Live Entertainment

HARGO

2012-01-17T11:55:00.001-08:00

Often compared to Radiohead and Coldplay, local San Diego band HARGO brings haunting melodies anchored by a driving beat, undulating rhythms. and a wide vocal range evocatively accentuating the spiritually based, socially and politically charged lyrics. HARGO is completing the year with a short tour with San Diegan band-mates: guitarist Sanjay Parekh, bassist John Jolley, and Ron Kerner on drums playing songs from their current EP, The Faint Glow, and upcoming album, Out of Mankind, HARGO’s music is about, “stepping outside of your culture and the propaganda in the world today, and about being a human being,” says Hargo Khalsa, HARGO front man. Lead singer Hargo Khalsa is not a stranger to music that inspires, earning longtime fans of his emotional songwriting such as the B-52’s Kate Pierson and Seal, as longtime fans with his emotional songwriting. The band’s first complete album, Out of Mankind, is due to release the end of January 2012.

Hargobind “Hargo” Hari Singh Khalsa – Lead Vocals / Guitar (Les Paul / Telecaster)

Band Members:
Sanjay Parekh – Lead Guitar (Telecaster / Les Paul / Jerry Jones Coral Sitar Guitar)
John Folley – Bass/Vocals (Fender Precision Bass)
Ron Kerner – Drums (Ludwig 70’s Drum Kit)

The Mercedes Moore Band

2012-01-17T11:52:00.000-08:00

The Mercedes Moore Band combines traditional blues with the soul and R & B of the 50's and 60's. Mercedes Moore captivates audiences with her sultry voice and graceful presence. Diverse rhythms keep dancers moving and listeners grooving! This band will take you back to a time when music was everything. Real, raw, emotional. Most recently you may have caught them at Gator by the bay Blues Festival, Adams Ave. Street Fair, or San Diego Blues Festival.

Mercedes Moore - Vocals

Scot Smart - Guitar

John Simons - Bass

Kurt Kalker - Drums

Liquid Blue®

2012-01-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

Liquid Blue® is an independent recording and touring act based in San Diego that has performed in more than 100 countries on 7 continents, a feat which no other band has accomplished. In 2010 the band scored a Billboard Top-10 Hit as Earth Passport went to #3 on the Hot Dance Singles Chart. Liquid Blue and their hit song received a Guinness World Record® for "Song Sung in the Most Languages". Their highly acclaimed LP "Supernova" was awarded Pop Album of the Year in 2009 at the Los Angeles Music Awards. Twice the group has finished runner-up for "Best Band" at the International Music Awards (2006-2007) and was also named "America's Best Independent Artist (2004-2005). The nomadic troop has performed over 2000 shows in over 400 cities and has been featured on five magazine covers. In 2005 Liquid Blue became the first American act to be signed by a major Chinese record label. The group was honored to represent the United States at the CCTV kick-off concert for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. In 2010 Vocalist Nikki Green became the first American to qualify for the finals in Chinese Idol. To top things off, Liquid Blue has been certified as a green business.

Entertainer Of The Year, Ensemble Winner 2011 - Spotlight AwardsWorld's Most Traveled Band Certified 2007 - 100+ Countries Guinness World Record© Awarded 2010 - Hit Song Sung in Most Languages Billboard Top-10 Hit Single! Earth Passport, #3 on Hot Dance Singles Chart 9/2010America's Best Dance Band Winner 2007 & 2001 - National Music AwardsInternational Music Awards - Best Band Runner-Up 2006, 2007America's Best Independent Artist Winner 2004 & 2005 - PCT MusicCertified Green Business 2009 County of San DiegoPop Album of the Year 2009 Los Angeles Music Awards2008 Summer Olympics Kickoff Concert Beijing, China 2008Chinese Idol Finalist Featuring Nikki Green, a finalist at Chinese Idol 2010

Lexington Field

2012-01-17T11:47:00.001-08:00

Lexington Field is an American Fiddle Rock band from San Diego, CA. Formed in 2007, they have played hundreds of shows and released a 5-song EP "The Streets of Dover" (2010) and an all-original, full-length album called "Old Dirt Road" (2011). Lexington Field embraces the best of North American musical elements such as rock, punk, country, and folk and adds a fiddle, tunes of their Irish heritage, and influences from bands such as the Young Dubliners, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, and Great Big Sea. They have combined this unique sound with a high-energy live show, to give their fans an amazing musical experience. This Saturday, January 7th we will turn Jolt'n Joe's into an official Irish pub!

LEXINGTON FIELD:

Beau Gray - Vocals, Guitar

Cami Smith - Violin

Bryan Hane - Lead Guitar

Casey Jones - Bass

Vincent West - Drums

Lexington Field

www.lexingtonfield.com

www.newfolkrecords.com

www.facebook.com/lexingtonfield

www.youtube.com/lexingtonfield

www.twitter.com/lexingtonfield

www.myspace.com/lexingtonfield

Todo Mundo New Years Party No Cover @ JJ's Gaslamp

2011-12-30T08:15:00.001-08:00

Todo Mundo ("All the World") blends the musical flavors of samba, rumba, reggae, and other South American and Caribbean styles into an irresistible groove that lifts the spirits of all who hear it. Led by Santiago Orozco, a native Colombian, along with musicians from around the world, Todo Mundo believes that music, as the universal language, is the best way to bring people together.

Jazz, Latin / Tejano / Mariachi, Reggae / Ska, Rock

Santiago - Vocals/Guitar
Melissa - Trumpet/Backing Vocals
Stevie - Bass/Backing Vocals
Federico - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Eduardo - Percussion/Backing Vocals
Jake- Drums

“One of my favorite Manu Chao songs is ‘Bienvenidos a Tijuana,’” says Santiago Orozco of reggae/Latin/acoustic group Todo Mundo. “I love this song. It has a line that says, ‘I want to go to San Diego, but I can’t.’ And always this sentence was magic, like, ‘You should go there and check it out.’ Everybody thinks I’m crazy for that. But it’s the heart feelings. Signs.” The Bogotá, Colombia native followed the signs to visit San Diego in 2008, playing on the streets of Ocean Beach with a Russian friend accompanying on hand drums. “We played for three hours and made one dollar,” Orozco laughs as we drink sangria on the patio of El Camino in South Park. Unfazed, the duo continued busking in the Gaslamp and at farmers’ markets in Ocean Beach, Little Italy, and Hillcrest. “I saw people appreciating the music, giving tips. I said, man, I’m doing what I love. That was like a sign for me in my life. Playing in the streets was so magical for me. I start to meet people, a beautiful girl, everything was so happy. So I was tempted to stay.” Returning home, Orozco founded Todo Mundo in Argentina in 2009. After several months, he ditched his cinematography career and decided to move the group to the U.S. However, no one could travel with him for lack of visas. He arrived alone in San Diego in January 2010 and began working with Jake Sibley on the cajón (a Peruvian percussive box) and, later, fellow Colombian Fabio Alejo on keys. Says Orozco , “The thing about live music is that it’s in the moment. I’m singing and I connect with you in the moment. The most sacred for me, more than anything, is the live music.” The band is often seen busking around town. “For Todo Mundo, the street is the best school. In life, in music, the street is the best. You are naked there. People can think you are crazy. But it is there where you show what you are, just what you have. The street taught me a lot, and the most, most important thing: the connection with people. Todo Mundo means everybody together. It’s a movement to bring a lot of people together and see that we are just one in this life. If you talk to the people in the band, all they want is to make people dance. If we can make you forget your worries, we are doing a good job.” The band also includes Latin jazz trumpeter (and former police officer) Melissa Mejia. “Some people are, like, ‘Can you write off my ticket?’ I’m not a cop anymore. I’m a civilian now. But some people think that even though I resigned [from the San Diego Police Department], they still think that I have these abilities.” Mejia says that after six months of intensive training and a month on patrol, she came to a simple conclusion. “The job wasn’t for me.” The Oberlin College music grad quit without a backup plan, so she filled her days practicing trumpet. She practiced in her car so as not to disturb the neighbors in the Rancho Peñasquitos apartment complex where she lives with her husband. “I began to pray. And I wrote out my goals on three-by-five cards. And I went on a two-day mini fast to be better able to hear where I was supposed to go. It was a big decision,” she says. “I didn’t have a job anymore.” A week later, Mejia, who says she had dreamed of performing in a Latin band for years, got an inspiration. It came in the form of a whim to cruise craigslist. “I typed in one word: trumpet.” An ad came up from a Latin band that was looking for a female trumpet player. “It was crazy,” she says. “The ad had posted just two hours earlier.” “The first day we all played

[together] was in a bar.” Orozco says of jamming with Mejia at Bar Dynamite. “It was just amazing,” he says, his accent heavy as he searches for the proper words. “The thing she was doing, was...like I told her — where you have been for my life?” “When I answered the ad,” Mejia says, “they didn’t know I’d been a cop and hadn’t played for seven months.” How did that work out in the beginning? “For me it was a surprise,” says Orozco. “I was always looking at the police like aliens. Not in my world. It was different,” he says. “Now I’m playing with an ex-police. But in the end, it was cool.” Later he will say, “Now the police are my friends.” Mejia says the musician’s life is a fit. But once a cop, always a cop? Mejia considers the question for a moment. “We played downtown and I told a guy I used to be a police officer, and he was, like, whoa! Some people do have that kind of reaction.”

Their Organic Fire album won Best World Music Album at the 2011 San Diego Music Awards.

Air National Guard Big Stage at Bayfair Sept 16th - 18th

2011-09-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

Seven national powerboat racing tours, featuring the world’s fastest boats compete on the waters of San

Diego’s Mission Bay, September 16-18, as headliner of the region’s largest annual family beach festival and sports competition.

This year marks the first time in three years the Air National Guard Hydroplane Series and the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series have run together on MissionBay. They are joined by the automotive-powered Grand Prix West Hydroplanes and offshore series newcomer P1 USA, among others during the three-day weekend.

“The Unlimited hydroplanes and the drag boats are truly fan favorites,” said Jeff Thomas, chairman of San Diego Bayfair’s Board of Directors. “This is the only race site in the country you can experience both tours on the same body water, same weekend. If you love jet engines or the roar of the pistons and the sheer speed of seeing the fastest race craft with no wheels, Bayfair is the place to be in September.

“But it’s more than just powerboat racing, there’s something for everyone, great vendors, food, music and the shores of beautiful Mission Bay, combined with the best weather of the year.”

San Diego is the final regular season stop for The Air National Guard Hydroplane Series before wrapping up its season in Doha, Qatar in November. Ten unlimited hydroplanes compete for the famed Bill Muncey Cup, which was won last year by the tour’s all-time winningest driver Dave Villwock, who just this year passed Muncey’s record of 62 wins.

Villwock, driving the Spirit of Qatar, and his primary competition driver Steve David in the Oh Boy! Oberto have each won two races this season, though there’s a young, highly skilled group of drivers challenging the two veteran’s dominance. Speeding across the water at over 200 mph in the straightaways on the 2.5-mile Bill Muncey racecourse, the fastest body of water on the circuit, drivers are subjected to G-forces similar to what a fighter pilot experiences. Even there boats are similar, protected in cockpits designed after the Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Returning to Mission Bay after a one-year hiatus, the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series expects as many 120 boats churning up the water in front of Crown Point. Billed as the extreme sport of extreme sports, the series’ Top Fuel Hydros can achieve 260 mph on a quarter-mile course.

As the drivers attest, there is a fine line between winning the race and crashing. Drag boats are competing in 11 classes including sportsman, PWC and professional. In addition to the racing action, fans can meet the drivers and watch up-close the boats being prepared for competition.

Here’s a brief overview of the other classes of boat racing at Bayfair:

Grand Prix West—The piston-powered boats are just 2 feet shorter than the unlimited hydroplanes, but are powered by supercharged, big-block V8s, racing at speeds over 160 miles per hour. Grand Prix West boats are a fan favorite, offering the roar of piston engines and the rumble of brute horsepower.

P1 USA—A new offshore racing series to North America, the series decides its SuperStock champion in San Diego. The tour features outboard-powered 28-foot V-bottoms head-to-head, Match Racing on Saturday and an endurance race on Sunday. The boats must maneuver an exceptionally tight course in Mission Bay, a challenge for the most experienced driver. The tour also includes twin-engine V-bottom boats.

Cracker Boxes—Appearing with the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series, Cracker Boxes feature the engine in front of the driver and observer. The flat-bottom runabouts have the exact same bottom design as the boats when they made their debut in the 1930s. These boats can run speeds up to 100 mph.

Stock Hydros—Capable of speeds of up to 70 mph, these small hydroplanes use small outboards and run a tight course close to the fans.

PWC—Featuring many of the top riders from the West Coast on standup and sit-down PWC, these agile and fast watercraft thrill race fans. More than 15 riders will compete in various classes for fans on Crown Point.

In addition to the racing, the Air National Guard San Diego Bayfair includes live music and entertainment for the entire family. Vendor booths will be selling foods and there are carnival games for youths. For those over 21, beer gardens will be set up where fans can watch the racing action.

Tickets are $25 for a single-day entry pass or a three-day Super Pass is $45. Children under age 12 are free. Active military personnel and reservists with valid ID are free to Bayfair. Gates open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. each day, Friday through Sunday, September 16-18.

Air National Guard Big Stage Fri Sept 16th
Time Band Name Genre

10am Froghead ___________ Rock / Alternative Rock / Progressive Rock

11am Cyanide Vogue ___________ Rock / Dirty Rock n Roll

12pm SoundDrug ______________ Rock / Alternative / JAP

1pm Gloss ___________________ Trip-Hop / Nu-Disco / Electro-Funk

2pm Hocus __________________ Alternative / rock / indie rock

3pm Locked Out Of Eden _______ Alternative / Acoustic / Rock

4pm Jinx King_________________ Americana / Blues / Rockabilly

5pm Piracy & Southbay Wailers____ Reggae / Roots Music

6pm Todo Mundo_______________ Latin / Reggae / Brazilian

7pm Psydecar__________________ Reggae / Rock / Soul

8pm Shelle Blue_________________ Jazz / Blues / Soul

9pm Divided By Design___________ Rock / Hard Rock

Air National Guard Big Stage Sat Sept 17th
Time Band Name Genre

10am SECS_____________________ Alternative / rock

11am Autograph Session

12pm Autograph Session

1pm Chad Scott__________________ Pop / Reggae / Funk

2pm   Cathouse Thursday _____________ Blues / Soul / Jazz / Rock

3pm Enreverie ___________________ Alternative / Indie / Rock

4pm 3 Degrees Off Center __________ Acoustic / Blues / Folk Rock

5pm Major F & Dealio ______________ Rock / Funk

6pm   Girl In The Middle _____________ Rock

7pm Black Party Politics____________ Rock / Afro-Punk / Pop

8pm   Wine Brew __________________ Rock / Cover

9pm Trailerpark Rockstar __________ Rock / Hard Rock

Air National Guard Big Stage Sun Sept 18th
Time Band Name Genre

10am Simple Comfort _____________ Alternative / Folk Rock / Reggae

11am Christopher Dale ____________ Acoustic / Pop / Rock

12pm Blue Mountain Mule _________ Bluegrass / Blues / Folk Rock

1pm Jet West ___________________ Rock / Reggae / Heavy Rock

2pm The Farmers ________________ Americana / Rock / Roots Music

Bless The World Tour

2011-02-22T07:39:00.000-08:00

This is San Diego's last chance to see the Complete Prayformance from the Academy Award winning Tribal Baroque on there "Bless the World Tour" along with the release of there brand new CD "Love and Devotion" They will be leaving San Diego March 1st and heading up to San Fransisco for a month and then to Canada for the summer. The show date is Feb 26th doors open at 7pm ArtLab Studios 3536 Adams Ave San Diego 92116
Tickets can be purchased at Ego Id 3538 Adams Ave San Diego 92116 during business hours or by phone (619) 283-1199 x115 and tickets will be placed on will call. Hurry they are going fast...

There will be an after party for Lila’Angelique birthday at ArtLab studios after the show. During intermission of the Prayformance there will include a Tea Ceremony that everyone is invited to sit in on. There is very limited amount of tickets available for this performance so please get your tickets ASAP before they are gone.

Ticket include the new CD Love and Devotion, Hors d’oeuvres, Refreshments all for only $20 for ArtLab Members and $25 for non Members. So bring your pillow and lets sit down and get personal with Tribal Baroque. Make sure you get your CD signed after the show. This is an all ages show that will change every one's idea of what a night of entertainment can be. A Show to remember for sure!

Tori Roze and The Hot Mess

2011-02-19T10:14:00.000-08:00

Soul/Jazz...Tori Roze is a multi-instrumentalist and soul-singer to the core. Currently living in San Diego, Tori has been writing music since the age of sixteen, utilizing the medium to primarily channel those things that cannot be understood merely by the act of saying the words themselves. The Hot Mess, comprised of five extremely exceptional musicians that literally bring the house down, is sure to leave you reeling with toe-tapping excitement. "If you combined the music of Erykah Badu, Ella Fitzgerald, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Pink, and Adele, you would acquire what our sound is. We like to put some stank on it, bottom line." Seeking nothing more than to shed light on the human experience, Roze is a key artist in conveying the emotional intent behind a song. Her edge being that of a heart-driven soul mixed with the nitty gritty truth, she is sure to leave audiences with the sense of relative human connection and a vocal style that is absolutely unforgettable.

By Jay Allen Sanford | Published Wednesday, June 17, 2009
“My parents maintained a very musical household,” says singer-trumpeter Tori Roze. “My mom played with Randy Holden, the lead guitarist in Blue Cheer, and she opened for groups like Canned Heat and Three Dog Night. She used to hold Janis Joplin’s Southern Comfort bottle for her offstage.
Roze’s parents were also involved with the San Diego Repertory Theatre and with Indian Magique, a theatrical troupe that won the Canadian Emmy for Best Comedy Show in 1977. In high school Roze fronted the band Carne Askata before departing to attend Boston Conservatory for a year. After doing a semester in London with music and theater classes at the Old Globe, she eventually graduated with a degree in theater from UC Santa Cruz. She currently fronts the six-piece rock ’n’ soul combo Tori Roze and the Hot Mess. “If Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, Ella Fitzgerald, Pink, and Adele were all to get together,” she says, “you’d get the essence of our sound. Bottom line: we like to put some stank on it.”

WHAT’S IN YOUR CD PLAYER?
1. Michael Jackson, Off the Wall. “Can we just talk about how incredible this record is? Fully orchestrated, the man sings his heart out, and it makes your booty wanna move.”
2. Erykah Badu, Mama’s Gun. I could listen to this forever and be happy.”
3. Björk, Family Tree. I love how this woman sings from her soul, and you feel it viscerally. I have to see her perform before I die.”
4. Grand Ole Party, Humanimals. “A local band doing something way different — this is what I listen to before I go out to amp me up.”

MOST-VISITED WEBSITES?
1. Myspace.com“I’m always checking up on my music page and updating things, and I’m constantly looking for female-fronted bands that rock.”
2. Sonicbids.com“Always updating my EPK [electronic press kit] and looking for exciting gigs.”
3. Astrology.com“I gots to know my horoscope, shoot!”
4. Google.com“I get extreme usage of the image finder, for flyer-making and whatnot.”
5. Facebook.com“Man, this is the most un-user-friendly site ever, but all my friends are addicted to its crappy layout, so I use it to check in with friends who are too cool to use Myspace anymore. What the heck are they thinking?”
MAC OR PC?
“PC, because I can right-click.”
DO YOU PLAY VIDEO GAMES?
“Eww.”
BEST ADVICE YOU EVER GOT?
“Perseverance, kid — it’s the only thing that’s going to save you.”
FINISH THIS SENTENCE: “I LIVE IN SAN DIEGO BECAUSE.…”
“…I can. Jealous?”
CARE TO RATE THE NEW PREZ?
“He’s pretty snazzy, but he’s got his work cut out for him. Thank goodness he’s eloquent, though. Sheesh!”
SOMETHING ABOUT YOU FEW WOULD KNOW OR GUESS?
“I worked at Hot Dog on a Stick for ten years...ha!"

"San Diego's Funky Songstress: Tori Roze"
Tim Pyles - FM 94.9 On Air

"Tori Roze's voice gives me fierce goose bumps. She grooves with soul, style and just enough rock to let you know she's serious."
Cathryn Beeks - Listen Local SD

"“My parents maintained a very musical household,” says singer-trumpeter Tori Roze. “My mom played with Randy Holden, the lead guitarist in Blue Cheer, and she opened for groups like Canned Heat and Three Dog Night. She used to hold Janis Joplin’s Southern Comfort bottle for her offstage.” Roze’s parents were also involved with the San Diego Repertory Theatre and with Indian Magique, a theatrical troupe that won the Canadian Emmy for Best Comedy Show in 1977. In high school Roze fronted the band Carne Askata before departing to attend Boston Conservatory for a year. After doing a semester in London with music and theater classes at the Old Globe, she eventually graduated with a degree in theater from UC Santa Cruz. She currently fronts the six-piece rock ’n’ soul combo Tori Roze and the Hot Mess. “If Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, Ella Fitzgerald, Pink, and Adele were all to get together,you’d get the essence of our sound. Bottom line: we like to put some stank on it." Jay Allen Sanford - San Diego Reader

"Ranging from the Joss Stone-ish "Sweet Drank" to the 1990s Taylor Dane dance-anthem style of "Like a Rockstar," Tori Roze is both gritty and soulful. Apparently she subscribes to the MC Hammer school of break-ups, as she sings in "Bet's Off": "You're just trying to make me jealous/Better try harder 'cause nobody can touch this." Her tortured yet self-confident style makes this songstress too legit, too legit to quit. Enrique Limon" - San Diego City Beat

TRIBAL BAROQUE

2011-02-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

Lila’Angelique One day in the Angel tunnel in New York's Central Park, when she was listening to Thoth while they were singing "Anya," it sounded like a baroque countertenor; but there rhythm, vocal whooping and roaring sounded so tribal, that Lila called there music “Tribal Baroque”. A combination of opposites: raw, howling singing, feet stomping rhythm, faces painted, breasts flopping, wild original costumes, ecstatic spiritual dancing combined with highly developed musical phrases, perfect pitch, Bulgarian-style operatic soprano and countertenor vocals, and classically influenced violin. Thus the name, "TRIBAL BAROQUE"

S.K. Thoth was born on June 19th, 1954 in Manhattan General Hospital to Elayne Jones, a tympanist with the New York City Opera, and George Kaufman, a doctor. They named him Stephen after Stephen Foster, the songwriter in the early 1900's. Stephen spent his early years in St. Albans, Queens. His parents had two more children, Harriet and Cheryl. He and his sisters attended the United Nations International School where Stephen showed himself to be an average student. Both parents were involved in the Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam War movements and took Stephen and his sisters on many marches in NYC and Washington. His father was one of the doctors who assisted the marchers who were beaten up by the police. At eight years old, after one year of piano lessons, he had a dream of someone giving him a violin. He began studying violin with Mara Dvonch, a friend of his mother's and the assistant concertmaster of the American Symphony Orchestra. Although recognized to have talent, he rarely practiced as much as his teacher would have liked, wanting to play baseball and tennis, and cook instead. Even so, he progressed steadily. His parents separated and divorced when he was ten years old. The separation forced he and his sisters to leave the United Nations International School to attend public school. He went to Junior High School 217. During junior high school, he began imagining and creating a mythological world, Festad, as a reaction to feeling alienated from his peers and after reading Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. He auditioned for and was accepted into La Guardia High School of Music and Art. Upon graduating he received the Memorial Award for over all musicianship. In 1972, his mother became tympanist for the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and moved he and his sisters to San Francisco. There he attended San Francisco State University as a music major where he met Richard Wiseman, a professor of comparative literature and an adept at Jungian psychoanalysis, who later became his adviser and mentor. Three years later, he transfered to San Diego State University as an astronomy major. After becoming disinterested in astronomy, physics and mathematics, he turned his interest and attention to opera, drama, and literature. He studied Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelugen and took classes in languages, philosophy, and playwriting, which led to him continuing to write about his mythological world Festad . . . As S.K. Thoth, he has been prayforming his solopera, THE HERMA:The Life and Land of Nular-in, daily at the Bethesda Terrace Arcade in New York City’s Central Park for more than ten years. In addition, he has prayformed the solopera in Sweden, Canada, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and in the Bay Area, where he developed his work, for the AfroSolo ‘99 Theater Festival. He has appeared on The View, America’s Got Talent, and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In 2001, award winning director Sarah Kernochan made a documentary about Thoth’s life and work, which won the 2002 Academy Award for Documentary on a Short Subject. In June 2009, he released a book of short stories entitled Ruby and the Treehouse. In September 2009, Thoth released his eleventh CD with soprano and violinist, Lila’Angelique. He continues his study of theosophy, the eating and preparation of raw food, the assembling of the Encyclopedia of the Festad, and the writing of a novel about The Herma.

Lila’Angelique was born Caitlin Churchill Harkin with her twin sister Jamie Johnson on the 26th of February 1988 in New York City. Her preschool years were spent in Bergenfield, New Jersey, but her family moved to Nashville when she was 5. Both parents are professional musicians. Her mother, Caroline Peyton, is a singer who worked on Broadway. Her father, Brendan Harkin, is a guitarist and recording engineer who runs a full time recording studio in his home. In elementary school, she began Suzuki violin lessons when she saw a fellow student with a violin, but she quickly grew tired of the regimented group lessons and turned to studying classical at the Blair School of Music and Irish fiddle with private teachers. At 10, she was introduced to Verdi’s Rigoletto by her cousin and fell in love with opera. Delving passionately into the art form, she learned many operas by heart. One summer, two years later, she began voice lessons after discovering she had vibrato while singing along with Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. At 13, she met her mentor, Will Griffin who nurtured and tutored her in philosophy, art and music. In High School, she was placed in advanced choirs and won talent shows with her twin sister, singing operatic duets such as “Sous le dôme épais” from Delibes’ Lakme and “We are women” from Bernstein’s Candide. She studied voice with Metropolitan Opera coloratura soprano Elizabeth Carter, and her technique advanced rapidly. Instead of paying attention in math class, she would study the libretto to Mozart’s Die Zauberflote. Many of her teachers and fellow students had trouble with her outlandish styles of clothing: cut up jumpsuits, tutu’s, tuxedos and clown makeup. Before her 18th birthday, she sang the duet “Ach, ich liebte” from Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio with Will Griffin on Nashville’s classical radio station, WPLN 90.3 . As a freshman at the University of Kentucky at Lexington, she played Ariel in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, composing original music for her character. She also played the title role in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. After a year in the university, she dropped out and moved to New York City to study at Circle in the Square Theatre School. She was frustrated by the school’s emotionally draining regimen and was also alienated from her peers. On October 11th 2008, she wandered into Central Park and stumbled upon Thoth in the Angel Tunnel. She became his only student. On March 2009, she joined him in prayformance and stopped going to theater school. In the fall, she and Thoth released a CD of their music recorded live. Presently, she and he perform their miniature tribal baroque operas throughout the world,

Four Minutes Til Midnight

2011-01-28T12:17:00.000-08:00

Four Minutes Til Midnight started like most bands do, in a garage between a couple of friends wanting to express themselves through music. The project which initially started with vocalist Eli Taylor and bassist Jonathan Green began to blossom in 2004 when the two moved to Hollywood California to attend the Musicians Institute. There they met guitarist Kenta Hayashi and drummer Joshua Vore. After playing only one show Jonathan Green left the band and was replaced by Andre Davis. Throughout the next few years Four Minutes Til Midnight began stepping into the southern California music scene playing venues such as: The House of Blues (Los Angeles and San Diego), the Viper Room, the Key Club, the Roxy, the Knitting Factory, B.B. King's, the Troubadour, 4th&B and Canes. In 2006 Four Minutes Til Midnight released their first album "Oak Tree" followed by a 20 day tour of Japan. After returning from Japan the band relocated to San Diego to escape the smog and stress of L.A. In 2008 bassist Andre Davis was replaced U-Kay (Yu-suke Ikegaya). Most recently the band released their second album "Find my way", a 10 song roller-coaster ride ranging from falsetto funk to blues rock. The release of the album was followed by a 2 month long tour of the U.S. as well as a 3 month tour of Japan. The band is currently back playing in the United States as well as writing and rehearsing for a new album. The four musicians reside in a "man cave" in Sonora Ca

What is Four Minutes Til Midnight (FMTM)? FMTM is a funk, rock-blues and jam band gaining momentum in the Southern California and Japan music scene. Their strength is that they have two American and two Japanese in the band. Because of that mix of different culture and music background,a great chemistry happens. FMTM creates such unique and exotic sound. Why the name Four Minutes Til Midnight? 1156 were the last four digits of Eli’s home phone. That was the only place where they were able to play music freely, and FMTM was born.

2004
     Eli Taylor (vocals), Kenta Hayashi (guitar),Josh Vore (drums) and Jonathan Green(passed away in September 2009) met while attending the Musician Institute in Hollywood, California and in March 2004 formed FMTM.

2005
     Andre Davis joined after John left in May 2005. FMTM has played in venues such as: The House of Blues, The Viper Room, Key Club, Roxy, Knitting Factory, B B King, and the Troubadour. FMTM was accepted amazingly well in Hollywood and started creating their fan base in Los Angeles.

2006
     FMTM won The Battle of the Bands in LA (at Club Good Hurt sponsored by Fallow Industry). The final battle was on December 7th. Their fist album, “Oak Tree” was released in 2006 also. They sold 10000 CDs (including Japan and American market). FMTM did their first Japan tour. They played 11 shows all over Japan including Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka, Osaka, Nagoya and Kyoto. FMTM performed a few times for TV shows in North Hollywood.

2007
     FMTM relocated to San Diego in order to escape LA smog and traffic. They gained fans dramatically. FMTM has played at famous clubs and music venues in San Diego such as The House Of Blues, 4th & B, Canes and Winstons.

2008
Yusuke Ikegaya (bass) joined FMTM after Andre in May 2008. FMTM was accepted amazingly well in San Diego. They have had the pleasure to open for-Ozomatli, Greyboy Allstars, Common Sense and The Expendables-just to name a few. The most popular radio station in San Diego, FM_94.9, started playing FMTM's songs.

2009
“Find My Way” is the band's new release CD, launched in June 2009. They sold 4000 CDs already. “Find My Way” is a 10 track CD, filled with sound that only FMTM can deliver, from tracks that make you reminisce about love, to tracks that will make you get up off your seat and groove! FMTM also successfully finished their second Japan tour. They played 64 shows within 87 days this time, gained so many fans, and shocked Japanese music scene big time. FMTM played at the biggest world live band festival Emergenza ( Battle of the Bands) and placed semi final.

2010
After FMTM came back from Japan, they toured in the U.S. FMTM is creating their third album now. FMTM signed with a Japanese label and released their Japanese album in June. FMTM went to Japan on tour again for 3 months (45 shows). FMTM charted 1st place for a Japanese major radio station USEN. They play FMTM's songs 30 times a day now. FMTM’s goal is to connect with each individual; from the first time listener to the die--hard fan, through the love and art that is their music.

2011
????

Eli Taylor (Vocal) 1982.5.20
Kenta Hayashi (Guitar) 1984.5.20
U-Kay (Bass) 1985.12.9
Josh Vore (Drums) 1983.8.12

Black Party Politics

2011-01-24T10:23:00.000-08:00

Black Party Politics is the modern band in Technicolor. Pulling inspiration from regions of the musical spectrum as far as the flamboyant neon pink of Little Richard and T-Rex, the deep blues of Muddy Waters and Tom Waits, the earthy funky-nasty browns of James Jamerson and Cachao, and the pristine pearlescent whites of Beethoven, the band converges all the colors and hues of its respective influences into a dense unmistakable and inescapable Black. With their different influences, cathartic live performances, and uncompromising politics of self-expression Black Party Politics has managed to create a singular music experience bordering on the cinematic.
From the article Party Up in LA'Raw by works of AC : When beautiful, elegant melodies meet the hardcore crotch-grabbing middle finger of rock and roll you get Black Party Politics. This is a band that gives you something so wonderful yet it makes you want to kick someone in the face. Playing the devil's music, Black Party Politics represents the individual way we choose to negotiate our lives, What is okay for a person to say, think, or believe ? Who sets our moral guidance? It's the freedom of expression self-identity. In other words, it's whatever you want it to be. Black Party Politics is for your individual emotions and psyche. For those reasons, LA'Raw Fucks with BPP. Black Party Politics has been a project in the making for approximately four years. It began with two high school friends, Miles and Eddie. Eddie, an exceptional vocalist, has training in opera and other forms of vocal performance. His clarity of voice instantly strikes you as something that requires more than just a few hours of practice singing along to "American Idol" on a Wii. It's undoubtedly a voice that has been crafted and molded over time. He fuses a soulful sound into the hard sounds of the music. Miles was a baseball player before he picked up the guitar, simply because he wanted to learn. Since then, he has fallen in love with his instrument and music, to the extent that he is currently working on finishing his composition degree at Pasadena City College, and has aspirations of furthering his education in music. The next addition to the band was Bonnie. While the official story of how she came to meet Eddie and Miles is only allowed to be told in a Bonnie first-person narrative,she began jamming with the boys when they crossed paths at Cal State LA. Bonnie, a classically trained pianist, never played and form of rock until she linked up with Eddie and Miles. Fast forward to present day, and she's a badass rocker chick who rocks out like a sexy Jerry Lee Lewis. You haven't seen anyone rock a keyboard until you've seen Bonnie jamming on stage playing the keys upside down without missing a note. Like I said BADASS! Though a great trio was formed, they were not complete until Chris was integrated into the band. Chris was a Co-worker of Eddie and Miles, who became the missing piece to the band. A ten plus year vet on drums, Chris has studied all forms of percussion. He's currently the only person I know that can rock out on tympani, or show four different ways to make a funky groove on a triangle. Currently, the band is working on completing their album and booking show all over Los Angele, including a steady appearance at Boogie Den. Something that I quickly picked up on when talking with BBP is individually ( as well as collectively ) they are extremely smart and perceptive. This intelligence comes through in their music to the listener. While their music makes a statement, their intent is not to become a Rage Against the Machine type of political band. So who do i recommend BPP to ??? Well, if you have an appreciation for good music, enjoy an intellectual conversation from time to time , and on occasion stick your middle finger out to assholes that don't put their blinkers on before making a left turn... I recommend you to get some Black Party Politics in your life.

Eddie (vocals)

Eddie once sang on stage with Seal.
Eddie’s favorite book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.
Eddie is a nascent capolista.
At the age of 8, Eddie interviewed Little Richard while he was having his hair permed at his mother’s most frequented salon.
Upon hearing the theme song from the motion picture version of Mortal Kombat, Eddie instantaneously becomes an 8 year old again. Kicking wildly about like Lou Kang suffering an epileptic seizure, Eddie once hit his 10 year old sister while listening to the song………at the age of 20.
Eddie was an original member of the Jackson 5, The Fantastic Four, and The Gang Bang 12.

Bonnie (keys)

Bonnie originally came to LA as a goalkeeper for the Cal State LA soccer team.
Bonnie has been a vegetarian for 13 years.
Bonnie is half German, and tends to speak it after a few margaritas.
Bonnie once tried in vain to protect Eddie from police brutality by screaming “Stop, he’s gay!” while he was held at gunpoint.
Bonnie loves game nights, especially playing Scrabble.
Bonnie attends Musicians Institute in LA.
Bonnie owns a boa constrictor named Zoe.
Bonnie’s musical inspirations are : Beethoven, Scott Joplin, George Gershwin and Amanda Palmer.

Chris (drums)

Chris is working on his fun facts.

Miles (guitar)

As a toddler, Miles was stung in the mouth by a bumble bee that he picked up and placed on his tongue.
Miles can wiggle his ears.
Miles performed a routine to Missy Elliot’s “I can’t stand the rain” with a Hip Hop dance troupe at the L.A. Fair.
In middle school, Miles was ordered to complete a total of more than than 250 hours of detention. (a school record)
Miles can identify police cars from great distances.
Miles has had facial hair since the age of 13.
Miles secretly loves the song “pour some sugar on me” by Def Leppard.
Miles, since early childhood, has had a reoccurring dream about riding a roller coaster with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Debut Album "Hive Mind" (recorded and mixed at Mas Music Productions in Los Angeles) due out early 2011.

New tracks from Hive Mind have appeared on:

-11/22/10 – 90.7 KPFK (featured “Blue Devils”) 7pm to 8pm PST.

-As of 11/29/10 OC Rock Radio has Blue Devils in rotation – Request BPP on www.ocrockradio.com to hear it!

-1/14/11 - BPP is in rotation on CACH Radio (www.cachradio.com)

-1/11 - BPP added to GRM Radio Network

Black Party Politics plays a monthly residency night at Vintage Clothing Warehouse, The Boogie Den (Los Angeles) on the last Saturday of EVERY month.

*Currently in the running for Sounds Like Fire's "Breakout Band of the Year"

Management: Sara Vausbinder of Nine 12 Records

Discography

Planets Treacherous EP (2008)

Hive Mind (Coming in 2011)

Links

http://www.blackpartypolitics.com

Facebook.com/blackpartypolitics

MySpace.com/blackpartypolitics

Twitter.com/blkprtypolitics

Youtube.com/blackpartypolitics

www.nine12records.com

Deftones and the One Love for Chi

2011-01-19T02:04:00.000-08:00

Deftones is American rock from Sacramento California, formed in 1988 consisting of Chino Moreno(lead vocals and guitar), Stephen Carpenter(guitar), Chi Cheng bass, Frank Delgado (keyboards and turntables, and Abe Cunningham (drums and percussion). They have released six albums to date, with two Platinum Adrenaline, White Pony and two Gold certifications Around the Fur Deftones, with their most recent Diamond Eyes in spring of 2010.

Deftones were working on their upcoming sixth studio album Eros, writing songs since Fall 2007. Chino Moreno described the album as weird, unorthodox, featuring a lot of atmosphere and sound scaping, and having a "fuck you, I hope you die!" style aggression. Recording started on April 14, 2008; the album was initially to be released early in 2009, but was delayed. On November 4, 2008, bassist Cheng was seriously injured in a car accident in Santa Clara, California. As a result of the injuries sustained in the crash, Cheng has remained in a minimally conscious state since that time. Following the accident, Cheng's bandmates and mother, Jeanne, began using the Deftones blog to post updates on Cheng's condition. On December 9, 2008, it was announced that Chi had been moved into the care of an unnamed hospital that "specializes in the care and management of traumatic and non-trauma related brain injuries". In late January 2009, the band released a new statement, stating that "our fallen comrade has not yet made significant progress", and that friend of the band Sergio Vega(formerly of Quicksand would be taking over as bassist in Cheng's absence, as he had done temporarily in 1998. On April 5, the band played their first show without Cheng (since 1998) at the Bamboozle Left Festival in Irvine, California. In May 2009, it was revealed that Chi Cheng is no longer in intensive care.

On June 23, 2009, Deftones announced on their official website that "Eros" will be delayed indefinitely, saying that as we neared completion on Eros, we realized that this record doesn't best encompass and represent who we are currently as people and as musicians. And although those songs will see the light of day at some point, we collectively made the decision that we needed to take a new approach, and with Chi's condition heavy on our minds while doing so. We needed to return to the studio to do what we felt was right artistically. They also said "The decision to hold off on releasing Eros has no connection with Chi's condition or anything associated. This was, and is, purely a creative decision by the band to write, record, and deliver an amazing product. Deftones played some European dates in mid-2009, with shows in Amsterdam and the United Kingdom, including the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Brian "Head" Welch and his long-time friend Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, along with members of Sevendust, Slipknot, and other miscellaneous rock bands recently recorded and released an instrumental song for Chi, with the benefits going towards Chi and his family. The song is titled "A Song for Chi". On October 2009, as stated on the Deftones official website, the band toured with Slipknot on select dates touring parts of Canada as well as some US cities through the month of November. They were also selected to be part of the Smokeout festival in California supporting Cypress Hill as well as others. To aid in the fund-raising for Chi and the Cheng family, the band announced two benefit shows in Los Angeles for November 19 and 20. On the 19th, the show was opened by P.O.D. and Cypress Hill. The Deftones set itself contained many guest appearances by friends and peers of the band including Tommy Lee, Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray, Greg Puciato of The Dillinger Escape Plan of Linkin Park and members of Cypress Hill,Incubus, and Team Sleep. Vocalist Rodleen Getsic also joined Deftones to reprise her performance on "Knife Party. The second night's performance included a second appearance by Puciato and contributions from members Mike Muir and ex-Suicidal Tendencies members (and current Metallica bassist) Rob Trujillo and Rocky George, Dave Lombardo of Slayer, Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom, and System of a Down members Daron Malakian, John Dolmayan, and Shavo Odadjian. The website www.oneloveforchi.com was launched by Deftones fan Gina Blackmore about four months after Cheng's accident. The site is a platform for updates and information on Cheng's condition, as well as serving as an auction site for items donated by friends of the band. All proceeds raised by the One Love for Chi website are donated to his family in order to provide him the best possible medical care. Items auctioned on the site have included rare and autographed pieces from the likes of Sevendust, Alice in Chains, Nikki Sixx, and Chris Cornell as well as others. Deftones released their sixth album, Diamond Eyes on May 4, 2010. The release of it was pushed forward from the initially reported May 18 release date, most likely due to the entire album having been leaked onto the Internet in March 2010. On February 23, 2010, the album's first single Rocket Skates" was available for free download at www.gunsrazorsknives.com. The album was produced by Nick Raskulinecz. Former bassist, Sergio Vega, plays bass on the album, substituting for ailing bassist Chi Cheng. Deftones have been confirmed to play Download Festival in 2010 in an announcement made via the official Download Festival website on January, 25th 2010. They are also confirmed to play Rock on the Range 2010 (May 22 and 23) and Vive Latino 2010 (April 24). They also played a one-off London show on May 12. Deftones released the official music video for the album's first single, on March 10. On March 15, Deftones debuted their first radio-ready single Diamond Eyes. Both "Diamond Eyes" and "Rocket Skates" received very positive reviews from fans and critics alike, many making comparisons of the two singles' style and sound to that of material from their album Around the Fur, Deftones released the official music video for the album's second single, Diamond Eyes, on April 13. Deftones are mapping out more US headlining tour dates prior to their joint outing with Mastodon and Alice in Chains this fall on the BLACKDIAMONDSKYE tour; The band’s newly announced dates will begin in on the West Coast in California in August and will take the band across the Midwest through the Southeast. The tour kicks off in Ventura, CA on August 6 and wraps up in Cleveland on September 14. Teaming up with bands Mastodon and Alice in Chains, Deftones will be going on tour fall 2010 in the United States and Canada. The tour is called a portmanteau of the three bands' latest albums Diamond Eyes, and Crack the Skye. There is currently a petition on Australian website Dripping Acid Airwaves to bring Deftones and the Blackdiamondskye tour to Australia and NZ. The site also features the 'Put On Your Goggles' mash-up promo video for the tour which has received extensive play on YouTube. Big Day Out 2011- Deftones have been confirmed as a headlining act in this year's installment of the Big Day Out Festival in Australia and New Zealand beginning in Auckland on Jan. 21, 2011 In early September 2010, Deftones announced an UK tour, which is their first tour in the UK since 2007. On October 28, 2010, Deftones released the official video for "You've Seen The Butcher" filmed by Jodeb Films. Diamond Eyes was named the iTunes 2010 Rock Album of the Year.

THE PLATT BROTHERS

2011-01-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

The full-length Platt Brothers show -- call it a talent show based on their childhood tales -- in the heart of North Park. Expect to see these guys competing on "America's Got Talent" this summer.

By UT STAFF WRITER KELI DAILEY

There are few things as limitless and surprisingly underused as the imagination. (Maybe wind power. Ooh! The sun…) And when the Platt Brothers feed their megawatt imaginations into their eponymous show at North Park’s Sunset Temple, the result is clean, curse-free energy. And you will laugh your bleep off.

The low-budget and ecstatic production is powered by brothers Cy, Cheetah, and Boone. For more than an hour, the hyper kinetic trio of twenty somethings offers up short bursts of song parodies; impossible tumbling routines where they become human wheels; realistic sound effects using only their voices a la that "Police Academy" guy; and dance mashups that veer from hip-hop to hula to “The Nutcracker” ballet. It’s like watching imaginative kids during unstructured play. And it works, because the skits are largely connected to the Platts’ family fables. They grew up outside Ukiah, Calif., without a TV, and with four other siblings to trick with fake treasure maps, and to save from drowning, we're told. Expect origin stories/songs about their unusual names, too (e.g. Cheetah was born Benjamin, but at age 6 he chose the African cat’s moniker because -- he sings with a voice like a brass instrument -- “his hair’s real long like a tail.”) Yeah, it's silly. But so is the FOX Sunday night lineup ("Animation Domination"). Look, anyone who’s been simmering in a cubicle will appreciate the over-the-top catharsis one gets when grown men pantomime an absurd fight that climaxes with Cy getting popped with an imaginary 7-foot-long rubber band. And anyone who’s driven to North Park will take courage from Boone’s “Braveheart”-esque speech about the hood’s “fairly redundant clubs” and lack of free parking. (Here, the other brothers become a human bagpipe and play "Amazing Grace.") Boone, the baby brother, has breezy comic timing and – this is a compliment – can play lovably fey better than Justin Timberlake. The Platt family mythology is the real heart of the show -- the photos projected on screens during interludes validate their charmed childhood. But that means the non-narrative parts of the Platt Brothers’ show -- the mashup dance at the end in particular -- leave the characters we’ve warmed to suspended mid-development. But by that end you’re not counting time like a school kid ticking off days on the calendar. It’s more like the wacky school assembly you never want to end.

Reader Reviews

THE PLATT BROTHERS ARE NUMBER ! By michele05

FOR FUN FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT ITS OFF TO THE PLATT BROTHERS SHOW .PERFECT 10!HATS OFF TO THEM,THAT IS WHAT FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT SHOULD BE .

Live spontaneous shows are fun! Live spontaneous shows sprinkled with greatness are uber fun! The Platt Brothers have arrived! By AnonymousLA

I got a sample of something pretty sweet on the evening of March 20th at The Platt Brother's Show! The Sunset Temple, a modest SD theatre/music venue, is where I saw our new heroes. The Platt Brothers who are a nifty blend of clean cut guys dancing, flipping, and singing these wonderfully up-tempo stories of their childhood which really appeals to anyone's inner kid at heart. They are seriously the best (and funniest) thing since sliced bread! One thing is certain: Anyone who can write songs about the blues of filling a wheel barrow up with rocks, and in the same show pretend to be a dinosaur, is irrefutably cool in my book. (Seriously, I just checked.) There's nothing quite like the sound of a full house, with rushes of laughter and occasional appreciative hoots as the backdrop to their music/show. The Platt Brothers are not just pretty boys; they sing, they dance, they do crazy flips, and are funny as hell! They show how someone can take such nerdy/silly/play elements and create something cool out of them. Hey, anyone who can bring dorky back gets another special mention in my book. I left the show feeling rejuvenated. The show ended at a cool 10:30 at night, perfect for a end-of-the-week performance that allows a working stiff some hype, laughter, and be able to get home to sleep all in one blow! My satisfying night watching the Platt Brothers' Show makes me sure that the next time I see them I may not be in proper proximity to greet them because by that time, I won't be the only one wanting a piece of them. You know these guys literally poured sweat, blood, and tears into this show. Can we please get some nods from the academy? I heard the food is fantastic (even better than the emmys). Yeah, I said it. If you have a chance, please do yourself a favor and check out The Platt Brothers' Show the next time you're in town. It's a family friendly show with a great story. It's something you've got to see for yourself-you won't regret it.

Jet West

2011-01-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

The musical journey for Jet West started in spring 2009 when singer-guitarist Chris Warner and singer Scott Floquet (Pyschoactive) partnered up to play house parties and charity events. As of 2010, the band also includes bassist Deren Schneider (the Tigersharks) and drummer Derek Potter.

Warner describes an early misfire for the band. “We played a show at one of our local favorite spots in OB, Winstons, in full snowboard gear to try something new. This was the worst idea ever as we all almost passed out from heat stroke. Our fans like to drink and buy us shots, so wearing three layers of snowboarding gear and jumping all around the stage was the worst decision we ever made.”

The band released a three-song demo CD in 2009. Their full-length debut Dropping In was released in September 2010. “The album title came to mind based on where our band is currently in the music industry,” says Warner. “We understand that we are just 'dropping in' with our debut album, just as we love to drop down waves from San Diego to Mexico. The cover art by Trevor Dawson is based on the notion that sometimes you want to Jet West and head somewhere closer to where the sun sets. In our album cover art, we portray this in an island setting.”

Their first music video, for their Dropping In song “Sunday,” was filmed in 1080p in Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and Ocean Beach.

Jet West - BIO Living in Southern California has proven to be the secret recipe for Jet West. Their music is inspired by the tan girls, good waves, and great weather of So Cal and they aim to share that through every song. Jet West dedicates themselves to every fan and every band at every show which truly represents their true passion for live music itself. Their aspiration is to play music for their family, friends and fans with energy and focus aimed at each and every person in the crowd. They just might have what it is your looking for. You know, that sound that makes you want to take that long drive, love someone, drop in on an overhead wave or even just to kick it on a porch. Whatever it is you do, or wherever you are from, they know.

Christopher Dale

2011-01-13T15:19:00.000-08:00

Christopher Dale is a locally based artist whose forte is creating music that immediately catches the ear and lingers in the mind. This talent has garnered him success as a jingle writer for a number of companies, and it has also served him well in his more purely artistic endeavors. Dale's third solo CD, Songs I Know the Words To, is a smorgasbord for the power pop lover. This almost purely acoustic production is packed to the brim with melodic hooks, memorable melodies, and catchy rhythms that allow him to deliver his whimsical lyrics. His voice and persona are instantly likeable and leave a lasting impression. He keeps things generally lighthearted, though there are layers of emotion and meaning in most of the songs. It sounds as if the songs were initially written for acoustic guitar and voice, and they would work just fine if performed that simply. Nevertheless, Dale recruited some top local musicians to flesh out the arrangements and the result is a powerful and varied mix that sounds fresh from start to finish. Mandolin, world percussion, ukulele, piano, organ, and even a string arrangement make appearances at various points, giving this album a compelling sonic depth. Expertly arranged vocal harmonies are the icing on the cake, giving the music the final edge it needs to put smiles on faces. The album opener is "Hilary," a bouncy Brit-pop styled tune that takes its cue from early Beatles and Monkees hits. From this point on, listeners are on notice that they are about to be treated to some really catchy songwriting. The rest of the album does not disappoint. The mandolin fills that run throughout "Addicted" create a distinctly REM flavor, helped along by Dale's Michael Stipe-like vocal delivery on this song. One particularly memorable number is "Don't Say Happy Birthday," a humorous reflection on the aging process. Its sardonic lyrics, set to such peppy and energetic music, tell a tale that is all to familiar to most of us. Things get introspective and melancholy with "Oh No," a plaintive ballad in waltz time whose sincere plea for forgiveness is very affecting. A huge "Mrs. Robinson" style intro heralds the arrival of "I Don't Know," which easily slips into a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young-influenced rave up. The massive wall of acoustic guitars and the vocal harmonies make such a comparison inevitable, and it's a very effective homage. As has often been said, they just don't make music like this anymore! After a couple more excellent tunes, the upbeat "New Jersey" and the somber "When You Go," Dale wraps things up with a stripped-down ukulele-driven cover of the Ramones' classic "I Wanna Be Sedated." It's a cute punctuation mark for a collection of excellent songs impeccably performed and superbly recorded.

ArtLab Studios

2011-01-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

Grand Opening
3536 Adams Ave
San Diego Ca
Great Art - DJ - Food - Drinks
Live Entertainment with Interactive art and music
displays like never before
Producers, Record Labels
No Cover, Free

ArtLab Studios Website
CCMixter Website
Blog Radio Interview

ArtLab Studios Cocktail Party
Friday February 18 2011
6:00pm          Rob Barry
6:30pm          The Wigbilles
7:00pm          Christopher Dale
7:30pm          Emily Richards & Jason
8:00pm          Zimbeat
8:30pm          Reverend Stickman
9:00pm          Tribal Baroque
9:30pm          Todo Mundo
10:00pm         10Zero
10:30pm         Ben Justus
11:00pm         Sterling Love Jones
11:30pm       Tori Roze and The Hot Mess

ArtLab Studios Grand Opening
Saturday February 19 2011
Special Evening Appearances
by Tribal Baroque
6:00pm          Justin Froese
6:30pm          Seaholm Mackintosh
7:00pm         Kenny Eng
7:30pm           Bviolin & Gypsy Nights
8:00pm          Enreverie
8:30pm          Veronica May & Lindsay White - The Lovebirds
9:00pm          Reverend Stickman
9:30pm          Will Faeber and Cathouse Thursday
10:00pm         Todo Mundo
10:30pm       10Zero
11:00pm      Ben Justus
11:30pm         Snowflake and Spinningmerkaba
12:00am          SackJo22 and HEJ31

Mission is to provide a dynamic nurturing environment for creative professionals, working artists, and hobbyists alike. The lab is a membership based collective serving Adams Avenue and the surrounding community. We provide atelier work space for artists on a monthly basis as well as open studio space for working members. Members can enjoy the following privileges: Grand Opening is Feb 19th with Live Entertainment and the ccMixter admin team is gearing up to remix for the gallery opening along with Dave-DJ Quenique will spin a set live at the opening. He will use tracks curated from the ccMixter remix event.

A place to create your work
A place to show your work
A place to sell your work
A place to relax with:

Wi-Fi Internet connection

A computer design workstation

Amenities such as coffee, tea and snacks

Discounts on printing and design services at Ego Id Media

Discounts on supplies at Visual Art Supplies

Discounts on other member products and services.

Networking & collaborating with other artists and professionals

Will engage the local community with art openings, live music and performance on a regular basis

The Monthlies

2010-11-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

The Monthlies are nearly ready to release their first album in March, 2009 during their appearance at SXSW in Austin, TX.

They’ve also just finished shooting their first music video for the hit single, “Hip Girl.”

The Monthlies are three guys and a girl: Wes O’Lee on vocals and rhythm guitar, Jana Bonderman on lead guitar, Nick Miller pounding the skins and Chris Hall on bass and back-up vocals.

Formed in January 2007 in a loft in Echo Park, The Monthlies are an addictive Los Angeles-based Indie Rock band. Sometimes dark and loud, other times poppy and breezy, The Monthlies are always deeply melodic and memorable.

Playing in and around LA just about every week, the band has quickly earned a reputation for energetic live performances - partly because their singer tends to make up lyrics on the spot and partly because their drummer sweats… a lot. Unique to their genre (and most other genres as well), The Monthlies have a female lead guitarist who gracefully works her pedal board in four-inch heels.

Often drawing comparisons to Death Cab for Cutie, Muse, Pixies and The Plimsouls, early Monthlies recordings have already been featured on MTV2 News, and the Documentary, YOUNG WIDOW: Naked in the Memorial Playground. The Monthlies were recently named Airwalk’s “Unsigned Hero” in an international contest presided over by both fans and judges.

Switchfoot Story

2010-10-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

Formation and early years (1996–2002) Switchfoot was founded in 1996 as Chin Up, consisting of Jon Foreman and his brother Tim, along with Chad Butler on drums. After playing only a few shows, the band was contacted by music industry veteran Charlie Peacock and eventually signed to his indie label Re:think Records under the current moniker, Switchfoot. Re:think went on to distribute the first three Switchfoot albums, The Legend of Chin, New Way to Be Human, and Learning to Breathe. Because Re:think was bought out by Christian giant Sparrow Records before Switchfoot's first release, however, the band's and Peacock's intentions of being marketed outside of the Contemporary Christian music scene and reaching a wider audience were put on hold. Consequently, the band was mostly marketed exclusively to Christian radio and retail outlets early in their careers, a time Jon Foreman has described as when "half of who we were was lost. Of Switchfoot's first three albums, Learning to Breathe was the most successful, being certified gold by the RIAA, and receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Gospel Album. Later on in 2002, Switchfoot's music was featured prominently in the movie A Walk to Remember, starring singer and actress Mandy Moore, who sang Switchfoot's song "Only Hope" during a scene in the movie. The movie's soundtrack album also featured a duet with Jon Foreman and Moore, as well as four other Switchfoot songs from the band's previous catalogue, in addition to Moore's cover of "Only Hope". The Beautiful Letdown (2003–05) Following the exposure that came from A Walk to Remember, Switchfoot attracted attention from multiple record labels and ultimately signed with the major record label, Columbia Records/SonyBMG. Their major label debut, The Beautiful Letdown, under Columbia Records/Red Ink, represented the band's evolution from the predominantly lo-fi, indie rock sound of their early albums, toward a more layered, synth-influenced sound that helped launch the band to mainstream popularity. This shift sonically could be attributed to the fact that the album was the first to include keyboardist Jerome Fontamillas, formerly of industrial bands Mortal and Fold Zandura. Fontamillas had been touring with Switchfoot since 2000, following the release of Learning to Breathe. The Beautiful Letdown has since been certified double platinum, selling more than 2.6 million copies, on the strength of constant touring and the huge mainstream radio hits "Meant to Live" and "Dare You to Move." A live DVD depicting one of the band's live concerts, Live in San Diego, went platinum as well, and a third single, "This Is Your Life" was released to radio. In addition, the song "Gone" received major airplay on Christian radio stations as well. Following the runaway success of The Beautiful Letdown, a compilation titled The Early Years: 1997-2000 was released, which featured Switchfoot's first three indie albums released under Re:think records including the original artwork for all the albums. This collection has since been certified Gold, with total sales of over 500,000 copies.

Switchfoot also received five 2005 Dove Award nominations, and won four, including Artist of the year. Nothing Is Sound (2005–06) In 2005 prior to the release of Nothing Is Sound Switchfoot announced that guitarist Drew Shirley (previously the guitarist for All Together Separate) had become the band's fifth member after touring with the band since 2003. Nothing Is Sound, was released on September 13, 2005, and with Shirley's inclusion saw Switchfoot's sound become even more densely layered and guitar-heavy, resulting in an album that was edgier and darker than any of their previous work. "Stars" was released as the first radio single to promote the album, and was a solid hit on mainstream and alternative rock radio stations. "We Are One Tonight" was released as the second single in early 2006. Nothing is Sound Tour in Vancouver BC The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, an all-time high for the band, while bassist Tim Foreman attracted headlines by speaking out against the copy-protection used by the label and providing fans a detailed workaround on the band's message board, which was quickly deleted by Sony. This copy-protection is known as Extended Copy Protection, which has been identified by leading anti-virus companies as a trojan horse and a rootkit. During the Spring 2006 leg of the Nothing Is Sound Tour, the band introduced "a video diary of life on the road" in the form of free video podcasts available via iTunes and streaming online on Youtube.com. In addition to featuring snippets of upcoming songs and live performances, the videos gave fans an inside look at the more casual and humorous aspects of the band members' touring lives, as well as featuring footage of the band working on their follow-up to Nothing Is Sound. Oh! Gravity. (2006–07) Switchfoot's next album, Oh! Gravity., was released on December 26, 2006 to considerable critical acclaim. It entered the Billboard chart at #18 and peaked at #1 on iTunes' Top Albums chart. Before the release of the album, Switchfoot e-mailed a newsletter on June 2 which contained a free download of the song "Daylight to Break", a statement from Foreman implying that the band wanted to have a new album out by the end of the year, as well as a thanks to their fans for helping keep the band together for ten years. The band tried to involve their fans in the creation of the album, setting up a webcam in their recording studio and running a contest for a chance to play the cowbell in the studio with the band.

Oh! Gravity Spring Tour 2007 Charleston S.C. To promote the album, the band first released the song, "Dirty Second Hands", as a "preview" single via iTunes on September 26. The title track "Oh! Gravity" was also released to iTunes on October 21 and was sent to radio on October 31 as the lead single for the album, seeing limited success at alternative and modern rock radio. The album's second single, "Awakening", was released in early 2007. Although it saw virtually no play on radio, the accompanying band-funded music video song received over one million hits on YouTube in less than three months. Major label independence, The Best Yet (2007–08) Later, on August 10, 2007, Jon Foreman revealed that the band had severed ties with Columbia Records in order to release music as an Indie band. "Neither party has any hard feelings," he said of the split a few months later. "I think for us, the reason why we signed with Columbia was because of the people that were there. So it's very understandable when all those people are gone, you don't hold any real bad feelings or good feelings towards a company name. I think that's part of the problem with the corporate entity as a whole is that there's no true responsibility. Later in October, the band announced that they had created a new record label called lowercase people records, in order to better make a direct connection with their fans. Subsequently, Foreman began working on his own set of solo EP's (one named after each season of the year); the first of these was released on November 27, 2007, the last on June 10, 2008. Foreman also began a side project with Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek originally called "The Real SeanJon" but later renamed "Fiction Family". With their new status as an independent band, Switchfoot embarked on their 2007 fall tour, playing shows with Relient K and Ruth.

The tour, dubbed the "Appetite for Construction Tour", was designed to benefit Habitat For Humanity, with the bands donating one dollar per ticket sold to the cause. In addition, Foreman wrote the song "Rebuild" with Matt Thiessen from Relient K, and released it as a way to raise additional money for Habitat. By the end of the tour, the bands had raised over $100,000 for Habitat for Humanity. With no album to promote, the band continued touring for philanthropic causes, booking a short national tour in March through May titled the Up In Arms Tour, partnering with and benefitting the organization To Write Love on Her Arms. Later that year, Columbia Records/Sony Music, released the first ever Switchfoot greatest hits compilation album titled The Best Yet, a sort of "final farewell from Sony". Hello Hurricane (2008–2010) Prior to the label split, Foreman had announced in a March 17, 2007 MySpace blog that Switchfoot had begun pre-production for a new album, saying that "the new SF record is underway." Later, on October 12, 2007, Foreman also announced that the band had begun construction of their own studio in their hometown of San Diego. It was completed in the spring of 2008, and the band began recording their follow-up to 2006's Oh! Gravity. In March, the band wrote and recorded a new song called "This Is Home" for the film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The song was included on the film's official soundtrack and an accompanying music video was also filmed, with footage from the film. In April, the band announced that instead of one studio album, they had actually been at work on 4 albums-worth of material, and had decided at the time to release them one after another, starting with the first one on November 10, 2009, titled Hello Hurricane. The album to follow it will be called Vice Verses, set to release at an undetermined date. Upon completion of Hello Hurricane, the band began searching for "the right partners" to distribute the songs globally. On August 7, 2009, the band announced that lowercase people records was licensing the album to Atlantic Records, ensuring "these tunes are heard around the world." To help promote this new release, the band took a hands-on approach with their lead single, "Mess of Me," by hiding copies of the single all across the world and encouraging fans to share it around by finding the discs and making copies of their own to hide. Through this, the single spread all across the world in grassroots fashion in advance of a traditional radio release, which saw the track hitting the Top 15 of Modern Rock radio. This was followed by the release of "The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)," which went on to become the band's first Top 10 Modern Rock hit since "Dare You to Move." On December 1, 2010 it was announced that Hello Hurricane had been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album. The band concluded the year with the release of the Eastern Hymns for Western Shores EP, which was included in their annual holiday package for fans.

Lissie Pop Story goes Live

2010-10-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

Lissie was born in Rock Island, Illinois, one of the Quad Cities on the banks of the Mississippi River. She’s a straight-talking Midwestern girl, all flaxen hair and big blue eyes, and this girl is smart and gutsy and tough, with a big old voice to match it: Laurel Canyon prettiness stewed in campfire and bourbon.

Lissie was always musical. Inspired by her Grandfather, a former international barbershop quartet champion, she would sing along at her Lutheran church but she was never a choirgirl. She scored the lead in an 80-date production of Annie for the local dinner theatre at the age of nine. “I was always humming,” she says, “making up these little songs and melodies, writing these poems and putting them to music. I know if I’m I feeling bummed out just the vibration of singing is kind of soothing to me.”

She was also the family rebel. Trouble seemed to have a knack of following Lissie, from once dyeing her hair with pen ink in 6th grade to cutting class, talking back, eventually getting thrown out of high school. “I felt that people didn’t know what to do with me, and tried to squash my spirit a little, which gave rise to a defiant streak within me early on,” she self-describes. “It was that that made me bend my ideas around convention.” She taught herself a handful of guitar chords, wrote about the girls who snubbed her and the boys who broke her and all the scrapes she got herself into. Playing them out loud at the local coffee shop where she worked, she dreamed of the world beyond her hometown.

In LA she played bars, showcases and residencies, sometimes performing in clubs to an audience of one. In the spring of 2006, she started a weekly residency with musician friends at Crane’s Hollywood Tavern in her neighborhood, which she named ‘Beachwood Rockers’ Society’. Lissie made ends meet handing out restaurant flyers and selling honey every Sunday at the local farmer’s market. “Raw honey,” she recalls. “I would say, “Have you tried the world’s best-tasting honey? It’s not heated, treated, whipped or spun!”

Little by little, things came together. She recorded a five-track EP, Why You Runnin’, with her friend Bill Reynolds (of Band of Horses) and in London with Ed Harcourt, which Fat Possum released in November 2009. The EP caught the attention of new fans and the U.S. press, with praise rolling in from Paste, Nylon, Filter, and Marie Claire, among others. She toured with Ray LaMontagne, A.A. Bondy, City & Colour, and The Low Anthem; she eventually tackled a whirlwind SXSW schedule (10 shows, 4 days) with ease and won over tough critics like Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and even Perez Hilton.

She headed to Nashville to record with Jacquire King (who was fresh from working with the Kings of Leon), and also recorded some more with Reynolds. What came out of these sessions is the bulk of her debut album, Catching A Tiger: 12 songs that range from bluesy-folk to unfettered pop, and showcase both her remarkable voice and her songwriting chops.

Lissie left LA, spent time in London and Tennessee, hankering a little for that Midwestern hometown in Illinois. Eventually she extricated herself from a long, troubled relationship and relocated to Ojai, CA, population just shy of 8,000. She rented an old farmhouse she had never seen, in a town she had never visited, “just because I sat next to someone from there on an airplane who told me it was nice.” She likes it up there. “It’s fairly slow, everything closes early and you can see all the stars at night. There are mountains outside my front door and it’s really quiet, which means I get a lot of work done and have time to myself which is essential for me to function. I can still drive into LA for some excitement when I want, going out and being around other people is equally important to me.”

“All these things,” she says, talking a little about her new hometown in CA, and a little about her music, too, “I do them without thinking. So much of my process is instinct and it’s natural. Even in photo shoots I won’t wear concealer, I don’t want to look like someone painted my face. Everything I do I want to feel natural; I want it to mean something to me. If it doesn’t feel natural I can’t do it. I can’t act. I’m not good at faking it.”

And this is the essence of Lissie, something straight-down-the-line, unaffected. “Now I’ve gotten older I really found myself recognizing the hometown Midwesterner in me and embracing it,” she says. “For better or worse it may not be all that tactful or that cool, but there’s no phoniness. It’s pretty direct. And I’m direct; I’m not hiding anything. I don’t really know what or why or who I am,” she says, “but I don’t know how to not be how I am.” Lissie is, you might say, ‘not heated, treated, whipped or spun.’

Since early this year, Lissie has largely been based in London, where Catching A Tiger was first released. Embraced lovingly by the British press, she’s been featured in Q, The Sun, The Sunday Times, The Mirror, Time Out, The Big Issue, and on the BBC and Later…with Jools Holland, among others; she’s played with Joshua Radin, The Local Natives, and Alan Pownall, in addition to performing at Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN, and The Great Escape in Brighton, England. She’s also picked up praise and support from a wide range of fellow artists, including Katy Perry, Courtney Love, Mumford & Sons, and Ellie Goulding, who joined her onstage to perform “Everywhere I Go” at The Great Escape in May.

Todo Mundo ( All the World )

2010-06-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

Todo Mundo ("All the World") blends the musical flavors of samba, rumba, reggae, and other South American and Caribbean styles into an irresistible groove that lifts the spirits of all who hear it. Led by Santiago Orozco, a Colombian native, Todo Mundo can perform in any setting, from adding pleasant ambiance to a private event to filling a nightclub dance floor with sweat and passion.

Musico Ambulante By Mary Leary | Published Saturday, March 20, 2010
Through indifference or ignorance, Santiago has been busking at the southern end of the North Park Farmer's Market (Queen Bee's usually claims the north side). Santiago needs money and players for a new conjunto; there's no time to wait for official gigs in enclosed spaces. A 23-year-old Columbian via Argentina, he has a matador's nimble reaction to a challenging start: as he strums his first chord, a large woman rounds the corner on a double-wide bike, crowding his left side. Halfway through the song, when a disabled woman throws a dollar a foot away from his tip hat, he stops to retrieve the dollar and pat her on the shoulder before running for a napkin to sop up the drink she's spilled on his blanket. Undaunted by this or the violinist who's been collaborating with him -- today a no-show -- he digs into some original folk and reggae. When singer and djembe-player George arrives, the spark of collaboration ignites as his harmonies join Santiago's bright tenor. Sometimes nearby vendors applaud or someone stops to offer a compliment or a dollar. A woman asks if Santiago plays parties and buys a CD. George leaves for yoga class. Santiago plays "Tumba Esa Negra," a lilting song with which the Gipsy Kings could fashion a monster hit. The sky's clouded up; customers are waning. I hope this guy doesn't give up.

Stealing Love Jones ( Esjay )

2010-06-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

They are South Africa’s most promising pop-rock act since forever, and with sales climbing fast, a ubiquitous radio presence and a lead singer possessed of a cracking voice, good looks and the business savvy of a CEO, Love Jones are poised to become enormous. It’s time to meet the Joneses. They are South Africa’s most promising pop-rock act since forever, and with sales climbing fast, a ubiquitous radio presence and a lead singer possessed of a cracking voice, good looks and the business savvy of a CEO, Love Jones are poised to become enormous. It’s time to meet the Joneses. “We want to build an empire,” says Esjay Jones, aka ‘Miss Jones’, Love Jones’ 23-year-old lead singer. “It’s a lot of hard work. I have absolutely no life aside from Love Jones. And the honest truth is that Love Jones is my love. Everything goes into it.”

She’s not a bit arrogant, but one wouldn’t describe Love Jones’ lead singer as modest. Esjay has mentioned in interviews before that she sees Love Jones selling as many albums as The Foo Fighters and Britney Spears in five years time. She doesn’t know it, but before we met I had seen her walk into the editorial office of one of the country’s top youth magazines to suggest that she appear on the cover of the next issue. She walked out with a feature guaranteed and a handful of new fans. The nonchalance with which she delivers such lofty quotes is disarming; after a few seconds waiting for a wry chuckle that never comes, you begin to see that she means every word. Love Jones can rest in the knowledge that their lead singer has already proven her saleability in the most competitive market on the planet. Shortly before starting Love Jones, Esjay was offered a record deal in the USA as a solo artist, but had to turn it down after her visa was denied. “For the past six years, I’ve been preparing, saving every cent,” she says. “We don’t want to be another plod along South African band that never gets anywhere because we can’t make anything happen ourselves. The truth of the matter is that it takes money to make money.” Esjay still has her sights set on America.

The Joneses were invited by Sarah Bettens (former lead-singer of K’s Choice) to support her at the world famous Viper Room in LA. A lack of timing to sort out the necessary paperwork did however cause for them not to make the trip. They will return Stateside for a full tour from mid-June to mid-August.

Esjay has always known she would be a musician, but even she has had her wobbles. She briefly considered throwing in the towel after hearing that she had lost the US deal, but a conversation with Peter Jones at a Squeal gig in Durban changed her mind. The pair founded Love Jones in January 2005 and performed their first show to rapturous approval at Kwazulu-Natal’s Splashy Fen Festival months later. Not interested in waiting to be signed, Esjay and Peter started their own record label, WE LOVE JONES FORESHORE! Records, with Esjay taking on the role of Label Manager. She visited radio stations herself and charmed them into slipping a single or two onto their playlist. By the time Love Jones was signed by Sheer in early 2006, they already had a single in the charts and a complete, professionally recorded album on shelves. Sheer then re-released the album and, suddenly, Love Jones was everywhere.

The first single "Kicks" peaked at No. 2 on the ‘High 5 at 5’ on 5Fm and quickly barged its way into the Top 10 on Highveld Stereo’s HomeBru chart, Tuks Fm and Radio Puk SA, where it went to No.1. A coveted place among the internationally overrun Highveld ‘Hot 30’ was the icing on the cake. The music video for "Kicks" is also on the highest rotation on MK89, the country’s most popular local music channel. As the single climbed the charts, Love Jones toured the country tirelessly, playing one week to rock lovers at a dingy bar in Potchefstroom and the next in front of thousands at Oppikoppi, Aardklop and the Levi’s Rage for the Revolution concert, alongside the country’s top acts. When they drove from one venue to the next and “Kicks’ came on the radio, Esjay would lean out of the window and scream “We’re on the radio!” at passers by. For Esjay, one sniff at success was enough. She was hooked.

“It’s been amazing to see radio stations get behind us,” says Esjay. “Success is a package deal. We know that we need the radio in order to get where we’re going. If they don’t get alongside us we’re fucked.” With her band mates listening like devoted employees, she dominates the conversation, using words like “marketability” and terms like “package deal”. She talks of how many “units” the album might sell. Throughout the interview it’s obvious that Miss Jones is as much the sexy lead singer as she is the shrewd and formidable businesswoman. Esjay’s attitude is shared by her band mates. It’s refreshing that Love Jones are under no illusions as to how their success might come about. Instead of gathering in a smelly garage smoking weed and bitching about the industry, Esjay and the original members financed the first album themselves, having asked for – and bizarrely been awarded – a substantial bank loan. It wasn’t as easy as walking into a bank in knackered converse and tights and asking for a lump of cash, but it was close. These days, they’re setting their sights decidedly higher. “We are the first band that could compete on the international market,” says Esjay. “We need a million rand. Someone needs to give us that.” That someone is likely to do more than okay from the investment.

There have been three changes to the line-up in less than two years. Antony Jones was replaced by former Perez drummer Mike Goddard (now Mike Jones, naturally), whose brief stint ended at the beginning of 2007. Isaac Jones, who earned his stripes with the fleeting but acclaimed Jozi band Airship Orange, is the latest substitution. Isaac, 24, describes his fellow Joneses as “no bullshit, simple, organised people”. He says he was stunned when he discovered that “Kicks”, Love Jones’ first hit single, belonged to a local band. “When first heard the band on radio I though this is definitely an international band…I was very impressed.” Needless to say, Isaac needed little convincing. The most significant change to the line-up has been the departure of co-founder Peter Jones, who left in November 2006. He made way for Jason Jones, 26, whose inclusion Esjay insists has been one of the highlights of the band’s short career. “Every time we needed to make a change your heart stops and you think ‘That’s it’, but every time it’s been better,” says Esjay. Bassist Steve, who behind Esjay is the longest serving Jones, nods vigorously at this observation.

Here’s something you’ve heard seventeen thousand times: This band has its own sound. But nothing comes from nothing, and Love Jones’ first album is not without roots. Growing up, Esjay was subjected to “really Christian, happy-clappy stuff, like Cliff Richard and Michael W Smith” but when she was on her own she preferred the classic rock of the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and the The Foo Fighters. “But I also love Britney Spears – pop, commercial radio stuff. The last album I bought was Roxette’s greatest hits. We’ve been busting that in the car lately.” Bass guitarist Steve was raised on a diet of Kool and the Gang, Yellow Jacket, George Benson and Billy Cassidy, which perhaps rebelliously steered him towards the off-beat indie of Gomez, The Shins and Islands.

Early on, Love Jones were described as a band that “combined the power of the Foo Fighters with the pop sensibility of Britney Spears”. This was apparently too complicated for most local reviewers and Esjay was furious to read reviews complaining that the music was nothing like Britney’s. “It wasn’t like we said ‘I sound exactly like Dave Grohl and look exactly like Britney Spears’”, says Esjay. South African reviewers have kept trying. SA Music tabloid did a better job than most: “The sound of celebrity, scandal, glamour and sophistication…Esjay’s voice burns leftfield rock hardness into their ingeniously arranged, super stadium-rock ballads.” But sooner or later you will have more than enough opportunities to decide for yourself; Love Jones have almost as many potential hit singles on their album as they do tracks. To discover what makes Love Jones different, it helps to ask the band members themselves. So, what makes Love Lones love Love Jones?

Steve: I’m not sure really. There’s a chemistry between us. It just works.
Esjay: We’re likeable. And quirky.
Isaac: We’re international standard.

Love Jones is so hot right now, and soon they will be inescapable. But they’re also just getting warmed up. They have an empire to build, remember.

Allegra Barley: is Vocals and Rhythm Guitar plus Words

2010-02-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

Allegra has a voice...and she's not afraid to use it. She currently spends her days writing new material to add to her 50 plus originals, giving vocal instruction, broadening her guitar and vocal skills by adding new material to her cover song rep and in the meantime changing and altering the way the songs are done; she makes each and every song not-just-another-cover. And when the sun goes down, Allegra gets up, grabs her guitar, hops in her '72 Scout and takes off to any number of gigs that she plays nightly all around San Diego and Los Angeles: Cowboy bar downtown? Done. Wine Bar in Hillcrest? Yes. Posh grill in La Jolla? Certainly. Irish pub in the Gaslamp? You bet. Beach bar on the drag in Pacific Beach? She's there belting out her tunes with her twelve string ovation strapped to her chest, flip flops on her feet, business cards in hand and cd's for sale.

Allegra's vocals are almost impossible to liken to any one performer. Imagine Etta James meets Ella Fitzgerald meets Alanis meets Janice Joplin. And with a touch of country storytelling in her lyrics, sprinkled with some silly, outgoing, personable humor in between tunes, all you need is the cherry on top! An instant bond with her audiences is inevitable and her amazing rhythms never fail to get them dancing. Venue patrons and owners alike love Allegra not only because of her top-notch musicianship, professionalism and quality but also because of the passion and energy that she consistently brings to the stage.

CHAKA KHAN - AIN'T NOBODY!!

2010-01-08T09:32:00.000-08:00

Yvette Marie Stevens became Chaka Khan at the age of 13 after joining an African music group called the Shades of Black. She officially became Chaka Adunne Aduffe Yemoja Hodarhi Karifi after a naming ceremony by a Yoruba priest. When I listened to her powerful voice while growing up in the mean streets of Detroit, I always wondered where her wild name came from! I'm a long way from home now, but every time I hear this song, it takes me all the way back to my roots.
During the brief reunion with her group, Rufus, one of the pre-eminent funk groups of their decade, they recorded the album "Rufus and Chaka Khan Live! Stompin' at the Savoy" which included the top ten hit "Ain't Nobody...the song I am dedicating to the Readers today. For her thirty-plus years in the spotlight, Chaka Khan has virtually defined the term "Soul Diva," through a string of memorable, soulful performances and a singularly strong personality both as a member of Rufus and as a solo artist.

Vokab Kompany Indie / Hip Hop / Electronica

2009-12-10T08:09:00.000-08:00

"Electronic angst for post-millennium punks." -San Diego Reader

"A sound whose genre goes something like; hip-hop, soul, elector, funk. You have two Emcees who charge sped-up lyrical flows; made to sound effortless. Rob & Burkey have realized an impressive and seamless synergy with their voices and their lyrics are playfully vivacious and positive. Set those lyrics atop the 5 piece band, layered with creative electro beats and it makes for a very fun and a dance-worthy music experience." Sam Dorman, NBC San Diego

Their Latest album "The New Kong" is in its final stages of production and will feature cameos from national and international acts such as Lateef the Truth Speaker (Mighty Underdogs, Latyrx, Blackalicious), J-Boogie (dubtronic science), RadioActive (Spearhead), The Mutaytor, Mc Souleye and BLVD, Freddy Machete (uber beat smith featured w/ Mac Dre, Andre Nikatina), Solovox...and MAS MAS MORE. "... On this bright San Francisco night it was the opening act Vokab Kompany that really blew us away...they kept the crowd going more than any opening act I have seen in a long while. Del was good but had I not known the tracks he was playing it might have gotten a bit stagnant. Vokab Kompany's record should be dropping soon, and there are some surprises, so stay tuned." Matt Halverson, PerfSpot.com

Southern-cali feel good song "That Day" -as featured on San Diego radio 91.X (91.1), SD, FM 94.9, and 102.1 KPRI, KVMR Nv City and just about every bar and club in the 92109. VK's debut album, Liquid Language, was released April 2007, and featured hip-hop legends Killer Priest (Wu Tang Clan), Main Flow (Mood) and many up and coming vocalists storming the west coast music scene (including Al Howard, Deploi, Kelley Mak, 3ntra-P and eventaully led Robbie to the collabs with Burkey).Burkey's other noteworthy accomplishments include being on the ballot for a Grammy in 2007 with band Native Root, an appearance on MTV Thailand with band Golden Triangle and Bakery Music, and as an opening performer for poet and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maya Angelou. "Gallo, whose stage name is Rob Hurt, has teamed up with Matt “Burkey”, the singer from the former Reno funk-jam band Native Root, to create a unique sound...backed by a five-piece band called Tonight’s Special Guests...Vokab Kompany has been selling out its shows consistently and moving up to some of the largest venues in their traveled cities." -Tim Parsons Tahoe Daily Tribune

The Cathryn Beeks Ordeal New CD Mood Swing

2009-12-01T08:38:00.000-08:00

The Cathryn Beeks Ordeal is groove laden folk rock that takes you on a musical road trip. Combining a little bit of every genre, the music's catchy hooks and heavy harmonies stay with you long after the party is over. The group consists of Cathryn Beeks and long time writing partner, Matt Silvia on guitar/vox, plus The Reverend Stickman, Marcia Claire and Rob Garbowski.We began recording Mood Swing in late January, 2008 at Berkley Sound, Jeff Berkley producing. Matt and I laid down rough versions of around 20 "Game" songs I'd written over the past 3 years and we decided on 12 of those plus a Paul Simon cover and a few others. Since The Ordeal had never heard most of the songs, we hired studio guys to expedite the process. I was pretty excited to work with Brian "Nucci" Cantrell and Rick Nash, they helped bring these songs to life. I was also blessed to have guests such as Dennis Caplinger, John McBride, Wes Wilkes, Ben Moore, Earl Schreyer, The Grass Gypsys, Barbara Nesbitt, Steph Johnson, Lisa Sanders and Karen "Brown Sugar" Hayes, Matt Hannifin, Becky Fleming, Bill Coomes and of course Matt Silvia, Jeff Berkley, The Reverend Stickman, Marcia Claire and Rob Garbo.Our generous sponsors and good friends who made it all happen: Kevin Moran, Miff Laracy, The Pollards, Kelley Martin, Jeannine Botting, Terry Collis, Jimmy Lunsford, Folding Mr. Lincoln, Dave Easton, Jeff Bertino, Dennis Driscoll, Brandy Toressi, Rex Castor, David Sims (TURK), Martha Sullivan, Ben McGrath and Sue Skala, Becky Veen, The Beeks, Irisa Barry and especially Adam Paul. Get the new CD Click Here

Caburlesque Kittens

2009-11-30T11:51:00.000-08:00

Tantalizing…Titillating…Talented! The Caburlesque Kittens have been mesmerizing audiences with their live and interactive cabaret dance show in venues all over San Diego County since June of 2008. Filled with sex appeal, talent, drive and class, these ladies are the real deal! Their show is loaded with retro sex appeal. It’s pure entertainment for the ladies and a good old-fashioned teasing for the men. By combining classic Cabaret with elements of Burlesque, these sexy kittens please and impress every crowd…every show! A Caburlesque Kittens show is very wink-and-nod, and there tends to be a humorous and theatrical flair to the routines. You won’t see them in g-strings and nipple tassels…but you won’t miss them either. Their beautiful costumes…often based in classy lingerie…are sexy. Their intricately choreographed and skillfully executed dance moves…are sexy. The amazing array of talent on display…dancing, comedy and amazing singing…is very sexy. Their unique take on all of the above…is very classy. Spend an evening with these eight sexy, classy, talented ladies and you’ll never forget it! Past performances include: NTC Promenade, Liberty Station The House of Blues Ruby Room Winston's Beauty Bar Cajon Classic Cruise Women's Expo, Orange County Garfield Theater at JCC La Jolla Mother Goose Parade Ocean Beach Christmas Parade The Kensington Club Brick By Brick Portugalia And many more... Upcoming Shows: Get Schooled with The Caburlesque Kittens at Brick By Brick September 12th! 8:30doors 9:00pm show Tickets are $10 pre-sale and $15 at the door For booking, please contact Director Chrissy Burns (aka Ophelia Kitty) at 619-818-5704 | StarshineEvents@cox.net The Caburlesque Kittens "Classic Cabaret meets Burlesque. Now THAT's sexy!"

Roundabout Tribute to the band Yes

2009-11-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

Here is your chance to see the Tribute band Roundabout that is the nations premiere tribute to The original band Yes are an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 and generally regarded as one of the archetypal bands of the genre. Despite a great many lineup changes, occasional splits within the group and the ever-changing trends in popular music, the band has continued on for over forty years and still retains a large following.^[1]
The band's music blends symphonic and other 'classical' structures with their own brand of rock music, which is marked by sharp dynamic contrasts, extended song lengths, abstract lyrics, and a general showcasing of instrumental prowess. Although the band's sole consistent member has been bass player Chris Squire (noted for his highly melodic and discursive playing as well as his early use of electronic effects), Yes is also generally noted for the distinctive high-register vocals of lead singer Jon Anderson and the eclectic musical stylings of a succession of guitarists (Peter Banks, Steve Howe, Trevor Rabin, Billy Sherwood), keyboard players (Tony Kaye, Rick Wakeman, Patrick Moraz, Geoff Downes, Igor Khoroshev) and drummers (Bill Bruford and Alan White). Several band members became celebrated musicians and/or bandleaders in their own right, and a 1980 lineup of the band was briefly fronted by future production star Trevor Horn.
Long-term band members Squire, Howe and White have most recently been touring (on the In The Present Tour of late 2008 and early 2009) with a Yes lineup featuring vocalist Benoît David and keyboardist Oliver Wakeman. So don't miss you chance to see Roundabout November 28th 8pm Ramona Mainstage to get you tickets .

Runhoney Rocks

2009-11-26T16:29:00.001-08:00

Maria Naccari-Beahan Runhoney is a San Diego based alternative/rock band. Lead vocals/guitar- Sarah Harmel, Drums- Emily O'Bannon, Bass guitar-Maria Naccari-Beahan. sarah and emily became friends first, then sarah soon found out emily could play the f*ck out of the drums..... and its been on ever since... THE HUNT FOR THE PERFECT BASS PLAYER THEN BEGAN. AFTER SUFFERING THROUGH SOME UNSAVORY BASSISTS, THE GIRLS BEGAN TO BECOME CONCERNED THAT THEY WOULD NEVER FIND THAT PERFECT ADDITION TO THEIR SOUND. ENTER MARIA. USING HER SUPERPOWERS, SHE INSTINCTUALLY KNEW THAT THE GIRLS WERE IN TROUBLE. SHE TRACKED THEM DOWN AND SAVED THEM FROM CERTAIN DOOM. FORMERLY A NUN, THIS BASS KILLAH WAS THE ANSWER TO THEIR PRAYERS. WITHIN ONE MONTH OF PLAYING TOGETHER, THESE THREE (NOW OFFICIALLY RUNHONEY) RECORDED THEIR EP AND BEGAN TOURING THE SOUTHWEST GAINING MOMENTUM AND BUILDING THEIR FAN BASE. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OF PLAYING TOGETHER AT BIGGER AND BETTER VENUES, AND TIGHTENING THEIR SOUND, THE GIRLS STARTED TO FEEL LIKE SOMETHING (OR SOMEONE) WAS MISSING. WANTING TO ADD ANOTHER GUITAR PLAYER, THEY WERE UNSURE AOBUT *AGAIN* FINDING THE PERFECT PERSON TO COMPLETE THEIR SOUND. ENTER MEGAN JANE.... MEGAN (THE SHAPE-SHIFTER) FIRST APPEARED TO THEM AS A PHENOMENAL DRUMMER, PLAYING SHOWS WITH THE TOP NOTCH TALENT IN SAN DIEGO AND LA. LITTLE DID THEY KNOW THIS RED HEADED, CURLY HAIRED CHAMELEON WAS ALSO A CRAZY-ROCKIN'-TASTY GUITARIST! SARAH, EMILY AND MARIA ASKED MEGAN TO PLAY ON THEIR TRACKS IN THE STUDIO AND THEN ASKED HER TO PLAY WITH THEM ON STAGE AT SEVERAL SHOWS. THEY WERE HOOKED! THAT'S WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR... RUNHONEY WAS COMPLETE. NOW, RUNHONEY IS UNSTOPPABLE WITH POWERFUL VOCALS, ADDICTIVE SONG WRITING AND A SICK ASS RHYTHM SECTION. RUNHONEY IS CURRENTLY IN THE STUDIO WITH PRODUCER, ALICIA CHAMPION, FINISHING THEIR 1ST FULL LENGTH CD. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THEIR CD, RUNHONEY WILL CONTINUE TOURING THE WEST COAST WITH NATIONAL DATES TO FOLLOW.

"WHAT ROCK BAND DELIVERS LOOKS? ...TALENT? ...AND BRAINS? I SAY: RUNHONEY!! THIS BAND HAS THE POTENTIAL, THE FOCUS AND THE DRIVE TO DO MANY SPECIAL THINGS! IF YOU TRULY LISTEN, YOU'LL SEE EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN. DO NOT TAKE THIS BAND FOR GRANTED.............. THEY'RE FAR MORE THAN WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING!"
Dave Wilson - Producer/Host of "The Dirty Dave Show" -KCLA FM

"I HAVEN'T SEEN A [@?$%&] BAND LIKE THIS IN 16 YEARS."
Al Bowman - Producer/Founder of the Los Angeles Music Awards

The Hotel Cafe Los Angeles

2009-11-26T09:44:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles has birthed and bred a wide variety of music scenes, but they tend to burn bright and fade quickly. To name just two examples, the leopard-print glitz of '80s hair metal (in which a good riff was only slightly more important than a good dye job) and the reckless energy of the city's early new wave seemed designed from the start to live fast, die young, and leave good-looking back catalogs.
The local singer-songwriter tradition, however, has endured despite the passing of years and turning of trends. We've hosted acoustic soul-barers from Neil Young to Pete Yorn, and, when the genre was enjoying its heyday in the late 1960s and '70s, artists such as Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, and Crosby, Stills and Nash spread the Laurel Canyon love worldwide. "There was a moment here in the '70s where you couldn't be a singer-songwriter without having a major label ready to sign you," says local musician Gary Jules, who has been playing in L.A. for years. "It was an amazing time."
Such a time just may be coming around again, thanks in part to Jules himself, with a little help from the owners of the Hotel Café, a small Hollywood coffeehouse turned singer-songwriter haven. It's too soon to peg this intimate space – located in the heart of the Cahuenga strip between Hollywood Boulevard and Selma Avenue – as the next Troubadour or Whisky a Go-Go. But the club's name comes up a lot these days, usually attached to enthusiastic raves about such gifted songsmiths as Jules. Further bolstering the buzz, the Café has been attracting quality acts from out of town. Indeed, over the last two years, the small venue has hosted a steady stream of established and upcoming artists, and this loosely organized family of musicians has come to call the Café home.
"It's happened slowly," says Hotel Café co-owner Marco Shafer of the scene's build-up. "We didn't try to force it, so hopefully it will stay around that much longer."
"I like everything about the Hotel Café," says Trevor Lissauer, who currently has a monthly residency there. "I like how it looks, kind of like an old jazz club, and I like the fact that people actually come to listen. It's like a theater that way; the focus is on who's up on the stage."
In this way, the Hotel Café recalls Largo, the Fairfax Avenue nightclub that for several years has been one of the city's more notable venues for singer-songwriter performances. Like Largo, the Café also offers silence, shelter, and sanctity to acoustic artists ill-suited for noisy rock clubs. Yet Largo is decidedly upscale, with a larger room, a full bar, and an extensive dinner menu, while the Hotel Cafe remains true to its cozy coffeehouse roots. Although the club was recently granted a liquor license and now sells cold beer, caffeine remains the drug of choice. In general, the feel is low-key and comfortable, with a young, casual crowd of not only music fans but musicians as well.
"The whole idea was to have a place that would run itself, which we're laughing at [now]," says Shafer, who bought the space nearly three years ago with friend and business partner Maximillian Mamikunian. The pair hoped to create a comfortable late-night hangout. "We didn't have any intention of becoming a venue," Shafer adds. "We did some jazz stuff, but it was very sporadic."
Still, Mamikunian recalls, "Everything was trucking along and doing fine." Indeed, the Café was enjoying a brisk business, serving a regular clientele of insomniacs and caffeine addicts, when the events of September 11, ¯ 2001, threw off its momentum. "It destroyed us," Mamikunian says. "Everyone went back to their old haunts, to where they were more comfortable. We were dead in the water, and that's when, literally, Gary came riding by."
At the time, Jules had just completed school, a new album, and a successful residency at Largo. "I was looking for a place to play and do another residency," he says. "I had a lot of friends who were top-quality players. I felt like we just had to find the right place and make it happen." When he rode by the Café and saw the piano through the window, he says, "I came in and kept bugging them to let me play."
The result was a Tuesday-night residency, with Jules's band playing alongside acts such as moody roots band Minibar and the Jukebox Junkies. Eventually, the singer-songwriter began booking the club as well, and the response to his lineups was overwhelming. Shafer and Mamikunian had unwittingly provided the perfect atmosphere for the kind of music Jules and his friends were making – a quiet, intimate spot where people came to meet and drink, but mostly to listen.
"When I first walked in," recalls Ethan Gold, a singer-songwriter and co-founder of a songwriters collective known as the Expatriates, "I felt like I had found the Holy Grail of acoustic-music venues."
Almost all the musicians who have played the Hotel Café seem to concur with Gold's assessment. In a remarkably short amount of time, the place has become not only a successful live venue but also a kind of all-purpose clubhouse for this burgeoning community of L.A. songwriters.
"Most of the people who come here know each other," says Shafer, "because most of the people who play here, hang out here, too."
The Café gave these artists a chance to manufacture community, Jules notes. "L.A., especially Hollywood, is such a transient area," he says. "You need to create a space where it's like, ‘Hey, this is your place,' where people feel like they belong. The musicians who play here support one another. Instead of competition, you get encouragement, which is what you need to really build a scene."
Jim Bianco is another local musician who both performs at and patronizes the Café. "Go there on any given night," he says, "and there's really good music playing, Marco and Max are working, and half the crowd is musicians. I think everyone who plays there really enjoys coming to hear the other musicians, to see what everyone else is up to, what they're working on. There's definitely a community there, which isn't exactly something L.A. is known for. If you play there, you know you're in good company."
This good company includes not only Angelenos, but visiting singer-songwriters from around the country. The club receives 15 to 20 demos a week from as far away as Canada, Michigan, and New York. "And that's with a post on our Web site saying we can't take any demos right now!" says Mamikunian with a laugh.
"It's overwhelming," notes Shafer, who now books the club. "Right now we already have about 100 artists who are regulars, who do really well." Among these are quite a few established artists, including such up-and-coming musicians as Pete Yorn and Patrick Park.
"It's just a really good feeling in there," says Park. "For singer-songwriters, having to play at rock clubs is kind of a crapshoot, but the Hotel Café provides the kind of space you want."
What really sets the Hotel Café apart, Biano says, "is that it's owned by real music-loving people. And that's an understatement – these guys dig music more than musicians do. That's why it's got such a great reputation."
It's a reputation that only gets better with time, but Mamikunian isn't bragging. "We are what we are," he says. "We don't try to be anything. We just let the space do its own thing."
As Jules points out, "All a club is, is a room with music in it. The magical part is defined by the people that come there – by the things that happen there – and all the magic stuff that gets left behind. That's what people will talk about years later, and that's what makes a place really endure."
Plus the Tour http://www.thehotelcafetour.com

Prohibition Live's in the Gaslamp San Diego

2009-11-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

Prohibition is a new, hidden gem from the owner of Nicky Rottens and Sloppy Joey's. That will give you a hint as to where it is in the Gaslamp Quarter--but it won't help when they ask you for the password to gain access.
Prohibition brings a Roaring '20s-era speakeasy to San Diego, with live jazz performances by local musicians, and great cocktail specials. It's my ultimate spot for getting out of the crowded, sweaty, noisy clubs full of drunk guys smacking a girl's rear end to the beat of the music.
Recently, Prohibition has locked down access, to keep the shorts-and-flip-flop crowd out. I've had them close the door behind me and not let tailgaters in at all.

I want it intimate, sophisticated-yet-friendly, with live music that can be enjoyed, reasonably-priced and refreshing cocktails (they seem to rotate their menu every month or so) and light crowds. Every time I've been, that's what I get.
FYI: Prohibition is open Thursday-Saturday, from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. The password changes daily. Folks can visit their Web site (ProhibitionSD.com)

Kenny Eng

2009-11-05T08:02:00.000-08:00

Kenny will always be the first to admit that he spends too much time in his own head. It may sound harmless enough, but a few listens to his music will quickly reveal how conflicted his head is and how fascinating a place it must be.

In 2007, Kenny took a serious leap of faith and moved to from his hometown of Alameda, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area to San Diego, CA. Without any prospects or connections, Kenny was left to establish himself based on his abilities as a musician and songwriter. And he has done just that. His soothing voice coupled with his already formidable (and constantly improving) guitar playing and intelligent songwriting have won the respect of audiences, critics and other musicians throughout the West Coast.

In June 2008, Kenny released his debut EP "Self Centered" which he considers to be an sarcastic ode to himself. Unfortunately, you will not find any songs about false bravado, delusions of grandeur or love songs on the album. Much like his head, the album is filled with songs that espouse his internal conflict framed as life experiences. It's this kind of introspection that drives his songwriting but sometimes, as those close to him would say, he just needs to "get out of his head".

According to Kenny, the biggest challenge is reconciling his ideals with his dreams. He'll say it's about balance and honesty. On one hand, he knows that he has something special to offer and wants to share his unique talents with everyone he can. On the other hand, he remains humble and respectful to the fact that not everyone will enjoy or even understand his music and that success with these constantly conflicting ideas may or may not be possible. But "success" has never motivated his music. In fact, Kenny would tell you that he'd rather have little to no success as long as his music stayed honest to himself.

If nothing else, Kenny wants you to think about his music critically. And if you feel like supporting art, he hopes that you'll support his.

DJ Ana Sia Music

2009-11-03T08:59:00.000-08:00

Ana Sia’s love of electronic music combined with an innate understanding of the value of dance to the human soul collectively fuse to create unforgettable sets of experience, whether she is slamming spots in her hometown of San Francisco or taking her turn in the forests of music festivals around the country.

Ana’s energetic delivery of brain-fazing beats has earned the Princess Slay-ah an important spot in pioneering the West Coast future sound movement. She will take you on a musical expedition into the deepest reaches of your brain, as she masterfully blends a wide spectrum of rhythms with a beautiful fluidity and a delicate sensibility, giving the dance floor a delightful ride that ends at the corner of bliss and oblivion.

Uniting the best elements of dirty dubstep, grimy glitch, and her personalized blend of “global slut psy-hop,” Ana Sia’s sets confirm crunk status of all who dare enter into her seamless world of sound.

Wendy Darling

2009-11-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

Wendy Darling is a young San Francisco-based indie outfit fronted by female vocalist and occasional mutli-instrumentalist, Cori Rush, a raw, stunning, 6’ tall talent with pipes to back up the look. Rush’s unique vocal stylings have been compared to the likes of Karen O, Kim Deal, Natalie Merchant, and Jenny Lewis just to name a few.
Formed in San Diego, this energetic band was originally visualized as an acoustic singer-songwriter duo of Rush and Nate Heller (guitar, vocals). They had an instant musical chemistry, and as they developed their sound, they realized the music deserved fuller arrangements. Cue high school buddies Jon Freeman (bass, synth) and Hector Verdugo (drums, piano), who’ve added playful melodies and that soulful indie sound.
Though 2008 was the break out year for Wendy Darling, playing to packed venues throughout California, inking a record deal with Surfrock International in Japan, and reaching the top 50 on the international charts after the release of its debut album, “Half-Told Bedtime Stories…”, they have been invited to play numerous summer festivals this year such as Rothbury, Wanderlust and the upcoming Monolith Festival at Red Rocks.
Wendy Darling has continued to fine-tune its style, incorporating more complex instrumentation (including banjo, glockenspiel, samplers, and accordion), but have focused on keeping Rush’s sultry, honey-dripped vocals the essence of the band. The resulting live shows are a blend of indie rock and folk, with touches of electronica and vintage psychedelic that delivers an exclusive style with catchy hooks. There is sincerity, innocence, and just the right amount of zest in the music that comes out of Wendy Darling. The band loves to share its music, and after listening to a track or two, you’ll most assuredly want to do the same.

U2 at Live from the Rose Bowl

2009-10-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

Great Night of U2 (((( Live ))))Entertainment at the Rose Bowl and 97,000 of your closest friends all at one concert

'What time is it in your world and where are we going?' Bono asked after 'Get On Your Boots'. Tonight it's the same time on any clock, depended which country you were in as the U2 360°: show went out live on YouTube to millions of viewers on seven continents.
A record-breaking 97,000 fans watched the show live at the Rose Bowl and we've been getting messages from fans all over the world who were enjoying it live online : you were watching in China and New Zealand, in Iran and in North Korea, in Russia and Latin America, in Canada and right across Europe.
From Iceland ('Definitely the greatest economy class I have ever had...') to Peru ('amazing, incredible and exciting...') the whole world seems to have been at the show.
'It's like we are all there at the concert,' said Baadsilver on our Zoootpia live thread 'We ALL have our hands in the air and are singing... crazy tonight for U2.'

Or as one smart Tweet put it, 'This has to be the best U2 concert I have never been to.'
From Breathe to Moment of Surrender, felt like a moment of rock'n'roll history tonight. If you were watching somewhere in the world tonight, why don't you tell us what it was like in the comments box at the bottom of this page - and don't forget to include which COUNTRY YOU WERE WATCHING IT IN.

Nova's Music

2009-10-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Nova's Bio: If you ask someone that was born and raised in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada what their primary language was growing up, you might expect for them to say English, or even French. However, if you ask native Canadian Nova Page what her first language was, she will undoubtedly smile, and tell you that her first language was Music.

Nova was born to sing. At the tender age of two she was already singing solos at her church. By the time that she turned thirteen, Nova was writing and recording jingles for local and national marketing campaigns. After touring Canada and parts of the U.S. with a Variety show in her late teenage years, Nova soon landed in Southern California where she began a career in music.

After signing with an independent record label, Nova began gaining experience working with a diverse array of established producers from K-Lou (produced rapper E-40) to Femi Ojetunde (produced projects with Quincy Jones) just to name a few. However, after years of being told by industry types where, how, and what she should sing, she was so discouraged by the process that, at her lowest point, she vowed that she would never sing again. Shortly after she left for Las Vegas, Nevada and buried her talents in the desert sand. Fortunately, her faith and support system would help to pick her up, dust her off and keep her moving toward sharing the God-given gifts that make up who she is.

Nova soon left Las Vegas and moved to San Diego, California, where she reacquainted herself with the music industry and quickly became known locally as a powerful stage performer, highly demanded studio session singer, and dynamic songwriter. Working on projects ranging from writing and singing demos alongside renowned bass player and producer Josquin Des Pres, to authoring music construction kits for sample loop giant Big Fish Audio, Nova continued to develop her uniquely soulful vocal style. All the while she was waiting and praying for an avenue to share her own music story with the world.

Nova’s time came shortly after when she was introduced to an up and coming young producer named Brandon Steppe by another artist, King David of T.H.U.G. Gospel Records. The Two clicked creatively and began work on Novas first solo release titled, “On the Couch”.

“For me, ‘On the Couch’ is not just an album. It is the fruit of years of perseverance through tough experiences, hard work, and Godly timing. I am thankful that I have been given the opportunity to tell my story told the way that it was put in my heart to tell. I pray that the stories on this album, some mine, some inspired by others, will touch those that they were created to touch and leave a lasting impression. I invite you to sit down, relax, and listen.”

-Nova

Nico's Steak & Chop House

2009-10-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

Nico's Lounge is incredible with Live Music that makes every evening special and then later in the evening about 10pm a DJ and party broke out with Charger players all around and lots of beautiful people that made makes the night the best I have had and my friends have in a long time.

We loved the interior and patio design. Very quiet and relaxing with dimmed light. The waiters are very nice and polite always great service.

The food was delicious. I had chicken and my date had a filet but you should definitely try the filet rather than the chicken. It was so delicious, even better than Ruth Chris or any other steak places. You probably won't need additional sauce, the steak already has taste and the additional sauce will probably ruin it. The green beans were absolutely one of the best side dishes I've ever had. Mac&Cheese was good too - not too cheesy or heavy. The caesar salad was kind of spicy. We were too full to have a dessert but we would like to try Lava Cake or Cookies with Ice Cream next time. We'll definitely go back with friends and family. Highly recommended!

Children of Nova

2009-10-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

Children of Nova just played the Ramona Mainstage October 23rd with the band Circa Now, The Mainland and Void808 that was a incredatable show that should of had way more fans but the music was great . This was a (((( Live )))) Entertainment show

The 19th Annual San Diego Music Awards were held September 10th at Viejas “Concerts in the Park.” We had been nominated for a couple awards; Best Hard Rock Group along w/ Best Hard Rock Album…

We are THRILLED to say that we won the award for BEST HARD ROCK GROUP! Very, very exciting, and very cool. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting us and continues to spread the word about our music.