music

Florence + the Machine dazzles Davis

2012-04-20T20:00:31Z

Appearing behind a sheer shadow box a top the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts stage on Wednesday night, Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine, launched into her lilting “Only if For One Night,” the starting track off her 2011 record release “Ceremonials.”

The crowd, captivated by Welch’s charisma and gold-studded cloak, cheered as the singer reverently raised her arms like a black bird and crooned the chorus line: “But you came over me like some holy rite, and although I was burning, you're the only light! Only if for a night!” Her graceful, yet guttural vocals permeated the theatre full with Florence aficionados.

Behind her, a tapestry of stained glass cathedral windows and celestial harps echoed "Ceremonials"' recurring theme--the spiritual struggle between good and evil, darkness and light. Her fascination with doom and salvation has not only surfaced in her lyrics (“Looking for heaven in the devil in me,” she sings in “Shake it Out”), but also through her UC Davis debut performance.

Now standing center stage, Welch, dressed like a druid, twirled like a dervish and unraveled her proverbial black cape to reveal an angelic, white gown ala “The Lady of Shalott.” As if finally free from her past, possessed persona, the renewed Welch fluttered from one end of the stage to the other, her sleeves flowing behind her in a blur.

It wasn't until after the fifth song of the night, “Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)," that the singer spoke.

“If you saw a pale girl in short shorts playing basketball today, that was me,” she said, confessing that the way she plays is just “rubbish.”

The audience laughed and perhaps some wondered if they had passed up, while walking through campus, a rare chance to shoot hoops with a Brit-pop star.

One opportunity Wech ensured the crowd would not miss, however, was to sing along with her. This was most apparent during the acoustic “Heartlines” where, before the number reached the first verse, she suddenly stopped the song.

“Oh! I forgot to ask,” she said, the drums crashing to a halt. “You can sing this one with me!”

She then lowered the microphone to excited members of the audience, encouraging them to harmonize. “Yeah... Yeah... Just keep following the heartlines on your hand!” the room roared.

Accompanying Welch were her supporting "machine" of musicians, which included harpist Tom Monger, two back-up singers, drummer Christopher Hayden and her original music partner, Isabella “Machine” Summers on keys.

Backed by this enigmatic engine, Welch finally broke into “Dog Days are Over,” one of the group's most played songs to date. The audience went wild as Welch coordinated the crowd to jump in complete unison, and soon the singer was conducting a full symphony of springing, singing fans.

Then, prior to the encore, Florence + the Machine ended the evening with “Never Let Me Go," which the audience made very clear they were not ready to do.

Photography by Rik Keller. To view more photos from the evening, please visit his image gallery.

Ryan Adams grows up — well, kinda

2011-10-21T04:47:09Z

Ryan Adams, in his usual black leather jacket and jeans, sat solo on the stage, his long, messy hair seemingly blinding him from his black book of sheet music and lyrics – a thick anthology of prolific work spanning from his first solo record “Heartbreaker” to his Oct. 11, 2011 release, “Ashes & Fire.”

The crowd applauded and whistled, and after an endearingly awkward pause, Adams grinned, saying, “Hello. Thanks for coming to the show. I’m just going to sing some songs about ‘the feelings.’”

Anyone who knows Adams’ music understands that Adams’ feelings are the unabashed, raw type – the kind that tells a relatable yet shocking and often painful story. And if he has no story to tell, you sure as hell will “feel” something nonetheless.

Tuesday night’s show at the Crest Theatre was no exception. In his opening song, “Oh My Sweet Carolina,” his voice flowed from raspy to pristine, masking all evidence that five years ago he was diagnosed with Ménière's disease, a congenital disease that caused partial hearing loss and threatened to end his music-making altogether. His hiatus from music and booze the last few years may have served as just the right anecdote.

“That’s the one that gets people in love with Ryan Adams,” a writer sitting next to me, Peter Zimmerman, said, referring to “Oh My Sweet Carolina.”

I nodded. That was certainly the case for me. I think it happened back in the early years of college, listening to “Heartbreaker” in a cozy uptown cafe, trying to harmonize like Emmylou Harris. With that said, hearing Adams on Tuesday night was like falling in love again with an old flame – comforting, familiar, nostalgic.

In his quintessential quirky way, Adams searched sloppily for a pick, patting down his pants and shaking his guitar until he finally found it wedged in his pocket. “Oh wait. Hello, my little friend,” he said, staring at his pick.

Adams, singing this song and losing picks, is the Adams of heartbreaking youth – the whiskey-slugging, dirty-hair-flowing, reckless Adams who could simultaneously send you to sleep with a quick smoke and a long lullaby.

But the Adams of now is an Adams that some might refer to as more “grown up," managing a marriage (to Mandy Moore), sobriety and his own record label PAX-AM.)

“Ashes & Fire” reflects that shift, which is made most evident in his lyrics to “Lucky Now,” where he asks, “Are we really who we used to be? Am I really who I was?”

But the next song of the night, the title track off of the new album, alludes to his still-youthful, untamed disposition. “This is a new song about walking around New York, being incredibly stoned,” he said. “Um... it’s also about nothing!”

Throughout the rest of the evening, Adams “worked the stage,” evenly weaving older classics with newer numbers -- “Sylvia Plath” on piano, “My Winding Wheel” standing, “Invisible Riverside” sitting and roughly 20 other tunes in various positions and with rather witty and whimsical intentions.

In “New York, New York,” he announced that he was going for a sound “like snow on a farmhouse when you have your parents over for Thanksgiving, and you’re playing Spyro Gyra records.” For one Cardinals song, he had “redneck Star Wars” in mind, commenting that the Crest Theatre could be “on the outskirts of Mordor!” With “Two,” Adams requested dimmer lighting “to go with the self-depreciating music.”

In a surprising encore, Adams, clad in a black cape and followed by two candle-lit gothic girls, dedicated an original death metal song to his tour opener, country singer Jason Isbell.

“He brings back my Southern accent,” Adams said of Isbell, who hails from Alabama. “It’s been such a pleasure to play with that dude...He lets me play my semi-satanic Norwegian black metal. It’s Halloween every day on the bus...Somebody has to be the Glenn Danzig of alternative country!”

Adams’ sardonic sense of humor didn’t scare Isbell one bit, nor did it scare the audience whose laughter mimicked the sound of a night at Laughs Unlimited.

“I’m sorry. I’m not supposed to make you laugh. It’s bad for my image," he said.

And like many artists, much of Adams’ humor holds in it a tinge of truth. In another candid act, Adams refused to play the shout-out request from an audience member for “La Cienega Just Smiled.”

"No. Ask me why. Because I said,” Adams bluntly put it.

“Actually, do you want to know why? A song is born the first time you play it all the way through,” he said. “But then 10 years later, they pick up their own identify, and I wonder, can I still bring it back to the day that it was born? Sometimes, you just can’t play it any more, because it’s become so much more.”

His statement made me wonder. Which of his songs have morphed for him mentally and which ones remain pure, if there are any at all? His performance brought me back to the early days, but what do those songs mean to him now? How does he feel about the birth of his new songs?

I was pondering this, wishing i had set up an interview, when he began playing the requested song - a stripped-down, beautifully shaky version. He paused at one point, creating silence as the audience absorbed the song. The woman who asked for the song shouted, "You don't know what this means to me!"

Turning back to his new work, Adams then unsuccessfully tried to tune his voice to his guitar in preparation for his new song, “Chains of Love,” a task that frustrated Adams to the point of pseudo-profanity.

“Crapola! Oh, did I just say ‘crapola?’ Oh, gosh darn it,” he said.

The crowd offered their support. “I love you!” one fan called out.

"I apologized to the audience for my “cussing problem. It goes along with my not-growing-up problem.”

To put it in his own words, perhaps the Adams of today has not “grown up” too much after all. Yes, he’s shown a more-settled, sober and softer side since the wild, whiskey-hound Adams of youth.

But as was illuminated at Tuesday night’s show, Adams has not lost his humor, his hearing or, most of all, his ability to make you “feel” something.

The Soundtrack of Our Lives at Harlow's

2011-03-28T04:36:44Z

Dressed in his archetypal black robe, a long scarf draped in front of his chest, singer Ebbot Lundberg of The Soundtrack of Our Lives portrayed the proverbial “priest” of Swedish space rock.

Ascending down to the intimate level of his focused fans, Lundberg handed the microphone to their lips in a psychedelic sing-along, splashing champagne and existential curiosity onto the floor of Harlow’s last Friday night.

This scene exudes the very essence of The Soundtrack of Our Lives, also known as TSOOL, an invincible group of former punk rockers who seek to bridge enlightenment through entertainment: vocalist Lundberg, guitarist Ian Person, guitarist Mattias Borjed, keyboardist Martin Hederos, drummer Fredrik Sandsten and bassist Kalle Gustafsson Jerneholm.

Hot off the bus from Austin’s South by Southwest music festival, the band slowed down for a glimpse at the Redwoods and the end of their U.S. tour as they continue support of their first anthology, “Golden Greatest Hits,” released by The Orchard on March 22.

Despite the smaller, more intimate setting at Harlow’s, the room’s energy still exceeded that of a sold-out show, with the crowd unwittingly losing and then finding themselves again, as they became immersed in hits from every era of the band’s existence, the literal soundtrack of the band’s dynamic life.

The audience quickly moved toward the edge of the stage as the band started with “Universal Stalker”, the second track off of ’08’s “Communion.” Old classics off of their debut, “Welcome to the Infant Freebase,” also flavored the set, including “Confrontation Camp” and “Instant Repeater ’99,” as well as several hits off of the Grammy-nominated album “Behind the Music.” The most intense interactions with the audience included the performance of “Bigtime,” the official theme song for WrestleMania 21, off of ’95’a “Origin Vol. 1.”

“Welcome to the future, welcome to the future,” Lundburg growled as he rolled a tambourine. He continued. “Talking about the old times, scared about the new times,” he sang, tracing the rim of his champagne glass until the room resonated with high frequencies.

After several more old favorites filled the evening, an encore drove TSOOL out for a surprise cover of the Stooges’ “I’m Sick of You,” which Lundberg described as “the best Stooges song ever written.” A few more classics finished the long encore, and not one audience member or musician seemed to get enough.

“The situation that happened here tonight (in Sacramento) is when everything becomes one,” Lundberg said backstage to the tune of more champagne pouring. “It sounds pathetic, but at the same time it’s reality.”

He then paused and corrected himself, adding, “Actually, It’s not pathetic... I surrender to the oneness, which is pure love, naturally.”

Telekinesis, The Love Language and Conversations with Jake Mann

2011-02-21T05:49:03Z

Three indie rock favorites from across the country will soon create a unique sonic experience in Davis.

Seattle’s Telekinesis delivers wistful vocal layers and pretty rock elements, Raleigh’s The Love Language deconstructs yesterday’s sounds into modern melodies, and Jake Mann + the Upper Hand, from San Francisco via Davis, softly sings lo-fi storylines of wanderlust, love and navigating lakes of different sizes.

All that and more can be heard as these musicians breath life into the Odd Fellows Hall this Tuesday.

The Sacramento Press recently spoke with singer Jake Mann about playing again in his old stomping grounds and releasing the new record, “Parallel South,” last month on Davis-based record label Crossbill.

What’s the story behind your band name, Jake Mann + the Upper Hand?

The last record was just Jake Mann, and then we started playing — Aaron (Bellamy) joined the band, and our drummer Dan Baber started, and I’d be on stage and we’d be introducing everyone. We were starting to feel like a band rather than a solo project, and I like that feeling.

As far as the title, I was talking to my roommate saying we need a band name and he said, “What, like Jake Mann and the Upper Hand?” And I said, “Yes! Perfect.” It makes a nice foil for me, like I’m Jake and the band has the upper hand! (Laughs)

You formed in Davis back when you were in college. What is it like to come back and play in Davis where the band first formed?

In Davis I think you get a lot of recognition. There’s a really supportive community. If you do something and come up with it, people will support you. It’s a good and supportive incubator. It gets things rolling.

Going to the city, the niche is packed, and so there’s a bunch of people doing indie rock music, trying to get gigs. It’s more competitive. I wrote a song about it on the last record called “Beat the Drum,” which was sort of about moving from Davis and being the big fish in the little pond, to becoming the little fish in the big pond.

I think we have some of our best shows here. Davis still remembers who we are, which is nice. That’s always tough in a college town where the turnover is so great. It’s nice to come up here in the spring or summer when it’s cloudy and cold in San Francisco and just go for a swim and a bike ride up here. Things move so slowly in Davis that when you come out from the city pace, you feel kind of superhuman. You can show up and just get a lot done.

How did your involvement with Crossbill start?

Just hanging out a lot with Michael (Leahy, the label’s founder) and getting brunch and drinking lots of coffee and talking about how to get rolling in the music scene. I was working on a record. Garrett Pierce was working on a record. Mike was DJing a lot. So we had a “core “ here. Eventually Sea of Bees came across Mike’s radar. It’s getting better every release.

How did you go about recording the album?

We recorded it in our garage rehearsal space, so it wasn’t recorded in a professional studio place, so it sounds good, but it sounds unique. I like the level that it balances between a lo-fi home recording and a hi-fi studio recording. We had lots of time to do overdubs on it beyond our basic takes, so we had a lot to explore. Aaron and I spent a lot of time last summer doing guitar overdubs. And there’s some experimental radio noise and feedback and those types of textures in there, so I think it would be a good headphones album.

Where can we find it in Sacramento?

The record should be available at The Beat and Phono Select.

What meaning do the songs have to you?

There are pretty much some common themes running through them, themes of travel and movement and sunshine. We’re trying to get sunnier. My last album was a little darker.

Where does the title “Parallel South” come from?

My girlfriend was traveling a lot during the writing of this record. She made a couple different trips to the southern hemisphere. I think about places a lot, so that’s why there are a lot of allusions to travel.

The cover art definitely reflects that. Who did it?

I did. I took the picture that’s on the front, which was taken with a Holga, and it’s of Burtle Hill behind our house in San Francisco. I was going to just use that picture, but then everyone started using the Hipstamatic prints on the iPhone, which I love, but I didn’t want the record to look like a Hipstamatic print. So I incorporated that photo into a collage. I used a lot of tape, an old calendar, some graph paper and an old National Geographic.

In your own words, how would you describe your music?

Indie rock. There are some weird edges to it, but it’s song-writery. There’s melody, so it’s listenable. There are also some touches of Americana in some places, but our influences are pretty diverse. It’s just really a big stew that’s cooking over time. Pavement made a huge influence, Guided by Voices, Cake — even though I don’t think our music sounds like Cake. Cake is from here, so I saw them a lot growing up.

What are your future touring plans?

We want to tour as much as we can, but we all have jobs, so we can’t cut and just leave. But we try to squeeze in as much as we can in three, two, four-day windows. That pretty much limits us to the West Coast. We’re talking about going to South by Southwest if a good opportunity comes up.

Jake Mann + the Upper Hand, Telekinesis and The Love Language will perform at Odd Fellows Hall, 415 Second St. in Davis, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

ALO and Nathan Moore bring Tour d'Amour to Harlow's

2011-02-17T05:07:09Z

Animal Liberation Orchestra (also known as ALO) is a band that is not afraid of taking risks. Since these high school and college music classmates (Steve Adams, Dave Brogan, Zach Gill, Dan Lebowitz) took that leap of faith 10 years ago to pursue their passion, the members of ALO have toured the world, recorded five albums, collaborated with musicians Jack Johnson, Matt Costa and G. Love, to name a few, and have donated thousands of dollars to help support music departments in public schools.

ALO is also a veteran act at several festivals throughout the country, such as Las Tortugas, High Sierra and more. But for the last five years, the musicians have explored a more intimate, love-themed performance series dubbed “Tour d'Amour” for the month of February in honor of Valentine's Day.

ALO, with support from singer-storyteller Nathan Moore, scheduled a tryst here in Sacramento for this Saturday at Harlow's in midtown. Expect to see lots of dancing, fun-loving flair and audience interaction, such as a fan-generated set list.

The Sacramento Press recently spoke with guitarist Lebowitz (also known as Lebo) about the tour, giving to music in public schools, improvisation and why it's important to just say “yes.”

You have toured with some like-minded musicians in the past, such as San Francisco's Big Light and now Nathan Moore for this year's Tour d'Amour.

Yeah, when at all possible, we like to bring a band on tour with us rather than have a different opener each night. We do that sometimes, too, but for the most part, we like the continuity of having one opener for the whole tour. Last year's Tour d'Amour, it was Big Light, which was fun because they're friends of ours and we can collaborate on stage each night.

This year we got Nathan Moore, which is really cool. He's just a great singer-songwriter. We've known him for years through the High Sierra Festival. He's just awesome. Besides his music, he just has this energy. He's kind of functioning in a weird way as our trickster. Every night he has some kind of weird prank. We always call him out on our set. He's definitely good at liberating the animals, let's say. (Laughs)

You play at a lot of festivals! How do you feel about playing more intimate shows like the show you're going to have at Harlow's on Saturday? Could you describe what you like about both festivals and smaller shows, and what you get out of them?

We're a band that likes to dig in and explore, and when it's our own shows, we get two long sets, and we get a nice long sound-check beforehand. And all of that is really cool. And everyone that is coming out there is coming for you, so the sing-along factor is very high. That's really special because it's a great way to connect, especially at a place like Harlow's. I like those smaller shows because they sometimes have a house party vibe, you know? The audience is kind of right there on you. And I like that vibe…I definitely sense the response and energy from the crowd. That kind of fuels us, or it steers us I should say. So we can get our set list going, and it's sort of steered by our audience. In that intimate venue, it really brings that out.

On the festival side of things, what I love about that is you get to see all the music, and then that inspires you so much. So then to be able to get up on stage right after getting inspired by hearing things that you like, it's really special. Also, you get to play in front of a lot of new people.

It's like a new discovery for them.

Another thing I really like is the idea of connecting with friends’ bands. It's been super funny this whole week because Jackie Green, he's a great friend of ours, we've done a lot of recording with him. So this last week while we were on the road, like every venue we were playing, he was either playing either one or two nights before or one or two nights after. So we started leaving notes in the dressing room for each other. (Laughs).

You kind of alluded to this when you were talking about the more intimate shows that you play, but could you describe what it's like on stage for you in terms of how you communicate the audience?

Yeah. I think it happens on different levels. There's the surface level of you have your set list, but then they're yelling out a song, and you're like, shit, well, let's do that song. That's a more literal type of communication. But on a deeper level, there's just an energy. We are a band that sort of revels in the unknown. We're a band that, off the stage, we really focus on writing songs. But when we're on tour, we really focus on improvising on our songs. We really like that space, which, first and foremost, you're feeding off your band mates. But the audience really plays a role, just by their energy. You really get a sense of what they're picking up on. You're just really aware of all your band mates, what's going on around you and all the energies and then reacting to that. And it's really important, for better or worse, I should say.

One of the fun things about ALO shows is that I think our fans are definitely about it. It's like we're reacting to their reactions. It's best when there's energy being tossed back and forth, and when that's happening, I think those are the shows that are special for band and audience. Those are the shows that everyone remembers as the special shows.

I was looking at your Web site, and I saw there was a community interactive feature where people could vote on the songs you'll include in your set this Saturday.

Yeah! We decided for this to try a couple shows and do a fan-generated set list. Last night in Santa Barbara was actually the first one we've tried, and the Sacramento show at Harlow's is the second time we'll try this. So yeah, we basically set it up on Facebook so people could go on and vote for their favorite songs.

So in Santa Barbara, the first set was the "fan" set, and we took the top 10 songs and played them in reverse order, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. And the funny thing is, artistically, it was a really great order! And that's something we spend time on too. We're not a band that does the same set every night. We like to change it up, especially the orders and the style of the way we do songs. We always spend a lot of time on that before each show, crafting the set list. It's just funny because the order that it fell into based on the votes, it had a really great flow to it, so we'll see what the Sacramento one has in store! The main thing that will be interesting to find out is, is how varied it is from the fan-voted set list in Santa Barbara.

Very cool! Yeah, it just seems to me that it will help the fans and audience feel involved.

Yeah, right. It's all about interaction, right? And we're kind of in a cool era with all the online interaction between people. There's one side that could be impersonal, but there's another side for things like this, where it's so great because in no time you got fans picking out your set list. It's a rad thing.

What was the No. 1 song in Santa Barbara?

It was “Barbecue.” That didn't surprise me, actually. That song is sort of an older song. It's like 10 years old at this point. We first started playing that song when we first started touring. I felt like it was a coming-of-age for a lot of people. It's uplifting, but conceptually it's about taking your dreams that haven't come true and throw them into the fire so you can start again. It's about letting go in a celebratory way. That's kind of what our fans are about in a lot of ways. It's about liberating yourself through music.

That reminds me of how you were describing improvisation earlier. Where does your mind go when you're doing that?

There are so many different aspects to it to. I was just talking with someone down at our L.A. show. He was getting more technical, asking, “OK, in that song when you're playing over the rest of the music, what are you thinking?” I said that if I'm really thinking about what I'm doing, those are the times that I don't really enjoy it. The best times are when it just sort of comes through you, and you're in the zone and you're not thinking. You're just totally present in the moment. It's very much like a good meditation where you're just totally in the moment and it's just channeling through you.

My favorite times are when I'm almost part of the audience. I'm just observing it. When the whole band is in that state, those are just the most special times. You could just tell that their bodies are relaxed and the music is relaxed. Even if the music is intense, it just has this certain relaxed-ness to it. So, yeah, it's when it's just flowing through you and you're almost witnessing it.

It is a really vulnerable space because you could totally fall flat on your face if it doesn't work out. In a sense, that could definitely be scary, but I don't personally find it scary. I find that exciting. And maybe part of that comes from our experience doing it, so we get a certain amount of confidence.

And one other thing we've actually talked about as a band is that one of the greatest secrets to improvisation, the rule of improvisation, is that you have to say "yes." You have to say yes to everything. So if you hear someone do something, you have to just be like, "yes” because there are a lot of times we have this script played in our heads. Sometimes someone will do something that isn't what you expected, but if you try to fight it, it's a recipe for disaster. Even if you don't like it, you have to just be in the state of mind of “yes” and go with that. If everyone does that, it's total magic. And I will say that it's a lot easier said than done.

Improvisation blows my mind because it's such a mystery to me, as far as how people even get there!

Yeah, it's pretty weird. I'm not even really sure either. (Laughs). But that's just part of the beauty of it. Again, it's sort of that vulnerable state where you're making yourself open to possibilities. It's like going for a walk, but you don't know where you're going, but you kind of know where you want to end up eventually. So in our case, we don't do that much free improvisation. We're definitely a song band, but within the song, you know we have places where it just opens up.

Would you say that part of growing as a musician is risk-taking?

Yeah. I think in life it is. We were just talking about leaps of faith. In life, sometimes, you may not be doing exactly what you want to do. And a lot of times you take a leap of faith. We got a friend who is in that situation right now. She's not totally fulfilled by her job, but it's a paycheck. So we were talking about our leaps of faith as a band. And I think that most of us go through that at some point.

As for us, we finished college and then we moved up north. We were working on our band, but we weren't making any money at that, so we had day jobs. And then our band just started to grow. So there was a certain point where we were like, “OK, now if we really want to do this, we really got to dig in deeper. We can't work those other jobs. We got to give this what we think it needs.” So we just had to figure it out, and I'm really glad we did it because it all worked out great! (Laughs)

But it was definitely a scary moment to quit your job, and in our cases we got rid of the places where we were living. I just put my stuff in storage and hit the road. And it's not for everyone. The lifestyle of being a musician is one where you don't really know what's around each corner. It takes a certain personality type, like someone who's comfortable with the unknown, which sort of connects to improvisation, which we were talking about earlier. I don't think we'd be here if not everyone had that mindset. We wouldn't have been bold enough to just jump in 10 years ago.

Do you remember if there was a specific moment that really spurred that decision to take that risk and just go for it?

For me, the thing was I really wanted to be a musician. I wanted that since I was in high school. So if there ever were a moment, it would have been way back then. It's kind of a little cheesy, but I was like a sophomore in high school and I had some friends who were graduating. And I went to the graduation, and the speech was something to the effect of "you can do what you love if you can make that your life." But in that moment, I was like, "Yeah, totally. You can totally manifest your destiny if you put it out there."

That reminds me of ALO's involvement with music in public schools. Tell me about that.

Yeah, we've been working with Music in Schools Today. That's one of the most special things about this tour. It means a lot to all of us. We like supporting causes, but that one is very personal to us, just because we all did a lot of music in public schools growing up. We did all the choirs, jazz bands and so on. And really, if we didn't have that, clearly we would be different. I don't even know how deep into music we'd be without that. It was definitely our introduction to it.

Music all through school was just such a huge resource, and they're just cutting all those departments left and right now. And with the budget cuts I know you can't cut English and math. But I think music in schools is so important because not everyone gets it from their families or even outside their families. So I think for us to give money toward that cause, I feel like we're giving back to that which sorted created us.

ALO's bio states, "ALO is not a band that dwells in the past. They are always moving forward. Always striving to discover new ideas. Always looking to go on new adventures.” What do you visualize when you think of what's ahead?

That's hard because it's really more than music. It's family. Steve, Zach and I have been hanging out since seventh grade. And we're still hanging out. So with ALO, I just want to continue the path that we're on. As far as growth, I almost don't want to put any constraints on it. We're at a point where we can do it for a living, so that was kind of a main hurdle. At this point it's about making more good music and always staying inspired.

Animal Liberation Orchestra and Nathan Moore will perform at Harlow's at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19. Tickets can be purchased here.

Valentine's Day, doggy style

2011-02-16T03:59:05Z

Contrary to what they say, you can teach an old dog new tricks – that is if said dog is king of west-coast hip-hop Snoop Dogg, and the trick is on you.

With a career that has transformed the hip-hop music industry since the early ’90s, Snoop Dogg has launched a new tour, which stopped at Davis’ Freeborn Hall Monday night. The “Get Wet Tour" showcases new hit singles “Wet” and “New Year’s Eve” off of the March 29 record release of “Doggumentary,” a sequel to his 1993 classic “Doggystyle.”

The sold-out Valentine’s Day show got the Davis college crowd worked up for a taste of “Gin and Juice.”

The excitement, mixed with the aroma of marijuana, breathed into Freeborn Hall as the opening guest, Sacramento-based Quette Daddie and DJ Mr. Wilson, performed backflips to the backdrop of a woman in stilettos sitting in a martini glass.

“Let me hear you say ‘Yaaaa!’ ” Quette Daddie screamed before making his departure. “I’m going to get the hell outta here!” he said. “But it’s OK, because the Dog Pound is here!”

The crowd screamed as the “Dogg Pound,” composed of Warren G, Daz, MacShawn, Soopfly and special guest Pilot, emerged on stage.

“Throw your hands in the air! Wave ’em like you just don’t care,” the Pound commanded as the laid-back Snoop Dogg entered and smoothly delivered a number of his classics, “Gin and Juice,” "Drop It Like It's Hot", "The Next Episode," "Tha Shiznit" and more.

For Snoop Dogg’s new song, “Wet,” he asked that all “ladies” join them on stage. Soon, about a dozen candid coeds jumped on stage and grooved to the suggestive lyrics, “Can you be my doctor? Can you fix me up? Can you wipe me down? So I can lick you up…”

The song winded down, and as one of the women walked off the stage, she showed her Snoop Dogg love by blowing him a kiss.

“Thank you baby,” Snoop Dogg said. “If I was going to school here, you’d be doing all my homework.”

Snoop Dogg continued with several more favorites before ending with the classic, “Who Am I? (What's My Name?),” off of his debut “Doggystyle,” eliciting the audience to sing his name, “Snoop Doggy, Doggy Dogg!”

“You see this face?” Snoop Dogg asked the audience, his diamond-studded microphone glistening. “You will see this face again. I will be back.”

The crowd again cheered as Snoop Dogg made one last request.

“When you get in your car, smoke weed,” he said. “When you sit in traffic, smoke weed. When you go to bed, smoke weed. When you wake up in the morning, smoke weed. When you brush your teeth, smoke weed. Every day of your life, smoke weed!”

For the audience, that wasn’t at all too much to ask.

Photos by Steven Chea

Deerhoof reinvents itself again at Harlow's

2011-01-29T05:47:52Z

The endearing oddballs that make up Deerhoof create music and live performances that have defied all conventions in composition, lifestyle and even a sense of time.

In graduate school, drummer Greg Saunier studied the rules so that he could break them. Ed Rodriguez and John Dieterich learned instruments so they can swap them for other instruments. Singer Satomi Matsuzaki moved from Tokyo to San Francisco as a film student, to eventually trade movies for music. They’ve now traveled the world to find themselves in a place of nostalgia when playing in Northern California, where the band formed in the mid-’90s.

Such was the eccentric climate at Harlow’s Thursday night, where Deerhoof kicked off their 2011 tour in support of their new record, "Deerhoof vs. Evil.”

Opening for Deerhoof, local rockers G.Green engaged the loyal audience with an old-school punk mentality, a female-driven rhythm section, screaming, clapping and a raw rush of adrenaline. Saunier later confessed that members of Deerhoof missed G.Green’s set because of the “incredibly slow service” at the Asian fusion restaurant next door.

“But they sounded great during sound check!” he added.

Deerhoof’s performance explored several new numbers, starting with “Super Duper Rescue Heads” and then “Qui Dorm, Nomes Somia” off of “Deerhoof vs. Evil.”

“This is the first time we’ve played this song,” Matsuzaki said, who got off a plane from her hometown of Tokyo just a few days prior. “And this is our first day on tour!”

The crowd cheered to the point of moshing in the very front, while Matsuzaki’s playful vocals rode over wave of distortion and melodic chaos. She danced methodically to the music, extending her arms and legs with simple, deliberate movements.

While Matsuzaki’s playing emits a more structured and sweet style, Saunier’s head and arms unhinged to the point of severe whiplash.

“I haven’t been head-banging in months, and then suddenly you go up there and you’re gong wild,” he said. “This always happens the first night of every tour. It’s been like this for 16 years. I’m going to wake up with a sore neck tomorrow.”

Saunier explained how Deerhoof reinvents itself with each new year, band lineup, record and song.

“We found each other sort of by accident with nothing in common musically,” he said. “So every time we try to do something, it feels like a stretch. I can never, ever predict what kind of song is going to come next from Ed or John or Satomi, or even from myself!

“I feel like the way I write songs, if you can even use that word ‘write,’ it is so accidental, like the songs seem to come out of nowhere, basically. Something will just pop into my head, and I’m hard-pressed to say that I’m the composer. So it’s always a surprise, and every new song makes us feel like we’re total beginners! Each person is totally confused about what they’re doing. Maybe it is what kind of binds us in a way.”

The title “Deerhoof vs. Evil” sheds light on this philosophy.

“None of us really believes that music is good or that it could ever fight against evil or anything,” Saunier said. “Even more than usual, we didn’t define the style with new album. This time there were no limitations. Part of it was because we had all moved, and we separated from each other a little bit, and you know, you get a taste of freedom…So it makes us feel like we got to invent stuff all over again. No rules! It kind of feels like over the years we take more and more risks in terms of what we allow ourselves to show. A lot of the best moments come from the ones that were the most seemingly impossible to pull off, or the most outside of our comfort zone.”

And so last night’s show was just as unhinged and freeform as its players. The audience members moved and moshed, losing themselves in a maze of complex sounds and playful little experiments.

Longtime fan Erik Norgaard expressed excitement to see one of his favorite bands again, despite some of the “muddy” sound issues.

“On first listen at the show, [the new material] sounded really incredible,” he said.

Just like Saunier, Norgaard said that he “hates genres or describing music in terms of genres.”

“I really like to call it every type of music,” he said. “I think they have such a dynamic sound, and they’re constantly changing, from gritty to pop to gritty to pop again.”

Interwoven with the new songs, they also reverted to some old songs such as “Fresh Born” off of “Offend Maggie.” Before the 2008 album's release, Deerhoof had published the sheet music for the song so that fans could submit their recordings without hearing the band’s version.

In a similar vain, Deerhoof engaged its online audience through a “Global Album Leak,” where each week leading to its Jan. 25 release by Polyvinyl, they dropped a new song via a different blog, based in a different city throughout the globe. This global map in some ways reflects the band’s international identity, which has emerged in the last two years with an increase in worldwide tours and Matsuzaki’s return to Tokyo.

“It’s so much more adventure than I ever dreamed I’d ever have, the places that we’ve seen on planet Earth,” Saunier said. “I never thought I’d go to Istanbul. I never thought I’d go to Moscow. I never thought I’d go to Stockholm or Tokyo or Beijing or Sydney! And if it’s a place that you’ve never been and it’s so remote, it’s so alien, it’s on the other side of the globe. And then you get there, and there’s people singing along — singing your songs, songs that, like I said, just popped into your head one day, and now there’s some Russian person singing it back at you!”

But for now, the band seems happy to be back in California where they first got together. The last time Deerhoof played Sacramento was five years ago at Capital Garage where the Sacramento-based band !!! (Chk Chk Chk) had opened for them, which Saunier referred to as the “irony of ironies.”

As for Thursday night’s show in Sacramento, Saunier said it “felt like a test.”

“Some stuff that works great in the practice space suddenly doesn’t translate to the stage,” he said. “And the stuff that we were absolutely the most nervous and worried about like totally clicked. So what this gave us tonight, in addition to a very supportive audience, a very friendly and a fun night, was a lot of food for thought. We definitely have a lot to chew on before tomorrow night.”

Photos by Steven Chea

Fun with Ra Ra Riot, Givers and Pepper Rabbit at Harlow's

2011-01-24T06:33:03Z

Saturday’s animated concert at Harlow’s served as one of many sold-out shows in California for Ra Ra Riot, Givers and Pepper Rabbit. The dark, intimate venue came alive with colorful lights and a clambering crowd of orchestral pop rock fans. At the first beat of sound, the room was flavored with music that could most simply be described as “fun.”

Joining Givers and Ra Ra Riot for the first time on this tour, Los Angeles-based rock duo Pepper Rabbit opened the show with layered organ notes, looping effects and experimental use of unusual rock instruments: clarinet, bells and ukulele. Center stage, the lights glowed atop drummer Luc Laurent’s curls as his percussion pounded in our chests. Vocalist Xander Singh switched seamlessly from scaling keys to tambourine to ukulele throughout the band’s set, which included “Older Brother,” “Babette!” and “None Shall Sleep,” all off of the band’s 2010 album “Beauregard.”

As the bands transitioned and the crowd thickened, members of Lafayette’s Givers also began to set up an assortment of quirky instruments. Travis Sparks, who is visiting from Austin, noticed a second ukulele on the stage. “Another goddamn ukulele. These bands need to get out more,” he said, adding that an increasing number of musicians attract a built-in audience by merely integrating unconventional instruments. Although I'm a fan of the ukulele, there’s something to be said for how sudden ubiquity can dilute the punch of a novel concept.

Nevertheless, Givers, a psychedelic rock band reminiscent of Vampire Weekend, emitted vibrant, almost hyperbolic, vibes and beats. As they broke into the hit “Up Up Up,” the room burst with celebratory thunder and dance. Hearts pounded and long hair flew on stage to the rhythm of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist ~~Christine Peirce’s~~ TIffany Lamson's playful drumming and bell slinging.

“I want to have your baby!” a man screamed from the audience.

“Um. No. That wouldn’t be possible,” ~~Peirce~~ Lamson replied, laughing.

Her sweet lyrics harmonized with guitarist Taylor Guarisco’s vocals as his eyes closed with bliss as he played.

“The show was a lot of fun,” Guarisco said. “All of our songs are kind of like our children, so we love them all. It’s always exciting to see how an audience that doesn’t know our music reacts as we play. I watch their faces as they turn....” He then mimicked the audience’s expressions: faces that transform from bored to ecstatic.

As the stage transitioned for the third time, more people crowded toward the edge of the stage to get a closer look at Syracuse’s Ra Ra Riot, which performed Saturday for the first time with new drummer Kenny Bernard.

Fan Shelee Romo of Woodland said she’s seen Ra Ra Riot about four or five times since the band’s debut.

“They’ve always put on a great show,” she said. “They just feed off each other.”

She screamed loudly as the band emerged on stage to the sound of “Massachusetts.” Singer Wesley Miles, wearing a vintage Star Wars T-shirt, pounded the keys as the band orchestrated wildly to a series of hits from their first full-length album “The Rhumb Line,” including “Too Too Fast” and “Oh, La.”

Ra Ra Riot’s second full-length album, 2010’s “The Orchard," offered a more mature, mellow mood, while still retaining its playful energy with “Boy” and “Kansai.”

"This is the first time the band has felt part of one entire process, from beginning to end," Miles said.

"The Orchard" also features more lead vocals by cellist Alexandra Lawn, whose sultry vocals captivated the audience with "You and I Know."

“I’ve never seen [Lawn] sing solo live like that, so that was exciting,” Romo said. “She has this Stevie Nicks vibe that I love.”

The songs continued with spritely vocals by Miles, harmonized by Lawn and reinforced by the band's baroque rock buoyancy. The band left the stage, and after minutes of cheering, returned with "The Rhumb Line" hits “Ghost Under Rocks” and “Dying Is Fine." During the last few verses, Miles removed his glasses and proceeded to high five several audience members before saying goodnight.

“The show was just great!" Miles said. "We’re glad everyone had fun."

Photos by Steven Chea

Pinback breathes old and new life into Harlow's

2011-01-01T19:27:30Z

A long line of fans trailed the J Street corner leading to Harlow’s Thursday night to hear the otherworldly rock sounds of San Diego’s indie music pundit Pinback. The anticipation in the air thickened enough to emotionally throttle an hour-long, traffic-triggered delay, and in what seemed like barely a blink, the venue brimmed with both laughter and musical absorption.

The laughter was mostly spurred by a multimedia of satire and absurdity by opener JP Hasson, also known as JP Incorporated. Hasson’s shtick, self-described as a “wonderful company, specializing in a variety of quality products and services” featured such products and programming as “Jazzbot Xtreme,” a monster truck that transforms into fire-breathing saxophones, “Crap Factory,” a fictional metal rock band from the Hollywood Hills, “The Internet,” a dramedy about people using the internet, and an advertisement for the fictional limo company “No Prob Limo.”

“It’s good to be touring with smooth jazz artists Pinback. They tour in a limo!” announced Hasson, who is playing in support of his new album out by Comedy Central. Corporate shots of a white limo cut to a series of tacky motion graphics, prompting the audience to hum along to the intentionally obnoxious chorus line, “Need a ride?...No Prob Limo… No Prob Limo... No Prob Limoooooo!” as Hasson jerked his arms in jest.

By 11 p.m., images of comical commercial graphics shifted to stick figure drawings and underwater astronauts as Pinback finally took the stage. While Pinback’s sound is hardly “smooth jazz,” the band has a way of intricately weaving powerful pedal-driven distortion with calming, ethereal ambient sounds. Pinback founders Zach Smith and Rob Crow, known for experimenting on tour as a stripped-down duo, played with the full band for this show, which added extra layers of resonance to their distinct songwriting.

The band began the set with the haunting “Hatenaughts of Melancholy Wall,” a bonus track off of 2007’s “Autumn of the Seraphs.” Scenes from the science fiction film “Dark Star,” which inspired the band’s name, projected onto the screen shed with shadows of the moving musicians. The room was packed and the audience mesmerized as Pinback mazed through several never-before-heard songs from their new album expected to be released by Temporary Residence Limited. in early 2011. The indie rock veterans also rocked many older numbers from their last four albums including “Good to Sea”, “How We Breathe” and “Walters” off of “Autumn of the Seraphs,” “Penelope” off of Blue Screen Life and the chill “Loro” from the band’s 1998 debut "This is a Pinback."

The relatively blithe atmosphere took on a sad and serious tone when Crow announced the sudden death of friend and fellow musician “Steimy,” as he is affectionately called. Crow dedicated the next song “Bloods on Fire” to his friend. “Calm yourself, calm yourself,” Crow sang passionately. “Blood's on fire, blood's on fire…”

“I was just going to see him in Reno,” Crow told the Sacramento Press. “I can’t believe I won’t see him now. It’s a terrible loss.”

Melancholy again morphed into a progressive, party environment as Pinback continued to journey through its eclectic musical past and future. The dedicated audience members were right there ready to travel with them, maybe not back to San Diego, but home to their headphones and speakers, which will hopefully soon be able to play Pinback’s next album (exact date and title have not yet been released).

Photos by Steven Chea

Chelsea Wolfe Unveils Her Voice, New Record

2010-12-18T02:15:21Z

Black, mantilla lace shrouded Chelsea Wolfe’s eyes as she peered into the intimate glow of the Crocker Art Museum on Thursday. A projector poured black and white film negatives onto the screen behind her, shimmering a cool light through her florid veil. I wondered if she could see the audience, a small gathering of family, friends and loyal fans, if their faces were recognizable or just anonymous shadows in a naked theater.

She introduced herself in a subdued voice, along with her boyfriend and longtime bandmate, Ben Chisholm, who stood at her left, wired and amped into his black keyboard. A golden toy and two small, antique music boxes glistened at her feet, along with a tambourine, a bracelet made of small bells and a loose bundle of amplifier cables.

The room’s silence soon shifted to an echo of stripped minor chords and her pristine voice, like a siren, harmonically corralled through a cloud of souring notes and distortion. Her first wave of songs were a dedication, "for those with unnamed sorrows, dark knowledge, waiting to be remembered” and served a montage of melodies consciously chosen to set the mood, an ambiance just as beautiful as it was black.

In addition to a select number of songs from her EP "Ἀποκάλυψις", her new LP, "The Grime and the Glow," and several songs from her latest project "Russian Karaoke," she also performed an iconic cover of the folk tune "Sunshine," which Wolfe reinvented by looping intricate layers of vocals.

"I have never felt so dead inside. I have never felt so alive," she spoke as the twinkling of music boxes and vocals fade, one layer at a time.

Thursday’s performance in Sacramento was Wolfe’s first homecoming since she relocated to Los Angeles in early fall. She now lives with Chisholm, who works in the film industry, in “a big, old and haunted house in a shitty neighborhood.”

“But I love it,” she said. “I can be loud and make music there.”

It is in this “vast, red stretch of sunburn,” called Los Angeles, at a place called Show Cave, that Wolfe will hold her LP release show in January. Self-recorded on a Tascam 488, “The Grime and the Glow,” which “explores the relationship between death and humor” will officially be released by the independent New York music label Pendu on Dec. 28. Next March, Wolfe will also tour France in support of her new record and songs from “Russian Karaoke.”

While the enigmatic Wolfe has many exciting travels, projects and moons ahead of her, it was here in Sacramento, at the age of 9, that she made her first home recording. And she has not stopped since.

“I had a rather strange and foggy childhood, and it shaped the way I view the world,” she said. “Making music has always been my instinctual reaction to the dark state of the world and everything around me."

Catharsis sure paid off. Since her childhood, Wolfe continued to grow her film and literary-inspired music, played several local venues such as The Hub, backwoods festivals like KDVS’ Operation Restore Maximum Freedom, Midtown house shows and is now heard worldwide.

And so there she stood, present-day Wolfe – under a museum stage light shaded by sheer black – her voice singing out for all the "truth seekers" she makes her music for.

“I saw the widow in the widow….I saw the bird circling above me,” she sang the soft yet intense lyrics from “Widow” off of “The Grime and the Glow.”

An unnamed woman walked slowly down the aisle of the room. She also wore a black veil like Wolfe's, and carried a small, sad bundle of dead flowers. She seemed to pay no notice to the audience as she walked just inches in front of me. With each eerie step, Wolfe crashed her tambourine against her hand and hip until the widow disappeared, like magic, from the room.

Photos by Steven Chea

Kronos Quartet Explores Meaning of Music in 2010

2010-12-11T04:40:57Z

Just when the Kronos Quartet seemed like it couldn’t push the boundaries of contemporary string ensemble any further, this renowned group from San Francisco surprised its audiences with new sophisticated, eclectic string interpretations, guiding them through daring cross-genre explorations.

Through its unique string arrangements, the Kronos Quartet has given homage for more than 30 years to a variety of composers – ranging from classical minimalists to modern, experimental rockers.

In keeping with this fearless spirit, the Kronos Quartet—David Harrington, John Sherba (violins), Hank Dutt (viola) and Jeffrey Zeigler (cello)—astounded more than 500 listeners Thursday night with a live performance created exclusively for the Mondavi Center. The diverse program included pieces composed by the enigmatic Icelandic rock band Sigur Rós, film composer Clint Mansell (“The Fountain,” “Requiem for a Dream”), Mexico's Café Tacuba and more.

The Kronos Quartet began with “Aheym,” by Bryce Dessner, guitarist for The National. “Aheym,” which means “homeward” in Yiddish, re-imagines the voyage of Dessner’s ancestors from Poland to America, evoking thoughts of passage and family oral history. Kronos proceeded with the intense and ethereal “Death is the Road to Awe” from the film “The Fountain" before performing “Harp and Alter,” a love song to the Brooklyn Bridge by modern American composer Missy Mazzoli. Fragments of Hart Crane's poem, “The Bridge”, echoed amidst the sound of strings:

“Through the bound cable strands, the arching path
Upward, veering with light, the flight of strings,
Taut miles of shuttling moonlight syncopate
The whispered rush, telepathy of wires…”

Next, Kronos played, for the first time in the United States, a song by French composer Thierry Pécou: “Les Rameurs Obscurs de la Barque de Ré,” an eclectic, staccato-driven soundscape inspired by a passage from the Egyptian Book of the Dead about the sun god Ra’s sea voyage through the cycle of life.

The second half of Kronos’ set further highlighted the thin, experimental line between old and new, classical and rock with electronica-inspired sounds in “Crossfader” by Raz Mesinai, Mansell’s iconic “Requiem for a Dream Suite” and Café Tacuba’s 12/12, a five-part illustration of “Day of our Lady of Guadalupe,” weaving together ambient sounds taken from the streets of modern Mexico.

The much-anticipated “Flugufrelsarinn,” by Sigur Rós, swept the crowd with the most chills, resonating a combined message of urgency and peace throughout the golden walls of Mondavi.

Originally sung in the singer “Jonsi’s” self-invented language called Hopelandish, “Flugufrelsarinn,” from the band’s breakthrough album “Agoetis Byrjun,” tells a story of salvation in which the narrator saves a fly in a lake from a hungry salmon. After first hearing the song, Harrington and arranger Stephen Prutsman met the members of Sigur Rós and were soon rehearsing together in Iceland.

In a letter to the Mondavi Center, Harrington wrote, “I feel I’m continually on the edge of my chair, and I want to spend my time encouraging artists to stretch beyond what they ever imagined they could accomplish … Bringing elements into our live shows that haven’t been there before is something I’ve tried to do since we formed Kronos. With fellow artists, I want to explore what it means to be a musician, what a concert is and what a musical experience is in 2010.”

Photos by Julia Marino

With Buika, it’s never the last drink

2010-11-08T02:11:57Z

"The last drink and last love are never the last..."

Concha Buika’s sultry voice reverberates softly through the golden walls of the Mondavi Center at UC Davis. Her hair is swept in a shiny, black scarf as her eyes gaze shyly at the room of roughly 1,000 audience members who are eagerly awaiting her next words of wisdom.

“I think this is important information,” she adds, chuckling a little into her microphone. The audience, taking in her words, cheers thoughtfully, as if she has just answered to their collective curiosities, thoughts they had no means to express.

Buika (“BWEE-kah”), born on the island of Mallorca to immigrants from Equatorial Guinea, has become an emerging Spanish vocalist who has created a rare yet ingenious sound, a hybrid of flamenco, jazz and soul. Influenced by her African roots, the Spanish gypsy community, Latin American beats and the Americanization of a Las Vegas stint, Buika has achieved a blended style of earthy passion and cosmopolitan wit. Her success in Spain has transferred internationally and across mediums, with her first film debut in Pedro Almodovar's upcoming film "La Piel Que Habito," as well as duets with Seal and Nelly Furtado. Her new Latin Grammy Award nominated album, "El Ultimo Trago (The Last Drink)," brings her to the United States for her first American tour, which had her swing through Davis last Saturday.

In between lyrics, Buika shares with the audience the many secrets she says she’s discovered along her travels. "It’s a secret, but I will tell you," she says, grinning.

“When we open our mouths to say something, we fall into the fire,” she says, lifting her skirt to begin subtle flamenco choreography as she shapes her fingers into imaginary castanets.

“When I feel I don’t know nothing, I realize I know everything,” she continues.

Her spoken lyrics come both from her own poetry and translations from “El Ultimo Trago," which covers interpretations of songs by one of Buika’s musical heroines, Mexican legend Chevela Varges.

Buika intersperses her elusive spoken words with the raspy, desperately powerful "el cante." Buika reintroduces Vargas’ classic songs by transforming Vargas’ bolero “El Ultimo Trago" into a blues number and “Somos” into the soft, rhythmic cha-cha.

As the falsetto of her flamenco-driven cries captivates the audience, she takes a moment to calm her intense vocal chords and capture her supporting musicians. Buika grabs what looks like an older DSLR camera and bends down to take a few shots of the drummer, the bassist and the pianist, as each musician round-robins into a jazzy solo instrumentation.

Buika continues the night with numbers from her first two albums, as well as more of Vargas’ classics such as "Luz de Luna." Between songs, she takes careful consideration to translate for the audience. “Luz de luna, it means moonlight,” she says. “Mentirosa, it means liar."

As her performance comes to a close, she thanks the audience with sincerity. “Muchas gracias, thank you so much!” she exclaims. But the audience demands an encore, and she returns to perform “Mi Niña Lola,” from her debut album “Mi Niña Lola.”

If the last drink is really never the last, well, then, let’s say, “Can we have another one please?”

Photos by Steven Chea.

Celtic Thunder: It's Entertainment

2010-11-05T23:32:58Z

"Listen for it as it comes…the pure, imperial sound of…Celtic Thunder."

Sundry vocals, Irish folklore and dry ice poured majestically atop a meadow backdrop at Sacramento’s Memorial Auditorium Thursday, one of 70 stops the Irish supergroup will make in support of its third PBS television special “It’s Entertainment,” a performance series showcasing both the old world and the new.

The rhythm of heartbeats from the sparse yet euphoric audience resonated with the thunderous percussion of traditional Celtic instrumentation. An amalgamation of cello, harp, fiddle, keyboard, piccolo, guitar, concertina, bagpipe and mandolin merged with the steadfast drumbeat to introduce the six voices of the illustrious Celtic Thunder.

Irishmen Damian McGinty, Keith Harkin, Paul Byrom, Ryan Kelly and Scotsman George Donaldson command the colorfully lit stage with the group’s first song, the harmonious Irish folk song “Heartland.”

Following the tradition of previous releases (“Celtic Thunder: The Show, Act Two” and, “Take Me Home”), the group ran the gamut of musical styles and vocal range as the musicians paid homage to both traditional Celtic composition and six decades of popular hits by artists.

For the second song of the evening, 18-year-old McGinty, the once-spritely alto-turned-dashing tenor, sang the Gaelic tale “Buachaill On Eirne.”

Kelly performed the fourth number, “Black is the Colour,” a reference to his true love’s hair, as he caressed strands from the fiddle player’s long locks. As the song intensified, he stood and raised his fists in the air to the steady beat of the bass drum as the studio lights flashed. The fiddle flowed freely. Locks swayed, and the room roared with a clash of clapping and cymbals.

Act 1 continued with a number of original compositions by Musical Director Phil Coulter as well as old-world favorites such as “Home From the Sea,” “Skye Boat Song,” “A Place in the Choir” and the electric “Whiskey in the Jar,” an old Irish traditional song popularized in the ’90s by metal the mavens of Metallica.

Act 2 then unfolded to display a starry night sky shining down on a white terrace, tea lanterns, silhouettes of bare trees, black suits and ties, and flowing gowns of chiffon. While the first act celebrated traditional Celtic culture, the second interpreted six decades of popular icons from several genres of music: Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Leonard Cohen, Dean Martin and U2, among many others.

Toward the end of the set, Donaldson, his bow tie coolly untied around his neck, began “Hello Again.” A woman in the audience shrieked, “Ah, Neil Diamond…And on-key!”

Sue Wissler, a native of Rocklin, seconded that.

“The musicians are unbelievable in that there’s such a wide scope of instruments that they play … and how they can take a modern song and make it a new work of art. The production value was much-improved tonight,” said Wissler, who first brought her daughter to Celtic Thunder at Arco Arena in 2009. “You can bring your whole family to the show. Everyone’s going to enjoy it.”

Celtic Thunder ended with “Ireland’s Call,” the kilt-clad crooners proclaiming, “Irish together standing tall…shoulder to shoulder, we’ll answer Ireland’s call!”

Celtic Thunder vocalists also answered the crowd, who called for more with whistles and swaying glow sticks. They sang one last chorus, waved and retreated behind the scenes.

Until the group’s next local performance, Sacramentans will have to settle for experiencing Celtic Thunder this holiday on PBS’s “Celtic Thunder - It’s Entertainment Christmas,” which will air more than 500 times during the 2010 holiday season. They can also get the group’s newly recorded “Celtic Thunder Christmas CD,” or visit the official YouTube channel, “Thunder Tube.”

Photos by Steven Chea

Muse Inspires at Arco Arena

2010-09-30T06:59:56Z

Muse mania has been widespread since its humble inception in the mid ‘90s. After winning a battle of the bands contest near its home of Teignmouth, Devon, the British band Muse officially skyrocketed into the world of progressive rock. Known for a recurring theme of revolution, lyrics that evoke a profound social and political message, and stimulating live visuals, Muse did not disappoint Sacramento Tuesday night. Opening band Passion Pit only added to the unique energy, captivating and thrilling fans at Arco Arena.

The show opened with electro-pop band Passion Pit performing on a set of three dilapidated city buildings. A blue light revealed singer Michael Angelakos entangled in his mic and his band of Berklee College of Music alumni creating an unearthly soundscape .

Passion Pit emitted the most dynamic performance with the single “Little Secrets” off its first full-length studio album "Manners." As the crowd jumped and sang along, an invisible choir of children was heard singing the catchy chorus “higher and higher and higher” to the accelerating passion pitch of Angelakos's falsetto.

While Passion Pit’s performance showcased a dancy, indie quality, Muse’s show felt inspired by the supernatural and glamorous rock ‘n roll operas of Queen and Pink Floyd. The set transitioned into an animated skyscraper depicting the rise and fall of human droids as the hidden Muse performed fiercely behind the curtains.

The fabric dropped to expose the elevated musicians, front man Matthew Bellamy, drummer Dominic Howard and bassist Christopher Wolstenholme. The crowd’s cheers were drowned out by the sounds of the band’s several hits made over its last five famed albums, including 2009’s "The Resistance," the first release to be produced by the band itself.

Memorable moments included falling giant eyeball balloons that popped confetti above the crowd, a piano-driven performance of “Feeling Good,” first made popular by Nina Simone and recorded on Muse’s second release "Origin of Symmetry", as well as several visual montages of war, politics, human anatomy and more.

After the show's wide range of sonic experiences, the confident Muse seemed unstoppable. Except, that is, when it covered “My Own Summer (Shove It),” a daring homage to Sacramento’s own Deftones. After a minute of nearly perfect replication, Bellamy stopped the song and exclaimed, “We’re not ready to play that one yet.”

But the audience didn’t seem to mind one bit, and Muse returned with an elaborate encore that permitted all resistance to gravity with an improvisational version of Knights of Cydonia before the band took a bow and and the glowing buildings went to sleep.

Photos by Steven Chea