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Concert Review: Lotus

November 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Lotus at Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach

 

By Mackenzie Gilchrist and Marisa Marlowe

Lotus
El Rey Theatre (L.A.) & Belly Up Tavern (Solana Beach)
November 18 & 19, 2011

Lotus played this past Friday night at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach and we think we can speak for all who were in attendance when we say that the night was a success. Fresh from a show at El Rey Theatre in L.A. the night before, the Colorado and Philadelphia natives entranced the San Diego audience with their combination of electric and acoustic melodies.

 

We were lucky enough to attend both the L.A. and the Solana Beach shows and it was evident in the large turnouts that the band’s popularity in southern California is steadily increasing. The last time we saw them in L.A. in 2009 at the Roxy, they seemed to have a tough time filling up the venue, but this was certainly not the case this past weekend. Both performances brought in crowds of eager fans waiting for the unique Lotus grooves to fill their ears. As bassist/sampler Jesse Miller discussed in his interview previous to the shows, the group designs each individual setlist in anticipation of the crowds that they are expecting and they were on point for both nights. The show in L.A. felt intense, packed with energy and even a little rowdy at times. Some kids in the crowd were dancing so hard to favorites like “Spiritualize” and “Hammerstrike” that they looked as if they might pass out!

 
At the Belly Up however, the crowd was still gettin’ down, but the smaller venue provided a more intimate, laid back atmosphere. They opened with the song “Harps” (one of our favorites!) from their new self titled album, which got the crowd amped and grooving from the start. They played two long sets throwing in a few other tracks from the new album like “Golden Ghost” and “In an Outline” and finished with an explosive “Bellwether” encore. Although the atmosphere was not quite as boisterous as Thursday’s show, there was no lack of enthusiasm or movement among the audience, and we did in fact see many familiar faces from the night before. We are also happy to report a great turnout of USD students within the crowd, who appeared to take up almost the entire front section lining the stage.

 
With their growing popularity, Lotus plays at many big festivals around the country such as Outside Lands and Summer Camp, but it is a completely different experience seeing them at a bar when you can get right up close. They are the sort of group that is careful to make eye contact with as many people in the audience as possible so it feels like they are up on stage playing just for you. They also take the time after the show to go talk to fans and sometimes sign a few autographs. Percussionist Chuck Morris was even nice enough to give Mackenzie the Hawaiian lei he had been wearing for the show. Some of our friends were shocked at our willingness to travel up to L.A. for Thursday’s show and then again to Solana Beach on Friday, but in our opinion the only regret from the weekend was the fact that we were unable to travel to Phoenix to see them again on Saturday.

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Concert Review: Greensky Bluegrass and Hot Buttered Rum

November 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Greensky Bluegrass's newest album, Handguns

By Marisa Marlowe and Mackenzie Gilchrist

Greensky Bluegrass and Hot Buttered Rum 
Porter’s Pub at UCSD
November 8, 2011

The moon was waxing as a crowd of beer and whiskey enthusiasts gathered at Porter’s Pub last Tuesday night to see Greensky Bluegrass and Hot Buttered Rum. As we entered onto the sprawling open patio at the back of the dance floor, the first thing that caught our attention was how sweet this venue was. In the center of the UCSD campus, Porter’s Pub consists of a decent sized stage, a covered dance floor and huge open patio at the back with the bar, tables and a giant screen projecting the band on stage. The best part however, is that despite the fact that it is indeed a “pub” with a great selection of beer for those 21+, it is open to all ages! This is certainly a rarity in the San Diego area and bluegrass fans of all ages came running to hear these two talented groups of musicians jam for the evening. Hot Buttered Rum played first, calling out to the crowd to leave their recreated image that was streaming for those gathered on the patio to come inside and enjoy the music live. Their set got the crowd moving to the music that is sweeter than their name. They played some of their old stuff such as “Busted in Utah” but threw in a couple songs from their new album Limbs Akimbo as well.

 
The crowd was well warmed up by the time that Greensky Bluegrass took the stage. The Michigan natives, while far from home, had many fellow Michiganders in solidarity at the show, and the entire crowd seemed to love every minute of their energetic performance. Although we can appreciate their music in any form, there is no comparison to watching these five guys perform live. They have an energy onstage that permeates through the entire crowd and their chemistry is truly wonderful to witness. They feed off on one another so well it is like watching them having a conversation on stage with their instruments, and it’s obviously about something happy because they smile the whole way through. Like Hot Buttered Rum, they played a lot of their older songs but threw in some tracks from their new album Hanguns—our personal favorite was “All Four.” The band did not take a set break and played strong and soulfully into the evening. For the grand finale, as Dobro player Anders Beck promised us in his interview earlier this month, the two bands joined up for one giant jam that spilled euphoric reverberations upon the audience and ended the night with a bang. If you have not had the chance to see these guys already, we insist that you check them out next time they are in town!

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Concert Review: The Fray

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Fray's newest single, Heartbeat

 

By Haley Earl-Lynn

The Fray
KPRi at Grand Del Mar
October 29, 2011 

“What happens to a dream deferred?”

Back when Abercrombie and Fitch denim miniskirts were still socially acceptable, The Fray entered the hearts and ears of teenagers across the states. In 2005, the band’s first track “Over My Head (Cable Car)” was released and quickly climbed up to the Billboard Top 10 list. Most teens didn’t stumble upon this track via the Billboard list though. MySpace was the hottest website among teens in 2005 and The Fray graced the profiles of many MySpaces as a staple “profile song.” Having found success immediately, not just on MySpace but in the real world as well, the band grew almost overnight with the release of their first album.

Now that MySpace seems as outdated as home telephones with cords and spam for dinner, it is remarkable to see that The Fray is still alive and well. Last Saturday The Fray played a private listener concert for KPRi FM at the Grand Del Mar. There were just about 40 people in attendance. The venue had the vibe of a speakeasy and was the perfect location for the intimate performance.

With the amount of success and fandom many indie bands can only dream of finding, it was refreshing to see that the Fray still find themselves passionate about their music. The band did the unexpected and brought ample enthusiasm and energy to the live rendition of their seasoned tunes.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, the band is made up of four men, Isaac Slade, Joe King, Dave Welsh and Ben Wysocki. The four musicians worked hard this year to finish their third album which was officially completed three months ago. The new album, which will be titled Scars and Stories, features the track “Heartbeat” which is available now on iTunes.

The new track received audience approval on Saturday, but new music was not the main focus of the show. The band played old favorites such as “How to Save a Life” and “You Found Me” as well. Many audience members were first time viewers, but longtime fans of the band.

With a new album scheduled to release in January, the band is doing a promotional tour through the end of the year. While the band has previously played at large amphitheaters (i.e. Cricket Wireless in Chula Vista), the small and personable set up at the Grand Del Mar seemed compatible to the band’s acoustic nature. The grand piano added an extra special touch in comparison to the standard keyboard typically used in live performances.

Mari Collins, a USD senior, noted that the band “fell into the category of bands who sound just as good live as they do recorded”.

After falling in love with the band in 2005, Collins had high hopes for the show. The Fray more than impressed her, as well as the rest of the audience. After the show ended all three band mates stood around and took photos with audience members and answered questions. In general, the process of setting up an interview with a band is often as painful as stubbing a toe. It is uncommon to see a band take the time to interact with fans the way The Fray did.

While last Saturday was a special occasion for 40 music lovers, there will surely be more memorable run-ins with the Colorado band in the near future. Their next tour kicks off in the late spring/early summer of 2012 and will surely stop in sunny southern California once more.

 

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Concert Review: Paul Simon

October 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Paul Simon played at SDSU's Viejas Arena on October 22.

By Sarah Pacitti

Paul Simon
SDSU’s Viejas Arena
October 22, 2011

I grew up listening to Paul Simon. I remember singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and Kodachrome before I even knew what the term “kodachrome” meant. When I was younger, I danced around the house with his music in the background, I hummed his songs in the shower, I blasted his songs in my car as soon as I could drive. To this day, that really hasn’t changed. There are certain songs that carry special memories along with them, those songs that, as soon as they are played, bring you back to a very specific moment in time. His songs are “those songs” for me.

I went to see Simon and Garfunkel during one of their reunion tours with my parents as a teenager. I remember enjoying it, but also thinking it was just not enough and that I wanted to hear more. So, I made a promise to myself that I would hear this music performed live again. I fulfilled this promise on Saturday, October 22, at SDSU’s Viejas Arena, where Paul Simon performed songs off of his newest album, So Beautiful or So What, as well as many of his classics.

From beginning to end, Simon fully impressed the audience. His band backed him so powerfully – all eight members full of passion and excitement. Looking around at the crowd, it was easy to see that every person had a story behind the songs being played.  His music is nostalgic, moving and legendary. The lyrics always tell a story, and often times are used to help others tell their stories, too.  I have a friend who once told me, “I remember ‘Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes,’ was playing on the drive home from the hospital after my younger brother was born.” Another friend once said to me, “My mom and dad always sing ‘You Can Call Me Al’ to one another when we are on long family car rides.” He has helped many of us retell or remember a story.

He strummed through his classics, never missing a beat and engaged with the audience over and over again. His new songs off of So Beautiful or So What were equally as impressive, especially his performance of “Love and Blessings.”

During his encore, Simon performed a cover of The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun,” an astounding and truly beautiful rendition of George Harrison’s work. And then came an acoustic performance of  ”The Sound Of Silence,” yet another part of the concert where I watched and listened in total awe. While studying in Florence for a semester, my roommates and I would go to one of the piazzas and listen to a street performer who would play Paul Simon covers. The acoustic songs he would play echoed throughout the streets. On one of our final nights, we listened to him play “The Sound of Silence.” While in the arena, just for a moment, I let Paul Simon help me get back to that memory. And by looks of it, while in that arena, it was clear to see that Paul Simon helped take many back to beautiful little life moments. Afterall, his music always tells a story, and often times, helps us remember our stories, too.

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Concert Preview: Jason Aldean

October 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jason Aldean is playing in Chula Vista on October 28.

 

By Tom Roth

Jason Aldean
Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
Friday, October 28, 2011

In 2005, a star rose in Nashville. With the release of his debut, self-titled record, Jason Aldean began his rapid climb to country-music fame, aided by his single, “Why” which reached the number one spot on the US Country chart.

Since then, Aldean has established himself with three additional studio albums and five number one hits.  In an unexpected pairing with Atlanta rapper, Ludacris, Aldean released a remix of his current hit “Dirt Road Anthem”, a version of which will surely be performed on his upcoming tour stop in San Diego.

The Friday night performance on October 28 at Cricket Wireless Amphitheater in Chula Vista promises to be a lively show with opening acts including Chris Young and husband-wife duo, Thompson Square of “Are You Kiss Me Or Not?” fame. Aldean’s set has already been much anticipated. University of San Diego senior, Yasamin Mahallaty, says “I’ve heard a lot of people around campus talking about the show. The radio stations are promoting it too so I expect it to be well-attended and a lot of fun”.

Entertainment starts at 7:30. Tickets are available here and start at $25 for lawn seating.

Click here to listen to “Dirt Road Anthem”.

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Concert Review: Zee Avi

October 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Zee Avi's newest album, Ghostbird

 

By Sarah Pacitti

Zee Avi
UCSD’s The Loft
October 16, 2011

On Sunday October 16, Zee Avi performed at UCSD’s The Loft , marking the final performance of her national tour promoting her newest album, Ghostbird. Soothing, eclectic, powerful and lively, Zee, along with her three band mates made nothing short of beautiful music, using an upright bass, a ukulele, a few guitars,  a triangle, drums,  a tambourine,  a Malaysian sape and…oh yeah, even a kazoo, too.  The very moment Zee entered the stage the crowd went wild, and what a crowd it was…an entirely sold out show, people packed into The Loft from wall to wall.  Now, if you have ever seen Zee Avi you know she is petite, but don’t let her size fool you… her voice and overall presence on stage is amped with spirit, power and lots soul, Her music is as melodic as a lullaby, but is filled with lots of raw emotion and lots of fire.

She started the evening off with one of her older tunes, “Just You and Me” a hit from her past self-titled album. The words were soft and smooth, as she plucked the strings of her ukulele inviting the crowd to chime in with her for the sing-songy refrain. Over and over again, Zee and the band continued to captivate. Her performance of the first released single off of Ghostbird , called “The Book of Morris Johnson”  was happy, fun, spunky, exciting and full of life.

She sang  and danced on stage, at one point transitioning from one of her own tunes directly into an acoustic cover of Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks.” The audience ate this right up, as it was a seamless surprise.  More surprises were well on there way though, as she continued to sing one of her new songs, “Madness,” a song, which, on the album, includes trumpet blares during different parts of the track. However, on tour, Zee made a small tweak, and instead of a trumpeter, she herself buzzed a small kazoo into the microphone. It brightened the faces of many, and brought out a chuckle in most. But, you know what? Zee buzzed into that kazoo and made it work,  really well for that matter. She didn’t hold back, not even once, giving it her all from the very beginning until the very finish and then…into the encore. Zee Avi really knows how to put on a good show,  her music full of life and truly inspirational. Odds are, those San Diego fan who attended her show are probably still humming her tunes, still filled with glee, and maybe, just maybe are out there purchasing kazoos of their very own.

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Concert Review: The Rapture

October 11, 2011 By 1 Comment

The Rapture at The Glass House on Oct. 7. Photo by Bryan Mojica

 

By Marisa Dodge

The Rapture
The Glass House
Pomona, CA
Friday, October 7, 2011

Founded in New York City, The Rapture is dance-punk band that integrates influences from assorted genres consisting of post-punk, disco, rock, electronica, and acid house. On Friday Oct. 7, The Rapture filled The Glass House in Pomona, CA. The post-punk revival pioneers brought the punk rock, but its associated subculture of the modern day RSVP’ed as well.

The dim atmosphere was lit by deeply colored beams, with the band bright in the light with their variation of instruments that include: the guitar, drums, percussion, keyboards, saxophone, bass guitar, in addition to the vocals. Opening with, “In The Grace Of Your Love,” the saxophone sounded out alone but existed also as incorporation within the collaboration of the multi-instrumental music. The vocals with these instruments created the essence of the band’s name itself. The set list delivered exactly what the crowd was wanting, if the crowd could make sense of it.

As prevailing Rapture fans originated to rock out to punk, likewise punk rockers were ever-present. The music was exhilarating but furthermore stimulated defense mechanisms as sudden stage view impairment presented itself, elbows were raised, feet cleated, and the swaying turned to smack down. Even next to a D-1 college football player, our friendship was temporarily compromised as I was sucker punched, and my right foot left for dead among this crowd. Too many personal fouls can lead to offending feisty fellow music goers and/or ejection. The Rapture (@ITSTHERAPTURE) tweeted, “First fight at a Rapture show I can remember for 8 years, all ages show Pomona, also bouncer pile drived a kid off…” It was on, but my recollection of the post-punk I came to rock to was seemingly off. The impression of this show failed to transpire as an impressionable perspective for attendees getting drop kicked.

Despite the casualties, The Rapture ended the show in an excited encore with,  “How Deep Is Your Love?” and “Sail Away”. The punk-rockers and the punks who got rocked all wanted more all the same. The Rapture’s song poses the inquisition, “How Deep Is Your Love?” To hear your music and see you at your concert, I let myself be bashed, thrashed, clobbered and bothered. My love for Rapture: cavernous.

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Concert Review: Portugal. The Man

October 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Portugal. The Man. Photo courtesy of mxdwn.com

By Sarah Pacitti

Portugal. The Man
House of Blues
September 30, 2011

“Bring It On, Man!” On Friday night, September 30, the House of Blues in downtown San Diego added another win to the list, as Portugal. The Man tore up the stage and hyped up the crowd to such epic proportions. Everyone waited in anticipation, and when “The Man” was ready to go… there was no stopping them. Their sound can be best described as, well,  “indescribable.” But, if one had to put it into words, one might say it is the perfect combination of alternative, psychedelic, electronic, the type of rock that will keep you on your toes, with your hands in the air while your heart is racing, causing your ears to tingle from the unbelievable sense of glory they are witnessing…or something along those lines.

Lead vocals and guitarist, John Gourley, along with all band members, appeared to have sent chills up the spines of many audience members, people in the crowd reacting in very different ways to the music; some staring mindlessly at the stage with their jaws dropped, some lip-syncing the words into a fake microphone in front of them while bopping around back and forth to the beat, while others simply…crowd surfed.

Focusing on performing jams from their most current album, In the Mountain In the Cloud, released in July, the band’s performance of their song,  “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)” really did have it all. The words rang out clearly through Gourley’s mic and really resonated well amongst the crowd. “We’ll shake, shake, shake the night away…” went the lyrics, and indeed that is just how the night played out.

Alas, the dreaded time finally came when all the members of the band sincerely thanked the audience, and filed off the stage. Nope, the crowd was not going to take that. They were not ready to accept this goodbye, as they were much too energetic, rambunctious and far too sweaty to call it quits. After lots of cheering, clapping and yelling from the masses, it was then that their favorite men came back to the stage to sing a few favorites to their adoringly energetic and sweaty fans. The ever-favorite “People Say” off past album, The Satanic Satanist, of July 2009, was one of the final songs performed, leaving the band’s performance off on a really high note with San Diego. Thank you, Portugal. The Man. We all asked you to bring it, and man oh man, did you ever.

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Concert Review: Tiësto

October 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Tiesto's upcoming album and tour theme, Club Life: Vol 1. Las Vegas

 

By Kathryn Zambon

Tiësto
Valley View Casino Center
October 2, 2011 

Late Sunday night, DJ Tiësto blew the minds of fans that traveled from all over the world to join in on the College Invasion tour. Nineteen-year-old Porter Robinson opened for Tiësto and got the crowd ready to party with his insane mixes that didn’t need a lot of flashing lights to make the listeners get excited. His background portrayed current Tweets written by people in the audience and everyone had a chance to get their Twitter on the big screen showing their hype and love for the infamous Tiësto.

The Valley View Casino Center’s main floor was packed so tightly that if you put your hands in the air, they were going to stay there for the next thirty minutes. A friend of mine made his way to the front and had the time of his life! People were definitely enjoying themselves. Tiësto’s heavy bass and transforming melodies made the crowd jump until there were no soles left on the bottoms of their fuzzy boots. The music blasted through the arena and through the chests of the audience making each person’s heart synchronize to the beat. Confetti littered the sky and explosions of intense fog heightened the climaxes of his more popular songs making the experience even more tantalizing. Some fans even brought 3-D glasses to maximize the experience of the insane light show that had everyone dizzy by the end of the night.

Tiësto commanded the stage with few expressions except an occasional smirk and some fist pumping. The theme of the night was definitely living the “Club Life,” Tiësto’s main phrase and theme of his tour! It was guaranteed that no one went home disappointed. This was not a concert you would want to miss. Hopefully DJ Tiësto comes back to visit San Diego again – and soon!

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Concert Review: TV On The Radio

September 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

TV On The Radio's newest album, Nine Types of Light

By Sarah Jorgensen

TV On The Radio
San Diego State University Open Air Theatre
September 24, 2011

I have been waiting years to see TV On The Radio play live. Ever since their acclaimed album Return to Cookie Mountain dropped in 2006, I’ve been eager to see them. I savored their buzzy sound, all at once uniquely indie and classic rock and roll at the same time. However, due to conflicts like location (my mother didn’t want me to go see them play in Brooklyn alone at 16 years old) and logistics (I missed their May show because of the 21+ age limit), I missed them time and time again. Finally, though, I was able to see them at SDSU’s Open Air Theatre this past Saturday.

TV On The Radio was preceded by their temporary co-headliners, Arctic Monkeys. It was certainly a strange combination for a show, and the crowd seemed to think so too; it felt as if half the audience left between sets, only to be replaced by new fans. Nevertheless, the half-full theater was enthusiastic for both bands, despite the notable changes in the crowd.

As I expected, TV On The Radio focused heavily on its most recent album, the brilliant Nine Types of Light, which was released this past April. The album treads the fine line between pure rock and roll and the popular synth and effects-ridden tracks of today. Live, the songs just soar. Highlights included the spectacular “Second Song,” which was phenomenal even though singer Tunde Adebimpe didn’t use the falsetto I had so loved on the album. Other highlights from the album included the album’s dreamy single, “Will Do,” and “Repetition.”

The band also included some tracks from their older albums, including the fast-paced opener, “Halfway Home,” and a personal favorite of mine, “Golden Age,” both from their last album, the fantastic and sonic Dear Science. Of course, a TV On The Radio show wouldn’t be complete without its breakout song from Return to Cookie Mountain, “Wolf Like Me.”

I wasn’t sure if I could love this band more than I already did, but their live experience far surpassed my expectations. Sometimes bands that rely heavily on effects are less than impressive at a show, but TV On The Radio’s enthusiastic stage presence and equally passionate music of the night, played in front of an appropriately eccentric backdrop of what seemed to be space nebulas, took me out of this world.

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