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Concert Preview: Yellow Ostrich

November 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Yellow Ostrich is playing at San Diego's Belly Up Tavern on Wednesday, November 9.

 

By Haley Earl-Lynn

Yellow Ostrich
Belly Up
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 

From the perspective of a twenty-something year-old lady on the prowl, the dating scene here in San Diego can seem pretty complicated.  That poor little lady may wonder, “Are we dating? Are we just friends? Are we supposed to ignore eachother next time we are both ordering a So-Cal chicken sandwich at Urbane during our lunch break?” Lucky for that lady though, the up-and-coming band Yellow Ostrich has put all of her worries and ponderings to rest.

On their newest album, The Mistress, Yellow Ostrich breaks it down and makes it real simple for distressed ladies. Their track “Hate Me Soon” could easily be made into a how to guide: Hooking up for Dummies. The most helpful line: “You’re gonna hate me soon if you don’t understand that what we’re doing here has got no long term plan… I’m gonna love you soon when you are out of reach and when I see you ‘round, you never wanna speak.”

Spreading the word about this song until it reaches as many twenty-something year-old lady friends as possible is the best way to clear up the whole hookup culture confusion. Yellow Ostrich is just what modern women need. Beyond that, the rest of their music happens to sound darn good as well.

Yellow Ostrich began as Alex Shaaf’s solo project. He found himself in New York with a lot of music, but no band. He hooked up (platonically, unfortunately) with drummer Michael Tapper of the band Fool’s Gold. The two began collaborating and found themselves with a complete album. The Mistress hit the Internet and built up enough fan support to allow for Shaaf and Tapper to head out on a mini tour around New York. Early this year the band added Jon Natchez to round out the trio.

Yellow Ostrich is best categorized as an indie-rock band – go figure, right?! Shaaf’s strong vocals define the band’s sound. Their distinct sound is comparable to that of San Diego natives, Dirty Gold. Both bands represent youth and inexperience in the best ways possible. The Mistress has a fun, free sound. It can’t be compared to a band like Coldplay’s perfectly-crafted pieces or a band like !!!’s intricately produced beats.

“Whale” is Yellow Ostrich’s biggest hit. Unlike “Hate Me Soon”, “Whale” is much more friendly sounding. While the former provides a valuable lesson to the needy, the latter wins hearts over. Other eargasmic tracks include “Hold On” and “Mary”.

Yellow Ostrich stop by San Diego’s Belly Up Tavern this Wednesday night, along with Ra Ra Riot and Delicate Steve. Fans can expect a notably charismatic live performance. Critics have raved that Yellow Ostrich have a notably strong presence on stage. If you can’t make it out Wednesday, fret not. Even though the band won’t be playing in San Diego again soon, they will be just a short drive away in L.A. at El Ray Theatre on Thursday night. Tickets are moving fast.

What’s to come for the band is still unknown. After the tour they will be recuperating and relaxing back in New York. They have high hopes for future albums. Taking inspiration from the likes of Neil Young and the Velvet Underground, The Mistress was wildly more successful than originally anticipated. Fans can only hope for more lessons and charming tunes in a sophomore album from Yellow Ostrich.

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Concert Preview: Sezio’s Four Day Weekend

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sezio's Four Day Weekend will take place Nov. 10-13 at Sunset Temple.

By Liz Allick

Sezio’s Four Day Weekend
Sunset Temple
November 10-13

Here is some great news for San Diego Indie-music lovers – from Nov. 10-13 Sezio will be bringing their four-day evening music festival to North Park. Concertgoers can catch an individual show for only $10.00, but it’s a guarantee that a $30.00 ticket to see all twelve artists (three shows a night) is well worth the money.

Sezio is a non-profit organization that aims to provide “resources, exposure and community support to emerging artists and musicians through a variety of new media, events, retail and community programs.” Working with local San Diego venues, artists, retailers and other companies, Sezio hosts a variety of shows with artists that are all on a definite must-go-see list such as Deer Tick on Oct. 31 and Ra Ra Riot on Nov. 9.

In the past Sezio has put on amazing events like Live @ Luce Loft in San Diego’s East Village in March 2009, a five-night series featuring ten emerging local artists in an intimate living room setting. Due to the epic success of this event, Sezio doubled the size of the living room and last year put on a four-night series of California-based bands headlined by The Dodos, Dominant Legs, The Tree Ring and, a personal favorite, Avi Buffalo.

This year’s Four Day Weekend, featuring even more artists in a new location, North Park’s Sunset Temple, will be a weekend event that cannot be missed. Headlining Thursday evening is Peter Wolf Crier, comprised of the Minneapolis-based duo Peter Pisano and Brian Moen. When The War of 1812 reached its end, Pisano, their front man, took the opportunity to begin forming the foundation of what would later become this amazing pair of musicians. Keeping his day job as a private school teacher, Pisano spent his evening developing and fine-tuning the works that turned into Peter Wolf Crier’s first album Inter-Be. Pisano reached out to Moen for his known accomplishments as a drummer and sound engineer, the duo completed the album that fully carries the amount of thought and soul that went into its creation. Their music is a combination of Indie-folk and pop, but their album is a diverse collection of songs with a beautiful range from more upbeat and light hearted tracks such as “Crutch and Cane” to deeper and more resonant songs like “Hard as Nails” driven by the drumming talent of Moen. Their second album Garden of Arms released this past September was another illustration of the amazing music two people can create together and explored their talents in even more ways adding in another set of unique musical elements. Across the board, Peter Wolf Crier is sure to please the ears of listeners, and grouped with artists such as The Woods and Bon Iver, their show will be a demonstration of musical talent that will be a great kick-start to the weekend.

Friday will feature yet another greater headliner, Dirty Gold. This native San Diego threesome released their first EP only a few months ago in April, but their obvious talent and individualistic sound has gained them deserving popularity, all at a very ripe young age. Music they classify as “Afro-Beat/Experimental/Beach-Pop/Surf pop” couldn’t be classified as anything else. Their music, especially with tracks like “California Sunrise” will have listeners pressing repeat with easy-listening tunes that are resonant of 1960s beach jams, but with a modern personalized feel with accompaniments from an afro-pop guitar and xylophone. With their talent being recognized at such a fast pace, their performance at this year’s Four Day Weekend could be an opportunity to see them before they are selling out shows.

Saturday’s headliner, Lord Huron, is another new name that cannot be missed. His music is definitely something in its own, with a folk feel driven by Ben Schneider’s voice, underlined with Afro-Caribbean percussion and sound elements like subtle seagulls in the background. It’s definitely an experience worth listening to. Lord Huron’s new and irresistible sound landed the group appearances at major festivals like Lollapalooza this summer and his live performance exceeded expectations. The group on stage brings such a range of music and every song is equally great across the board. Another name that is rapidly gaining attention, especially in the Indie-music blogging sphere, makes him a performance that is sure to draw quite a crowd at the Four Day Weekend.

Wrapping up the event is Sunday’s headliner Real Estate. While the name might not evoke an immediate response of excitement, especially for business majors, their music will- especially when USD students find out one of the band’s most popular songs is entitled “Beach Comber.” No, this track is not about Mission Beach residents’ favorite establishment, but the song will still get listeners bobbing their heads along. This Indie-Rock group from New Jersey released their first album self-titled Real Estate in November 2009 and since then, have put out consistently great works, including their new album Days. With a mellow summertime feel to their music, they will carry on this theme of easy, beach listening sure to make this year’s Four Day Weekend quite a show, alongside eight other up and coming artists.

Buy Four Day Weekend All-Access Pass ($30)

 

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Concert Preview: Jason Aldean

October 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jason Aldean is playing in Chula Vista on October 28.

 

By Tom Roth

Jason Aldean
Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
Friday, October 28, 2011

In 2005, a star rose in Nashville. With the release of his debut, self-titled record, Jason Aldean began his rapid climb to country-music fame, aided by his single, “Why” which reached the number one spot on the US Country chart.

Since then, Aldean has established himself with three additional studio albums and five number one hits.  In an unexpected pairing with Atlanta rapper, Ludacris, Aldean released a remix of his current hit “Dirt Road Anthem”, a version of which will surely be performed on his upcoming tour stop in San Diego.

The Friday night performance on October 28 at Cricket Wireless Amphitheater in Chula Vista promises to be a lively show with opening acts including Chris Young and husband-wife duo, Thompson Square of “Are You Kiss Me Or Not?” fame. Aldean’s set has already been much anticipated. University of San Diego senior, Yasamin Mahallaty, says “I’ve heard a lot of people around campus talking about the show. The radio stations are promoting it too so I expect it to be well-attended and a lot of fun”.

Entertainment starts at 7:30. Tickets are available here and start at $25 for lawn seating.

Click here to listen to “Dirt Road Anthem”.

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Concert Preview: A.A. Bondy

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A.A. Bondy's newest album, Believers.

 

By Ryan Coghill

A.A. Bondy
September 28
Casbah 

As the electro scene continues to dominate concert and club choices, it is easy to forget there are still musicians standing on a stage, all alone, with nothing but a guitar and vocal chords. A change of pace is often nice, especially when one wants to get intimate and slow it down. A. A. Bondy (Scott Bondy) will be paying the close corridors of The Casbah a visit on Wednesday, Sept. 28. If the fresh workload of this semester has turned into a head full of stress, then take a mid-week break and listen to a man and his guitar.

Bondy released his debut album, American Hearts, in 2007. In its entirety, the album is lyrically dark, more than once questioning God. This sometimes overkill-melodrama is balanced out by the use of mainly major chords and the always-reassuring sound of a harmonica. However, the most comforting aspect of Bondy is his ability to finger pick his guitar mercifully while still extracting the oomph that is needed to rattle the listeners core.  “Vice Rag” and “Killed Myself When I was Young” are standouts on the album.  The latter was featured on the Emmy-award winning television series, “Friday Night Lights.”

Bondy’s 2009 follow up album When The Devil’s Loose is a much more refined continuation of “American Hearts.” The same gloomy patterns emerge in the subject matter. The instrumental is much tighter in dedication and his vocals have an even more soothing effect than previously. As it may be contrary to the instrumental being tighter, there is much more reverb used on the album.

This reverb comes out much more experimentally in his latest album Believers, which was just released this month. The acoustic guitar has been thrown out of the studio completely and replaced with long-lasting-electric minor notes, and the incorporation of a full band, which includes a heavy emphasis on keyboard usage.  This drives many of the songs to a trance-like state, with “Rte. 28/ Believers” sounding like something straight off Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. The transition into the following song “Scenes From A Circus,” resembles the transitions one would hear on “Dark Side” as well. The subtlety on “Surfer King” in itself is so calming that the idea of being beach-side becomes evermore appealing with each note.

This album is by far Bondy’s most intricate work to date. Since Believers was just released Sept. 13, San Diego will serve as the starting point for the live material. This is all the more reason to attend this, possibly, historic event. Tickets can be purchased here, and are only $12. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. The age limit is 21 and over. If you happen to fall into this category of having stress and a few extra dollars, and are of age, A. A. Bondy will serve your senses well.

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Concert Preview: Sims and Lazerbeak

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Tom Roth

Sims and Lazerbeak
Friday, September 23, 2011
Soda Bar

Back in June when I reviewed Grieves’ new album, On The Rocks, I introduced the article with an inventory of notable emcee-DJ relationships. While discussing Rhymesayers’ wunderkind, I neglected to make mention of another notable pair of performers within the indie-rap community: Sims and Lazerbeak of Minnesota rap-cartel, Doomtree.

The two Minneapolis-born artists will be performing at San Diego’s Soda Bar this coming Friday in what will be a high-energy performance. While their individual careers are well established in their hometown, Sims and Lazerbeak are largely anonymous on the West Coast, save to dedicated rap connoisseurs. Considering this, concert-goers can expect a top-notch set-list, designed to stick in the mind long after the show’s conclusion.

For Sims’ part, uzi-paced raps are all in a day’s work. On his tracks, Sims exhibits the fruits of years of rhyming practice. See “Burn it Down” for a sample of the artist’s proficiency.

Lazerbeak, meanwhile, holds it down with what the Doomtree website bills “catchy, rib-crushing, filthy” beats. The word “anthemic” also crops up in said description. You be the judge. Reference “Salt and Sea”.

Tickets for the show are $10 and available here.

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Gregory Alan Isakov at Lestat’s Coffe Shop Tonight!

June 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Photo Courtesy Todd Roeth

A man born in South Africa, raised in Philadelphia and now living in Boulder, Col. could make nothing less than beautiful music. Gregory Alan Isakov, who names Bruce Springsteen and Iron and Wine as two of his main influences, released his most recent album, This Empty Northern Hemisphere, last summer, and is touring this summer in support of it. He plays Lestat’s tonight, June 10th, and I am more than prepared to take in a calming yet moving, beautiful display of his talent and melodic prowess. While a show review will be posted tomorrow, save your reading capabilities for a book and catch the show yourself tonight at 8. Lestat’s is located on Adams Avenue. More information can be found at their website, Lestats.com.

If you can’t make it, check out some of my favorite songs off the album. Album opener “Dandelion Wine” is swooning, while “Light Year” is pleasantly upbeat and “Words” has some of the most literary-ily romantic lyrics I’ve heard in a great while. Finally, “Master & A Hound” is beyond-words-incredible.

Gregory Alan Isakov

Dandelion Wine

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Light Year

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Words

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Master & A Hound

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Summer in the Northeast? Be at Mountain Jam

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment


Mountain Jam represents the epitome gathering of rock, folk and jam bands in the Northeast. Performed in the beautiful setting of upstate New York’s Hunter Mountain (approximately one hour north of Albany) on June 4-6, it brings a great mix of classic and new artists alike to the stage. Though there are some obvious performers to look forward to this year (Gov’t Mule, The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti & Spearhead and Matisyahu to name a few) I would like to turn your attention to some of my favorite bands that are playing at this festival  who you may not have heard of, but who you will absolutely love and enjoy at Mountain Jam.

Toots and the Maytals
The inventors of the word “reggae” (seriously, their first hit song is called “Do the Reggay”), Toots and the Maytals are legends in the world of reggae. Performing since the 1960s, Toots and the Maytals still retain many of its founding members, including now- 65-year-old front man Frederick “Toots” Hibbert. Authentic Jamaican reggae at its absolute finest.
Tracks to try:
“Pressure Drop”
“Do the Reggay”

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
I first saw this soulful band open for Brett Dennen this past December and was simply blown away. Get ready for Grace’s spectacularly powerful voice and some upbeat funky blues meshed with rock that will make you want to dance. The band as a whole, especially Grace, has excellent stage presence and is fun to experience live.
Tracks to try:
“Nothing But the Water, Pt. 2″
“Treat Me Right”

Dr. Dog
Best described as slightly psychedelic indie rock, the band Dr. Dog has quite an extensive and eclectic discography spanning the past 10 years. I can only hope that they will feature many tracks from their new, excellent album Shame, Shame, released earlier this year.
Tracks to try:
“Later”
“Hang On”

Animal Liberation Orchestra
Featured earlier this year in an interview on USD Radio, Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) is one of the newest additions to Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records label, and they fit right in with the label’s focus on rock jam bands. Expect and enjoy fun, happy music that will embody the summery atmosphere of the festival perfectly.
Tracks to try:
“Shapeshifter”
“Spectrum”

Tickets (single and three-day packages offered) and camping passes are still available at mountainjam.frontgatetickets.com, and more information is available at mountainjam.com.

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Lupe Fiasco w/ Shiny Toy Guns May 9th Preview

May 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lupe: Welcome to San Diego!

Chicago is a typical American metropolis consumed with the hustle and bustle attitudes associated with the everyday lives of its citizens, as compared to the calm and relaxing demeanor procured by Californians. Known as the “windy city”, Chicago has created its own sense of identity and belonging with a culture enamored through the ideals of individuality and inventiveness. It also has become one of the foremost breeding grounds for musical talent, especially in the realm of hip hop.

Chicagoans pride themselves in their unwavering passion and motivation in attaining their goals. These attributes are directly related to artists who are imbedded in their work until they are satisfied with the finished product. Chicago has become home to some of the most renowned emcees that have found solace and inspiration in the very neighborhoods they grew up in. Considered as one of Chicago’s prodigal sons and a “breath of fresh air” according to Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco has emerged as a voice of reason in turning hip hop back into a genre focused on lyricism and content.

Along with fellow hip hop heavyweights, Kanye West and Common, Lupe has placed his stamp on hip hop with a style and bravado that can be compared to Q-Tip, one of the founding members of the legendary hip hop group, A Tribe Called Quest. Lupe released his first album, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor in 2006 with the single, “Kick, Push”. A track that centered on a love story between two skateboarders. The album was met with much fanfare and praise by both fans and critics and opened up Fiasco to the hip hop world. His second album, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, was released in 2007 and showed a different outlook on Lupe. It incorporated a darker side of him, which was contributed with the death of his father and legal controversy surrounding his business partner, Charles “Chilly” Patton. This was evident in tracks such as “Intruder Alert” and “Dumb It Down”.

This year has seen Lupe drop several freestyles, including “Turnt Up” and “Say Something”, which were apart of his mxitape, “Enemy of the State: A Love Story. He is slated to release his third and final album, Lasers, in mid-late May of this year. He has recently been on the road with hip hop sensation, B.o.B., on his Steppin’ Lasers tour.

USD has been fortunate enough in convincing Lupe to perform on Sunday, May 9th in the JCP Sports Auditorium with opening act, Shiny Toy Guns. If you haven’t already bought tickets for the concert, they are available at the box office for $15.

“Kick, Push” (Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor)

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“Dumb It Down” (Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool)

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Filed Under: Campus Beat, Concerts, Upcoming Shows, USD Radio

Rogue Wave: Interview – Band Plays Belly Up on TUESDAY

April 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Make sure to grab tickets to the band’s show on Tuesday. It’s a do not miss concert and with any luck, we’ll be able to put a show review up.
_____

Rogue Wave front man Zach Rogue is proud of his band’s newest release, Permalight, and stands behind the balance of upbeat, life-affirming melodies and quiet pulsing songs heard on the release. Rogue also worked to create an album that was more cohesive and could “capture one moment at a time.”
While the music may be cheery and playful at times, it draws from a group whose time between albums was tainted by loss and heartbreak. The transition into 2007 brought the loss of good friend, and former member Evan Farrell who passed away in an apartment fire. As if that loss weren’t enough, Zach Rogue went on to face months of bed rest, recovering from slipped discs in his back. The leap from being told that he could never play music again to finding himself in a recording studio playing guitar and writing music created an exciting feeling. Rogue recalls how it felt as though he was reliving his youth and learning to play music again, ultimately writing the song “Permalight” as his first full song after his injury. Overall, the experience taught Rogue that life truly is a gift and that movement and self-expression can be humbling.
As an album, Permalight comes across with a sound slightly different from previous work. As mentioned before, the album seems to have more of an upbeat sound. Everything falls more in line and certain songs have a bit of a dance feel to them. Rogue mentions that a few tracks have this dance feel and that some incorporate the use of a drum machine. Yet in the long run, it seems as though most critics focus on the introduction toward this new sound without really holding on the fact the Rogue Wave feeling can still be heard on the entire album. On some songs, the album has this slightly different, new sound while other songs maintain the sound that perpetuated Rogue Wave to the masses.
Production for the new album found the band in Oxford, Mississippi, working with Dennis Herring, whose past production credits include Elvis Costello, Modest Mouse, and MUTEMATH. For Rogue, the push to work with Herring came out of respect and admiration. The two shared a mutual vision and Rogue feel in love with Herring’s studio in the south. After an initial meeting, Rogue determined it would be a good match and he recognized Herring’s sometimes brutal honestly as something that would help the band in the long run. The final result is a product that will not only satisfy long-time Rogue Wave fans but will also appeal to listeners who might have previously dismissed the band before.

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TOBACCO: Put this in your pipe and smoke it

March 18, 2010 By 2 Comments

TOBACCO to release second album, "Maniac Meat" on May 25th. See him at the Casbah on March 24th.

Tom Fec, aka TOBACCO, is your new favorite musician, and I’ll tell you why. He can never have a bad singing voice, he’s comparable to greats such as Daft Punk and Ratatat and his music is a little psychedelic, a little hip hop/dubstep/whathaveyou and a lot badass; some might say it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before (unless you’ve listened to his first solo album, F*cked Up Friends, or his side project, Black Moth Super Rainbow).

Fec comes across as a pretty stand up, creative guy. He claims that he tries to make simple, catchy songs that are pop-esque, but when you listen to his albums, they are nowhere near the type of pop music you’ve grown accustomed to. Simple and catchy yes, but Britney status? Never.

“It’s just what I want to hear at the time,” Fec said when explaining what his music means to him. “It gets harder and harder to impress myself with the stuff that I do.” And that is understandable. When the only live instruments are synths and drums, and the rest of the sounds are voice distortion and samples, some musicians would probably get stuck in a rut. But not Fec. Fec’s newest album, Maniac Meat, to be released on Anticon Records May 25th, is quite impressive. Featuring the vocals of Beck on two of the tracks and providing listeners with some pretty intriguing lyrics and moods, the album is what I would consider a workout pumper-upper, a pre-party makeup putter-onner, a driving to school on a Tuesday ready-for-business attitude adjuster or just a simple passing the time thought-provoker/thought-allower. Notice I didn’t say a crazy soundtrack for your trip, a descriptor commonly used for his side project, Black Moth Super Rainbow’s music. This is very different.

Speaking of that side project which consists of more than one member, Fec has said in the past that he prefers working alone as opposed to collaborating with others. So why does he collaborate? “Sometimes I get in a funk and it’s good to hear what someone else can add. I feel like I started of on this weird mission to prove something to myself, and I think overall I really prefer working alone. But every once in a while you just wanna hear what someone else can do, and that can send you on a new path.” As far as the new album and working with Beck goes, “I was imagining his voice on it and that changed the way I was writing it, and then it turned out that months later I was able to actually do that and I think it was for the better.”

And what an amazing result that had. Beck’s signature voice can be heard on “Fresh Hex” and “Grape Aerosmith,” two of the many standout tracks on Maniac Meat. Others include the opener, “Constellation Dirtbike Head,” which boasts the lyric “Don’t eat the berries around you” (which I really like for some reason), “Mexican Icecream,” which brings to mind a dirtier Daft Punk and the summer season with lyrics like “You are my favorite day/ I’ll bring the sun to you” repeated over and over, “Sweatmother” which has a ‘90s hip hop feel until Fec’s distorted vocals kick in and the overall tone becomes much darker and “Overheater,” which is just pleasantly cool.

That’s not to say the other tracks are mediocre. They are just a little more violent, so to speak. For example, “Unholy Demon Rhythms,” which is a song one might hear when traveling between the different circles of hell in Dante’s Inferno, and also “Heavy Makeup,” the longest track on the album, whose lyrics consist mainly of “You got sick from a lolli lolli lollipop/ You feel free when you’re killing me.” This track brought to mind the film Hostel. Enough said.

I’d recommend this album if you’re a fan of Ratatat but think it can be a little weak, and if you’re a fan of Daft Punk but want something that makes you nod your head rather than dance your ass off. TOBACCO never gets boring and sounds new with every listen. Want to experience this mind-blowing music live? Get yourself to the Casbah on Wednesday the 24th (that’s next week) to see TOBACCO, The Hood Internet and Nice Nice. According to Fec, “It’s more like a DJ set, but it’s a little more than that. We’re developing this one character to kind of play along with the set. It’s mostly visual projection behind us, but I’m gonna have this other person…I don’t wann say for sure what he’s gonna do but it’s gonna be fun.”

Aren’t you glad your only class Thursday is at 2:30 in the afternoon? I am.

TOBACCO


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