Keeper Keeper - https://www.facebook.com/keeperkeeperpdx
- https://keeperkeeper.bandcamp.com/
Phil Ajjarapu - https://www.facebook.com/philajjarapumusic/
- https://philajjarapu.bandcamp.com/
Go Fever - https://www.facebook.com/gofeverband/
- https://gooofever.bandcamp.com/releases
Free as a bird!
9pm
21+
Slim's
8635 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97203
$8/21+
Long Hallways:
Eclectic and orchestral post-rock that takes you on a journey with a 6-piece multi-instrumental lineup
X SUNS:
Revered Seattle heavy-weights, X Suns are releasing a new 7 inch Vinyl, ‘Strawberry Mansion/Twelve Hours’, recorded with Seattle genius, Matt Bayles (Isis, Mastodon, Minus the Bear)
You May Die in the Desert (Seattle):
Highly energetic and powerful prog/post-rock trio
Violetera:
On Friday, June 9, Abbie Weisenbloom will present San Francisco-based Brazilian Jazz Vocalist Sandy Cressman with pianist Jasnam Daya Singh and trombonist Jeff Cressman in an intimate house concert setting.
Vocalist Cressman, who has recorded with such Latin Jazz fixtures as Ray Obiedo and Pete Escovedo, and has a natural affinity for Brazilian jazz that has been lauded by critics as well as Brazilian composers Filó Machado, Ivan Lins and Dori Caymmi, is on tour in support of her recently released CD "Entre Amigos”.
Cressman’s current tour began in Recife, Brazil, where she and her husband trombonist Jeff Cressman(longtime trombonist with Carlos Santana Band) performed at the Paço do Frevo cultural center, and at mainstage Carnaval events as part of a cultural exchange tour. As founder and leader of Homenagem Brasileira, Cressman has had many opportunities over the last 20-plus years to forge creative partnerships with like-minded musicians from the Bay to Brazil. Her entrancing new album, Entre Amigos, which was released on February 3, marks the culmination of these relationships and is a celebration of her own deep history with the music and the players.
"Entre Amigos" features all original compositions which Cressman wrote in collaboration with friends from the world of Brazilian Jazz, including Antonio Adolfo, Jovino Santos Neto, Spok, Ian Faquini, Ray Obiedo and more.
The Portland show will feature pianist Jasnam Daya Singh, who was born in Rio but has lived in the US since 1987 and is based in Portland. The Latin Grammy Award nominee has toured Europe and Japan playing his own compositions and collaborating with American, European and Brazilian Musicians.
In "World Music Report" (March 22, 2017) Raul da Gama describes "Entre Amigos" as:
"…extraordinary musicians from Brasil and the American West Coast music scene that bring a winning combination of genuine excitement and bustling virtuosity to Entre Amigos. However, it is the radiant lyricism in the voice of Sandy Cressman, complete with the affective whisperings and exhilarating resonances that combine with the poetry of her music that make this recording quite unforgettable."
Thursday, June 8th Join us for a free show with Minden / Super Secret Guests @ 8pm. 21 +
Thursday, June 15th Join us for a free show with Surfs Drugs / Ah Gods @ 8pm. 21 +
Thursday, June 22nd Join us for a free show with Vinyl Williams / Wet Dream @ 8pm. 21 +
Thursday, June 29th Join us for a free show with Riley Geare Trio / Sama Dams Experimental Set @ 8pm. 21 +
ABSTRACT EARTH PROJECT PRESENTS
Wed June 7, 2017 9:00 pm PDT (Doors: 8:00 pm )
Tickets are $18.
ABOUT THE CONCERT
If you’ve been to a Deva Premal & Miten concert before, you know that it’s not a passive event. You don’t just sit down and watch them perform—they encourage you to raise your own voices in song; to meditate; and to connect with a global sangha (or “community”) in ecstatic silence after each song ends.
“In this time…of so much fear,” says Deva Premal, “it’s important to come together in a space of community and meditation and to nourish the love in our hearts.”
Intended to heal and unite all people through meditation, Deva Premal & Miten’s participatory concerts blend elements of folk, rock, reggae, gospel, and blues with New Age soundscapes, Miten’s spiritually-inspiring songs, and Deva Premal’s lovingly rendered mantras from India and Tibet. Her soothing, surround-sound vocals have captivated audiences since she and Miten released their debut album together, The Essence, in 1998.
ABOUT DEVA PREMAL & MITEN
Mantra music superstars Deva Premal & Miten fell in love at an ashram in India and have been sharing sacred music concerts around the world for 25 years. With sales of millions, their albums have attracted accolades from the like of H.H. Dalai Lama, Eckhart Tolle, Tony Robbins, and Cher. Many of the records they’ve recorded together (including Temple at Midnight, Cosmic Connections Live, and The Essence) have rocked the top of the World Music and New Age charts, and the duo have been featured on the BBC, CNN and in Yoga Journal, Om Times, Yoga International, Mantra Magazine, Australian Yoga Life, Yoga Magazine in the UK, and Yoga Journal Germany.
ABOUT BELOVED PRESENTS
Beloved Presents creates healing events in Portland and beyond. “Through art, music, ritual and celebration, our objective is to model a new culture that understands the depth of our connection with each other, to the planet, and to spirit,” explains the event production team.
Beloved Presents’ current programs include two annual events, roughly two dozen Portland-based shows/workshops, and various collaborations with other like-minded organizations. Beloved Presents is most known for the Beloved: Sacred Art & Music Festival, a 4-day, camping, art, education, and music festival on the Oregon coast. Beloved Presents continues to push the boundaries of possibility and to develop unique transformational events that inspire others to face fear and act from power to offer healing for our participants and for our world.
ABOUT WAVVES--
The word 'brat' has followed Nathan Williams around for almost a decade, but at the age of 30, with a fully-fledged business to his name, as well as the ongoing success of band Wavves, his rebellious streak has proven not just purposeful but pretty damn inspiring. The San Diego native knows how to play the system, so when the major labels came knocking a few years ago looking to turn Wavves into the next so-called saviours of radio rock'n'roll, Williams and bassist Stephen Pope made sure they used it to their advantage.
«We were just trying to go to eat at nice places in LA,» he laughs. «There were a few people from majors who would not stop reaching out to us. They were obsessed. They thought we had heat and they needed an edgy big rock band like they used to have in the '90s. Me and Stephen were in our shitty apartments, Googling 'nicest restaurants in LA'. We went to eight or nine dinners. At the end we'd say, 'not interested'.»
When Warners came along and offered them a cash advance too good to refuse, they accepted while being shrewdly aware of what they were getting themselves into. «We still owned all of our shit, which was the most important part for us. For them it was a shot in the dark.» The day to day of being signed to a major, however, was unpredictable and beyond their wildest nightmares. «I figured it would run the same as [prior label] Fat Possum, just with more people. I was wrong.» By the time they were readying to release their second Warners album — 2015's 'V' — shots were fired. Williams released single 'Way Too Much' on Soundcloud before the label had approved it, the label forgot to sign off on the artwork and, in the end, Wavves felt swept under the rug. Ultimately it felt like a career step backwards.
«I'd never come in contact with such a poorly run company in my life,» says Williams. «It was anarchy. Nobody knew what they were doing. Turnover rate was like an American Apparel. It was really all cons — unless you're a cash cow. For everyone else, major labels can't help you. Maybe at one time they could, but that time is dead.» The birds-eye view on Warners' inner mess wound up pushing Williams to legitimize his own business — Ghostramp. «I figured if these idiots could get by, we could do it a hundred times better.»
With that fighting spirit, Williams took back control and realized his own teenage dreams. Today, during a Monday lunchtime hour, he's making time between meetings to talk about forthcoming sixth Wavves record 'You're Welcome' in the stock room at Ghostramp's Chinatown-based LA skate shop. Opening in October 2016, Ghostramp is the physical embodiment of a vision that harks back to before Williams made the first Wavves' albums in his parents' garage. It's a merchandise store, it's a label, it's a tangible community in a time when the digital age has taken the confidence out of physical product. And — what's more — it's working. 'You're Welcome' is the soundtrack to this new lease of freedom. It's Williams' tongue-in-cheek rebirth as a self-released, self-actualized, self-promoting punk kingpin, and despite putting his money where his uncensored mouth is, he's emerged not just unscathed but with the upper hand. «I'm my own boss and that feels great,» he smiles.
In February 2016, months before Ghostramp opened, Williams took himself into producer Dennis Herring's ['King Of The Beach'] studio in Downtown LA, and for the first time since the early records worked regular office hours and almost entirely alone. It was the polar opposite experience to making 2013's 'Afraid Of Heights' record, which took Wavves over a year and was «out of control». «We were so fucked up in the studio — everybody, the producer, the engineer, everyone recording. We'd waste days,» recalls Williams. With this, Williams brought everyone in one at a time, ensuring it was the minimum amount of people possible. That prevented the recording from descending intomidnight oil-burning party sessions.
The album was put together wholly differently from 'V', too, which was recorded live as a band album together with guitarist Alex Gates, drummer Brian Hill and Stephen in the studio. 'You're Welcome' is mostly comprised of Williams' oddball, sample-led brainstorms. He came up with 40 tracks, now whittled down to twelve, fat-free punk zingers. «I'd come up with an idea, fool around with it, have Brian come in and play drums, then figure it out.» A sample nerd, Williams delved into his obsession with 1950s doo-wop and — surprisingly — international folk, including Cambodian pop and '70's psychedelia from South America.
The results make for one of the most diverse and intricate Wavves records yet. 'Come To The Valley' contains a Phil Spector meets Beach Boys '60s High School dance vibe, whereas title track 'You're Welcome' riffs on sound effects that could almost originate from Bizarro World, never mind Cambodia. Some of his ideas ran away with themselves a little too much, as Williams reveals one track was a little too close to Drake's 'Hotline Bling' for comfort. 'Million Enemies' is right in his comfort zone though. Inspired by New York Dolls, Bowie and Gary Glitter, he calls it «the anthem song.» «It's a song for the haters,» he says. The lyrics «I got enemies, a million enemies, living in the streetstonight» are a call-to-arms for anyone whose detractors are out to get them. «I don't have a million enemies,» jokes Williams. «But probably 500,000.»
The biggest shift of all, and the ultimate laying down of the gauntlet to Williams' doubters, is the subject matter. Where 'V' was a «buzzkill» record, all hangovers, lovers' tiffs and depression, 'You're Welcome' is less navel-gazing. It's dealing with matters outside of Williams' own headspace. «I'm tired of writing about myself,» says Williams. «It got boring. On this record I tell more stories, talk about parts of my life from other people's perspective.» 'Stupid In Love' for instance is about a female junkie who lived near him back in San Diego. 'Animal' is his anti-corporate, anti-establishment track. «The whole world covered in gasoline and burning alive/I feel taken advantage of and empty inside» go the lyrics.
On their last tour, Wavves banned members of the audience, including homophobes, anti-abortionists, racists, and Trump supporters. Ghostramp's website is currently donating to the likes of ACLU, Planned Parenthood and National Immigration Law Center. On 'You're Welcome' too, it seems Williams has decided to get political, particularly on the song 'Exercise', with its lyrics «dancing while the world is burning down… I can't believe the shit they feed to us/They're lying to our face.»
«I never thought I'd write a song like that,» says Williams. «I don't know if it's because I'm older or because shit got so fucked up and crazy but at this point now you shouldn't be worried to say something. I wanna make it very clear what side I'm on. If you're quiet about it because you don't wanna upset some of your fanbase, then that's part of your fanbase you need to weed out.»
There's also — finally — a love song, called 'I Love You' that lays Williams' emotions bare unashamedly for the first time. Perhaps too, a sign of maturity. «It's just a love song,» he says. «I'd always skirt around feelings and find different ways of saying things unless I was literally saying, 'I'm depressed.'»
Offering a tour around Ghostramp's store, Williams explains that they're already looking to expand and move into a bigger space next door this year. Back in 2013, he put out Wavves' 'Life Sux' EP by himself. It was too much of a headache and he realized he needed to build a team of capable friends. Now that team runs this daily operation, proving that DIY and business savvy can be bedfellows. It's still hilarious to Williams that even in the early days, people would chastise him for «selling out». «Did people think that when I'm 45 I'd still be recording records in my mom's basement? Being an entrepreneur, having a hold over your own business, being able to employ your friends and create not just a place for fans but for other people to share their ideas too is so cool.»
Via Ghostramp, Williams isn't just putting out Wavves' new record, he's signing other local garage bands, funding his tours, schooling DIY artists in how to create and distribute merchandise in a way that supports your career and provides future security where nobody else can. As for Warners, that cash advance helped pay for this store. The rest came from the money Wavves made off merch during 2016's Summer Is Forever II Tour with Best Coast and Cherry Glazerr. «I thought Ghostramp would be a hobby, doing 7-inches here and there. But now it's a legitimate business,» says Williams. «The thing is I'm not just interested in making music for Wavves. I'm too ADD. Being an entrepreneur, being hands-on isn't just smart, it's necessary. Your art is everything you do, every choice you make. I was able to build my own thing, own it and control it all 100%. If I want to do something now I don't ask anyone. I just fucking do it — that's priceless.»
Nathan Williams never went away, but now he's made sure he's here to stay far longer. And for that, girls and boys, you're welcome.
ABOUT KINO KIMINO--
«The music on Bait Is for Sissies is always well-produced and holds your attention. If you are a sissy, that's your bait. Everyone playing on the album and Talon herself have loads of indie credibility, especially on the furious drums that sound like caffeinated chopsticks...»
-Paste Magazine
«Talon brings a weird, feisty angst to her brand of shoegaze, and the first foray into the album has plenty of it. Rhythmic guitar strums and quick-hitting drum rolls liven Talon's deadpan delivery»
-Stereogum
«Get ready to feel fighty and full of it. Full of life, full of fury, full of wanting to never compromise. The scuzzy distortion on the guitars, the rolling drums, and Kino Kimino's sharply angled vocals all smack of jittery dissatisfaction and 90s musical tropes.»
-Noisey (VICE)
«Let's get the record straight: with Bait is for Sissies, Kino Kimino have produced a stellar album that negates its new-born debut status. Fraught with emotion from start to finish, fine musicianship and the songwriting talent of front woman Kim Talon are added to the whiteboard to create an explosion of punk pop carnival colours.»
-Drunken Werewolf
«Kino Kimino, the whimsical quirky brainchild of punk eccentric Kim Talon (with contributions from Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth), is mostly known for sweet-and-sour rock with matching quirky art-student-esque videos.»
-SPIN
ABOUT SO STRESSED--
So Stressed is a noisy rock and roll band from Sacramento, CA. It is made up of three members, Morgan Fox, Kenneth Draper, and Andrew Garcia.
Album Release party celebrating Jared Mees' new release "Life is Long"
JARED MEES (ALBUM RELEASE)
THE DOMESTICS, NEW MOVE
June 4th, 2017
Doors: 8:00 pm / Show: 9:00 pm
$10.00 - $12.00
This event is 21 and over
THE DOMESTICS
What separates The Domestics from the escapism of so many other indie pop acts is the fearlessness with which Michael Finn and Leo London confront their own pain. London’s birth parents both battled with drug addiction in his early childhood before he was adopted by his grandparents at the age of two. Finn’s trials came later on, struggling with health issues, depression and dependency in his early adult years. Writing in the aftermath of infidelity, mental illness, substance abuse and child abuse, Finn and London have wrought songs as moving as they are catchy and as honest as they are loud. What The Domestics provide that so many other bands do not is something which all listeners can relate to: vulnerability.
Long before they decided to join forces as The Domestics, Finn and London each spent years honing their craft as individual songwriters. After moving to Portland in the summer of 2013 after over a decade of writing and performing under his own name in Eugene, London found himself tracking piano for Finn at Flora Recording and Playback, studio of Grammy-Nominated producer Tucker Martine where Finn works as an assistant engineer alongside artists like My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists, Modest Mouse, Neko Case, and Sufjan Stevens. This first studio collaboration began a relationship which would eventually lead to the combination of Finn and London’s respective solo projects and to the recording of their first record over 15 days in the spring of 2014.
Less than a year after assembling a live band, The Domestics have triumphantly emerged as one of Portland’s most promising new acts. Their energetic live shows, as well as the strength of their forthcoming debut record have garnered them a dedicated fan base and maelstrom of critical attention.
The Domestics are: Michael Finn, Leo London, Kyle Moderhak, Matt Moore, and Brad Norton.
NEW MOVE
New Move is an independent American classic pop quintet from Portland, Oregon, formed in 2012 by producer & songwriter Jesse Bettis. Over the years, New Move’s compelling live show has brought them to the forefront of Portland’s music scene. The band's work blends elements of dark doo-wop, glam, psychedelia and R&B. And they are known for infusing their pop sound with a distinct modern sensibility.
http://www.dougfirlounge.com/event/1469598-jared-mees-album-release-port...
OK LADIES...
Let’s get in formation for Portland Monthly's fun 5K run/walk/roll to honor the bold women reshaping Oregon. We'll work up a sweat...and then work together to empower the women and nonprofits in our community. Following the 5K, our Woman Up! after-party will celebrate what it means to persist, create, thrive, build, and move like a girl—complete with breakfast cocktails, brunch bites, and massages, of course. Everyone is welcome!* #womanuppdx #oregonwoman
EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GIRLS
To continue empowering the next generation of Oregon women, a portion of the event proceeds will be donated to Girls, Inc., the organization inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Girls, Inc. provides life-changing after school programs and experiences that help girls, ages 6-18, grow up to be healthy, educated, and independent.
STAND UP, STEP UP, WOMAN UP, AND JOIN US
Date: Sunday, June 4, 2017
Location: Sellwood Riverfront Park
Time: Registration: 8am | 5K - 9am | Party 9:30am - 1pm
Cost: 5K + T-Shirt: $25 | 17 & Under 5K - Free | Party - Free
Merchandise
Merchandise is a band fighting against the easy categorization reserved for abbreviated biographies. The project is equal parts punk misanthropy, maudlin balladeering, fine art, low humor, classical study, psychedelic spacecasing, mad science and pop genius.
Formed as a trio in Tampa, Florida in 2008, the band has undergone ceaseless revision and reinvention. After putting out numerous records and tapes on independent punk labels and touring the underground, the band truly hit its stride with the release of their second LP “Children of Desire” in April 2012. In addition to a very warm reception from fans, the record received praise from the likes of Pitchfork, NME, Spin, and numerous other critics and journals.
2013 saw the band releasing a new 12″ on Iowa City’s excellent Night People label and touring extensively throughout America and Europe.
In 2014, Merchandise released their album 'After The End'.
B Boys
Three psychos that came to be through fate by way of necessity, B Boys offer up to the world their sonic manifesto, No Worry No Mind. A relief from the mania, an expression of duality, an extension of Dadaism.
Born in different times from alternate altered states, these B's convene on the astral plane, channeling the individual experience and wisdom from their respective points of origin into a singular entity. Abstraction takes a triangular form: vibrant guitar melodies, undulating bass lines, deep swirling grooves. Sounds that transcend a linear timeline, splintering out across multiple spectrums. Interlocking vocals skillfully bob and weave overtop, their mantras resounding. But don't be fooled, they're just like anyone else — they put their chinos on one leg at a time.
You've got something growing out your neck, my friend. Are you willing to hear its call? Open your Self to the frequencies and let the vibrations illuminate your being.
Rascal Miles opens around 9 pm.
https://whenwemet.bandcamp.com/
http://www.avalanchelily.com/
21+ / FREE
Slim's
8635 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97203
In 2015, Premier & BADDER; Brady Watt (Bass), Lenny “The Ox” Reece (Drums), Takuya Kuroda (Horns/Keys), and Mark Williams (Trombone/Keys) hit Japan for a national tour and premiered their first studio track and video with Rolling Stone.
With DJ Premier behind the turntables, mixer, and laptop, the band jammed out grooves, ranging from more obscure Preemo productions (Ill Bill, Skyzoo & Torae) to rarely performed relics (Jeru The Damaja, Lord Finesse), to hip-hop influencers (Curtis Mayfield). Now, that same energy, chemistry, and historic extension of DJ Premier’s career will be on full display for 18-new cities.
The five-piece band improvises, often providing some nuances that varies sets from night to night. Having the band not only affords Premier the ability to honor cult-championed songs, but he showcases the musicality of Rap. “My addiction is turntables, drum machines, guitars, amps, and a lot of speakers,” Preem admits. “I have fun doing a whole bunch of different styles with the band, because they fall into place so well, with everything that we’ve brought into the picture, no matter what it is.”
Gang Starr is a backbone of the show. Honoring his longtime partner Guru, DJ Premier continues to wave the flag. “I miss that dude so much, and we have a long and undeniable track record,” says Premier. The new tour and expanded tour dates will enable Premier and BADDER to play deeper cuts from the legendary duo, including the poignant Hard To Earn gem “Mostly The Voice.” While the fan favorites and hits are woven in, the sets allow deeper consideration. “I get to do rare Gang Starr records, not just ‘Mass Appeal,’ and it works.”
Approaching 30 years crafting hip-hop’s soundtrack, DJ Premier is invigorated through his band-mates. “I have to still preserve the sound of the city. Especially coming from Texas, that was my goal to gain acceptance in New York City, and I did that before money or tours.”
A quarter century since his debut album, one of hip-hop’s unanimously heralded “nice guys” remains as fierce as ever with his craft. With his expansive listening tastes, Preemo has been a critical bridge in Rap’s generation gap. He curates and provides the yearly BET Awards Cyphers, which have included Premier supporters ranging from Eminem and Kendrick Lamar to Joey Bada$$ and A$AP Mob and he also oversees and curates the music for the wildly successful NBA2K video game. In addition, Premier currently directs the score and serves as executive music producer for VH1’s original hip-hop series, The Breaks, which received rave reviews and tremendous ratings.
In addition to ongoing rumors of a potential full album with Nas and his own blockbuster debut album Preemo will be deeply active in upcoming projects from some of his closest associates and longtime collaborators; including Compton O.G. MC Eiht (Premier produced 4 tracks and executive produced Eiht’s forthcoming Which Way Iz West) and is also finalizing the debut project, Flow Riiot, from the latest addition to his roster—Torii Wolf—and the second installment for his collaborative group effort with Royce Da 5’9” (otherwise known as PRhyme).
After turning heads at Pickathon 2014, Memphis-hailing singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Valerie June brings her soulful blend of folk, blues, and gospel back to Portland for a headlining show in support of her new album, The Order of Time.
$16 General Admission
$20 Day of Show
$28 VIP (seating in the first five rows in the center section - available in advance only)
The Back Fence PDX: MAINSTAGE show has been playing to packed good-looking audiences since 2008. The evening features local and out of town storytellers telling true personal tales based on the night’s theme. Former storytellers range from a blood-spatter expert, a pet photographer, a park ranger, funeral director, a former Scientologist, to scientists and doctors, to New York Times best-selling authors, film actors/writers/directors, and people we’ve met on the street. MAINSTAGE stories have never been told publicly. In some cases, not even to significant others.
21+, $8
Epic local bill of up-and-coming experimental rock talents!
Møtrik
Mothertapes
DAN DAN
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MOTRIK
https://motrik.bandcamp.com/
The beat is in 4/4 time and of moderate pace. The pattern is repeated each bar throughout the song. A splash or crash cymbal is often hit at the beginning bar of a verse or chorus.
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MOTHERTAPES
https://www.mothertapesmusic.com/
At the heart of Mothertapes' music lies vivid melodic themes, heavy beats, and lush layers of programmed and live-looped instrumentation wrapped around intense guitar hooks and vocals. A live Mothertapes performance is an impressive show of workmanship in which Pete Bosack and Tommy Franzen build each song from the ground up, creating the sonic footprint of a much larger band. Rather than ceding control to the bloodless clockwork of sequenced loops, the band breathes life into the technology, eliciting an elastic, dynamic quality that has drawn the admiration of critics and earned the band a loyal following.
The creative collaboration of Pete Bosack and Tommy Franzen is entering its second decade. From the beginning, they recognized in each other an experimental spirit and strong sense of purpose rooted in a commitment to precision and musicianship. Their early garage jams led to the formation of their first band, Wax Fingers, and a debut album soon followed.
When Wax Fingers lost their bassist and, eventually, their second guitarist, Bosack and Franzen were back at a square one. Instead of recruiting new members, they chose to wipe the slate clean and double down on their original partnership, determined to fully realize its promise. They launched a new two-man band, Mothertapes, and began working on all-new material that would push their unique, progressive pop sound to new heights.
Astute listeners will notice the influence of artists as varied as Animal Collective, Radiohead,Matmos, St. Vincent, Battles, and Maps and Atlases. But such comparisons serve only as reference points for this thoroughly original duo. After ten years of collaboration, Bosack and Franzen regard Mothertapes as the culmination of their work together, a breakthrough project resulting in forward-looking music that is both artistically ambitious and highly accessible.
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DAN DAN
A trio consisting of spacey, densely-layered synth riffs accompanied by live drums, Dan Dan has been called 'soundtrack-y prog' or 'ambient jam synth' among other things. With a wide variety of influences, Dan Dan manages to forge a sound somewhere between the robotic and the psychedelic while keeping a high level of energy.
Jackson Phillips understands the value of proper headspace. The California based vocalist/multi-instrumentalist behind Day Wave has a knack for carving out room for his talents to grow, both in his life and in his music. Trained as a jazz drummer in his youth, Phillips studied the instrument at the esteemed Berklee College of Music before switching gears to learn production and recording. Infused with a new sense of sonic understanding, he began to focus on songwriting, and learned to dial back the complex scholastic headiness of sound in favor of a more honed in, precise, and felt outlet. The result is Day Wave’s unique brand of euphoric purity.
A truly evolutionary solo project, Day Wave’s music is earnest, guitar-based dream pop with electronic undertones, propelled by Phillips’s self-dissecting lyrics and knack for melancholy melody. Reminiscent of The Postal Service, Real Estate, DIIV, Nada Surf, more, its origin as a lo-fi emotional exercise has expanded to a tighter, better realized production while maintaining its stripped back aesthetic. But Day Wave is not emo, to be sure: it’s just honest.
“The main idea with the music is to grow, sonically and in every way, and that’s kind of why it started out small and lo-fi—so there was room to grow,” Phillips says. “I wanted to give myself headroom so the future projects could be taken somewhere.”
Following his time in Boston at Berklee, the 27-year-old Phillips, a native of Northern California’s Marin County, spent some time in New York and Los Angeles before moving to Oakland and starting Day Wave in the summer of 2014. He bought his first guitar and a drum machine and began looking at music from the perspective of a songwriter, as opposed to that of a specialist, with the aim of simplification foremost in his mind. At times overwhelmed by the limitless scope of music software and machines, Phillips found the new approach medicinal.
“You can lose the music when you get so caught up in all the technology,” he says. “I was kind of burnt out and I wanted to approach it from a different angle. I was only using synthesizers, still new to everything beyond just being a drummer. I was doing the same thing over and over again. I kind of boxed myself into this one way of creating songs, so I bought a guitar to simplify things.”
He finished his first batch of songs in November of 2014, eventually self-releasing an EP called Headcase. He called the project Day Wave as a nod to what the finished music sounded like, and slowly started to pick up buzz on Soundcloud and from blogs. Empowered by the act of creating music with only himself to please, Phillips flourished.
“I was just trying to make something that I really liked,” he says. “I think in the previous years I wasn’t confident and was second-guessing myself because I’d never made songs before. With Day Wave, I went back to my 15-year-old self, who was just listening to tons of Pink Floyd and prog rock. ‘This is what I think is cool. Who cares if anyone else likes it?’”
Headcase, with the help of its catchy debut single “Drag” that was premiered in April 2015 by influential LA radio station KCRW, gathered acclaim throughout that year. Sirius Alt Nation and XMU, Beats 1, and Morning Becomes Eclectic got behind the track, helping Day Wave earn over three million cumulative plays online. In between touring with the likes of Albert Hammond Jr. and Blonde Redhead, Phillips penned his second EP, Hard To Read, culminating with a European tour and headlining stint in the US.
Now, Day Wave is working on its debut full-length album, to be release in 2017 by Harvest Records. Although Phillips has proven to be his own best critic and driving engine, he has enlisted the help of Mark Ranken, the celebrated engineer known for his work with Paul Epworth (Adele, Bloc Party, Queens of the Stone Age), to help give his music a sonic step-up in order to properly begin to fill its unlimited headspace and potential.
“Day Wave’s sound is very pop at its core, so I think it could appeal to a lot of people,” Phillips says. “I’m not trying to do that as much as I am making the music the way I’d naturally make it, and it would be cool if the project could just grow. That was always the goal: To have it build slowly over time. If you want to do it right, you’ve got to do it over time. I want to get more comfortable with every step.”
Their sophomore album Write In will be released on April 7th through Bar/None in US. The record was recorded in the band’s own studio above a now-abandoned bookshop, then finished and mixed with Adam Lasus at his LA home studio. It features artwork from the band’s own Jon EE Allan. Write In sets its stall out as an outward looking, inventive, and thoughtful progression from their debut. Drawing on an array of influences including Roxy Music, The Beach Boys, Randy Newman, Sonic Youth, Big Star and Pierre Cavalli, the direction is best summed up by Jon EE Allan; “I’d like to think this record looks outside the little American alt-rock sphere we were looking in on. I think we used to be very afraid of being earnest. And now we’re able to be tender or heartfelt without feeling too guilty about it. This record cost us about £500 to make, and that was mainly spent on an 8 track tape recorder and a dehumidifier. We self-produced it in our studio [the affectionately named 'Jelly Boy Studios', where the band also recorded their debut, 'Weird Little Birthday']. The building's being redeveloped at the end of the year, so this is the last record we'll make there, which feels like the end of a chapter for us.”
Ahead of the album release, new UK single “Falling Down” now has an official video, a disorientating and retro 7-minute spectacle, as guitarist Benji Compston explains; “A friend of ours manages a cinema (shoutout Nyla!) and she gets free use of it every Monday night when the public have left. We showed up at midnight with an old TV and some musical equipment and a vague plan to shoot a Spiegel Im Spiegel effect with the cinema screens. Special credit should probably also go to the coffee machine.”
Happyness will be playing SXSW and have announced an extra US date ahead of a full North American headline tour in the Spring. Benji says, “These shows are our first US dates for a while now, and for the first time we'll have two albums to play from so we're looking forward to it a lot. We've got a lot of expensive ideas for stage props that we probably won't be able to realize by then.”
AAN
Aan is a four piece experimental pop project exploring tone and texture through the guise of a rock outfit. Bud Wilson has been writing and recording under this moniker for over seven years, though its first proper LP was released in February of 2014 (Amor Ad Nauseum). Live, the band exhumes a catharsis that feels almost tangible, reworking and deconstructing the recorded material to form a sort of hyper version of its template.
The current lineup of musicians includes Lane Barrington of the electronic project Machinedrum hammering out distracted rhythms while bassist Travis Leipzig roots the groove with wobbling, repetitive riffs. Gabriel Nardin plays guitar and key lines in tandem with Bud's meandering leads, creating something akin to Weezer filtered through side A of Tago Mago or Faust IV.
The band has shared the stage with myriad indie stalwarts and garnered national praise for both their music and videos. The enthusiasm to create new sounding music has never been stronger for the group and 2015 looks to produce another LP of original, forward thinking sounds.
Rodriguez, the legendary singer-songwriter known only by his surname, is a self-taught guitarist. He began performing in bars and clubs around the city of Detroit in the 1960s, as the city suffered post-industrial urban decay. It was there that he recorded two studio albums, Cold Fact in 1969 and Coming from Reality in 1971. These compositions went unnoticed in the U.S. and Rodriguez eventually turned his efforts elsewhere, earning a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Wayne State University, running for political office and working construction and factory jobs to support his family.
In the mid-1970s, his music gained airplay in Australia and New Zealand and he toured the area finding limited success as an overseas performer.
Rodriguez was unaware that he had reached legendary folk-rock super stardom status in South Africa, where mistaken rumors circulated that he had perished. As it turns out, South African anti-Apartheid activists and musicians alike were inspired by his counterculture lyrics.
In the late 1990s, South African fans finally sought him out, leading to the unanticipated renaissance of his music career. Their story is told in the 2012 Oscar award-winning documentary, Searching for Sugar Man, which has given Rodríguez a new measure of fame in the U.S. and his music is now reaching audiences worldwide.
Rodriguez now tours extensively in South Africa, Australia, Europe, and the U.S., where he takes thoughtful appreciation in greeting longtime fans, and a new generation of listeners who find common ground in his music. His albums, Cold Fact and Coming from Reality have since been re-released on Light in the Attic records and the Searching for Sugar Man soundtrack is available on Sony Legacy. International media attention and accolades have since been bestowed upon both the film and the music.
He has perhaps one of the most unique true stories of fleeting fame finally realized. Rodriguez is enjoying the collective heartfelt dream of a musician, beating the odds and finding a place in music history. With a music career that has withstood the test of time; the story of Rodriguez is one of sweet success.
Digable Planets
8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show
All ages welcome
$29.50 advance, $32 day of show (VIP tickets available)
Digable Planets
Alternative hip-hop trio, Mary Ann "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira, Craig "Doodlebug" Irving and Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler have reunited! Their debut album Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) in 1993 featured crossover hit, "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" earning a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. That, plus Blowout Comb in 1994, are both hip-hop classics. It's finally time for a Digable Planets reunion and fans are ready. Reunited and it feels sooo good!
A tribute to director Jonathan Demme (1944-2017).
Sonic Cinema presents STOP MAKING SENSE (1984). Jonathan Demme captures the frantic energy of Talking Heads in this concert movie shot at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in 1983. The band's frontman, David Byrne, first appears on an empty stage, armed with only an acoustic guitar, and is gradually joined by bassist Tina Weymouth, drummer Chris Frantz, keyboardist Jerry Harrison and a cadre of backup singers as they perform the band's hits, culminating in an iconic performance featuring Byrne in an enormous suit.
Sponsored by XRAY FM, Music Millennium and Lagunitas Brewing.
Passes Accepted: Guest Pass and Member Guest Pass.