Video(s) of the Week: 3/5-3/11

Hello all!

It is that day again!

So last week's Video of the Week was The Happy Hollows "Death to Vivek Kemp", and in case you missed that, the post is below this one because this was a lazy busy week. There will also be a VotW Archive page!

This week, I have for you TWO Video(s) of the Week. Now, both videos are for the same song, but are completely different videos and versions of the song. So, this week, we have:

OK Go "This Too Shall Pass"

Now, I am going to assume they really love this song because there are two videos for this song that took a while to make. We'll start with the first one. Embedding is disabled by request on the video so I'll just link it here.

The first version of the video was directed by Brian L. Perkins, who works on kids cartoons for Nick Jr. and has directed a couple other videos for OK Go, and OK Go. It features the Notre Dame Marching Band and is actually an alternate version of the song arranged for the marching band. The presentation of the video is spectacular. The development and growing marching band throughout the three minutes and fifty-three seconds of the video is amazing. It starts with the four members of OK Go in ND Marching Band attire playing the beginning of the song and it sounds very modest. They begin marching and, like any good Navy Seal, previously unseen brass and woodwinds come out of cover, adding more to and building the sound, and more members just keep adding and the sound grows. The big refrain "Let it go, this too shall pass" is then spelled out in black and white by a large number of the band, who then put the signs away and proceed to join the band into a very loud, very amazing final outro to the song. Just, watch it.


OK Go - This Too Shall Pass (Marching Band Version)

The second video is absolutely amazing. OK Go, being who they are, never cease to amaze. If you are not aware of what a Rube Goldberg Machine is (I'm sure you know what it is but may not know that is what it is called) then head over to Wikipedia and read up (I conveniently linked it for you above where it says Rube Goldberg Machine, also just then)... Now that your "aaaahhh, yeeeeessss" moment is done with, the collaborative powers of OK Go, director James Frost, who has directed many great videos like Silversun Pickups "Panic Switch" and Radiohead's "House of Cards" just to name a couple, and Synn Labs, people who have what must some of the coolest jobs ever, regardless of this being their job or not, bring you the Rube Goldberg Machine version of this video. Now, it's not just music playing while you're watching a RGM, and an amazingly spectacular one at that, but the machine had to go throughout the entire three and a half minutes of the song, not mess up or stop for any reasons, parts of the machine had to match rhythms in the song and there's a portion where part of the machine actually PLAYS part of the song. It took several months to make and a little under four minutes for the machine to go through its cycle. Enjoy this amazing video.



Check back next week for another Video of the Week!

Thanks!

Video of the Week: 2/26-3/4

Starting today, I am bringing back Video of the Week. It used to be Live Video of the Week, but I figure I'd just make it more broad and give a little background on each of Video of the Week.

This week's video of the week is the music video for The Happy Hollows "Death to Vivek Kemp" off of their debut full-length, Spells. I have written a few articles on here about The Happy Hollows and I love these people, their band and their music. This music video was created and directed by Ben Hoste and is an amazing video. First, watch:



Now, the amazing thing about this video is that it was not made using Adobe Flash or Illustrator or anything of that sort, but is literally 2,200 (that's TWO THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED) sheets of paper that have the video drawn on them, as you can see here.



That's animation the old-fashioned way. Amazing job, Mr. Hoste.

Check back next week for a new Video of the Week!!!

South Pasadena's Finest: Torches in Trees

Photo by Keith Skelton

From the town of South Pasadena, CA located in Los Angeles County and out of the 9,862,049(and growing) individuals that reside in the county comes a collective of 5 of these individuals. Azad Cheikosman, Taylor Sickler, Eric Fabbro, Bridgette Moody and Julian Nicholson are the individuals of the aforementioned collective that is better known as Torches in Trees.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of The Beatles to Radiohead and much more, springing like a phoenix[see: mythical creature(not band)] from the ashes of their former selves (i.e. Siamese Guns), Torches in Trees is a band whose sound is as versatile as elastic is, well...elastic. Not only is this true of their sound, but each member as well. While the band's setup may consist of the basic elements of a rock band (vocals, two guitars, bass, drums and a keyboard), in no way does any one member serve one primary function in the band(well, other than Eric, but then again, not everyone in the band can be a superb drummer/percussionist, either of those titles being somewhat redundant with the other present). Each member plays different instruments pretty much every other song. Azad sings lead vocals and plays guitar, but will go guitar-less to lend his hand to play some percussion. Taylor will switch from guitar to bass to percussion. Bridgette (wo)mans the keys, but will jump on guitar, bass, percussion, backing vocals and even takes the lead in some songs. Julian plays bass, but at times will jump to guitar and even plays some glock[enspiel]. The quintet of talented multi-instrumentalists manages to produce sounds that blend together to create what can be described as the musical equivalent of a drug injected directly to your brain as sound waves through those aural receptors we call ears.

So far, this musical "drug" comes in the form of a six-track EP entitled New Blood, New Sight, which once you have begun (and keeping with the drug metaphor) you are sent on a trip you cannot stop until you have been released at the end of the disc. It grabs you and pulls you in from the very beginning with a very crisp drum intro, joined shortly thereafter by guitar that travels in ambiguous directions, that leads into the first track, "Satchel". A fast-paced track, "Satchel" begins you on your trip and does not let go of you until the EP's closer "Bloody Hands". As your make your way through this journey, you will encounter various visions in the forms of songs. From "Satchel", you are taken to the melodic, dream-like "Pillars Fall", which then turns somewhat nightmarish (i.e. fast, lots of effects, reversed delay, reverb, absolutely wonderful, etc.) with "Good Samaritan". The mellow "Thunderstorms Have Stayed" follows and is another superb track, and the point in your trip where you are actually sitting in on a rock in the rain amidst a bunch of trees. "New Life" (the track which houses the EPs namesake in its lyrics) is another melodic episode that has (in my interpretation) our subject searching for himself, beginning to see things differently, in a new light, finally finding himself and commencing his "New Life". (See what I did there?) The disc ends with "Bloody Hands", a song that punches you in the face from the get-go, watches you bleed on the ground as it wipes the blood off of its hands [am I good at this, or what?(see: sarcasm)], picks you up, has you dance with it and then apologies you and fuses its life force with you.

Having realized I just concept-ed their EP, I tell you, whatever you do, do not take my word for any interpretations. In fact, just check Torches in Trees out, buy the EP and listen for yourself. Also, if you happen to live in the Los Angeles area, check them out at one of their shows (and also buy the EP at that show). If the EP doesn't speak for itself(which it does), their live show does(as well, even better in fact). The band has played at many LA venues such as The Troubadour, The Smell, The Cocaine, L'Keg, are adding Silverlake Lounge to the list this coming Wednesday and even more! Their live show has intensity, energy, passion, musicianship, quality; everything about their live show is great. Live videos of their set at The Smell on June 6th, 2009 can be found on YouTube(linked below).

To sum it all up, Torches in Trees is a quintet of extremely talented young adults (all of whom are under 21) who create a melodic soundscape of layered guitars with effects-a-plenty, keyboard lines that fit into the songs like the perfect puzzle piece, a bass that not only holds the foundation but paints it wonderful colors, drums that seem to sing with the music, amongst other instrumental treats here and there, all topped off with the sincere vocals of Azad Cheikosman and the beautiful harmonies and backings provided by Bridgette Moody. Torches in Trees is definitely a band to watch as they expand their horizons and surely, even if slowly, march up the musical ladder.

In response to the first five words that are heard on the EP, "What will become of this...?" The way I see it, whatever Torches in Trees want it to.

- Erick Barrientos

Here is a video for "Satchel" that is a montage comprised of live footage and was filmed and directed by my friend Marcus Clayton(who also edited it) and myself.

I have conveniently set up their set at The Smell on June 6th, 2009 in a playlist for your viewing pleasure: 06/06/09 Torches in Trees, Live @ The Smell

Here's the info for their next few shows:

Dec 30 2009 10:45P	Silverlake Lounge! (21+)	Los Angeles, California
Jan 11 2010 8:00P	Tribal Cafe	Echo Park, California
Jan 23 2010 8:45P	isgoodmusic.com presents @ Mr. T’s Bowl	Highland Park, California
Feb 5 2010 8:00P	L’Keg w/ Bastidas, Collisions and more (all ages!)	Echo Park, California
Feb 12 2010 8:00P	Juanita’s w/ Seasons (21+)!	Highland Park, California

For tunes, show dates and more info, check them out and follow them on these various social networks:
MySpace
Facebook
Twitter

5/30/09

Hey everyone!

Here's the playlist from Saturday night's show. Thanks to Marcus for joining me for this week's episode and thanks all who tuned in! And in case you missed it, here's the Podcast! (just click the link or right click and "Save Link As..." to download)

1. Mew - The Seething Rain Weeps For You (Uda Pruda)
2. Built to Spill - Conventional Wisdom
3. Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened
4. Q And Not U - District Night Prayer
   
5. Portugal. The Man - The Devil
6. The Album Leaf - Wherever I Go
7. Tera Melos - Melody 7
8. Phoenix - Girlfriend
9. Hot Chip - Arrest Yourself
10. Lamb - Five
11. No Age - Semi-Sorted
12. Les Savy Fav - Reprobate's Resumé
13. Holy Fuck - Choppers
14. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Noonward Race
15. Flight of the Conchords - Foux Du Fafa
16. Slowdive - Celia's Dream
17. Regina Spektor - Pound of Flesh
18. mewithoutYou - Timothy Hay
19. Mellowdrone - Whatever the Deal
20. Bran Van 3000 - Willard
21. Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place
22. Kinky - Mirando De Lado
23. Say Hi - We Lost the Albatross
24. Neon Blonde - Love Hounds
25. Don Caballero - Well Built Road
26. The Sound of Animals Fighting - Uzbekistan

Once again, thanks to everyone who tuned in.
I will not be broadcasting Saturday, June 6th, but I will be back the following week on June 13th.
Remember.

Aural Life
Live from South Gate, CA
Saturdays 8pm-10pm PST
http://radio23.org (Channel A)

peace&love
.erick.

5/23/09

Hello everyone! Thanks to all who tuned in to the show this weekend. Aural Life was celebrating the 10th Anniversary of The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin by playing the album in it's entirety. Along with it, we also had some other great music. Here's the playlist, and if you missed it, here's the PODCAST! (just click that link or right-click and "Save Link As..." to download)

1. The Flaming Lips - Race for the Prize (sacrifice of the new scientists)
2. The Flaming Lips - A Spoonful Weighs a Ton
3. The Flaming Lips - The Spark That Bled (The Softest Bullet Ever Shot)
   
4. The Flaming Lips - Slow Motion
5. The Flaming Lips - What Is The Light? (An untested hypothesis suggesting that the chemical [in our brains] by which we are able to experience the sensation of being in love is the same chemical that caused the "Big Bang" that was the birth of the accelerating universe)
6. The Flaming Lips - The Observer
7. The Flaming Lips - Waitin' for a Superman (Is it gettin' heavy??)
8. The Flaming Lips - Suddenly Everything Has Changed (Death anxiety caused by moments of boredom)
9. The Flaming Lips - The Gash (Battle Hymn for the wounded mathematician)
10. The Flaming Lips - Feeling Yourself Disintegrate
11. The Flaming Lips - Sleeping on the Roof (excerpt from "Should We Keep The Severed Head Awake??")
12. The Flaming Lips - The Spiderbite Song
    
13. The Flaming Lips - Buggin' (The buzz of love is busy buggin' you)
14. The Postal Service - Suddenly Everything Has Changed
15. The Happy Hollows - Lieutenant
16. Torches In Trees - Bloody Hands
17. Colour Revolt - A New Family
18. Theresa Andersson - Japanese Art
19. mewithoutYou - Goodbye, I!
20. Grizzly Bear - On A Neck, On A Spit
21. Of Montreal - My British Tour Diary
22. Camera Obscura - The Sweetest Thing
23. Vampire Weekend - Walcott
24. Metric - Twilight Galaxy
25. Phoenix - Fences
26. Passion Pit - Little Secrets
27. Maps & Atlases - Daily News

Hope everyone tunes in next week.

Remember:

Aural Life
Live from South Gate, CA
Saturdays 8pm-10pm PST
http://radio23.org (Channel A)

peace&love
.erick.

Theresa Andersson: One-Woman Band

So, recently, I've been hearing about Theresa Andersson, mostly from Jason Bentley, DJ and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic on KCRW, while listening to the program. I first heard about Theresa Andersson when I was listening to KCRW, NPR...one of those listener-supported stations. They were playing some music from a live performance of hers, and it was good jazzy-alternative music. Then they started discussing her performance...and mentioned that she did everything herself using loops recorded live. I was very intrigued, so I checked her out online and I was amazed.

Theresa Andersson is a woman from New Orleans, though she was born and raised in Sweden and lived there until she was 18. The music she plays is great. Not only is she a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, violin, dulcimer, glockenspiel, percussion (you name it, she could probably play it) and using her voice as a percussive instrument and to sing, but she, in her own repsect, is somewhat like a DJ. With arsenal of 40 or so pedals in front of her, Theresa is a one-woman-band. All of her songs are full of life and sound that she produces herself. Drums, guitars, violin, dulcimer, glockenspiel, everything she does herself. Her own vocal harmonies, even down to a duet with, well, herself. Nothing is prerecorded when she performs, everything she does is live, recorded live using a ton of looping pedals. This not only requires an internal sense of the tempo of the song, but full attentiveness and even balance. From cueing loops while playing, twisting knobs with her toes (she performs barefoot), multitasking barely scratches the surface of what she does when she performs and she does it so flawlessly and makes it look so simple. She knows how to do what she does, and she does it well. Not only is what she does visually astonishing, but sonically, it is great. Her music is wonderful and once you find out how she does it all live, that it is not a band backing her but HER backing her, you are even more amazed.

But don't just take my word for it, check her out for yourself:

MySpace

Facebook


Here are the videos from her youtube channel of her performing her songs "Na Na Na" and "Birds Fly Away":

"Na Na Na"

"Birds Fly Away"


Also, I highly suggest that you watch her Morning Becomes Eclectic In-Studio Session. You can watch it here: Theresa Andersson on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic
You can also stream just audio, but I highly suggest you watch it.

Her album, Hummingbird, Go! is available now.

You can purchase it via:

eMusic
Amazon
Basin Street Records
Shockhound

Radiohead: Did you like In Rainbows?

Then you'll love In Rainbows 2: Electric Boogaloo!!!

No, but seriously, the good ole blokes at the BBC say that Radiohead has entered the studio and have started work on the follow up to 2007's In Rainbows (oh my, has it really been that long?). Knowing Radiohead, this will definitely not be In Rainbows part two, but something more amazing than we can even begin to fathom (I hope.)

FIND OUT MORE!

5/14/09 Afternoons/The Happy Hollows/warpaint

Greetings everyone!

This is my first real post (see previous post) in a WHIIIIILE, but I just got back from a show a little while ago and want to give my brief synopsis of it.

Tonight/Last night, after sitting through traffic for about an hour in the afternoon, I finally made it to the Troubadour where I was privileged to see The Happy Hollows (again!! =]!) To be honest, they are the main reason I went to the concert, but the other two bands were very good as well.

The concert got going at about 8:30 to a barely 1/5-full Troubadour, (which, if you don't know, is a rather tiny venue, max cap. being probably in the 300s), if that. At this time, warpaint began their set. Luckily, as they began, the place started filling up a little more.

warpaint is a great 4-piece from...well...somewhere here in California. Their mostly mellow, shoegazey Indie rock was quite pleasant on the ears. Beautiful melodies, very often harmonized beautifully, produced by the two female vocalists above the 2-guitar, bass and drum (or sometimes guitar, keyboard, bass, drum and even for one song keyboard, bass, drum) very harmonious music. The band is very ambient, using a gratuitous amount of reverb on vocals and instrumentation. The drums were quite dynamic; the softs and the accents were delivered so well, that it helped a lot with the outer shape of the songs. Overall, warpaint are a very enjoyable band who put on a great live show. Check them out here: http://myspace.com/worldwartour

Afternoons, although they were the headliners, I am going to put next. Afternoons are a septet (I don't think I've ever used that...or anyone ever uses that), or seven-piece, from here in Los Angeles. The band while performing most often has this as their instrumental line-up, two guitars, bass, keyboards, two drum kits and a vocalist/percussionist. Although, some songs do vary in instrumentation, one of the drummers also plays trumpet during some songs, and actually joins in on guitar in one. Afternoons seem somewhat like they picked up an "Arcade Fire" stencil and drew themselves out. The performance is very reminiscent of Arcade Fire's performances, not in that the sounds are the same, but the fact that there are so many people up on stage at once. Afternoons have a very great, big sound to their music. The use of two drum kits is not redundant at all, while the drummers do play unison parts at times, most of the parts polyrhythmic drum patterns that would otherwise require a couple of extra arms. The music itself is very catchy and well composed, with vocal harmonies, accompanying horn parts as well as some extra percussion such as tambourine and even a Concert Bass drum (such as those used in wind ensembles.) The songs range from somewhat heavy, fast and punchy to slow, melodic and very nice to listen to. Afternoons should be checked out by you! Here you go: http://myspace.com/afternoonsmusic

And of course, The Happy Hollows. I don't think there is much more I can say that I didn't say about them in the post about the Silversun Pickups show except, really, there is soooo much more I can say about The Happy Hollows. Once again, their talent is displayed in their music. They are such great, energetic performers that love being up there. They performed a few more songs than they did at the Glass House, including a new one or two, I can't quite recall, but it was great. Pheonomenal job by a phoenomenal band. Not to mention, they are some of the most awesome people ever. To sum it up, I pretty much just really can't wait until the next time they play a show (that I can go to). I got to hang out with The Happy Hollow peeps a bit before the show and after the show, and they are aboslutely amazing people. Also, Brian and Joe from Silversun Pickups were at the show. They are big fans of The Happy Hollows and I think it is so great to see members of established bands actually take an interest in local bands they become fans of. So, if you haven't already, check out The Happy Hollows on MySpace or Facebook. Also, you can check out my featured article on them here.

Awesome show. Amazing people. Amazing time.
That is all.

The Happy Hollows

The badasses above are none other than The Happy Hollows, if not apparent enough by the big blue letters underneath them. They are from, well...I haven't quite figured that out yet, Los Angeles, I can easily assume, specifically, I'm not sure, but from a place they like to call Negahdariland, CA. The Happy Hollows is comprised of the beautiful and talented guitarist/vocalist Sarah Negahdari (makes sense now, right?), bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Charlie Mahoney and drummer/backing vocalist Chris Hernandez. Their music is nothing short of raw, awesome (dare I say rawesome? yay for port-manteaux), energetic and just great. I was fortunate enough to catch them live opening for the Silversun Pickups, and their performance speaks for them to an even further extent. Sarah's performing almost made me think of Karen O (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs) if she played guitar on stage. Charlie's performing reminded me somewhat of when I saw Q And Not U perform. Chris is a very talented drummer and his performance makes it seem like his drumming is effortless and he enjoys himself A LOT. In fact, you can tell they all love playing. I can easily say that now, I love listening and watching. So far, The Happy Hollows have released 2 EPs and a Limited Edition 7-inch (or..at least that's what I know). One entitled Bunnies & Bombs, available through iTunes, and various other digital musical outlets (or, um...these: Emusic, Napster and Rhapsody. ), and the other entitled Imaginary, available for FREE! (or pay what you want), but free if you put 5 of your coolest, raddest, most awesomest, closest friends' e-mail addresses (because you're no friend if you don't introduce them to The Happy Hollows) into the little widget thing that can be found below, then you will receive the album via e-mail. Also, if you like vinyl, you can buy the 7-inch! (which I would have done at the show had I money. Damn economic recession, otherwise known as the American Economy's scapegoat.) Before I go off on a tangent, LISTEN TO THE HAPPY HOLLOWS, NOW!

Tell your friends about them. Tell your parents about them. Tell your grandparents about them. Tell your professors, your coworkers, your dog, your cat, your chinchilla, that one relative you haven't really talked to in 12 years but call occasionally to borrow money that you never pay back and tell them about The Happy Hollows!!!

Add them on myspace.com/thehappyhollows.

Here's the Imaginary EP download thingy.

For those in the Los Angeles area, catch them at the Troubadour on May 14th w/ Afternoons and warpaint

4/12/09 Silversun Pickups/The Deadly Syndrome/The Happy Hollows @ Glass House

Hello everyone.

So, last night I went to see Silversun Pickups at the Glass House in Pomona, CA, and the openers were a couple of bands that I heard the names of but had never really listened to: The Deadly Syndrome and The Happy Hollows.

I'll start with...

THE DEADLY SYNDROME

Picture courtesy of (or rather, taken from) http://stereogum.com

The Deadly Syndrome is comprised of four talented guys that make some good music. Personally, they had me dancing, and I rather enjoyed myself. I had never really listened to their music beforehand, but I was pretty pleased with what I heard. They had some very infectiously catchy songs. One that started with keyboard and had and old west saloon "piani" kinda feel, and the one right after was a straight forward disco-rock dance song that had the drummer dancing behind the kit as he was playing. They were really into it, and I enjoyed myself as much as they enjoyed themselves, but, what I couldn't help but do was keep thinking back to what had just happened before they played, and what happened was this.

THE HAPPY HOLLOWS

Picture courtesy of (or rather, taken from) http://stereogum.com

The Happy Hollows are (the beautiful and amazingly talented) Sarah Negahdari, (the also very talented) Charles "Charlie" Mahoney and (very talented as well) Chris Hernandez. To be honest, I had never really listened to their music, although after looking through their myspace pictures and seeing old flyers from the now radio airwave defunct Indie 103.1's Check...One...Two local band showcases, I can remember hearing the name, and perhaps a song on the radio. Sarah (guitars/vocals/awesomeness), Charlie (bassman/keys/cool) and Chris (drums/backing vocals/radguy) took the stage in front of an impatient crowd of people wondering when the show was going to start. Frankly, my peers, I didn't give a damn (you see what I did there?). I could wait, but wait no longer did we, because here they were, The Happy Hollows. Now, I'm not saying this personally, but generally, the way it usually goes, you don't expect much from the opening bands unless it was an established band opening for a world-renowned rock icon at Dodger's Stadium or something. It felt this way when The Happy Hollows came on. The seemingly shy Sarah took the stage, picked up her Gibson SG, as did her fellow bandmates with their respective instruments/sticks, and very timidly greeted the crowd. Her voice seemed nervous, as she asked her bandmates if they were ready. Four clicks of the drum sticks later and they explode into a song, and it's as if the band just broke out of a shell, because any even the slightest hint of any kind of nerves was automatically gone. They knew what they were doing and the knew how to do it. I, myself was dancing uncontrollably and sporadically (which may sound redundant, but that's how it went.) Every song was a hit, and there wasn't even a second of miss. Along with each songs, the talent of each member seemed to grow, until they reached the point before their closing song where the overall raw rock feel of the music took a prog-rock turn with Sarah doing some very impressive tapping riffs and the band doing chromatic passages. A fast-paced song that started at a moderate speed, got faster and later got slower and more melodic until the end, which sporadically gets quick for the last couple of seconds. I later found out this song is called Lieutenant, and it seemed proper. They closed the set with what seems like they're personal "single" Tambourine. Needless to say, I became very disappointed in myself for not having checked them out before the moment they started playing, and EXTREMELY disappointed in myself for the same reason long before they finished, in fact, only moments after they started. I easily fell in love with this band and after the show when I got to talk to them, found out they are not only an awesome band, but awesome people as well. I look forward to seeing them again a.s.a.p.

Well, that leaves me with only one band...

SILVERSUN PICKUPSPicture courtesy of (or rather, taken from) http://stereogum.com

I think this goes without being said, but they put on one hell of a show. This was unfortunately my first time seeing them and I say that because I'd rather it be one of the several times I've seen them. After roadies set up the equipment and us in the crowd waited for probably about 15 minutes, out come the Pickups. The crowd went wild as Brian, Nikki, Joe and Chris got all of their respective instruments ready to go and broke out into There's No Secrets This Year, the opening track off their sophomore effort Swoon, which comes out this tomorrow, April 14th. It was recognized and/or known by some people in the audience, I obviously recognized it. But it was only shortly after that song finished that they immediately broke out into Well Thought Out Twinkles, a particularly well-known (it's a single...), yet amazing song off of their debut Carnavas. From then on, the songs went back and forth from songs we all knew and songs off of Swoon, which I personally thought was really awesome. After a performance of Lazy Eye, their biggest single, yet still a great song (even though some people seem to think that because a certain song is a single, that takes away the song's value as a song), they went into a new song and stepped off stage, the lights still dim and roadies still tuning. The crowd chanting redundant chants for an encore, because 9.8 out of 10 bands encore when they headline (hell, some even encore several times), and the lights would have come back on, but I guess it's the energy of it all that promotes this. So the Pickups come out, play another new one and close with Common Reactor, the closing track of Carnavas. The show was amazing. Silversun Pickups were amazing. I cannot wait to check them out again, although I will most likely not be in the front on the barrier this time around for it will be this weekend at Coachella that I will be seeing them again. They bring raw energy and a more than apparent love of being on stage playing music not only for themselves, but for their fans. Even Nikki, who was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt earlier on when they arrived, dressed very formally, and beautifully, in a long, elegant red dress. Great band. Great performance due to being great performers. I will see them again after Coachella, most definitely.

Tomorrow, I am going to see TV on the Radio at The Glass House and I will have a post about that as well afterwards. Not to mention next week, when I will post three posts detailing my experience at each day of Coachella. A post for each day, because I don't feel like making one super long post, and also I feel it makes more sense that way.

peace&love
.erick.

Radio 23 Official Launch

FROM RADIO23.org:

Radio23.org emerges April 23rd as a new breed of community radio station. Currently based in Brooklyn, NY, but with broadcasters covering the globe, Radio23 is a non-commercial, freeform radio station dedicated to providing an international platform for innovative and creative home broadcasters.

With the launch of our first channel, anyone with high-speed internet can hear a potpourri of music and culture from all parts of the globe, created by over five dozen weekly live broadcasters. Every two hours, a new live broadcaster takes the reigns from a distant land and offers a view of what's happening in their community.

Since underground broadcasting and unknown music are some of our specialties, Radio23 has partnered with Radioactivity.fm and WFMU's Free Music Archive to ensure that, although dynamic DIY content may sometimes be obscure, our listeners will not only find new music, but easily connect to the artists they hear.

If you are reading this using a high speed internet connection, it's possible to broadcast a live radio show from this computer. Join us.

The live broadcast & launch celebration starts at 5pm April 23rd 2009

***all times Brooklyn, NYC -> GMT -5

5:00PM

DJ Sotusura broadcasts every week on R23 from Amman, Jordan ARCHIVE

6:30PM

DJ Thanksgiving Brown broadcasts live from a new location each week.

8:00PM

Live from The Bell House (149 7th St) in Brooklyn, New York, with performances by:

Grade 13

Grade 13 is a group of teenage girls from New York who - through the viBeSongMakers program and under the direction of Young People's Katie Eastburn - met last August to write and record a collection of original songs in collaboration with professional musicians. The resulting album, "Sidewalk Chalk," was recently released with the girls, ranging in age from 15 to 18. They wrote all the songs for Sidewalk Chalk themselves, tackling themes of self-acceptance, poverty, sexual identity, broken families and the pain and confusion of young love with insight and playfulness, unflinching honesty and at times a surprising sense of maturity. (vimeo)

Nine 11 Thesaurus is a group of middle schoolers who broadcast every week on R23 from IS 291 in Bushwick, Brooklyn. They are the newest group formed through the Representing NYC program, presenting Brooklyn’s most fearsome and irreverent rap.

Tiny Toones from Phnom Penh, Cambodia makes their 1st NYC appearance

Tiny Toones Cambodia uses breakdancing, Hip-Hop music, and the contemporary arts as creative tools to empower the youth of Cambodia to live healthier lives free of HIV and drugs, build a more promising future by furthering their educational opportunities, and become positive role models for their community. Seven of the peer mentors of Tiny Toones, former street kids who have matured into the role models of the program, will be performing a breakdancing routine and several of their songs.

Blast Off!!!

Blast Off!!! improvises music for brain melting and feet dancing.

GOD

GOD could be compared to folks like AMM or the Improvised Music From Japan crew, due to the meticulous attention paid to the construction of even the most minute sounds in their pieces. Bryan Eubanks and Leif Sundstrom have been playing music together for more than a decade.

Alexis O'Hara

Alexis O'Hara is a trilingual performance artist with a penchant for experimentation: Producing street theatre in Toronto, making dirty movies in Vancouver, frying her ass for the art-hungry hordes in Geneva, and singing in a myriad of musical projects from jazz combos, to all-girl punk outfits and improv electronic jam collectives. (maple music)

Roberto C. Lange + David Ellis

Over the past couple of years, Roberto has teamed up with visual and sound artist David Ellis to compose his kinetic sculpture creations - the most recent being a 25 foot catfish with paint cans for teeth and fly swatters for taste buds. The catfish is skinned with 12" LP records and beat boxes. Currently, Roberto is working with prolific music producer Guillermo Scott Herren (Prefuse 73), helping to produce and create a new palate of sounds for the forthcoming Prefuse 73 album. (vimeo)

Ellis' work continues to interpret music and sound. His paintings are often recorded in a form of digital time-lapse animation Ellis calls motion painting. Like jazz, these works provide Ellis with an opportunity to combine ideas with collaborators or work solo within a form that promotes improvisation and spontaneity. For a recent commission the artist painted a truck from sunup to sundown over five consecutive days. Ellis often stages events when exhibiting his motion paintings, inviting musicians, performers, and sound artists to interpret the work live. His motion painting, Paint on Trucks in a World in Need of Love was recently exhibited at MoMA.

Prefuse 73

(aka: Guillermo Scott Herren) is nothing if not proven. It’s hard to think of a name that carries as much weight in both hip-hop and avant-rock circles as Prefuse 73, who in the past year alone has been asked to remix TV On The Radio, Pelican, BLK JKS and Cornelius, not to mention his early collaborations with School of Seven Bells and Battles. These interactions have clearly helped to shape the evolving Prefuse 73 sonic aesthetic, which has expanded to include Herren’s twisted visions of prog-rock, “machine funk” and global psychedelia. From Delarosa & Asora to Savath & Savalas, through to Prefuse 73 and Diamond Watch Wrists, there’s no way to underestimate the reach of Guillermo Scott Herren’s influence and 2009 appears to be a significant culmination of the artist’s most resounding material.

DJ Marty McSorley might just be the best DJ at WFMU

We wish thank our very special guests:

The Metasynergistics Evaluative Media Experience

1:00AM

ROB WALMART MOBILE ONE

Rob Walmart will be Adventurizing the streets of Portland from their a/v broadcast mobile unit/sound system/venue/van/ portable bootleg emporium aka "THE CUBE" via WiMAX provided by Stephouse Networks

ROB WALMART broadcasts live every week on R23 from Portland, Oregon

LISTEN andre - lionel - waterskiing and read the XLR8R article

2:00AM

The Fix takes the Bell House celebration home with a live broadcast from The Someday Lounge in Portland, Oregon.

THE FIX presents A special live broadcast from Portland's legendary Someday Lounge: The Fix takes the celebration home with Hip-Hop/Rare Groove/Afrobeat/Baile Funk/Soul/Funk +++, hosted by the city's beloved DJs Rev. Shines (Lifesavas), Ohmega Watts, Kez & Dun Diggy

FIN

from http://radio23.org/launch.html

4/4/09

Hello everyone.

Thanks to all who tuned in to the show last night. Here's the playlist:

1. mewithoutYou - Wolf Am I! (And Shadow)
2. Cursive - Excerpts from Various Notes Stewn Arond the Bedroom of April Connolly, Feb. 24 1997
3. The Dismemberment Plan - One Too Many Blows to the Head
4. Minus the Bear - Spritz!!! Spritz!!!
5. Les Savy Fav - Blackouts
6. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - La Tirania de la Tradicion
7. Death From Above 1979 - Losing Friends
8. Q And Not U - X-Polynation
9. Death Cab for Cutie - My Mirror Speaks
10. We Are Scientists - The Great Escape
11. Regina Spektor - Your Honor
12. Pavement - Flux=Rad
13. Sonic Youth - Youth Against Fascism
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Shame and Fortune
15. Blonde Redhead - Falling Man
16. TV on the Radio - New Health Rock
17. At the Drive-In - Invalid Litter Dept.
18. Bloc Party - Positive Tension
19. Torches in Trees - New Life
20. We Barbarians - War Clouds
21. Maps & Atlases - Witch
22. !!! - Dear Can
23. The Faint - Machine in the Ghost
24. Idiot Pilot - A Day in the Life of a Poolshark
25. Don Caballero - In the Absence of Strong Evidence to the Contrary, One May Step Out of the Way of the Charging Bull
26. TV on the Radio - Shout Me Out
27. Crystal Castles - Vanished
28. Explosions in the Sky - Have You Passed Through This Night?

Thanks everyone who tuned in to the show. Next week, I'll be playing songs from bands that will be playing the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival that is taking place April 17-19 in Indio, CA and that I will be attending. Hope to have you back.

Remember.

Aural Life
Saturdays
8pm-10pm PST
Live on http://radio23.org

Thanks.
peace&love
.erick.