Photo Review: Hampdenfest 2009

Photos by Chrissy

Hampdenfest 2009 went down Saturday, and even with mother nature giving her version of a mist tent all day long it was a grand ol' time. This is easily the best neighborhood festival Baltimore has to offer, always displaying a diverse array of quality music.

Sick Weapons (photo set below) are quickly becoming one of my favorite local live acts, and seem to get tighter each time I see them. They were an intriguing crew to catch in the family-friendly environment, and had to build some new tweaks into their set. In particular, there was a new horn section made up of Ellie Beziat's fist which substituted for curse words. I think it helped to bring in a wider audience, as I even witnessed a five year old pulling some nasty breakbeat hanstand twirls in cadence with the raging guitars.

The photo set up top is of Vincent Black Shadow's excellent performance. These guys have been pretty fantastic the last couple times I've seen them, and Saturday's jaunt in the dreary overcast setting proved no different. Their persistent mastery of psychedelic punk continued heavily last weekend, and checking them out with Monotonix down in DC October 13th would be worth heading south down the BW Parkway.

Hollywood were also pretty stellar on the Roland Ave stage. Dude's all ripped it pretty heartily, as they thrashed some gutter rock riffs that kept things nice and dirty. Hollywood's got another show coming up at the Golden West on the 24th. Buzzing guitars were certainly a theme of this year's Hampedenfest, and I'm all for more of it next year.

Below are the other flash galleries, but click here for links to Sick Weapons' set and Hollywood's set. Both of which are also shot by Chrissy.

Wye Oak: "Sight, Flight"

Wye Oak debuted another video from their ever-pleasing second release, The Knot. The video is for the concluding track, "Sight, Flight". Produced by Matthew Yake, Jenn describes it as, “reality-meets-fantasy portrait of a day in the life of…well, whoever you want it to be.” [via Merge]

Beach House Sign to Sub Pop

One of Baltimore's most beloved duos just signed to one of the biggest independent labels in the country, Sub Pop.

I heard rumors of this at their outdoor show a month ago, but the deal is done and it's now official.

Expect an early release in 2010 with all the fantastic material we've been hearing at shows as of late.

Find out more about this instant love affair at Sub Pop's site.

The Violet Hour's Debut

The debut from the Baltimore duo The Violet Hour originally birthed in 2007. However, it is seeing the light of day this month. The disc is set to release via Creative Capitalism on September 19th.

It would have been a real shame if this one never made it out to welcoming ears, as it's one of the more beautiful local releases I've heard so far this year.

The Violet Hour is Andriana Pateris and Beth Varden, both sharing vocal and musical contributions on this 7 song album. The end result an aurally mesmerizing trip into deep minds via white clouds and open space, a scene that's hand-painted on the cover art.

No drums necessary, each of these tracks builds from calm reserve into expansive sonics using repetitive guitar chords that grow in layers. One of the highlights of bands like Wye Oak is their ability bring a song up and down so elegantly, but The Violet Hour does all this without the accompanying noise.

This album is a steady grower, perfect for late nights or with a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning. Each song possesses blissfully hypnotic moments, most of which require increased listens to unlock. There is a plethora of deep psychedelics, drenched in swirling transcedence. My personal favorite has been "XXXVI". This is a track that lifts you high enough that you might not come down, perfect as an album's closing number.

With production by Rob Girardi, the sound is quite clean, particularly on the vocals. I highly recommend picking this one up, and you can do so at the album release party. The Violet Hour are playing a joint release show with Sri Aurobindo at the Metro Gallery on September 19th. Sri Aurobindo are releasing a disc of their own that night, and I'll have thoughts on that next week as I'm still digesting it's magnitude.

Ticket Giveaway: The Horrors / Crocodiles @ Sonar

The fellas over at Taxlo have a couple solid events coming up. In addition to The Rapture and The Golden Filter hitting the stage at Sonar this Saturday, next Friday night they are importing a fine little band from London.

The Horrors play Sonar September 18th, with the guitar chomping Crocodiles opening the affair on the club stage. Cullen and Simon will also be spinning, rounding out what should be a more than hospitable evening.

The Horrors just dropped Primary Colours, a welcoming change-up from their debut. Whereas their first LP sported some pretty decent garage rock heavy with ideas from our side of the pond, Primary Colours goes in a new direction.

With Portishead's Geoff Barrow helping out with production, this one is a whole lot of krautrock drenched in pop. The transition works well and Faris Badwan's raw squalls turn into refined bellows. Closing track "Sea Within a Sea" is so good, that one might recall the German legends NEU! as it winds its way into electro-psych bliss.

Crocodiles are worth getting there early for, as their debut Summer of Hate ain't too shabby. These guys blend sounds of fuzzy rock & roll with some synth pop to create a record that's generally pretty catchy. There's a heap of reverb, and tracks range from dance-worthy rock to more relaxed ballads.

I've got a pair of tickets to give away to this one, courtesy of Taxlo. Send an email to bmoremusicallyinforemd@gmail.com, and consider yourself thrown in the mix. I'll pick the winner a day before the show, so be sure to check the ol' inbox then.

Hampdenfest 2009 Schedule

Hampdenfest is back, and the music lineup is chock full of some of the city and region's finest. The festivities go down this Saturday, September 12th on the Avenue.

Festival organizers did a great job picking out bands this year, and with three stages there are some tough decisions to make. Imperial China and Vincent Black Shadow both play at 3 PM, and choosing between these two face-melters should prove difficult.

So hit up the Brewer's Art stand for a Resurrection or two, and watch some great live music this Saturday for free. Full schedule below:

ATOMIC BOOKS STAGE (36th & Falls Rd)
11AM - (marching through the festival) Barrage Band Orchestra
12PM -Ambuvega
1PM - Witch Hat
2PM - Sick Weapons
3PM - Imperial China
4PM - Caverns
5PM - The Jennifers
6PM - Al & The Kaydas

THE ROLAND STAGE (36th St. between Roland & Elm)
12PM - Baltimore School of Rock
1PM - Rosemary Stretch
2PM - Hollywood
3PM - Vincent Black Shadow
4PM - The Snowmen
5PM - Middle East
6PM - Caleb Stine

CHESTNUT STAGE (36th & Chestnut)
12PM - DragonSong
1PM - Surroundings
2PM -Desert Boys
3PM -The Mishaps
4PM -Sick Sick Birds
5PM - The Degenerettes
6PM - TT Tucker & The Bum Rush

Ringo Deathstarr: Re-release from Fan Death Records

Austin-based Ringo Deathstarr have been collecting mild amounts of buzz over the past few years. Fan Death Records, a super great local label, just re-released their debut EP.

Coming at you via hot pink vinyl and the always handy download card, this EP originally debuted back in 2007 on SVC Records. With 5 tracks of reverbed My Bloody Valentine meets Jesus and Mary Chain awesomeness, it's easy to tell why this one was deserving of another release.

The record is completely reminiscent of some of the noisier pop music of the early 90s, but something fresh and new all the same. The tracks all sport shoegaze fuzz with a whole lot of stoned out vocals layered behind walls of catchy melodies. The EP is not at all a grower, and if this is your thing you'll surely be in love right off the bat.

Even with all the fuzz, this one sounds almost as clean as this tackle. With tracks like "Starrsha" and "Sweet Girl", the kicker is precision guided songwriting that is focused and unscaffed. Paired with spacey melodies and all the right layers, you'll be spinning this one on the reg.

Order this limited pressing now for only $10 while ya can. Fan Death also has a few other great releases out, including tapes from Locrian and The New Flesh. Both of which played a show at the Talking Head a few months back. Similarly, you can catch Ringo Deathstarr open up for Wooden Shjips at the Talking Head on October 24th.

Photos: AK Slaugter at Load of Fun

Photos by Valerie

AK Slaughter helped round out a solid lineup at Load of Fun last Friday, all part of the Carnival of Bros event put on by the Baltimore Rock Opera Society.

Above is the photo set from AK Slaughter's performance, compliments of Valerie. The hip hop duo just released their new EP dubbed A Personal Matter. They also just dropped a mixtape, packed with all kinds of goodness. The link to the free download can be found on their myspace. Expect some more upcoming shows from them as well.

Ticket Giveaway: Sunn O))) at Sonar

The end of September in our fine city of charm is shaping up to be pretty stacked show-wise, including a much anticipated appearance from Northwest droners Sunn O))).

Greg Anderson and Stephen O'Malley are bringing their ambient noise metal dominance to Sonar on September 23rd. The duo has been at the peak of their genre for over a decade, and the punishing volume of their live act is nothing to overlook.

Sunn O)))'s most recent LP, Monoliths & Dimensions, is further proof of the band's mastery of grandiose horror. Aural nightmare bliss at it's absolute finest.

Gathering various other experts of drone, this one capitalizes on the use of bass and guitar and adds some horns into the mix. "Alice" is a look into new territory, a terrifyingly beautiful closing track that utilizes a small orchestra to create some of the most elegant noise to be heard all summer.

Clearly this one's a must see, and I've got a pair of tickets to give away courtesy of Sonar. Send something scary to bmoremusicallyinformed@gmail.com, and consider yourself entered. I'll pick a winner a few nights before the show, so check inboxes then. The show starts at 8 PM, and tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door.

Photos: Explosions in the Sky at Merriweather

Photos by Chrissy

A lot was said about how Explosions in the Sky would translate to a large amphitheater like Merriweather Post Pavilion. But with a sound that's this big, I'm not quite sure why. They build large scale post rock landscapes, enough to the point where I think even the venue's giant chicken felt it.

An ideal opener for a fantastic evening all around. Be sure to check out Chrissy's photo set of the Texas-based band above. And of course don't forget about the epic photo set from the headliners, the Flaming Lips.

Photo Review: The Flaming Lips at Merriweather

Photos by Chrissy

A little band from Oklahoma dominated Merriweather Post Pavilion Friday night, littering Symphony Woods with confetti and pure joy. If you've ever seen the Flaming Lips live, you'd know that words are hardly the means for depicting their show. However, Chrissy's photo set above does the spectacle some justice.

The show began by the group walking out of a giant woman's ladyparts, and Wayne Coyne doing his signature hamster ball styled crowd surfing. All the staples were played, some of which were slowed down to maximize on the crowd's participation in singing along. A true feel good affair all around.

They rocked a pretty great setlist, that included some fresh tunes that will be found on their new album. Embryonic hits speakers and headphones October 13th via Warner, and based off the new stuff played Friday night one should expect a darker and even more psychedelic sound than past efforts.

I've been told that every Flaming Lips show is performed like they are playing their very last concert, never feeling like a routine. Friday night proved no different, and perhaps the band was in such good spirits due to visiting one of the areas best sushi spots beforehand, Sushi Sono. Whatever the case may be, the Flaming Lips are clearly one of the more consistently epic performers of our time.

Future Islands: The Happiness of Being Twice

Future Islands just debuted their video for "The Happiness of Being Twice", one of the two fantastic A-sides off the Feathers and Hallways 7-inch. Here's the Chicago based director's take on the video, Joel Fernando:

"The video is a psychedelic hodgepodge of fantasy and color, featuring 65 + people from the Baltimore, New York City, Chicago and North Carolina areas, filmed one by one on green screen and combined together to appear as a group in this video."

Future Islands are currently at work on their next full length. They are heading out on a European tour in September, then back in Baltimore September 20th for a show at the Metro Gallery with Alexis Gideon, Shelley Short, and Nick Barna.

Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad's 8x10 Show Trailer

Disclaimer: As one should expect nothing less from the DMFS, the trailer above has some pretty inappropriate content. Headphones at work please folks.

As noted in our interview with the Hilltop Hightops, The Dirty Marmaduke Flute Squad have a gig at the 8x10 this Saturday night. With a ton of options this weekend, choosing the show with its own trailer (above) seems like a good call. The show starts at 8 and tickets are 8 bucks. Attendees have a chance at winning a custom DMFS guitar!

Last Minute Giveaway: Summer Massive at Paradox

Steez Promo is throwing its Summer Massive this Saturday underneath Russel Street. As advertised, it will be rather large and takes place at the delightfully BYOB-welcomed Paradox.

This party features a ridiculous amount of things to dance to. The lineup includes Charles Feelgood, Dave Ralph, DJ Dara, Tittsworth, Future Rock, Benny page, Nigel Richards, Joe Nice, Hot Pink Delorean, Alex B (of Pnuma Trio), Swarm (Mason, Dstar, Armanni), We Don't Sleep (Messinian & Smash Gordon), Michael Myers, Kevin Focus, Odi, Bulla, Segway, Cannon Boys, Sonkin, RX vs

Shuggadadde, DJ 2RIP, & MCs Checkwun & Messinian.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $60 for VIP, and you can grab them here. Beat the Heat runs from 9 PM to 6 AM, on this Saturday, August 29. RSVP social network style here.

I have 2 pairs of tickets to give away for free courtesy of Steez. Winners must be picked by Friday, so email bmoremusicallyinformed@gmail.com ASAP if you're interested.

Tomorrow: Quartet Offensive Covers Pavement

Tomorrow night's show at the Ottobar boasts several reasons to attend, one of which is rather glaring. Local free jazz outfit Quartet Offensive will only be playing Pavement covers.

Covering Pavement traditionally is one thing, but translating Pavement's classics into jazz pieces is clearly a whole other thing entirely. The group will perform tracks taken from Wowee Zowee, Brighten the Corners, Terror Twilight, and Crooked Rain. I've also been promised that personal favorite "Flux = Rad" is on the menu.

If the Pavement covers don't entice you, Quartet Offensive's LP Carnivore most certainly should. Their debut album is filled with punked out off-kilter jazz, and is sure to be original and fresh to the ol' eardrums. With such a wide range of talent, these guys will certainly not disappoint tomorrow night either.

Headlining the show is Jerseyband. Yes, this is quite possibly the worst band name ever. But after a few initial listens, the genre that they claim to have created seems like a pretty accurate description. Jerseyband proclaims "Lungcore" as "A new genre that infuses a horn-driven band with heavy metal values". The idea does seem unique, and actually sounds as if it works pretty well.

Opening is Soul Cannon which features members of Quartet Offensive, and also Leisure Icons. This show is at 9 PM on Thursday night at the Ottobar, and will run you 8 bucks.