All posts by chris maroulakos

listen, reviews, san diego

Review: Elvis Perkins in Dearland; March 15, 2009 at M-Theory Records; San Diego

1 Comment

There are worse fates than being compared to Jeff Mangum. As the frontman for Neutral Milk Hotel, Mangum spearheaded one of the most influential and revered bands in indie rock history, finally creating an album—1998’s In An Aeroplane Over The Sea—that was so perfectly realized even Mangum himself never dared attempt a follow up. So, nearly a decade later, after everyone had given up hope, a guy named Elvis Perkins quietly stepped up to the plate and did the job for him.

Perkins’ 2007 debut, Ash Wednesday, established him as a brilliant artist with a penchant for crafting songs of poignant sadness and profound beauty. The son of Anthony Perkins (Psycho‘s Norman Bates) and Berry Berenson, Perkins channeled his much-publicized real life tragedies into a soul-baring masterpiece of catharsis. For his newly-released sophomore album, he added a backing band and adopted the moniker Elvis Perkins In Dearland.

And somehow, local record shop M-Theory Music was able to lure the band into their store for an exclusive, free performance on a beautifully sunny San Diego afternoon.

Continue reading →

music news, san diego

Cloud Cult Coming to San Diego, Releasing DVD

Leave a comment

If you read our Best of 2008 list, you may have noticed a little band called Cloud Cult on there. The prolific Minnesota collective has already released eight wildly creative albums—including the highly recommended The Meaning Of 8—so you have no excuse for not knowing/loving them yet. The band will soon be heading out on a tour which will take them to Coachella and, more importantly, to San Diego’s beloved Casbah on May 14th.

In conjunction with the upcoming tour, the band will also be releasing a career spanning-documentary on April 21st, entitled No One Said It Would Be Easy. According to our friend Gary:

No One Said It Would Be Easy is an intimate, inside look into the origin and development of the ethereal and epic Cloud Cult. The film envelops viewers into the story and people behind Cloud Cult. Serving as both an introduction and introspection meant for newcomers to the music and fans of the band alike, the film explores the emotional and philosophical underpinnings on which Cloud Cult was founded and continues to operate, namely those of love and hope.

Cloud Cult truly are a special band, and you should be sure to check them out, whether it be in concert or on new-fangled digital video disc. To help seal the deal, we’ve got a live video and tour dates for you after the jump.

Continue reading →

music news, san diego, video

Elvis Perkins – “Shampoo” (Video)

Leave a comment

Just in case you’re not yet excited about Elvis Perkins In Dearland’s fast approaching show at M-Theory Music, here’s something to help whet your appetite. It’s Perkins and his band performing “Shampoo”, the opening track off their new album, and they sound terrific. How they’re going to fit the entire band inside the tiny Mission Hills record store remains to be seen, but it should be a blast. Don’t miss it.

music news, san diego

Leonard Cohen to Build a Tower of Song in San Diego

Leave a comment

Leonard Cohen has seen the future, and it is busy. The legendary singer/songwriter/poet/novelist has recently emerged from a fifteen-year absence to embark on a North American tour that includes a stop at San Diego’s Copley Symphony Hall on April 7th.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on March 2nd, and can be bought here. They’re a little on the pricey side, but how often do you get to see a living legend perform?

Mr. Cohen will also bring his songs of love and hate to this year’s Coachella festival, where he’ll be playing alongside Paul McCartney and Morrissey, who are no slouches either. But if you can’t make it to any of his tour dates, you can console yourself with the forthcoming double-CD and DVD set Live In London, set for release on March 31st.

You can also listen to his recent Beacon Theatre performance here, thanks to NPR’s All Songs Considered.

The remarkably active 74-year old has also been making the media rounds lately. The New York Times recently wrote a nice piece about Cohen and the unfortunate circumstances that prompted his new tour, and The New Yorker just published a great new poem of his, which you should read right now.

Tour dates after the jump.
Continue reading →

san diego

Elvis Perkins to Play In-Store Show at M-Theory

Leave a comment

The great Elvis Perkins will be bringing his heartbreaking songs of staggering genius to San Diego on March 15th for an in-store set at M-Theory Music.

Surely you’re wondering why someone who created an album as unrelentingly amazing as 2007’s Ash Wednesday—probably the closest thing the world will ever get to a follow-up to In An Aeroplane Over The Sea—would be playing at the admittedly cool but nevertheless tiny Mission Hills record store.

We’re not exactly sure either, but the answer almost certainly has something to do with Elvis Perkins In Dearland, the singer-songwriter’s forthcoming sophomore album, set for release on March 10th. Those who pre-order it will be treated to an instant 128k stream of the entire album.

The brilliance is set to commence at 4pm, so shake off that hangover, grab a burrito at Santana’s, and head on over. The show is one of Perkins’ first stops on an expansive tour that will take him all over America and Europe before culminating at Bonnaroo. Dates and a stream of “Shampoo” from Elvis Perkins In Dearland after the jump.

Continue reading →