, but no one was being allowed in the press pit for her set (perhaps to avoid any dark circles or red eyes being caught on camera?). This band, I discovered, was The Pretty Reckless. Taylor Momsen’s band. Unless you read celebrity blogs or watch teenage dramas, this name probably doesn’t mean much to you, but she’s an actress on The CW’s Gossip Girl. She opened with a track called “Light Me Up” but she didn’t sound any too pleased about being herself. During a break in the song she told the crowd, “If you’ve got anything to smoke, light it up, I don’t care what it is” and she continued to sing the chorus, “Light me up when I’m down.” Despite her I’m-over-this attitude (or maybe because of it) the crowd seemed pretty enthralled with this girl rock à-la Joan Jett.
Dropkick Murphys by Steph
While I can’t say I’m an avid listener of the Dropkick Murphys, what I can say is that I know that they rock and kick ass. Before they came on stage, they played a beautiful female Irish ballad and then pounced on stage with attitude. They tore up the set and while it was a clusterfuck in the photo pit trying to shoot their raw awesomeness and although I couldn’t tell you any names of the tracks they played, the performance was fantastic and so full of raw energy they could have gone for round two.
Dave headed off to cover Agent Orange (“They were showing their age. Great band, but they seemed tired.”) Lost Cause, and You Me at Six (“Girls must be all over them for their Australian accents”).
I meandered to the “pop side of the venue” for my last two bands of the day.
I have heard Alesana’s name before, mostly from the two Punk Goes… tracks they’ve done—“What Goes Around” on Punk Goes Pop Vol. 2 and “Apology” on Punk Goes Acoustic 2. I suppose from those associations, I had a bit of a misconception about the band, but nonetheless, their screamo dominated the Glamour Kills stage. Clad in almost entirely, if not exclusively black, these dudes were guitar-licking, screaming, and throwing themselves into the crowd as if their lives depended on it.
In the photo pit of the AP stage before the next set, a fellow photographer whispered to me that some of the girls in the already-sardine-packed crowd were crying at the site of NeverShoutNever’s Christopher Ingle. While this boy’s music is the most adorable thing since teddy bears and his wide-eyed doe-y face and bush of hair makes
NeverShoutNever by Steph
him seem like the southern-bread apple pie boy that he is, the tattoos on his hands and the cigarette he lit while coming on stage made him look like the boy your mama warned you about. Appealing to all the girls who love a bad boy with a sweet side (what girl doesn’t?), this potty-mouthed hooligan opened with “Love Is Our Weapon” as he tucked his lit cigarette into his guitar neck. The harmonica around his neck only added to his lovability and before he played one of my favorites, he explained that it was about having a crush on a rock n’ roll girl with tattoos. “Trouble” is, by my account, a dangerous song, condoning the addition to a crush that is probably bad for all involved. He then performed the optimistic “BigCityDreams” and then caught the crowd off-guard when before breaking into “What Is Love” he asked the crowd to raise their hands if their parents were divorced. By his account, he seems to have come from a pretty typically shitty family situation and he shouted, “I hope our kids are happy as fucking fuck!” “I Love You 5” he said was about when he “loved a girl five times. But it took me five times to realize she was not my girl.” About Christopher Ingle of NeverShoutNever (or Never Shout Never) all I can say is that a wounded bad boy with a sweet side and a guitar makes for a very excitable girl following.
The whole day was much more of a success than I expected. Lots of running back and forth but Dave and I were able to see a great range of bands who all performed great sets. Seems as though Warped Tour still has some life in it, even if the crowd and bands have changed a bit from the original tour in 1995.
Lost in the Trees was the opening band at Spaceland in Los Angeles last night and they are hands down one of the best live act I’ve seen in a while. With a violin, two cellos, a drum set, an acoustic guitar, accordion, french horn, glockenspiel, xylophone, gorgeous male lead vocals and a haunting soprano harmony how could you possibly resist?
I managed to capture a great video of the “Song for the Painter” and while it’s amazing, it wasn’t even chose to my favorite of the night. Check out “Walk Around the Lake” and the title track off their new CD “All Alone In An Empty House.” Their new CD All Alone In An Empty House was released today so check it out!
Category Live | Tags: Lost in the Trees | Comments Off on Lost in the Trees played at Spaceland!
Walking into Creation Festival I was unsure what if would be like. I had not been to a Christian festival in years. I was not sure if it would be extra “preachy “or be like any normal music festival. Creation, for those that don’t know, is a three-and-a-half day Christian music festival. For the most part, the acts lean towards contemporary music with the exception of the fringe stage that had hardcore, hard rock, and rap.
The first thing I noticed when I walked in was that the there were blankets and chairs all over the place near the stage. If you did that anywhere else they would probably get stolen. The atmosphere was very calm, and for the most part the weather was very nice.
Of course, I cannot talk about all the bands that played. I will talk about the ones that stood out the most for me personally. The one band I enjoyed the most speaking-wise was probably Sleeping Giant. They were relate-able and didn’t preach to the crowd. I ended up watching their whole set, which is hard because at festivals I tend to have concert ADD and never stay in one place more then about 10 minutes.
Another band that stood out for me (and what seemed like most of the other people at the festival) was Brian “head” Welch (former guitarist for Korn). The first thing I did notice about him was the fact that he seemed very happy and always had a smile on his face, which he never seemed to have when he was in Korn. His music falls into the same genre as Korn and it was very interesting hearing his story about how he became Christian.
The last band I want to talk about is Skillet. Their set was a throwback to 80’s hair band. They had pyrotechnics throughout the whole set, which caught me by surprise a couple of times. A violin and cello were present in the set, which were unusual for the genre, but they were very fun to watch.
Some of the other features that were at creation were a petting zoo (which had really awesome animals), skateboard park, and bouncy houses, and an acoustic building. Those things kept me entertained when there was a band playing I did not want to see or I just wanted to relax.
Other then what I mentioned, Creation Festival was pretty much a typical music festival. I chose not to camp out and got there at about noon each day so I did not get the whole experience, but I would definitely go again next year if I had the chance.
Polar Bear Club, a band of Rochester, New York natives, was formed in the summer of 2005. Bridge 9’s latest hardcore punk band is fashioned of vocalist Jimmy Stadt, lead guitarist Chris Browne, rhythm guitarist Nate Morris, bassist Erik Henning and drummer Emmett Menke. The outfit added their sophomore full-length album Chasing Hamburg in May of 2009 to their already explosive and strong portfolio. This record is littered with raw vocals, passionate sing-a-longs, and fast, catchy melodies. Polar Bear Club’s consistent sound and style only flowers with the gravity, momentum and worth of a band that knows who they are and who they want to be.
Polar Bear Club’s last stop before their first ever Warped Tour was at The Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California on June 23, 2010. Vancouver, British Columbia’s Living With Lions warmed up Anaheim with smiles, despite it being the end of the road. This pop-punk party will be releasing their new album – Make Your Mark next week on Adeline Records. Bridge 9’s most recent signing, Lemuria, was next to take the stage and kept the blood flowing. This Buffalo-based indie punk trio did nothing less than leave me wanting more; their crunchy and honest voice is anything but hard to hear. Purchase, New York’s indie rock quartet Moving Mountains transformed the atmosphere in Anaheim. The experimental and ambient melodies made my toes curl and the crowd geared up for what was to come.
Without further adieu, Polar Bear Club proceeded to shut the Chain Reaction down. Their energy and intensity was nowhere near matched by any of the preceding bands. The crowd quickly became a wave of screams fighting through an ocean to get to the stage. Because it was the last night of the tour, Polar Bear Club treated Anaheim to an extra long set. I’ve never once seen a band rock so hard. I left the Chain Reaction dripping with sweat with ears that would be ringing for the next three days. I wish Polar Bear Club the best of luck on their first Warped Tour, and hope to see them again soon in upstate New York.
High, operatic belts. Low, sultry chants. Retro, dreamy-sounding keys and synths. And of course, glitter and shimmer. Lots of it.
Those were just a few of the tell-tale signs that Goldfrapp’s show on June 27, 2010, at the Hollywood Bowl was going to be unforgettable. Headlining that week’s installment of radio station KCRW’s World Festival 2010 concert series, the electro-pop duo from London was supported by 13-member Cuban ensemble Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club (including singer Omara Portuondo) and the very-experimental breakout female artist tUnE-yArDs. Not exactly the lineup I’d choose for a Goldfrapp show, but the performers certainly captured the essence and celebration of world music.
Opening with an early fan favorite, “Utopia,” Goldfrapp threw the crowd into a trance. The group opted for a simpler stage setup this time around, leaving home the oversized jester outfit and animal heads on beautiful, half-dressed women that we’ve seen on past tours. Singer Alison Goldfrapp ruled a mostly bare stage in a short dress covered in glistening gold tabs with two huge industrial fans blowing her blonde locks dramatically. Goldfrapp’s partner in crime, Will Gregory, and the rest of the band kept up with her sharp, high-drama performance—as well as the spacey theme. The entire band sported matching shiny, metallic silver tights.
“Head First,” Goldfrapp’s fifth release, came out March 23, 2010.
The show gradually built up in energy, with songs like “You Never Know,” “Dreaming” and “Number 1” leading off the night. The show really peaked with final numbers “Train,” “Ride a White Horse” and “Ooh La La.” You could tell Ms. Goldfrapp was deep in her element by this time.
The set primary consisted of songs from the new album, “Head First,” and 2006’s “Supernature.” No songs from their last album, “Seventh Tree,” were played. It sort of makes sense, though, because next to the rest of their electric-disco catalog of records, the mellow and folky 2008 release stands out like a sore thumb.
The entire Goldfrapp show only contained 13 songs, including the encore, which I didn’t even realize was the encore until the show ended two songs after Goldfrapp’s costume change into a black sparkly bodysuit with a long-haired white, pink and red jacket. The encore started off with the new record’s hit “Rocket.” I’m pretty sure everyone in the house was singing along in perfect unison when Goldfrapp sang the oh-so-catchy chorus: “Oh–oh-oh, I got a rocket, oh-oh-oh, you’re going on it, oh-oh-oh, you’re never coming back.” The closing number, “Strict Machine,” the buzzing and ultra-electric song from the 2003 release “Black Cherry,” sent the crowd off with an extended instrumental intro and an operatic closing note.
Goldfrapp is currently touring the world through November 2010.
As the house lights came up, I realized it was only 10:21 p.m., nine minutes shy of the Hollywood Bowl’s 10:30 p.m. Sunday curfew. As a longtime fan of Goldfrapp, this show was amazing as always, but more of a tease. I hope to see Goldfrapp return to the Los Angeles area soon—minus the mobs of pretentious Hollywood Bowl subscribers blocking the views of energetic fans.
