Wednesday, September 29, 2010

How I found my tickets.

Crazy story: I checked the mail one day and I put it on my desk so i could read it later. On Saturday morning I got up and looked at this envelope and I thought "Oh I dont' need this anymore, I can just shread it." But before I did, I found this inside.


From The Sound Collection

I'm so glad I didn't trash this.

I've been keeping this a secret for the past week or so, but I do have tickets to the Sonic Youth show on Monday October 4th. If you thought that the small writing in last weeks Friday Five was kind of suspicious, then you were right. Yeah, you can guess that I will be writing a review, buying some stuff, and not getting my homework done (or I'll get it done early). I just seen the posting online and the gig is scheduled to be 3 whole hours. Not too bad, but  when Sonic Youth is playing a 3 hour gig, it really makes me wonder what the heck they are going to play.  Anyway, I'm super excited even though I have 5 more days to wait. Hey, time fly's when you are having fun or waiting for something this awesome.

This has been a long week, and despite me being tired, I will have an epic Friday Five this week for all of my awesome readers (no really, I value each and every one of my page views).  See you then.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Dangerous Nonsense - Weapon of Choice Demo

Lots of things are dangerous. For example, bombs are dangerous, knives are dangerous, but Dangerous Nonsense shouldn't be considered dangerous. If you really wanted them to be, only say they are a dangerously awesome threat to the Denver music scene. To be honest, I'm getting tired of going to shows on the weekend and having to pick from "indie", "new wave revival", and some "trashy rockish sounding noise".  Now I'm not saying that "indie", "new wave revival" and "trashy rockish sounding noise" is bad in Denver, I'm just tired of hearing all the time here in town. So when I got my hands on the Weapon of Choice of demo, I was excited to know that Denver is safe from whatever this music is. The Dangerous Trio Composed of Shannon Webber (Vocals), Harmony Davies (Bassist), and Susan Miller (drummer) make some of the best music that heard in a long time.

From what I know, Dangerous Nonsense decried  themselves as "art thrash metal" or something like that when I talked to one of the band members.  For now, I'm just going to call them "music you can circle pit to" because if you get 3 or more friends and play this CD on a mini stereo, you will start a circle pit. The package is nifty, it isn't a jewel case "basement CD" that I'm so used to having. The case is some origami fold thing that also doubles as a lyric sheet. I would unfold all if it to look at the lyrics, but I totally suck at folding and origami so I'm just going to leave it the way that it is. So don't go asking me for the lyrics. 

Track one: Track one starts off with a bang. Whats the bang? A flute. Honestly, I thought that this demo was going to suck until about 1:40. The bass grabbed my attention. "A bass with a wah wah pedal? Is that what what I hear?" That's kind of good with a semi-quiet song (compared to the rest of the album). Screams at 4:00 onward got me hooked into the rest of the album. Pretty good.

Track two: So there is some quiet noise between tracks one and two and I thought again "another quiet song right?" I was wrong. I guess they put the dangerous in this track. Two seconds in and then " Holy Crap! Wow. Yeah, forget what I said about track one!". Double kick on the drums, bass goes all out and all of that.  20 seconds till about 50 seconds, things get calm, the calm doesn't last for long though because right at 1:00 those drums come back slowly and gain speed. 1:15, another tasteful scream. 1:20, back to the "quiet chaos". Then witches laughs. "This is my kind of song". 2:48 the bass switches things up, then the songs goes back to that "quiet chaos" thing.  From then on, things get crazy and then just end. I'm thinking that this is a bridge to track three.

Track three
: The bass stood out to me on this one and it really hit me at 0:38 seconds. The drums need to get some attention too. I guess the doubble kick technique is what makes me like this song. At 2:38, I finally found out that this song is like "Walking through Alice in Wonderland" or the noise that I think I would hear if I fell into a "demented toy box at Halloween." Yes, that is a good thing.

Track four: Symbols and killer bass rift that reminds me of some "early Black Sabbath song". Then the vocals come in screaming, literally. 1:22: things slow down again, then lead into this bass driven overdrive festival. Same thing at 2:09 too. We get a vocal screaming break for a couple of minutes but 3:15 is the highlight of the song.

Track five: Opens with scream. Nice way to make the song about violence if I heard right. The bass, and the drums again are working together yet again to make more sick madness on this album, best part at 0:38 seconds. More slowness, yet again, but it makes the song better and leads you to the vocals yet again. I think the highlight is at 1:38 with more bass overdrive. Things pick up at around 2:50 or so, and then its over like that. Bam. The whole thing is over.  That's the Weapon of Choice EP.

I guess the saying "good things come in small packages" is true. This EP packs a punch and it does a lot of things that bands can't even do in 3 releases. Remember when I posted that I had a secret not too long ago? Well, it relates to Dangerous Nonsense. Hopefully I guessed the release date right and I (hope) that we all see a full length album sometime in October or the Following months.

Check out the bands Myspace Page

Hope you enjoyed my review! I got lots more from this point forward. Keep checking back for more posts! Once I hit 50 posts, I'll do something special for you guys.

Friday Five. Loded with your weakly source of music that doesn't suck.

Another Friday, another Friday five. I picked the best 5 videos that I could find and I added a little something extra at the end. I'm trying to get the album review typed as fast as I can. So until then, listen to these and get your weekly source of awesome sauce music. (FYI, I packed a punch this week so you are low on time, you can visit me later).


OOIOO - Be Sure to Loop. OOIOO (pronounce it as Oh Oh I Eh Oh) is a Japanese band founded by the Bordoms Drummer Yoshimi P-We. Here is a word of advice from me to you: Listen to Yoshimi P-We In any musical venture. Trust me, your mind will melt in a good way.


Extra! OOIOO - Open Your Eyes You Can Fly - I can't get enough of OOIOO and sometimes I have the urge to sing this at the top of my lungs when someone is frying something or when I want to run down the hallways at my school. Pretty awesome music video.


Bratmobile - Cool Schmool


PJ Harvey and Tricky - Broken Homes. Try to just ignore David Letterman and just watch Tricky and PJ Sing. This song is great and the best version I heard, so listen up.


Xmal Deutschland (Say Imal Deutchland) - Matador. I call them "the German Siouxsie and the Banshees".


Sonic Youth - Silver Rocket. One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands. (I have some personal news regarding Sonic Youth that I will announce later this week)


More Sleater Kinney.
Yes, they are one of my (many) favorite bands and I did find more early stuff for you guys.

Sleater-Kinney - Why Ask Why/ Don't Ask Why (Live). Can you see the drummer?


The Last Song / Dig Me Out . Ok, this is long but is the nifty second part of the first video. Watch it! You won't be sorry.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Denver Music Reviews Soon.

So this summer I made it my plan to listen to some music from my home town and blog about them. I listened to the music thus far, but I haven't blogged about them. So I made it my mission this week to finally post the music reviews that you all have been (hopefully) waiting for. I have Friday off, and I'm thinking that I can get two reviews in along with Friday Five. If that doesn't sound good, then I don't know what is. So sit back and relax and wait for some music reviews! In the mean time, have you read my concert review?

Friday, September 17, 2010

Friday Five Back on Friday!

Hey. It is nice to be posting Friday Five on the right day! I packed this weeks Friday Five with some awesome songs, so it won't be sure to disappoint!

Kría Brekkan - Ravine. This song was in my head all day. That's a good thing because this song is so good. The Piano sounds like one of those amusement park rides.


What's Wrong With You? - Bratmobile


I Hate Danger - Bikini Kill


Extra! Poison Girls - Pretty Polly.


Just because I'm on time, I'm offering doubble shots of Sleater Kinney!. Yes, I'm well aware of my Sleater Kinney bias. If you don't like it, watch the other videos :)

Sleater-Kinney - Whats Mine is Yours (Big Day Out 2006). Those people who aren't paying attention don't know what they are missing... Check out the awesome drum solo.


Sleater-Kinney - Ironclad - Cambridge MA


Have you checked out my first concert review? It is mega awesome!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Surfacing @ First Unitarian Church 9-11-10

If I had to sum this show up in one word, I would pick mind blowing. I found about this gig last Saturday when I was sill kind of sad that I missed out on this great metal/ punk gig at my favorite record store. So I though thought that I would go and check out 4 new "surfacing"  bands at the local, and even international level.

So I left my house at 6:30 pm after eating some vegetarian nachos and some power drink that I found in the fridge. I looked under my bed and I found the 7 dollars that I needed to get in. I got there the usual way that I get to Denver, I took the highway and I got there in about 35 minutes. I went inside to pay my lucky $7.00 then I got my radial re entry sharpie star with dots where the points were. Did I mention that it was in Orange?

So they kicked everyone out to the stairs and sounding area because they were preforming a "top secret" sound check. I was standing on the wheelchair ramp right by the pretty cool glass window and I really didn't hear a thing. I thought that was strange because I really didn't hear anyone tuning any loud instrument. No drums being pounded on, no guitars tuned, no microphones being checked, no sound. So instead I was listening to the side conversations of the hip people.  I can't tell you the whole conversations because I'm not that nosy, but here are some of the things that stood out:

"They stared this concert late! They said 7:00 its already 7:30. I want my $7.00 refund."
"Can I drink my Pabst in this church? It doesn't really smell like beer."
"Her girlfriend isn't as hot as her exes girlfriend. That is kind of an understatement"
"Where can I get more of those magic cancer sticks?"

This is my favorite:

"Aren't you having a house party today?"
"No, not today. I'm here duh."
"Well you should have one and it can be a "Sleepover house party slumber party."
"Totally rad."
"Hardcore."

Share photos on twitter with Twitpic

What  you aren't seeing is the the churches 4 bicycle racks full of these fixie hipster bicycles. I was going to get a shot of all of these bikes but I didn't want to get scoped out by the outrageous amounts of the "hip club" that was on the stone stairs. Even if I was, I'm pretty sure that they were too drunk and high to fight me anyway (why would I fight anyone?  And why why would I fight someone at a church?)

So then I started to see a line form and I started to walk into the lobby. The guy in front of me had this pretty hip looking backpack with a super duper Batman and Robbin Pin, like the 60's one. But being the Batman fan that I am I kind of died inside because I knew that he only had that pin because it "Looked rad man" but who cares? So we went into the "Church" part of the Church and then I sat down in the 5 row right hand side isle seat.  So then more waiting. I look around to find 2 hymn books and no bibles! That is my kind of church. Right when I close the hymn book,  the presenter lady said her thing about their "musical collective" that they have every month.  I like what they do, but I'll talk about that later. Then right after she closed her mouth the first band took the stage.

Pillow Garden.
Pillow Garden dropped a 20 minute set that was not mind blowing (like I tweeted) but more mind melting. So I was kind of sitting far back, and couldn't really see the stage, but what I did see was the guy (Jason Corder) playing this guitar and this girl (Sarah Chung) singing. They started off looping  the vocal track and soon I was in awe. Then the gutiar started to loop in and join the girls vocals. Then they broke out this bird cage thing and I can just say that it did not sound like a bird cage. After that then, I just started to drown in the noise. They played the same song that is on their website and that son gigs only 3 minutes or so long. I'm not sure if it they started with same song and just rolled it out into 20 minutes, but whatever they did was pretty awesome. I fully enjoyed this. I hope you will too.  Check out their website.

Pollination Population.

Pollination Population (Katherine Ersing)  Took the stage and pressed the on button on one of her many tape decks that brought about the noise of rising drums and something that sounded like church bell.  This went to another button pressed on another tape deck that started to talk to us about a conversation. More drums and bells followed. It looked like she had some trouble with a mixing box (that is just my guess on what it could be) and then this really high feedback noise was caused some pain to the some of the "hip kids".  After that  She started saying something like "I'm done. I'm done! I'm messing up." I enjoyed it anyway.  Katherine did a good job regardless, but I wish she didn't quit halfway through it because the song was about to get good. If you go to the Myspace page and click on the "Live Set" you can hear the full song.Check out this Westword interview too.

After the folly, we took a 10 minute break. Being the Isle seat that I was, I seen just about everyone leave, and I'm guessing it was for a "home rolled" smoke break. I wasn't outside but then I'm guessing that they were smoking something, because that wasn't tobacco smoke. I know tobacco smoke (my friends at school smoke the tobacco and that other stuff). I made a mean joke in my head "I bet they applied for Medical Marijuana cards because they had premature aging and wanted to get a break for it." (If you are not a Colorado native, you should know that Marijuana is legal here if you apply for a medical card). I started to mobile blog a "sorry, I'm not doing a Saturday Friday Five because I can't right now" but then Voladores started warming up and I stopped everything that I did, because I didn't want to be a rude cell phone person. So I then waited for the hip people to come back from their "moonshine and smokes" break. I knew thats what it was, just believe me

Voladores.
"This band is so new, I can't find any links for them.  So indie right?" (I guess if you wanted a link, you could check out Sin Desires Marie)-- Sorry, that was my inner hipster speaking, back to my real voice.This is a new super group with three members (Claudine Rousseau - Sin Desires Marie, Frieda Stalheim - Munly,  Joseph Sampson Bad Weather California and Wentworth Kersey)  So they got off to a good start, can't complain about that.  The first song felt complete and done, but it just started to just... Stop. The hope didn't leave though.  I'm kind of glad that I didn't say that Voladores had a punk-y vibe to their bass because I would have been hit with a tote bag by a hipster. But just listen to one of those Sin Desires Marie songs. I'm right, right?  Ok, back to the gig. Second song: Drums kick in, here comes the violin, sounds pretty good. Bass joins in, I start nodding my head and keep time with my foot. Then the bass guitar runs away. Bassist talks and says "I'm soooo sorry. I just can't remember this song." So they try anyway. It starts off the same, sounds good, keeps going for a while, they finish early. I felt bad for them because they sounded so good, but ended too soon The other song that they managed to get done with was great. After the announcer lady says that they were done, Claudine goes back to the Piano and makes another attempt to play something. It took about four minutes to get it right. Regardless, I have hope for this band. Not Matson Jones yet, but have hope with me and I'm sure that they will get better. I love violin based indie rock music.

Then we went to another scheduled break so the one and only Kría Brekkan could have the kinda stage area set up the exact way that she wanted too. Then everyone bailed, like ran out of that place. I brought my friend along and we decided to talk for a little while this random person started to light some candles around the stage and plug in some white Christmas lights.
"Hey man, that tall chick kind of looks like your friend from Debate Team"
"Where?"
"In the front, by that lady who introduces everyone"
"Oh, yeah. How do you know about my Debate friends?"
"I don't know man, I just know who you hang with on Saturday." 
"Creepy."
So right when we closed my mouth this lady with black hair walked past my isle seat and to the piano which was 5 rows in front of me and to the left. She sat down and pulled this classical sounding masterpiece and started doing some vocal scales. "This can't be itt, I know there is more people than this here tonight." she said.

The door closed, the lights went out and the room went silent. I look around and then we see Kría dancing and howling her way down the isle to the kind of stage with no shoes in a yellow unitard with flowers on it. Well, it looked like a unitard, it could have been a jumpsuit though. There was a recorder and some guy was on the floor messing with it, so in my head I was thinking "Oh no, she is going to have to jump over him or or fall or something like that." but no, she kept on doing her song and dance and in a swift way she like leaped over the recorder dude, I have no Idea how she did this, but 15 seconds after that she was at the piano greeting us all and "thanking us for showing upp on this wonderful evening". Then she busted right to it on this 15 minute rendition that she later called her "warm up" for her left hand.  The story was "I didn't really practice my piano ever since I came to the states, I've been playing soccer instead" My mind did a back flip when I heard that that was her "warm up". If you were there you would know that was in no way a warm up. That was just too great to be a warm up. 

She then went to talk about "how her mom said to drink lots of water", just a normal thing to say right? But when she was done saying that, a guy handed her a pitcher of water, and she just downed a good quarter of the thing. She then did a quick vocal warm up and then merged into a pretty good Nat King Cole cover of I song that I heard before, but a name that I don't remember. After hopping off of the piano stool, she went into another story about how she "forgot her guitar back in Iceland and she had to borrow it from one of the other performers there. She played it, but she played it backwards, like a violin backwards. She plucked with her fingers right by her shoulder and fretted with her left hand in an awesome way. She then told us to "sing the chorus like a little choir." which was all "ooh" "ahh" and "oooh". Good effect though and I hoped that she was pleased with our singing skills.

Kría went back to the piano and told a little story on how she got the inspiration for this song from "looking out the window and seeing the snow fall" it was a pretty song, but she stopped and said "Do you like classical music or is it boring?" and we all nodded our heads. The song continued into a fifteen minute classical number by this composer who name escapes me. We all applauded, but she told us "not to" because she "wasn't done". I guess she was happy because she played us a song that she had never played before. She took another drink from her pitcher and then the "water boy" came back and gave her some sheet music. It was all crumpled and old, but it was a good song that entranced all of us. Everyone was very entranced with every note, and I was too.


From The Sound Collection

I wish I took a picture of the candles reflections on the pipe organ, and the candles on the glass plate, but they told us "no flash on the pictures please, it kills the aura of the music" so, I took a picture of the recorder instead to just show you all what it looked like inside and how bright and powerful the music was.
Kría did a last song that was kind of short, and then we all clapped for a long time and she stopped us all and asked, "Can I play something else? You all have been a great audience." And we let her. She said it was kind of "morbid at first, but then became honky tonk and happy." I didn't know the name but it was one of the best things that I have heard in my life. I really wish I could have video taped this so you guys could feel the passion in the music. Another round of applause and then the lights were allowed to come back on. Announcement lady also said "someone is playing at the Marquis next Tuesday and Porlolo's playing next Tuesday too" then some random person stood up and announced "Yoga at the Mercury, we do yoga to Kate Bush and Bjork?? Please come, it's great!!"

I left after that, I wanted to stay but my friend wanted me to leave with them, so I did. I have to say that this is one of the best things that I seen in my life and I'm happy that I "didn't miss it for the world." Thanks for reading, I know it was long, but it was worth it right? Yes, this was a step out of my "safe zone"even if I do listen to almost everything and that I'm biased towards punk and Alternative. And the bigger leap was sharing the space with hipsters....That's another story though. I'll keep bloging about the goings on in Denver and the surrounding areas. Hope I see you soon, you know I have more. 

The Sunday Edition of Friday Five

I know you guys were waiting for the Friday Five on Friday, but I had to push it back to Saturday because I had a gig to review. So then the "Saturday edition of the Friday Five" Came about. Yes, I know, I'm taking a while to finish my gig review, but it is going to be worth it! Here is some ear candy to hold you over until the gig review comes.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Passenger. Great cover. It's one of my favorites. This is different from the other video though.



The Slits - A Boring Life - Pretty cool demo


Merrill Nisker - Sky Bag. Yes, this is Peaches. Yes, the same one who sang this song (Not the real video, but still entertaining). I'm not kidding. She did play in this folk thing, but this that is for a later Friday.


DOA - New Wave Sucks


The Breeders - Safari. I want to go on a Safari...


Extra! Here are 2 extra vidoes for my over due days.

Melvins - eye flys (demo)


No Age- Eraser. Listen to the story.

Friday, September 10, 2010

The Fantastic Friday Five on Saturday.

Its another great Friday but I'm sorry to say that I have to push the Fantastic Friday Five to Saturday. I've been getting 6 hours of sleep a night and I really need to go to bed now, so I chose to push the Fantastic Friday Five for this Saturday and if I'm lucky I'll even write out the concert review as soon as I get back home. So have fun reading the other parts of my blog until then :)

Monday, September 6, 2010

Free show!

Yeah, so when one show closes, another show opens! Man am I happy to know that there is a free show this Saturday and it has a late start (at like 7 something). And I have no Debate duties to do (thank god!) so I'm down if I get done with my mandatory drivers ed practice and if I have the necessary energy drink!

Yeah, I know that I had to miss the other gig that I got invited to, but I talked to them and It was fine that I missed the gig. This time though I'm not going to miss this for anything. Yeah, I'll take my cell phone along so I can take some pictures, might do some mobile blogging and tweet my response. I might even video tape some of this gig post it on Youtube? It all just really depends.

So I'll try to make it though the week fine and I'll confirm to you guys if I'm going or not in this weeks "Friday Five". See you guys then.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Fridiay Five: The pissed off edition.

This week flat out sucked. So this Friday Five is all about getting all of the bad anger stuff out of my system. So here is five songs that I picked that I listen to when I'm quite angry. I suggest playing lound and screaming along with the lyrics.

Vivian Girls - No


Nirvana- In Bloom - Any Nirvana works when your mad.


L7 - S***list - I got to write one of these...


GBH - Knife Edge


Black Flag - My War


Extra! You seen it coming, A Sleater Kinney song..  Entertain. Please play it louder than a Large Jumbo Jet aircraft at take off.


I really want to find a good mosh pit right now... But these videos are the best substitute that I have right now =P