The nightclub scene can be a tricky beast. Clubs open and close, what’s trendy now won’t be in a year and the turn over rate is pretty high for a “sustainable business”. However, Lure (where The Cabana Club once stood) in Hollywood seems to have a something good brewing. Being opened in May 2012, Lure is not only one of the hottest nightclubs in LA right now, but seem to be on a consistent track with booking the best of new and old talents of EDM. This was ever so apparent, with the bottle service crowd in full swing, for Breakbot and Bondax on Friday night.
Having already seen Bondax at SXSW, and knowing what Adam Kaye and George Townsend would do to a crowd brimming to kick the weekend off on the right note, I just sat back and watch the madness ensue. Some highlights from the set were Moon Boots’ remix of Gold, Pharrell and Jay Z’s “Frontin'”, Mystikal’s “Shake Ya Ass” and Bondax’s monster single Gold. The young UK producers are a must see if they roll thought your town.
A friend of mine would look at the scene for the next act, Breakbot, and would say that the club was “elbow to asshole” packed. Now take that saying however you want to, but the place was at max capacity and every soul under the tented roof were getting down. French native Thibaut Berland, nonchalantly started the funk/French house explosion and the crowd, already feeling it from Bondax, went nuts. The whole set was down right awesome, but a shining moment for me was Baby I’m Yours. The Ed Banger release track is just immaculate and the video is the ultimate compliment to the track. By Brian Litwin
Over the past year, Australia’s Gold Fields have proven themselves to be one of the most compelling new bands on the touring circuit. On Thursday, February 28th, the night following their TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel, and a new album release for Black Sun, The Troubadour in West Hollywood was sold out for a blazing set from the band.
The performance that night was solid. Lead singer Mark Robert Fuller and his bandmates blended hooky melodies and instrumental parts with their rather unique percussive style. Gold Fields’ playing was airtight as they moved in two gears. There were mid-tempo songs such as the successful single “Dark Again”, and all bets were off when Gold Field’s turned things up and keyboardist Rob Clifton joined drummer Ryan D’Sylva on percussion. Their perfect set closer was the blistering “Moves”, which was one of the most effective finales in my recent memory (the track was also the Jimmy Kimmel bonus track, check it out below). Other highlights that night included the softer, pretty “Happy Boy” and the band’s powerful cover of Underworld’s “Born Slippy” from the Trainspotting soundtrack. Somewhat surprising, given the dynamics of their music, Gold Fields have an unassuming way to their performing. With a certain confidence, the band and their fans let the music speak for itself.
Earlier in the night, I hung out with Mark and Ryan of Gold Fields backstage at The Troubadour for an in-depth chat. We talked about their music, touring, Jimmy Kimmel telling them “don’t fuck this up” just before the band went on the air, and of course their upcoming appearance at the B3SCI Presents Day Party during SXSW. You can check out that interview below.
If you like The Vaccines… even a little bit, then you should make a point to see them live. It’s surprising that the band haven’t gotten much US radio support, and like so many other succesful acts in the UK, their stateside ascendency hasn’t happened nearly at the same rate. The Vaccines’ recently performed for a sold-out crowd of 1,200 excited fans at the Henry Fonda Musicbox in Los Angeles on Thursday night this past Valentines Day. What the band has lacked in airplay, they clearly make up for with fans and sizzling live shows.
The Vaccines perform with power, and they play fast. They were originally labeled an indie band but they have said they’d rather be considered a rock group. That’s exactly what they acted like that night at the Henry Fonda. Freddie Cowan’s guitar playing shined that night, especially on the second encore track “Bad Mood”. Vocalist and guitar player Justin Young proved a strong, confident front man. The band’s set focused mostly on their two albums, without touching on the individual singles that were released in-between. Fan favorites “Post Breakup Sex” and “If You Wanna” from the first album closed the main set, receiving the best initial reactions. The girls especially took kindly to the band with many in rows in front singing along, and forcing the mosh pit to the back of the floor. Even those in the balcony were dancing up a storm. It seemed that even the band’s mid-tempo songs were played at a faster tempo that night, all except for the popular ballad “Wetsuit”.
Earlier in the evening, Australian collective San Cisco made a strong impression by more than holding their own as the evening’s middle support band. Their song “Awkward” was a hit in the land down under and was familiar to many in the LA crowd that night. “Rocket Ship” and a new song called “Fred Astaire” were also highlights. San Cisco is on the rise and will return to LA for in April for a headlining gig at The Troubadour. They will also be at SXSW. By Bruce Rave
With their signature blend of R&B fused guitar pop, it’s no secret that this Manchester based collective are causing a stir of excitement in the indie rock world. Title track and new single, “Sex”, from their upcoming EP release, has been in rotation here and across the blogosophere for the last year or so in it’s demo form; with the official single version recently debuted by famed BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe. More so, the rest of the band’s new Sex EP is equally infectious, with highlights including mid-tempo grooves on “Undo” and the melodic climax of “You”. The Sex EP sees release on November 19th, it is the second installment of the band’s current three EP release cycle, culminating to the band’s debut album with release expected sometime in 2013. Check out our Q&A with the band below.
B3SCI: How did The 1975 form and come to be, and for how long has the band been playing together as a whole?
The 1975: We met at school. We kinda started out of boredom. There was no real scene in our town at that time and we were all looking for some way of expressing ourselves I suppose. Some woman called Sheila started this run of gigs for underage kids (I think she was like a hippy council worker) and they soon turned into a riot. We would go and play there, doing covers of punk songs and ghostbusters etc. It was so drunken and personal. After doing that for a while we wrote a song and thought ‘Let’s just do this! This is well better than going to school or work. So we went under loads of names, made loads of different music and now we’re here – as The 1975.
B3SCI: Manchester has a legendary history of influential bands, was there anything in particular about this history that was influential to The 1975 in it’s formative years?
The 1975: Not really no. We met at school around Manchester – but I was born in London and George in Brussels etc. so our personal affiliation with Manchester and our understanding of it’s tribalist attitude towards music came quite late on. I grew up on R&B and Soul for example, as opposed to New Order. But as a city, it is the setting to all of our music in my head. It was the girls and endless gigs and general vibe of the place that bled into our music.
B3SCI: In the new video for your single “Sex”, your rehearsal space is dressed everywhere with iconic posters of artists. Did you guys play any role in the selection of what we see?
The 1975: Yes, all of it. That’s our rehearsal room and has been forever. We’ve never left it. We just thought it would be cool to shoot it in that room because it is essentially a visual representation of what we’re about. It wasn’t a contrived idea – just thought it would be real.
B3SCI: Some lyrical topics from The 1975 seem to explore concepts of new experience and discovery, yet the name of the band itself, and even musically, the band seems to hint towards a maturity beyond its years. What does the concept of time mean to The 1975?
The 1975: I think people are obsessed with time. That sounds a bit under revised – but what I’m talking about is our obsession with decades. We like everything to fit into our predetermined timeline of what we know and expect. It makes things easier to digest and helps us see cultural movements as ‘that time’. This can breed a lot of predictable art though – be it music or whatever. So our band take the attitude of ‘all bets are off’. That’s why we never really take contemporary music into consideration. Not to say we don’t listen to it, of course we do, we just don’t worry about ‘what’s going on’. I reckon timeless music is created by people that aren’t thinking about time.
B3SCI: The band is in the process of releasing a series of three EPs leading up to the release of your debut album in 2013. Is there a story behind these initial releases, or a story that you are trying to tell with them?
The 1975: I wouldn’t say that there is a narrative running from the first e.p. through to the last. But there is a definite theme. Sex, Love, Drugs and Fear I suppose. The songs on Sex are all about passing moments. Moments that we don’t analyse at the time – only to understand them retrospectively. Where as Facedown has a more assertive attitude. I think that’s what separates those two records. For the third, we’re not quite finished.
B3SCI: Is there a story or reason that the band has decided to collaborate with producer Mike Crossey on the forthcoming full-length album?
The 1975: He got in touch with us and said he really wanted to do our album. We were initially a bit apprehensive because we had always said that we were going to produce our debut album – same as we did with the E.p.’s. But we went over to Liverpool to meet him and shook hands on the whole thing that day. It was very easy. We are now in the studio with Mike as a co-producer and it seems to be going well. Very, very well.
B3SCI: Both your new Sex EP and it’s predecessor Facedown EP explore ambient rock concepts. Is there a philosophy or perspective that The 1975 has about ambient composition? Are there any particulars about ambient or atmospheric music that the band find inspiring?
The 1975: I suppose it was Sigur Ros who first really blew me away. I remember hearing their first album and then totally emerging myself in all things Eno. Ambient music really speaks to me. I think it’s because I first fell in love with music through film at a very early age – John Hughes movies etc. Ambient music at it’s best commands you how to feel without the use of words – I think that’s really powerful. More powerful in fact.
B3SCI: The band seems to have a strong affinity for a great pop melody. To you guys, what makes for a great pop song?
The 1975: Well that is something we’re really trying to explore at the moment. Sometimes you release a piece of music, or maybe play it to a friend, with the opinion that is really left field or something you’ve created with no intention of it being accepted as a ‘big’ song . And then it is. I used to think it was just all about structure and chords, but it’s really not. A good pop song is about how it makes you feel at face value – on the first listen. If it doesn’t take you some where immediately – through its message or instrumentation or whatever it is – it will simply be lost on you.
B3SCI: What artists or influences do you have which fans might find as a surprise? Any guilty pleasures you’d like to share?
The 1975: Well my iTunes at the moment is pretty much mid 90’s R&B. D’angelo, Boyz II Men, TLC, Brian Mcknight etc. But I’m not guilty for any of that. We find it hard to dislike music because it’s soppy or not perceived as ‘cool’. If you’re a good song writer you can find influence in any type of music whether it’s cool or not. But to be fair, Dixie Chicks just came on as I was saying that. I do feel a bit guilty about that.
B3SCI: If The 1975 could tour with any band, who would it be? (PS…you can hop into our B3SCI time machine if you like for any artist past, present, or future..)
The 1975: It would be : Michael Jackson – History Tour 1996. I was at that show in Wembley. I would have been about 7 years old. It was one of the most memorable and important experiences I think I’ve ever had. Seeing him perform catalysed a real drive within me from an early age. So that show would be awesome to fly back to and be part of. But also Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense Tour. Just cos they’re the fucking coolest. And David Byrne with that huge lamp was genius.
B3SCI: When will we finally get to see The 1975 performing in the US?
The 1975: Next year, if everything goes according to plan. We’re looking to get out there for SXSW. We might stick around and play some shows. We can’t wait actually.
B3SCI: What else should fans expect to hear from The 1975 in the year to come? Any surprises that you can share with us?
The 1975: If i knew, I would tell you. But I’m locked away in the studio. All I do know is that there is going to be A LOT of shows. And an album. A big album.
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.
