The Morning Benders – ‘All Day Day Light’ (Video)
The Morning Benders just released the handclap-heavy video for “All Day Day Light,” the latest single from their well-received album, Big Echo. As directed by Jack Ferry, the clip’s concept is simple yet elegant, showing the band playing as the seasons rapidly change around them. Given The Morning Benders’ whirlwind year, that intense passage of time is surely something they can relate to.
As 2010 barrels to a close, the band is showing no signs of letting up. They’ve got a slew of tour dates on their schedule, including a stop at the Belly Up on October 13th. The full list of dates can be found below. Continue reading…
California Boys
When you think of Southern California, it’s hard not to think of The Beach Boys. Since 1961, the legendary band has provided the official soundtrack to our fair state’s unique combination of girls, surfing, and sunshine. It’s only fitting, then, that the harmonious musicians are set to stop in San Diego on Friday, September 10. Continue reading…
Ted Leo Plays Ché Café on 9/2, Casbah 9/3
Ted Leo, the intellectual leader of indie rock, will play two shows in San Diego on September 2 and 3, and you’d better be there. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: JBM (List)
Jesse B. Marchant, also known as JBM, is a singer/songwriter from Montreal. A classically trained guitarist, he only recently began to write lyrics, sing, and record. His debut album, Not Even in July, was written in Los Angeles but recorded in New York’s Adirondack mountains, and it proves that he’s capable of sitting with other indie favorites like Bon Iver and AA Bondy.
JBM will open for AA Bondy at the Casbah on September 1. His Poetic Memory is below.
Poetic Memory: Gun Runner (List)
After returning to San Diego from Berklee School of Music, Sean Davenport wanted to get a band together, so he got in touch with his old friend Diego Rojano. In late 2009, Davenport and Rojano recruited local songwriter Tommy Graf (guitar) and Carlos Ortiz (drums), and they formed Gun Runner.
Since then, they’ve drawn from a variety of influences — including Wilco, Pavement, and Sonic Youth — to create a unique sound. This year, they released the excellent EP Bad Neighbors, an interesting work that evokes the psychedelic blues of Bob Dylan’s 2007 masterpiece, Time out of Mind.
Davenport’s soulful voice isn’t much like Dylan’s though, and that’s a good thing. Tracks like “Zelda” find him repeating “I can make this all better for you,” as if he’s been telling it to a few beers. Meanwhile, the reverb-laden instrumentation frames his half-drunk delivery. On the nostalgic “2 out of 3,” where choral intro harmonies are juxtaposed against Rojano’s lilting bass and Davenport’s voice, Gun Runner creates a kind of zombie R&B. It’s well worth a few listens, and you can stream it on MySpace or purchase it on iTunes.
Gun Runner will open for Maren Parusel at the Belly Up Tavern on Tuesday, August 31. While you wait, check out their Poetic Memory (below).
Live Review – Meat Loaf at Humphreys, August 18, 2010
Photo credit: Jim Grant
It’s kind of a wonder that Meat Loaf is still performing at all. When your stage name is a direct reference to your morbid obesity, career longevity is hardly a given. But there he was at Humphrys on Wednesday, the legendary performer whose 1977 album, Bat Out of Hell, is still the fifth best-selling album of all time. And, though still a far cry from skinny, the guy actually looked pretty fit.
His voice, on the other hand, showed more signs of aging. The set began strongly, thanks to a high-powered rendition of “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul” from Rocky Horror Picture Show. Meat Loaf also nailed “Bat Out of Hell,” a sprawling, ten-minute song that pushed his stamina to its limit. Meat Loaf complained that the song isn’t an easy one to perform when you’re sixty-two — or sexty-two, as he kept insisting — and the exertion would take its toll on his voice for the remainder of the set. Continue reading…
Live Review – The Swell Season at House of Blues, August 17, 2010
It’s hard not to love The Swell Season. Since winning the hearts of audiences — and an Oscar — with the 2006 film Once, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova have maintained that adoration through rigorous touring, refreshing humility, and the recent release of their second album, Strict Joy.
Before The Swell Season took the stage at House of Blues on Tuesday, singer/guitarist Ryan Bingham opened up with some astonishingly derivative blues and folk. His raspy voice dripped with affectation as he rambled on about times changing and winds blowing like some copy of a copy of a copy of Bob Dylan. Continue reading…
Contest: Win Tickets to See The Black Keys on 9/25 (San Diego)
Photo credit: MySpace/Jeremy Weiss
San Diego’s favorite indie-bluesmen The Black Keys will play Soma on 9/25, and we have two tickets with your name on ‘em.
These hard rockin’ Ohians just released Brothers, their latest album, in May. They’ve also played San Diego many times, and have never let us down. Case in point: this show is already sold out, so if you don’t already have tickets, you’re not going to get them (ungouged) — that is, unless you enter this contest. As an added bonus, if you win, you’ll get the tickets for free. “Pop noir” singer/songwriter Nicole Atkins will open.
To enter the contest, just comment below with your favorite Black Keys song, and why, and include your email address in the form (your email won’t be visible to the public). The winner will be chosen at random on September 17, 2010.
Just to reiterate: if you want to win this contest, you must name your favorite Black Keys song, and say why.
Crank Up the Hot Hot Heat
This summer has been an unseasonably cool one for San Diego, but the mercury is finally about to rise. On Saturday, August 21, the chilliness will come to an abrupt halt when the Belly Up cranks up some Hot Hot Heat. Wordplay!
Hot Hot Heat are the Canadian party-pop band responsible for 2002′s Make Up the Breakdown and its marble-mouthed hit single, “Bandages.” Along with other popular bands of the era like The Strokes and The Vines, Hot Hot Heat were welcomed as rock saviors, come to make the airwaves safe for good music and rescue us from boy-band tyranny. Their intentions were noble, but you need only turn your radio dial to whichever Justin Bieber songs are playing right now to see that it didn’t work. Continue reading…
The Pinkerton Effect
Photo credit: Jeffrey Mayer
Weezer‘s enduring popularity can be a sore spot for the band’s early fans.
Following the success of its first two albums, the band took a three-year hiatus in the late nineties before finally returning to the spotlight. That period is more than just an empty space on Weezer’s resume — it serves as the wedge between the band’s two distinct groups of devotees.
On one side, there are those who were weened on the classic Blue Album and the almighty Pinkerton, and who view the band’s last five albums as, at best, a goofy waste of time, or, at worst, a pillaging of their youth and cynical cash-grab on the same insidious par as the Star Wars prequels. Continue reading…
Meat Loaf Pride
Meat Loaf played at the first concert I ever went to.
That little fact isn’t something I typically share with people. and certainly not on a first date. It’s not that I regret going — the concert was a blast, and certainly the best one I’d ever seen at that point. No, it’s not regret that drives me to secrecy, it’s that — despite the flamboyant singer’s penchant for flying motorcycles and leopard-print vests — people for some reason don’t think Meat Loaf is cool. Continue reading…
Roadside Graves to Play West Coast Tavern on Monday
In a shocking report, the Surgeon General just revealed that Americans aren’t getting enough rowdy folk in their diets. If you’re among the folk-deficient, bleary-eyed masses, look no further than Monday’s Roadside Graves show at West Coast Tavern to get your life back on track. (NOTE: The show was originally to be held at the Tin Can Alehouse, but was canceled. Thanks to SD Dialed In, the show has found a new home at West Coast Tavern.)
I can’t think of a better way to start your week than experiencing Roadside Graves’ joyous, knee-slapping live set. The band is currently touring in support of the critically acclaimed EP, You Won’t Be Happy With Me, out now on Autumn Tone Records. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: Adam Haworth Stephens (List)
If you’ve heard Two Gallants, then you know how Adam Haworth Stephens‘ voice can stick with you. The singer/songwriter’s distinctive delivery and poetic lyrics have helped make the San Francisco duo one of indie rock’s most compelling acts, and now he’s venturing off on his own.
Stephens’ solo debut, We Live on Cliffs, is set for a September release on Saddle Creek. You can download the album’s first single, “The Cities That You’ve Burned” (MP3), from his website.
To celebrate the impending arrival of We Live on Cliffs, Stephens is taking his pop-inspired alt-folk on the road. And because no self-respecting tour is complete without a stop in America’s Finest City™, he’ll be headlining at the Casbah on Sunday, August 15th. Proving that two great acts are always better than one, San Diego’s favorite songbird, the always-charming Miss Erika Davies, will be opening.
Two Gallants may be on hiatus, but Stephen’s gallantry is still going strong — the scruffy musician was kind enough to share some of his influences with us. You can read his Poetic Memory, along with the rest of his tour dates, below. Continue reading…
North Park Music Thing is Upon Us
Writer (photo by Brad Swonetz)
If you’re a local musician, a friend of a local musician, or otherwise dipping your toes in the San Diego music scene, then you don’t need us to tell you about the North Park Music Thing. But if you haven’t heard of it, here’s what’s worth knowing: NPMT is a combined conference and music festival in the style of Austin’s South by Southwest, albeit on a much smaller scale. This year, the event starts on Friday, August 13 and continues all the way into the wee hours of Sunday morning.
Non-industry folk won’t be too interested in the conference portion, which consists of lectures and panel discussions aimed at bringing budding musicians up to speed on the quirks and pitfalls of the industry, but for the rest of us there’s a huge lineup of local acts lighting up 14 music venues scattered across Midtown.
Personally, we’re stoked – stoked enough to actually use the word stoked — that a ton of our favorite local bands, and lots that (we’re embarrassed to admit) we have yet to see, are all playing over the course of two nights. Here’s where you’ll find us, obvious schedule conflicts notwithstanding: Continue reading…
The Soft Pack Make a Name for Themselves
It wouldn’t be summer in San Diego without the Del Mar Summer Concert Series. Every year, the renowned Del Mar Thoroughbred Club sets its sights on music lovers, lining up local and national bands for a summer-long, weekly series of concert events. Past years have featured memorable performances by bands like Violent Femmes and Devo, and this year’s run is already off to a fine start, thanks to an exciting set by local favorites Pinback.
Now, another San Diego group is set to blow the crowd away. On Friday, August 13, local buzz band The Soft Pack will wow fans and degenerate gamblers alike with their fast and furious punk rock. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: The Henry Clay People (List)
Photo credit: Drew Reynolds
L.A. guitar rockers The Henry Clay People just released their third full-length, Somewhere on the Golden Coast. It follows in the footsteps of their previous releases, but this time around, the album has a more freewheelin’ feel. When recording the album, producer Aaron Espinoza wanted to capture the band’s renowned live show, so he encouraged them to do away with the headphones and overdubs, drink some beers, and record live to tape.
It’s clear that they were thinking about sound when recording Golden Coast, so it should come as no surprise that they sent us a list of “Best Sounding Guitars.” The Henry Clay People will open for Silversun Pickups and Everest tonight at Soma. Their Poetic Memory is below.
Poetic Memory: Dinosaur Feathers (List)
Dinosaur Feathers have made a bit of a name for themselves back East. With a sound often compared to Animal Collective and the Beach Boys, these Brooklynites have received rave reviews from music fans everywhere, including Paste magazine:
When asked what…generated a bit of blog-buzz in recent months, Sullos demures: “The more you play, the more people talk about it.” True, but it likely has a bit more to do with the band’s melange of Latin and African-infused drum machine beats — plus the fact that these guys can really sing. Sullo and his bandmates use their voices like instruments, stacking and weaving them into a textured sonic tapestry that drips with 60s nostalgia.
We’re excited to see them at The Rumble this weekend, and you should be too. For a taste of their sound, check out “Fantasy Memorial” (MP3). Then, read their Poetic Memory (below).
Stop, Drop, and Rumble at Bar Pink – This Saturday
Click to enlarge
To quote our friends at Future Sounds, “Whatever show plans you have for Saturday night, get rid of them.”
August 7 marks the next Rumble, the multi-band, multi-drink, multi-month music showcase at Bar Pink. Last month’s event featured indie up-and-comers Harlem, What Laura Says, and San Diego’s own Sunday Times. Our friends Indigenous also celebrated their birthday, so it was quite the shindig. There aren’t any officially associated birthdays this time around but, if the lineup is any indication, attendees will still find plenty of cause to celebrate.
Opening the show will be Lesands, America’s Finest City™’s favorite electro-synth rockers. They’re relatively new to the local scene, but they’ve already received positive feedback from KCRW and elsewhere.
Next will be Brooklyn-based Dinosaur Feathers, a band that has exploded in popularity and won’t be playing places like Bar Pink for long. Future Sounds call them “Beach Boys meet Animal Collective,” a band that boasts “amazing vocal harmonies coupled with tropical beats.” Since Animal Collective are already half Beach Boys, that should make Dinosaur Feathers at least two-thirds Beach Boys, and that’s never a bad thing. Paste magazine has praised their use of harmonies “like instruments, stacking and weaving them into a textured sonic tapestry that drips with 60s nostalgia.”
After all that beachy, boyish goodness, Rumspringa will take the stage. They’re headlining the Rumble through August, and will carry it through to Las Vegas. Their upcoming full-length, set to be released on Cantora (not to be confused with Cantore) Records, and live shows have put audiences in “sacrificial trance-like states.” Cool. Click here for downloads and additional info…
Some Guy Named Ringo Starr Coming to San Diego
Back in the 1960s, a little-known band named the Beatles enjoyed a brief moment of moderate fame. Comprised of four young men from Liverpool — a town in England, apparently — the band was most notable for having influenced the much more memorable rock group The Monkees. Continue reading…
Live Review – Pinback at Del Mar Racetrack, July 23, 2010
Photo credit: Gabe Lawrence
The mood of the night was determined long before Pinback ever took the stage. When a hefty drunk man began thrashing around to the pre-show soundtrack like it was a Smashing Pumpkins concert, it became clear what kind of night it was going to be.
Pinback’s gigs are the biggest contradictions in the music business. The San Diego-based band, which consists of main players Rob Crow (vocals, guitar) and Zach Smith (vocals, bass), produces some of the mellowest music around, yet their shows are anything but sedate. Imagine crowd surfers and mosh pits that resemble an Ozzy Osbourne concert, but swap the Mohawks and Doc Martins for fringe haircuts and dress shirts (on account of the horse races.) Continue reading…
Review: Cap’n Jazz; July 24, 2010; Starlight Ballroom, Philadelphia
Photo credit: Nicole Kibert/www.elawgrrl.com
In the liner notes of Cap’n Jazz’s 1998 anthology Analphabetapolothology, singer Tim Kinsella opined: “reissues…undermine our pretenses by making what was once special and precious in its rarity, somehow a little less in its convenient availability.” To Kinsella, the reissue served as a means of “getting over and past it” in terms of his own personal involvement with the highly influential Chicago band.
Now, twelve years later (and fifteen since their disbandment), one wonders what inspired Kinsella to get past getting past it; Cap’n Jazz have reunited for a handful of shows on both coasts. Supported on the eastern shows by their hometown contemporaries Gauge — who called it quits in 1994 and reformed earlier this year — both bands are giving audiences (many of whom were in elementary school during their existence) a taste of what made the music of the Midwest so important in the early 90’s. Continue reading…
Review: The Dead Weather; July 19, 2010; House of Blues, San Diego
Photo credit: Nic Adler
The Dead Weather may be known as Jack White’s band, but make no mistake — the real draw is
lead singer Alison Mosshart.
Much like White’s other side project, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather can feel like just a fun way for White to get his classic rock geek on. Similarly, Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence’s guitar and bass work seems to exist only to plop out schlocky, metal-inspired riffs. But it is Mosshart who injects the band with some much-needed soul and, at the House of Blues show on Monday night, she brought enough for everybody. Continue reading…
