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…
Review: Bob Log III, Jail Weddings & The Glossines; May 15, 2010; Casbah, San Diego
Photos by T. Loper
If you go to a lot of concerts — as many of you do — a certain malaise begins to set in. Even if you’re discerning enough to attend only worthwhile shows, after a while they all start to feel the same. There are the lackluster opening acts, the wallet-draining drinks, and the way the tallest guy in the place inevitably decides to stand — or worse, sway — directly in front of you. After a while, the ringing in your ears and the joint pain from standing for three hours can threaten to drown out an otherwise fine music experience.
But then there are the shows that remind you why you go out — and they snap you out of your funk. Saturday’s show at the Casbah was just such an event, thanks to powerhouse performances by precocious punk divas The Glossines, L.A. Spector-pop ensemble Jail Weddings, and Arizona blues oddity Bob Log III. Continue reading…
Review: Erika Davies; April 24, 2010; Queen Bee, San Diego
Erika Davies has a voice like a butterfly. It flutters about, agile and light as the air, clearing entire octaves with no visible effort.
Her performances are distinctly old school, from her vintage microphone to her penchant for evening gowns. Even her voice is retro — evoking Ella Fitzgerald and Édith Piaf but never paling in comparison — and it wouldn’t be surprising if her vocal chords were made out of vinyl. She’s one of the brightest diamonds in the San Diego ruff, and at Saturday’s monthly Sight and Sound event at Queen Bee, she was allowed to shine. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: The Old In Out (List)
San Diego’s music scene offers plenty of options. Want gorgeous jazz vocals shimmering with old-timey charm? We’ve got Erika Davies. Need a mainlined dose of fast, endlessly catchy powerpop? We’ve got The Powerchords. Have a hankering for exquisitely depressing tales of heartache, complete with eerie saw-playing? We’ve got Black Heart Procession. But if you’re looking for a band that rocks so hard they’ll shatter your pint glass, you need look no further than The Old In Out.
Blending the raunchiest elements of blues, garage rock, and psychedelia, The Old In Out are a hailstorm of loud guitar, sledgehammered beats, and sneering swagger. We recently had the opportunity to pick drummer Christopher James Carrol’s brain about what inspires him:
“I’ve found that inspiration comes from within and without. Everything and anything from a cool movie to seeing a great art show to watching the sun set, or reading a good book on a rainy day afternoon. The things that truly influence me are the things that create whole new worlds to peer into: worlds of mood, color, and shape that challenge and unlock new doors of understanding.”
We’ve been fortunate enough to obtain Poetic Memory lists from lots of musicians in the past, but his is definitely one of the more eclectic ones we’ve seen. Carrol’s multifaceted nature is also apparent in his music; in addition to his work with The Old In Out, he also drums for up-and-coming prog monster Shapes Of Future Frames. Carrol’s Poetic Memory can be found below. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Erika Davies (List)
If you’ve never heard Erika Davies, then you’ve never heard Shakespeare the way it’s meant to be sung. Her jazzy melodies scoop and flutter above delicately strummed ukulele in irresistible and intoxicating fashion. Serving up a cocktail of jazz standards and charming originals, Davies delivers an enchanting performance, anchored by gorgeous vocals and Amelie-esque charm.
Says Davies:
Before I sat to write this, I tried to recall my first memory of music. I couldn’t. It was as if I had to try and remember what it was like, exiting my mother’s slippery womb. I can, however, remember how tiny I was when singing to my first audience. How natural it felt just opening my soul to them. And how quiet everyone was, listening.
And from then on, music, it seems, has been drawn to me.
Miss Davies is currently hard at work penning her sophomore album, tentatively titled Nothing But A Note Thing, which she plans to record in January. You can catch her in two places this Saturday: she’ll be playing an early evening set at Golden Hill DIY venue The Habitat before scooting over to Air Conditioned for this year’s North Park Music Thing (formerly known as North By North Park). We’ve got Davies’ Poetic Memory list, as well as some additional tour dates, after the jump.
Poetic Memory is a regular Owl and Bear feature in which musicians disclose their influences—whether it’s albums, songs, artists, or something random. If you’re interested in being featured here, send us an email. (more…)
