SHOW OF THE MONTH

Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival
Various Venues
San Francisco, CA
May 10-20, 2007

The Mission Creek Music and Arts Festival returned to San Francisco in May, continuing its 11-year tradition of introducing the city to the best independent music from near and far. On day two of the festival, Calling All Monsters' lead singer Bill Chartier kicked off the night by sharing a French fry with an audience member at Café du Nord. And that was just the beginning. From Calling All Monsters' furrowing bass and barking choruses to the gleaming indie rock of Vedera, the line-up ran the gamut. '90s veterans Track Star were clearly the night's stand-out though, as they blazed through a set full of attractively abrasive, though sometimes repetitive grooves.

The following night at 12 Galaxies, Seattle duo Head Like a Kite sampled sounds from old Super 8 movies to create the framework for its songs, building on them with catchy drumbeats and guitar melodies, all while projecting samples of the home movies onto a screen for the audience to see. Then punk/metal trio The Fucking Ocean took the floor (literally, among the audience) and put on a fast-paced, upbeat performance with each member taking turns on every instrument and lead vocals. Yet when local San Francisco act Lemonade graced the stage, it was clear the evening belonged to them - their infectious trance dance beats had the whole venue moving and shaking. Wrapping up the show was Black Fiction, whose lead vocalist Tim Cohen donned a gorilla mask that gave a haunting, echo-like quality to the band's mostly mellow compositions.

Meanwhile at Bottom of the Hill, the privilege of opening a bill of cosmic resonance was given to Triclops, a spirited Bay Area four-piece that created an aggressive interplay between angular dissonance and emotive space. A lysergic atmosphere really began to settle once Santa Cruz four-piece Mammatus took the stage, complete with flowing robes, warped staves and their very own half-naked wizard, Zach Friend. The crowd became enraptured as if frozen in time by psychedelic shredding, which came forth en masse in an expansively primal fashion. True to their ear-splitting reputation, Japanese psych godparents Acid Mothers Temple wove a heavy mesh of outer-reaching exploration riddled with bent circuits and stray frequencies.

Monday night at the Make-Out Room was devoted to technology and minimalism. With the exception of Pillows, the night was all laptops and one- or two-man bands. Ellul combined manicured laptop sampling with electric guitar, keyboards and vocals. The continued need to click here or tweak a knob there led to a quiet, contemplative show. Roman Ruins' Graham Hill focused on the lyrics and his guitar, though he also had laptop backup to add another dimension.

At The Independent on Saturday night, indomitably cheery L.A. chanteuse Becky Stark was leading her "cavalry of light" - Lavender Diamond - through a wide-eyed blitz. The result was equal parts tent revival, junior sing-along and moonlit forest gathering. Stark's gossamer dress and elfin locks swayed in time with her ballet-like hand gestures, and the subdued support of her band only highlighted the determined fragility of her songbird voice.

Meanwhile, with characteristic flair, Oakland folk rockers Port O'Brien bid farewell to the Bay Area for the summer (to be spent working in Alaska) with a powerful set at the Hemlock Tavern in support of ex-Slint bassist Ethan Buckler's whimsical outfit King Kong. Building on the earthy charisma of frontman Van Pierszalowski, Port O'Brien's set began with the intimate energy of a campfire sing-along and roared into a raging bonfire by the end. In fact, the band started and finished with the same song, "I Woke Up Today," which wore both a clandestine and cathartic face.

MCMAF ended with new beginnings, as Or, the Whale celebrated their CD release show at Café du Nord on Sunday night. Sauntering out the gates with the smoldering "Crack Me a Smile," the seven-piece had the crowd not only captivated, but also hootin' and hollerin' up a storm in no time.

Both MCMAF and the bands that played it undoubtedly delivered, giving festival-goers plenty of new favorites to last them through the year.

-Review by Allison Foley, Katherine Hoffert, Andres Jauregui, Andrew Kersey, Kyle Lemmon, Nicole Sheikh and Geoff Shiner; photos by Kyle Lemmon, Nicole Sheikh and Jennie Simmons

Blue Scholars / Black Anger / Kidz in the Hall
The Showbox
Seattle, WA
May 11, 2007

With a big ol' bag of new tricks and two supreme supporting acts, the Blue Scholars album release show at The Showbox exhibited a band hitting its stride and ready for national exposure. It was an evening that highlighted the success that Massline - the Scholars' music co-op - has had over the last five years, and reveled in the new relationship formed with indie hip-hop giant Rawkus Records.

Chicago duo Kidz in the Hall (also on Rawkus) kicked things off with a set of hard soul beats and Pharcyde-esque lyricism. The Kidz featured an abundance of call and response lyrics, which on more than one occasion had the entire crowd chanting along with them. Especially notable was the "cover" of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," which even the hip-hop happy crowd was quick to recognize and revel in.
Next on the list were local legends Black Anger.

There was an obvious generation gap between the predominantly high school-aged crowd and the rappers in their mid to late thirties. These guys have been around the block more than once and attempted to impart their experience through a mix of KRS-One inspired tunes and an energetic stage routine. Obviously a predecessor to Blue Scholars, their positive message and knowledge of Seattle's rap history held the audience despite the years between them.

After showing a collection of music videos from their friends, Blue Scholars took the stage with a simple Baha'i prayer, a solemn chant that DJ Sabzi meditated upon before morphing it into a hot new cut from Bayani, the album being celebrated. After a few quick tunes from the new album, the group took a short break and added nine musicians to the stage.

With Sabzi now playing keys, and the beats being performed by horn and guitar sections, MC Geologic was able to spit his flow over an organic rhythm that - even more so than their stellar albums - got the feet-a-dancing.
Unlike many acts that use a horn section live, the Scholars were able to effortlessly transpose the sampled sound on the record into the bopping, grooving sound of trumpets and saxophones. It made even more apparent the subtle skill of Geologic, whose lyrics of revolution and peace infused the crowd with a positive glow.

In what amounted to a homecoming show, Blue Scholars emphatically took their place as the preeminent hip-hop group in Seattle, glad to carry the torch for a scene overlooked since Sir Mix-a-Lot, and ready to bring the rhymes of the Northwest some national attention.

-Review by Rob Bergquist; photo by Fel Pajimula

Great Northern / Twilight Sleep / The Movies
The Echo
Los Angeles, CA
May 15, 2007

In mid-May, The Echo hosted the Eenie Meenie Records release party for Trading Twilight for Daylight, the debut full-length from L.A.'s Great Northern. The show was a triple bill, with fellow Angeleno bands Twilight Sleep and The Movies in support.
Duo Twilight Sleep features singer Tracy Marcellino backed by producer Raj Lathigara's vintage synthesizers and various electronics.

They added bass and drums for their five-song set, a move that complemented their signature sound: plaintive Bjork-like singing and outer space keys, mixed in a minor register. Marcellino's voice was breathy, bolstered by interesting drum breaks, heavy, echoey bass lines, and electric guitar.

The Movies are a five-piece with a theatrical streak. Their segment was well received, with strong vocals and very pretty songs. Touches of an early '80s sensibility were sprinkled here and there, cued from the romantic new wave strain of Sons and Fascination-era Simple Minds. The band's name is appropriate - some of its tunes have a dramatic flair that would fit well in a movie soundtrack. Strong bass and guitar played in tight formation built a solid foundation that grounded the energetic set.
Great Northern are a Silver Lake quartet with a unique sound.

With songs written by Solon Bixler (vocals and guitar, formerly of 30 Seconds to Mars and Earlimart), developed by Bixler and Rachel Stolte (vocals, keyboards), and realized with the addition of Ashley Dzerigian (bass) and Davey Latter (drums), the band has delivered a worthy debut, and backed it up on this night with a great live show. The band's in-person sound was deep and textured and captured the feel of the album while adding the nuances that only a live performance can bring.

All four members had stage presence to spare, and worked compatibly and comfortably together. Latter, also known locally for champion surfing, is an excellent drummer, highly athletic in his attack. Dzerigian, deceptively delicate-looking, was equally enthusiastic on her bass. Stolte's silky alto and confident keyboards meshed beautifully with Bixler's sensitive singing and infectious playing. The visual presentation was just as cohesive. The stage backdrop continued the thematic flow of the album art, linking everything into a coherent whole.

Great Northern played a full set, covering most of its recorded material. They opened with the graceful "Just a Dream," continued with the more forceful "Telling Lies," and hit a stride midway through with the heartfelt "A Sun A Sound" and the anthemic "Home." They closed the show with the vigorous numbers "The Middle" and "Into the Sun," ending on a high note.

-Review by Susan Brooks; photo by Melissa Kobe

The Builders and the Butchers / Loch Lomond / Heroes and Villains
Doug Fir Lounge
Portland, OR
May 5, 2007

The open access the world has to music is not only stretching the tastes of fans, but is also having an effect on booking agents and promoters around the country. The recent trifecta of The Builders and the Butchers' dark, aggressive country musings, the gorgeous strains of Loch Lomond's crystalline songs of sorrow, and the new-wave-mixed-with-show-tunes reach of Heroes and Villains hints that both the booker of Portland's Doug Fir Lounge and the bands playing together are getting more adventurous when putting a concert together.

Although the headliners of the show were Heroes and Villains, the crowd reception for The Builders and the Butchers made it feel like the show was booked in reverse order. All throughout their set, the sextet's legion of fans huddled near the front of the stage, pumping their fists, dancing and hollering along to every word out of frontman Ryan Sollee's strained vocal chords.

The band, as ever, fed off the energy of the rambunctious crowd, pounding at their instruments with ever-growing vigor (especially the two percussionists, who wailed mightily on their ramshackle assortment of drums).

Headliners Heroes and Villains, all stylishly dressed in smart black outfits, gamely tried to maintain that same type of energy, but their herky-jerky pop demanded a lot more precision and the set lost a fair amount of momentum because of the fact. But what they lost in energy, they more than made up for with brilliant musicianship.

Singer/guitarist Maranda Dabel and guitarist Adam Raitano traded off sinuous guitar lines with ease and precision as they bounced around the stage and their secret weapon, drummer Scott Magee, danced on a tightrope as he evoked a marching band, jazz and rock drummer simultaneously.

It was the middle act, however, that brought a literal hush to (and even some tears to the eyes of) the crowd at the Doug Fir. Although the band's line-up is constantly in flux, Loch Lomond never sounded more together, more lush, nor more achingly beautiful than they did during this performance.

Much of the credit must be given to the wise choice of musicians that songwriter/singer/guitarist Ritchie Young brought on stage with him that night, including multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick (who moved between drums, violin, bass and a bowed saw), viola player Amanda Lawrence and pianist Laurel Simmons. Each added just the right amount of texture to Young's melancholic odes to lost innocence and lost love. As well, each member of the band contributed their voices to the songs, adding heart-wrenching harmonies to Young's wavering soprano, and cutting straight to the emotional core of the night.

-Review by Bob Ham

Sea Wolf / The Bird and the Bee / The Little Ones
The EchoPlex
Silver Lake, CA
May 4, 2007

As part of the 2007 Silver Lake Film Festival, rising stars in the local indie music circuit - Sea Wolf, The Bird and the Bee, and The Little Ones - shared the stage at L.A.'s newest venue, The EchoPlex, for a light-hearted night of pop.

Formerly a member of Irving, Alex Church has found a captive audience with his new band, Sea Wolf. On record, the band's soft, layered harmonies are reminiscent of Elliott Smith, but in the live setting they had more of a rocking element, exhibited by such bands as The Decemberists. Church has an undeniable Nico quality to his voice, which meshed well with the orchestral characteristic provided by his bandmates. "You're a Wolf" - which has taken a liking to radio airplay - and "Black Dirt" were the audience grabbers of the evening. Overall, Sea Wolf's set was peaceful and serene, and made for a lot of head-bobbing and smiling.

The Bird and the Bee followed with a set inspired by '60s-era rock. The members of The Bird and the Bee looked as though they'd just stepped out of Gidgit. Their sound was a cross between the electronically experimental Brit duo PSAPP and Frou Frou's Imogen Heap. Singer Inara George's voice had a chanteuse quality that when coupled with soft electro beats, stylish piano and an unusual emphasis on the xylophone, offered a bouncy, sexy sound. In the spirit of the festival, it was easy to imagine this band playing the soundtrack to one of the films as well.

The evening culminated with a sharp performance by The Little Ones, a band headed straight to stardom. Their music is catchy and their energy is a force not to be reckoned with. From instrument switches to rocking out the cowbell, The Little Ones demonstrated that they are true performers who not only have magnetic chemistry on stage, but also can consistently win over crowds. The Little Ones describe their sound as "Tiki shacks, lobster, thought bubbles, winks, juggling, laughter, games of laser tag, chocolate, burritos and smiles," and their live set surprisingly managed to bring each of those images to life.

Filled with chill, happy music and plenty of opportunities for dancing, the night's bill was the perfect cathartic break from film watching.

-Review by Jen Tartaglione; photo by Steve Frackman

Meat Puppets / Trainwreck Riders / Kirkwood-Dellinger
The Independent
San Francisco, CA
May 16, 2007

With each band that took the stage, Wednesday night at The Independent got more and more exciting. Elmo Kirkwood - son of Meat Puppets frontman Curt Kirkwood - opened the show with his band Kirkwood-Dellinger, and started off the evening with long, drawn-out, experimental songs. Partway through the set, the band made an unexpected instrument switch, placing Kirkwood on drums instead of guitar. This change offered an interesting look at his promising versatility as a musician, and really highlighted the tight dynamics within the band.

San Francisco's Trainwreck Riders took the stage next, starting off slowly, yet holding the audience's attention from the start. Around mid-set, faster, more danceable songs replaced unhurried, tuneful ballads and Trainwreck Riders really hit the ground running. They were able to glide through these transitions effortlessly, building momentum expertly.

With expressive stage antics and heartfelt vocals, the band appeared to relish in the different qualities of each song. Trainwreck Riders' rhythm section was especially strong, and their guitars provided a nice, frenzied overlay. The band members also had a great interchange with each another on stage, completely winning over the crowd. Despite the fact that they played to a packed house, it seemed obvious that the Riders would have put the same effort into a performance for an audience of five. Their set concluded in such a climax that it seemed more like the end of the show than the middle.

Touring together for the first time in 11 years, Kirkwood brothers Curt and Cris took the stage next with new drummer Ted Marcus. With a sly look in his eye, Curt Kirkwood launched into a set that was immediately memorable. Meat Puppets played quite a few songs from their 1983 album, Meat Puppets II, as well as several from their 1985 follow-up, Up on the Sun. Most notable was their performance of "Whistling Song," which on the album version features Curt Kirkwood whistling over his guitar during the entirety of the song.

During the band's live performance, he did not replace the whistle with guitar, but actually played while he whistled perfectly in key all the way through. Another standout, "Up on the Sun" was transformed into a 10-minute jam that digressed from the song's original melody but then looped back into the song's intro.

Meat Puppets divulged many songs off of this month's new release, Rise to Your Knees, and these proved to be fresh and exciting while still holding true to the band's signature style. It could even be said that the audience was more excited for some of the new songs than the older ones, and at one point a full-on mosh pit enveloped. Truly an unforgettable night.

-Review by Meredith Jones; photo by Andres Larin