SAN FRANCISCO — The son of a late San Francisco pornography mogul was being held without bail Monday on suspicion of killing his former girlfriend and fleeing with their 1-year-old daughter, prompting an Amber Alert that ended with his a…
Posts Tagged ‘San Francisco’
James Shaheen: Gay Marriage: What Would Buddha Do?
July 13th, 2009 |
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Buddhism is perhaps even more diverse than Christianity. In fact, the differences among schools can be so vast that some scholars consider them different religions.
Russian Firm Values Facebook Stock at $6.5B
July 13th, 2009 |
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Russia’s Digital Sky Technologies is willing to pay $14.77 per share for Facebook common stock, boosting its stake to as much as 3.5 percent and valuing the world’s largest online social network at about $6.5 billion.
– SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) Russia’s Digital Sky Technologies said it
will pay $14.77 a share for Facebook common stock, boosting its stake
to as much as 3.5 percent and valuing the world’s largest online social
network at about $6.5 billion.
While that is below the $10 billion valuation set by Digi…
The Avett Brothers: Album Due 9/29 & Huge Tour
July 13th, 2009 |
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THE AVETT BROTHERS I AND LOVE AND YOU IN STORES SEPTEMBER 29
NPR MUSIC EXCLUSIVE FIRST LISTEN BEGINS SEPTEMBER 22
 The Avett Brothers |
North Carolina-based rock band, The Avett Brothers, are gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated American Recordings/Columbia Records debut, I and Love and You, which hits stores on Tuesday, September 29, 2009. I and Love and You was recorded in Malibu, California and produced by multi-Grammy Award winning producer, Rick Rubin. The thirteen songs that make up this new record defy pigeonholing and can best be described as an amalgam of rock, folk, pop and country. The band has spent years touring, recording, performing and perfecting this blend of music styles with their signature lyrics and vocals. I and Love and You will also be available at participating Starbucks company-operated locations in the U.S. and Canada and wherever music is sold.
In addition beginning Tuesday, September 22, 2009, NPR Music will host an Exclusive First Listen of I and Love and You on their website, www.npr.org/firstlisten, where fans will be able to get a sneak peak of the new album a week prior to release. NPR Music’s distinctive Exclusive First Listen series recently showcased new music from such innovators as Wilco, Moby, Bjork and Neko Case.
The story of The Avett Brothers has been told by word of mouth until now. Come witness what thousands have been loyally following and speaking about for years…
THE AVETT BROTHERS ON TOUR:
7/09 Norfolk, VA Harrison Opera House
7/10 Richmond, VA The National
7/11 Roanoke, VA Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre
7/12 Louisville, KY The Riverfront Belvedere
7/16 Saint Augustine, FL St. Augustine Amphitheatre
7/17 Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues
7/18 Tampa, FL The Cuban Club
7/19 Fort Lauderdale, FL Parker Playhouse
7/24 North Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
7/25 North Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues
7/30 Buffalo, NY Lafayette Square
7/31 Syracuse, NY The Westcott
8/01 Newport, RI Fort Adams State Park (Newport Folk Festival)
8/02 Northampton, MA Calvin Theater
8/04 Dewey Beach, DE Bottle & Cork
8/08 Charlotte, NC Bojangles Coliseum
8/14 Ozark, AR Mulberry Mountain (Festival)
8/15 Kansas City, MO The Crossroads
8/16 Omaha, NE Sokol Auditorium/Underground
8/19 Telluride, CO Sunset Plaza @ Mountain Village
8/20 Steamboat Springs, CO Summer Concert Series (Howelson Hills Amp)
8/21 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater
8/22 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
8/25 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden
8/26 Boise, ID Knitting Factory Concert House
8/28 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
8/29 Jacksonville, OR Britt Festival
8/30 San Francisco, CA Outside Lands Music Festival
9/01 Arcata, CA HSU Van Duzer Theater
9/03 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Theater
9/04 Camp Mather, CA Strawberry Music Festival
9/05 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theatre
9/17 North Charleston, SC North Charleston P.A.C.
9/18 Augusta, GA Westobou Festival/Riverwalk
9/19 Tallahassee, FL The Moon
9/20 Tuscaloosa, AL Bama Theatre
9/22 Oxford, MS The Lyric Oxford
9/24 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
9/25 Little Rock, AR Robinson Center Music Hall
9/26 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom
9/27 Dallas, TX Granada Theater
9/29 Baton Rouge, LA Baton Rouge River Center Theatre
10/1 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
10/2 Austin, TX Austin City Limits
10/3 Midwest City, OK Rose State PAC
10/5 Murray, KY Lovett Auditorium Center
10/15 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live
10/16 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
10/17 New York, NY Terminal 5
10/18 Boston, MA House of Blues
10/20 Iowa City, IA The Englert Theatre
10/21 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
10/22 Urbana, IL Canopy Club
10/29 Huntington, WV Keith Albee Theatre
10/30 Louisville, KY Louisville Palace
10/31 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
Paul Hogarth: California Tenants Have No Friends in Governor’s Race
July 13th, 2009 |
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Last Friday at 5:00 p.m. (which he’s apt to do when releasing bad news), San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom vetoed three pro-tenant ordinances designed to…
Broke California poised to shut parks
July 13th, 2009 |
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• Public may lose access to 80% of nature reserves
• State’s plan digs deeper financial hole, say critics
It is hard to envisage a no-entry sign tagged to a towering redwood tree. But the recession – writ on an epic scale in California’s proposal to close 220 state parks – is forcing the American public to confront the closure of the great outdoors.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s governor, is trying to make up a $26bn (£16bn) budget shortfall, and has suggested that California can no longer afford to run its parks.
Conservationists are meanwhile arguing that California cannot afford not to. And this week the federal government appeared to partly agree, with the National Parks Service threatening to seize some of the sites if Schwarzenegger goes ahead with the closures.
The proposed shutdown of the parks would affect 80% of California’s nature reserves, historic sites and recreation areas, and restrict access to 30% of the state’s coastline. Affected areas would stretch from the mountains of the Sierra Nevadas to the beaches and wetlands of Big Sur, and to the deserts of San Diego, where some of the last peninsular bighorn sheep roam.
California is not alone. The crisis has also exposed hitherto hidden casualties of the economic downturn, with states from Oregon to Illinois, and New York to Tennessee, struggling to stretch resources.
Other states have proposed budgets that would put closed signs on parks and historic sites, though none so far has adopted measures as extreme as those being put forward in California.
Pennsylvania presented a budget proposal last month that would shut 35 of its 117 state parks. Several states have been forced to scale back opening hours and services, and dismiss rangers, faced with cuts to budgets – ranging from 39% in Georgia to 57% in Idaho.
The federal government does not have the resources to save more than a handful of California’s parks, let alone all of those across the US. Nonetheless, the National Parks Service issued a letter warning Schwarzenegger that it would use protection clauses under the original land deeds to the states, so as to take control of six parks in the San Francisco area, the dunes around the Big Sur and elsewhere.
“We really are just looking for ways we can keep those places open,” said David Siegenthaler, the National Parks Service’s manager for the state of California. “In these economic times it is probably even more important that people have access to good places.”
Conservationists believe parks can withstand a year or so of closure without lasting harm. But fewer ranger stations will mean increased risk of vandalism, and less maintenance will lead to environmental degradation.
“If it is a year or two I don’t think the damage will be a long lasting situation,” said Philip McKnelly, director of the National Association of State Park Directors. “But ultimately it is going to show as damage to resources.”
A survey of state park directors in mid-May suggested most states had cut spending on parks by 15% in their 2008 budgets, and were considering steeper cuts in the next fiscal year, which started on 1 July for many. In California, the loss will be immediate, conservationists say, putting some of the state’s most visited sites off-limits.
Critics also fear the closures could be irreversible. “Once those places are closed it becomes very difficult to re-open them,” said Traci Verardo Torres, of the California State Parks Foundation, which is protesting against the proposal.
The impact would be felt from the northern limits of the Sierra Nevada mountains — with the proposed shutdown of a park in memory of the doomed members of the Donner party, stranded travellers who resorted to cannibalism during the winter snows — to the deserts south of San DiegoSchwarzenegger’s proposal forces the closure of the only camp grounds inside the giant redwood forests to the north, and it blocks access to Lake Tahoe, though the site is shared by California with Nevada. “All of the parks in Lake Tahoe are proposed for closure,” said Verardo Torres. “If [they] close there would not be a way legally for the public to access the lakes.”
The order would also shutter urban tourist attractions such as San Francisco’s Angel Island — the Ellis Island of America’s Pacific Coast, where the barracks where Chinese migrants were quarantined are preserved. It is not immediately clear, in any case, how California will put vast tracts of land off-limits. “They would have to fence it and guard it to keep people out, and the effort they would have to extend to keep people out would cost just as much to run the park,” said Siegenthaler.
California could be digging itself into a yet deeper financial hole by its actions, some say. Many of the parks are a source of revenue for state and local communities. “Each visitor to a state park is worth $57 per visit. The parks have generated millions throughout California,” said Tim Gibbs, programme manager at the National Parks Conservation Association. “It’s almost as if they are shooting themselves in the foot.”
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Broke California poised to shut parks
July 13th, 2009 |
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• Public may lose access to 80% of nature reserves
• State’s plan digs deeper financial hole, say critics
It is hard to envisage a no-entry sign tagged to a towering redwood tree. But the recession – writ on an epic scale in California’s proposal to close 220 state parks – is forcing the American public to confront the closure of the great outdoors.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s governor, is trying to make up a $26bn (£16bn) budget shortfall, and has suggested that California can no longer afford to run its parks.
Conservationists are meanwhile arguing that California cannot afford not to. And this week the federal government appeared to partly agree, with the National Parks Service threatening to seize some of the sites if Schwarzenegger goes ahead with the closures.
The proposed shutdown of the parks would affect 80% of California’s nature reserves, historic sites and recreation areas, and restrict access to 30% of the state’s coastline. Affected areas would stretch from the mountains of the Sierra Nevadas to the beaches and wetlands of Big Sur, and to the deserts of San Diego, where some of the last peninsular bighorn sheep roam.
California is not alone. The crisis has also exposed hitherto hidden casualties of the economic downturn, with states from Oregon to Illinois, and New York to Tennessee, struggling to stretch resources.
Other states have proposed budgets that would put closed signs on parks and historic sites, though none so far has adopted measures as extreme as those being put forward in California.
Pennsylvania presented a budget proposal last month that would shut 35 of its 117 state parks. Several states have been forced to scale back opening hours and services, and dismiss rangers, faced with cuts to budgets – ranging from 39% in Georgia to 57% in Idaho.
The federal government does not have the resources to save more than a handful of California’s parks, let alone all of those across the US. Nonetheless, the National Parks Service issued a letter warning Schwarzenegger that it would use protection clauses under the original land deeds to the states, so as to take control of six parks in the San Francisco area, the dunes around the Big Sur and elsewhere.
“We really are just looking for ways we can keep those places open,” said David Siegenthaler, the National Parks Service’s manager for the state of California. “In these economic times it is probably even more important that people have access to good places.”
Conservationists believe parks can withstand a year or so of closure without lasting harm. But fewer ranger stations will mean increased risk of vandalism, and less maintenance will lead to environmental degradation.
“If it is a year or two I don’t think the damage will be a long lasting situation,” said Philip McKnelly, director of the National Association of State Park Directors. “But ultimately it is going to show as damage to resources.”
A survey of state park directors in mid-May suggested most states had cut spending on parks by 15% in their 2008 budgets, and were considering steeper cuts in the next fiscal year, which started on 1 July for many. In California, the loss will be immediate, conservationists say, putting some of the state’s most visited sites off-limits.
Critics also fear the closures could be irreversible. “Once those places are closed it becomes very difficult to re-open them,” said Traci Verardo Torres, of the California State Parks Foundation, which is protesting against the proposal.
The impact would be felt from the northern limits of the Sierra Nevada mountains — with the proposed shutdown of a park in memory of the doomed members of the Donner party, stranded travellers who resorted to cannibalism during the winter snows — to the deserts south of San DiegoSchwarzenegger’s proposal forces the closure of the only camp grounds inside the giant redwood forests to the north, and it blocks access to Lake Tahoe, though the site is shared by California with Nevada. “All of the parks in Lake Tahoe are proposed for closure,” said Verardo Torres. “If [they] close there would not be a way legally for the public to access the lakes.”
The order would also shutter urban tourist attractions such as San Francisco’s Angel Island — the Ellis Island of America’s Pacific Coast, where the barracks where Chinese migrants were quarantined are preserved. It is not immediately clear, in any case, how California will put vast tracts of land off-limits. “They would have to fence it and guard it to keep people out, and the effort they would have to extend to keep people out would cost just as much to run the park,” said Siegenthaler.
California could be digging itself into a yet deeper financial hole by its actions, some say. Many of the parks are a source of revenue for state and local communities. “Each visitor to a state park is worth $57 per visit. The parks have generated millions throughout California,” said Tim Gibbs, programme manager at the National Parks Conservation Association. “It’s almost as if they are shooting themselves in the foot.”
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Broke California poised to shut parks
July 13th, 2009 |
No Comments
• Public may lose access to 80% of nature reserves
• State’s plan digs deeper financial hole, say critics
It is hard to envisage a no-entry sign tagged to a towering redwood tree. But the recession – writ on an epic scale in California’s proposal to close 220 state parks – is forcing the American public to confront the closure of the great outdoors.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s governor, is trying to make up a $26bn (£16bn) budget shortfall, and has suggested that California can no longer afford to run its parks.
Conservationists are meanwhile arguing that California cannot afford not to. And this week the federal government appeared to partly agree, with the National Parks Service threatening to seize some of the sites if Schwarzenegger goes ahead with the closures.
The proposed shutdown of the parks would affect 80% of California’s nature reserves, historic sites and recreation areas, and restrict access to 30% of the state’s coastline. Affected areas would stretch from the mountains of the Sierra Nevadas to the beaches and wetlands of Big Sur, and to the deserts of San Diego, where some of the last peninsular bighorn sheep roam.
California is not alone. The crisis has also exposed hitherto hidden casualties of the economic downturn, with states from Oregon to Illinois, and New York to Tennessee, struggling to stretch resources.
Other states have proposed budgets that would put closed signs on parks and historic sites, though none so far has adopted measures as extreme as those being put forward in California.
Pennsylvania presented a budget proposal last month that would shut 35 of its 117 state parks. Several states have been forced to scale back opening hours and services, and dismiss rangers, faced with cuts to budgets – ranging from 39% in Georgia to 57% in Idaho.
The federal government does not have the resources to save more than a handful of California’s parks, let alone all of those across the US. Nonetheless, the National Parks Service issued a letter warning Schwarzenegger that it would use protection clauses under the original land deeds to the states, so as to take control of six parks in the San Francisco area, the dunes around the Big Sur and elsewhere.
“We really are just looking for ways we can keep those places open,” said David Siegenthaler, the National Parks Service’s manager for the state of California. “In these economic times it is probably even more important that people have access to good places.”
Conservationists believe parks can withstand a year or so of closure without lasting harm. But fewer ranger stations will mean increased risk of vandalism, and less maintenance will lead to environmental degradation.
“If it is a year or two I don’t think the damage will be a long lasting situation,” said Philip McKnelly, director of the National Association of State Park Directors. “But ultimately it is going to show as damage to resources.”
A survey of state park directors in mid-May suggested most states had cut spending on parks by 15% in their 2008 budgets, and were considering steeper cuts in the next fiscal year, which started on 1 July for many. In California, the loss will be immediate, conservationists say, putting some of the state’s most visited sites off-limits.
Critics also fear the closures could be irreversible. “Once those places are closed it becomes very difficult to re-open them,” said Traci Verardo Torres, of the California State Parks Foundation, which is protesting against the proposal.
The impact would be felt from the northern limits of the Sierra Nevada mountains — with the proposed shutdown of a park in memory of the doomed members of the Donner party, stranded travellers who resorted to cannibalism during the winter snows — to the deserts south of San DiegoSchwarzenegger’s proposal forces the closure of the only camp grounds inside the giant redwood forests to the north, and it blocks access to Lake Tahoe, though the site is shared by California with Nevada. “All of the parks in Lake Tahoe are proposed for closure,” said Verardo Torres. “If [they] close there would not be a way legally for the public to access the lakes.”
The order would also shutter urban tourist attractions such as San Francisco’s Angel Island — the Ellis Island of America’s Pacific Coast, where the barracks where Chinese migrants were quarantined are preserved. It is not immediately clear, in any case, how California will put vast tracts of land off-limits. “They would have to fence it and guard it to keep people out, and the effort they would have to extend to keep people out would cost just as much to run the park,” said Siegenthaler.
California could be digging itself into a yet deeper financial hole by its actions, some say. Many of the parks are a source of revenue for state and local communities. “Each visitor to a state park is worth $57 per visit. The parks have generated millions throughout California,” said Tim Gibbs, programme manager at the National Parks Conservation Association. “It’s almost as if they are shooting themselves in the foot.”
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Same-Sex Penguin Couple In SF Zoo Split
July 13th, 2009 |
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Linda the penguin has split up two male penguins who lived as a nesting couple for six years at the San Francisco Zoo, caretakers said.
New York Mets Stagger Through Miserable Season
July 12th, 2009 |
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NEW YORK (AP) — Hopes were so high when the New York Mets moved into Citi Field.
They had a new attitude in a new ballpark.
They were going to put consecutive September collapses behind them.
And then Mike Pelfrey faced San Diego’s Jody Ge…
Jonathan Sanchez Pitches First No-Hitter Of The Season
July 11th, 2009 |
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SAN FRANCISCO — On a night when Jonathan Sanchez was nearly perfect, his father chose the perfect time to show up in San Francisco and cheer him. The Giants’ left-hander threw the majors’ first no-hitter of the season Friday night and ca…
Electric Daisy Carnival | 06.26 – 06.27 | L.A.
July 11th, 2009 |
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Words by: Chris Clark | Images by: Ceasar Sebastian & Rukes
Electric Daisy Carnival :: 06.26.09 & 06.27.09 :: L.A. Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Park :: Los Angeles, CA
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It’s tough to place a finger on where to begin to explain exactly what transpired at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at Exposition Park in Los Angeles. For two nights, the 13th Annual Electric Daisy Carnival proved to be not only a colossal collection of some of electronic music’s biggest and brightest, but 2009′s EDC also secured itself as one of the premier festivals around, period.
Boasting a boisterous and kinetically charged bill that included headliners Paul Van Dyk, Paul Oakenfold, Thievery Corporation and Groove Armada, along with an eclectic array of electro wizards and bass bumpers (STS9, Pretty Lights, Diplo, Boys Noize, Major Lazer, Mark Farina, LTJ Bukem and several dozen others), EDC provided an astonishingly polished product for 100,000-plus revelers to party well into the early morning. Unlike festivals such as Bonnaroo, Outside Lands and Lollapalooza, EDC focuses solely on one section of the melange of music out there today: electronic. From drum ‘n’ bass at the Bass Pod stage to trance powerhouses at the Kinetic Field to thick, chest-thumping dubstep at the Neon Garden, if you’re into pulsating speaker stacks, big bass and sample enriched sonic soundscapes you didn’t leave without all your fancies tickled.
And this is just the music.
Both nights’ festivities were spread out over the sprawling urban landscape that surrounds the University of Southern California. It’s here, adjacent to the storied history of the USC campus that the mega-stadium Memorial Coliseum sits. Once home to the Los Angeles Summer Games of 1932 and 1984, the Coliseum currently houses the famed USC Trojans football team, and quite honestly, it was rather enjoyable to be seeing tens of thousands of scantily clad trance worshippers congregate on the very field O.J. Simpson and Reggie Bush, amongst many others, once dominated.
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After getting out of the cab, the sheer enormity of the surroundings was immediately apparent. Scores of teenagers, some I’d guess as young as 13, were decked out in their ultra colorful garb and candy bracelets. Florescent colors dominated the area, as did an onslaught of teenage girls wearing nothing but skimpy lingerie and knee-highs. Without even the slightest hint of embellishment, I have never seen anything like it. I’m sure it was a teenage boy’s dream. Other than these aforementioned jailbaits, scores of chemically altered, enthusiastic pacifier-suckers, dress-all-in-blacks, ravers and even some folks with beards and normal clothing filled the massive complex by the time we arrived around 8 p.m. Once at the colorful gateway, it was time to enter the Bass and not look back.
After I actually made it through security (which was maybe 10 minutes compared to the hours reviewers spoke of last year), a true “Party Like It’s 1999″ atmosphere arose. I’ve been to several Phish festivals, I’ve been to a couple Bonnaroos and I’ve witnessed countless other music festivals from coast to coast, and not one came close to comparing to the production experienced at EDC 2009. Not even close. Music aside, four out of five stages at the festival were as large or larger than any main stage I’d been to, but it’s not just the size of the stages, or even the festival itself, that made it so unequally impressive. Festival organizers Insomniac put extreme emphasis on appealing and stimulating all five senses of the concert going experience (their slogan is “Wide awake since 1993″). The sound at each stage, even the 90,000-seat Kinetic Field stadium, was amazing. Visually, the immense lighting rigs coupled with the giant laser fields proved to be a hallucination-inducing experience without the LSD. There were several points throughout the weekend where I had to close my eyes, reopen them and realize, shit, I didn’t take any extracurriculars.
Other than the walk in through the main entrance, the festival was kept rather clean (for that many people), with bathrooms readily available and the vending and alcohol was everywhere. Additionally, Ferris wheels and carnival rides could be found everywhere, including on the lawn of the Coliseum! So, for the thousands and thousands of paying festival goers, EDC made everything top-notch, safe, accessible and clean, exactly what all festivals should take into account when planning and executing a vision.
Friday, 06.26
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Diving into the music, there certainly is plenty to talk about. Friday night, much like Saturday, focused each sub-genre of electronic music at a given stage. For the most part, the Bass Pod, which housed all the drum ‘n’ bass and a not-so healthy barrage of craziness, I stayed away from. Other than that, our crew split time between the other stages. After showing up just as Nick Catchdubs was firing on all cylinders and Daedelus was just ending his set, we made it over to the Neon Garden for Computer Club, an act I’d never heard of before. After running into him alongside a few Goth kids at our hotel in the early morning, his sound seemed properly fitting to his sheer size. Loud and intense, but super-funky, CC warmed up the early arrivals perfectly for Fake Blood, the man who says of himself, “I make music, and I take your music and do what I want with it. If swallowed seek medical assistance, will stain clothes, will sound spectacular.” I mean come on, how do you go wrong with that? Opening with Rusko’s Kid Sister’s “Pro Nails,” segueing into a perfectly placed “Big Pimpin’” into M.I.A.’s “Bamboo Banga” into Santigold’s “Creator” immediately immersed Fake Blood, aka Touche’ aka Theo Keating’s, into a frenzy at the Neon Garden.
For all those people who thought EDC was simply a massive rave, all you would need to do to capably discredit that very notion was go see Fake Blood and then make it over to the Coliseum Kinetic Filed for Thievery Corporation. I’d seen Thievery a few times before and knew what to expect, but still, something about seeing them on that grand stage made this show stand out. Gradually building up from just Rob Garza and Eric Hilton on the decks, Thievery seamlessly transitioned into full band format, adding a new member or two as each song developed. Maybe they didn’t notice or maybe they were just enjoying the smooth break, but the so-called “candy kids” were a meandering mass of sweaty souls; a continually enlarging group of glow stick-donning 14-22 year olds, twirling and swirling with each passing rhythm. Honestly, it was quite the sight. Unfortunately, the Thievery set was short lived, as it became time to trek back to the Circuit Grounds for the man of the hour, Pretty Lights.
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Now, unless you’re either not paying attention whatsoever or have been hiding from what’s “in,” you’ll surely recognize that name. Having just seen him, along with Kap10 Harris, Morale and Shane King in San Francisco a few weeks prior, I had extremely high expectations for the former bass player of Fort Collins, CO’s Listen. Needless to say, myself and a crowd of several thousand gathered for the commencement and the sweat-soaked dancing never stopped. For an hour and a half, PL escalated then exploded EDC with a barrage of mash-ups like Rage Against the Machine’s “Bullet in the Head” with Rick Ross’ “The Boss” and M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” with “Rump Shaker.” Sans the drummer, Derek Smith was a one-man head-banger crew, providing some of the freshest mixes and most crowd pleasing beats EDC saw on Friday. From the front to back, the area was packed and moving; something I figured would translate into a fiery performance from STS9.
Sadly, that never culminated. STS9′s Live PA set was the definitive letdown of the weekend. Being one of the last additions to EDC, a DJ intensive mega festival, the band had an impressive opportunity to be just that, impressive, and gain a whole new allegiance of fans in the electronic world. Without question, a full band set would’ve automatically deterred the masses from stepping foot near STS9 (unless they dropped a Velmer-fueled “Orbital” to open or something along those lines), but the PA set wasn’t much better. Opening with the new “Lion” the midnight to 2 a.m. set began in rather average fashion, certainly not the way to hype a late night crowd at an event called the Electric Daisy Carnival. After a fairly slow start, the crowd eventually began to trickle out and head over to the 60,000 person strong attendance at the Coliseum for headliner Paul Oakenfold or over to the Neon Garden for Boys Noize. While there was a nice “Glogli” fit into the setlist, it still lacked the normal punch the band characteristically plays with. Much to be expected, a Michael Jackson appearance arose with a short “Billie Jean” beat, but the anticipation quickly subsided as the vast majority of STS9′s crowd started heading for the exit.
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After a little more than an hour and a half of their set, we too left and headed over to the end of Boys Noize. Earlier in the night we’d heard him open with “Thriller” and seemingly, he’d never looked back. His crowd was packed likes pigs in a blanket, as the an onslaught of big-eyed, gaping-grinned attendees bobbed and banged away at the closing minutes of the German electro mind-blower, who made the speakers sing, giving those not at Oakenfold plenty to look forward to on Day 2. While there were a few acts I would’ve liked to see, most notably Shiny Toy Guns, Day 1 was a complete success, even by the highest of standards.
Undoubtedly, Day 1 of EDC was, at the most basic of levels, a phenomenal social experiment, the likes of which I’d never been a part of before. While so many of the other concert and festival experiences I’ve encountered felt like social experiments, this first day of EDC proved to be a much grander, more colorful, better planned and supremely executed endeavor, where I never saw a sliver of violence, people that were too far gone or even the slightest inkling of life going wrong. For myself, and the friends that accompanied me, EDC Day 1 was quite the musical, cultural and artistic journey.
Continue reading for Saturday’s coverage…
Saturday, 06.27
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After one of the premier hotel nights and ensuing pool days I can remember, not to mention 80 degrees and sunshine all day, we headed back to the Coliseum and Exposition Center for Round 2 of EDC. While I anticipated a more raucous crowd than the previous night, I truly had no idea what would be waiting in store for Day 2. What I did know was the Kinetic Field would be full of huge trance/techno/house DJs from start to finish, highlighted by Groove Armada, Kaskade and headliner Paul Van Dyk. For those of you reading this that are into electronic music, surely quite a few of you will have had some of your first electronic experiences with the likes of Paul Van Dyk, Crystal Method, Mark Farina and Roger Sanchez (all who also played Saturday night). For others who caught onto electronic sonic hues a little later, Day 2 also boasted Infected Mushroom live, DJ AM, Major Lazer (like whoa!), Diplo (with a special lady friend to be mentioned later) and Simian Mobile Disco, amongst many other performers. If you’d made it through Friday and the controlled chaos that it was, Saturday was taking the leap to the big leagues.
You had better come prepared.
Luckily for us, there were only four in my crew, and we maintained a group philosophy throughout the duration of EDC’s festivities; a logistical and rational means to a greater end of not getting lost and no one losing their shit. Well thankfully, upon arriving on the Coliseum grounds at about 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, we stayed true to sticking together. Put simply, the place was a mad house on Saturday – exponentially crazier, more intense, more people and more nuttiness that Friday seemed to hold in check. Whereas Friday was making it to first base, Saturday was hitting a Grand Slam. But still, EDC and its inhabitants remained in a controlled frenzy. There weren’t cops running around (other than choking out one of about a dozen or so kids we saw sneak in), there weren’t teenage kids falling out everywhere and there certainly weren’t any problems that any of us saw. For all the negative press “raves” get, this event certainly wasn’t on par with any of those expectations. Authority and control were there just enough to keep everyone in check and with ample places to rest your legs, hit the bathrooms and get some alcohol, food and water, and any major fall out was avoided.
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Upon entering Day 2 of EDC, we first attempted to wander over to LTJ Bukem – not by my choice. Drum ‘n’ bass was never my thing and if you throw a MC into the mix, my opinion continues to deteriorate. But alas, we decided to head straight to the Neon Garden for Philly bred DJ AM. I love DJ AM. I loved him before he miraculously survived a small plane crash with Travis Barker of Blink 182 and I love him even more after the set he played at EDC. Whether it was his scorching electro remix of Guns N’ Roses’ “Paradise City,” his remix of Caspa’s “Where’s My Money” or the endless energy throughout his hour set, DJ AM came with his game face on and left the stage with way more people around then when he started. As the crowd rushed towards the front of the stage, AM’s production coupled with the startlingly crisp sound and out-of-this-world visuals were one of the defining moments of the festival. If you don’t know DJ AM, well, you probably should.
After DJ AM finished making all the young ladies shed whatever clothing they still had on, we headed over to the Kinetic Field for a rather back-in-the-day performance. I had first heard Groove Armada back with “4 Tune Cookie” when I first started seeing Phish in the mid-’90s and it was quite odd but enjoyable to see them perform in front of 50,000 people. Just to sit on the third level of the bleachers towards the back of the stadium and watch as the heaping mass of colors swayed to and fro to some drums-driven electronic was an absolutely amazing sight. It was then that all four of us got the timely opportunity to relax, sit on the bleachers and watch as tens of thousands of people lost their shit to “Get Down.” There was something so eerily soothing about that moment, a serene picture with 50,000 people at a heavy electronic show in a massive stadium.
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After a short stint at the main stage, we navigated our way through the ever-exploding crowd to what was possibly the most anticipated set of the festival – Major Lazer. Arriving a little early, we had the chance to catch what was the worst DJ name of the weekend, Bass Weazal. Thankfully, a name doesn’t necessarily translate into a person or sound. Bass Weazel was actually mastering the increasingly swelling crowd, enticing the audience with a healthy dose of big bass with a slice of grime. Now, I’m not fully convinced I’d go see him in San Francisco, but hey, he was there, so was I, and we worked it out.
Major Lazer just may have stolen the show. The combination of Switch and Diplo together raging a 90-minute set of all sorts of electronic tones, from dubstep to electro to heart-pounding, was a complete mind-wobbling killing. This was one of those festival sets where you don’t even care or think about all the other acts that are playing – you tune in and you get down. With a new album out to support, the duo made their way through choice original cuts like “Pon De Dancefloor” and “Hold the Line” while also sifting through their massive catalogues for a delectable taste of Rusko and even threw a little Michael Jackson in there just for fun. Looking around, it was apparent my face wasn’t the only one that was blown by Major Lazer. Everywhere you looked there were sweaty faces, ruffled hair, dirty shins and even a little bit of drool. That’s how you can tell it was a good festival set. Before leaving for Crystal Method at the Circuit Grounds, we stuck around for Le Castle Vania, another sleeper set of the festival. I didn’t know who this guy was but their Daft Punk suite of “Around the World,” “Robot Rock” and “Technologic” had everyone freaking out. Or maybe that was all the consumption.
Regardless, the festival was almost over, but not before a quick stop over at the massively loud, color-filled stage of Crystal Method, where everyone seemed to be dancing and partying even harder (I have no idea how that’s possible). A quick glance over at Mark Farina was all that was needed before heading over to the man of the night, the Mad Decent man, Diplo. All I will say about his set is this: It was about as heavy, bass-driven and wild as anything I’ve seen in a while. Even seeing him on New Year’s in San Francisco didn’t quite compare. Oh yeah, this recently minted mother that goes by the name of M.I.A. made not one but two appearances alongside a guy who’s already impressive production credits are just beginning. Dropping “Paper Planes” as M.I.A. made her night-capping appearance, the crowd roared about as loud as it got all weekend, then, as Justice’s “Phantom” hit the speakers, Diplo left and other than a few weird minutes of Simian Mobile Disco, our time at the Electric Daisy Carnival was over.
EDC was not only successful at throwing the biggest party I’ve seen in this country, but also the most well thought-out, put together and executed gathering I’ve ever experienced. Even if you aren’t that into electronic music you would’ve had quite the time.
Continue reading for more pics of Electric Daisy Carnival 2009…
Images by: Ceasar Sebastian
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Diplo
JamBase | Hands In Da’ Air
Go See Live Music!
Chaz Bono Steps Out With Girlfriend Jennifer Elia (PHOTOS)
July 11th, 2009 |
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Cher’s son Chaz Bono made his first public appearance since announcing his female-male gender transition. Thursday he and girlfriend Jennifer Elia came to the 2009 Outfest film festival’s opening night gala of ‘La Mission’ in LA.
Also there w…
Lou Barlow: Album & Tour
July 10th, 2009 |
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On October 6, Merge Records will release Lou Barlow‘s new album, Goodnight Unknown. In the four years since his career-redefining, mostly acoustic record Emoh, Lou Barlow has reunited with Dinosaur Jr. and reissued three of Sebadoh‘s classic albums. But as the brilliant new Goodnight Unknown illustrates, he’s hardly living in the past. Borrowing the live-band energy of Dinosaur Jr. and the stylistic reach of Sebadoh, Barlow has built on Emoh‘s full production and written a set of immediate, melodic pop songs that Lou describes as, “a cross between my later work with Folk Implosion and my earlier work with Sebadoh… to my ears, anyway.”
From the surging opening track “Sharing” to the surprisingly soulful performances on “The Right,” Goodnight Unknown benefits from Barlow’s tunefulness and his decision to record the record relatively quickly, with old friends and new. The Melvins‘ Dale Crover adds inspired drum work throughout, and Goodnight Unknown‘s urgent sound owes just as much to frequent Barlow collaborator Imaad Wasif (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Alaska!). The record’s considerable power also stems from the new talents on board, including producer Andrew Murdock and Lisa Germano.
Lou Barlow + The Missingmen will be on tour throughout the fall opening for Dinosaur Jr. The Missingmen are guitarist Tom Watson and drummer Raul Morales. Lou “stole” them from Mike Watt for this tour, and is excited to be bringing you the full band experience of Goodnight Unknown.
Goodnight Unknown Track Listing:
1. Sharing
2. Goodnight Unknown
3. Too Much Freedom
4. Faith In Your Heartbeat
5. The One I Call
6. The Right
7. Gravitate
8. I’m ThinkingÂ…
9. One Machine, One Long Fight
10. Praise
11. Take Advantage
12. Modesty
13. Don’t Apologize
14. One Note Tone
Lou Barlow + the Missingmen on Tour:
09/30/09 Wed Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto, ON
10/03/09 Sat The Middle East Cambridge, MA
10/04/09 Sun Northern Lights Clifton Park, NY
10/07/09 Wed Toad’s Place New Haven, CT
10/08/09 Thu 9:30 Club Washington, DC
10/09/09 Fri Theatre of Living Arts (TLA) Philadelphia, PA
10/10/09 Sat Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
10/11/09 Sun Crofoot Ballroom Pontiac, MI
10/13/09 Tue Majestic Theatre Madison, WI
10/14/09 Wed The Pageant St. Louis, MO
10/15/09 Thu The Vic Theatre Chicago, IL
10/16/09 Fri Headliners Music Hall Louisville, KY
10/17/09 Sat Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
10/22/09 Thu Granada Theater Dallas, TX
10/23/09 Fri Warehouse Live Houston, TX
10/26/09 Mon Beaumont Club Kansas City, MO
10/27/09 Tue Slowdown Omaha, NE
10/29/09 Thu Boulder Theater Boulder, CO
10/30/09 Fri Aggie Theatre Fort Collins, CO
10/31/09 Sat Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT
11/03/09 Tue Marquee Theatre Tempe, AZ
11/04/09 Wed Belly Up Tavern Solana Beach, CA
11/05/09 Thu House of Blues West Hollywood, CA
11/06/09 Fri The Fillmore San Francisco, CA
11/07/09 Sat Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
Tea Leaf Green Tour
July 10th, 2009 |
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While veering through some of the Summer’s hottest festivals, Tea Leaf Green has picked some spots to bring their rock ‘n’ roll prowess during their “Around the Bend Tour.” With stops in all corners of the U.S., Tea Leaf Green will be pulling through starting August 20 at San Diego’s Wave House, then to L.A.’s famed Troubadour on August 21, and finish the short California jaunt in San Francisco at Outside Lands Festival.
They’ll then head to the Northeast for stops in Troy, Syracuse, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh. The tour will end in the Southeast corner – with shows in Birmingham, Athens, Charlotte and finally Charleston – where the band wowed packed houses early in the year.
Tickets for Tea Leaf Green’s “Round the Bend Tour” are on sale now!
Fans purchasing two or more tickets through Tea Leaf Green’s Ticketing Page will become eligible to win the first run of a limited edition poster designed by Josh Clark — commemorating the band’s Summer Tour — which will also be signed by the band.
‘Round the Bend Tour
07.12.09 Masontown, WV @ All Good
07.24.09 Detroit Lakes, MN @ 10,000 Lakes Festival
07.25.09 Detroit Lakes, MN @ 10,000 Lakes Festival
08.07.09 Denver, CO @ Dancin’ in the Streets
08.08.09 Denver, CO @ Dancin’ in the Streets (Late Night CounterClarkWise show)
08.14.09 Ozark, AR @ Mulberry Mountain Harvest Festival
08.16.09 Ozark, AR @ Mulberry Mountain Harvest Festival (Saturday Late Night show)
08.20.09 San Diego, CA @ Wave House
08.21.09 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
08.22.09 San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord (Trevor Garrod solo show w/ Big Light)
08.28.09 San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Festival
09.02.09 Troy, NY @ Revolution Hall
09.03.09 Syracuse, NY @ Westcott Theatre
09.04.09 Buffalo, NY @ Erie Canal Harbor (w/ The Wallflowers)
09.05.09 Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre
09.09.09 Birmingham, AL @ WorkPlay Theater
09.10.09 Athens, GA @ 40 Watt
09.11.09 Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
09.12.09 Charleston, SC @ The Pour House w/ Gaslight Street
Purchase tickets and learn more about the contest through Tea Leaf Green ticketing here.
Magnolia Electric Co. Album/Tour
July 10th, 2009 |
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Includes Free Digital Download For Exclusive 7-inch
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Now is the time to stake your claim on a copy of Josephine, the first LP from Magnolia Electric Co. in three years. Pre-orders of the album will come with a free, digital download of the 2009 limited-pressing 7-inch, It’s Made Me Cry. The 7-inch is a bit of an interlude into It’s Made Me Cry.
Like on the 7-inch, Josephine is also an experiment in Molina’s songcraft, introducing some real lessons in brevity as he whittles a handful of tracks into well-under three minutes, all while taking cues from great songsmiths like Willie Nelson and Warren Zevon.
Next week, Magnolia Electric Co. will set off on a North American tour with San Diego’s The Donkeys, a tour that includes a two-night stand in Molina’s beloved Chicago.
MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC CO. TOUR DATES:
07/11/09 Sat Schubas Chicago, IL
07/12/09 Sun The Hideout Chicago, IL
07/14/09 Tue Southgate House Newport, KY
07/15/09 Wed Andy Warhol Museum Pittsburgh, PA
07/16/09 Thu Mohawk Place Buffalo, NY
07/17/09 Fri The Middle East Cambridge, MA
07/18/09 Sat Iron Horse Music Hall Northampton, MA
07/19/09 Sun East River State Park Brooklyn, NY
07/20/09 Mon Black Cat Washington, DC
07/21/09 Tue Local 506 Chapel Hill, NC
07/22/09 Wed 40 Watt Club Athens, GA
07/23/09 Thu Hi Tone Memphis, TN
07/24/09 Fri Rubber Gloves Denton, TX
07/25/09 Sat The Mohawk Austin, TX
07/27/09 Mon Solar Culture Tucson, AZ
07/28/09 Tue Echo Los Angeles, CA
07/29/09 Wed Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, CA
07/31/09 Fri Doug Fir Portland, OR
08/01/09 Sat Crocodile Cafe Seattle, WA
08/03/09 Mon Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT
08/04/09 Tue Hi Dive Denver, CO
08/05/09 Wed The Record Bar Kansas City, MO
08/06/09 Thu The Waiting Room Omaha, NE
08/07/09 Fri 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN
08/08/09 Sat The Busted Lift Dubuque, IA
08/27/09 Thu The Paradiso Amsterdam, NL
09/02/09 Wed Bush Hall London, GB
09/03/09 Thu Duke Of Yorks Brighton, GB
09/04/09 Fri Brudenell Social Club Leeds, GB
09/05/09 Sat Electric Picnic Festival Stradbally, IR
09/10/09 Thu El Lokal Zurich, SWI
09/11/09 Fri Le Romandie Lausanne, SWI
09/13/09 Sun End of the Road Festival Wiltshire, GB
Marketwire Review – Press Release Distribution
July 5th, 2009 |
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PR agencies, large companies and small businesses all have the need to announce news through a press release, still a great way to gain media exposure and PR. Once those releases have been written, it’s often a wise idea to distribute the press release over a newswire (which makes your news available to thousands of [...]
Femi Kuti: Tour
April 19th, 2009 |
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EXTENSIVE NORTH AMERICAN SUMMER TOUR BEGINS IN JUNE
 Femi Kuti |
On June 3 in New York City, Afrobeat pioneer Femi Kuti, backed by his
band the Positive Force, will begin a 24-date summer tour spanning North
America, including several shows opening for the Dave Matthews Band, a
headline appearance at the Hollywood Bowl and performances at the Bonnaroo,
Montreal Jazz and Rothbury Music festivals. Kuti’s performances will
feature material from his first studio album of new material in seven years,
the acclaimed Day By Day.
Femi is ready to bring his new material from Day By Day to the many cities
comprising the summer tour. It’s easy to hear that the long respite has
inspired him. He is upbeat, enthusiastic and raring to hit the road again,
in spite of how much has changed since he began his hiatus. “Everybody is
back in training now,” he says. “We have to re-establish my music. We have
to come out and play it live, because the record industry is in such a bad
shape, we are all suffering.”
“Luckily,” he laughs, “the African man is used to suffering.”
Check out JamBase’s 2008 interview with Femi Kuti here.
Femi Kuti U.S. Tour Dates:
June 3
New York, NY
The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
June 4
New York, NY
The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
June 5
Hartford, CT
Dodge Music Center*
June 6
Hartford, CT
Dodge Music Center*
June 9
Toronto, ONT
Molson Amphitheatre*
June 10
Montreal, QC
Parc Jean Drapeau*
June 11
Atlanta, GA
Variety Playhouse
June 12
Manchester, TN
Bonnaroo Music Festival
June 14
Salt Lake City, UT
Red Butte Garden
June 16
Seattle, WA
Showbox
June 17
Portland, OR
Oregon Zoo Amphitheatre
June 19
Boonville, CA
Sierra Nevada World Music Festival
June 20
San Francisco, CA
The Fillmore
June 21
Los Angeles, CA
Hollywood Bowl
June 24
Boston, MA
Paradise Rock Club
June 25
Brooklyn, NY
Celebrate Brooklyn
June 26
Philadelphia, PA
World Cafe Live
June 27
Washington, D.C.
9:30 Club
June 30
Apple Valley, MN
Music in the Zoo‹Weesner
July 1
Highland Park, IL
Ravinia Festival
July 2
Milwaukee, WI
Summerfest
July 3
Rothbury, MI
Rothbury Festival
July 4
Toronto, ONT
Harbourfront Centre
July 5
Montreal, QC
Metropolis
* Supporting Dave Matthews Band
The Juan MacLean & Field Tour
April 18th, 2009 |
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The Juan MacLean and The Field co-headlining a full LIVE band U.S. Tour
Welcome back intelligent dance music, we’ve missed you. – Music OMH, February 2009
 The Juan MacLean |
After releasing the much anticipated The Future Will Come (due 4/21 on DFA Records), Juan MacLean and Nancy Whang take The Juan MacLean on the road this spring. Juan, Nancy and band will be playing tracks live from The Future Will Come, which Filter magazine described as “perfectly orchestrated and directed to achieve maximum mood and dance-ability.” If the weather doesn’t make you sweat, your dance moves will.
The Juan MacLean is co-headlining the tour with Stockholm’s Axel Willner, aka The Field (Kompakt). After breaking out of the “boy and his laptop” mold following a tour with !!!, Willner teamed up with friends – percussionist/bass player Dan Enqvist and multi-instrumentalist Andreas Söderstrom to see what they could accomplish playing together. Modernizing their kraut rock influences, The Field recorded Yesterday & Today, due out May 19 on Anti- Records.
Co-sponsored by Scion and Nooka Toys, this is one dance party you do not want to miss.
Speaking of Nooka Toys, The Juan MacLean will have their very own Nooka Nooka Toy designed by Mike Vadino, who also designed the album cover for The Future Will Come.
The Juan Maclean and The Field US Tour Dates:
05/21: Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
05/22: Philadelphia, PA @ Pure
05/23: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
05/25: Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
05/27: Miami, FL @ Liv @ Fountainbleu
05/29: Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
05/30: Houston, TX @ Numbers
05/31: Lobbock, TX @ Cactus Courtyard
06/03: San Diego, CA @ Casbah
06/04: Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
06/05: Los Angeles, CA @ Avalon Hollywood
06/06: San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine
06/07: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
06/08: Seattle, WA @ Nectar Lounge
06/09: Vancouver, BC @ Richards on Richards
06/11: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
06/12: Denver, CO @ Beta
06/13: Aspen, CO @ Belly Up
06/16: Chicago, IL @ Double Door
06/17: Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
06/18: Toronto, ON @ Tattoo
06/19: Montreal, QC @ Les Saints
New Monsoon | 04.11.09 | S.F.
April 18th, 2009 |
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Words by: Dennis Cook| Images by: Susan J. Weiand
New Monsoon :: 04.11.09 :: The Independent :: San Francisco, CA
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New Monsoon :: 04.11 :: San FranciscoThere’s the saying, “They broke the mold when they made so-and-so,” but there are bands that never fit in a mold in the first place. What they do is their own thing from the start and conformity, even the shattered variety, isn’t part of them. There tends to be a great surge of life, an organic immediacy, in such bands. One picks up on this in The Band, Traffic, Weather Report, Allman Brothers and the Grateful Dead, all of whom I’ve referenced in the past as ways into the singular sound of New Monsoon, an ever-evolutionary S.F. ensemble that fits no standardized shape. From the first time I caught them at the Boom Boom Room in 2003 (see review) right up to this warming, elevating night at The Independent, the feeling of a unique trajectory has permeated their work. What happily amazes is how they’ve moved from strength to strength through lineup shifts, fiscal travails, etc. and emerged even more dedicated to their uniqueness, feeding THEIR music and in the process developing a more focused picture of what it is New Monsoon is about.
I entered the cozy San Fran clubhouse with opener AllofaSudden in silken flight. Unafraid to play big, there’s something of ’70s Santana to them but also the bump of New Orleans soul-rock and no small part of pure jam culture exploration. New bands often get timid when climbing musical mountains but such grand scale grappling seems their natural pocket. Fueled by two percussionists, their solos invited us in by degrees, teasing out the fireworks to come, while avoiding the frequent pitfall of meandering common to many jam-minded groups. There’s elongation but in service of actual songs. In this way, AllofaSudden remind me a lot of Outformation, down to similarly spiky guitar solos and trundling footsteps, which blossomed into a full blown Widespread Panic roar during their closing number. These boys put their backs into it and it’ll be interesting to see where they take this large beast they’re constructing.
First off with New Monsoon, it’s worth noting that few bands throw together their core elements quite so seamlessly – complex, lively instrumentals AND focused vocal songs, electric AND acoustic lead instruments, rock rhythm section AND folk/jazz inflected melodic elements. At times the juxtapositions have even been jarring and less successful but by their third tune this night, the bubbling jump of “Song For Marie,” the mix in their cocktail was fizzing beautifully. The five-piece configuration of Bo Carper (acoustic guitar, banjo, vocals), Jeff Miller (electric guitar, vocals), Phil Ferlino (keys, vocals), Marshall Harrell (bass) and Sean Hutchinson (drums) has some miles under their belts now, and witnessing the space and air of their music together was really compelling. They listen to one another well but also feel a confidence in their compatriots that allows each guy to dig in hard, where every person onstage is offering something special to the end result, a collective swell produced by individual character and joint creation. Put differently, it’s fun to watch such engaged, talented folks work and what they slap on ya feels real good.
 Bo Carper – New Monsoon :: 04.11 :: San Francisco |
Their woodshedding away from stages was heard perhaps most clearly in their improved vocals, both individually and in harmony. Dedication to craft is central to New Monsoon, and if they catch whiff that there’s an area they might improve it’s a fair bet they’re chiseling away at it when away from the spotlight. Bo Carper is developing into a confident singer capable of infusing real personality into his vocals, and the pairing of Miller and Ferlino is showing increasing nuance and depth. Face it, most bands that got their start in jam circles have shit vocals, almost an afterthought in many cases, and I admire that New Monsoon simply won’t allow this aspect of what they do to go untended. And this dedication surfaced in many other little ways – new guitar tones, snazzy new fretboard tricks, interesting piano runs and organ swell from out of nowhere, expanded bass bounce, deepening percussion reverberation. It wasn’t one thing, one guy that stood out so much as the harnessed craftsmanship in all respects.
However, individual accomplishments count. Noteworthy was the general tastiness and colorful tonality of Jeff Miller’s guitar work, the English pop chirp emerging in Ferlino’s lead vocals, the heady technique and artful restraint of Bo Carper’s playing and the increased intimacy of Hutchinson and Harrell. The best musicians, and these boys rate, make all the finger-knotting practice hours and frustrating missteps invisible. What we hear is the end road, the place of arrival, but I closed my eyes a few times and images of blacksmiths’ hammers and mule drawn plows lead by dustbowl farmers leapt into my head, subconscious resonances flitting inside their notes.
 Jeff Miller – New Monsoon :: 04.11 :: San Francisco |
A few highlights: the sauciest fucking “Greenhouse” with slithering Ferlino organ, humming, blues-heavy lines from Miller and a downright sexy vocal turn by Carper; the stunning and unexpected encore of David Gilmour’s “There’s No Way Out Of Here,” which honored the studio original off his 1978 solo debut by not defusing the inherent darkness and clinging dismay as well as offering a great platform for these players; new compositions “Next Best Thing” and “Black Wing,” which show there’s no dust on them, with the latter shaping up to be one of the finest pieces yet in their canon; a positively psychedelic “If 6 Was 9″ that unleashed Carper’s inner lover man and showed what smart, judicious instincts the rhythm team possess; a take on “Downstream” that left most long-time fans pleasantly shaken; and the general arc of both sets, which took one on a real journey if they just ditched their bindle and hopped aboard their vessel.
One of the primary appeals of New Monsoon is their sense of scope and wide context, and their ability to intermingle light and darkness, understanding that life is full of contradictions – highs AND lows, pleasures AND sour swallowings. I’ve often likened their shows to lowering one’s self into water. Sometimes the chill snap of it sinks icy teeth into you but more often than not there is heat and carbonation greeting us, inviting us to wade in with them. As their own collectivity has risen, so too has the potential for a quality group experience on our side of the stage – a sensation that was wonderfully palpable at The Independent and made one feel hopeful for the music to come from this vibrant outfit.
04.11.09 :: The Independent :: San Francisco, CA
Set I: Next Best Thing, Naked Truth, Song For Marie, Cross, For One Night, Downstream, Greenhouse, Bridge Of The Gods
Set II: The Other Side, Black Wing > Jam > If 6 Was 9, Deep Inside The Corridor >Alaska, Southern Dew, Trust In Me > Jam, Daddy Longlegs
Encore: There’s No Way Out Of Here
Listen to or download a soundboard recording of this gig here. And this show was in celebration of the release of a fab new double live CD featuring the quintet in fighting form. It is available now here, and you can stream it once for free below!
New Monsoon tour dates available here.
Continue reading for a few more pics of New Monsoon in San Francisco…
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JamBase | Floating Nicely
Go See Live Music!