Cal McNamara is The Gentle Stunts. Last year he busted out on the scene with "Life-Size Deadbeats" and dropped a whole bunch of jaws across the state. Then he rocked a band together and played a whole bunch of awesome shows in CT. Now he is gearing up for even more action and also hosts some smaller shows in his place, The Kensington Cradle. I got a chance to ask Cal what's up, take a look below:
In the mist of neo-disco irony and reverb-saturated chicness, Cold Feet's "Anna" dares to embrace bubble gum pop music... and that is not a bad thing. Cold feet, while embracing cheeky pop elements, still manage to pull off a cascade of wonderful sounds. Sounds which drips down and in your ears--filling your body with a cheerful warmth--letting you lose track of your troubles and a bad day. Keep it up, hope to hear more from Cold Feet.
Manchester, CT's Zen Lunacy have their own sound, that much is clear. They
pull this sound from a vast multitude of locations in time and space and
condensed them down into an LP bursting with goodness!
Northeastern CT has been known as quiet, perhaps even uneventful. Well, no longer! The Stomping Ground has opened it's doors to the public and plans of having an eclectic mix of events and music to keep everyone enthralled!
It is definitely going to be a long amazing summer full of shows! As you prepare your entries for the CTINDIE SUMMER MIX TAPE (which has a submission deadline of Sunday May 20), come to Elm Bar and take a load off with a night of great music and Ghost of Chance's Last show with their current drummer:
This quintet credits
duende—a term I just learned from writing this review, it can be defined
loosely as soul, thanks Wikipedia—as
the origin of their songs. Herff Jones have recently put together a flavorful collection of acoustic and
electric balanced tunes on an ep titled “War-Torn”.
Vaura is a new Brooklyn, New York City-based band that is comprised of members of Dysrythmia, Gorguts, Kayo Dot, Secret Chiefs 3 and Religions To Damn. It features Josh Strawn (guitar/vocals), Kevin Hufnagel (guitar), Charlie Schmid (drums) and Toby Driver (bass). Given the band's avant garde musical pedigree, one might have some sort of idea on how they might sound, but get prepared to have your expectations upended, because on their Wierd Records debut, "Selenelion", they put forward a sound that merges post-punk with shots of metallic heaviness, and a little pop thrown in for good measure. It's infectious and well worth hearing. With the band coming to Lilly's Pad in New Haven on April 1, for a show with post-black metal acolytes Alcest and Connecticut instrumental metal masters De Omega, we sent some e-mail questions to Strawn and here are his answers. We suggest if you like what you read and hear, then check them out, you'll be glad you did.
Rachel Carson is a twenty-something singer songwriter from Ellington, who plays on the more commercial end of pop-rock spectrum. While drawing influences from such performers as Sheryl Crow and Michelle Branch, this up and coming performer intends to hook the listener with catchy choruses and breezy melodies. So, for some of you this might not be to your taste, but she is sincere and works hard, so that does matter. We can't always write about crazy, snobby, indie rock all the time, can we? (Well, maybe.)
Anyway I sent Carson a few questions by e-mail last weekend and here are her responses. It must be noted that she will be the featured performer at the Outer Space's in Hamden's Open Mic this Wednesday at 7pm. So if you like what you've read and what you've heard, then head on down and show some support.
This Wednesday, September 29th women will be ruling the stage at Milford's Daniel Street club.
Headlining the bill will be the now legendary all-female pop-punk trio Shonen Knife. Formed in Osaka, Japan in 1981 by sisters Naoko and Atsuko Yamano, and friend Michie Nakatani, the Ramones-loving, food obsessed trio has effortlessly created kooky songs with upbeat infectious melodies and exuberant lyrics often about sweets and animals. A 29 year career has seen them tour with Nirvana (opening on the Nevermind tour), Sonic Youth, the BMX Bandits, and as part of the travelling alternative rock festival Lollapolooza and has earned them a devoted cult following the world around. Although Atsuko Yamano and Michie Nakatani are no longer part of the band (replaced, respectfully, by Ritsuko Taneda and Emi Morimoto), Shonen Knife continue to kick-ass with their sugar-sweet pop sensibilites and should not be missed.
Screaming Females
Performing second will be New Brunswick, New Jersey's Screaming Females. Formed in 2006, Screaming Females combine scorching guitars with a firmly D.I.Y. approach to create their own brand of indie rock. Led by singer/guitarist Marissa Patermoster, the band mixes equal parts Dinosaur Jr. and Sleater-Kinney to striking effect. The trio is currently touring in support of their latest album 'Castle Talk' released September 14th on Don Giovanni Records. So far the record has garnished some pretty positive reviews and is surely worth a listen.
Opening the night will be locals, Eula. Now going on 5+ years of operation, the band's whip-sharp brand of indie rock has continued to evolve to an ever finer point over time. After winning a chance to open for Mission of Burma last year, the trio, led by singer/guitarist Alyse Lamb, has done well to capitalize on said momentum by playing a continuous stream of solid shows throughout the Northeast. The band is currently finishing up work on a long in the making full-length album presumably to be released sometime in the new year. Catch them now before they become huge.
On Friday, May 14th I made my way down to New Haven's workhorse of a venue, Cafe Nine, to catch the first night of Elm City PopFest. Having attended the first Elm City PopFest this Fall I held high hopes for the evening.
(photo by Bob Rock)
After an initial difficulty finding parking nearby "the Nine" (a sure sign of solid attendance), I arrived just in time to miss the first song by openers, The Wee Bees. Although this was only their third show as a band, the quintet seemed to lock in relatively well on stage together; there were no obvious flubs or flaws that distracted the audience from the songs. While I wholeheartedly agree with some previous descriptions of the band's music as "’80s- and ’90s-inspired shoegaze-meets-jangle pop," I'd also argue that the Wee Bees also possessed a slight jazz influence, especially the singer/rhythm guitarist, who repeatedly changed guitar tunings throughout the set. Although the changes definitely helped vary the band's sound, the tuning breaks themselves affected the overall flow of the set. During such interludes other Wee Bees began to tell jokes to fill in the time, which I feel initially worked well to break the ice a bit with the crowd. By the fourth tuning/joke break though it became more of a distraction than anything. Despite the interruptions, the Wee Bees even mix of mellow and upbeat indie pop was a decidedly good way to open the night and the festival.
(photo by Bob Rock)
Next up on the night's billing was singer/songwriter Steven Deal. Deal's brand of punky power pop has long been lauded in local press and I was excited that I finally got to catch one of his shows. In addition his backing band included some pretty accomplished local musicians in guitarist Chris Cretella (Goose Lane) and drummer Dave Parmelee (The Vultures, Atrina). From the get-go though, it seemed the crowd was not as excited as I was. Although each song and performance was solid through and through, Steven Deal & co. repeatedly failed to connect with the audience at large who at times seemed overwhelmed by the band's volume and velocity. To me the lack of response by the crowd was unfortunate, as the band was putting a lot of energy into the performance especially Deal who, at one point, literally had to take a breather before diving into the next song. After a particularly energetic take on Deal's "Caitlin's Crying," which he described as being written at the Cafe Nine bar "twenty years ago," the band launched into a great cover of The Damned's "New Rose,' which also went over everyone's head. It seems to me that on another night and another billing, Deal would have went over much better.
(photo by Bob Rock)
After a brief equipment change, the UK's much anticipated Veronica Falls took the stage. Almost instantly, Cafe Nine was packed, with a significant crowd (for Cafe Nine) gathered near the stage to see the band's first U.S. show. Where the Wee Bees were a bit mellow at times, and Steven Deal a bit hyper-charged, Veronica Falls relied heavily upon texture as well as a relentlessly driving beat. Somewhere in between the chords of non-stop guitar strumming and infinite floor tom, melody began to sneak out, usually led by a mix of male and female vocals from all four members.
(photo by Bob Rock)
(photo by Bob Rock)
Although they definitely weren't hit-you-over-the-head power pop, with each chorus and melodic lift the songs slowly became hummable, working their way into your subconscious whether you liked it or not. Bands like the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Velvet Underground and My Bloody Valentine immediately sprang to mind, although the band was a bit more thrashy than all three. There was a palpable energy throughout, especially in the drums which seemed to get louder and more driving with each song. In terms of stage presence, the band seemed slightly awkward, even nervous at times (which makes sense given it was their first show stateside) although this didn't seem to impede upon their performance. By the end of their set, the band finally seemed to lock in, even managing a few smiles. The crowd reaction to the band was strong, with several audience members even requesting an encore, although to no success. Overall, Veronica Falls impressed me, so much so that I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to check out some great new music from the British Isles.
(photo by Bob Rock)
Last but not least on Elm City PopFest's opening night was NYC's Boy Genius. Somewhat of an honorary New Haven band due to their frequent appearances in the Elm City as of late, Boy Genius did not disappoint. Even from the beginning, the band was on fire, ripping through their set of catchy melodic pop tunes with abandon. The band seemed particularly happy to have guitarist Mr. Ray Neal (formerly of Miracle Legion, a.k.a., one of the band's biggest influences) joining Boy Genius for their set, which without a doubt directly impacted the band's stage presence and energy. Even as the crowd dwindled slightly due to the late hour (the band didn't hit the stage until after 12:30), the quintet (including Neal) only seemed to strengthen in intensity. After a series of rockers, the band ended their set with a particularly long but particularly awesome jam (dedicated to one Jason Devin), thus sealing the first night of Elm City PopFest with a bang.
(photo by Bob Rock)
Despite some initial ups and downs, Elm City PopFest's first night ended strongly and, overall, was a resounding success.
Elm City Popfest returns this weekend for three days and 17 bands of indie-pop revelry. Following the success of the first Elm City Popfest this past November, festival organizer and Tweefort/February Records founder Danny Goodwin had to dig deeper this time around in order to top the original. Effectively doubling in size, this installment of Elm City Popfest offers a range of local, regional, national and even international talent. Also, in addition to Artspace (the original home of ECPF), there will be shows held at New Haven's Cafe Nine. And as with the last ECPF, a portion of the proceeds generated by the festival will go to the aforementioned Artspace, a non-profit downtown gallery, venue and exhibition space. So what's all the fuss about you ask? Well, here's the breakdown...
Day One, Friday, May 14th @ Cafe Nine Kicking off the festival will be a free, four band blowout at New Haven's Cafe Nine featuring locals The Wee Bees and Steven Deal augmented by the UK's Veronica Falls and NYC's Boy Genius.
New Haven's own The Wee Bees, featuring former members of Manchester By The Sea, The Caligulists and The Inclined Plane, start the evening with their brand of ’80s- and ’90s-inspired shoegaze-meets-jangle pop sound. Although its only been two months since their live debut at March's Artspace Underground, The Wee Bees have quickly established themselves as one of the better 'new' bands in New Haven.
Following the Wee Bees will be one of New Haven's more established singer/songwriters, Steven Deal. Having toured the country fronting bands like Bleached Black, Chopper, The Absolute Zeros and The Naomi Star, Deal recently returned from a 10+ year songwriting hiatus to deliver his debut solo album 'Radio Twelve' this past January. Backed by a band featuring members of The Vultures, Goose Lane, The Naomi Star and Requiem In White, among others, you can bet Deal & co. are going to rip it up well.
Next up on the billing is UK's Veronica Falls. Making their stateside debut at this show, Veronica Falls has received a relatively heavy amount of press for their recent Captured Tracks 7" 'Found Love In A Graveyard.' Described as 'a bit of goth, ..some surf..and a heavy dose of shoegaze with pop vocal harmonies,' Veronica Falls should fit in quite well with the evening's lineup. Be sure to check these guys (and gals) out.
Last but not least will be NYC's Boy Genius. Now a veteran of several Tweefort/February Records shows, Boy Genius have shown that they can write a good tune and play it well. Joining Boy Genius will be none other than Mr. Ray Neal, best known for his work with seminal Elm City jangle-pop band Miracle Legion. Ray most recently joined the band for a song at their April performance at Rudy's. For this show, Mr. Neal will be performing with Boy Genius for their entire set, surely something that does not happen everyday.
For fans of jangle-pop, shoegaze or just plain good music, Elm City Popfest's first night should do the trick, starting off the festival well on a fittingly upbeat and memorable note.
Day Two, 'DAY', Friday, May 15th @ Artspace Day Two sees the festival moving up Crown Street to Artspace, a great downtown gallery/space that has been at its current location since 2002. Here the Popfest truly begins to 'pop,' as nine bands perform throughout the day. Separated into distinct 'Day' and 'Night' billings, both offer up some great bands no matter how you cut it.
Starting off the 'Day' portion of the festivities will New London's Roadside Attractions. One of several New London supergroups now prowling Connecticut clubs, Roadside Attractions combine a unique blend of jazz, americana, pop and even folk into a sound that must be heard. Currently promoting the release of their new EP 'Whispers' on New London's Cosmodemonic Telegraph label, Roadside Attractions start off the day strong.
Next up on the schedule is New Haven's The Fictional West. Riding the release of their 'Giant Clouds' single earlier this year on Tweefort Records, the Fictional West count as influences artists like U2, The Smiths and The Magnetic Fields. With a mix of serious and satirical lyrical themes, the quartet has, however unwittingly, done well in re-creating late 80's indie-pop. As the Sugar Sours blog accurately pointed out, 'No lie, the Giant Clouds single sounds like it could have been sent in to NME and gotten lost in the post for 20 years.'
Following locals Roadside Attractions and the Fictional West, Elm City Popfest goes all windy city on us with the arrival of Chicago's Midstates and Panda Riot. Currently on tour together, Midstates and Panda Riot collectively bring a psychedelic edge to the proceedings. Midstates (also known as Midstates & The Choir of Ghosts), approach their music with a more 'space-pop' bent whereas Panda Riot have seemingly perfected 'swirl-pop' a.k.a. shoegazer inspired indie-pop that at times is almost danceable. In either case, the tandem should feel right on home at ECPF.
Following the Chicago invasion, Elm City Popfest returns to its roots with an always anticipated hometown performance by EULA. Quite possibly the hardest working indie-rock band in New Haven, EULA has continually sharpened its lacerating brand of indie-pop/shoegaze/punk into an ever finer point over the past few years. Each show by the band seems to top the last, not an easy feat by a band that plays as many shows as they do. Still coming off their opening slot supporting post-punk legend Mission Of Burma last Fall, one would be ill-advised to miss this performance by EULA, and that means you.
Finishing off the 'Day' half Day Two's festivities is Danbury, CT's The Field Recordings. Garnering a substantial amount of press since their debut last year, The Field Recordings are a indie rock/pop trio that, from all accounts, seem to vary their live sound depending on the context of the billing. On record, the Field Recordings sound a bit more edgy than one would expect. Regardless, they've been creating some of the most interesting indie rock coming out of Connecticut lately and are well worth the price of admission alone.
Overall, the 'Day' portion of ECPF, Day Two covers the indie-pop bases well. Despite the fact that it starts at 2:30 in the afternoon, you'd be hard pressed to find a better lineup anywhere in the state, no matter what the start time.
Day Two, 'NIGHT,' Saturday, May 15th After about an hour interlude following the conclusion of the 'Day' billing, part two (a.k.a. the 'Night' billing) of Elm City PopFest, Day Two kicks off featuring Procedure Club, The Secret History and The Butterflies of Love.
New Haven's own Procedure Club starts off the evening's festivities with their noisy brand of too rough to be cutesy, too cutesy to be rough, drum machine indie pop. Procedure Club have created a significant buzz lately, especially following their performance at the last Shaki Presents @ BAR show this past December. Having recently signed to Slumberland Records, you can expect their debut album to be released this June. In the meantime, check them out at ECPF before they become huge.
Next up on the ECPF evening showcase is NYC's The Secret History. Featuring former members of My Favorite and Mick Ronson's daughter, the Secret History have made a name for themselves writing some mighty catchy pop songs 'about ghosts and monsters and sometimes Italy' (at least according to the band's MySpace page). The band's debut album was recently released this past March on Le Grand Magistery so be sure to check it out.
Closing out Day Two of the ECPF will be New Haven's own The Butterflies of Love. Although relatively inactive in recent years, the Butterflies reformed for the Mark Mulcahy 'Ciao My Shining Star' tribute shows. The quintet liked the shows so much that they decided to play more, including this headlining slot at PopFest. A favorite of the late John Peel, The Butterflies of Love have released several records on the Fortuna POP! label in the UK to much acclaim over the years. Having had the opportunity to see them during their original run some years back, I'd have to say it would be well worth the wait to check them out.
In the end, Day Two of Elm City PopFest creates one the best original pop/indie rock billings seen in New Haven in quite some time. With the mix of great local, regional, national and even international artists contributing, there's plenty here for everyone.
Day Three, Wednesday, May 26th @ Cafe Nine Although 11 days separate Day Two and Three, this 'follow-up' show (as its being advertised) certainly does not diminish the quality and/or energy of the festival. Performing will be the UK's Allo Darlin' and Horowitz, as well as Brooklyn/New Haven's The Tyler Trudeau Attempt and Women's Basketball.
Kicking off the evening will be the UK's Allo Darlin' and Horowitz. A late addition to the PopFest lineup, Allo Darlin' 'can turn a room in a famous punk venue into a joyous, jumping, sweaty, pop-mosh pit. Or bring a room of 500 to hushed silence with the few strums of a ukulele and a love song about cooking.' Such all-encompassing command of the audience is hard to come by and, in addition tho their rock solid pop songs, a major reason to check this band out. Following Allo Darlin' are fellow Brits Horowitz. Bringing a more fuzzy, danceable bent to the typical indie-pop model, Horowitz have received some pretty glowing press praising the band's flare for super-sweet vocals and melodies, a sure sign that they do indeed belong on this billing.
Closing out the night (and the festival), will be the two projects of singer/songwriter Tyler Trudeau. First up will be the Tyler Trudeau Attempt, an amalgam of New Haven scene veterans (including myself). Although I am not at liberty to really comment on the Attempt (y'know, since I play drums in this band), the New Haven Advocate is and has said of the band: 'TTA looks back to the roots of punk and finds something immensely energetic, often hilarious and always political. On top of that, it's catchy as hell.'
Trudeau's newer project, Women's Basketball, will be making its much anticipated live debut at ECPF. What initially started out as a one-off, purely-for-fun project has quickly gained a lot of press attention. The band's debut album 'An Octopus, But Like, An Octopus With Massive Wings and Junk', released earlier this year on Tweefort Records, has in particular gained a lot of positive reviews and its easy to see why. With an omnipresent drum machine beat and often tongue n' cheek lyrics, Trudeau breaks free from his own songwriting conventions to create a fun, catchy and often more engaging (and revealing) record than his main band's previous EP (which I didn't play on). It should be interesting to see how this all plays out live but, knowing Trudeau, it will probably come off well.
So that's it folks! Surely one of the better festivals in recent memory. But enough of me telling you what to do, its time for you to check it out for yourself on Friday May 14th, Saturday May 15th and Wednesday, May 26th. Don't miss this one!
Via Audio played with Lovers and Thieves at their reunion show a few weeks ago and kicked off a tour soon thereafter. Expect an easygoing night at The Space when they take the stage with Pattern is Movement.
This Thursday Fayrey , Wench , The Press, The Motion Sick and The Feild Recordings have a show lined up at The Space. This is one of the few shows I've seen where all the bands are great on cd as well as being great live. For 10 dollars you cant get a better show.
The Cavemen Go are a band that put warmth in every lyric sung and every white key tapped. When looking through their tunes all that could be found is good times and thoughts of warm beaches. These fine young chaps will be playing Gryphon's Pub @ GPSCY's on January 27th with Drink Up Buttercup. They played at Elm City Popfest last Nov. and rocked it so they'll probably be doing the same here. (its also 2 for 1 night at the bar , so do it up)
If you're a fan of pop of any form, going to this is a show will make you're month. Not to sound clichéd but Cristina Harris makes music which just warms you up, her lyrics build up amazing stories which encase you in your own little world for the four odd minutes you're listening to them. Her voice also brings a sense of genuineness , a sense that she sincerely connects to the themes and topics being melodically drawn out.
Admittedly, I was blind to the sounds of Mark Mulcahy. If you're older than 30 and went to college around the New England area I'm guessing you know the influence he had in the music scene or at least have heard his tunes on the radio. If you're my age and remember The Great Adventures of Pete and Pete then you know his work, you heard it every time the intro started. Even if you haven't heard of him there's a big chance you favorite band has and are fans. Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy, a tribute album, includes the likes of Thom Yorke and Dino Jr.and the show for this CD will be on the 11th at Toads. Short notice but this is not a great line up for a great CD, its a stacked line up with a good cause (part of the money will go towards Mulcahy who recently lost his wife.) The economy is bad but its only 10 bucks, spread some Christmas cheer and get the best value for your buck.
Admittedly, I was blind to the sounds of Mark Mulcahy. If you're older than 30 and went to college around the New England area I'm guessing you know the influence he had in the music scene or at least have heard his tunes on the radio. If you're my age and remember The Great Adventures of Pete and Pete then you know his work, you heard it every time the intro started. Even if you haven't heard of him there's a big chance you favorite band has and are fans. Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy, a tribute album, includes the likes of Thom Yorke and Dino Jr.and the show for this CD will be on the 11th at Toads. Short notice but this is not a great line up for a great CD, its a stacked line up with a good cause (part of the money will go towards Mulcahy who recently lost his wife.) The economy is bad but its only 10 bucks, spread some Christmas cheer and get the best value for your buck.
