The Gaslamp Quarter lays down a carpet of AstroTurf for ShamRock bash
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 16, 2006
The saying goes: “Everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's Day.” Maybe, but not everybody's St. Patrick, a man credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century. March 17 marks the day of St. Patrick's death in 462. It's also the day Americans figured it would be a good day to drink lots of green beer. Go figure.
San Diego took it one step further, covering the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter with AstroTurf and throwing a party downtown and it's been going that way for the past decade.
This year ShamRock rolls out the green carpet for an expected 10,000 to 15,000 party-goers, with DJs and live music to help celebrate Irish heritage (even if you're not Irish) for just one day.
“From the start I actually came to the (Gaslamp Quarter Historical) Foundation with the idea of the block party, the AstroTurf on the street, the name, concept,” said Laurel McFarlane, president of McFarlane Promotions.
ShamRock has booked groups like Flogging Molly and the Young Dubliners to headline the event in years past. The creative booking and top-notch bands give the festival substance.
“We try and keep it Irish-based, but more on the rock side then the traditional side,” said McFarlane. “However, we know people do like the dancing so we always start the block party off with the traditional Irish dancing and then build momentum from that point on.”
McFarlane's one hope, of course, is that people have a good time.
“We just want (people) to be happy and have a great time running around on all that AstroTurf,” she said. “People seem to always just have a great time at this block party more then any other event and leave feeling as if they really had a great St. Patrick's Day.”
The Fenians (Irish rock), the Downs Family (punk) and Skelpin (Irish fiddle music) will head the cast of characters holding down the main stage this year.
Headed by fiddler Patric Petri, the quintet Skelpin combines traditional Irish tunes with Spanish flamenco overtones.
“I've been playing fiddle since I was roughly 4,” said Petrie, who comes by her musical tendencies honestly. “You know, my family has been part of traditional Irish music for at least the last 150 years.”
Petrie – along with Tim Foley (Uilleann pipes, whistle, bodhran, guitar, saxophone, vocals), David Maldonado (flamenco guitar, mandolin), Hector Maldonado (guitar, bass, vocals) and Rowshan Dowlatabadi (button accordion, darbuka, bodhran) – recently returned from a tour of Japan in support of the 2005 release “Rua/Roja.”
St. Patrick's Day has a deeper meaning for the fiddler with Irish roots.
“For some people, it's just an excuse for partying until you puke,” said Petrie. “For my family, it's a day of celebration. Slightly more than one hundred years ago, there were signs everywhere saying, 'No Irish Need Apply.' Through famine and persecution, we've persevered.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Tina Dico expands beyond world of Denmark, Zero 7
Singer Tina Dico, straight outta Denmark
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 16, 2006
Since growing up in Denmark, vocalist Tina Dico's world keeps expanding as more music fans worldwide gain exposure to her simple, sultry vocals.
The daughter of a nurse and carpenter raised in her country's second largest city Arhus, the 27-year-old soulful singer found an American and European audience over the past few years working with producers Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns in Zero 7.
But her track record reaches beyond the high-profile collaborations. Dico started her own record label (Finest Gramophone) in 2000, recording a couple of critically acclaimed discs in her homeland.
“Zero 7 was always a side project for me,” said Dico, currently on tour supporting her latest release “In the Red.” “I had already released two albums in my home country when I started working with them.”
While singing on Zero 7's 2003 disc “When It Falls,” and hitting the road on the subsequent tour, Dico learned some serious lessons hanging with the British downtempo group.
“Most important to me, it was amazing to get insight on the lives of artists signed to major labels,” recalled Dico. “How does it all work? What kinds of problems do they face and how much do they have to compromise? It was very inspiring for me, because they were really adamant about what they wanted to do. It was good for me to see that it is possible to not get lost in the big system and just be yourself.”
Despite a long list of influences and influential musical experiences, Dico has focused on remaining true to her roots in the singer-songwriter tradition: “I suppose my guitar is my natural element at the end of the day. That is the tradition I grew up with as well, listening to Dylan and (Leonard) Cohen.”
After signing to a major label in Denmark, Dico attended the Royal Danish Academy of Music but wasn't a good student. Instead of conforming to the school's idea of singing (“jazzy vibrato” as she describes it), the young musician instead moved to London with her guitar and a guitar case full of songs.
After recording and touring with Hardaker and Binns, Dico set off to record her first post-Zero 7 album. Along with Zero 7 collaborators Mozez, Sophie Barker and Sia Furler (coming to the Casbah April 1), the partnership of Binns and Hardaker provided a springboard to bring her own music to new and larger crowds. The resulting album, “In the Red,” showcases Dico's sweet and pure vocals, surrounded by subtle and bittersweet pop accented by electronic touches and lush production.
In contrast, Dico is traveling with just her guitar on this tour, which stops at the Casbah Sunday. Unlike her last stop in San Diego (at 4th & B with Zero 7), Dico will be center-stage.
“I suppose the nerve-racking part of being on your own is you have to hold everything together,” said Dico. “When there are 10 people onstage you can just drift away.”
While she's only 27, Dico's success hasn't come suddenly, so she's been able to stay focused and centered on the most important aspects of her career: singing, songwriting and performing.
“Fortunately, it has been a very healthy slow buildup in a way,” said Dico. “It's not something that's come out of the blue. It's slowly been getting busier and busier over the past three years, so it feels kind of natural now. Having said that, it is something that's really hard and you have to give yourself to it 100 percent.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 16, 2006
Since growing up in Denmark, vocalist Tina Dico's world keeps expanding as more music fans worldwide gain exposure to her simple, sultry vocals.
The daughter of a nurse and carpenter raised in her country's second largest city Arhus, the 27-year-old soulful singer found an American and European audience over the past few years working with producers Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns in Zero 7.
But her track record reaches beyond the high-profile collaborations. Dico started her own record label (Finest Gramophone) in 2000, recording a couple of critically acclaimed discs in her homeland.
“Zero 7 was always a side project for me,” said Dico, currently on tour supporting her latest release “In the Red.” “I had already released two albums in my home country when I started working with them.”
While singing on Zero 7's 2003 disc “When It Falls,” and hitting the road on the subsequent tour, Dico learned some serious lessons hanging with the British downtempo group.
“Most important to me, it was amazing to get insight on the lives of artists signed to major labels,” recalled Dico. “How does it all work? What kinds of problems do they face and how much do they have to compromise? It was very inspiring for me, because they were really adamant about what they wanted to do. It was good for me to see that it is possible to not get lost in the big system and just be yourself.”
Despite a long list of influences and influential musical experiences, Dico has focused on remaining true to her roots in the singer-songwriter tradition: “I suppose my guitar is my natural element at the end of the day. That is the tradition I grew up with as well, listening to Dylan and (Leonard) Cohen.”
After signing to a major label in Denmark, Dico attended the Royal Danish Academy of Music but wasn't a good student. Instead of conforming to the school's idea of singing (“jazzy vibrato” as she describes it), the young musician instead moved to London with her guitar and a guitar case full of songs.
After recording and touring with Hardaker and Binns, Dico set off to record her first post-Zero 7 album. Along with Zero 7 collaborators Mozez, Sophie Barker and Sia Furler (coming to the Casbah April 1), the partnership of Binns and Hardaker provided a springboard to bring her own music to new and larger crowds. The resulting album, “In the Red,” showcases Dico's sweet and pure vocals, surrounded by subtle and bittersweet pop accented by electronic touches and lush production.
In contrast, Dico is traveling with just her guitar on this tour, which stops at the Casbah Sunday. Unlike her last stop in San Diego (at 4th & B with Zero 7), Dico will be center-stage.
“I suppose the nerve-racking part of being on your own is you have to hold everything together,” said Dico. “When there are 10 people onstage you can just drift away.”
While she's only 27, Dico's success hasn't come suddenly, so she's been able to stay focused and centered on the most important aspects of her career: singing, songwriting and performing.
“Fortunately, it has been a very healthy slow buildup in a way,” said Dico. “It's not something that's come out of the blue. It's slowly been getting busier and busier over the past three years, so it feels kind of natural now. Having said that, it is something that's really hard and you have to give yourself to it 100 percent.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Add it up: Minus the Bear
Plus signs
'Minus the Bear' shows its prowess – on record, and on stage
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 9, 2006
Erin Tate – drummer for the Seattle band Minus the Bear – sounds like a man trying to deal with a surreal scene unfolding around him. His band is in the middle of a video shoot for “Pachuca Sunrise,” the second single from the band's second full-length album “Menos El Oso.” And the experience is getting a little bizarre.
“All of our dads are here to be a part of the video,” said Tate. “They're all shooting marbles right now like a bunch of kids. It's pretty hilarious. I'm not a huge fan of seeing myself on camera, so it's a little awkward and weird (shooting a video). There are 15 people running around to make sure you look good in your video, and they don't even know your name.”
A lot more people are starting to recognize Tate's name, or at least his band's. On the heels of the beautifully crafted “Menos El Oso,” there's a buzz around Minus the Bear. And rightly so.
By recording most of the album at lead singer Jake Snider's home, Minus the Bear freed itself to experiment with sound and get just the record it was looking for: “We'd spend seven hours on a guitar tone to make sure it was the exact tone that we wanted.”
Tate and bandmates Cory Murchy (bass), Dave Knudson (guitar) and Snider (vocals, guitar) create layers of textured sounds without losing their rock punch. Balancing deft musicianship and sweet pop hooks, “Menos El Oso” ranks among last year's best rock albums. The band's Web site describes Minus the Bear's music as “poppy, driving, techy, indie rock,” summing it up nicely.
“El Torrente” – one of the standout tracks on the new album – stands as a moment of calm in the middle of a stormy record. Over a placid downtempo background, Snider tells the story of a seasoned detective troubled by a homicide crime scene. He's upset because the girl involved is the same age as his own daughter. The detective hopes he can shield his daughter from the evil things he's seen: Please let my girl go without knowing what I know / Don't let her read this day on my face when I come home.
“Jake has a way of telling a story with his lyrics,” said Tate. “He's an English major, so he tends to write lyrics with stories about fictional characters. 'El Torrente' is definitely a fictional story.”
“That song is obviously very different from a lot of the other songs on the record,” said Tate. “It's one of my favorites. It's funny: When the record came out, all we heard from everyone as far as fans was how they hated that song. They really ragged on it. We were just trying to do something different. It's a story about a detective, so people were like: 'What is this, CSI Seattle or something?' A lot of our friends think it's the best song on the record.”
Minus the Bear sold out its last show at the Casbah a few months back. As most local music fans know, sell out the Casbah and you're on your way to more listeners and bigger paydays. Despite the groundswell of interest in the band, Tate doesn't expect a rock star lifestyle.
“We don't even think about reaching a bigger audience: We just play,” he said. “Bigger audiences generate more revenue, which leads to an easier quality of life. So it's the kind of thing you want – in theory. But we're not dying to achieve stardom.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
'Minus the Bear' shows its prowess – on record, and on stage
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 9, 2006
Erin Tate – drummer for the Seattle band Minus the Bear – sounds like a man trying to deal with a surreal scene unfolding around him. His band is in the middle of a video shoot for “Pachuca Sunrise,” the second single from the band's second full-length album “Menos El Oso.” And the experience is getting a little bizarre.
“All of our dads are here to be a part of the video,” said Tate. “They're all shooting marbles right now like a bunch of kids. It's pretty hilarious. I'm not a huge fan of seeing myself on camera, so it's a little awkward and weird (shooting a video). There are 15 people running around to make sure you look good in your video, and they don't even know your name.”
A lot more people are starting to recognize Tate's name, or at least his band's. On the heels of the beautifully crafted “Menos El Oso,” there's a buzz around Minus the Bear. And rightly so.
By recording most of the album at lead singer Jake Snider's home, Minus the Bear freed itself to experiment with sound and get just the record it was looking for: “We'd spend seven hours on a guitar tone to make sure it was the exact tone that we wanted.”
Tate and bandmates Cory Murchy (bass), Dave Knudson (guitar) and Snider (vocals, guitar) create layers of textured sounds without losing their rock punch. Balancing deft musicianship and sweet pop hooks, “Menos El Oso” ranks among last year's best rock albums. The band's Web site describes Minus the Bear's music as “poppy, driving, techy, indie rock,” summing it up nicely.
“El Torrente” – one of the standout tracks on the new album – stands as a moment of calm in the middle of a stormy record. Over a placid downtempo background, Snider tells the story of a seasoned detective troubled by a homicide crime scene. He's upset because the girl involved is the same age as his own daughter. The detective hopes he can shield his daughter from the evil things he's seen: Please let my girl go without knowing what I know / Don't let her read this day on my face when I come home.
“Jake has a way of telling a story with his lyrics,” said Tate. “He's an English major, so he tends to write lyrics with stories about fictional characters. 'El Torrente' is definitely a fictional story.”
“That song is obviously very different from a lot of the other songs on the record,” said Tate. “It's one of my favorites. It's funny: When the record came out, all we heard from everyone as far as fans was how they hated that song. They really ragged on it. We were just trying to do something different. It's a story about a detective, so people were like: 'What is this, CSI Seattle or something?' A lot of our friends think it's the best song on the record.”
Minus the Bear sold out its last show at the Casbah a few months back. As most local music fans know, sell out the Casbah and you're on your way to more listeners and bigger paydays. Despite the groundswell of interest in the band, Tate doesn't expect a rock star lifestyle.
“We don't even think about reaching a bigger audience: We just play,” he said. “Bigger audiences generate more revenue, which leads to an easier quality of life. So it's the kind of thing you want – in theory. But we're not dying to achieve stardom.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Low emerges from northern Minnesota with sharp new album
Road trips a high point in the Low life
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 2, 2006
After a few weeks on the road, indie rock trio Low is heading home to the frosty confines of Duluth, Minn. Guitarist Alan Sparhawk – along with his wife, Mimi Parker (drums), and Zak Sally (bass) – talk about the family road trip that is a Low tour.
“Our eldest is almost 6, and she's been coming with us since she was 6 or 8 months old,” said Sparhawk, who brings his two children on the road with him everywhere the band travels. “We have a nanny. We're real lucky that we can get out and do this without losing our shirts. We're a family and we just try and do everything we can together.”
Despite the hardships, Sparhawk feels touring as a family is important to his band's existence.
“We generally enjoy being on tour,” said the singer-guitarist. “We feel like it's important for us and integral to who we are. We toured a lot when we started out, and it was the best way for us to progress and reach bigger audiences.”
The band is currently touring behind “The Great Destroyer,” one of the better releases to emerge from 2005. On the group's first album for SubPop records (its eighth overall), the threesome paired with Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann. The result finds Low exploring a more aggressive sound compared with the hushed mesmerizing music that gained the band notoriety.
Much like Low's touring mentality, “The Great Destroyer” emerged from Sparhawk and Parker's family first mentality.
“We actually tracked a lot of the album at home,” said Sparhawk. “We have a reel-to-reel eight-track machine we use. From early on, we've always had some form of recording device at home. At the same time, I really like working with people who really know how to use that stuff. It makes a big difference.”
Part of Low's charm comes from the vocal pairing of Parker and Saparhawk, whose harmonies add emotional depth to the band's stripped-down rock sound. The pair's seeds were sown in a small community outside the northern Minnesota outpost of Fargo.
“I've actually known Mim since we were in fourth grade,” said Sparhawk. “We grew up in a smaller community. It was just a small class, so basically you're with the same kids through grade school, junior high and high school. We started dating when we were 16.”
Like any spouse, Sparhawk can't help but spill a story about Mimi's singing resumé before Low.
“Mimi had been singing a lot,” said Sparhawk with a chuckle. “She and her sisters used to sing a lot. Her mother would take out the accordion, dress them in matching outfits and make them entertain friends.”
After high school, the duo moved to Duluth to attend college. Parker stayed in school while Sparhawk began to tour with bands and cut his teeth in the music business: “We'd sit around and sing songs, but we didn't really go for it as far as working together until after we were married.”
Low made noise on the indie circuit with its combination of angelic vocals intertwining with low-fi song structures. Despite the comparably supercharged intensity of “The Great Destroyer,” the band still finds its artistic ground zero in its vocal harmonies.
“I wasn't even singing or writing songs until we started Low, so Mim was always the harmony,” said Sparhawk, who like a good spouse knows when to give credit to his wife. “I would say Mim is really the key when it comes to the vocals. I've always struggled with singing. Over the years, I've learned a little bit more and gotten a little bit better. She's a big factor in how our vocals work together.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 2, 2006
After a few weeks on the road, indie rock trio Low is heading home to the frosty confines of Duluth, Minn. Guitarist Alan Sparhawk – along with his wife, Mimi Parker (drums), and Zak Sally (bass) – talk about the family road trip that is a Low tour.
“Our eldest is almost 6, and she's been coming with us since she was 6 or 8 months old,” said Sparhawk, who brings his two children on the road with him everywhere the band travels. “We have a nanny. We're real lucky that we can get out and do this without losing our shirts. We're a family and we just try and do everything we can together.”
Despite the hardships, Sparhawk feels touring as a family is important to his band's existence.
“We generally enjoy being on tour,” said the singer-guitarist. “We feel like it's important for us and integral to who we are. We toured a lot when we started out, and it was the best way for us to progress and reach bigger audiences.”
The band is currently touring behind “The Great Destroyer,” one of the better releases to emerge from 2005. On the group's first album for SubPop records (its eighth overall), the threesome paired with Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann. The result finds Low exploring a more aggressive sound compared with the hushed mesmerizing music that gained the band notoriety.
Much like Low's touring mentality, “The Great Destroyer” emerged from Sparhawk and Parker's family first mentality.
“We actually tracked a lot of the album at home,” said Sparhawk. “We have a reel-to-reel eight-track machine we use. From early on, we've always had some form of recording device at home. At the same time, I really like working with people who really know how to use that stuff. It makes a big difference.”
Part of Low's charm comes from the vocal pairing of Parker and Saparhawk, whose harmonies add emotional depth to the band's stripped-down rock sound. The pair's seeds were sown in a small community outside the northern Minnesota outpost of Fargo.
“I've actually known Mim since we were in fourth grade,” said Sparhawk. “We grew up in a smaller community. It was just a small class, so basically you're with the same kids through grade school, junior high and high school. We started dating when we were 16.”
Like any spouse, Sparhawk can't help but spill a story about Mimi's singing resumé before Low.
“Mimi had been singing a lot,” said Sparhawk with a chuckle. “She and her sisters used to sing a lot. Her mother would take out the accordion, dress them in matching outfits and make them entertain friends.”
After high school, the duo moved to Duluth to attend college. Parker stayed in school while Sparhawk began to tour with bands and cut his teeth in the music business: “We'd sit around and sing songs, but we didn't really go for it as far as working together until after we were married.”
Low made noise on the indie circuit with its combination of angelic vocals intertwining with low-fi song structures. Despite the comparably supercharged intensity of “The Great Destroyer,” the band still finds its artistic ground zero in its vocal harmonies.
“I wasn't even singing or writing songs until we started Low, so Mim was always the harmony,” said Sparhawk, who like a good spouse knows when to give credit to his wife. “I would say Mim is really the key when it comes to the vocals. I've always struggled with singing. Over the years, I've learned a little bit more and gotten a little bit better. She's a big factor in how our vocals work together.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Big fish in his own pond
Matt Pond et al. are gaining fans from media play as well as a new, joyful sound
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 2, 2006
'Is there a reason we're swerving so much?” barks Matt Pond at the undisclosed band member driving his van. “It's windy? Well, when it's windy we slow down.” Pond – along with Brian Pearl (guitar, piano), Dan Crowell (drums), Daniel Mitha (bass), Dana Feder (cello) and Steve Jewett (guitar) – are traveling from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati as the band Matt Pond PA.
“It was never my intention to be here in a van telling people to slow down on the way to a show,” jokes Pond, the hum of the van – probably moving slower at this point – in the background. “My intention was probably to be a history professor or something much quieter and calmer. I think I just wanted the brown tweed jacket and the pipe. I could have it, but it wouldn't work in the van. I think everyone would object to the pipe smoking.”
To give Pond credit, he'd just woken up from a midday nap to find a journalist from San Diego on his cell phone and his tour van skittering along a Midwestern back road.
As Pond and his band's music filters into the public consciousness, American audiences are starting to get a far more pleasant wake-up call. The group's 2005 album, “Several Arrows Later,” finds it stepping away from its uptight intellectual indie rock background, putting forth a more joyful set of tunes. Everything sounds more relaxed, resulting on a truly beautiful and accessible record.
As a testament to Matt Pond PA's ability to reach a mainstream audience, the quintet can add its name to the ever-expanding roster of excellent bands gracing the soundtrack of TV's “The O.C.”
Matt Pond the man hails from New Hampshire. Matt Pond PA the band started in Philadelphia in 1998. After numerous lineup changes, the group calls Brooklyn home after moving to New York in 2003. Asked about his band's name, Pond takes a second to reflect on his changing perspective on his music and his career.
“We have a strong Pennsylvanian following,” noted Pond, after playing Pittsburgh the night before. “I think they're just as confused as everybody else by our name. I used to like the name of our band because I think I enjoyed the confusion and the alienation it caused. But now, I think we're just going to stay with this name. So we're not going to be Matt Pond NY anytime soon.”
In Matt Pond PA's previous eight albums, the string arrangement stood front and center alongside Pond's clever songwriting. On “Several Arrows Later,” the work of cellist Eve Miller (Rachel's) and violinist Margaret White (Sparklehorse, Comas) integrates seamlessly with catchy pop hooks and sharp interplay between all five band members. Cellist Feder now tours with the band.
“We've always had cellists in the band so it sounds like we really concentrated on strings,” said Pond. “It's a really cool instrument to work with, it blends well. In a larger sense, we try to incorporate orchestration, not just strings but all kinds of instruments, especially on the last record.”
Matt Pond PA's ninth album displays a pleasing balance between Pond's sweet vocals, subtle strings, wistful pedal steel, upbeat drumming and delicate guitar lines. The balancing act found other band members stepping up to take charge: “For the last record, Brian and Dan put a lot into it in terms of arranging and putting their energy into it. They really treated it as their own, which it is.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
March 2, 2006
'Is there a reason we're swerving so much?” barks Matt Pond at the undisclosed band member driving his van. “It's windy? Well, when it's windy we slow down.” Pond – along with Brian Pearl (guitar, piano), Dan Crowell (drums), Daniel Mitha (bass), Dana Feder (cello) and Steve Jewett (guitar) – are traveling from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati as the band Matt Pond PA.
“It was never my intention to be here in a van telling people to slow down on the way to a show,” jokes Pond, the hum of the van – probably moving slower at this point – in the background. “My intention was probably to be a history professor or something much quieter and calmer. I think I just wanted the brown tweed jacket and the pipe. I could have it, but it wouldn't work in the van. I think everyone would object to the pipe smoking.”
To give Pond credit, he'd just woken up from a midday nap to find a journalist from San Diego on his cell phone and his tour van skittering along a Midwestern back road.
As Pond and his band's music filters into the public consciousness, American audiences are starting to get a far more pleasant wake-up call. The group's 2005 album, “Several Arrows Later,” finds it stepping away from its uptight intellectual indie rock background, putting forth a more joyful set of tunes. Everything sounds more relaxed, resulting on a truly beautiful and accessible record.
As a testament to Matt Pond PA's ability to reach a mainstream audience, the quintet can add its name to the ever-expanding roster of excellent bands gracing the soundtrack of TV's “The O.C.”
Matt Pond the man hails from New Hampshire. Matt Pond PA the band started in Philadelphia in 1998. After numerous lineup changes, the group calls Brooklyn home after moving to New York in 2003. Asked about his band's name, Pond takes a second to reflect on his changing perspective on his music and his career.
“We have a strong Pennsylvanian following,” noted Pond, after playing Pittsburgh the night before. “I think they're just as confused as everybody else by our name. I used to like the name of our band because I think I enjoyed the confusion and the alienation it caused. But now, I think we're just going to stay with this name. So we're not going to be Matt Pond NY anytime soon.”
In Matt Pond PA's previous eight albums, the string arrangement stood front and center alongside Pond's clever songwriting. On “Several Arrows Later,” the work of cellist Eve Miller (Rachel's) and violinist Margaret White (Sparklehorse, Comas) integrates seamlessly with catchy pop hooks and sharp interplay between all five band members. Cellist Feder now tours with the band.
“We've always had cellists in the band so it sounds like we really concentrated on strings,” said Pond. “It's a really cool instrument to work with, it blends well. In a larger sense, we try to incorporate orchestration, not just strings but all kinds of instruments, especially on the last record.”
Matt Pond PA's ninth album displays a pleasing balance between Pond's sweet vocals, subtle strings, wistful pedal steel, upbeat drumming and delicate guitar lines. The balancing act found other band members stepping up to take charge: “For the last record, Brian and Dan put a lot into it in terms of arranging and putting their energy into it. They really treated it as their own, which it is.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
In the wake of Katrina, Mardi Gras gets serious
Laissez le bon . . .. . . oh, you know the rest of it – Mardi Gras bash adds heft, and a helping hand
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
February 23, 2006
San Diego's Mardi Gras festival had its humble roots in the old Gaslamp, a tough downtown neighborhood that rarely drew out-of-town visitors.
Today, the Gaslamp Quarter draws tourists shopping at Horton Plaza and hipsters headed for velvet-rope clubs. Case in point: The Gaslamp Quarter-based music festival Street Scene grew so huge the confines of a burgeoning downtown could not house the sprawling event, forcing a move to Qualcomm Stadium last year.
Now, the Gaslamp Quarter Association's Mardi Gras celebration – traditionally a beer-and-beads affair trying to draw a young demographic downtown – is getting serious about booking high-quality bands and widening the audience attending the event.
Jimmy Parker, the Gaslamp Quarter Association's executive director, spent many years on the road as stage manager for bands as varied as Stone Temple Pilots and the Temptations. One of his primary goals today is fashioning the Mardi Gras celebration after the smaller, more diverse Street Scene of a decade ago.
“I had long conversations with (Street Scene promoter) Rob Hagey talking about talent and the old Street Scene,” said Parker, who continues to work on Street Scene periodically. “That's where we both came from. It's about getting bands like the Truckee Brothers. Who knows? They may sign with Capitol tomorrow and be the biggest thing we've ever seen. That's the idea behind creating this local stage.”
The San Diego-based Truckee Brothers are among the bands playing the K Street Gaslamp Stage for Tuesday's Mardi Gras, a stage dedicated to local acts featuring Reeve Oliver, Dirty Sweet and Lady Dottie and the Diamonds. Gone are the cheesy cover bands.
“In the past it was more out-of-town bands, and the focus really wasn't on the bands (at all),” said Cady Truckee. “I think they're trying to give Mardi Gras more of a Street Scene flavor, especially because Street Scene isn't downtown anymore.”
Along with a shift in focus toward more substantial music acts, this year's Mardi Gras also serves as a reminder of last year's tragic events surrounding Hurricane Katrina.
Mardi Gras (French for “Fat Tuesday”) marks the last day before the period of atonement called Lent in the Catholic Church. It's a time to let loose and have a good time. Given this year's events, Mardi Gras has a more serious undertone. It's still time to let the good times roll, but also to help people in need.
So as the country turns its eyes back to New Orleans during the Mardi Gras season, the Gaslamp Quarter Association realized it was time to import a little New Orleans culture.
The 2006 version of Mardi Gras will include a partnership with the world-famous New Orleans music venue Tipitina's. In wake of Katrina, the Tipitina's Foundation works as a nonprofit organization providing displaced musicians with replacement instruments.
Four New Orleans bands – the Frappe Brass Band, the Wild Apache Mardi Gras Indians, the 504 Brass Band and (former Dirty Dozen Brass Band sousaphonist) Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove – will perform at the Fourth Avenue Tipitina Stage, with all proceeds from that stage going to the foundation.
“I think the right word for us is 'responsibility,'” said Parker. The Gaslamp Quarter's “Mardi Gras celebration has been going for 14 years. So even without Katrina, there's a responsibility if you're throwing a Mardi Gras to throw it in the right spirit. It is Fat Tuesday. It is the beginning of Lent. It's a party to laugh at your sins and your foibles, because the next day is very serious based on the Christian calendar.
“It's stepped up a little bit when you have a Katrina and people dying and ways of life being completely changed. We looked at just having buckets at the door. We looked at partnering with business owners in the French Quarter. And then we found Tipitina's, and it really appealed to everyone involved and spoke to a long-term relationship. We wanted to bring the culture of New Orleans, and especially help out the displaced musicians who lost their livelihoods.
“Musicians are like anyone else: You have to support your family, you have bills. A lot of the people in the music business, they've never been ones to say 'give me a hand.' They want to do their art. They want to work. From the roadie all the way to the promoter, those are hardworking people. When it's taken away, that hurts them more than the money.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
2006 MARDI GRAS AND CARNAVAL SCHEDULE
Brazil Carnaval 2006 (Saturday 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.): Bands include SambaDá featuring vocalist Dahndá da Hora, the Super Sonic Samba School, Mindinho and Capoeira Brasil plus special guest Marcos Santos. Best costume and door prize winners receive roundtrip airfare to Brazil. At 4th & B, 345 B St., downtown; $25 advance / $30 door; (619) 231-4343.
Gaslamp Quarter Mardi Gras 2006 (Tuesday 7 p.m. to midnight): Five stages of Mardi Gras entertainment headlined by KC and the Sunshine Band, Reeve Oliver, Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove and DJ Miss Lisa. Strolling musicians, dancers and the Ladies of Lips will perform. Masquerade Parade with floats begins at 8:30 p.m.
In the Gaslamp Quarter downtown; $15 advance / $20 door; (619) 233-5227.
STAGES AT MARDI GRAS 2006:
G Street Party Stage (DJ Marc Thrasher between sets):
7:30 p.m. – N.R.G.
9 p.m. – Polyester and the Platforms
10:30 p.m. – KC and the Sunshine Band
K Street Gaslamp Stage (DJ Scott Martin between sets):
7 p.m. – Dirty Sweet
8:20 p.m. – Lady Dottie and the Diamonds
9:40 p.m. – The Truckee Brothers
11 p.m. – Reeve Oliver
Fourth Avenue Tipitina's Stage (DJ Mac between sets):
7 p.m. – Frappe Brass Band
8:15 p.m. – Wild Apache Mardi Gras Indians
9:30 p.m. – The 504 Brass Band
11 p.m. – Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove
E Street Club Stage:
7 p.m. – DJs Erick Diaz and Adam Salter
9 p.m. – Scooter & Lavelle
10:30 p.m. – Miss Lisa
The Ladies of Lips will have their own stage at Fourth and G streets.
MORE MARDI GRAS
Hillcrest Mardi Gras (Tuesday 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.): Candye Kane, Cash'd Out and the Lips girls will perform, sponsored by the GSDBA Charitable Foundation and the Hillcrest Business Association.
On University Avenue between Third and Fourth avenues; $15-$75; (619) 491-0400; 21 and up.
Mardi Gras Sidebar: Q&A with Christine Portella
Celebrating a 'passion for life'
February 23, 2006
A native of Brazil's party central, Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian Promotions' Christine Portella grew up reveling in the Carnaval spirit.
For the past 14 years, she and her business partner, Steve Spencer, have produced San Diego's Brazil Carnaval. This year's Carnaval is set for 4th & B Saturday night.
Portella took a few minutes to share her views on Carnaval, Mardi Gras and our ability to celebrate life after misfortune.
Question: Do you remember what it was like growing up in Rio and experiencing Carnaval every year?
Answer: I was born in Rio. I was raised in both countries (the United States and Brazil). My first eight years were here in the U.S. When I was 8, I moved back to Brazil. So my first language is English and I had never even heard Portuguese prior to moving back to Brazil.
It was a drastic change for an 8-year-old. When we moved, it was February during Carnaval. I remember walking in the streets and holding my little sister's hand. All the people in the streets – dancing and singing all day long – I thought my mom had gone crazy bringing us back there.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory from your Carnavals in Rio?
A: A passion for life is such a fundamental (part) of the culture, that I could never pinpoint one favorite. Every single Carnaval that I have been to down there has been an amazing event.
Q: A big theme this year in Fat Tuesday parties is celebrating life after tragedy, specifically the ordeal New Orleans had to endure with Hurricane Katrina. People in Rio probably have to deal with poverty and tragedy on a daily basis. Can you talk about the idea of letting loose for a day in regards to living in Rio and how that applies to this year's celebrations?
A: Again, there is such a passion for life in Brazil. There is a lot of poverty. I'm not proud of this, but it's shocking how much of the country can't read, much less write. We can go on and on about the political, economic and social issues that Brazil is going through. But, regardless, the spirit of Carnaval is celebrated throughout the year.
– CHRIS NIXON
February 23, 2006
A native of Brazil's party central, Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian Promotions' Christine Portella grew up reveling in the Carnaval spirit.
For the past 14 years, she and her business partner, Steve Spencer, have produced San Diego's Brazil Carnaval. This year's Carnaval is set for 4th & B Saturday night.
Portella took a few minutes to share her views on Carnaval, Mardi Gras and our ability to celebrate life after misfortune.
Question: Do you remember what it was like growing up in Rio and experiencing Carnaval every year?
Answer: I was born in Rio. I was raised in both countries (the United States and Brazil). My first eight years were here in the U.S. When I was 8, I moved back to Brazil. So my first language is English and I had never even heard Portuguese prior to moving back to Brazil.
It was a drastic change for an 8-year-old. When we moved, it was February during Carnaval. I remember walking in the streets and holding my little sister's hand. All the people in the streets – dancing and singing all day long – I thought my mom had gone crazy bringing us back there.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory from your Carnavals in Rio?
A: A passion for life is such a fundamental (part) of the culture, that I could never pinpoint one favorite. Every single Carnaval that I have been to down there has been an amazing event.
Q: A big theme this year in Fat Tuesday parties is celebrating life after tragedy, specifically the ordeal New Orleans had to endure with Hurricane Katrina. People in Rio probably have to deal with poverty and tragedy on a daily basis. Can you talk about the idea of letting loose for a day in regards to living in Rio and how that applies to this year's celebrations?
A: Again, there is such a passion for life in Brazil. There is a lot of poverty. I'm not proud of this, but it's shocking how much of the country can't read, much less write. We can go on and on about the political, economic and social issues that Brazil is going through. But, regardless, the spirit of Carnaval is celebrated throughout the year.
– CHRIS NIXON
Minus 5: McCaughey shoots off about Gun Album
His aim is true
Scott McCaughey is an indie renaissance man, playing in multiple bands
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
February 23, 2006
Talking with Scott McCaughey on the phone is a lot like listening to his albums: friendly and pleasant, yet muddled with circuitous logic and odd imagery.
Take, for example, the new album with one of his many projects, the Minus 5. The band nicknamed its eponymous 2006 release “The Gun Album,” and for good reason. The cover features a 9mm handgun, the CD depicts a diagram of a disassembled gun, and three of the 13 tracks mention guns in the lyrics and title.
The quartermaster bakes a radio / The traitor's a ragdoll in the tornado / The funnel fades to gray / With hand upon the bible who's to say? sings McCaughey on “This Rifle Called Goodbye,” the first track greeting listeners on the album. Rife with surreal absurdity, the strangely dark lyrics play a nice counterpoint to the band's sugary pop hooks.
Here's what McCaughey said from his home in Portland, Ore., about the gun theme: “I hate guns. I absolutely hate them. So it's a weird thing for me to have a gun on the cover. But it seemed to make perfect sense to me at the time.”
“I use the gun thing as an image that goes through the record,” continued McCaughey, laughing at himself a little as he tries to explain the gun theme. “It's very antithetical to what I stand for and what I am into, but it kept turning up. It seemed representative of all the (stuff) in my life.”
His response is odd and charming, like the collection of jangly pop tunes contained on the album. The strumming retro sound comes honestly. McCaughey (pronounced McCoy) again uses his friend and longtime collaborator Peter Buck on the new Minus 5 disc. Buck is famous for creating his own retro pop sound. He returns the favor by using McCaughey as a sideman when recording with his band, R.E.M.
“I've learned so much about ideas for arranging and production (from R.E.M.),” said McCaughey about his time with R.E.M. “Working with those guys, I've picked up so much from all of them. Watching how Michael (Stipe) constructs melodies and works on lyrics is inspiring, watching Mike (Mills) go in at 2 in the morning. I've learned a lot about how he plays keyboards and organ especially. Peter (Buck) – just watching the consistency of how he goes out there. He's so precise on every take.”
McCaughey reached notoriety in indie circles with his band the Young Fresh Fellows, but has gone on to join or create Tuatara (with Buck), the Squirrels, the Lowebeats, the New Strychinies and also serve as “the fifth member” of R.E.M. since 1994.
With a substantial amount of indie cred built up, the new disc features two tracks recorded in Chicago with Wilco, along with guest appearances by John Wesley Harding, Kelly Hogan, Morgan Fisher (Mott the Hoople), Sean Nelson (Harvey Danger/Long Winters), and Colin Meloy and John Moen (the Decemberists).
The Minus 5 will perform in support of “The Gun Album” at the Belly Up Tavern with Robyn Hitchcock, where the band will backup Hitchcock and he'll join them onstage for a few tunes.
"It will be a workout, said McCaughey. "I'm guessing we'll be onstage 2 1/2 hours or close to it. Peter and I have done that quite a few times: Tuatara/Mark Eitzel/Minus 5/Tuatara/Minus 5/Cedell Davis. We've done some long ones when we're playing with all the bands. And the R.E.M. shows are always two-plus hours too, so it's cool. I don't mind. I enjoy it."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Scott McCaughey is an indie renaissance man, playing in multiple bands
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
February 23, 2006
Talking with Scott McCaughey on the phone is a lot like listening to his albums: friendly and pleasant, yet muddled with circuitous logic and odd imagery.
Take, for example, the new album with one of his many projects, the Minus 5. The band nicknamed its eponymous 2006 release “The Gun Album,” and for good reason. The cover features a 9mm handgun, the CD depicts a diagram of a disassembled gun, and three of the 13 tracks mention guns in the lyrics and title.
The quartermaster bakes a radio / The traitor's a ragdoll in the tornado / The funnel fades to gray / With hand upon the bible who's to say? sings McCaughey on “This Rifle Called Goodbye,” the first track greeting listeners on the album. Rife with surreal absurdity, the strangely dark lyrics play a nice counterpoint to the band's sugary pop hooks.
Here's what McCaughey said from his home in Portland, Ore., about the gun theme: “I hate guns. I absolutely hate them. So it's a weird thing for me to have a gun on the cover. But it seemed to make perfect sense to me at the time.”
“I use the gun thing as an image that goes through the record,” continued McCaughey, laughing at himself a little as he tries to explain the gun theme. “It's very antithetical to what I stand for and what I am into, but it kept turning up. It seemed representative of all the (stuff) in my life.”
His response is odd and charming, like the collection of jangly pop tunes contained on the album. The strumming retro sound comes honestly. McCaughey (pronounced McCoy) again uses his friend and longtime collaborator Peter Buck on the new Minus 5 disc. Buck is famous for creating his own retro pop sound. He returns the favor by using McCaughey as a sideman when recording with his band, R.E.M.
“I've learned so much about ideas for arranging and production (from R.E.M.),” said McCaughey about his time with R.E.M. “Working with those guys, I've picked up so much from all of them. Watching how Michael (Stipe) constructs melodies and works on lyrics is inspiring, watching Mike (Mills) go in at 2 in the morning. I've learned a lot about how he plays keyboards and organ especially. Peter (Buck) – just watching the consistency of how he goes out there. He's so precise on every take.”
McCaughey reached notoriety in indie circles with his band the Young Fresh Fellows, but has gone on to join or create Tuatara (with Buck), the Squirrels, the Lowebeats, the New Strychinies and also serve as “the fifth member” of R.E.M. since 1994.
With a substantial amount of indie cred built up, the new disc features two tracks recorded in Chicago with Wilco, along with guest appearances by John Wesley Harding, Kelly Hogan, Morgan Fisher (Mott the Hoople), Sean Nelson (Harvey Danger/Long Winters), and Colin Meloy and John Moen (the Decemberists).
The Minus 5 will perform in support of “The Gun Album” at the Belly Up Tavern with Robyn Hitchcock, where the band will backup Hitchcock and he'll join them onstage for a few tunes.
"It will be a workout, said McCaughey. "I'm guessing we'll be onstage 2 1/2 hours or close to it. Peter and I have done that quite a few times: Tuatara/Mark Eitzel/Minus 5/Tuatara/Minus 5/Cedell Davis. We've done some long ones when we're playing with all the bands. And the R.E.M. shows are always two-plus hours too, so it's cool. I don't mind. I enjoy it."
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Imogen Heap in N&D
Heap finds TV, film a comfortable fit
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
January 19, 2006
Take a look at the best movie and television soundtracks from the past few years, chances are you'll see Imogen Heap's name pop up more than once. From "The O.C." to the new "Chronicles of Narnia" movie, the 28-year-old British musician's beautifully crafted, down-tempo electronic music is finding its way to more listeners.
While Heap's breathy voice seemingly is permeating all forms of media, she's still a widely unknown commodity on radio stations and pop charts.
"For whatever reason, I've never had that much luck on the radio," admits Heap during a recent conversation from her London flat. "No matter how commercial I think a song is, it doesn't get picked up. The 'Garden State' album was a big success. That song is probably Frou Frou's most famous song but it never gets played on the radio."
The British chanteuse has scored spots on soundtracks like Zach Braff's movie "Garden State" ("Let Go," as one half of the duo Frou Frou), the "Music From the O.C. Mix 4" disc ("Goodnight and Go"), the excellent "Six Feet Under, Vol. 2: Everything Ends" soundtrack for the HBO series ("Lonely Little Petunia") and most recently the blockbuster fantasy film "The Chronicles of Narnia" ("Can't Take It In").
So why does her music fit so well with cinema, large and small?
"Sonically you can get away with a lot more when you have visuals because you are not just concentrating on the music," muses Heap. "You can be a bit more daring with TV and film than you can on radio."
After growing up in Essex, England (outside of London), the classically trained pianist released her first album, "I Megaphone," in 1998 before teaming up with producer Guy Sigsworth in Frou Frou. Named from the French slang term meaning "the rustling of a woman's skirt," Frou Frou signed with Island Records for 2003's "Details."
Nestled between the sleek pop sounds of Frou Frou and the stripped down trip-hop of Heap's 1998 debut, the vocalist's 2005 disc "Speak for Yourself" finds the middle ground between her previous recordings.
Complete with keyboard-driven melodies and intricate string arrangements, the album contains 12 tracks of thoughtful electronic pop. After working with producers on her first two albums, Heap created "Speak for Yourself" as a completely solo project, filling the roles of performer, engineer and producer.
"I've always wanted to do a record on my own," says Heap. "I bought all this gear for the studio with the intention of doing as much as I could on the record. I wanted this record to be me. "
The entire disc is filled with solid songwriting and musicianship, but the standout track is the a cappella "Hide and Seek." Heap uses the vocoder technology to add a layered metallic tone to vocals, creating a striking effect.
"It's one of those rare magical occasions where a song comes out of nowhere and you don't have to spend four months deciding on a lyric," says Heap. "It just arrived on a plate. I plugged in my vocoder and I plugged in my keyboard into my harmonizing thing. It just came out and there it was at the end of four and a half minutes."
Just as she created the album, Heap performs solo live. Taking full advantage of technology, she manipulates computers and keyboards to re-create her songs onstage: "It's me with my mixing board, my keyboard, my laptop, hard drive with loads of strings loaded on it, my harmonizer, a sequencing box I can play base lines on and make loops on."
Heap also uses an instrument called the Array Mbira, an African thumb piano designed by San Diegan Bill Wesley. The unique device incorporates a five-octave range, and can be used to trigger other sounds through MIDI technology (Musical Instrument Digital Interface).
Despite all the gadgetry, Heap's performances are passionate and intimate affairs.
Chris Nixon is a San Diego writer.
By Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
January 19, 2006
Take a look at the best movie and television soundtracks from the past few years, chances are you'll see Imogen Heap's name pop up more than once. From "The O.C." to the new "Chronicles of Narnia" movie, the 28-year-old British musician's beautifully crafted, down-tempo electronic music is finding its way to more listeners.
While Heap's breathy voice seemingly is permeating all forms of media, she's still a widely unknown commodity on radio stations and pop charts.
"For whatever reason, I've never had that much luck on the radio," admits Heap during a recent conversation from her London flat. "No matter how commercial I think a song is, it doesn't get picked up. The 'Garden State' album was a big success. That song is probably Frou Frou's most famous song but it never gets played on the radio."
The British chanteuse has scored spots on soundtracks like Zach Braff's movie "Garden State" ("Let Go," as one half of the duo Frou Frou), the "Music From the O.C. Mix 4" disc ("Goodnight and Go"), the excellent "Six Feet Under, Vol. 2: Everything Ends" soundtrack for the HBO series ("Lonely Little Petunia") and most recently the blockbuster fantasy film "The Chronicles of Narnia" ("Can't Take It In").
So why does her music fit so well with cinema, large and small?
"Sonically you can get away with a lot more when you have visuals because you are not just concentrating on the music," muses Heap. "You can be a bit more daring with TV and film than you can on radio."
After growing up in Essex, England (outside of London), the classically trained pianist released her first album, "I Megaphone," in 1998 before teaming up with producer Guy Sigsworth in Frou Frou. Named from the French slang term meaning "the rustling of a woman's skirt," Frou Frou signed with Island Records for 2003's "Details."
Nestled between the sleek pop sounds of Frou Frou and the stripped down trip-hop of Heap's 1998 debut, the vocalist's 2005 disc "Speak for Yourself" finds the middle ground between her previous recordings.
Complete with keyboard-driven melodies and intricate string arrangements, the album contains 12 tracks of thoughtful electronic pop. After working with producers on her first two albums, Heap created "Speak for Yourself" as a completely solo project, filling the roles of performer, engineer and producer.
"I've always wanted to do a record on my own," says Heap. "I bought all this gear for the studio with the intention of doing as much as I could on the record. I wanted this record to be me. "
The entire disc is filled with solid songwriting and musicianship, but the standout track is the a cappella "Hide and Seek." Heap uses the vocoder technology to add a layered metallic tone to vocals, creating a striking effect.
"It's one of those rare magical occasions where a song comes out of nowhere and you don't have to spend four months deciding on a lyric," says Heap. "It just arrived on a plate. I plugged in my vocoder and I plugged in my keyboard into my harmonizing thing. It just came out and there it was at the end of four and a half minutes."
Just as she created the album, Heap performs solo live. Taking full advantage of technology, she manipulates computers and keyboards to re-create her songs onstage: "It's me with my mixing board, my keyboard, my laptop, hard drive with loads of strings loaded on it, my harmonizer, a sequencing box I can play base lines on and make loops on."
Heap also uses an instrument called the Array Mbira, an African thumb piano designed by San Diegan Bill Wesley. The unique device incorporates a five-octave range, and can be used to trigger other sounds through MIDI technology (Musical Instrument Digital Interface).
Despite all the gadgetry, Heap's performances are passionate and intimate affairs.
Chris Nixon is a San Diego writer.
Friday, December 23, 2005
NYE 2005: Magic shows
If you're looking for a great New Year's party, one of these events should do the trickBy Chris Nixon
For the San Diego Union-Tribune
December 22, 2005
Whenever New Year's Eve crosses my mind, I recall a quote from Billy Crystal as he ponders the meaning of "Auld Lang Syne" in "When Harry Met Sally": "I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot'? Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot?"
The ancient Scottish tune "Auld Lang Syne" translates to "Times Gone By." Whether we understand the lyrics to "Auld Lang Syne" or not, New Year's Eve is a time to reflect on the good memories we've experienced and to create a few new ones.
If you like live music to ring in the new year, San Diego has one of the best New Year's Eves in recent memory. Local legends (Karl Denson), national upstarts (Hasidic reggae band Matisyahu), international favorites (Mexico's Kinky) and the traditional family celebrations (First Night) are on the schedule.
Here's a rundown of the shows we'd go to if we could:
KARL DENSON'S TINY UNIVERSE
The San Diego jazz-funk band the Greyboy Allstars sent shock waves through the local music scene by providing an organic alternative to the electronic danceable acid jazz of the 1990s.
Led by saxophonist Karl Denson, the Allstars' live shows were packed with funk jams and extended solos – not the noodling jam band style. Denson and his cohorts drew inspiration from James Brown, Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns.
The Allstars continue to play a couple of times a year, but Denson devotes much of his time to his own band, Tiny Universe. In 2002, KDTU released "The Bridge," an excellent album featuring Denson on vocals along with the band's trademark funk sound. Tiny Universe currently is working on a studio album, so expect Denson to bust out a few new tunes at this 'Canes gig in Mission Beach.
Dinner packages are available. And, as a side note, our best wishes go out to Allstars co-founder Robert Walter and his family, displaced from New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
KINKY & B-SIDE PLAYERS
Self-described as "electro-Latin organic fusion," Kinky has molded a style equal parts hip-hop, pop, rock, disco, funk and electronica. Rising from the Mexican music Mecca Monterrey, the quintet formed in 2000 experimenting with electronic rock heavily influence by techno and DJ culture.
Gilberto Cerezo (vocals, guitar, turntables), Ulises Lozano (keyboards, vocals), Carlos Chairez (guitar, vocals), Omar Gongora (drums, vocals) and Cesar Pliego (bass, vocals) released their infectiously funky self-titled disc in 2001, followed by the more mainstream "Atlas" in 2003.
I saw them at Coachella a few years back and they reminded me of a guitar-slinging Nortec Collective – half live instrumentation, half DJ sampling. Joining Kinky at 4th & B downtown will be San Diego's B-Side Players, mixing splashes of reggae and salsa with steamy politically charged rock.
MATISYAHU
Did I hear that right? A Hasidic reggae singer? Yes, I did. Matisyahu is not a gimmick, this guy has serious chops.
Born Matthew Miller in West Chester, Pa., Matisyahu blends Jewish spirituality with Jamaica's all-ready-heady reggae music. Backed by a razor-sharp band that includes Aaron Dugan (guitar), Josh Werner (bass) and Jonah David (drums), Matisyahu scats, raps and beatboxes with amazing dexterity.
The band's 2005 release, "Live at Stubb's" (recorded at the Austin, Texas, club of the same name), exemplifies Matisyahu's skills with the mike. Those lucky enough to have tickets to this sold-out Belly Up show have a treat in store.
BIG NIGHT SAN DIEGO
This sprawling New Year's celebration is like a First Night celebration for the big kids. You have theme party rooms to choose from: Mardi Gras, Vegas (mock gambling), HiBall, 1970s and '80s retro, hip-hop, electronic dance, dining room, chill-out room and a fireworks viewing zone.
For the price, this is probably your best New Year's Eve bargain: There's a food buffet and all drinks are included, plus bands (Lady Dottie and the Diamonds, Rookie Card, Common Sense, Flock of '80s) and DJs (Jon Bishop, Miss Lisa, Happee, Kid Krazzy and Mike Czech) for just over $100.
If you want to shell out another $50, you get access to the V.I.P. section, with its own casino, its own lounge and upgraded drinks and food. Fireworks will help ring in the new year, and discounted rooms are conveniently available at the venue – the Sheraton on Harbor Island – so no excuse to drink and drive.
THE MOTHER HIPS
After forming in 1991 at Chico State in Northern California, these four guys spread the good word about the Mother Hips through constant touring and excellent sunny pop songs by Tim Bluhm and Greg Loiacono.
Ten years later, the band had found a devout following throughout California and beyond, but tired of the road. The Mother Hips split up to pursue solo projects (check out Bluhm's 2003 EP "The Soft Adventure").
After a hiatus of five years, the Mother Hips' heavenly harmonies and neo-psychedelic rock return in the form of the 2005 EP "Red Tandy." Bluhm (guitar, vocals, keys), Loiacono (guitar, vocals, keys), Paul Hoaglin (bass) and John Hofer (drums) know how to put on a great show, drawing on their many years on the road.
FIRST NIGHT ESCONDIDO
With First Night San Diego taking the year off in 2006, Escondido's New Year's Eve celebration marks the county's only family-oriented First Night. Buttons ($10 before Christmas and $15 after, free for kids under 6) will get you into 12 stages of music and theater, including everything from classical music to puppet shows.
Stretching from Grape Day Park to Escondido City Hall and the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, this alcohol-free event is absolutely crammed with more than 100 performers, including musicians, magicians, stilt walkers, jugglers and puppeteers. The evening finishes off with a midnight fireworks display.
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