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.
With only a handful of tunes released to date, and a debut LP in pipeline, UK act Dan Croll has been making a name for himself. The the young songwriter has been on the radar since his track “From Nowhere” first hit the interwebs, not to mention his receiving the Songwriter of the Year Award via the Liverpool institute of Performing Arts. This Saturday The Fold Silverlake will present a night of live music featuring Croll in the Bootleg Bar, along with support from blogosphere and Oakland rainmakers Trails and Ways, and Boston trio Carousel.
Be sure to catch this show before all three acts take SXSW 2013 by storm! B3SCI has got a pair of tickets to give away for one lucky reader. For your chance to win, email us here and say that you’d like to to be entered in the Dan Croll ticket giveaway. We’ll be picking our winning email submission at random this Saturday morning (one entry per person). Get more information on the show and purchasing tickets here.
Team B3 is very pleased to announce our debut B3SCI PRESENTS event during SXSW on Wednesday, March 13th at the iconic E. 6th St. venue Maggie Mae’s Rooftop.
Along with our friends at The Fold Presents, we invite you to come hang out, have some free drinks & fresh popcorn (yes, a popcorn stand!), grab some cool new B3SCI swag, and most importantly, catch live sets from some of the hottest emerging talent on the planet. RSVP [Now Closed] to this guest list only party, and we’d recommend you arrive early because we can’t guarantee entry once we’re at capacity. Details and more info below.
Wednesday March 13, 2013
Maggie Mae’s Rooftop
323 East 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701
Free Drinks + Popcorn Stand
Doors @ 11:45 am
Ages 21+
On Tuesday, March 5th, hotly tipped Aussie outfit Alpine will swing by The Bootleg as part of The Fold Silverlake Presents. The band will be in LA and NY for select dates before they hit Austin for this year’s SXSW festival, and we’ve got a pair of tickets to this Tuesday’s show in LA for one lucky reader! To win, email us here and say that you want some Alpine tickets. We will pick our winning email submission at random this Monday night 3/4/13. You can get more information on the show and purchasing tickets here.
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
D.C. band on the rapid rise Brett (“Kate Moss” and “Confidence”) lace up a 90’s synth music-infused (we’re picturing Ross from Friends doing a nod w/ his Walkman) pop montage on “Visions”. The new track is part of the Rap Songs x Visions EP out on iTunes and Beatport via dFm February 26th. The EP will also include a remix of “Rap Songs” by Them Jeans. Be sure to keep on eye out for Brett performing in the D.C. area as well as in Austin this year during SXSW.
The Lucius crew let loose an excellent soulful live version of their “Turn It Around” single. The Brooklyn band found themselves in lights last night as “Turn It Around” got a spin on the open of last night “Grey’s Anatomy” (which somewhat amazingly is still on). Lucius have a U.S. tour upcoming; with a start in Boston on Valentine’s Day (where by then the city’s snowmobile-based economy should be in full motion) and will continue throughout February and into March with multiple shows at SXSW.
Tour:
2/14: Boston, MA @ Great Scott
2/15 Philadelphia, PA @ Milkboy *
2/16 Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java *
2/17 Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café *
2/18 Toledo, OH @ The Ottawa Tavern
2/20: Mechanicsburg, PA @ Messiah College
2/21: Kingston, NY @BSP Lounge
2/22: Hamden, CT @ The Outer Space
2/23: Williamstown, MA @ The Log
3/13: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/14: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/15: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/16: Austin, TX @ SXSW
3/18: Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s Cantina Ballroom #
3/19: Birmingham, AL @ Workplay Theater #
3/20: Nashville, TN @ The High Watt %
4/5: Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
* co-headlining w/ Hannah Georgas
# supporting The Mowgli’s & Family of the Year
% supporting Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers
London quintet Eliza and the Bear have conjured up a delectable new AA single for the indie folk/pop/rock enthralled. The insatiably melodic Upon the North / The Southern Wild sees release later this month on February 25 via Generator. We recently caught up with vocalist James Kellegher to talk about songwriting, a debut album, Justin Bieber and more. Check it out below.
B3SCI: How did Eliza and the Bear come to be?
EATB: We’d all played in bands that had crossed paths once or twice. Paul, Martin and Chris were all quite local to me (James), Callie and I were in bands together. These bands ended for one reason or another and most of us decided to have a good break from all of it. There was a point in time, boredom set in and we decided to go back and write music that we wanted to hear and to keep enjoying it. We recorded our first demo “Trees” in Paul’s bedroom studio, with absolutely no plans to tour or do much with it. Eventually it became apparent that people enjoyed it, so we thought we’d better write some more songs!
B3SCI: The band explore a variety of eclectic rhythms and cultural folk and rock styles. How would you describe the musical cauldron of Eliza and the Bear?
EATB: It’s certainly a busy cauldron! We all have musical tastes that differ from eachother, but there is a overlapping section that we all agree upon. We are constantly listening to new music and branching out into different genres. We aren’t really afraid to stray from the path a little bit, which I think can limit some bands, if you think too much about what you “can’t” do, you may lose your spark. Most importantly, don’t force it, if we find ourselves trying to force a song to work we usually put it to bed for a few months and then go back to its core.
B3SCI: Speaking of various influences, how about sharing a few guilty pleasures? Any surprises with your main influences?
EATB: This band are FULL of guilty pleasures. We are all hoping to go and see Justin Bieber on his UK tour and maybe One Direction! I don’t think our main musical influences are that surprising, but they don’t particularly sound like us. Bands like: Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Coldplay, The Maccabees.
B3SCI: Much of your music feels colorful, showcasing strong range, restraint and dynamic all without saying too much. Is this a conscious effort and in any case how do you want people to feel when they hear an Eliza and the Bear song?
EATB: I don’t think its too much of a conscious effort. I think if there is a vocal line or piano line that we particularly think will stand out on its own, we will use it. I have an inability to sing about anything overly happy, so I think it’s a nice mix with the upbeat music. I think the music has quite a grand sound, it’s quite euphoric in places but we like to expose the delicate nuances of the song as well. It makes me feel nostalgic, so I hope that comes across to listeners.
B3SCI: Your upcoming double A-side / 7″ for “Upon the North” and “The Southern Wild” beckons the obvious juxtaposition curiosity. How do Eliza and the Bear see the roles of ‘North’ and ‘South’?
EATB: I think in these songs “North” and “South” play a similar role in the way that they are a direction to choose. Almost an escape/new start.
B3SCI: The single drops on the 25th of February. How will Eliza and the Bear be spending their days leading up to its release (besides sleepless nights of course)?
EATB: On the 25th we start a short tour, so I’m sure we will be keeping our minds active in the rehearsal studio. Making sure everything is ready to go!
B3SCI: What role does the live show play in the overall Eliza and the Bear experience?
EATB: I think the live environment is very important for bands. A lot of people will hear your band live before anything else, so you have to be tight. For our shows, we make sure we just enjoy ourselves and I think that can be contagious to an audience.
B3SCI: When will fans in the United States get their chance to see Eliza and the Bear? Is SXSW on the horizon?
EATB: We are all hoping to get out this year or in 2014. I think SXSW 2014 is a goal we are aiming for.
B3SCI: When can fans expect a full length release?
EATB: We are currently writing and demoing for a full length, so we are looking forward to getting into a studio at some point this year to start work on it!
B3SCI: When you guys aren’t making music, how do you bide your time?
EATB: We all still have dayjobs right now, some of us work in schools/colleges and others are labourers. If we aren’t at work, we are either sleeping or practicing!
B3SCI: In fine tradition as now B3SCI interview alumni, we’re hooking you guys up with a free ride on our B3SCI Time Machine… Where/when are you guys heading?
EATB: I think we all want to go back to the 1920’s and be gangsters running an alcohol factory. (Yes we watch Boardwalk Empire!)
Here’s a “fave follow-up” on Palma Violets. The UK band, whose “Best of Friends” single topped tracks lists for 2012 and radars to watch for 2013, have just dropped a new single in their home country. Gotta love that organ in the intro and that ____ melody. Palma Violets will be playing in New York next week and at SXSW in March. Needless to say, lots of UK-philes will be very keen to check them out, including the team at B3Sci. By Bruce Rave
I’d barely heard of Palma Violets until a few months ago when NME Magazine touted them as one of the best new UK bands. By the time NME’s Top Tracks of 2012 was published, “Best Of Friends” was #1 with all of the usual suspects. The band is known for frenetic live shows, and the verdict so far is that this band is for real. You can see Palma Violets live version of “Tom the Drum” below, as played on the BBC’s Jools Holland show. Get ready for these guys to invade shores stateside. You can catch them at SXSW this March. By Bruce Rave
Team B3SCI recently phoned-in with Mancunian soulboy Daley as he traveled by train through the English countryside back home from London. Check out our conversation below for what he had to say about his forthcoming UK tour with R&B ‘it’ star Miguel, his new album, past and future projects with Damon Albarn, SXSW 2013 and more…
We’re pumped because Contrakids have dropped this new DJ Skeet Skeet remix of their track, “We Go, You Go”. The cut is part of a new remix collection that also includes projects with Savoir Adore and Age of Rockets. Rumor has it the band may be in States for SXSW 2013 in support of a new EP release expected in February.
(Facebook) 
