The ineffable SAINT PEPSI, who tore up the indiesphere earlier this month with “Mr. Wonderful”, debuts a sunny disco-leaning mix for our very own B3SCI Records single “Drifter”. In exchanging the Psychic Twin-featuring “Drifter”‘s choppy drum stabs and vocal slices PEPSI a/k/a Boston College student Ryan DeRobertis selects for a “he just turned this thing around 360 degrees” melange of smooth, buttery, yacht-day grooves. Turnt it up.
Saint Pepsi 
(Soundscloud)
Beat Culture 
(Soundcloud) (Purchase 7-inch)
Rating 8.4
Our Man in New Haven, Yale student/beats-wiz Sunik Kim a/k/a Beat Culture follows up last month’s “Drifter” with the equally excellent ambient pop of “Shibuya”. On the track, washes of swirling synth haze and dynamic bits of noisy electronics provide the axis & center point around which a pulsing kick and vocalist KID A’s percussive melodies whril about. “Shibuya” is paired w/ “Drifter” on a 7″ release on our very own B3SCI Records.
Beat Culture (Soundcloud) (Purchase 7-inch)
Rating: 8.3
Proliferative east coast producer/musician Sam Ray aka Ricky Eat Acid recently returned from his trip to Mars with this stellar interpretation on the new single “Drifter” from electronic artist Beat Culture. The remix comes in anticipation of Beat Culture’s forthcoming AA-side 7″ expected January 21st via B3SCI and Kaya Kaya. Have a spin at something fresh below.
Ricky Eat Acid 
(Soundscloud)
Beat Culture (Soundcloud) (Purchase 7-inch)
Rating 8.4
Team B3 is very proud to present our label B3SCI Records’s second release, “Drifter” the very much anticipated return of Sunik Kim a/k/a Beat Culture. Kim’s first release in nearly two years, following up his great debut Tokyo Dreamer, “Drifter” is track one of a double-A sided single (the other track being “Shibuya”) that we’ll be releasing in parternship with Kaya Kaya on January 21st. Featuring the breezy lush vocals of Brooklyn artist Psychic Twin, “Drifter” is awashed in the familiar (but updated) well-arranged scattering toms and chopped up vocal bits that made Tokyo Dreamer so great; added to that a set of pop vocal hooks in the track’s latter half that maybe hint at the next iterations of Beat Culture’s sound.
Beat Culture (Soundcloud) (Purchase 7-inch)
Rating: 8.3
Photo by Jasmine Safaeian, Filter
Last week the Culture Collide music festival returned to Echo Park, Los Angeles. The third annual Filter Magazine event produced a four days of non-stop music by emerging talent from around the globe. Team-B3SCI were on the grounds making all the rounds to venues, parking lots, champaign rooms… you name it! Below is a collection of some favorite first-hand accounts from our troops on the ground.
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THURSDAY October 4, 2012
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Photo: Aida Daneshvar
Dean Wareham @ Methodist Church
I feel like a better music fan, and more specifically a better indie music fan, for having seen Dean Wareham at the Methodist Church. The cozy, intimate setting was dimly lit and provided the perfect setting for Wareham’s lo-fi aesthetic. The capacity of around 200 was nearly full, with casual listeners strolling in and out to catch the other acts during the time slot, namely Blood Red Shoes. Wareham is a true rock craftsman — I’m more a fan of his Luna project than Galaxie 500, and although the set was mainly Galaxie material, I found myself recognizing most of the cuts. At his preferred tempo, Wareham is hard to beat. By Chris Gedos
Photo: Andrew Slough
Blood Red Shoes @ The Champaign Room
I left Wareham early to catch the last three songs of Blood Red Shoes’ set. This Brighton duo pack more of a wallop than most three and four-piece groups, check our interview with drummer Steven back in 2k10 for more on their sound. Apparently I had missed some technical difficulties earlier in their set, but the three cuts I heard were raucous, euphoric, abrasive, fleeting, and all those other words which come to mind when thinking of the group. The Champaign Room at Taix was packed to the brim, with a healthy mosh of about 50 adding to the excitement. Unfortunately for this listener, Blood Red Shoes ended almost as soon as they began. By Chris Gedos
Photo: Monique Hernandez
Tribes @ The Champaign Room
I could not have been more pleased with Tribes’ set. They’ve been here in LA for the past couple months recording the follow up to February’s Baby, which btw is sure to land somewhere in my top ten at the end of the year. While the usual smattering of attendees relocated to another room for John Talbot, much of the crowd were engaged singing along, and genuinely pumped to see the Camden four-piece. While Tribes only played “Dancer” off the new album (great cut, similar in sound with a big chorus), the songs off Baby were spot-on. I was especially pleased to hear closer “Bad Apple”, which was left off when they played The Bootleg in March, and of course “Sappho” and “We Were Children”, two of the better power pop songs written since the mid-90s. By Chris Gedos
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FRIDAY October 5, 2012
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Photo: Monique Hernandez
The Balconies @ Taix Lounge
Every music fan hopes to catch a surprise discovery or two during any festival, and my most pleasant surprise at Culture Collide came with the first band I saw. The Balconies from Ottawa/Toronto are a hard rock trio with amazing energy and good melodies. Singer Jacquie Neville not only has all of the moves of a star front woman, but she is also the band’s guitar player. They were on the lips of many during the rest of the weekend. By Bruce Rave
Photo: Bruce Rave
The Royal Teeth
The Royal Teeth from New Orleans delivered a spot on set packed with some flawless harmonies and radio-ready songs. These guys have a band next door kind of vibe, and their “Wild” single has been gaining some traction on many radars. By Bruce Rave
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SATURDAY October 6, 2012
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Photo: Jake Giles Netter
Morning Parade @ Taix Lounge
UK and Morning Parade have seen a fair amount of radio success this year. It’s definitely worth noting that their strong live set helps backs up some of the buzz. By Bruce Rave
Photo: Brian Litwin
Moss @ Taix Lounge
While heading over from the a set at Echoplex, I bumped into the bass player of the next band I was heading to see. We talked over a cigarette about how Moss have enjoyed playing in the US and were going back to Amsterdam shortly after playing this festival. Not giving me much insight into the show I was about to take in, and by some suprise the dutch quartet blew away their small but captive audience. Their unique indie pop sound explores various influences with spot on harmonies and an overall musicianship, that would almost seem like they have been playing together for 20 years, culminating to an outstanding show. A definite highlight of the festival for me and a band worth taking note. By Brian Litwin
Photo: Jasmine Safaeian, FILTER
Ewert and the Dragons @ Echoplex
Ewert and the Dragons hail from Estonia, playing a blend of sweet melodies set in a sort of Mumford & Sons feel. More than just an A+ band name, these guys showed why they were one of the more buzzed-about bands at Culture Collide. By Bruce Rave
Photo: Brian Litwin
Gold Fields @ Echoplex
This show had everything from loads of energy, an injured lead singer, Aussie accents, radio ready songs and cowbell – lots of cowbell. Astralwerks backed Gold Fields had the Friday night Echoplex crowd moving. Playing songs off their 2011 self titled EP and closing with recent single “Dark Again (Lights Out)”. By Brian Litwin
Photo: Brian Litwin
Icona Pop @ Echoplex
Shortly after Gold Fields, the dancing continued for Swedish DJ duo Icona Pop. From the start, the twosome had control of the crowd. When they dropped blogger crazed “I Love It” featuring Charli XCX it sent the crowd into a frenzy, and during the whole performance it seemed the duo were taken aback by how responsive the crowd was. Look for the band’s sophomore showing The Iconic out on October 16th. By Brian Litwin
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SUNDAY October 7, 2012
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DIIV @ Block Party
DIIV (pronounced “dive”) is the perfect band for the Culture Collide crowd, on the vanguard of third or fourth gen shoegaze (depending on who you ask). This band do just about everything right— they play loud and they sound exactly how you would want them to sound live after listening to their acclaimed debut album, Oshin. The audience listened intently with little to no dancing— after all, shoegaze is a sub-genre meant to be listened to with a stoic objectivity. I’m certain that their follow-up show at the Echo on Tuesday night was near max capax and did not disappoint. By Chris Gedos
Photo: Chris Gedos
Tapioca and the Flea @ The Champaign Room
Tapioca and the Flea (top 20 coolest band name in history) played the Taix Champange room as a last-minute addition. Hopefully enough people saw their adroit and energetic set that they’ll be properly added to the bill for next year. They provided an interesting dynamic and can mix up tempos mid-song extremely well. With an aura never quite descending into Sugar Rat indie thanks to some Wayne Coyne lyrical coyness, the keyboardists’ contribution to the arrangements even reminded me of a 21st century Question Mark and The Mysterians. By Chris Gedos
Photo: Monique Hernandez
School of Seven Bells @ Block Party
School of Seven Bells can be slotted under the classification “Interpol-wave”, and in fact their band came to fruition opening for Banks and company. Their style is a refined and nuanced art-rock which held up rather well in front of the slaphappy West Coast crowd. Singer Alejandra Deheza has an enchanting presence, to say the least. By Chris Gedos
Photo: Bruce Rave
The Wombats @ Echoplex or Block Party
The Wombats are finally nearing the end of a long run supporting their album This Modern Glitch, which contains surprise US radio hit “Jump Into the Fog”. Most of the band’s set rejoiced from This Modern Glitch but their UK smash “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” recieved great reaction, and will always be a standard for them. The Wombats were one of the more fun bands at Culture Collide, which the crowd was happy to share. By Bruce Rave
Photo: Brian Litwin
Class Actress @ Block Party
Class Actress, an electro-pop duo, drew many festival goers away from the limited shady spots located near the hot and sunny main stage on the closing day. Fusing pop-friendly lyrics and heavy synth leads and instrumentals, lead singer Elizabeth Harper swayed side to side of the stage moving the crowd along. Playing mostly from their 2011 release Rapproacher, Class Actress set the stage nicely for the acts coming up. By Brian Litwin
Photo: Brian Litwin
Poolside @ Block Party
Brazilian trio Bonde do Role couldn’t make the show due to some Visa issues so festival producers had to scramble quickly to get a replacement band. They signed on LA’s own Poolside, which proved to be a very nice surprise. Laying down some daytime disco, the crowd started to really get into it. Grooving to songs like “Next to You” and “Kiss You Forever” the crowd didn’t mind that Bonde do Role couldn’t be there. Ironically enough, Poolside starts a fall tour in San Francisco today (October 10th) with Bonde do Role and headliner Com Truise. By Brian Litwin
Photo: Carl Pocket
Nikki and the Dove @ Block Party
Nikki and the Dove set the trippy stage for the Of Montreal out-of-this-world main course that would soon follow. As for numbers, Nikki and the Dove had nearly as many people in attendance as Of Montreal would anc their set was loud enough to reach other galaxies. I loved their stage presence, and while there’s a part of their musicianship eerily reminiscent of Prince, it’s debatable how much of their panache translates to CD. By Chris Gedos
Photo: Chris Gedos
Of Montreal @ Block Party
Of Montreal provided the perfect capstone to a weekend of great musical variety. Within the first few songs a fleet of aliens and a giant ghost (consisting of three performers)had already stormed the stage. Lead / musical virtuoso Kevin Barnes relished his moment as headliner and delivered a set of fitting distinction, one which touched upon the entirety of the band’s catalog, from its more traditionally quirky indie roots of Satanic Panic in the Attic and The Gay Parade, to the indie psych of Hissing Fauna, are you the Destroyer, to the neo-indie-soul of their most recent compositions. By Chris Gedos
By Erin Routson
When I was sixteen, a boyfriend who was leaving for college made me a mix tape with Dashboard Confessional’s “Age Six Racer” on it. His expression was earnest and correct: “Hey thanks, thanks for that summer” would echo in my head repeatedly when he moved away. That was what we used music for when we had just gotten our driver’s licenses and fumbled around each other’s bodies awkwardly any time we were alone. Instead of saying things out loud, or forming our own articulations, we relied on someone like Chris Carraba to say it for us. But we did it. Tapes gave us that veil to be shy but revealing at the same time.
Last night at Piano’s, that same kind of fervent declaration ran rampant, and if I were still a girl of sixteen, you can bet some of the songs would’ve ended up on my mix compilation replies to those boyfriends.
Beat Radio started things off, drums & guitar only, giving the music a little more urgency and a little less polish. Brian (drums) and Brian (guitar) led with the most declarative of all, “Teenage Anthem,” the homage to the very mixes I have on the brain. Their material conjures up aimless drives around suburbia, speaks directly to punk rock shows at VFW halls, and most of all seems to focus on that which all rock musicians find their way to express: feelings about love. What I found endearing was the continuum between lyrical exposition and physical exertion: the drummer’s dreamy half-smiles during a particularly strident passage or the singer’s verge into higher register making their songs more heartfelt than an old curmudgeon like me would normally allow herself to fall victim to.
This wade into the soft tissue of everyone’s hearts continued when Sea of Bees took the stage, alone, acoustic in hand. Julie Ann Bee, Jules to her friends, let us into her world of first love and giving without expecting anything in return. Common tropes, maybe, but her voice and turns of phrase during these meditations kept them from being trite. As she expounded on what each song was about prior to playing it (as this was mostly new material), it was hard to stay steely. “I mean these words,” she remarked at one point, after getting a little too open-mic night for New York, and it was obvious she was saying it without any pretense. Her songs were vulnerable without being weak, fragile without any sense that they’d break. I was hoping for a cover of “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” but maybe that’s only because I wanted something, anything, to temper the feelings that welled up.
Via Audio gave me the break I needed. Their pop-over-indie sensibilities reigned as they also worked through new material. Opening with “Tigers,” they set the tone that we weren’t just mining diaries anymore. What they seemed to do, more than anyone last night, was have fun. Their feelings are mixed in their music, but the band is in touch with a little more primal energy than their bill-mates. By the time they reached “Babies,” they actively acknowledged that sometimes, honestly, emotions are only the half of it – capitalizing on pure human attraction is another matter altogether.
Finishing out the night were Snowmine, in the middle of a residency at the venue visiting from the faraway land of Brooklyn. If Spacehog had come out of music culture now, expanded on “In the Meantime” and taken it to a psychedelic, more percussive place, they might have had a chance at being this band. Mossy clumps growing from their keyboards and projections of a density of trees in full force, it was clear we were being taken to the forest. Their spacey, atmospheric sound also allowed me to break from the feelings-fest of the beginning half of the night, but I also didn’t know exactly how I was supposed to feel about what they were saying. In a way, I feel like I lived a whole adolescent life of formative emotions within the walls of Piano’s, just one less fraught.
If I made a mixtape for someone now, it would probably contain music less overt than Beat Radio, somewhere closer to the slightly more ambiguous nature of Snowmine. When talking about it with a friend, we were both sort of ashamed to acknowledge that the directness we’d carried through our teenage years, the years of unabashed declaration of love and adoration, had been buried under irony and detachment, under fear. I know I’d never lead off a mixtape with something so bold now. I have too much guard up; I’d rather you work your way through my twists and turns and figure me out because I feel like I could never be sure enough, now, to start with something so open.
All of the bands last night were sure about how they felt and said it, even if, as their listener, I’m still not.
Snowmine (Facebook)
Via Audio (Facebook)
Sea of Bees 
(Facebook)
Beat Radio (Facebook)
Last weekend (October 6-9), FILTER Magazine sponsored their second annual Culture Collide festival. Exposing international artists to the ears of Angelenos is the name of the game at Culture Collide, and this year’s Echo Park-based festival saw CSS (Brazil), Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (USA), Liam Finn (NZ), and Datarock (Norway) as well as artists from Australia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, etc. Here’s a re-cap of what you missed.
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Nirvana: Live at the Paramount: Screening @ Los Feliz Vista Theater Wednesday October 5, 2011
Culture Collide kicked off in a big way on Wednesday evening with a showing of the recently released Nirvana: Live at the Paramount, a Seattle homecoming from Halloween night, 1991, just five weeks after the release of Nevermind. The film screened at the famous Vista Theater, located at the intersection of Sunset and Hillhurst in the Los Feliz neighborhood of LA. Live at the Paramount is the only Nirvana show ever shot in its entirety on 16mm film (how is this even possible!?), which makes the concert all the more special. We’ve been conditioned to digest Nirvana’s performance via 30 second midi video clips which have aired on VH1 continuously since 1995, so to see Nirvana without commercial breaks is quite exhausting – I can only imagine the electricity inside the Paramount 20 years ago. Flanking the sides of the stage are two dancers, an androgynous boy wearing a shirt that says ‘girl’ and an androgynous girl with a shirt that says ‘boy’, a gentle reminder of how Cobain and co. playfully tested the public’s perception of society as a whole.
Grohl does most of the between song banter, with a little help from Novoselic, but Cobain remains nearly mute. It’s important to appreciate that even on the eve of worldwide fame Cobain was uncomfortable with his status as an (albeit budding) “rock star”. Also, Nirvana was anything but a DIY project by October, 1991, as they’d already been given a healthy advance for a major label release. Societal implications aside, Nirvana is merely a band with one fantastic album and two very good albums. But Live at the Paramount reminds us that Nirvana can never be separated from the culture which catapulted them to fame. – Chris Gedos
Nirvana – Rape Me (Home Acoustic Demo)Liam Finn @ Echo Thursday October, 6 2011
To start his set, Liam Finn joked that his band ‘had traveled the longest way’. The New Zealand-bred Finn (son of Crowded House leader Neil Finn), who had likely traveled further distance than anyone else at The Echo on Thursday night, brought his serious songwriter and musical chops. The sort of chops that, like some of the best — Buckley comes to mind (father/son coincidence aside), where the music just seems to pour out of them. Like it’s just an extension of who they are, like having arms or legs or cool hair or whatever, it is their person. In describing Finn’s music and performance, we heard influences like whisperers Travis and Elliot Smith up to the straight folk rock of the 70’s and it’s modern disciples like Wilco. During the set, the band joked they didn’t have enough room on stage, and they kind of didn’t – as we counted up to 9 musicians on stage at any one point. Percussion played a big role (think WIND CHIMES), Liam even occasionally guest-dueled on drums, hitting the skins like a pro. “Gather to the Chapel” was a favorite take from the dynamic set. The band played through each tune, song for song, like seasoned folk pop professionals (maybe Decemberists-esque) and left a half full venue crowd (those that were there really into it) cheering, screaming, clamoring for more.
Liam Finn – Gather to the Chapel
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Lindstrom @ Echoplex Thursday October 6, 2011
Norwegian producer Lindstrøm closed the evening at Echoplex with a set of late night nu-disco macparty music. A chilled but focused Hans-Peter vibed his way through a mind-bending set of contemporary retro electronic music. On-lookers couldn’t help but move.
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The Postelles @ Taix Friday October 7, 2011
The Postelles took the stage Friday night at Taix. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a band this tight. They’re unconcerned with fads and styles while relating to the present and having something relevant to say for the year 2011. After being dropped by Capitol/EMI last year, the group didn’t skip a beat and eventually released the Albert Hammond Jr. produced, eponymous debut with +1 records this past June. As I write this, “Bad to Me” by Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas plays at the café, which is fitting because the Postelles truly sound like the lost songs of Lennon/McCartney (in a very good way). Is there anything left to say about the songs band vs. ideas band debate? Songs have always and will always win out.
A band of lesser value may not have survived as unscathed by a similar corporate runaround. But the Postelles sound even better than their videos online from eighteen months ago. “123 Stop” has to be one of the top rock songs of 2011. By channeling Eric Carmen and the spirit of (dare I say) Lee Mavers, the Postelles have created one of the most perfectly retro albums since Is This It. Properly rooted in the CKLW sound of 1960’s Detroit, these guys have been listening to their complete Motown Singles! The last, best thing I can say about them is that their new songs sound even more complex and intricate, with increased vocal duties on the part of the lead guitarist. The Postelles are touring America with The Wombats and then The Kooks at the end of October and through November. Drive the necessary distance and see these guys live, if only to know that old time Rock n’ Roll is alive and well. – Chris Gedos
The Postelles – Hold On
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Tennis System @ Taix Friday October 7, 2011
Tennis System, recent LA Transplants via Washington D.C., plays a hard but endearing mix of Psych-Pop and Shoegaze. I can’t say I’m a big fan of the name, but many of my favorite albums in recent memory have come from bands with immeasurably more preposterous names (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to name one). They’re loud but not abrasively so, as they’re well aware that playing at a decibel level above 100 doesn’t make you automatically good. At the same time, they were shut down at SXSW for noise complaints. They’re like Weekend but more pop. “Hey, We Tried” (love the comma!) wouldn’t sound out of place on either Loveless or Carnival of Light. At the same time, Tennis System isn’t a genre band per se, succeeding with a sound which channels a wide spectrum of influences as far back as Pink Floyd and as recent as The Flaming Lips. Most importantly, they’re not just a live band, since their EP makes for a captivating and intimate listen. – Chris Gedos
Tennis System – Arcane_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Avi Buffalo @ Taix Friday October 7, 2011 and @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October, 9 2011
Long Beach collective Avi Buffalo made use of their Friday and Sunday sets to deliver a fresh take on 2011 indie rock. Avi Buffalo are a band able to walk the line of producing popular songs like “What’s In It For?” while maintaining an off-the-beaten-path musical identity relative to other bands in their space. For example, how many other bands can actually play blistering guitar solos for minutes in the vain of Dave Gilmour or even Stevie Ray Vaughan? Or rather, how many other indie bands actually have the balls to rock out a 5-string bass on stage? Avi Buffalo march by the beat of their own drum (or 5-string bass slap). AB’s mostly moderately paced set was chock full of the most of dynamic crescendos and Neil Young-like shrieking by lead singer Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg. The band even delivered a moving version of ole Shakey’s “Cortez the Killer”. While Avi Buffalo is certainly rooted firmly with the pantheon of great 70’s classic rock groups, they aren’t shy about embracing more contemporary elements. Take for example, their bringing on stage of an MC, who joined the band at various points to spit rhymes over some of the set’s more funkified music beds. Also the shoes! The band had great contemporary-lookin’ shoes!
Avi Buffalo – What’s In It For?
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Yacht @ Echoplex Friday October 7, 2011
Yacht drew a packed house for their headlining slot at Echoplex Friday night. Yacht brought funk. The house got down. Phased-out and clean guitar effects, tight on-the-beat syncopations, cow bell, Eurythmics, you get the picture. Lead singer Claire L. Evans was in control taking charge of the party atmosphere and not letting go throughout the entire high energy set. The band’s spot-on cover of The B-52s “Mesopotamia” fit the pocket, a solid example of the best sort of minor keyed pop song. With a full and accomplished sound, Yacht are still that crossover hit away from landing on the commercial landscape. Do they care? Probably not.
YACHT – It’s All The Same Price (Featuring Eats Tapes)
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Asteroids Galaxy Tour @ Echoplex Friday October 7, 2011 and @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October 9, 2011
Danish pop collective The Asteroids Galaxy Tour brought the full production for their Friday (Echoplex) and Sunday (Toyota Antics Block Party) sets. One of the more pop-orientated groups at Culture Collide this year, the band’s uptempo set fused high energy soul with an almost Brit-pop strut. The theatrics of lead singer Mette Lindberg were a highlight and the band definitely ramped up some well deserved anticipation for their forthcoming sophomore release Out of Frequency, due early 2012.
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – Inner City Blues
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Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October 9, 2011
Clap Your Hands played a very respectable 45 minute set in between Asteroid Galaxy and Datarock. They had been scheduled to play at F*** Yeah Fest on 3 September but were unable to travel west due to hurricane Irene. My main gripe is through no fault of their own: it seemed they wanted to play longer than they did, but were forced to stick to the strict time constraints mandated by the two stages’ proximity to one another. In fact, PA music came on before their encore! 45 minutes is ample time for a nice, thorough sound check, but for a band like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, who officially has a body of work now, the set seems way too short, especially since a majority of the set was from their now iconic, 2005 self-titled debut, a release which embodied the DIY movement at the time.
Regarding that debut, few albums come along with as cohesive or a singular of a purpose. I will forever compare Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to Ziggy Stardust if only because both albums run through 12 tracks in 38 minutes, and because Bowie championed Clap Your Hands when they first broke through. The Philadelphia five-piece opens with “Sunshine and Clouds and Everything Proud”, a little ditty which is track 4 on the aforementioned debut. This choice of opener suggested that the set wouldn’t be about Hysterical, the John Congleton-produced LP which was released on September 20th in The States, but rather their LP which was released 6 and a half years ago. I can’t say that the crowd minded the preponderance of older material. “In This Home on Ice”, my personal fav, was spot-on, and “The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth”, their undisputed most popular song, sent the crowd rocking back and forth in place. As for the new album, “Hysterical” begins unassuming but builds throughout to something with a level of urgency. The single, “Maniac”, would make a nice B-side from their first album. Unfortunately for Mr. Ounsworth and co., however, the band has lost much of their relevancy and have therefore come to be defined by their past as opposed to their future. Whether Hysterical will set their career on a new trajectory remains to be seen.– Chris Gedos
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! – Maniac
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Datarock @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October 9, 2011
What you see is what you get with Norwegian heavyweights Datarock, which is a lot. Tight, concise guitar licks, kraut-house melodies and vocals which serve as atmosphere during the verse and go big during the chorus. To say that Datarock brings a lot of energy to stage would be a vast understatement. They bubble over with energy, jumping up and down in their trademark red jumpsuits with a fair bit of running man thrown in for good measure. Frontman Fredrik Saroea is the group ambassador, drummer Tarjei Strøm donates several drum sticks to the audience and bassist Thomas Larssen never stops head banging. But Kjetil Møster, while not a founding member, is arguably their heart and soul. He mixes in layers of synths with a killer saxophone solo on several of their best known tracks. I saw Datarock at the Echoplex back in March and must say that their sound lends itself better to an indoor environment, as it seemed they weren’t quite as loud on Sunday night. Yet their performance was clear proof why they’ve been darlings of the electro rock scene for nearly a decade. – Chris Gedos
Datarock – The PretenderCSS @ Echoplex Saturday October 8, 2011 and @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October 9, 2011
CSS brought some Brazilian soccer culture worthy-type “A” game to Culture Collide – headlining stages on both Saturday (Echoplex) and Sunday (Toyota Antics Block Party) nights. Perhaps the festival’s biggest draw, the band’s tight mix of multicultural nightlife soul won over the crowd of both new and longtime fans.
CSS – Red Alert (Feat. Ratatat)
It was a Midwestern affair on Monday Night at the Grog Shop, with Trade School (Minnesota) and Gossip Culture (Cleveland) opening for super-fresh Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (Detroit). To be from the Midwest is to embody a certain mindset or philosophy that it’s OK to be the underdog, i.e. we don’t care about our forgotten industry because we’re really the backbone of this hackneyed American Dream.
The Grog is small and intimate with no strange corners for the sound to get trapped in; the beer selection is impressive and the prices reasonable; with a max capacity likely less than 300, it’ll rock with 75-80 people inside; really an ideal place to see a show. After a bout on the infamous Ms. Pac-Man machine, Minnesota’s Trade School took the stage — a guy and a girl playing synths with warmth and emotion, strong beats and stronger melodies. According to their singer, the other band mates are in rehab and prison, a tidbit he related with brilliant deadpan if he was indeed joking. Information’s scant beyond this – to give you a sense of their talents. With a full lineup they could be a force to be reckoned with.
Gossip Culture (Ryan Sheridan) is from CLE, and us Northeast Ohioans love to promote a homegrown product. I’d say there were 15-20 devotees who had seen him a few times before. Surely they would like Gossip Culture regardless of their place of origin. The music is fun and danceable, at times obscure but never pretentious. The bassist was an old pro and the drummer was proof that a wide variety of sound can erupt from an 8-piece kit. Their cover of “Maneater” by Hall and Oates was a highlight of the set. I loved the Pere Ubu / Devo influence, (two of the area’s most notable exports.) Fans of The Avalanches and Caribou must keep an ear to the ground for news of Mr. Sheridan’s whereabouts. In addition to an occasional Youngstown show (a.k.a. Steeltown, U.S.A.), Gossip Culture has an EP release show set for October 22nd at The Beachland Tavern.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. made their presence known between sets by carrying out a J & an R bedazzled with 100 watt light bulbs, easily an A+ shop class midterm. It helped brighten the dimly lit stage for a few moments at the beginning of the set. The letters embody D.I.Y. mentality, which is the ethic of the entire rust belt. The name of their acclaimed LP says it all: It’s A Corporate World. In a world where corporate greed has destroyed the American Dream, only a D.I.Y. ethic will allow the stomped-upon individual to cut his/her little slice of destiny. Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein took the stage wearing Detroit Tigers warm-up jackets with synths blaring and their fists pumped to the sky before opening with “Morning Thought”, and in that moment the drastic population flight from Cleveland and Detroit became moot. The 75-80 people in attendance rocked out with the fury of 200. As they played through their LP and made it to their cover of “God Only Knows”, those once-heralded titans of rock radio, CKLW and WMMS, still held sway in Michigan and Ohio. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.’s saccharine melodies are instantly relatable (think Wayne Coyne circa ’95), but a pervading world-weary wistfulness is only detectable by us fellow natives of the Midwest. There was witty banter full of site-specific references and irreverent swinging from the Grog’s creaky ceiling plumbing, which capped a night replete with an authenticity rarely found on the NYC / LA culture farms.
Contributed by Chris Gedos
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Morning Thought
(Official)
Gossip Culture – Horses Run Wild 
(Facebook)
Rating: 8.5
Sure we’re not the first to say it, nor will we be the last, but LA needs a music festival that holds up to SXSW, NXNW, In The City, CMJ, etc. We’re not talking street fests, FYF or Muse Expo, we’re talking like a downtown LA Artwalk of music. just check the Artwalk each month… the crowd is there, the scene is there, the food is there, but only on occasion the right bands are there – but never all at once. Last weekend FILTER Magazine put on the first official Culture Collide Festival at various eastside and downtown LA venues. The festival showcased their choice selection of established and emerging artists from around the world over a period of four days concluding with a free outdoor festival on the last. And so blahblahblahscience has put together an overview of our favorite moments for those who may have missed it:
Electro-pop collective KAMP! (Poland) were a pleasant surprise at the Echoplex. ‘Euro’ blends of synths, live instrumentation, and vox (not short on David Bowie homage) paints a pretty good picture. Not your typical ‘yeah were an 80’s new wave flashback here to prove something’ group, but rather it’s like KAMP! share their take on 1980’s dance parties into the future, the near future. A young band that does what they do well, and worth their notice.
3 piece Kordan (NY), has a pretty good sound on tape. That being said low-fi, electro-pop bands should hit up their producer ASAP. The trio lurped their way through a rough set. We here at b3sci are all for sloppy and simple musicianship, as long as it’s got a soul to it, and there’s a tune there. but not this time, sorry guys… write some tunes and do some rails if you must. Other disappointing acts included City Riot (Australia), and The Boxer Rebellion (UK)… who btw we were pretty stoked for (Union has some good tunes on it).
Black Lips (Atlanta) closed the Echoplex opening night with a set that proved difficult for any to live up to the following days. The band came out sporting t-shirts, button downs, and ever classy K-mart, native american’esque ‘half-zip’ fleeces (circa ’95). These dudes played fucking LOUD. Their songs translated live and they were tight, but when they weren’t it didn’t matter… because of the sheer passion they played with. Not many bands can pull off ‘everybody sings in our band’ with such non-contrived class. The band tore through their set of strat-jangled pop jams with early Beatles/Quarrymen craft and a shameless new born CBGB mentality. Black Lips are a group with seemingly substantial influence on many punk inspired Indie acts of the day, and they showed why they’ll remain relevent.
Other highlights and honorable mentions during the 4 days of Culture Collide include:
Casiokids (Norway) with their take on obscure dance-pop that seems to live somewhere between The Rapture and a toned down Friendly Fires, just add nice pianos and jonsi-ros vox.
White Lies (UK) continue to deliver 5-piece layered synth and guitar based rock done right. The band split their set with tracks from To Lose My Life.. and their forthcoming LP due in January (which a listening party on Monday proved material worth another spin or two in our books).
Phantogram (NY) who continue to deliver great ideas with a mid-90’s Cardigans like sensibility, though their fill-in drummer still didn’t seem to be doing them any favors.
Amusement Parks On Fire (UK) are worth keeping an eye on, with a nice aggressive layered-guitar sound, but they are young and have some growing to do in terms of chemistry and performance.
Cass McCombs (California) was a pleasant listen, debuting some of his new material while Darker My Love bassist Rob Barbato backed as part of the band.
Tokyo Police Club (Canada) once again proved they should be the official college pizza-party band of the decade! Their catchy Pop/Rock with just the right attitude, energy, and touch obscurity is hard to deny. Dudes know how to have a good time. Even Jeff Apruzzese from Passion Pit showed up to rock the bass and join the party on “Your English Is Good”. Conclusion, if i worked for Pizza Hut then my commercials would have/sound-like TPC songs.
Sunday headliners and last minute additions, Jenny and Johnny (Los Angeles) closed the outdoors part of free festival day. Like true Indie Rock royalty, Siverlake Darling, Jenny Lewis and the crew arrived 40 minutes late. They opened with “Committed” closing track and personal favorite from the Im Having Fun Now LP, and closed with “The Next Messiah” off Jenny’s Acid Tongue LP. Still things were testy… there were sound issues, and during one of the band’s 2-3 minutes of nothingness in between songs a fight in the crowd began causing Jenny to intervene. All in all, Jx2 were great live and if all of Im Having Fun Now was as good as “Scissor Runner”, “Big Wave” and “Committed” then we’d have ourselves one of our choice albums of the year.
our final highlight from Culture Collide is Fran Healy (Scotland), front man of late 90’s and early oughts darlings Travis. Rather influential to my musical coming of age, it was incredible to not only shake Fran’s hand that night but to also watch him perform his Shakespeare-like pop/love songs in such an intimate setting. Perhaps the most witty songwriter I have ever seen perform live, Fran owned the over-capacity church of standing room only, and line outside the door. Telling jokes, timeless stories about, and tricking the crowd into believing that major collaborators from his new debut solo effort Wreckorder were there to perform with him (namely Neko Case and Paul McCartney). Having seen Fran perform with Travis several times before, his voice wasn’t in top form, which could have had something to do with the 90 degree non-air/conditioned/stuffy church, or the sound problems, but regardless Fran made his way through a set that included Travis tracks like “Writing To Wreach You”, “Sing”, and “Driftwood” in addition to new solo material like “Buttercups” and standout Wreckorder favorite “Sing Me To Sleep“. His set ended with a standing ovation, and one well deserved for one of the best songwriters of the last 15 years.
In conclusion, FILTER’s first Culture Collide fest proved a succesfull showcasing of emerging global talent. Should be interesting to see how the fest evolves, and is recieved by LA next time around. If you missed it this year be sure to hit it up next.
Newly signed to the dope Carpark Records, Saint Pepsi (aka Ryan DeRobertis) strikes the perfect type of throwback sound to satisfy any such massive craving. Most recently St.Pepsi delivered his otherworldly funkified spin on Beat Culture’s “Drifter feat Physic Twin”, and here continues his path towards monsta success with “Fiona Coyne”. Expect big things to come from this young 21 year old. By Brian Litwin
Saint Pepsi (Soundscloud)
Rating 8.4
It took a minute, but we have recovered. After battling through the post-SXSW plague (aka an annual gnarly cold), curing our hangovers with some proper hydration via resqwater, and yes…actually getting some sleep, we’re back with our annual report from SX. And so it is; straight from the front lines of ATX, here’s a Top 10 report of SXSW Music 2014 highlights from our troops on the ground.
Mike
Jungle
Wolf Alice
Rare Monk
SOHN
KINS
Zella Day
MISUN
SIVU
GEMS
Moses Sumney
Troy
SXSW 2014. I traversed the Doritos #BoldStage, made memories at SXSubway, got social media-relevant at the Tumblr House and sought precious refuge from the apocalyptic World War Z-esque 6th St. throngs; that and I saw some pretty cool bands and artists. From Moses Sumney’s Central Presbyterian stunning vocal sermon to Sango’s star-level beat-making to Soundgarden’s sludgy rooftop stab at Superunkown; the musical component of SX is still at least maintaining a high level. Here’s few of my favorites from the festival.
Moses Sumney
Arthur Beatrice
Sango
Jungle
Angel Olsen
Soundgarden
Sam Smith
Misun
Banks
Kaytranada
Brian Litwin
SXSW 2014 was a big one, making headlines all over the world for puke, corporations and tragedies. For me, SXSW was similar to “Starred” playlist on Spotify; mostly all different genres, all with buzz and a sense of uniqueness. It was a pleasure working with Team B3SCI on their incredible shows and an honor to spend that time with friends in such an incredible city. Here are my 10 highlights of SXSW 2014:
The Preatures
Bipolar Sunshine
Wave Racer
Eagulls
100s
Young and Sick
Cashmere Cat
Kelela
SKATERS
Beat Culture
*Just to sneak one last one in there – the Ray Ban X Boiler Room set was unreal…”
Bruce Rave
Another successful SXSW (South By Sponsorship Week) is behind us. One trend is that there seemed to be fewer rapidly-growing, up and coming buzz bands in that middle level between the big names and the many newbies. Congrats to our Mike and Troy for dropping the first Jungle EP on their B3SCI label, and for Jungle being one of the week’s most talked about bands. I mostly skipped great bands bands I’ve seen, and there weren’t many surprises this year besides the incredibly enthusiastic Gary Numan.
The Strypes
Temples
Gary Numan
Jungle
Moses Sumney
The Crookes
Chloe Howl
Misun
Kid Karate
The Griswolds
