13 Day Mission, Beatrix Kiddo, In the Lurch, Miles from Pangaea @ Tasty World, Athens GA - 02-20-08
Thursday, February 21, 2008
13 Day Mission
Beatrix Kiddo
In the Lurch
Miles from Pangaea
Last nights show was a pretty good time over all. In the Lurch gracefully took the stage first to appease some crybaby 'rock stars'(that were also on the bill and will have no other mention in this post) who made an agreement and did not feel the need to stand by their word, and did they did it good. This three piece is tight rhythmically and sonically. The vocals were on key and even better had some soul coming through, and the music was heavy and rocking for the whole set. You can not really ask for much more from a band.
During all of the music, I continued going outside to check out the lunar eclipse that was happening. The moon was in perfect view all night and the eclipse was amazing to watch...we even have some video footage. Definitely worth a mention and I can't wait for the next one to come!
Miles from Pangaea brought the funk as they always do. The wash of delayed guitar over the huge bass lines and tight beats filled the entire venue. The sound was solid but it seemed MFP had a few too many drinks before their set and had a hard time keeping things tight. Overall the set was lose and it felt like one person was trying to catch up at any given time, this did not take away much from the energy these guys bring and you could definitely feel that they were feeling and it was rocking.
13 Day Mission took the stage a little after midnight. We had a hard time hearing on stage but that is usually the case, although the soundtech was extremely helpful and courteous the entire evening, he definitely made sure everyone was taken care of. I personally had a few technical difficulties(also seems to usually be the case), the wire for my dirty/distorted bass output was not plugged in entirely until the middle of the 4th song...no wonder I couldn't hear myself! All in all we worked through it pretty well and honestly had a great time performing. We are getting a lot tighter as a 3 piece and I am really getting to dig into the rhythmic essence of playing bass now that there is guitar to 'color' the music.
Last up was Athens locals Beatrix Kiddo. Beatrix writes and plays high energy music, all three of these guys are very talented and the more I see them play the tighter they seem to be getting. The sound was a bit muddy but I did not have much of a problem distinguishing instruments. I do think a vocalist over their music is something that will put it over the top, but I do not necessarily think that the current vocals are on the same level of skill as their playing ability. They played a solid set and also despite some minor technical difficulties, continued on like strong warriors...a sign of a mature group.
- Bret Phillips
Labels: ShowReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 6:51 AM,
,
Death on Two Wheels, Tendaberry, Deep Cotton, Janelle Monae @ Lennys Bar - 02-16-08
Monday, February 18, 2008
Death on Two Wheels
Tendaberry
Deep Cotton
Janelle Monae
This show started off with indie rockers Death on Two Wheels. These guys brought some rock and roll with them complete with boots, blues hats, sleeveless shirts, screams, and funky beats. At first they seemed like every average indie rock band out there, but after continuing through their set it was apparent that they are a hard working rock band. They were tight, the energy was big, and the music just flowed from them almost as if they didn't even have to try to make it click.
The second act was a punk rock outfit out of Atlanta going by the name of Tendaberry. The guitarist/vocalist was by far the most present of the group. He went from singing smooth vocals as an opener, to screaming in real punk rock fashion, to jumping off stage, to playing guitar behind his head. He was the life of the show while his rhythm section held down the beats. I was hoping the bass player would get a little more into it, but regardless he didn't miss a beat. The drums were great, this guy is very talented and kept my interest throughout the set.
The guitarist for Tendaberry also doubles as a rhythm guitar for Deep Cotton, a crazy rock and (insert anything else you can think of here) band from Atlanta. Their set was short and started off some low sultry vocals from the bass player before he started using the bass. There was guitar throwing, mic throwing, clothing throwing, etc. This band was more hype than anything else, they brought a whole new energy to the stage to prepare the crowd for what was to come...
...and by that I mean Janelle Monae, a very talented artist now hailing from Atlanta as well. I had only heard a few of her songs via myspace and 88.5 prior to the show, and that in no way prepared me for what was to come. First starters I would like to note the lack of bass player during her set, this made me sad. There was a guitarist and drummer, also performed with Deep Cotton, and what looked like a manager holding a strobe light in the back. The drummer also worked a sampler that had the tracks loaded into it, the band would then play over it. There were some backup vocals being played as well, but Janelle over came those with her extremely present and powerful vocals. She busted out old school dance moves and even threw down some stuff the world has never seen before, weaving us in and out of song after song. She did a few covers, including Fugees "Killing me Softly", which she nailed and I am sure Mrs. Hill would approve, and finished out her encore by climbing through the tiniest window in the DJ booth. Her performance was very exciting and a treat for all of those that packed out Lennys Bar Saturday night.
Bret Phillips
Labels: ShowReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 4:07 PM,
,
Run Dan Run - Basic Mechanics
Monday, February 11, 2008
http://www.myspace.com/rundanrun
Run Dan Run's Basic Mechanics is a great soft indie rock release. The tempo throughout most of the album is slow and controlled, the mood is smooth and sultry, and the sounds are organic but still remain rocking.
For starters, 'Withheld Information' comes in with a poppy indie rock jam then suddenly drops into some very smooth keys and kick drum thump. I would say this song easily sums up the sound that Run Dan Run calls their own. I really enjoy the guitar melody of 'Enough for Crimes' coupled with the off kilter vocal melody. 'Multi-colored Lights' is the first step away from live drums and into using a drum machine, but it does not seem to effect the overall sound of this band. They just use it as yet another instrument and continue on their path. One of my favorite songs is 'Science', probably because it is one of the thicker songs on the album which a great build up towards the end. Things like that keep my brain on point and into the music. The 'Instrumental' track is a nice break played with some acoustic guitar, piano, and what sounds like a melodica. 'Stop Sign' has a smooth, brazilian-esque, flow to it while not stealing that style completely. The college radio single could most definitely be 'Your Name Escapes Me'. The lyrics and vocal melody for this song are really great and somewhat familiar but not stolen. Towards the end of the album we are blessed with a second instrumental track and to finish it all 'The Turnover' which is nothing new from the previous songs but holds true to the sound.
Run Dan Run is not going to blast you in the face with rock and roll, instead they bring their sound to the table by not being too loud but still rocking out. This album almost sounds like a journey, the same way a good movie takes you from start to finish without reminding you of the reality you are currently in, Basic Mechanics lets you take a step out of your own life and into the life that is Run Dan Run.
Labels: AlbumReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 7:08 AM,
,
Crimson Mustache, 13 Day Mission, Bury Me Breathing, Escape from Rushmore, Forever May Die @ Swayzes - 02-09-08
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Crimson Mustache
13 Day Mission
Bury Me Breathing
Escape from Rushmore
Forever May Die
Yet another heavy night at Swayzes with a crew of local bands doing it as hard as they can do it, at least when they are on stage.
Crimson Mustache was up first, this is the first time I've gotten to see them play. This guitar/drum duo has a cool style, but is lacking some depth...and not mentally or musically, but in sound. This is not to say it can not be done with guitar and drums only, but a half stack just isn't enough to make up for the lack of bass. In that light, Jucifer plays metal as a two piece but the lead guitar rocks 3 full stacks at any given time, more than enough to blast some faces minus the bass's. Regardless of how it sounded, these guys are on to something and I hope they stick it out and grow their sound.
In the number two slot was 13 Day Mission. We set helped CM tear down fast and we got our gear on stage fast, everything was looking good until I tried to get some bass out of my amps, no luck. I am not sure what happened but even after I got things working, the power to my amps was cutting on and off the entire set so I was pretty distracted. Regardless I think we had a good set, there was a ton of energy on stage and I had a blast performing.
This was also my first time seeing Bury Me Breathing, they play core metal honoring extreme double bass, screams, and blasting guitar and bass. These guys are solid musicians and have a ton of stage presence. It was really nice to hear them tone it down occasionally with some smooth riffs before blasting us again with the metal. You can definitely tell they have played those songs together many times. They brought their own lighting which was a nice addition to the show as well.
We have played along side Escape from Rushmore before at one of their first shows together. Since then they are down one guitarist but definitely a lot tighter as a whole, their presence and energy is excellent. Every one of these guys has talent but again this is typical metal without much variation. Once in a while they will lay down some shit that is definitely of their own style and I am really excited to hear their new material which will hopefully showcase that. These dudes have a lot of potential if they can take a step back away from what they already know and create something brand new.
Headlining was Forever May Die. These guys take the typical metal and bend it, stretch it, then spit it right back out. They are all over the stage and throwing instrument trickery at you throughout the show. It is not too far off to say that these guys are a minimalist metal group, I only say this because quite a few times there would only be one or maybe two instruments being played at any given time with just vocals over the top.
The whole night was a good time, there was a decent turnout and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I look forward to seeing what these bands have in store for the future.
Labels: ShowReviews
posted by Conqueror @ 3:03 PM,
,
Song of the Week v.2.4.08
Monday, February 4, 2008
Smashing Pumpkins - Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Back when Smashing Pumpkins were dominating and Billy Corgan wasn't being annoying and was totally focused on outputting mass amounts of good music, Porcelina of the Vast Oceans was dropped upon us. This song is a 9 minute summery of everything good about Smashing Pumpkins back when Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was recorded. With this song we get to hear smooth rhythms go to crushing, overly distorted guitars, then back to Corgan softly singing, then right back to a wall of alternative rock guitar goodness. There are too many layers to note in this song just like in this album, and with great time spent sometimes come great output, and we clearly get that via Porcelina.
Labels: Song of the Week
posted by Conqueror @ 7:03 AM,
,
