SHOW OF THE MONTH

Noise For The Needy Festival

Talib Kweli / Common Market / Gabriel Teodros / Grayskul

Showbox at the Market | Seattle, WA | June 15, 2008

The final night of the 2008 Noise for the Needy Festival saw a stacked bill of Seattle hip-hop, capped off with a set from Brooklyn's own Talib Kweli. Grayskul began the evening authoritatively, wielding an impressive range from quick, synth-driven tracks to others that traversed moodier, more contemplative territory. Without the props and unnecessary theatrics of some of their previous shows (snowy TV sets onstage, a rock-oriented live bassist, etc.), the group could play to their strengths, emphasizing the dynamic, complimentary styles of MCs JFK and Onry Ozzborn.

Up next was Gabriel Teodros, whose well-constructed set served to ramp up the energy level in the room considerably. He started off with a couple of relatively laidback songs and quickly invited a tap dancer onstage. This experiment, though admirable for its spontaneous feel, ended up being most effective whenever the DJ dropped out. With the busy footwork as additional accompaniment, any slight deviations from the pocket were somewhat jarring against the ironclad consistency of the turntables. Soon after, Teodros' set enjoyed a major boost from fellow Abyssinian Creole member Khingz, who seemed to feed off of the enthusiastic crowd. Teodros then rode the wave of momentum and passionately asserted his cultural identity with a cluster of songs focusing more overtly on social commentary. From there, his sense of conviction and celebratory mood carried it through to the end.

Rounding out the local contingent, Common Market's Sabzi and RA Scion were welcomed with a tremendous response. The duo came out swinging, ripping through single verses from a barrage of newer songs in the early going. Having just released the Black Patch War EP, and with the full length Tobacco Road being prepped for a September 9 release, there was plenty of fresh material to draw from. EP highlight "Trouble Is" worked particularly well in the live setting with its furiously paced double-time sections and Sabzi's startlingly convincing backup vocals. Guests included 2007 American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis and Geologic from Blue Scholars.

After a full three-course meal of hip-hop, headliner Talib Kweli faced the challenge of taking the stage after midnight on a Sunday evening. The audience proved resilient, however, and the Brooklyn-born MC was able to keep things moving even into the wee hours. His set mainly focused on the more accessible material from his latest effort, Eardrum, while occasional selections from the Reflection Eternal album, Train of Thought, provided a welcome contrast.

-Review by William Cremin; photos by Fel Pajimula

Two Gallants

Tractor Tavern | Seattle, WA |

June 12, 2008

Two Gallants played a powerful, road-toughened set at this summer's Noise for the Needy festival, coming on after three multi-member bands and bowling them all over with their intense two-man attack. Adam Stephens' guitar never sounded better: rich, ringing and loud. His voice, raw as always, held the melody with a true storyteller's emotion, no matter the tempo. Guitar, drums and voice together drew out the anticipation of painful ballads like "Long Summer Day" and kicked out the jams on raucous crowd-pleasers like "Nothing to You." Drummer Tyson Vogel doesn't keep a beat so much as he underlines the lyrics and reinforces the dynamics. The two of them together reeled in the audience and had everyone shouting along to the chorus of "Steady Rollin'" and a few others. Stephens laughed a little incredulously at the cheering between songs, but he shouldn't be surprised when he gets a reaction like that. With the gut-wrenching audacity and sheer skill the duo displayed on its encore, the articulate and universally personal protest song "Waves of Grain," it's a wonder everyone wasn't on their knees by the end of the show.

-Review by Kjersti Egerdahl; photo by Kyle Johnson

Per Se / Sophe Lux / Rachel Taylor Brown

Doug Fir Lounge | Portland, OR | June 19, 2008

Sirens generally come equipped with a tail, but in this case, Per Se kicked off a night of PDX Sirens wearing wings instead. And with a loop pedal, an electric guitar, an accordion, a frame drum and a simple folk set, Anne Adams (who performs as Per Se) showed the crowd at the Doug Fir just what it means to be a Siren. Her catchy melodies and unique lyrics were as captivating as her sparkly floral dress, and her sore throat only made her sweet and innocent vocals sound more charming. Per Se's stage presence was like a child (a really talented one) shyly sharing her feelings with the excitement of realizing something for the first time. During the middle of her set, she asked the audience to imagine a giant skip rope encompassing the whole world, then proceeded to pretend to skip it throughout the song while singing, playing her instrument and staying in rhythm. This was an impressively creative singer/songwriter set that proved a single person can fill a stage as gracefully as a full band.

Next up was Sophe Lux - possibly Portland's most dramatic/theatrical band. Clad only in white and silver and no less than two pieces of flair each, this group definitely took the cake for most apocalyptic set. Whether or not that is a good thing is a matter of opinion, but the set was definitely well thought-out and meant to be a performance. With three ladies taking the lead (viola, keys, synth, accordion, etc.) and three guys in the back (bass, drums, guitar), the sextet combined classical influences with theatrical and rock sounds. Songs sometimes dragged on a bit with over-dramatized vocals, but Sophe Lux's overall

vibe was fun and entertaining, with a little something new.

Finishing the show was Rachel Taylor Brown with the least whimsical set of the night - unless a song inspired by Mel Gibson's Passion is considered a fit of whimsy. With an off-centered take on Ben Folds style piano-pop, Brown and her band offered up smart, sarcastic takes on social issues, which seemed to largely revolve around religion. Despite the quirkiness of the songwriting, they put on a fairly straightforward show without the outward enthusiasm of their counterparts. Their set started off with a really long intro that conjured up images of a toyshop owned by Tom Waits. While it set an interesting tone, audience members started filtering out after the third minute of the loop. Nonetheless, the band was tight and the addition of a metal trashcan into the percussion section made for an interesting touch.

-Review by Kali Giaritta; photo by Dan Sloan

Gnarwhale / The Monolators / Vaudeville

Saint Rocke | Hermosa Beach, CA | June 1, 2008

The first indie rock show at the South Bay’s newest venue, Saint Rocke, turned out to be a huge success. Before the first act went on, the place was already full. When things finally got rolling, the crowd was jolted by the first of many distorted power chords from Gnarwhale’s Chris King. Gnarwhale played loudly all the way through its tight set to the climax of lead singer Derrick Madison smashing his guitar through his Fender Twin Reverb. Lacking hesitation between songs really helped keep the energy high, and the band did a great job of pumping up the crowd even before the finale.

Taking the stage to a very excited crowd, The Monolators introduced their signature upbeat 1950s/punk sound. This quartet brings a fun "wanna bang your head and wear your dad's leather jacket" old-school garage rock vibe, and tonight, lead guitarist Tom Bogdon served up sweet surf guitar riffs. No drum sticks were fumbled thanks to drummer Mary Chartkoff and Ashley Jex showcased her natural knack for rhythm, hitting every bass note in unison with the kick and the snare. Lead singer Eli Chartkoff belted his comic book-like lyrics "Eagle throws a punch and zebra kicks in his window," and kept steady timing on guitar. The Monolators seems to have struck something different sonically and it translates well to their live shows.

Bringing the night to a close was the South Bay's own Vaudeville. A great indie band with a sound that is hard to put a finger on, Vaudeville's music makes you want to dance and chill at the same time. The audience seemed to groove with the group's solid sonic ensemble and soft vocal backups, provided by keyboard player Jonathan Hylander and drummer Sean Johnson. Lead singer and guitarist Daniel Woods pulled off some pretty astounding jazzy licks while busting out his soft and pleasant pipes, reminiscent of Trey Anastasio. The band finished its set with a poppy jam called "I Get Up," which proved to be a natural crowd-pleaser.

All in all, the night went off without a hitch. The bands played on time, the sound was superb and the house was packed. What more could you ask for in a first-time event? Looks like Saint Rocke will be a place for great music in the South Bay for a long time to come.

-Review and photo by Ryan Murphy

Or, the Whale / Pete and J / Greg Ashley

The Independent | San Francisco, CA | June 5, 2008

Oakland's Greg Ashley, suited with an acoustic guitar, opened to a pitch- black room. Though his music was intricate and hypnotically soothing, the pitch-black current running through it soon became apparent too, as lyrics like "This religion still haunts you like a snake" pierced the air amidst his soft picking. The solo Ashley had the difficult task of opening to a still filling room, but the chorus of songs like "Apple Pie and Genocide," from 2003's Medicine Fuck Dream, grabbed and held the attention of those spread out across The Independent's spacious floor. Without the luxuries of the recording studio, Ashley's songs lost a lot of their psychedelic edge, and in this vulnerable light, their poetic brilliance was halting.

Visiting from Brooklyn, Pete and J took the stage next and opened the floodgates Ashley had dammed (and damned) - so much so that J's microphone couldn't handle it and went out on the first song. He dealt with it like a pro though, jumping over to share the mic with Pete and making the whole thing seem so natural that the technical difficulty was practically unnoticeable. Often likened to Simon and Garfunkel, the band, which consisted of four at the outset, didn't reveal this side of its sound until over halfway through its set. Instead it took on a grand - almost Queen grand - air, exploding with soulful vocals and key-driven melodies that could hardly keep their pants on. Playing predominantly new songs that they've been busy recording, Pete bounced around the keyboard with an authentic showiness and put on a performance in every sense of the word. When they took it down to just two guitars, removing the bass and drums, Pete and J's prowess as songwriters as well as performers was revealed. Inviting members of headlining band Or, the Whale onstage with them for a few songs, it was hard not to wish Pete and J lived closer so the two bands could share a bill more often.

Taking the stage after Pete and J's big finale, Or, the Whale rode that momentum and brandished an epic set that was as rowdy as it was awe-inspiring. Opening with a new song, "Rusty Gold," an arpeggio-filled builder with some mighty harmonizing courtesy of Alex Robins and Lindsay Garfield, and following that with another new favorite, the fierce and swaggering "Black Rabbit," the group laid the anticipation thick for its forthcoming sophomore album. It's refreshing to see a band put so much care into its harmonies, and Or, the Whale does this in spades, often with at least four of the seven players onstage harmonizing powerfully at once. On the barn stomper "Bound To Go Home," which Garfield introduced with "We played this on the T.V." in reference to their recent appearance on Good Morning America, Robins broke his D string for the second time during the set (he was already borrowing Pete's guitar at this point). He unflinchingly toughed it out and impressively played the nostalgic "Shasta" all the way

through. Thanks to some restringing help offstage, Robins was back to six strings again for "No Love Blues" and crowd- pleaser "Call and Response," saving "Rope Don't Break" and "Fight Song" for a poignant encore.

With new songs that show incredible development and old songs with lasting power, Or, the Whale reveals itself as a band with true promise and no shortage of inspiration. To witness how much it has grown in the last couple years is exciting, if not humbling.

-Review by Katherine Hoffert; photos by Frank Jimenez