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TOE TO TOE: THE GRAND SLAM (4/29) - A benefit for ODC Dance Commons & Cal Athletics! WITNESS tests of skill, strength and agility - with some unusual twists. MINGLE with the celebrity judges. THRILL to the Cal Straw Hat Band Band & Spirit Team. VOTE for your favorites in the final dance off. Join Warren Hellman, ODC and Cal for a night of unparalleled displays of competitive prowess, dancing finesse and great camaraderie. Come root for your favorite ODC dancer or Cal student-athlete and witness this historic rematch.
ANDRE NICKATINA (2/11) - ***PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SHOW IS COMPLETELY SOLD OUT - THANK YOU!***
Born and raised in the Fillmore District of San Francisco, Andre Nickatina has been a Hip-Hop/Rap luminary since the release of his critically acclaimed debut, "The New Jim Jones."
A favorite at public venues and on college campuses, Andre Nickatina continues to sustain an amazingly loyal fan-base, while engaging new supporters throughout North America. Nickatina’s classic stage show combined with his rare interviews, maintains his mystery and unique musicianship that has spanned two decades. The longevity of Nickatina speaks for itself. An award-winning MC and producer (2005 Bay Area Artist of The Year / Album of The Year for "Bullets"), Nickatina’s vision has expanded beyond the 18 albums (and hundreds of thousands of sales) that he has executive-produced. Also, a diverse artist, Nickatina has gained critical acclaim for his work and vision as a filmmaker, with more than seven films to his credit as either a director, co-director, executive producer, producer or actor.
Changing his name from Dre Dog to Andre Nickatina in 1996, he transformed his career to a plateau that has allowed him to create and develop an entirely new fan base with his original flow, distinct voice and lyrical explorations that few other MCs have displayed an ability to achieve. His third album, "Raven In My Eyes," marked Nickatina’s shift as an artist and expanded his audience to the wildly enthusiastic college crowds that praise him with regular sellouts from coast to coast. Most recently in 2008 Nickatina completed a timeless masterwork that paired he and his friend, Mac Dre (R.I.P.) together with the new classic, "A Tale of Two Andres." Nickatina’s business acumen is as sharp and honorable as his presence on stage.
Nickatina’s vision as an artist has been admired by many of his peers as he is seen as one of the last Bay Area Legends who was not only present during the golden-era of Hip-Hop, but one of the few artists who has helped Hip-Hop grow and who has remained ultimately relevant with each successive album he has released. Without saying so, Nickatina has had his finger on the pulse of what is raw, uncut and capable of capturing the mind and ears of listeners. Never one to follow or ride trends, Andre Nickatina is a rare breed of artist… one of the last original trend setters. Nickatina does not do what the people want… rather the people want to know what Dre will do next. MERL SAUNDERS VALENTINE'S & BIRTHDAY BASH AND SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO NORTON BUFFALO (2/12) - Please join us for a special evening as friends and family join together in this annual tradition to celebrate the life and career of the beloved Merl Saunders (Feb. 14, 1934 - Oct. 24, 2008.) BLOWOFF (HOSTED AND DJ'D BY BOB MOULD AND RICH MOREL) (2/13, 4/10) - Bob Mould & Richard Morel's Blowoff: Alt Rock Star and Electro Music Maestro Bring the Party for the Rest of Us!
Bob Mould and Richard Morel's Blowoff is a musical smackdown of a party that has become a destination event for a wide cross-section of appreciative fans. Originating in Washington, DC, Blowoff is an established event in New York, San Francisco, Provincetown, and Brooklyn. Recent additions to the regular rotation include Chicago and Atlanta.
Keenly maintaining the musical emphasis of the Blowoff parties, Mould and Morel DJ in tandem, laying down a meaty signature mix of indie rock, electro and house (from Phoenix to Treasure Fingers to Mark Knight to Stonebridge), accented by a series of artfully eye-popping vignettes projected throughout the club. (Visit the "Set List" page at www.blowoff.us for the most recent Blowoff playlists.)
Originally a live and DJ musical collaboration between Washington, DC-based singer-songwriters Bob Mould—formerly of alt rock bands Hüsker Dü and Sugar—and electronic producer/artist Richard Morel, Blowoff began over six years ago at DC's Velvet Lounge. Though the venues have changed, the DC party has become a local staple built around the music, great visuals, signature flyer artwork and an enthusiastically devoted fanbase, which now numbers near 1000 at each event. Smart Bar in Chicago, Minneapolis Eagle (a Pride event), Homo A Go Go (Olympia, WA), 2006 Folsom Street Fair (where Blowoff was a headliner) have all previously hosted special Blowoff one-off events.
Blowoff is now a regular bi-coastal event. 2007 saw the highly successful (all parties sold out) launch of Blowoff New York, with Blowoff San Francisco, Brooklyn and Provincetown following in 2008. The Blowoff Chicago event, held at Metro during International Mr. Leather and Bear Pride Weekend, was the highlight of the weekend. The July 4 Blowoff event in Atlanta coincided with Atlanta Bear Fest.
The Blowoff artist CD was released in 2006 on Full Frequency Music, and is available via the online Blowoff store at www.blowoff.us. Click on the cover to check the track list and buy.
For more on Blowoff, including the most current party schedule, flyers and DJ playlists, please visit the Blowoff website. Hear some Blowoff music, see slideshows of Blowoff men and the iconic party flyers and more on the MySpace page. Fans are encouraged to join the booming Blowoff group on Facebook.
Richard Morel is known for his remixes under the name Pink Noise (he just remixed The Killer’s “Human”), co-wrote and co-produced three songs on Cyndi Lauper’s “Bring Ya To The Bring” album and released his third solo album as Morel, “The Death Of The Paper Boy,” in 2008.
Bob Mould, founding member of the seminal punk band Husker Du and alt-rock favorite Sugar, released his ninth solo album, “Life And Times” (Anti- Records), on April 7. Mould’s yet-to-be-titled autobiography, with assistance from Michael Azerrad, will be published by Little, Brown in fall 2010. Pirate Cat Radio presents: EPICA (2/17) - You don’t believe in fairytales at all? You think there is no more romance today? Yes, there is! Both the history and the music of the dutch formation Epica resembles to a magical myth. The majestic mix of classical music, gothic and heavy metal could be the soundtrack of a fantasy epos as well. Mystical synth parts mix up with orchestral bombastic choirs and a classical set up at its best. Over the top you find the ravishing beauty and vocalist Simone Simons with her operatic and dynamic voice, which enchants everybody and everything.
“Design Your Universe” is the fifth album by the sextet, a record that bursts up boundaries and makes your breath slow down. Epica never sounded that intensive and unique, so versatile and hymnic. Songwriter Mark Jansen has exceeded himself and presents the most mature, heaviest and best album to date. SLOAN (2/19) - Sloan's eighth studio album, "Never Hear the End of It" – its first on new US label Yep Roc Records – not only delivers another serving of august and finely crafted rock, it's also thirty tracks long. You heard me. Thirty. “Call it an extremist’s reaction to a singles culture," says Jay Ferguson. "It's definitely a bit
of a sprawling record, but I think that if any band can attempt to pull it off, it might as well
be us."
One of the most successful Canadian bands of the last fifteen years, Sloan formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1991 with Andrew Scott (drums, vocals), Patrick Pentland (guitar, vocals), Chris Murphy (bass, vocals), and Jay Ferguson (guitar, vocals). By 1992, they self-released their first EP, "Peppermint," and within a year had signed to DGC and released their full length, critically lauded debut, "Smeared." Their next album, "Twice Removed," brought even more critical acclaim (including citation as "The Best Canadian Album of All Time" by Chart Magazine), accolades they confirmed with the subsequent successes of "One Chord to Another" (1997), "Navy Blues" (1998), "Between the Bridges" (1999), "Pretty Together" (2001), and "Action Pact" (2003). And throughout such output, Sloan has managed to share
songwriting duties between all members and never have a change in line-up.
"No one can be replaced in Sloan," Patrick Pentland says. "We’re a band of four characters that together make sense." SF Bluegrass & Old-Time Festival & KPIG presents: SPACE MONKEY GANGSTAS (2/25) - Straight out of Concord Rock City, Space Monkey Gangstas are coming at you with a fresh fusion of reggae and progressive rock. These four men have come together from drastically different musical backgrounds to create music that's as danceable as it is challenging. Intense drum beats, heavy bass lines, atmospheric guitar work and effect-driven avant garde saxophone playing lay the foundation for soulful vocals and infectious melodies. Noise Pop 2010: Noise Pop 2010: BARCELONA (3/5) - MIKE DOUGHTY (ACOUSTIC DUO) (3/6) - When Mike Doughty released his second official solo album, 2008’s "Golden Delicious", the reaction from fans was intense. “Some hated it, some loved it better than Soul Coughing,” Doughty says. “I tend to take sharp left turns. Every time I put out a record, the audience seems to like what I did two years ago better. You’d think I could shrug it off because that’s what always happens, but it always gets to me.”
Doughty admits that his newest album, "Sad Man Happy Man" – released October 6th on ATO Records – is a reaction to his fans’ reaction and that he’s giving the people what they want. “I really went for the ‘na-na-na’s’ and the simple choruses and stuff on 'Golden',” he says. “The songs on 'Sad Man' are more arcane and convoluted songwriting-wise, though they’re sparer in terms of instrumentation. Although my choruses are still simple — I love taking phrases and repeating them ad infinitum.”
The largely acoustic "Sad Man Happy Man" is a deliberate return to everything people love about Mike Doughty, he makes albums that simmer with verbal wit, and "Sad Man Happy Man" is no exception with its songs about everything from relationship bust-ups (Doughty was going through one while he was recording it) to his astute observations about the American economy.
Musically, "Sad Man Happy Man" finds Doughty returning to his acoustic roots thanks to its stripped-down arrangements that feature Doughty backing himself on guitar. He also did all the drum programming, as well as played keyboards and what he calls the “weird noise stuff,” while his long-time touring partner Andrew “Scrap” Livingston handles bass duties. Recorded at New York’s Kampo Studios, the album was co-produced by Doughty and engineer Pat Dillett (They Might Be Giants, David Byrne, Arto Lindsay), with the exception of album’s first single “Doubly Gratified,” which was produced by David Kahne, who helmed Soul Coughing’s 1996 album "Irresistible Bliss," as well as albums by Paul McCartney, Sugar Ray, and Tony Bennett. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER (3/7) - Still riding high on waves of acclaim for their rabidly-received DVD spectacle "Majesty," Michigan’s unstoppable sons of molten melodic death metal The Black Dahlia Murder triumphantly bring you their fourth thrashing opus "Deflorate." An epic expansion of the stunning pitch-black cacophony that was 2007’s "Nocturnal," "Deflorate" boasts Black Dahlia’s brand of seamlessly-mixed Swedish influenced blackened thrash and pounding American death metal muscle, and sees one of metal’s most outstanding underground outfits at the peak of its unmitigated musical brutality. “We’re more confident than ever,” declares vocalist Trevor Strnad of 'Deflorate.' “I think as a band we really found our footing on 'Nocturnal.' This time, we’ve taken this beast to the next level.”
The new album sees the songwriting expertise of band leader and rhythm guitarist Brian Eschbach at its most polished and punishing, exponentially complimented by collaboration with both bass savant Ryan “Bart” Williams and newcomer guitarist Ryan Knight (ex-Arsis), whose blistering leads will dazzle and decimate the ears of both loyal Black Dahlia diehards and burgeoning fans alike. “Brian is the backbone of the band,” professes Trevor. “all of 'Nocturnal' was him. To have the other band members bring such amazing music to the table has only brought the band up even higher with 'Deflorate.'” Add the dynamic demon-shrieks and corpse-growls of Strnad, and the warlike percussion of rising extreme drumming star Shannon Lucas, and you have a brilliant and bloodthirsty band of brothers ready to cut a swath through the metal scene with a fearsome new offering.
BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB (3/9, 3/10) - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is set to release their fifth studio album, "Beat The Devil’s Tattoo," on March 9th. This release signifies the band’s first full-length on their own Abstract Dragon label, in partnership with Vagrant Records and Co-Op Music Group. The band wrote and recorded most of the album at The Basement Studio in Philadelphia, PA – the same room where they wrote and recorded “Howl” as well as some work in their hometown Los Angeles. "Beat The Devil’s Tattoo" also marks the first album with drummer Leah Shapiro.
The trio is primed to embark on a North American headline tour upon release, kicking off February 26 in Sacramento and culminating at New York City’s Webster Hall on April 8. THE ADOLESCENTS / YOUTH BRIGADE (3/13) - One of Southern California's best-loved hardcore bands, the Adolescents helped establish the blueprint for Orange County punk, along with Agent Orange and Social Distortion. The Adolescents' blazing energy and quintessential teenage snottiness gave them an instant connection with their audience, and defied their upbringing in California's bastion of staid conservatism.
Youth Brigade was formed at the end of summer 1980 in LA, amid the explosion of the punk scene in Southern California by brothers Shawn, Mark, and Adam Stern. The brothers Stern have established Youth Brigade as one of the most powerful, independent groups in North America over the course of their 25 odd years of existence. The basic philosophy of the band is that "youth" is an attitude, not an age and that every generation has the responsibility to change what they feel is wrong in the world. Unfortunately, it seems that many people either forget or grow weary of this responsibility as they get older in years, so the band feels it is really important that every new generation realize this responsibility and act upon it. It is with these ideals in mind that the band was started, and that eldest brothers Shawn and Mark formed the Better Youth Organization in 1982. The BYO is dedicated to promoting alternative music, art and other creative endeavors in a completely independent manner. They started off promoting shows, (they ran the infamous Godzilla's nightclub), started BYO Records in 1982, (which has released over 100 records to date and become one of the strongest and most respected indie labels in the world) set up tours for many bands, (including the first BYO tour which was done in a big school bus and documented on 60 hours of video tape to become the movie, "Another State of Mind"), as well as many other projects too numerous to mention.
ZOO STATION: THE COMPLETE U2 EXPERIENCE (3/17) - The lights go down, it's dark and the soaring sound of a rock band bound for greatness collides with the low ceiling of a small club. It's like 1978 all over again, when U2 first stormed the pubs of Dublin, Ireland.
But this is the 21st Century in San Francisco, and the band is Zoo Station, a quartet that bills itself "The Complete U2 Experience." Since 2001, this talented force has delivered the visual, musical and spiritual thrill of a U2 concert to bars, clubs, outdoor festivals, private parties and corporate events along the West Coast of North America. Singer Bonalmost leads the show, flying high with the vocal strength and confidence of Bono's "The Joshua Tree" days. The Sledge showers thick layers of effectual guitar work over crowd as Adamesque on bass and Barely Larry on the drums deliver the pounding heartbeat of some of modern rock's most memorable songs.
The band's primary job is replication, but periodically Zoo Station innovates as much as it imitates. During their trademark full-album spotlight sets in which the band plays an entire U2 album from start to finish Zoo Station encounters such obscurities as "Elvis Presley and America," "Promenade," "Red Hill Mining Town" and "Acrobat," songs rarely or never performed live by U2.
More familiar are melodies like "Pride (In The Name of Love)," "With or Without You," "Beautiful Day," and "Vertigo." Behind the band, a multi-media visual projection system elevates Zoo Station's performances to the highest level of virtual authenticity. Swirling abstract imagery appears behind the stage, interspersed with rapid-fire "U2-phemisms" and in-synch flashing light choreography. All are recognizable from U2 shows, and these visual effects, centerpieced by Bonalmost's lively theatrics, reflect Zoo Station's deep-set love of U2's music and their commitment to fully recreating the dense emotional impact of a U2 concert. KPFA presents:
That’s Malian maestro Bassekou Kouyate with a heads-up well worth heeding. A virtuoso picker and musical visionary whose work blurs the lines between West African and American roots music, Bassekou has jammed with Bonnie Raitt and Bono, won praise from Eric Clapton. He’s also dug into blues and country music with Taj Mahal and created freewheeling improvisations with banjo maverick Bela Fleck. Bassekou’s instrument, the ngoni, is a “spike lute” and an ancestor of the banjo, sharing its taut-skinned drum body, percussive attack, and varied picking techniques. Since 2005, Bassekou has led Ngoni Ba, the first-ever group built around not one but four ngonis—all played by members of his family. The group’s second CD "I Speak Fula" comes out on Sub Pop in February of 2010 (preceded by a digital release via iTunes in December ‘09) on the occasion of Bassekou’s first U.S. tour as a headliner.
This tour is presented in collaboration with World Music Institute and is
funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. BLASPHEMOUS RUMOURS: TRIBUTE TO DEPECHE MODE (3/19) - Meticulous attention to detail and an emphasis on accuracy in sound, imagery, and performance set Blasphemous Rumours apart from other Depeche Mode tribute acts. Blasphemous Rumours brings their powerful note for note renditions of all of Depeche Mode’s hits (and fan favorites) from every era to the masses throughout the United States and beyond.
Since their first performance in the fall of 2006, Blasphemous Rumours has rapidly amassed a huge following throughout the Southwest and has toured internationally, playing large scale venues, corporate and private engagements and festival headlining dates. In June 2008 they were the headliner closing act at The Save New Wave Festival, which took place at the Gibson Amphitheatre in LA. They were the headline entertainment for the International Depeche Mode Convention in 2007. Further enhancing the illusion of a real Depeche Mode concert are their impressive lighting and multimedia visuals; which elevate their stage presentation far above the typical tribute fare. Most of their songs have accompanying projection video. Furthermore, the costumes are pitch perfect. A Blasphemous Rumours show comes with the entire musical and visual impact of a classic era Depeche Mode concert.
KREATOR (3/21) - Extreme music with a bite and implacability, complemented by politically motivated lyrics which have a distinct tendency to point the finger at grievances and don't shy away from unpleasant facts: welcome to the world of "Hordes of Chaos," the latest thrash metal recording by German cult act, Kreator, released on Steamhammer/SPV in Jan. 2009. Even in 2009 the band surrounding frontman Mille Petrozza prove themselves to be an unusually innovative and at all times forward-looking act, always ready to pursue new ideas and treat themselves and their fans to maximum authenticity. THE FALL OF TROY / ENVY ON THE COAST (3/26) - History has proved that every time a prevailing culture grows stagnant, a new artistic uprising takes place in order to wash away the past and look toward the future. For the past seven years Mukilteo, Washington’s own The Fall Of Troy has been ignoring fleeting musical and fashion trends as its members have embarked on a quest to cultivate their own unique brand of progressive rock—and that process is culminating with the release of the trio’s fourth album "In the Unlikely Event." Cinematic in scope and vision, "In the Unlikely Event" sees the band expanding its sound in every sense of the phrase: the heavy songs are bone-crushing, the melodic passages are instantly memorable and, most importantly, the avant-garde experimentation doesn’t overshadow the music’s inherent accessibility. In other words, get ready because with "In the Unlikely Event," The Fall Of Troy hasn't only reinvented itself, but the band is also hoping to help alter the current musical climate in the process.
“I want to be part of another revolution,” explains The Fall Of Troy’s guitarist/vocalist Thomas Erak. “I want to see the good bands in this world come together and shift things again. We need another Nirvana, we need another Rage Against The Machine, we need another Bad Brains and At The Drive-In, you know?” While Erak is quick to point out that he’s not equating his own band with these aforementioned acts, you can hear all of their influences on "In the Unlikely Event." One catalyst for Erak’s enthusiasm is the fact that the album is the first The Fall Of Troy recording with new bassist Frank Ene. “Thomas and Andrew were very welcoming of my input,” explains Ene. “The recording process was a very organic experience; a plethora of ideas were floating about and I feel like we really captured some great stuff.” Forsman confirms the new bassist’s sentiment, adding “the formula this time around was for Frank and I to lay down the structure and then Thomas kind of painted over it, so I’m really excited with how it came out.”
In 2006, you were introduced to Envy On The Coast, the upstart Long Island quintet with the swiss-army rock aesthetics, boundless ambitions, and hearts big enough to fit each of their growing swell of fans.
After issuing a self-titled debut EP to widespread acclaim in August 2006, Envy On The Coast set out on national tours with arena-filling artists like 30 Seconds To Mars and Angels & Airwaves and were named one Alternative Press' 100 Band You Need To Know in 2007. Following subsequent tours alongside peers as disparate as Circa Survive and Cute Is What We Aim For, Envy On The Coast have cut their teeth in front of thousands of fans, earning their own impassioned following in the process. No question, their earliest experiences together have been unforgettable and certainly their entrance has been grand. But through it all, they knew it would mean little without a suitable second act.
With that mandate in mind, and winter approaching, Envy On The Coast descended upon two cabins in the isolated outpost of Windham, New York, to begin writing their full-length debut. After weeks of painstaking collaboration between the cabins and their own Long Island homes, the band had meticulously deliberated over, consolidated and, eventually, perfected the material that would comprise the album that would at once confirm their precocious musical prowess while further legitimizing their considerable accomplishments. And, frankly, the results aren't just inspired. They're downright disarming.
Produced by Bryan Russell at Red Wire Audio in Brooklyn, "Lucy Gray" refines the band's strengths - showcasing huge leaps in technical proficiency and further honing their impressive melodic underpinnings, among them - while simultaneously capturing the growth Envy On The Coast experienced during the past twelve months on the road. In short, it's the rare album that not only traces a band's evolution, but also transcends their many accomplishments through a truly definitive artistic statement. This, ladies and gentlemen, is today's Envy On The Coast. Not so different from yesterday that they're unrecognizable. Just leaner, fiercer and infinitely more focused on becoming the best band they can be. THE FAREWELL TOUR W/ COPELAND (3/27) - American pop standard “You Are My Sunshine” is synonymous with idyllic memories of youth and other feelings of merriment. But Copeland, the Lakeland, Fla.-based, indie alternative trio who’ve already brought soul-searching tracks like “Control Freak” and “Pin Your Wings,” spin their own metaphorical thesis on the classic tune for their fourth studio effort, the aptly-titled "You Are My Sunshine."
"You Are My Sunshine" - the band’s follow up to their Columbia debut, 2006’s "Eat, Sleep, Repeat" and their first for the Seattle-based label Tooth & Nail - finds Aaron Marsh (vocals/guitar/piano), Bryan Laurenson (guitar), and Jon Bucklew (drums) perfecting their well-crafted pop with a cultured edge. With Aaron Sprinkle (Eisley, Anberlin, Pedro the Lion) and Marsh sharing production duties, and mixing legend Michael Brauer (Coldplay, Grandaddy, My Morning Jacket) at the helm of these 11 songs, Copeland’s emotional candor shifts into a fresh, textured-driven focus for their most confident material to date. Copeland credits both Sprinkle’s keen manipulation of sound and Brauer’s quick approach for giving "You Are My Sunshine" that polished, but organic sheen they were looking for.
The songbook stunner that is "You Are My Sunshine" arrives at the most appropriate time for Copeland. They’ve succinctly blurred the boundaries between song and craft, and only that can come with experience, while also remaining bright-eyed about life’s passions. It beams with such vigor. DragonflyAvila Foundation presents: 95.7 The Wolf presents:
Named "Best New Country Artist" by New Music Weekly, Miko’s debut album, “Freeway Bound”, also received honors as the "2007 Country Album of the Year", at The Independent Music Awards. Amongst the judges were country icons, Wynonna Judd, and Patti Loveless, of The Grand Ole Opry. Miko is the first and only African American woman in the history of country music to receive such high honors. Her newly released CD, “It Feels Good” is also gaining much acclaim.
95.7 The Wolf presents this special evening which also includes a performance from local musician Andre Thierry. RX BANDITS (4/15) - "Mandala" - few titles are as perfectly befitting an album for a band reaching the culmination of a decade-long musical transformation. With this recording, RX Bandits have truly struck the essence of their merging of genres into a complete and masterfully detailed mosaic.
The metamorphic rock group's latest disc showcases a more rock-oriented quartet, while deftly sweeping in elements of Latin, prog-rock, punk, rock to dub and blues. The much anticipated follow-up to 2006’s "...And The Battle Begun" jettisons ahead of where the last left off, scaling back the use of horns and adding more focus on balance and powerful dynamics. Songs like album opener "My Lonesome Only Friend" easily shift from entrancing chimes to full-on syncopated rock fury (replete with a molten John MacLaughlin-meets-Kirk Hammett guitar solo.) Elsewhere, blustery blasts of metallic guitars give way to swirling, proggy synths on "Hearts That Hanker For Mistake." Electric piano leads the blues-dub "March of the Caterpillar" while "Breakfast Cat" boasts the tightest rhythm guitar strumming and grooving drums this side of The Meters.
In an age where taking risks and being fearless can make or break you, RX have emerged as a tidal wave, a force that shatters all the boundaries set against them. Throughout their decade long career, the group has reinvented and revolutionized their identity while retaining their socially conscious lyrics and eruptive instrumentation. This concept has been the catalyst for the band’s ever-growing fanbase, which revels in their uniqueness and continue to storm their celebrated, incendiary live shows. RX Bandits' performance on the main stage at Bonnaroo in 2007 proved the band's majesty to a new audience, while myriad tours with the likes of Portugal The Man, Tera Melos, Fall of Troy, et al, have built the quartet's considerable fan base over the years. MOONALICE (4/20) - Moonalice is band of seasoned players exploring new musical territory with a passion.
Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship, Rod Stewart), Barry Sless (Phil Lesh & Friends, David Nelson Band), Ann & Roger McNamee (Flying Other Brothers), Jimmy Sanchez (Dr. John, Boz Scaggs) and John Molo (Bruce Hornsby, Phil Lesh & Friends) conjure up a heady brew of roots, rock, rhythm-and-blues, and more, peppered with spirited doses of improvisation and surprise.
A perfect example of the proverbial whole being greater than the sum of its parts, Moonalice turns it collective body of experience, ace musicianship, great songs, and love of adventure into live performances as distinct as they are compelling. The band recently celebrated the release of their debut album, helmed by acclaimed producer T Bone Burnett.
To the astonishment of an entire tribe, Moonalice's new single "It's 4:20 Somewhere" has been downloaded more than 100,000 times since its introduction on Nov. 13, 2009. Three-fourths of the downloads have been in the lossless FLAC format. Recorded, mixed and mastered for a mere $5,000, "It's 4:20 Somewhere" is available only on the web and only for free. The FLAC version can be found: here.
To celebrate the success of the single, Moonalice will launch the "It's 4:20 Somewhere" tour in Seattle on February 17. Some shows on the tour will be priced at $4.20, including the giant Moonalice Tribal Pow Wow here at Slim's! SONATA ARCTICA (4/22) - Finland's Sonata Arctica has recorded their newest metal masterpiece called "The Days of Grays," an epic record full of traditional Sonata trademarks as well as new tunes and tones. To put it quite simply, it's become an amazingly good album which once more shows the power of Sonata Arctica as they have proven their uniqueness by writing complex, straight-forward yet very catchy music. THE SLACKERS (4/23) - The Slackers' sound is pure roots, but still innovative. While they have been influenced, and even personally taught by Jamaican originators, like the Skatalites and the Upsetters (original backing band for the Wailers), the band sees its music through an American lens. This band is equally appreciative of old blues, 60's soul, rock, and R & B as it is of reggae, rocksteady, dub and ska. It is as if the Rolling Stones or the Yardbirds had grown up on Bob Marley as well as Muddy Waters.
From their 1996 release, "Better Late Than Never," through to 2008 with "Self Medication," the NYC-based band have established themselves as America's premiere interpreters and innovators of Jamaican music and a pretty good rock band to boot. MAYHEM - CANCELED (4/24) - ***WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELED - REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE AT PLACE OF PURCHASE.***
1984 - Norway, suicide, church burnings, murder, curse, evil, black metal, originators, godfathers, infamous, desecration, arrest, drugs, ugly, necro, hell, blasphemy and Hungarian demons.
2010 - Deconsecration Pt. II.
Despite numerous line-up changes due to circumstances mentioned above, the essence of darkness is present and has never been stronger. BLUE OYSTER CULT (4/25) - For over three decades, Blue Oyster Cult has been thrilling fans of hard rock worldwide with powerful albums loaded with classic songs. Indeed, the Long Island, NY-based band is revered within the hard rock and heavy metal scene for its pioneering work. The band is praised for its catchy-yet-heavy music and lyrics that can be provocative, terrifying, funny or ambiguous, often all in the same song. BOC's cannon includes three stone-cold classic songs that will waft through the cosmos long after the sun has burned out: the truly haunting "(Don't Fear) the Reaper" from 1976's "Agents of Fortune," the pummeling "Godzilla" from 1977's "Spectres" and the hypnotically melodic "Burnin' For You" from 1981's "Fire of Unknown Origin." Throughout the years, many more notable songs have followed. We are always pleased to welcome this band back to Slim's! LIARS (4/27) - Liars have announced the release of their fifth studio album, "Sisterworld," in early 2010.
"Sisterworld," the follow up to "Liars" (2007), was written and recorded in Los Angeles by Liars and Tom Biller (Kanye West, Beck, Where The Wild Things Are / Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind soundtracks).
This is the first Liars album to be recorded entirely in the USA since 2004's "They Were Wrong, So We Drowned" and sees Angus Andrew, Aaron Hemphill and Julian Gross taking inspiration from fringe characters lured to LA and the resulting subcultures and alternate spaces that they generate.
"Sisterworld" is Liars' own space, completely devoid of influence, somewhere remote from the false promises and discarded dreams amassed in LA. In it Liars explore the underground support systems created to deal with loss of self to society.
Say Liars, “We're interested in the alternate spaces people create in order to maintain identity in a city like LA. Environments where outcasts and loners celebrate a skewered relationship to society." AC/DSHE (5/1) - Well if you're looking for trouble, we're the girls to see, If you're lookin' for a satisfaction, satisfaction GUARANTEED!!!
AC/DShe is the original all-girl AC/DC tribute band doing Bon-era songs. These gals are committed to staying true to the heart pounding rhythms and high energy presentation of early AC/DC. The FIRST of the female tribute band phenomenon, they have been performing since the summer of 1999. Like AC/DC, AC/DShe knows it's a long way to the top if you wanna rock-n-roll, but they've been doing a kick ass job of delivering some high voltage rock to maximum-capacity crowds worldwide. So, put on your best AC/DC tour shirt, grab a beer, and hop on the highway to hell with AC/DShe. KPIG presents:
The fact that "God Forsaken Town" was written by Reckless Kelly singer/songwriter Willy Braun with Robert Earl Keen is symbolic of the fact that the band's standing among its peers has never been higher. The respect they've earned from everyone from Steve Earle to Kevin Welch can be summarized by Joe Ely, who called them "my kind of band: hell-raising, hard-playing, kick-ass songwriting, feet firmly in the present, but with an amazing knowledge of where it has all come from."
It is praise that reverberates especially well in the context of their latest work. With new album "Somewhere in Time," the band digs deep into its roots, revisiting the music of Pinto Bennett, who with his band the Famous Motel Cowboys influenced a generation of musicians in the Northwest and served as a mentor and idol to Willy and his brother Cody, whose fiddle, mandolin, harmonica and vocal work help propel Reckless Kelly. In the company of their bandmates, David Abeyta on lead guitar and lap steel, Jay Nazz on drums, and Chris Schelske on bass, they explore their country influences and re-introduce Bennett's music to a new generation of fans while placing their indelible, rock-edged stamp on it. CONVERGE (5/15) - Converge, true to themselves and their art no matter the cost bring "Axe To Fall." Already touted as perhaps their finest work to date, "Axe To Fall" is an album that continues to push relentlessly forward, much like a shark that needs always keep swimming to survive. Where "No Heroes" was a refinement and broadening of hostilities declared on previous assaults such as "Jane Doe," "Axe To Fall" returns to the more AmRep-inspired noisecore abrasions of "You Fail Me" while also updating and making vital the thrash influences that defined earlier Converge efforts ("Caring and Killing," "Petitioning the Empty Sky") and retaining the hardcore hostilities and frantic pace so vital to their foundation. Of course, the experimental anguish and pleading for salvation are no mere sharpening of past knives but yet another leap forward in an existence full of them.
Fitting like a puzzle piece in their all but flawless catalog, "Axe To Fall" is an undeniable progression in the band’s canon of cacophonous sound, dexterous skill and ingenious art, as thirteen of the most viciously powerful songs Converge has ever written reign down on listeners in a surge of sonic fury. True to their meticulous DIY style, guitarist Kurt Ballou helmed production duties once again from his infamous GodCity studios in Salem, MA.
After 20 years as a band, Converge still maintain the steadfast individuality and uncompromising artistic vision they had when they formed. The band has been credited with giving rise to a genre of music and influencing bands worldwide, yet by never wavering have created a sound that is entirely their own. CHRIS PUREKA (5/19) - In an age of fleeting success and temporary notions, Chris Pureka is an artist of substance, armed with an eye for detail and an emotional intelligence that can switch from withering to compelling with a subtle inflection. Her third studio album, "How I Learned To See In the Dark," (released in April 2010) adds bold new elements to the base she has built over her six-year career. From non-traditional percussion, to lyrical abstraction, to a new unrestrained vocal quality, to Pureka’s choice of co-producer (longtime friend Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YaRds), this record signals an exploration of broader musical soundscapes.
While maintaining the unique alchemy of longing, loss and hope Pureka sets to music, there is a sonic adventurism on "How I Learned to See in the Dark" that marks a new stage in Pureka’s musical evolution. Even from the first notes of the album’s opening track, “Wrecking Ball”, longtime fans and the newly converted will sense that "How I Learned To See In The Dark" is a bigger album, deeper and more vast than anything she’s released to date. “I wanted it to feel different right away,” Pureka explains. “And ‘Wrecking Ball’ exemplifies many of the elements that are different from the last record.” That difference is a newfound edginess, coupled with a more abstract sound: there is a musical depth and complexity that shines through each track, all the while maintaining the space and creative instrumentation Pureka is known for. BW & BK presents: KAMELOT (9/29) - Kamelot is one of metal's most unique, influential and prestigious acts to come along in decades. The group's reputation among fans and media alike is marked by enthusiasm as well as esteem, each of their seven studio albums to date surpassing its predecessor in terms of songwriting and production. As one of the most difficult-to-categorize artists on the metal scene, Kamelot are poised to assault the planet with their most insightful and ambitious project to date, "Ghost Opera." Ready to continue their ascension to the pinnacle of metal royalty, founding guitarist Thomas Youngblood, bassist Glenn Barry, new keyboardist Oliver Palotai and drummer Casey Grillo join lead singer Roy Khan to complete this journey to systematically alter the face of metal. Throughout the recent years, their releases have achieved cult status around the world. "Ghost Opera" will once again raise the bar for others to follow. | |||||