Location:
The Underground Coffeehouse
in the Mather Campus Center
300 Summit Street
Trinity College
Hartford, CT
8:00pm - All Ages - FREE
The show will be recorded for WRTC's Notes From The Underground!
Peter Case got his start in 1976 when he joined the Nerves, and later, after moving to L.A., joining the Plimsouls in 1979. But Case moved on to become a multiple-time Grammy nominee as an American singer/songwriter. He has played with greats such as David Hidalgo and Ry Cooder, and has been cited by Bruce Springsteen as an influence. 2004 saw the release of the compilation Who's Gonna Go Your Crooked Mile, celebrating the past two decades of Case's output along with several new recordings. Plimsouls reformed in 2005 to play reunion shows. Case for Case, came out in 2006, a three-disc set of Case covers by fellow musicians Richard Buckner, James McMurtry, and Amy Rigby, and many others.
Case put out Bomb Light Prayer Vigil by the literary audio magazine Verb in early 2006, and Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John followed in 2007. Wig!, Case's 2010 LP is out on Yep Roc Records.
10.28.10 Ashland Coffee and Tea Ashland VA
10.28.10 Plan 9 Records live instore performance @ 4:30pm Richmond VA
10.29.10 Avalon Theatre Easton MD
10.30.10 The Secret Theatre Long Island City NY
10.31.10 Giant Ant Concert Series Boston MA
11.01.10 Club Passim Solo 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. songwriter's workshop and set from 8:45 p.m. until 10:15 p.m. Cambridge MA
11.02.10 Watercolor Cafe solo Larchmont NY
11.03.10 Underground Coffee House Hartford CT
11.04.10 World Cafe Live Philadelphia PA
11.05.10 Valentine's Albany NY
11.06.10 Maxwell's Hoboken NJ
11.06.10 Vintage Vinyl Live In-store Performance @ 3pm Fords NJ
11.07.10 Mountain Stage Morgantown WV
03.26.11 Home of Charles Knott Chester Springs PA
04.03.11 King of California Train w/ Dave Alvin, Chris Smither, Laurie Lewis, Nina Gerber
The Felice Brothers and their long time friends and band mates Greg Farley and Christmas Clapton, come to us from the Catskill Mountains, where a homegrown sound has been working its way through the bloodlines for generations. Their rambling journey so far has brought them from busking in New York City subway stations, to tours across the world that have included enthusiastically received performances at major music festivals including Bonnaroo, All Points West, Outside Lands, and Langerado.
Adam Haworth Stephens (of Two Gallants):
As lead singer and songwriter of San Francisco duo Two Gallants, Adam Stephens (with band mate Tyson Vogel) released four critically acclaimed albums and toured incessantly over the past five years. A well-deserved break was finally taken providing Adam with a chance to write material for a new project. After forming a band and playing various west coast shows over the past year, Adam went into Sunset Sound and Kingsize Soundlabs in Los Angeles and recorded his debut solo record with producer Joe Chiccarelli (My Morning Jacket, The Shins, White Stripes). The result is his debut solo album WE LIVE ON CLIFFS. Set for a September 28th release on Saddle Creek, WE LIVE ON CLIFFS features Adam on vocals, guitar and piano and a list of guest musicians including Patrick Hallahan and Bo Koster (My Morning Jacket), Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Joey Waronker, Cody Votolato (Blood Brothers / Jaguar Love), Mike Daly, Petra Haden, Andy Cabic (Vetiver) and current band members Jen Grady, Matt Montgomery and Omar Cuellar. Saddle Creek
Fall Tour w/Adam Haworth Stephens (after Nov. 19 Haworth Stephens, takes some R and R)
October 2010
Thursday 28 | Harper's Ferry, Allston, MA
Friday 29 | Met Cafe, Pawtucket, RI
Saturday 30 | The Chance, Pougkeepsie, NY
Sunday 31 | Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
November 2010
Monday 1 | Daniel Street, Milford, CT
Wednesday 3 | Jefferson Theater, Charlottesville, VA
Thursday 4 | King's Barcade, Raleigh, NC
Friday 5 | Handlebar, Greenville, SC
Saturday 6 | The Earl, Atlanta, GA
Monday 8 | The Social, Orlando, FL
Tuesday 9 | The Club Downunder, Tallahssee, FL
Wednesday 10 | One Eyed Jack's, New Orleans, LA
Friday 12 | Emo's Inside, Austin, TX
Saturday 13 | The Loft, Dallas, TX
Sunday 14 | Sticky Fingerz, Little Rock, AR
Monday 15 | Proud Larry's, Oxford, MS
Wednesday 17 | Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
Thursday 18 | Southgate House, Newport, KY
Friday 19 | Rumba Cafe, Columbus, OH
Saturday 20 | Castaway's, Ithaca, NY
December 2010
Thursday 2 | The Westcott Theater, Syracuse, NY
Friday 3 | Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, NY
Saturday 4 | Mass MoCA, North Adams, MA
7:00pm - All Ages - UConn Student FREE - Non-Students $10 BRING yr IDs!
Dress up for the COSTUME CONTEST
Titus Andronicus, once again storming CT, is an indie rock band from Glen Rock, New Jersey formed in 2005. The group takes its name from the Shakespeare play Titus Andronicus. Their debut album, The Airing of Grievances has received widespread acclaim.The album's loud, heavily distorted guitars are influenced greatly by shoegaze while the lyrics and song titles are references to various books and other forms of entertainment (such as the album title, from the Seinfeld episode, "The Strike", about Festivus). XL Recordings
The What Cheer? Brigade is a 19-piece brass band from Providence, RI. [They were the guys playing a bunch of crazy shit at the Newport Folk Festival as people walked around and waited in line for the bus. They rule. - JH]
Anamanaguchi makes loud fast music with a hacked NES.
Locals SOFX (members of The Book Slave & The World is a Beautiful Place), who just played the last show at Popeye's Garage, has been added as an opener.
A Sunny Day in Glasgow return to Connecticut. Beside this Lilly's Pad show, you can catch them up at UConn on October 29. The band is giving away Autumn, Again, their latest full length on their website as a free download. This new LP continues where the Nitetime Rainbows EP left off, basically bringing more Ashes Grammar to light. They are also pressing 500 vinyl copies of Autumn, Again, which you can grab from Carrot Top Distribution.
A Sunny Day in Glasgow began as a collaboration between friends Ben Daniels and Ever Nalens, both of whom had recently returned to Philadelphia after several years in the UK. The band name came from Nalens, who had been living in Glasgow, and Daniels kept it after Nalens left the project. In 2006, Daniels asked his twin sisters, Robin and Lauren, to start singing on the songs they had been working on. In March of that year the trio self-released The Sunniest Day Ever EP to great acclaim from college radio stations and blogs. Their debut release, Scribble Mural Comic Journal, came out February 2007 and received favorable reviews from Pitchfork and Drowned in Sound among others. Scribble Mural Comic Journal was recorded with one microphone in a bedroom in West Philly and pushed the boundaries of dream pop often drawing comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins.
A Sunny Day in Glasgow autumn tour:
10/23 – Swarthmore, PA – Olde Club @ Swarthmore College*
10/25 – Washington, DC – DC9*
10/26 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory#
10/27 – Boston, MA – Great Scott*
10/28 – New Haven, CT – Lily’s Pad*
10/29 – Storrs, CT – University of Connecticut^
10/30 – New York City, NY – Mercury Lounge*
* - w/ Candy Claws
# - w/ Esben & The Witch
^ - w/ Titus Andronicus
Candy Claws' debut album “In The Dream Of The Sea Life” struck the hearts and ears of internet music dorks, and they have been riding a residual wave of praise since. Their sound and aesthetic is familiar and unique; they smoosh Pet Sounds harmonies through Animal Collective gurgle and approach the aftermath with naivety and wonder. Their music is both classic and totally modern.
Superhumanoids formed in a bedroom (in LA) - an electronic experiment to escape the everyday of the everyday. Dreams of a more public lifestyle have taken this reverie to an unconventional conclusion - a troupe that incorporates equal parts harmony and dissonance, programing and organic instrumentation, lush harmonies and sparse arrangements. an exploration of pop through a spaced-out, kaleidoscopic lens.
Candy Claws Tour
10/23 - Swarthmore, PA - Olde Club @ Swarthmore*
10/25 - Washington, DC - DC9*
10/27 - Boston, MA - Great Scott*
10/28 - New Haven, CT - Lily's Pad*
10/29 - Montreal, QC - TBD
11/01 - Pittsburgh, PA - Garfield Artworks**^
11/03 - Chicago, IL - Schubas****
11/04 - Bloomington, ID - The Bishop**
11/05 - Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar**
11/06 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews**
11/09 - San Diego, CA - Tin Can**
11/10 - Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Theatre**
11/11 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop**
11/14 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studio**
11/15 - Vancouver, BC - Media Club
11/16 - Seattle, WA - The High Dive**
11/17 - Boise, ID - Neurolux**
11/19 - Denver, CO - Hi Dive**
! w/Crocodiles
* w/ A Sunny Day In Glasgow
** w/ Chain Gang of 1974
^ w/ Eternal Summers
Candy Claws at CMJ
10/20 - New York, NY - The Delancey /
I Guess I'm Floating + Lefse Showcase (12:15am)#
10/22 - Brooklyn, NY - TBA
10/22 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands / Yours Truly Party
10/23 - Brooklyn, NY - Cameo / twosyllable party (3pm)^^
^^ w/ Keepaway, Sun Airway, Pepper Rabbit,
PS I Love You, David Vandervelde, Oberhofer
# w/ Kisses, Oberhofer, Cults, Sun Airway
Superhumanoids Tour
10/18 - Mercury Lounge New York NY Group Love
10/22 - Bruar Falls Brooklyn NY KXSC + KVRX CMJ Showcase, Waking Lights
10/22 - Bowery Electric New York NY Cantora Records CMJ Showcase, Brahms
10/25 - DC9 Washington DC A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Candy Claws
10/27 - Great Scott Allston MA A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Candy Claws
10/28 - Lily's Pad (Toad's Place Upstairs) New Haven CT A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Candy Claws
11/09 - Troubadour Los Angeles CA Delorean, Lemonade
Fight Softly is the third album by New Zealand’s pop masters The Ruby Suns. Ryan McPhun (their prime mover) has the kind of voracious musical mind that cites as equal influences ’80s/’90s New Jack Swing and modern Angolan kuduro, Fleetwood Mac and Britney Spears, Brazilian tropicalia and Argentinean cumbia. He’s the kind of diligent, meticulous soul that spends days hunched over a laptop in a tiny rented studio in Auckland, NZ just to perfect a sequenced drum track (mission accomplished). And Fight Softly is the kind of head-spinning combination of big-picture vision and sumptuous detail that only comes from an artist with an urgent need to express all the stuff he’s seen. And you can dance to it! Sub Pop
The Union Line formed in early 2008 in San Juan Capistrano, CA. Drummer Tony Tancredi had been tour-managing bands since 2004 and was booking shows for acts Matt Costa and The Delta Spirit. Together with vocalist Richard Theisen, Johnny Wilson on keys, and brothers Jordan and Adam Sabolick on guitar and bass, The Union Line played their first show in February 2008 at The Gypsy Lounge. Quickly becoming a staple in the Orange County music scene, the band recorded their first album, which was released the following summer. They embarked on a west coast tour with friends The Local Natives, playing sold out shows at The Mint and House Of Blues of Anaheim, and caught the attention of One Little Indian Records, who began to license The Union Line’s anthem driven record.
The Ruby Suns/The Union Line tour dates:
Oct 20 - La Tulipe w/ Local Natives Montreal, Quebec, CANADA
Oct 23 - Paradise Rock Club w/ Local Natives SOLD OUT!! Boston, MA
Oct 25 - Club Metronome w/ The Ruby Suns Burlington, VT
Oct 26 - Cafe Nine w/ The Ruby Suns New Haven, CT
Oct 27 - Trocodero w/ Local Natives Philadelphia, PA
Oct 28 - 9:30 Club w/ Local Natives SOLD OUT Washington DC
Oct 29 - Webster Hall w/ Local Natives SOLD OUT New York, NY
Oct 30 - Webster Hall w/ Local Natives New York, NY
just The Union Line:
Nov 3 - The Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH
Nov 5 - Daytrotter Rock Island, IL
A super limited amount of 6 Month passes (good for all Manic Productions shows) just went on sale for $80. There are no service fees and you can even get into Sold Out shows.
The promotion ends when the tickets run out or Halloween at midnight, whichever comes first.
TACO PARTY is a multi-media exhibition whose soundtrack is rare music through space and time.
Music will be curated for TACO PARTY II by Ian Svenonious, (Chain and the Gang, Weird War, The Make Up, Nation of Ulysses ) with sets by resident DJ’s Shaki (Shaki Presents, Mountain Movers), King Panos (Kings), and Stefan Christensen (Estrogen Highs, Popeye’s Garage) Select Mondays throughout New Haven. Original video collages by Jimi Patterson (Fader Magazine).
Monday, October 25, 2010, Championsound presents inaugural SOUND HALL
Location:
DETRITUS at Project Storefronts
71 Orange Street
New Haven, CT
FREE - 6:00 PM
Join this inaugural SOUND HALL meeting, with featured speaker Ian Svenonius. Svenonius is a noted musician and writer, known for his involvement with various Washington, D.C.-based groups including Nation of Ulysses, the Make-Up, Weird War, and Chain and the Gang. He is also the author of The Psychic Soviet, and the host of Soft Focus on VBS.tv. His work is informed by a tongue-in-cheek, anti-authoritarian sensibility.
SOUND HALL is a curated speaker and performance series, presented by Championsound, co-sponsored by the Public Humanities Initiative at Yale University, and Detritus at Project Storefronts.
The SOUND HALL series gathers diverse audiences together in various public spaces throughout New Haven, with the aim of creating meaningful spaces for collective listening. Our speakers are fascinating figures in the worlds of music, film, art, journalism, literature, and beyond. As part of SOUND HALL, they are given a stage to perform and discuss the music and sounds that have mattered most in their personal, intellectual, and professional lives.
SOUND HALL proposes that music and sound collectors are also historians and that, to different degrees, we are all archivists. We collect music and sound in the forms of records, tapes, CDs, but also in different forms of personal memory and history. When we listen to a song, or a certain collection of sounds, we build particular stories around what we hear--about our pasts, our presents, and our futures. SOUND HALL is where we gather to listen to and examine some of those stories.
The event will be moderated by Brian Francis Slattery, a New Haven-based novelist and editor of public policy and economic journals. Slattery is also a musician and avid record collector, as well as an editor of The New Haven Review. His 2008 novel, the Spaceman Blues, "combined the serious and the satirical in creating an unforgettable image of a future America beset by the collapse of the dollar and the specter of a new form of slavery."
The SOUND HALL is hosted by Detritus, a curated bookstore selling independent print media. Detritus is located at 71 Orange Street in New Haven, Connecticut, in Project Storefronts. The event begins at 6 pm, and will run until approximately 7 pm.
SOUND HALL will be followed by TACO PARTY. Svenonius will be acting as guest selector for the event, which pairs rare music as chosen by the event's selectors with video collages by filmmaker Jimi Patterson. TACO PARTY is organized by Albert Agbayani (principal, Championsound), with John Panos (of M.T. Bearington and Kings). In addition to Svenonius, the event will feature local DJ's Rick Omonte (Shaki Presents) and Stefan Christensen (Estrogen Highs, Popeye's Garage). Yes, there will be tacos.
Here's Svenonius interviewing Genesis P-Orridge of Throbbing Gristle, for Soft Focus at the Guggenheim Museum, NYC:
3 Pounds of Flax is the newest free digital download from Ohsaurus. Blippity beeppity beats that HPSU might want to take notice of. Some of what's going on with this release flirts with the dubstep thing, but it's too frivolous for that kind of dark ambience. Maybe overly busy at times, but never annoying. I find Ohsaurus is great to listen to when baking cookies. Also check out The Energy About Us and Housing District on the Ohsaurus bandcamp.
Location:
La Paloma Coffee House
405 Capitol Ave
Hartford, CT
7:00 PM - FREE - All Ages
Bird Names are freaky freak pop from Athens, GA. One of the lines from the press release was, "When Bird Names performs their ritual correctly the disarming glow of beauty lingers beyond the event in time, and people remember themselves as seen refracted in song." I have no fucking clue what that means. Bird Names are equal parts demented and catchy, though, and pretty damn good. Beat Happening minus Calvin Johnson plus lots and lots of cough syrup and legitimate musical ability? You decide.
Hartford Sound Alliance opens. This Hartford based collective of composers and performers is dedicated to the creation, performance and promotion of new music via composition, improvisation and sound installation, as well as intermedia and interdisciplinary projects.
Bird Names Tour:
Oct 19 - Marlboro College Marlboro, VT
Oct 20 - AS220 (all ages) Providence, RI
Oct 21 - La Paloma (early show! 7pm) Hartford, CT
Oct 22 - The Woods Brooklyn, NY
Oct 23 - Berks Warehouse Philadelphia, PA
Oct 24 - Soft Fest Baltimore, MD
Oct 25 - Blue Moon Saloon Shepherdstown, WV
Oct 26 - Paper Sun Washington D.C.
Oct 27 - The Fishbowl Richmond, VA
Oct 30 - Next to Last Fest Athens, GA
Nov 12 - Eyedrum Atlanta, GA
Nov 13 - The Hangar Athens, GA
Nov 19 - Open Lot Nashville, Tennessee
Nov 27 - Empty Bottle Chicago, Illinois
Nov 29 - Semantics Gallery Cincinnati, OH
Dec 12 - Recess Fest Charlotte, NC
Eula sent over three tracks that will be appearing on their forthcoming LP, which they expect to get out sometime in early 2011.
Maurice Narcisse and Dirty Hands make me think of Deerhoof getting spanked by Jesus Lizard. Texas Stampede, eh, not so much. Alyse's vocals get a little glue-high freaky on this fun Dead Milkmen-esque tack. Listen or download from the links!
Upcoming EULA Tour Dates:
Oct 29 - Fort Useless (Brooklyn NY) - Halloween Bash! w/ The Whisperians & El Jezel
Nov 13 - Artpsace New Haven (CT) - w/ Magnetic Island
Nov 18 - The Delancey (NY, NY) - w/ Magnetic Island & The Binary Marketing Show
Nov 20 - The Charleston (Brooklyn NY) - w/ Shark? & I'm Turning Into
Echo & Drake: “While it’s not unheard of for a band to thoroughly sweep the Band Slam [Best Band, Best New Band, Best Rock Band, Best Singer/Songwriter (Jon Ericson), Best Instrumentalist (Rich DeVito)], it is unusual for a new local band to garner such buzz right out of the gates. But Echo & Drake is the right band at the right time. Their ‘80s-tinged indie pop is unique among Connecticut acts." ~The Hartford Advocate
The High Dials: “Hailing from the Montreal scene that spawned The Dears and The Arcade Fire, the High Dials have more in common with the new wave of thoughtful guitar bands that includes the Shins and the Essex Green, with their precise guitar interplay underscoring songs about being adrift in the world or hopelessly in love. (The songs) breathe new life into pop’s tired romantic lexicon. Echoes of soft-rock legends Big Star, Love and the Moody Blues.” 4 stars The Independent (UK)
Heirlooms:
This is Heirlooms’ record release party. New indie folk from Jesse Stanford and friends.
Location: Branford VFW
99 Indian Neck Avenue
Branford, CT
6:00 PM - $8 admission, $6 with a costume - All Ages
Energy (MA, celebrating the Walk into the Fire EP) Deadlights (CT pop-punk ) Baby Grand (CT emphatic post-punky rock ’n’ roll) Heavy Breath (CT groovy hardcore) Manners. (CT experimental HC)
Afraid of Life (feat. members of Cold Snap, Mute Witness, first show!)
This is Energy's first CT show in a while and the first show at the Branford VFW in even longer. Expect covers, candy and fun. Between-set music will be provided by the turntable wizard, DJ Chuck Fresh.
February Records is still alive and kicking. Their newest release in their free digital singles series is Do You Ever? by Summer Library.
Summer Library is the solo work of Patrick Kelly from New Rochelle, NY. After a stint in a Pavement-inspired indie rock band, Patrick began recording as Summer Library, which takes its influence and direction from bands such as Galaxie 500, Brighter and Rocketship. The Swedish-sounding A-side is backed with Past The Railroad Tracks, which sounds as if someone might have snuck a synthesizer into a Field Mice song. Jangly guitars and catchy melodies pervade these two tracks. Download it at February Records.
The new The Tyler Trudeau Attempt 7" These Are Dark Times is out, and they put together a nice video companion piece. It was filmed and edited on analog film in New Haven, by Anthony Giordanella. The audio was engineered and mixed by Greg DiCrosta, with additional engineering by Nick Bellmore and John Mordecai. The audio mastered by Alan Douches.
There are still copies of the 7" single, "These Are Dark Times" backed with "We'll Win This One Yet," available.
Have you seen the three videos Ghost of Chance posted? If not, here they are:
Also, two February Records bands will be on the bill at this year's Popfest! New England. Bourgeois Heroes and Onward Chariots will be playing alongside the likes of 14 Iced Bears, Brown Recluse, The Smittens, Weed Hounds, Math The Band, and a bunch of others. Check out the full schedule on the Popfest! New England website.
Long-time friends and musical partners, Kircher and Dutmer started Jaill back in 2002. It was a continuation of what they’d already been busy at for years: try some speed, smoke some weed, and record albums and albums worth of material destined only for the collections of friends. Dutmer remembers working on an album in Kircher’s spare bedroom for months. “It’s listed as ‘sold out’ on our website but we only made like 25 burned CDs and gave them away.” Now they are on Sub Pop with their record That’s How We Burn. But the Milwaukee band has changed little in their creative tactics. Recorded at his Mystery Room studio with Justin Perkins, the album finds Jaill wrapping its head and arms more solidly around a sound they’ve been building up for nearly a decade.
Nor I: Milford experimental rock featuring Phil Conine of Daniel Street.
.dbk. is a three piece band from New Haven, CT that plays epic post-rock music with elements of modern psychedelia, experimental leanings and emotive vocal arrangements. For fans of Red Sparrowes and Maserati.
Jaill 2010 tour
Oct 19 - The Bishop Bar Bloomington, Indiana
Oct 20 - The Smiling Moose Pittsburgh, Pennsylvan
Oct 21 - the Studio at Webster Hall NYC
Oct 22 - Daniel St. Club Milford, CT
Oct 23 - PopGun Unofficial CMJ Party @ Glasslands Brooklyn, New York
Oct 25 - Mickey Finn's Pub with Kurt Vile and Soft Pack! Toledo, OH
Oct 27 - The Lager House with Conspiracy of Owls!! Detroit, MI
Oct 28 - The Strutt with the Conspiracy of Owls!! Kalamazoo, MI
Oct 29 - WNUR Studio LIVE Chicago, il
Oct 29 - Mayne Stage Chicago, IL
Nov 9 -Old Blue Last London, UNITED KINGDOM
Nov 10 -la Flèche d'Or Paris, Paris, FRANCE
Nov 11 -Ekko Utrecht, NETHERLANDS
Nov 12 -London Calling Fest @ Paradiso Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
Nov 13 -MTC Cologne, GERMANY
Nov 14 -Molotow Hamburg, GERMANY
Nov 15 -Privatclub Berlin, GERMANY
Nov 17 -Chelsea Club Vienna, AUSTRIA
Nov 18 -59:1 Munich, GERMANY
Nov 20 -Unwound Padova, ITALY
Nov 21 -Twiggy with Wild Nothing!! Varese, ITALY
Nov 22 -Komplex Zurich, SWITZERLAND
Nov 23 -Fri-Son Fribourg, SWITZERLAND
Nov 25 -Primavera Fest Barcelona, SPAIN
Nov 26 -Primavera Fest Barcelona, SPAIN
Nov 27 -Primavera Fest Madrid, SPAIN
Nov 28 -Primavera Fest Madrid, SPAIN
Turbo Fruits mine the punk rock spirit of the late ‘70s for their sound, a spastic mix of spunky MC5 giddy-up and glammy, feel-good guitar mayhem. Although the scenes they invoke were long dead before any of Turbo Fruits were even born, their frantic interpretations are irrepressibly fun, like a T. Rex record skipping. It’s hard to fathom a band with so much dope-smoking innuendo in their lexicon being as busy as they are, much less as fierce and, hell, lively as they sound on their recordings. Feat. ex-members of Be Your Own Pet. Fat Possum/Ecstatic Peace
Wry is a mid tempo indie rock band who started in circa April of 2008. At first it was Nick and Keith with a few other people and things didn't work out. However, things picked up again late 2008, early 2009 when Ryan and Jerry joined and solidified the group.
Ovlov: Connecticut indie rock for fans of Dinosaur Jr, Nirvana, and My Bloody Valentine.
Beko normally only releases singles. I hear this is their first full length free digital download. Download Procedure Club's newest The Salmon of Doubt NOW. (Listening now; definitely some of their best so far).
Tracks:
01 Seven Days Later
02 Life On Earth
03 Art Of Ignoring
04 Between The Eyes
05 Witches
06 Ed
07 Index Finger
08 Andrea's Drunk Song
09 Walking (Feat. Adam)
10 Snowy (Feat. Sore Eros)
11 Indigineous
12 Dead Rocks
If you weren’t on Daniel St in Milford on Tuesday, October 12th, you missed out on a sweet show.
Daniel St is a great venue for its suave, jazzy atmosphere and produces excellent sound quality for listening to bands at their best. It definitely proved true for the Father Murphy, Xiu Xiu, and Deerhoof, which played that night.
First to open for the night was Father Murphy, a three piece experimental band from Italy. Since I hadn’t heard of them before, I was surprised to see the guy casually smoking a cigarette outside of the venue moments before was actually their singer. Without an introduction, they began to play. Father Murphy is definitely an art form. They are weird, but a brilliant kind of weird. I’m not sure how to describe their music, but they have been defined as being a little folk, post punk math rock, and avant noise. It is obvious that Father Murphy knows what they’re doing, as the sporadic rhythms from guitarist Freddie Murphy and drummer Vicar Demarin synched up well with keyboardist Chiara Lee, as she even banged a gong, chimed cymbals, and rang old, rustic looking bells. I found their music both eerie and strange, but it is really up for interpretation. Though Murphy chanted and screeched with raw emotion into the microphone, I was surprised to how soft spoken and gentile he sounded while thanking Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof during their set. While talking with Father Murphy after the show, through their thick accents they explained that this was their third time in the United States but their first time in Connecticut. If they ever decide to come back to Connecticut, I suggest you go to their show. Maybe you’ll know what I’m talking about.
While Father Murphy had all the bells, Xiu Xiu was ready with both the bells and whistles. In another oblivious state, I passed the two piece band on the street while walking toward the venue without realizing who they were. Xiu Xiu (pronounced “shoe shoe”) consists of three members, though their percussionist wasn’t present to accompany singer-songwriter Jamie Stuart and multi-instrumentalist Angela Seo. Their performance certainly didn’t skip a beat as the duo blasted beats from a drum machine and banged on single hi-hats and cymbals all while playing a keyboard, guitar, and a few odd end instruments. During one song, Seo hit her cymbal so hard that she knocked it over into the crowd. Luckily, a guy in front was nice enough to push it back to the stage, causing her to crack a smile. Stewart hunched over the microphone as if he were passionately telling a story; whispering, yelling, and wailing while strumming hard on his guitar, at one point even with a drum stick. He hopped around as Seo played her keyboard with a grim expression of serious concentration. In something I’ve never seen on stage before, Stuart pulled out a Nintendo DS to tap beats for their song “I Luv the Valley Oh” all while singing. It didn’t stop there, as their songs had Seo using different mouth instruments and bells while Stewart blew into a whistle. Similar to Father Murphy, Xiu Xiu stands alone in their music genre, though they have been described as art rock, experimental rock, indie rock, and synth pop. I will tell you, they are like nothing you’ve ever heard before, but still had the crowd moving with them. After they played their last song, I heard someone behind me say, “Well that was interesting.” I’d take that as a compliment.
Looking back into the crowd, I realized now that the room was packed, anxiously waiting for Deerhoof to perform. If I’ve heard anything about Deerhoof, it’s been of inspiration. As evident with Father Murphy and Xiu Xiu, Deerhoof has been notably influential to bands such as The Flaming Lips, Of Montreal, Fiery Furnaces, Sufijan Stevens, and several other new and old artists of the indie scene. Originating back to 1994, Deerhoof has made a name for themselves and didn’t have to prove it to anyone that night.
In black spandex, jean shorts, and a red sweatshirt, front woman Satomi Matsuzaki came on stage to plug in guitars and set up microphones amongst her three male band mates. After a quick wardrobe change, she slung a bass over her tiny frame as the crowd cheered and began dancing to their opening song “The Tears of Music and Love.” With Greg Saunier set up on a small drum set in the front corner of the stage, guitarists John Dieterich and Ed Rodriguez used the spacious room on stage to step in almost synchronization alongside Matsuzak as she danced around, playing bass and singing. This band looked like they were having a lot of fun as Rodriguez and Matsuzaki laughed with each other and improvised coordinating dance moves throughout their songs. Matsuzaki even jumped to the front ledge of the stage to be up close with the audience. Deerhoof had such a positive energy that had most of the audience smiling back at them. It really felt as though they were all best friends just jamming and having fun together.
Saunier showed his personality as he randomly delivered hilarious Gilbert Grape style speeches in which he talked about the tour, venue, and how heat from the multi-colored spotlights were blazing on him, in which someone graciously lowered them. Saunier comically ended his speech with “Our music is about suffering.” Matzusaki had everyone give him an applause as she said “Thank you Greg!”
In all seriousness, Deerhoof is clearly multi-talented, as halfway through their set they switched instruments which put Matsuzaki on drums, Rodriguez on bass, and Saunier on guitar, to which he sang a song. As for the rest of the performance, Deerhoof’s set was of intelligence, sweet sounding vocals, and true innovation. Though the band takes their music seriously and performs flawlessly, they present themselves in a modest, carefree way, which is a comforting quality. Deerhoof played their last song and thanked the crowd only to return for an encore by the continuous applauding at the end of their set.
When the show was over and everyone was tired from a late night of music, only some of the crowd hung around the venue to talk to each other. While we were outside, we suddenly heard loud music coming from the stage once again. To my surprise, ALL members of Father Murphy, Xiu Xiu, and Deerhoof were playing onstage together in some sick, collaborated song.
WHAT THE HELL?!
I don’t know who came up with the idea or how, but it was awesome that they performed a personal show for the dedicated, lingering crowd. Through the yells and applause of the audience, the band members all hugged and shook hands with each other, seeming as though they formed great friendships during the tour. What a spectacular end to a great night.
The Indie Spiritualist is a new website devoted to... well... a whole bunch of stuff. From spirituality to skateboarding, and the music that permeates it all, Connecticut native Chris Grosso is making it his mission to explore his varying interests, and how they intersect, all for our reading pleasure.
CTI: What were your inspirations when you were getting started?
CG: I'm the type of person who has to have some sort of creative outlet or I'll eventually lose my shit. One of my bands had taken a hiatus (and has since broken up), and the other hadn't had much time to work on stuff either due to conflicting schedules. So I was going through the motions of working, going to school, and interning and it began to get really mundane, really fast. I knew I needed to do something, but wasn't sure what. I didn't have time for anything musically, and needed whatever I was going to do to work around my schedule. One day as I was driving, the idea of doing a website just sort of hit me. I was definitely on the fence about it at first. I mean, there's enough people on the web running their mouths about this or that, which got me to thinking...why not run a site about the stuff that I'm into, which is really pretty eclectic, but present it through the eyes, and words of others, via interviews and features etc.
So I got it up and running and wasn't really sure what to expect regarding the response at first. Like I said, it’s pretty eclectic. I have an interview with Jeff from Isis about horror movies, next to a piece on metaphysics, next to an interview with The High Priest from The Church of Satan, next to an interview with Hip Hop artist Benn Grim etc, etc...but that's the stuff I'm into, and it's actually gotten a really positive, strong response in the short time I've been doing it. I had to go into it with the attitude that if people dig it- cool, and if not, that's cool too, just as long as I had some sort of outlet which also contributed to others as well.
CTI: Indie Spiritualist covers very different topics, but they all manage to come together in just the right way. Did you have a theme in mind when you set out, or did you let it develop on its own?
CG: Yeah, I guess I had a very loose idea of where I wanted to go with it, but I’ve intentionally tried not to set a concrete vision. I’d really like for it to grow organically into whatever beast it will. I’m sure it will be different next month as I’m currently focusing on a lot of Halloween features, as it’s my favorite holiday…Plus having guys from Isis, Cable and The Church of Satan on board to contribute has only enabled my self-indulgence.
I’m working on doing an Independent/Counter-Culture Business Feature next month which I’m excited about (it actually began early with your interview Mr Devin). I’ll be talking with Ben from Verellen Amps (Minus The Bear, Sunny Day Real Estate, Botch etc), Darren Walters Co-Owner of Jade Tree Records, Mark and Ben from Manic Productions, Josh at Redscroll Records, and a slew of others. Plus, I have a lot of interesting folks lined up for non-business related subjects.
Then December is going to be focused on skateboarding. So if you take all of that into consideration, you can see how it’d be virtually impossible to try and set a particular theme for the site, and then follow through on it.
CTI: As far as having different topics all under one roof, Arthur Magazine comes to mind, but that publication is, at least superficially, bound to the 1960s. Do you think there is a new counterculture coming together, one that Indie Spiritualist is giving voice to?
CG: Haha, I wish I could say I’m so influential, then again, you never know. I really don’t know if there is a new counter-culture happening. I can definitely say there is a growing trend in spirituality and the indie culture, especially in Buddhism. You have Dharma Punx, which is Noah Levine’s stab at fusing Buddhism with punk rock/indie/hardcore. There’s also author Brad Warner who’s written such books as Hardcore Zen, Sit Down and Shut Up, and Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate, which are all wonderful because they take the dogma surrounding spirituality and throw it right out window. One can read these books and realize you can be spiritual and swear, and listen to whatever music you want, or watch whatever TV/Movies you want etc.
Spirituality is such a beautiful, sacred thing and unfortunately, it’s had a very dark cloud cast upon it due to humans inept response to fear. For example, say an individual finds solace in Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, or whatever…which offers them comfort. If it ended there, that would be wonderful. The problem however, is a lot of people identify their belief as the only true reality, thus shutting themselves off to others and creating a false, egoic sense of separation.
What seems to be happening now though is that more people, especially younger people, are really opening up to different ideas. Personal paradigms are beginning to be examined and that’s an amazing thing! So I suppose what I’m trying to do with my site, is create another place, where people can come and read about a lot of different stuff, and possibly find a connection between some of it.
CTI: Music and spirituality get along pretty well, but what about the horror movies? Hatchet II and Buddhism? What's the connection?
CG: You mean to tell me you’re not familiar with the ancient tradition of Zen and the Art of Gratuitous Sex and Violence? I kid. It’s funny because I recently took a Reiki Attunement Level I class, and during the lunch break, the Reiki Master (Craig Gilbert) and I were discussing zombie flicks. I mean, here we are, spending all morning talking about some beautiful, spiritual stuff, followed by doing some really powerful energy work, and then we spend our lunch break with an in-depth conversation on zombies and their brain eating ways.
I think people, especially some "spiritual" people, need to lighten up! It amazes me that folks aren’t dropping dead of heart attacks left and right, you know? The Indie Spiritualist tries to fuse independent culture with spirituality, and sometimes it’s not always there. Sometimes you just need to let cannibals be cannibals and meditators be meditators. I wonder if there are meditating cannibals somewhere out there?
CTI: And you’re covering skateboarding, but not just some local punks tooling around on a curb. What drew you to legend Mike Vallely?
CG: In all fairness, the local punks tooling around on the curb are the true heart of skateboarding, but at the same time, I doubt anyone is going to read an interview with them besides friends and family.
As for Mike V, he’s an icon. I’ve admired him since I was probably about 8 years old, when I was riding the original Tony Hawk Powell Peralta board and watching Animal Chin. And besides his well documented, insane fights, he’s a very stand up guy. He has real heart and integrity. He deserves the status he has in the skateboarding community.
I’m also interviewing another legend, Chuck Treece, who besides being a skateboarding icon, is also a founding member of McRad and has played in Bad Brains…I could go on and on about Chuck. Check his Wiki page for more on him!
I grew up skateboarding and it will always hold a dear place in my heart. I’m 32 and still have a deck in my trunk because sometimes you just need to break it out and have a session.
CTI: There's been a long tradition of skating and underground music going hand in hand. Do you think that still holds true today?
CG: I’d have to assume so. Honestly, I don’t know what a lot of the kids listen to these days. They still wear band shirts like we did when I was younger, I’m just not really familiar with any of those bands. I did an interview with Steve Karp of Yuppicide recently and he was talking about back in the day when you’d flip to the back of Thrasher and see the ad for Suicidal Tendencies shirts, and then you’d write Mike Muir directly and he’d ship it off to you. That was really special for us.
I don’t know if that’s really happening anymore. It may be on some level, but definitely not to the extent of the 80’s/early 90’s. Skateboarding is more socially acceptable now, and that’s great for the kids. When I was in high school, we were looked at as complete fuck ups, not only by the teachers, but the majority of the community. Don’t get me wrong, we certainly did our share of mischief making, but usually the bigger stuff like vandalism etc had nothing to do with us. Actually, that’s not true either. I’m thinking back to a video my friends and I shot over the course of a summer called "Devastation In Me Land," and yeah…next subject please.
CTI: You do a ton of interviews. What have been some of your favorites so far?
CG: Hands down, the interview with We Are Scientists was my favorite so far. Those guys were ridiculous in a really great way! I generally hate transcribing interviews, but I was laughing my ass off on that one. I also really enjoyed the Horror Movie Q and A with Jeff from Isis and Randy and Pete from Cable. I told them to have fun with it and they definitely did! Danielle Harris was also special for me because the Halloween films have always been my favorite horror movies, and to talk to the star of part 4 and 5 was really cool.
I consciously choose to interview people that have impacted my life in some way, shape or form, so I can conduct a really sincere interview, with content that means something…at least to me, but hopefully others too.
CTI: Speaking of Danielle Harris, I've been meaning to ask, do you think you could pass her number on to me? I'd like to, uh, talk music with her sometime.
CG: The best part of that question is you’re not the first person who’s asked me for her number to "talk music" since the interview. Boys and their penises… And with that, I bid ye farewell.
