Growing (NYC) http://www.growingsound.com/ http://www.kranky.net/artists/growing.html "Reach for an initial word, a label - say Doom Metal - then watch, as the demonic guitars slowly morph into demonstrative bliss. Drone may come a bit closer to the truth, but only slightly, as silence plays an equally significant role in the proceedings. Alas, Growing's anomalous sounds dwell in perpetual nigh-fidelity, permeating the gaps between equalizer settings with evasive intent, frustrating any attempt at optimization, and therefore, classification." -- Otis Hart, Dusted
Residual Echoes (Santa Cruz) http://www.holymountain.com/echoes.htm http://www.headheritage.com/unsung/albumofthemonth/1255 "Like Comets on Fire, the unique music of Residual Echoes has created a sect malignant, allied sourcery and nourisher of dread. THIS is the way forward like Ozzie throwing peace signs and screaming 'We love You' between songs and even between lyrics. For the inbetween times are the doorways and this is where the results begin and soon multiply into a dozen chasmic orgasms for the ears, and very soon afterwards, also for the mind. Yes, for the mind. Good will prevail, only when rock'n'rollers have shown that: Hell ain't a bad place to be!" --Julian Cope, HeadHeritage
The Intelligence (Seattle) http://www.myspace.com/theworldisadrag "All I'm saying is that you only have half the story if you think Lars Finberg is at the forefront of the XYZ (as in please eXamine Your Zipper) Generation's future-sounding garage punk art-junk. It's true that, as the head cheese of the Intelligence, 'that one guy' in the Dipers, and the beat-keeper in the A Frames, he makes noises that sound like tomorrow--and the day after tomorrow, and the day after that. Nobody is arguing with you there, but Finberg wants his tomorrows to shine and bounce and pop even as they crackle and hum. This is the guy, after all, who bought a Britney Spears LP at Amoeba Records while on tour through San Francisco. Seriously. Clutched the damn thing to his skinny little chest all the way across the country, brought it back to Seattle with him, and then played it?repeatedly?when he got home. Loves the obscure underbelly of the white hot avant-garde, this one, but loves his damn TV dinners and fruity pop culture, too." -- Intheredrecords.com
the Hospitals (SF/Oakland) http://www.loadrecords.com/bands/hospitals.html http://www.myspace.com/hospitals "After completely destroying music, San Francisco's the Hospitals have arrived with their second record. The record's got plenty of the 'recorded inside of a closet inside of a basement' sounds of the last record, but with an extra helping of 'WTF'. At the same time, its got hooks as big as an oil well fire burning bright." --Ben McOsker, Load Records
the Zebra Attack (Santa Cruz) http://www.zebraattack.com/ Having barely left their practice space, the Zebra Attack from Ben Lomond, CA, is the best band you've never heard. This lo-fi, indie rock trio combine introspective lyrics with wailing, oscillating guitar peaks; think Pavement's "Slanted and Enchanted," but less witty, more genuine, and tremendously louder and soaked in psychedelic fuzz. This is noise like Blackjack Records used to make 10-15 years ago. The band has two exceptional releases on their own Soundexploder Records, a very fitting associative name to what you will experience in seeing this band live.
Mammatus (Corralitos, CA) http://www.myspace.com/mammatus Featuring current members of Whysp and Residual Echoes, Mammatus trudge the deep, sonic possibilities of sludgy psych, burying the concept of time in their pungent excursions. Just when you think Mammatus will never leave their ambient, noisy meditations, these heavy warriors from Corralitos, CA, slowly destroy everything around them in the low and filthy traditions of Sabbath and Sleep.
Hustler White (Portland, OR) http://www.hustlerwhiteistight.com/ http://www.myspace.com/hustlerwhiteistight Ex-members of Alarmist, Hux, and Malibu Falcon, Hustler White's guitar and keyboard interplay often sounds totally icy, but Meghan's wild drums and the joyously whacked-out and weird boyfriend/girlfriend vocal duet of Adam and Mariel come of sounding like a high school pep band running over with spirit, thereby infusing the infusing the usual neo-no-wave bummer trip with hefty doses of fun.
Wet Confetti (Portland, OR) http://www.wetconfetti.com/ http://www.myspace.com/wetconfetti "...Catchy and quirky pop that slips around in noise and mayhem and then picks itself up and brushes itself off to show you some tight and strong movements. Indie rock nightmares can come out of songs like this, but so can some perfectly shaped dreams. There's a little bit of punk touched screaming that kicks you around a bit, and some hints of bands like Blonde Redhead and June of 44 perhaps, but with a passionately energetic raw edginess that just doesn't let go. This trio plays with music, kissing the lips of melody with Alberta Poon's whispered vocals and yeah, I'm a little jealous." --Marcel Feldmar, Big Takeover
The Rebel (UK, Ben Wallers of Country Teasers) http://www.hookorcrook.com/wst_page2.html "Wallers' music is filled with complex contradictions that form a miraculous, seamless whole. Modernistic sounds peacefully share sonic space with rootsy Americana. By turns both approaching avante garde (without any of the pretention that implies) and openly accessible, Wallers's music can aurally mesh the most bombastic and overtly aggressive alongside nakedly sentimental, beautiful ballads. Lyrically it can go from offensive parodies of the worst quality of American white male to sincere sentiment, in the space of a few notes. It's quintessentially American, as interpreted by a native English child prodigy who can speak six languages. Nowhere are the disparate elements more apparent than Ben's solo project, very aptly named The Rebel. The Country Teaser's swagger is toned down, into something quieter and far more unsettling. It's personal, unique, and idiosyncratic. It's mysterious in a way music rarely is." --Monty Buckles, The Lamps
Ezee Tiger (San Francisco) http://www.kimosciotic.com/ezeetiger_press.htm http://www.ghettokittyisland.com/ "San Francisco has spawned a ton of brainy music freaks...my favorite new comic geniuses: Ezee Tiger. The one-man band is an experience all fans of Lightning Bolt/Friends Forever/25 Suaves should jump on ASAP; it fits nicely in that clan of noisy, misbehaved, feedback-rich rock. Live, Tiger (AKA Anthony Petrovic) creates songs like no other musician I've witnessed. Surrounded by more equipment than most fully populated bands...playing a riff on his guitar, looping the sound, setting up a bass line and looping that, pushing some other buttons and adding a layer of delayed noise, looping his vocals, and then playing drums live and singing over the whole cacophony to punch out a fully formed song." --Jennifer Maerz, Seattle Stranger
Hot Girls Cool Guys (Sacramento) http://www.myspace.com/hotgirlscoolguys HGCG are a new band of young eastside suburban Sacramentans who defy the blandness of their stomping grounds with rad dance party mayhem. Obviously influenced heavily by Arab on Radar and Chinese Stars, they shrewdly strike a great balance between the weirdness of AoR and the danceyness of CS. Dual guitar done right and oozing supercool basslines are outstanding, and the singer lacks all comprehension of the bewildered faces in the audience in the best way. Definitely a bright spot in Sacto's semi-bleak bandscape!
Kool Teen! (Oakland) http://www.myspace.com/koolteen Effusively enthusiastic youths add an open-minded risk-taking approach of local heroes XBXRX to the ramshackle funnypunk basis of local heroes Panty Raid, and the result has been one of the most exciting and ecstatic debut records of any new Bay Area band of this millenium. It's wild and daring, and sometimes even as darling as Beat Happening at their punkest.
Buy advance tickets for me now at these locations!
Armadillo Records 205 F Street in Davis (530) 758-8058
Le Fun 1115 21st Street in Sacramento (916) 442-0040
Olipom 1306? 19th Street in Sacramento (916) 442-4470
Plainfield's burgers are the best in a three-county area! Vegetarians will also be accomodated. Bring some money for food!