http://www.performermag.com
http://www.myspace.com/westcoastperformer

Two mentions and listed on the front cover! Not too shabby for our debut in a nationally distributed magazine. Even better, our album appears next to our good friend, Mikie Lee Prasad, a great local musician who we both know and love. The amp review below even features Dangermaker, a band we’ve performed twice with already. The mentioned show was our most recent at San Francisco’s Grant & Green Saloon in North Beach. And yes, that’s a picture of me next to the amp :)

Download a digital copy of the magazine.

Disclaimer: Although I write for Performer Magazine, I had no influence over our album review and our inclusion in the gear review was by request of the National Editor to test the practical usability of the amps.

www.michaeljackson.com
www.myspace.com/michaeljackson

Michael Jackson was a legendary icon from as far back as I can remember. From our emulating the Moonwalk in grade school to sporting single studded gloves in the late 80s (a trend in which I thankfully did not partake), his influence on pop culture stretches far beyond his influence in music alone.

Overexposed in the news, yes. Nuclear missiles on the horizon, of course. But how can I have a music blog without at least paying some respect? Rest in peace, MJ.

Here are a few live performances that I find particularly rad…

First performance of the Moonwalk at Motown’s 25th Anniversary, 1983

www.treasureislandfestival.com
www.performermag.com

Show of the Month
Treasure Island Music Festival
Treasure Island, CA
September 20-21, 2008

The sun broke free and fans flocked to the middle of the San Francisco Bay for the second annual Treasure Island Music Festival this September. With a green bent and a breezy, beach party theme, the two-day celebration of music and art did not cease to amaze with its excellent booking, immaculate views and all-around smooth-sailing execution.

Opening Day One was the winner of imeem’s Mutiny and Mayhem competition, San Francisco’s very own The Frail. Kicking off its early set with “Addicted,” the energetic dance-rock quartet put on a strong performance that included songs off its new Firefly EP. Soon after, the crowd migrated to the Bridge Stage for Loquat, another SF mainstay. With an ethereal performance full of chimes and harmonious vocals, Loquat contrasted the rampant energy of the previous band with songs from its latest, Secrets of the Sea.

Following Chester French, East Coast transplant Aesop Rock energized fans with his mastery of crowd-rousing wordplay, joined onstage by DJ Big Wiz and Rob Sonic. Hands were readily in the air for their performance of “Ready Aim Shoot.” As the end of their set neared, Aesop jokingly commented on being timed, “I keep looking at my watch like I’m waiting for my girl’s pregnancy test,” garnering a mixed reaction of shock and laughter. Nortec Collective followed on the Tunnel Stage with a unique blend of electronica and Norteño themes. Hailing from Tijuana, the genre-melding five-piece encouraged inventive dancing among the crowd on songs like “Shake it Up.”

Later that afternoon, local DJ and turntablist extraordinaire Mike Relm unleashed an innovative and almost comedic mashup of popular songs, ranging from Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” to Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy” (yes, the piano piece from Peanuts). His was an appropriate set, ushering the eclectic energy of the following acts, TV on the Radio, CSS and Justice, and turning the island into one big dance party before the first day closed.

Or, the Whale, another Mutiny and Mayhem winner, opened Day Two with an organically strong and harmonious performance, establishing the mood for an already sunny day. With the tambourine-laden “Call and Response,” the scene was set for more alt-folk acts to follow. Local music hero John Vanderslice graced the Bridge Stage with a full band, playing a standout sampling of old and new songs, including the marching “Time to Go” off of 2007’s Emerald City. He exhibited enormous gratitude to a crowd more than willing to reciprocate.

Continuing the string of Bay Area bands was Port O’Brien, with a huge seven-piece ensemble in tow to match the impressively large crowd. They concluded with the disbursement of pots and pans, allowing the crowd to participate in a rollicking performance of “I Woke Up Today.”

Later that afternoon, Berkeley’s The Morning Benders performed a set of catchy alt-pop hits, including new song “All Day Day Light” and finishing with a sing-along to “Grain of Salt.” On the Bridge Stage, a faulty cable couldn’t faze Austin’s Okkervil River as lead singer Will Sheff joked, “A lot of these sets here at the festival are very, very professional, and I hope you can appreciate the difference.” Okkervil’s poignantly rambunctious set included songs from new release, The Stand Ins. Fleet Foxes followed with an impressively tight performance full of glorious vocal polyphony. The “baroque pop” band from Seattle started its set a cappella and filled the show with offbeat banter (including a discussion on the Judeo-Christian paradigm), for a captivated audience that included The Raconteurs, stageside. The last performing West Coast band of the weekend, The Dodos featured at most three performers onstage, however their percussive sound easily filled the entire field. The hometown group utilized a variety of instruments, producing a huge wave of echoing melodies over complex rhythms.

As Sunday night came to a close, the final presentation was perhaps not The Raconteurs’ frenetically awesome set, but rather the San Francisco skyline setting off a quiet light show of her own.

-Review by Keane Li; photos by Brian Echon (more…)

Check out some of my quick shots from TIMF Day 1 and Day 2!

www.theuniontrade.com
www.myspace.com/elephone
www.onebecomesonehundred.com
www.performermag.com

The Union Trade / Elephone / One Becomes One Hundred
Bottom of the Hill | San Francisco, CA | August 27, 2008

On an unsuspecting Wednesday night, Bottom of the Hill and Tricycle Records presented an epic show with three amazing San Francisco-based bands: One Becomes One Hundred, Elephone and The Union Trade. It was an especially important night for the former and the latter, as they released new albums to the welcoming public.

One Becomes One Hundred opened the night with their own brand of frenetically driving rock, unleashing tracks from their debut, They do if you know. Lead singer John McCoy sang eyes-closed with an anxious grit and drone in his voice, creating a consistent layer of 16th notes with his SG. Smooth bass slides filled the lower frequencies as steady drums guided them forward. A soaring, reverberated Les Paul saturated their sound and added a grandiose quality to the mix.

The crowd thickened when Elephone, the second band of the night, arrived on the scene. With explosive charisma and casual sex appeal, the five-piece exuded energy with an ease even more established bands would envy. The most notable characteristic of their performance was the impressive vocal interplay between keyboardist Sierra Frost and guitarist Ryan Lambert. Vocal parts jumped between the two, ultimately coming together in pitch-perfect harmony. While Lambert offered a low grit and strength, Frost exhibited lighter characteristics with a hint of punk angst. The chemistry was exceptional as bassist Dan Settle moved about the stage, playing on keys and banging drumsticks on the floor. Their grand finale was filled with controlled chaos, an energetic end to a great set. Said Frost, “If you like it, you should buy the CD. It’s just like that, but better.” It was already pretty damn good.

The night concluded with The Union Trade presenting a headlining set that grew from a four-piece to a six-piece with the inclusion of additional vocals and keyboards. A nice contrast to Elephone’s upbeat rock, The Union Trade successfully recreated the emotive post-rock exhibited on their new Tricycle Records release, Everyday Including. Their heavy-hitting somber sound filled the room as they swayed listlessly in place. A projected light cast colors and images onto the band and its backdrop, giving the performance an ambient glow. Setting scenery exemplified the visuals already established by The Union Trade’s controlled use of feedback, and an E-bow draped a hauntingly sustaining wail over the jagged vocals and pulsating rhythms set by the band’s aggressive drummer and bassist. The conclusion was calmer, featuring a chiming quality illuminated by changing lights lit like fire.

If there’s one thing Tricycle Records is known for, it’s creating a strong show with bands that act less as a convenient collective but more as a family. Each band tonight displayed a genuine graciousness for the venue, the crowd and each other, and the audience reciprocated in kind.

-Review by Keane Li; photo by Anthony Gordon (more…)

www.aes.org/events/125
www.performermag.com

From October 2-5, San Francisco’s Moscone Center hosted the world’s largest audio tech expo, the Audio Engineering Society Convention. I had a great weekend helping in the Performer Magazine booth, where a number of talented indie artists performed stripped-down sets. Hosting a pseudo-stage was an ingenious idea that really caught positive attention, as attendees were reminded of the true heart of the music industry: music.

The exhibition floor seemed daunting and pointless at first since most of the gear exceeded my needs and income, but I discovered a few interesting products after my second walkthrough. A Novation rep enthusiastically walked me through their new Nocturn, an “intelligent plug-in controller featuring automap universal.” While it both looks cool and allows you to control your favorite plug-ins, it’s also only $150. I can sorta afford that!

The Unbelievable: In terms of marketing, it still boggles my mind when a sales rep doesn’t have the foresight to think before they speak. First, there was the guy trying to pitch a story to Performer on counterfeit guitars from China, incorporating a fake Chinese accent while I was STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. Then there was the rep from Fairlight who moved our speakers and made an insulting comment directed at a performing musician. Are you serious?!

But there are also those who market effectively. For example, Dave from Pro Audio Sounds, showed both support and graciousness, an honest-to-goodness musician who also performed a great set of his own. Then, there was the guy from Bourns who, after I made a request for an info packet, came across the aisle to give me a sample Model 95 Guitar Potentiometer so I could “make it into a keychain or something.” An effective sales rep doesn’t build sells, s/he builds relationships. In the end, there is no substitution for the greatest tool in marketing: being a decent person.

Overall, the AES Convention was a great learning and networking event. I had a blast, and I’m sure the other attendees did as well.