Coverage From The Bay Bridged
Our friends at The Bay Bridged are providing exclusive daily news, live-blogging, podcasts and other great content leading up to and throughout this year's Festival.
Episode 152: Sholi
This week, we are proud to feature Sholi, an art-rock trio who have been one of our favorite bands since we first heard them around the inception of The Bay Bridged. We first got hooked to the band’s promising demos and their tight live show became equally well-loved, but, for all of their talent, the trio had a limited recorded output while they spent time prepping their debut album. And did they spend time. It became something of a running joke to confront members of the band with the demand to “put the [expletive deleted] record out already,” and from what we can gather, we weren’t the only ones demanding more. After much work–recording, arranging, and mixing, and then doing more of all three–Sholi the album came out last week on Quarterstick/Touch and Go Records, and it is worth the long wait.
Having first interviewed the band early on, we were pleased to visit with them again to discuss the new release. What impressed us most on this second go-around is the sense that all of their time and effort has really paid off, helping the trio to forge a really strong idea about their music–what it means, how it should sound, how it feels. How many groups can create a fully-fleshed out aesthetic this enjoyable on their first album? With melodic indie, math, and prog rock elements sharing delicately-balanced space in the group’s transcendent mini-epics, Sholi is an album bearing our highest recommendation. We’ll be excited to watch them throughout 2009 as more listeners discover this excellent band.
We sat down with Payam, Eric and Jon last week to speak about the new album’s long journey to completion. We’ve got four great songs from Sholi included in the episode.
Upcoming Shows:
Sholi’s CD release party is this Saturday and is part of Noise Pop 2009:
Saturday, February 28th
Bottom of the Hill
with The Dead Trees, Everest, Jake Mann
9pm, $12, All Ages
Links:
- Visit the band’s MySpace pageMySpace page and web site to hear more.
- Purchase Sholi on iTunes, on CD from Amazon, or vinyl from Insound.
- Visit Touch and Go Records for a free mp3 of “Tourniquet” and download the band’s Dreams Before People tour EP from their web site.
Are you subscribed to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast? Click here to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it is published!
Episode 151: Noise Pop 2009 Preview (Part 2)
This is the second of two podcast episodes spotlighting the diverse mix of excellent bands playing during the 2009 Noise Pop Music Festival. We have twelve great local and touring bands in the episode, all of whom are performing during Noise Pop, which runs from February 24th to March 1st. You can listen to our first Noise Pop 2009 episode here.
LA indie pop band The Submarines (“Waiting for a War”) kick off the episode with a cover of a song by their current tourmates, The Morning Benders. Both bands will be co-headlining at Slim’s on Friday, February 27th, with The Mumlers and Rademacher supporting.
Originally from Wasilla, Alaska (yes, Sarah Palin’s Wasilla) and now based in Portland, Portugal. The Man (“Out And In And In And Out”) headline a great show during Noise Pop. On Saturday, February 28th, they’ll be playing with Girls, and Love is Chemicals at Cafe Du Nord.
Thao Nguyen (“Beat [Health, Life, and Fire]“) plays solo during Noise Pop at a show we’re pleased to present on Thursday, February 26th at the Swedish American Hall. David Dondero, Sean Smith, and Colossal Yes also perform.
San Francisco singer-songwriter Donovan Quinn (“Holy Agent”) also performs at the Swedish American Hall during the festival. Bob Mould headlines the Saturday, February 28th show, with additional performances from Mark Eitzel and Jason Finazzo. This show is also presented by The Bay Bridged.
Currently working on a second album, San Francisco’s Sugar and Gold (“Slice Me Nice”) will be performing at a Noise Pop Happy Hour show hosted by The Bay Bridged. The show also features maus haus and Tempo No Tempo. As with all of the Happy Hours, the show’s at Benders.
LA duo No Age (“Eraser”) headline a KUSF-presented show at Bottom of the Hill on Sunday, March 1st. White Circle Crime Club, Infinite Body, and Veil Veil Vanish also perform.
Unfortunately, The Japanese Motors (“Single Fins & Safety Pins”) are no longer playing Noise Pop, as they are opening for Modest Mouse on their current tour. You can catch them at the Fox Theater on Sunday, February 22nd.
Quickly building buzz around the Bay, San Francisco electro-rock band Lilofee (“Lock and Key”) will be performing at the official Noise Pop opening night party alongside Deerhunter, and DJs Jimmy Tamborello (Postal Service), Aaron Axelson and Omar (Popscene). The show’s at the Mezzanine on Tuesday, February 24th, and it’s free to badgeholders and folks who have RSVPed.
Amazing audio-visual DJ Mike Relm (“Hot To Trot [feat. Alfredo Ortiz]“) co-headlines at the Mezzanine with Kool Keith (performing as “Dr. Octagon vs. Dr. Dooom”). Crown City Rockers and kutMasta kurt support the duo.
Portland chamber-folk band Loch Lomond (“Carl Sagan”) are prepping a new album currently and play at the Rickshaw Stop on Saturday, February 28th. Also playing are Clues, Harbours, and The Red Verse.
Recent Merge signees Telekinesis (“Coast of Carolina”) will be supporting Ra Ra Riot at The Independent on Friday, February 27th. Cut Off Your Hands and The Hooks also perform at this sold-out show.
Crime in Choir (“Gift Givers”) released their new album Gift Givers in January. They’ll be performing with fellow Bay Area bands From Monument to Masses and Built for the Sea on Thursday, February 26th at Bottom of the Hill.
Are you subscribed to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast? Click here to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it is published!
Episode 149: Noise Pop 2009 Preview (Part 1)
This week’s podcast episode is the first of two mixes spotlighting some of the many excellent bands performing during the 2009 Noise Pop Music Festival. We’re pleased to be partnering with Noise Pop this year to once again deliver comprehensive coverage before, during, and after the festival. This episode features ten great songs from a mix of local and touring artists.
About the bands:
Thee Oh Sees (“Ghost in the Trees”) kick off the show with an excellent song from their 2008 album The Master’s Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In. Catch their awesome intensity at Cafe Du Nord on Thursday, February 26th with Tyvek, Unnatural Helpers, and The Fresh and Onlys.
Seattle’s Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band (“Anchors Dropped”) release their self-titled debut CD in March on the Dead Oceans label. The band joins Goblin Cock, Warship, and Kowloon Walled City at the Rickshaw Stop on Thursday, Februrary 26th.
Arizona’s Dear and the Headlights (“Talk About”) celebrate their recently released Drunk Like Bible Times with a headlining performance at Bottom of the Hill on Friday, February 27th. Kinch, Big Light, and A B and the Sea are also on the bill.
San Francisco’s Girls (“Morning Light”) recently announced that they’re close to releasing their first full length album. The band supports Portugal. The Man at Cafe Du Nord during Noise Pop. The show is Saturday, February 28th and also features Japanese Motors and Love is Chemicals.
Mythomania is the name of the new album from Oakland band Cryptacize (“No Coins”), out in April on Asthmatic Kitty Records. On Friday, February 27th, the band performs at the Great American Music Hall with St. Vincent, Rafter, and That Ghost.
Singer-songwriter David Dondero (“When The Heart Breaks Deep”) has a Noise Pop date before heading to Florida for a number of shows. He’ll be playing with Thao Nguyen, Sean Smith, and Colossal Yes at the Swedish American Hall on Thursday, February 26th.
Touring behind his excellent new release Get Guilty, AC Newman (“There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve”) will be at The Independent on Saturday, February 28th. Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele and Devon Williams also perform.
The fragile beauty of Antony & The Johnsons (“Another World”) comes to the Nob Hill Masonic Center on Tuesday, February 24th. The band’s new album The Crying Light was released two weeks ago on Secretly Canadian.
Acclaimed local musician/producer Kelley Stoltz (“The Sun Comes Through”) is part of a terrific Noise Pop bill headlined by a solo performance from Stephen Malkmus. They’re at the Great American Music Hall on Wednesday, February 25th, with Peggy Honeywell and Goh Nakamura also playing.
Ezra Furman & The Harpoons (“Take Off Your Sunglasses”) released their widely acclaimed third album Inside the Human Body last year. The band performs alongside Port O’Brien, Odawas and Dame Satan during Noise Pop, at Cafe Du Nord on Friday, February 27th.
Are you subscribed to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast? Click here to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it is published!
