Live! Friday July 12, at Capitol Garage, 1427 L. St., with the Swords Project. Call for time and cover.
Hardly another posthumous slowcore act following in the footsteps of its idols, Windsor for the Derby has been releasing music since 1994, embracing the greater attributes of its contemporaries. Like many of Michael Gira’s projects, Windsor has embraced elegance over posturing and has captured melody though sparse arrangements—as on the fine opening track, “The Same,” or the closer, “Donkey Ride.” The Emotional Rescue LP succeeds with lush acoustics, piano and saxophone. “Now I Know the Sea” and “Awkwardness” are a few additional tracks that hint at this Austin, Texas-based quartet’s love for seminal Chicago textural acts such as the Sea & Cake. Windsor is currently on tour with Portland-based prog band the Swords Project throughout July; it’ll be interesting to see how its sound translates into the live setting. Odds are the show will be a real treat.
Ex-Faith No More frontman Mike Patton brings Tomahawk, his latest twisted combo, to town
7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at Arco Arena, One Sports Parkway, $38.75-$42.75. Opening for Tool.
Live! 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at Arco Arena, One Sports Parkway, $38.75-$42.75. Opening for Tool.
Mike Patton’s past as frontman for one of the more important rock acts of the late ’90s still haunts him. After he joined Faith No More, the band moved from Bay Area cult status, rising from defunct clubs like the I-Beam and the River Theater, to take over the world within the year, with tour invites from Metallica and Guns N’ Roses and a gargantuan following overseas. Then Patton lost interest, and Faith No More broke up.
But Patton kept moving; maybe it’s because of his ADD. Since the first demo tape by Mr. Bungle—one of his many side projects—got released, Patton’s been anything but sedentary. He started his own record label, Ipecac, named after a solution that induces vomiting, and he’s drummed up a few musical projects—Maldoror, Peeping Tom and Fantomas among them.
Since 1999, Patton and partner Gregg Werckman, who once ran Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles label, have been waving a finger in the face of conventional labels. Forget the profit motive; Ipecac has become a haven for Patton’s personal indulgences. “Ipecac 2002 is a full-figured year,” he enthuses, “with releases by Skeleton Key, Isis, Dalek, Moistboyz, Ruins, Young Gods, Steroid Maximus, Phantomsmasher, Yuka Honda and, hopefully, General Patton vs. the X-ecutioners.” The label acquired the Melvins’ back catalog and is striving to push the avant-garde envelope with confusing, dissimilar releases by the Kids of Widney High, Eddie Def and Kid 606.
“It’s a strange thing,” Patton says, “but somehow bands just seem to find us. I listen to an unhealthy amount of music in my everyday life as it is—so when something jumps out at me and seems appropriate, I jump back at it. Right now we’re actually a bit over-committed—too many great bands and not enough time in the year to release them all. Whenever you dig deep and get your hands dirty, you can always find something sick and twisted to put out.”
Patton will bring his new band, Tomahawk, to Arco Arena on Saturday, July 13, opening for Tool. Tomahawk, which features ex-Jesus Lizard guitarist Duane Denison, ex-Helmet drummer John Stanier and ex-Cows bassist Kevin Rutmanis, is touring to support its latest album, Tomahawk, released last Halloween.
As Patton explains the band’s genesis: “It begins and ends with Duane, our guitarist. So blame it on him. He initially approached me with some material that was more or less composed, and I added my special sauce. We then set out to find two miserable wretches who could share our vision and help bring it to life. Duane seduced John and I reeled in Kevin. They provided the solid foundation we needed.”
Tomahawk’s unconventional music is a twisted mélange of surf, rock and spaghetti western, and the band’s practice regimen is twisted, too. “The tunes on the record are Duane’s,” Patton says. “The rest of us just do our best to screw them up. A skeletal idea usually begins with Duane in Nashville. Then I fill in the blanks with vox, electronics and arrangement ideas in San Francisco. We then pass the tapes on to New York and Los Angeles to Dr. Stanier and Rutmanis for further examination.”
“We’ve done something in the neighborhood of four to five tours,” Patton adds, “maybe 150 to 200 shows? I never count these things; it can be too depressing! This Tool tour should be a hoot. It lasts about 2 1/2 months. I’m particularly looking forward to playing Arco, the sacred site where my Laker boys ripped the Kings’ heart out in game seven on their way to a three-peat!” [Editor’s note: Ahem, white courtesy cluephone for Mr. Patton—they grow tomatoes around here, and the locals know how to throw them.]
“But no touring plans after that,” Patton concludes. “Time to hibernate in the studio for the rest of the year.”
Deftones side project Team Sleep gets ready to saw a few logs of its own
A graphic from Team Sleep’s upcoming Maverick release, which got bumped from July to “sometime after next year’s Deftones album.”
Most side projects are abysmal, lacking scope. Perhaps they’re done for ego, or money. That isn’t the case with Sacramento’s Team Sleep, which features extremely gifted Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno and the drumwork of Hella’s Zach Hill.
After a successful West Coast tour, Team Sleep’s self-titled debut will be released by Maverick, Deftones’ longtime label, next year. Although the band’s members have busy schedules—Hill is also working with Primus’ Les Claypool; Moreno is busy writing songs for the next Deftones opus; DJ Crook and guitarist Todd Wilkinson are working on a yet-to-be-named project—Team Sleep managed to find time to write and record its CD, some of which was mixed by Terry Date, the noted record producer who’s worked hard-rock alchemy with Deftones, Soundgarden, White Zombie, Pantera and others.
“Terry is very subtle,” Wilkinson says, “and he really doesn’t get involved too much in song structure—mostly just sounds.”
Wilkinson, a guitar player from Sacramento, played his first proper live shows on the band’s last tour. He’s one of Moreno’s best friends, dating back to their high-school years. “I started playing when I lived with Chino about 10 years ago,” Wilkinson recalls. “He showed me how to play a few simple songs—mostly Smashing Pumpkins. From there, I experimented on my own. Using a four-track [home recorder] has influenced the way I play a lot; instead of learning how to play well, I learned how to layer parts. I’m influenced mostly by moods, not any guitar stuff specifically.” Wilkinson cites Smashing Pumpkins, Dinosaur Jr., Built to Spill, the Cure and Elliott Smith as influences.
The first shows of Team Sleep, which may tour later this summer, featured as support act a reunited Phallucy—a band that included Deftones drummer Abe Cunningham. Like any good tour, the shows had high and low points. “Knowing that certain people would be at the L.A. show made me nervous,” Wilkinson says. “It bugs the shit out of me, because I really shouldn’t care what they think, but I let it get to me still. Also, I had a lot of family there. I’m sorry for being so vague with the ‘certain people’ and ‘they,’ but I think you can imagine to whom I am referring.”
Not really. The usual crowd of L.A. music-biz hangout artists? Madonna?
“The best show was, for a number of reasons, San Diego,” Wilkinson continues. “It was the night after L.A., about midway through the tour. We woke up in San Diego and parked at the beach on a warm day. Everyone felt as though the pressure had been relieved, and we had fun all day. The club was a little corny, but it was a fun show. Because we were relaxed and confident, we got loose. I think that made us perform better.
“The worst was Santa Cruz,” he adds. “Sonny [Mayugba, guitarist for Phallucy and Daycare and editor for snow/skate magazine Heckler] kept trying to get me to play a solo during the last song. I did, and it sucked. It was getting close to Christmas and we were burned out. It was still fun, though—we just lacked the energy.”
Wilkinson says that all of Team Sleep members now live in Sacramento, now that DJ Crook moved here from Los Angeles. “It’s hard to get us all in one room at the same time,” he says, adding that occasional collaborations still occur. “I’m trading tapes with Dan [Elkin] from Pocket for Corduroy,” he says. “Me and Crook are working on other stuff that may or may not become Team Sleep. I’m lucky because I have many friends who are both cool people and not involved with other bands but, however, good musicians.”
The band’s chosen moniker is said to describe the band’s ethos and soundscapes. It evokes a bond between the members, based on Wilkinson’s humble beginnings as a high-school pal of Moreno’s. “The vibe of the music is somewhat sleepy,” Wilkinson says. “And I suppose that we are a team.”
Harlow’s usually isn’t the place to catch local music live. Sure, local promoters bring in offbeat national acts and locals during weekdays. But Harlow’s, on weekends, relies on such cash cows as Double Funk Crunch, Wonderbread 5, Tainted Love and others to pull in a crowd willing to pay from $10 to $20 to hear covers.
So Thursday’s last-minute show with Team Sleep, the new project featuring Deftones frontman Chino Moreno, was an anomaly on the club’s June calendar. Listed as a Soul Clap gig with special guests, the only promotion—sans a few color handbills at record stores—was a small mention on the Harlow’s calendar the night of the show. Unless you were hooked into Team Sleep’s e-mail list or visited www.teamsleep.com, you probably missed this rare appearance. But over 300 fans did show up.
Although Team Sleep stalled for what seemed an eternity—the show didn’t start until after 11—the band did not disappoint. With ex-Pocket for Corduroy guitarist Dan Elkan joined by Todd Wilkinson and Moreno, the guitar firepower emanating from the stage was larger than life, like an indie version of the Allman Brothers Band. On songs such as the opener “Blvd Nights” and crowd favorite “Solid Gold,” Team Sleep played with renewed vigor compared to its last Colonial Theater show—and appeared confident in its material.
Drummer Zach Hill, with his single-kick calisthenics and tricky stickwork, was the true star of the night, though. Unlike his current band, Hella, whose set lists usually time out around 20 minutes and feature a nonstop barrage of neo-prog rock played at 150 beats per minute, Hill showed his ability to lay down deep, cutting grooves behind his fellow bandmates, plus Rick Verlaine and DJ Crook. On tunes like the off-kilter “King Diamond” and “Kool Aid,” Hill was even afforded the opportunity to take center stage and mix up the beat contingent.
Among the many local celebrities in the audience was Moreno’s Deftones bandmates Chi Cheng and Abe Cunningham, plus members of Will Haven, Tinfed, and various 720 Records bands. Moreno’s followers, who made up more than half the audience, knew all the words to some of Team Sleep’s unreleased material, tracks like “Mercedes” and “Acoustic One.” Chalk that up to the wonders of Internet streaming. Team Sleep’s upcoming release is due in the fall.
A friend described the show in three words—“majestic,” “engaging” and … well, the other one eludes me. For the sake of argument, a simple “magnificent” will suffice.
Sacramento’s never really had much of a coffeehouse club circuit. Sure, if you counted places like Capitol Garage or Bella Bru for their ability to both serve a hot cup of joe and book live music, you might argue otherwise. But unlike San Francisco’s scene, the chances of finding a venue that was content with mostly acoustic music was next to nil.
So leave it to Art Luna—the owner, booker, cook and manager of Luna’s on 16th Street downtown who, over the years, has developed a loyal following of Lunaheads who will support live music from national and local acts—to carry the torch. From such out-of-town acts as Bitch & Animal and Norway’s Poor Rich Ones to locals like Sean Hayashi and Jacob Golden, Luna has maintained a high level of artistry without affecting the cover charge. His door prices range from free to $5.
A recent Wednesday night showcased two bright young local talents, Ruebi Freyja and Sarah Nelson. At one time Freyja was a Luna’s employee/waitress; Nelson is better known—until now—as the longtime girlfriend of Jackpot’s Rusty Miller. Unlike any other Wednesday night, the talent quotient, polished or not, raised the bar for these informal gatherings to new heights.
Freyja couldn’t have looked more at home, nestled as she was comfortably atop a barstool on Luna’s tiny 5×5 stage. Her set was akin to early Mazzy Star or Hope Sandoval’s latest work; it worked well given Luna’s spacey decor and earthy vibe. At times she stared at the ceiling as if to exclude the audience, only to return with a delicate chorus and a somber anecdote. At others, her strumming was augmented by the sweet sound of ceiling fans and the usual café business. It was during these moments of near-silence that Freyja, in all her splendor, shone brightest.
Nelson played a nice set of porch-styled odes that might best be compared to Lori Carson in her Golden Palomino years, or post-Poi Dog Pondering Abra Moore. Although some of Nelson’s endings were rather abrupt or, better yet, had no ending, there was an inherent charm in her onstage demeanor and her ability to work the crowd. Aside from the contributions of one rowdy friend, her set was thoroughly enjoyable. With her legs crossed and her hair slightly disheveled, Nelson’s “couldn’t-give-a-fuck” attitude couldn’t have been more apropos.
For the 30-plus patrons who filled the handful of tables, the show was more than a $4 commitment; it was a chance to realize what a treasure we have right here in Midtown.
This trio from Santa Rosa has been together for a little over two years. Out of the Fierce Parade is the band’s first proper release; its predecessor was sold in CDR format at the band’s live shows. Following in the vein of melodic emo and neo-Buckley acts, the Velvet Teen constructs a magnificent melange of new material, ranging from dreary, heart-wrenching ballads (“A Special Gift to You,” “Penning the Penultimate”) to angst-filled rockers (“Radiapathy”). Judah Nagler knows how to weave intricate stories of considerable depth and magnitude into three-minute singles. Holding court in the rhythm section is Josh Staples on bass and Logan Whitehurst on drums, two of the genre’s brightest new stars. Fans of Jeff Buckley’s Grace or defunct Sacramento act Birthday and its now-solo frontman Jacob Golden should find great reward inside these grooves.
Sacramento hasn’t caught on to the power-metal wave that includes Iced Earth and In Flames. Perhaps that’s why this colossal package tour skipped the Valley and chose San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall as its only Northern California date. Even on a cold Monday night, bad tour routing couldn’t keep the throngs of metalheads from traveling from the South Bay and Sacramento to catch the night’s headliners.
Although Göteborg, Sweden-based In Flames was second-billed to Iced Earth, the band clearly was the night’s draw. Not only did it debut tunes from its latest studio effort Clayman, but rarities from its 1997 album Jester Race made their way into the set list too. What separates In Flames from its metal brethren is its ability to blend melodic vocals with fierce, commandeering screams. From the opening track, “Bullet Ride,” to the night’s pinnacle, “Colony,” this five-piece showed why it’s the Nuclear Blast America label’s biggest priority. My favorite track from Whoracle, the epic “Episode 666,” even made it onto the set list, which spanned In Flames’ 12-year history.
What In Flames serves up is a sonic bath that falls somewhere between Iron Maiden and early At the Gates. On this night, frontman Anders Fridén resembled a younger Bruce Dickinson as he paraded around the Great American’s highly decorated stage. Much like the Iron Maiden configuration circa Number of the Beast, drummer Daniel Svensson and bassist Peter Iwers have become quite the capable rhythm section underneath the heavy-handed dual-guitar leads of Jesper Strömblad and Björn Gelotte.
Headliner Iced Earth, which hails from the United States, began its set with a special tribute to the U.S., with vocalist Matthew Barlow holding the American flag high. With patriotism and reverence in effect, Iced Earth launched into material from its Century Media catalog, playing for an hour and 45 minutes. But an hour into such Jon Schaffer-penned staples as “Horror Show,” “Dark Saga” and “Burnt Offerings,” it was time to take a breather.
Outside, members of Dragonlord, who live here in the Sacramento Valley, coerced me into In Flames’ tour bus, where the Swedish band played nine tracks from its forthcoming album, due in August. Surrounded by Fridén, Svensson and their label reps and touring entourage, my friend and I were able to experience the unmixed versions of the next chapter in the In Flames saga. Fridén talked about the recording process, his band’s upcoming U.S. tour with Slayer, Soulfly and Killswitch Engage, along with various bullshit.
Clearly, In Flames’ undertaking of the U.S. was proof positive that the band does have staying power, and will become the inheritors of the metal crown come 2003.
A friend once dubbed arena- and stadium-size events “piss gatherings,” referring to how a large crowd, confined, can lead to the destruction of a venue’s public restrooms. Although it’s an odd way to describe such live events, the term stuck. Where else could you find urinals and toilets in any more disarray than at a full-on rock show?
Incubus and Hoobastank, whose Honda-underwritten 2000 Civic Tour stopped at Arco Arena on a recent Monday night, exemplified this year’s ultimate piss gathering. Because of Honda’s support, floor tickets were only $23. By 7:45, the arena was at full capacity. Unfortunately, only those who braved the early lines were able to venture onto the floor or lower levels.
Agoura Hills-based Hoobastank, whose recent self-titled Island Records debut enjoyed one of the largest Soundscan jumps in recent years, was not only welcomed with open arms but had a serious contingent of fans. Only a short time ago, Hoobastank played The Boardwalk on a 300-capacity headlining tour. From the looks of this night’s performance, the band would have little problem selling out a Sacramento Memorial Auditorium-sized venue with a strong support act.
Athough a little too close to Incubus’ sound, the bulk of Hoobastank’s material—from its new album—was amazingly potent in a live setting. Singer Dan Robb seized the moment and ran about the 60-foot-by-60-foot stage area like a crazed madman. But the band’s 45 minutes passed by quickly.
Incubus, from Calabasas (near Agoura Hills) has become quite the melodic quintet since the horribly produced and titled Fungus Amongus. Singer Brandon Boyd has grown over the years and the core of Incubus—turntablist DJ Lyfe, guitarist Mike Einziger, bassist Alex Katunich and drummer Jose Pasillas—has become an adept group of songmakers. Although Incubus’ breakthrough was its 1999 album Make Yourself with the hugely successful track “Pardon Me,” it wasn’t until the release of its new Morning View that the band became a headliner.
With a sparse stage and light show, Incubus let its music do the talking, launching into tracks from S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and the rest of its Epic Records catalog. It wasn’t until its tepid version of “Pardon Me” that I left; a pit stop found the bathrooms destroyed by fecal matter and assorted fluids.
As far as piss gatherings go, the evening’s major-label package delivered the goods and then some. But pity that poor Arco custodial crew.
Die Trying is the kind of band that, in pursuing stardom, it may live up to its own name
Die Trying experiments with Triumph of the Will-like camera angles. That’s Jaasen up front.
Live! 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 12, CD release party at Scratch 8 Billiards, 120 I St., Old Sacramento, all ages, $8, with LUXT, Simplistic, Snapdraggin and Malcom Bliss.
The four young lads from Sacramento’s Die Trying have decided, for either anonymity’s sake or just being altogether difficult, to not use their last names. So, since its beginning last July, the band’s lineup is Jaasen on vocals, Steve on bass, Matt on drums and Jack on guitar.
If not for Die Trying’s stunning debut, Sparrows—about to be released on Papa Roach’s Evolver Records imprint—and its impressive live show, the band might be hard pressed to get those idiosyncrasies by anyone. After all, any act concerned with whether or not its name is written in all lowercase type usually has more internal problems than it’s willing to divulge.
Sparrows was funded by Papa Roach’s frontman, Coby Dick, who assumed the executive producer role along with co-production credits. Although it will come out on Evolver, it won’t go through the distribution setup DreamWorks—Papa Roach’s label—has with Universal Music. True to its DIY ethic, Die Trying will release its first pressing and hand-deliver it to record shops, and will be flogging the product at its live shows. The 23-minute, seven-song-platter represents Die Trying’s sound accurately; it’s an amalgam of snotty rock ’n’ roll metal riffage, and well-structured, radio-friendly anthems.
Die Trying’s members may claim such influences as Anne Rice novels, Zao, Guns N’ Roses, 311, Björk, Fugazi, Stone Temple Pilots and Danzig, but don’t be misled. This is big guitar rock, laden with swirling open chords, crunching metal riffs à la early Iron Maiden and topped with one of the most distinctive nasal vocal styles to grace the Sacramento Valley. One listen to the catchy title track about “how over time love fades and coming to terms with the fact that everything does end” or the band’s slam-dunk single, “Lo Pan,” should be a more than decent introduction to Die Trying’s unique blend of pop-punk, rock and metal styles.
Jaasen, the big-voiced frontman who works part time at a tattoo shop, has been lobbying obsessively for Die Trying since the band started up last year. You couldn’t see him anywhere without hearing about his band, whether it was recording, flyering the local haunts or playing. “We really believe that we have to do everything and anything to accomplish our dreams,” the singer admits, elaborating: “Recently, I woke up in a dream-like state and called [guitarist] Jack and said, ‘Let’s take over the airwaves today!’ ”
Following the storyline of the hit-movie Airheads, Jaasen and Jack did just that. “We snuck into a secured building and lied to security,” says Jaasen, recalling how the two of them entered the Renaissance Tower downtown, atop which KWOD is located. “We then demanded [KWOD DJ] Nick Monroe play us. He kicked us out quickly, but called us back a half-hour later and said he would play ‘Lo Pan.’ ”
What ensued was 15 minutes of prime airtime dedicated to the band’s cell-phone calls, its seemingly ill-fated and awkward entry into the studio and, most importantly, its music.
Die Trying’s favorite local acts—Tenfold, Simplistic, 7th Standard, Key to Arson, Papa Roach and Long Drive Home—have played a crucial role in helping to develop its fan base. Although not a headline act yet, Die Trying has been afforded the opportunity to play backyard radio parties with Papa Roach, support slots for 26 Weeks and Long Drive Home, and even the Crest Theatre. “We played [the Crest] with Tenfold and my mom watched us for the first time,” Jaasen says. “I almost cried. It was a very emotional set and the crowd rocked. I can’t thank [Tenfold] enough.”
The band’s goals for this year are pretty straightforward. “We want to play as much as possible,” Jaasen exclaims. Not afraid to express his real desires, in true Die Trying fashion, he adds: “We also want to expand our fan base, do some showcasing in Hollywood for the industry swine and kiss lots of girls!”
From the same label that brought you a glorious Hank Williams tribute, Robert Earl Keen and the latest Willie Nelson comes this proper re-release from Isaac Freeman, aka Dickie, a member of the sadly defunct Fairfield Four gospel group. His latest album, a mixed bag of spirituals and lazy, porch-derived ballads, shows off his chilling bass singing qualities; it originally was recorded for Kieran Kane and Kevin Welch’s Dead Reckoning label and features the Bluebloods backing him. Anyone enamored of the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack, which included Freeman, should enjoy these traditional gospel classics, all of them in the public domain. Freeman updates such staples as “Don’t Drive Your Children Away” and “Lord I Want to Help You” and manipulates his bass to full extent. Fans of the Canton Spirituals, Fred Hammond or even John P. Kee will find great reward here. Hallelujah.
Eddie
