Bearcoon's "El Guapo" - Album of the Year

Bearcoon have created a truly remarkable debut record that is, in our opinion, this year's best album. The acoustic folk duo consists of Solange Kaye Marie Igoa on lead vocals and Andrea Walker on guitar and vocal harmonies. Their album titled El Guapo is a collection of poetic lyrics combined with spellbinding harmonies. Like all great recordings, several themes run through and bind the overall sentiment of relationships, love and loss. The redemption of hope is the silver lining in this profoundly heartfelt collection of recordings.

The theme of loss runs from the beginning track through to the end of the album. The tracks run the gamut from beautiful laments to intense anger. Cold Steel of Night, Darkest Corners, End of Days, Waking Eyes and Whiskey are sonic parallels to the emotional roller coaster ride that loss creates.

The silver lining is love compensating for loss. The redemption of love and hope can be found in the tracks It’s Just You and Me and Walk With Me. The latter includes the lyric, "I’m going nowhere but if you like, you can walk with me."  A great metaphor of the formative steps in a new relationship.

Buffalo is the hopeful, dark horse track.  A premonition track for the band as they keep the dream alive by taking the music on the road. The  beautiful, earwig melody sticks in your head. It's our favorite track on the record. For us it pinpoints hope as the catalyst to fulfillment.

The album was produced and recorded by Anthony "Antoine" Arvizu at The Compound Studio in Long Beach, CA. The recording session was a prize that the band received after winning Buskerfest (music festival)  in 2014. The record's success lies in Andrea showcasing her well rounded skills as both a classically trained guitarist and amazing picker, coupled with Solange's strikingly beautiful vocals. The two are authentic and highly skilled in creating some of the most spellbinding harmonies you'll ever hear.

After appearing live in front of a worldwide audience on Geek & Sundry's Twitch TV channel, the band sold out of physical copies of their music on the CD Baby website and also achieved the #1 position on Amazon's New Folk Releases chart. The band was so popular on the Twitch channel that they became the first act ever to be asked back for an encore performance.The band is currently on a west coast tour and are headed back to Long Beach to record their second album. They have already previewed some of the amazing new tracks in live performances. Bearcoon may very well have another Album of the Year contender.

AN EVENING WITH JAY BUCHANAN AND DERRICK BROWN - SWOON + CROON - RECAP WITH VIDEO - LONG BEACH - 10/24/2014

Attempting to write about the experience of listening to Jay Buchanan on stage is a daunting task. It's like trying to explain metaphysics. Intensity, pristine tone and profound power are the closest descriptors for the incomparable musician who performed last night at the hidden gem that is the Expo Art Center in beautiful Bixby Knolls. 

Derrick Brown, who is fittingly touted as one of the top five poets in America, wrangled a boisterous crowd into submission with his poems that defy labeling...Poetry? Comedy? Rock N' Roll? Although it's not the first time he has been on the bill with a musician(s), this particular pair go way back to the early beginnings in their art forms. During the evening, Jay Buchanan credited Derrick for supporting and inspiring him to perform his solo music again (also not the first musician to credit Derrick with being inspirational).
Although we've watched the two artists perform repeatedly over the past 2 decades, tonight would be different. They've successfully traded up to a large clamoring crowd in contrast to the distant past of having small venues filled like The Hub in Fullerton, The Gypsy Lounge in Lake Forest or Linda's Doll Hut in Anaheim. 

Jay Buchanan on stage

After a comedic introduction by Derrick, Jay took to the stage. He lit what we would suspect was a smudge stick and carefully crafted the ambiance that would result in pure musical ecstasy by the end of the evening. The tone changed in the room. The collective energy in the room was palpable, then began the beguine with "Post Coital Kiss." 

With sage hanging in the air,  the intensity grew soul with "Roll with Me."

"Thankful" was both the song and sentiment that ended an euphoric night of pure art. We began the evening with thought provoking laughter and ended

the evening spellbound and spent. What began with the beautiful power of words ended with a collective euphoria that clearly affected even Jay  Buchanan, himself. A night no one in that room will soon forget, if ever. 

Left to Right - Jody & Judy (of Live Rock Gig) with Poet Derrick Brown

WEEZER - LIVE AT FINGERPRINTS MUSIC - LONG BEACH, CA - 10/8/2014

We have witnessed an array of incredible in-store shows at Fingerprints Music over the past 20 years or so. Heck, just two weeks ago we were lucky enough to be in the crowd for an intimate acoustic performance by Chrissie Hynde. That was a night that neither of us will ever forget. Where do you go from there? Bam! The email hit our mailbox announcing an all acoustic performance by a little band named Weezer. Are you kidding? We thought for a minute that we were dreaming. We knew we had to act fast since Weezer has legions of devoted fans that would do anything to get into this show. After an afternoon of dialing the store non-stop, we finally got through on the phone lines and secured our spots by purchasing their great new album "Everything Will Be Alright In The End."

Weezer had originally booked one show at 8pm, but a second show at had to be added at 7pm due to the overwhelming demand. About 250 fans packed each show to a cozy capacity. We were lucky enough to get a nice spot on the side of the stage for the late show. The band played a short set which included 5 powerful songs from their new release "Everything Will Be Alright in the End." Weezer invited their fans on stage during both "Go Away" and "Foolish Father" to act as the backing chorus. It was an impressive testament to the band and their passionate fan base. Many had already memorized the music and lyrics within the 24 hours of their record being released. The best thing about attending the late show was the fact that the band stuck around for over an hour to sign autographs and chat with their fans. It really made for another unforgettable night at Fingerprints. 

Their latest record has critics and fans agreeing that it is a return to their garage rock sound that established them as one of the most influential bands of the 90's. As the lyrics to the new song "Back To The Shack" say "Take me back, back to the shack. Back to the Strat with the lighting strap. Kick in the door. More Hardcore. Rockin' out like it's 94'. Turn up the radio." Weezer is back!

DANCIN' IN THE STREETS: ALLAH-LAS, CALIFORNIA LIONS AND GREATER CALIFORNIA ROCK THE STREETS OF LONG BEACH - 6/28/2014

Long Beach's Summer and Music concert series got off to a sensational start tonight with the Third Annual Dancin' in the Streets event. The free SAM kick off show moved to a new larger location on the Downtown Promenade just a few steps from the building that once housed the legendary Blue Cafe. An estimated crowd of over a thousand people packed the area to see Greater California, California Lions and the LA psychedelic rockers Allah-Las. DJ Lithuanian Prince provided the soundtrack for the dance party that took place throughout the evening and continued after the bands finished their sets.

GREATER CALIFORNIA
Greater California kicked off the live performances with an impressive set that seamlessly mixed together both folk and psychedelic rock. The Long Beach band was celebrating the release of their new 7" single "Long Shadows" which is being released by local record label Porch Party Records. They chose to close their set with the new single and were joined on stage by an all star roster of local musicians including members of Bobby Blunders, The Humpers, Wild Pack of Canaries as well as three members of California Lions. It was a great start to an awesome evening of music.

Terry Prine of Greater California

CALIFORNIA LIONS
The Long Beach band took the stage and played a lively set of folk meets California dream pop. The inclusion of a horn section tonight added a soulful, high energy dance feel to several of their songs and kept the crowd dancing throughout their hour long set. The band mixed the set list with songs from their fantastic 2013 debut EP as well as songs from their soon to be released new record. Carina Downing and Daniel Perkins share lead vocal duties and they both have a quality to their voice which makes their music the perfect summer soundtrack. 

We have been big fans of California Lions since we caught them at last year's Folk Revival Festival back in November. Click here to see our complete recap with video:  
http://liverockgig.blogspot.com/2013/11/long-beach-folk-revival-festival-great.html

CARINA DOWNING OF CALIFORNIA LIONS

ALLAH-LAS
We have to admit that we were already huge fans of the Allah-Las. Once the announcement was made that they were playing this event we were counting down the days like a kid counts down to Christmas. The band is signed to Innovative Leisure Records which is also home to local retro rocker Nick Waterhouse and the Long Beach surf trio, Tijuana Panthers.

Allah-Las' sound is a mix of garage, surf and psychedelic all rolled into one. You can hear a little bit of early Stones, Beach Boys and Love in their mesmerizing, hypnotic music. Lead Singer/Guitarist Miles Michaud has always reminded us of a young, Animals-era Eric Burdon. His vocal style comes across as effortless and laid back but he can reach back with intensity just in the right spots. Lead guitarist Pedrum Siadatian, bassist Spencer Dunham and drummer Matthew Correia provide the exceptional Byrds-style harmonies which give their music a cool ethereal quality. Tonight's Long Beach show was the last stop on the band's US tour that started June 11th and featured a spot at the legendary Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee.

THE ALLAH-LAS

The band's excellent self-titled debut album was released back in September 2012. Tonight's set list was a nice mix of songs from the debut album as well as six songs from their new album Worship the Sun which is being released on September 16th. Drummer Matthew Correia took the lead vocal duties on a few songs toward the end of the band's set. Below is a video of Matt singing vocals on "De Vida Voz" which is the first track on their soon to be released new record.

We have to give credit to the organizers and sponsors of all of these great SAM events. They have given the residents of Long Beach great shows featuring amazing bands at no charge. After talking to some of the people in the crowd it was apparent that these shows are starting to become more of a regional draw by pulling in people from LA and OC. This bodes well for establishing Long Beach as a destination for music fans and in turn, driving the local economy. Don't miss Summer and Music's next event, Twisted at the Pike, which takes place July 11 featuring Fartbarf, De Lux, Free Moral Agents and Wild Park of Canaries.

ALLAH-LAS SET LIST

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MASKS WE MADE

We recently had the great pleasure of interviewing the Long Beach band Masks We Made. The duo features the vocals and lyrics of Andrea Sepulveda and the guitar and bass of Nando. The DIY band released a 3 song EP back in 2011 and are set to release their new EP Front Lines at the end of May. We are big fans of the band’s transcendent sound which combines alt rock and dream pop.

Masks We Made - Nando and Andrea

Can you tell us how the band came together?

Andrea: Our former drummer used to work with my brother-in-law and one day he shared that I wrote songs. He contacted me and suggested we jam sometime. Nando was there to play bass. We all clicked, we became friends and the band formed. This was in 2009.

Nando: During the winter months of January/February of 2009 my friend Silver and I would jam out and exchange random musical ideas. At one of our sessions he mentioned that his co worker’s sister in law played guitar and was writing her own music. He would be jamming with her soon and I asked him if they needed a bass player. A few weeks later we met up and had our first practice in my living room.

How did you come up with the name of the band?

Andrea: Before the band formed, I had my folk-y acoustic songs on Myspace and wanted to think of a stage name. So I spent some days thinking about it and one night during a bout of insomnia, I found myself working on an art project at 2 am making paper mache masks. I thought up the Masks We Made. I liked that it could be representative of people and identity. When the band formed, they liked the name and so it stuck.

When you play live do you add any other players or do you tend it to keep it to just the two of you?

Andrea: For a long time we had a drummer but now it's just the two of us though we were just recently discussing adding other players to help us out live. We love jamming out.

Who are the artists that influenced you to become musicians?

Andrea: I first started out learning acoustic guitar and I wanted to play and write like Johnny Cash. I was influenced by Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt. I also started attending a lot of concerts around that time and was deeply impressed with Conor Oberst and Jenny Lewis. Their songs and stage presence really made me think, 'I want to do what they do'.

Nando: One of my earliest memories of wanting to become a musician was seeing my cousin’s band play in my backyard in the early 90s. Bands like Operation Ivy, Tijuana No, Sonic Youth, Raul X and Marcus Pablo are some of the artists that influenced me.  Watching Trent Reznor break keyboards on stage and swing from cables sealed the deal.

In your band bio you describe your music as having an ethereal quality. We would agree. When we first heard your music it reminded us of many of the great shoegaze bands of the 80’s and 90’s such as Mazzy Star, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Galaxie 500. Are you fans of the shoegaze movement?

Andrea: Thanks! We have heard of these comparisons before and find it a big compliment. We are fans of those bands though there is no intention to sound shoegaze or fit into a certain genre.

Nando: Mazzy Star is just soothing. Love her. I remember back in high school my sister did a dance performance to "Fade Into You". Indeed a staple in my upbringing.  Darklands is on my morning commute playlist to work. I dig the Mary Chain.

Can you tell us about your new EP? 

Andrea: Our upcoming release is a three song EP titled Front Lines . We plan to release it at the end of May so it will be released soon! We'll have it available online through our social media sites and we hope to have some physical cds ready soon after to sell at shows.

Are you planning on having a record release party?

Nando: No plans on a record release party but we would really like that.

What do you like about being a Long Beach band?

Nando: We like being a Long Beach band because there is a vast diversity of cultures and acceptance. We really like how the community has different events for local artist support. We also like how mostly everything is walking distance. We can run our errands and not leave the city. Lastly we like being a Long Beach band because it's a musical whore.

What is the very first record that each of you bought with your own money?

Andrea: My first music purchase was TLC's Waterfalls. It was the single. I obsessed with that song and the video! The first record I bought was Romeo and Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack. I damaged the cassette from listening to it so much.

Nando: Green Day Dookie (Ha Ha)

http://themaskswemade.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/themaskswemade

ECHO SPARKS' MONTHLY GIG AT THE PIKE BAR-LONG BEACH- PHOTOS AND INTERVIEW

Echo Sparks create extraordinary music by mixing folk, country and rockabilly into something truly original. Their eclectic sound is hard to categorize. They layer their music with beautiful male and female harmonies delivered by singer/guitarist D.A. Valdez and singer/guitarist C.C. Kinnick. Bassist Cindy Ballreich rounds out their sound with a ferocious Doghouse Bass. The band has been playing a regular monthly gig, the last Tuesday of the each month, at the Pike Bar on 4th Street. We had the great pleasure of interviewing them recently about their beginnings as well as what's in store for 2014.

Echo Sparks Live At The Pike Bar

  

Can you tell us about how the band came together?

DA: I started writing with the Pontiac Brothers, a national touring and recording band, on Frontier Records. When the band broke up, I kept performing in different bands (playing bass, drums, and guitar). I started the Echo Sparks band as an outlet for some original music that I had been writing. I ran an ad to start an original band, looking for a singer to harmonize with (in the Craigslist 'musician wanted' ads) and CC showed up one night to audition. She did not know any songs that I did, so I played some campfire type songs so I could hear her sing and she won me over. We immediately started working together and learning original songs and working on harmonies. We were performing as a duo and looking for a bass player, when D.A. heard that Cindy B. (ex bass player for the Jackpot Club) was looking for a band, I invited her to a show that the duo was performing and Cindy showed up with her bass. And after listening to one set, she agreed to sit in with the duo, without ever having played together before. It was a perfect fit! We have been together ever since with various other musicians sitting in from time to time with the band.

CC: Craigslist!  I was really just looking for someone to jam with - I was a hideously bad guitar player and was looking for other terrible guitar players to hang out and be awful with.  I answered DA's ad on a whim, and for some crazy reason he was willing to give it a try with a shy girl who had no solo singing experience at all. I was honestly thinking about giving up on it just before our prior bassist quit on us, but Cindy came in like a tattooed fairy godmother, waved her wand, and it's just been pure fun ever since.

Cindy: I first met Dave when he was playing drums with The Rayford Brothers. The morning that I quit The Jackpot Club I came home to find an email from him telling me about Echo Sparks and saying that their bass player had just left. He asked me to come listen and maybe sit in on a few songs. I wound up playing two sets with them. That was August 2011 and I've been playing with them ever since.


Who are the bands/artists that influenced you all to become musicians?

DA: Basically the radio and pop music formed my background. I grew up listening to commercial radio, in a time when they played a huge variety of music on just one station. It was fortunate, because to have records, meant you had to have money, and I didn't, so the radio was my first inspiration to play music. As I started to collect records I dug deep into pop music history, like listening to B sides, and my favorite artist's influences. Anything off the beaten track. Even today, I still listen to all kinds of indie music and local artists, because they are what inspire me to play. It's has always been my dream to play music!

Cindy: Dee Dee Ramone and Mike Mills got me started playing bass. I love listening to music and I learn from almost everyone I hear. I started playing double bass about 6 years ago. It's a very physical instrument, but there's nothing that sounds like it. I haven't played electric bass yet with Echo Sparks, but that might happen some day.

CC: I grew up in Chino, which was this wonderful mix of old-school ranching and Mexican-American culture.  My mother raised me on the Beatles and light opera, but then I'd go to friends' houses and hear Hank Williams or Vicente Fernandez.  I learned to sing by copying Linda Ronstadt in The Pirates of Penzance.  There are so many more amazing singers I've learned from - Siouxsie Sioux, Ella Fitzgerald, Paula Fraser (Tarnation), Melora Creager (Rasputina), Chan Marshall (Cat Power). DA gave me a Nellie Lutcher collection for Christmas and I'm head over heels in love with her right now.



What we really love about Echo Sparks is that it's hard to categorize your sound. We hear so many diverse styles in your music. It really makes for a great listening experience at your live shows. Did you guys make a conscious decision to do this or did it just kind of happen that way?

D.A.: Being the main song writer, I am always influenced by all styles of music, so it really just came out that way. We love 'Roots Music' of all kinds, and the more primitive the better. The three of us all lean toward Punk Rock, Classic Rock, Country Roots, Rockabilly, Bluegrass, Gospel, Soul, R&B Music, Glam, Goth, early Jazz, and just plain old ordinary Pop Music. So why not play songs in those styles? However, the same way it can help, it can also hurt us too, if people don't know what to make of it. One thing is for sure, we are all particularly drawn toward strong melody and harmony, and any style of music with heart. CC's vocals are amazing and her creative style and flair add so much character to the songs and our live shows. She is not your typical lead singer. She is creating everything as she goes along. She is very brave to hang in there. We do a lot of improvising on stage! Cindy B. also has a great style and feel with her bass playing, she is very technical about gear and plays different instruments. She also is starting to write songs too. We call her "our secret weapon". She is like the glue that keeps it all together. Each one of us have many different influences, and so I think it shows in our songs. Our talent as well as our limitations help to create our sound. We are musical, but we still don't even really think of ourselves as typical musicians, but as a band of friends that love to express our selves through art and music.

Cindy: We never sat down and decided to be eclectic. I think our style comes from just appreciating and enjoying a lot of different kinds of music dating back hundreds of years. It does get frustrating when people insist on having a category before they even listen to us. "Oh, you have a stand up bass - you must be Rockabilly." CC came up with the genre "Mexifolkabillyjazzbluesrock" which I think is perfect!

CC: As noted already, such a double-edged sword.  People really don't know what to make of us, and it's always so great when somebody GETS what we're doing. But yes, it just happens that way. DA or Cindy will introduce a song, and we just kind of decide what it feels like.  Sometimes they have an idea, but sometimes they'll play it for me and I'll just know what the phrasing has to be, what that song is just asking for vocally.



You mentioned that you are working on a new album. Can you tell
us a little about that?

DA: We are about 3/4 of the way into the recording process. We are working with Walter Clevenger, recording and mixing tracks at his home studio, in Costa Mesa. We have recorded 9 songs for the next album, and have many more, to go on the album after that. We play all the instruments ourselves on the recordings, except for keyboards, we have my old band mate, and LA studio musician, Danny McGough recording the keys. He has played with dozens of artists as well as keyboards with Tom Waits, Randy Weeks, Social Distortion, and most recently on Jonny Two Bags solo album. Not sure of a release date yet, hopefully this year (2014). We plan to have it out on a CD, as well as access to download the tunes. We would love to press some vinyl copies too.

Song titles for the next album are:
Princess of Fresno
Torch Song
Bandit
End of the Line
Mexican Moon
Small Change
I Think It's You
Broken Arrow S
Hallow Water
Rolling Sixties

CC: I know what I want the title to be, but I'm outnumbered. I'm just hoping we can settle it without fisticuffs!

Can you tell us about your monthly gig at The Pike in Long Beach?

DA: I contacted Chris, the owner and we were lucky he gave the band a try. It's been a great experience for the band. Like Chris, I also have a deep connection to the old, original Doll Hut, in Anaheim, (The Pontiac brothers named an album after it). I was performing there in different bands since it first started as a live music venue till when it finally closed. The Pike has the same kind of vibe, they treat musicians with respect and support local artists and bands. The Pike has wonderful energy, friendly people, and some colorful characters for good measure, not to mention great food! I was also, like Chris, playing in bands in the Fullerton music scene back in the 80's and got to do shows with the early line up of Social Distortion, so when I heard Chris owned the Pike, I thought, it would be a great honor to play there. From the first time we walked in, we felt right at home. We are always thankful for the opportunity to play our original music for such fun and receptive audiences, in one of the best venues around town! We are proud to be a part of it. We have been playing since April 2013, and it has been the last Tuesday of the month.

Cindy: The staff is amazing and we also love the food!! I start drooling for lobster tacos about a week before the show!

What do you like about playing in Long Beach?

DA: The people we meet are open to new things and are very friendly. They have no problem walking right up to you and telling you what they think. We feed off that energy!

Cindy: The people are so much fun! And it's true, they'll come up and start a conversation with you after the show! We love that.

CC: Long Beach has a lot of style.  People-watching while we play is fun.  And the Pike really has an amazingly diverse clientele, which I really enjoy.  It's like the perfect neighborhood bar. And OH! When people come up after a set and want to talk about music!?!? Heaven! I'm actually a pretty shy person, but it's really wonderful to talk to other music lovers.

We like to have some fun from time to time and ask people the following question: What is the first record you ever bought?

DA: My first record purchase was a stack of 45's at a yard sale. It included a bunch of songs from the 60's and 70's. It was like a jukebox in a shoe box!

Cindy: The first record I bought with my own money was "The Monkeys." I probably bought it at TG&Y. Papa Gene's Blues is still on my iPod, and is still in my top 50 all time favorite songs.

CC: Oingo Boingo's "electric cat" EP, on vinyl.  I may still have it!





RIVAL SONS LIVE CONCERT FOOTAGE-NEW YEARS EVE-DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH 2013-14

Rival Sons closed-out 2013 with a bang and ushered in the New Year among all of their hometown fans. This night was especially meaningful for us, in particular, as the night began and was sponsored by The Federal Bar in downtown Long Beach. The Federal Bar stands directly across the street from the meeting place of what would, 15 years later, become LIVE ROCK GIG.  

Long Beach has a long history of being a music centric town. The Downtown Long Beach Associates whom organize the New Years Eve celebration, made a brilliant move  when deciding to feature a band right from their own backyard. In a quote featured in an article by the Long Beach Post, Gina Dartt, the events DLBA's marketing and events manager said, "We thought it'd be a good reflection of Long Beach to have original artists this year. It's what Long Beach is all about." The DLBA reports upwards of 10,000 attendees annually according to this article. We would have posted the setlist we managed to get after the show, but it didn't make it home with us. It's probably still somewhere in The Federal Bar where the night ended as well. Happy 2014, may you rock all year long!

 

 

 

 

 

 



NEW RADIO SHOW "REBIRTH OF ROCK" PROMOTES LOCAL LONG BEACH MUSIC SCENE

 

I have always been frustrated with the lack of airplay that local bands receive from LA radio. Looking to fill the void I took matters into in own hands and created my own show on K-Beach radio.

 

Join me for “Rebirth of Rock” live Wednesday nights from 7 pm – 8pm (PST) on

http:// www.kbeach.org/. Once on the site simply click “listen live” to hear the broadcast. Having a few shows under my belt I have played local bands Gorgeous, Tijuana Panthers, Rival Sons, Fathers & Suns and Josh Harmony. I'm also not afraid to raid the vault to play an occasional classic from The Killingtons, Nimbus Luna, Action League or any other band from Long Beach’s rich musical past. If you would like to get your music heard please email me at jodytimmerman@gmail.com. I'm always looking for new bands to play on my show and would love to hear from you.

Thanks for listening, Jody

TRAVIS - CONCERT REVIEW - FINGERPRINTS RECORDS - LONG BEACH, CA - 10/7/2013

We are simply blown away by the quality in-store performances that Fingerprints Records continues to book. Tonight's show was by far one of the best we've seen. The Scottish band Travis stopped by the East Village record store and played an inspired six song set of mellow Alt Rock followed up by one of the longest autograph sessions we've ever experienced. Tonight's show was the band's last US date before embarking on tour of the UK. They are out in support of their excellent new album Where You Stand which is a return to form for the band that influenced a legion of Britpop bands including Coldplay and Keane.




Travis on stage at Fingerprints Records

 This was our third time seeing Travis play live and they just seem to be getting better with age. Singer Fran Healy's vocals were magnificent and were often times chillingly beautiful. The band played three songs from the new album and three of their biggest hits from older albums. Healy gave tonight's show a "Storytellers" vibe by giving the background on many of the band's songs. He explained that "Sing" was recorded in Los Angeles while band stayed at the Chateau Marmont hotel. When the band checked out, they realized their stay at the hotel cost more than recording the entire album. He jokingly referred to this time period as "the good old days." Here's a video we shot of the band's performance of that song.

 



 

Healy also took the time to explain the inspiration behind the new song "Boxes." After guitarist Andy Dunlop bought his son the best Christmas gift money could buy he was mortified by the fact that all he wanted to do was play with the box that the gift came in. The band wrote the song about everyone's obsession with boxes from the beginning of life to death. Fran Healy joked about the band's uncanny ability to write depressing songs that sound happy.

The sold out crowd of several hundred people all seemed extremely passionate about the band and their music. When Healy asked who in the crowd had attended Saturday's Wiltern Theatre show a large majority of the crowd raised their hands. By the end of the show the sweaty room of fans were all singing along with the band as they performed their huge 1999 hit "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" Healey stopped the song about half way through and segued into a few verses of the Neil Diamond classic "Sweet Caroline."





 SET LIST

Mother

Where You Stand

Sing

Boxes

Flowers In The Window

Why Does It Always Rain On Me?



Singer Fran Healy

 



Drummer Neil Primrose



BUSKERFEST MUSIC FESTIVAL - RECAP, PHOTOS AND VIDEOS - LONG BEACH, CA - 8/17/13

What we love the most about Long Beach is that there never seems to be a shortage of incredibly talented local musicians. Long Beach has always been a mecca for artists that like to blend many genres and styles to create their own unique sound. In the past many of these artists have had to make the trek to LA to gain exposure. That all changed with the formation of Long Beach's own musical showcase.

 

Now in it's 5th year, Buskerfest has become THE place to catch the latest and greatest local talent. The grass roots music festival is held every August in downtown's East Village Arts District. The crowd rewards the bands that they like with wooden nickels and the band that collects the most coins by the end of the evening wins a $2,000 record pressing or merchandise package.  This year's competing bands were Hedgehog Swing, Dumb Love, Rainman, Dennis Robicheau, Move, The Melodic, Brother C & Sister J, Fathers & Suns and The Barrelhousers. There were also three non-competing headliners this year: Carly Ritter, The Fling and He's My Brother She's My Sister.  

Hedgehog Swing

We got to the festival just in time to catch the gypsy jazz quartet Hedgehog Swing. What impressed us right from the start was their exceptional musicianship. Luca Pino and Gage Hulsey played their guitars with blazing proficiency. Clarinetist Kale Stiles and bassist Benj Clarke rounded out their classic swing sound. Some of their improvisation reminded us of the swing band Squirrel Nut Zippers. Click below to see a video we shot of Hedgehog Swing's Buskerfest performance. The band attracted a sizable crowd including a pair of amazing swing dancers.



The next band that we had the pleasure of seeing was Brother C & Sister J. The male/female duo played a very raw blues-based form of rock that is similar in style to the White Stripes and The Black Keys. Brother C (Chris) has a very Hendrix inspired guitar style while singing with a vibrato like neither one of us had ever heard. Sister J (Jacqueline) is a high energy drummer that drives the bond between the duo and can feed off the slightest cue from Brother C.



Brother C & Sister J

Click below to see a video we shot of Brother C & Sister J performing at Buskerfest.

You could feel the infectious energy from the crowd when the band Fathers & Suns took the stage. They were one of the competing bands but from the response they were getting, it almost seemed like they should have been one of the headlining bands. They already have a huge local following and rightfully so. They seamlessly blend a progressive rock musicianship with incredibly catchy song writing. Blending these two aspects border a fine-line not many bands have the ability pull off. They would go on to collect the most wooden nickels and claim the grand prize at Buskerfest, an honor that they completely deserved. Don't be surprised if 2014 turns out to be a breakthrough year for the band. Click below to see the video we shot of the band's performance.



After all the competing bands had performed the organizers at Buskerfest had assembled a talented, diverse group of headlining acts to round out the evening. First up was singer/songwriter Carly Ritter who provided a nice change of pace with a blend of mellow folk rock and country. Carly's music revolves around strong vocals, excellent songwriting and great harmonies. Her debut album comes out on August 27th on Vanguard Records.

Carly Ritter performing at Buskerfest

Click below to see a video of Carly Ritter's performance at Buskerfest. Carly is the daughter of comedian John Ritter and grand daughter of actor/country singer Tex Ritter. 

The Fling returned to the Buskerfest stage this year with a more stripped down approach. The Long Beach locals played some of their older songs and also debut new songs from their upcoming album "Mean Something" which is being released this week. The band's sound is a mix of 90's alt rock with just a touch of 60's psychedelic mixed in. Their performance tonight was absolutely fantastic. The acoustic guitars with great harmonies made for an unforgettable set.



The Fling performing at Buskerfest

Below is a video that we shot of the band performing the song "Exile" from their new album.

We're not even sure how to describe the band, He's My Brother She's My Sister. They have a truly original sound that has many elements of different genres of music mixed together. Our first thought was to describe them as rockabilly folk, but as the set progressed there seemed to be so many more layers to their music. The energy and the great hooks kept the audience singing and dancing. Even though the band wasn't in the competition the crowd was pelting the stage with left over wooden nickels in appreciation for what they heard. This was a great ending to an incredible night of music in the LBC. We can't wait until next August for the 6th Annual Buskerfest!

Click below to see He's My Brother She's My Sister perform "Coattails" and "Electric Love" both highlights from their Buskerfest performance.





TIJUANA PANTHERS-CONCERT REVIEW-FINGERPRINTS RECORDS-LONG BEACH, CA-8/24/2013

Tijuana Panthers took a break from their west coast tour tonight to play a special homecoming show at Fingerprints Music in Long Beach. A capacity crowd packed the popular East Village record store to see the return of their hometown heroes. The band was celebrating the release of their new album "Semi Sweet" which is out now on Innovative Leisure Records.



Tijuana Panthers' sound is a mix of 60's surf rock, garage rock with a little punk attitude mixed in for good measure. The band took the stage at Fingerprints and tore into the song "Pushover" a great track from the new album.  Check out the video we shot. By the time the song was over the crowd was worked into a hot, sweaty frenzy. They seemed to feed off the energy that the band put out during their live show.

 

Phil Shaheen drums like a possessed madman while Daniel Michicoff played his bass like a machine gun and guitarist Chad Wachtel is reminiscent of a young Dick Dale. What makes Tijuana Panthers unique is that they have no dedicated lead singer. All three members take turns singing lead vocals while the others handle background harmonies.  

 

Below is a video of the band performing the song "Summer Fun" from their debut album Max Baker.



 Below is a video we shot of the band performing "This Town" which was the last song of their set. At this point in the evening the room felt like a sauna from the heat being generated by the crowd.



SET LIST

PUSHOVER

TONY'S SONG

BAINBRIDGE

FATHER FIGURE

CHERRY STREET DONUT SHOP

REDHEADED GIRL

BOARDWALK

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

CREATURE

BABY I'M BORED

CREW CUT

PRAYER NEEDS

DON'T SHOOT YOUR GUNS

THIS TOWN

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM