Artist/Band Spotlight #8: THE NEIGHBORHOOD BULLYS

Friends -

I hope you all have an incredible weekend...incredibly relaxing, if nothing else. This week I would like to introduce you to a local band that has played so many shows at The Cinema Bar in Culver City, that they may as well just move in already.

This week's spotlight shines on THE NEIGHBORHOOD BULLYS!!!

The Bullys' Official MySpace Page
The Bullys' Official Website




MEET THE BAND:
Davey Meshell: Lead vocals, Bass
Joey Galvan: Drums
Michael Hays: Guitar, Backup vocals
Eugene Edwards: Guitar, Backup vocals
Geoff Pearlman: Understudy for Eugene Edwards


WHO ARE THE NEIGHBORHOOD BULLYS?
The Neighborhood Bullys are a motley crew of talented musicians who like to let out a little angst every once in a while. They are angry in a bottled up, calculated kind of a way...almost postal. The guys may look harmless at first, but power up their gear and listen to them rock!

This band has no problems filling an hour and a half set with non-stop rock. Their songs are catchy and involving like any great punk song, but they have depth and may make you put down your beer to listen closer. Some of the best dance/stomp songs are "I'm Bored, Let's Fight;" "Sux 2 B U;" and "Spin it." I love when they close with a song called "Soldiers Blues." I don't know about you, but I really don't care to hear anymore sappy anti-war songs. This isn't one of them.

The Bullys list their influences as Cheap Trick, The Rolling Stones, Thin Lizzy, The Knack, The Ramones,...and last week's spotlight The Black Keys!

Chris Morris, DJ of Watusi Rodeo on Indie 103.1 every Sunday at 9 AM and writer for City Beat, wrote the very article that got me to my first Bullys' show: "Why We Fight"
Check out the whole article HERE!

Here is a taste, but the whole article is a great read:
"Where the fuck were you last Thursday night? Well, I was at The Cinema Bar in Culver City, watching THE BEST FUCKING ROCK 'N' ROLL BAND IN LOS ANGELES, and you weren't. By now you are most assuredly wondering, who the fuck is THE BEST FUCKING ROCK 'N' ROLL BAND IN LOS ANGELES? Thought you'd never ask. They're the NEIGHBORHOOD BULLYS. Who are these Neighborhood Bullys, who you claim are THE BEST FUCKING ROCK 'N' ROLL BAND IN LOS ANGELES? Well, Davey Meshell's the front man/lead singer/bassist/principal songwriter. You want credentials, Joe Skeptic? He's played with Shelby Lynne, Peter Case, John Lee Hooker, and the House of Blues house band, 'mong others. For the academically inclined: he graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music. Good enough?"

The Bullys are on independent Ruff Mixx Records.


LISTEN UP!
The Bullys worked with Producer Mike Chapman (Blondie, Pat Benatar, the Knacks, Debbie Harry, etc.) to lay down some tracks. No word on when CDs will be available.


FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:

"All the Way Down" LIVE at The Cinema Bar


"Let Me Be Me" LIVE on KCLAFM.com

WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD BULLYS, TOO:
***This band plays an average of 90 minutes per set. Not bad for a free residency.
***The songs are a great blend of rock and punk; they have substance and musical quality and don't make you feel like your head might explode.
***These guys play with their heart and soul, and sweat like Richard Simmons dancing to the oldies.


UPCOMING SHOWS: (What did I tell you...)
May 1 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
May 8 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
May 15 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
May 22 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
May 22 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
May 29 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
Jun 6 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
Jun 13 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
Jun 20 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY
Jun 21 2008 10:15P TAIX LOUNGE ECHO PARK
Jun 27 2008 10:00P THE CINEMA BAR CULVER CITY


Thanks!
Julia

PS - I have blogged archives of all of the reviews at http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vanVsaWFzYXJ0aXN0c3BvdGxpZ2h0LmJsb2dzcG90LmNvbS8= Check it out!

Artist/Band Spotlight #7: THE BLACK KEYS

Friends -

I hope everyone who attended Coachella this past weekend in the desert is safely back and only minimally sunburned. I would love to hear about Saturday's Prince performance from anyone who went.

I tried to refrain from reviewing Warner Bros Records' bands, and I am upholding that by introducing a Nonesuch band. This week I would like to introduce a pair of strapping young lads from Akron, Ohio...THE BLACK KEYS!

The Black Keys Official MySpace Page
The Black Keys Official Site




MEET THE BOYS:
Dan Auerbach: Lead vocals/Guitar/Vox
Patrick Carney: Drums


WHO ARE THE BLACK KEYS?
I first came across The Black Keys at work; I loved the cover of the Magic Potion album, so I bought the vinyl. I mean, really...what better reason to buy music than a great album cover? I was pleasantly surprised the quality of pure rock on that album. The songs were fluid but aggressive, the guitar was sharp but inviting. If turntables had a repeat function, I would have let it play for a week straight.

What I liked most about this band was that they make music that says "I love playing music." There is nothing superficial or formulated about it. The Black Keys have been compared to The White Stripes in their mix of blues, punk, and indie/garage rock. I would place the Black Keys closer to the blues end of the spectrum and The White Stripes closer to the minimalist indie rock end.

I caught this band in action at the Wiltern a few weeks ago. The place was packed with fans who sang and danced their little hearts out. There was a great feeling in the air. I brought a friend who has never heard a note and she was smiling the minute we sat down. The sound at the Wiltern is not the best, so it was hard to understand the new songs, but we never lost interest. My friend took one look at Dan singing with his hair covering his face, and she said "Who knew the Muppets could play music like this?!"

An interesting bit of trivia about their latest release, Attack & Release (April 1, 2008), is that Ike Turner was rumored to have been on board as a collaborator before his death in December of last year. The album was ultimately produced by Gnarles Barkley's Danger Mouse.
"[The Black Keys] play close-to-the-bone, raw blues-rock, the only instrumentation being Auerbach's guitar, Carney's drums, and the occasional organ. Auerbach had a fine, mature, lived-in blues voice for one so young, and the group's material worked in funk, soul, and rock influences from the likes of Jimi Hendrix and James Brown that avoided undue repetition of the overdone chord progressions and stock riffs common to so many such acts." - Richie Unterberger (allmusic.com)


LISTEN UP!
The Big Come Up - 2002
The Six Parts Seven (EP) - 2003
Thickfreakness - 2003
Rubber Factory - 2004
Magic Potion - September 2006
Attack & Release - April 1, 2008


FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:


"Your Touch" official video


"10 A.M. Automatic" Live!


WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE THE BLACK KEYS, TOO:
***They're not just another pretty face.
***Their music is simple and sincere; it sweeps you up instantaneously.
***This is the type of band you wish played at your neighborhood bar every night.


UPCOMING SHOWS:
May 12 2008 8:30P 9:30 Club - SOLD OUT Washington, DC, Washington DC
May 13 2008 8:30P 9:30 Club - SOLD OUT Washington, DC, Washington DC
May 15 2008 8:00P Terminal 5 - SOLD OUT New York, New York
May 16 2008 9:00P The Electric Factory - On Sale Now Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 17 2008 7:30P Orpheum Theatre - On Sale Now Boston, Massachusetts
OUT OF THE COUNTRY...
Jul 5 2008 1:00A Rothbury Festival - On Sale Now Rothbury, Michigan
Aug 1 2008 1:00P Lollapalooza - Grant Park Chicago, Illinois
Aug 2 2008 10:45P Headliners Toledo, Ohio
Aug 3 2008 8:00P Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto, Ontario
Aug 4 2008 1:00P Osheaga Festival Montreal, Quebec
Aug 7 2008 8:00P McCarren Park Pool - On Sale Now! Brooklyn, New York
Aug 10 2008 8:00P Virgin Mobile Festival Baltimore, Maryland
Aug 21 2008 7:30P Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, Colorado
Aug 22 2008 1:00P Outside Lands Festival San Francisco, California
Aug 23 2008 1:00P SoCo Music Experience - Petco Park San Diego, California
Aug 25 2008 8:00P House Of Blues - Anaheim Anaheim, California
Sep 26 2008 1:00P Austin City Limits Festival Austin, Texas


Thanks!
Julia

PS - I have blogged archives of all of the reviews at http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vanVsaWFzYXJ0aXN0c3BvdGxpZ2h0LmJsb2dzcG90LmNvbS8= Check it out!

Artist/Band Spotlight #6: CASXIO

In celebration of the announcement that PRINCE will headline Coachella Saturday, April 26 this year, I would like to introduce you to a great L.A. band called CASXIO! (You'll understand the connection in a minute)

http://www.myspace.com/casxio
Official Site: Download 4 Casxio songs for FREE!!



MEET THE BOYS/GIRL:
Lucas Guerin- Bass/Vox/Lead Vocals
Eric Saez- Guitar
Zach Schrock- Drums
Andrea Choe- Keys

WHO ARE CASXIO?
Casxio is still a bit of a mystery to me because I have Google'd the heck out of them and all I get is band members' names and their respective instruments. This much I know for sure: They used to be based down in the Long Beach./O.C. area and have since moved home base to L.A., they play great funky rock music, and their live shows have better dance floors than any nightclub in Hollywood.

I first saw Casxio at the EchoPlex (basement of the Echo in Echo Park) a few weeks ago after they were strongly recommended by a friend. I showed up without any expectations. From the very first note, the crowd started moving, eventually everyone was dancing up a storm!

Each member of Casxio has their own "bag," but they work well together. Lucas and Eric had a great retro Havana look about them, I felt like they should have both been smoking big Cuban cigars. Lucas controls the show and works damn hard to make sure you are feeling what he is feeling. He has a great falsetto but can get down and dirty, too. The audience believes every lyric and begs to hear more. Eric is a great guitarist and keeps the crown moving. Zach, the drummer, looks slightly under dressed in his cut-up t-shirt and jeans, but hey, it works for Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, right? Finally, Andrea is the strong, silent type. She masters the keys and synth beats while saying little but looking hot.

I don't think they were half way through their first song when I turned to my friend and said "I can pretty much guarantee you this guy (Lucas) has every Prince album." Casxio's "Boiling Point" could easily be slipped after "Raspberry Beret" on Prince's 1985 "Around the World in a Day" and no one would question it. Casxio is very much their own band when they are playing live, but my one complaint is that their recorded songs are too close to the likes of Sly Stone and the Talking Heads.

Casxio are managed by The Bam Group and are not currently signed to a label.

The votes are in...
"The tunes are a fresh-as-heck and high-pitched nod to classic Prince and Talking Heads." - URB Magazine
"Los Angeles’ Casxio has proven itself a little bit more than just the latest band to jump into the dance-music pool." - LA Times
"Singer/bassist Lucas Guerin is, in this humble blogger’s estimation, one of the five best frontmen in Los Angeles." - Classical Geek Theatre

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:
"Seventeen," LIVE at the EchoPlex 3/28/08


WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE CASXIO, TOO:
***Lucas is an incredible front man...he takes ownership of the crowd each and every time.
***Casxio has a great retro vibe but doesn't make you feel like you are listening to your parent's old funk LPs.
***This band has loyal fans, which means the crowd is never dead.

UPCOMING SHOWS:
Apr 22 2008 8:00P The Beatles Revolution Lounge @ the Mirage Las Vegas, Nevada
May 4 2008 9:00P w/ Lyrics Born @ The Key Club, West Hollywood
May 7 2008 12:00P UC Riverside Lunchtime Concert Series Riverside, California
May 15 2008 9:00P BLT Soundsystem @ the Continental FREE Fullerton, California

Thanks!
Julia

PS - Remember I updated my personal MySpace page every week with these music reviews. Let's be friends!

Artist/Band Spotlight #5: CASTLEDOOR

Friends -

I am so excited to introduce you all to a great band that I just found at The Roxy, playing after last week's spotlight band Glacier Hiking and opening for a British band called The Switches.

This week's spotlight shines on CASTLEDOOR!


http://www.myspace.com/castledoormusic
http://www.myspace.com/growingagarden (a second site just to host more music)
http://purevolume.com/castledoor
http://www.xanga.com/followthedove Lyrics!
http://www.myspace.com/juliaswanwick

MEET THE GUYS/GIRLS:
Nate Cole: lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Gabriel Combs: guitars, keys, vocals
Joel Plotnik: drums
Brandon Schwartzel: bass
Liska Cole: keys, vocals
Coury Jane Combs: vocals, synth

SO WHO ARE CASTLEDOOR?
The birth of Castledoor is immortalized in the beautiful ballad "Remember When." Nate sings of how he and Gabe moved across the country to California and started writing songs together. This all started in September of 2004. Since then a few more band members have jumped on board and the great songs that Nate and Gabe wrote are moving beyond their own living rooms into the likes of The Roxy, Spaceland, The Echo, SXSW showcases, and even The Natural History Museum in LA! These days, the band calls Silverlake their home.

The guys and girls held a residency at The Echo in Echo Park last October. The first night they walked up on stage with huge, gold mylar balloons spelling out Castledoor. JT from the L.A. Record said this about that first night: "Castledoor kicks off the set with obvious and unembarrassed enthusiasm, and maintain an inspiring energy level throughout the show. This is magical! These kids clearly and whole-heartedly love playing their songs for people. How refreshing!" That is exactly how I felt the first time I saw them a few weeks ago at The Roxy. The passion for playing music was clearly evident.

The band is working on a full-length album which will hopefully include great songs such as "Nightlight" that are not on the "Follow the Dove" EP.

Castledoor is represented by Don't Jump Management and is not currently signed to a record label.


LISTEN UP:

Follow the Dove (EP)
http://cdbaby.com/cd/castledoor ($5 CD at the shows or $7 for CD or MP3s on CDBaby)
My two favorite songs are "Burn the Maps" (#2) and "Magnetic Forces" (#6)..but it is amazing, start to finish!

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:
"Magnetic Forces," LIVE the Echo during their residency 10/29/07

"Dove," LIVE at Cocaine in Little Tokyo

http://blog.filter-mag.com/filter/2007/11/filter-tv-castl.html Band interview after a Roxy show last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CjZ8xRuJts&feature=related "Remember When" from the drummer's viewpoint

WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE CASTLEDOOR:
***The band usually dresses in theme for their live shows. Who knows, maybe when you see them it will be "Tarzan and Jane" night or a Grease revival!?!
***The EP is incredible and only $5! Trust me, you will have to pull yourself away from it.
***Nate is a phenomenal front man with a true voice; you don't want to miss a single show.

UPCOMING SHOWS:
I heard mention that they have an upcoming residency in Costa Mesa, CA. Sorry, that's all I know, but check out their MySpace for updates.

Thanks!
Julia

Artist/Band Spotlight #4: GLACIER HIKING

Hello again friends!

This week's spotlight shines on two handsome fellows by the name of GLACIER HIKING!



MEET THE GUYS:
Ross Golan - Vocals
Tommy Walter - Guitar/MAC laptop/Turntable/etc.

SO WHO ARE GLACIER HIKING?
Both Ross and Tommy have an extensive music background; Ross was the mind behind Ross Golan and Molehead - a politically pop band, while Tommy played bass for The Eels and later released solo work as Abandoned Pools. What keeps these two together is pure, deep-rooted respect for each other.

I first saw Glacier Hiking at The Echo opening for Simon Dawes during their residency last year. I happen to be there a little, so I went to the back to sit down. I was pretty tired and didn't bring a friend, so I wasn't in the best "rock show" mood. The guys started playing and from the first note I had a smile on my face that I just couldn't wipe off. They stood pretty still throughout the set, but there was an amazing video running in the background, and the music...it was up-beat, pure pop, and had more to say than "I love you, you love me." Before I knew it I was standing up to see them better and even dancing a little. When they got to "Shotgun," the song they are probably most known for, Ross told us all to put our hands in the air like we were 12 again and we were psyched to be at a rock show. What happened to getting all excited for a rock show? Why don't people dance and flail their arms like they are having the time of their life? I sure was that night!

Kevin Bronson from the LA Times pretty much nailed Glacier Hiking's sound when he said: "Golan sings and Walter plays guitar and triggers an array of stormy samples, giving the music a gutsy, industrial backdrop. Call it electro-crash synth-rock, glam and emo-punk with the wires all crossed, and Golan alternating between playful, wiseacre banter and big choruses."

Ross and Tommy have been very careful about signing to a label, and after much thought have just signed with Lionsgate. They have just finished recording an album in New York and are playing one last show on Tuesday, April 8 at the The Roxy upstairs, On The Rox (9:15pm, $10 21+, $15 under 21).

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:
Glacier Hiking, Interviewed by Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips) at SXSW 2007


"Moving Backwards" LIVE at The Key Club


WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE GLACIER HIKING:
***Two guys have never made such complete-sounding music live
***Every song makes you want to bust a move!
***If you want to go see a GREAT show that you won't forget and mix up with a million other shows...go see these guys on April 8!


Thanks!
Julia

Artist/Band Spotlight #3: THE MATCHES

Friends -

This week's spotlight shines on an amazing theatrical rock band called THE MATCHES!
http://www.myspce.com/thematches
http://www.thematches.com


MEET THE GUYS:
Shawn Harris - Vox, Guitar
Matt Whalen - Drums
Justin San Souci - Bass, Vox
Jon Devoto - Guitar, Vox


SO WHO ARE THE MATCHES?
This band out of Oakland, CA started as a threesome in high school in 1997; back then they were called The Locals. They brought on guitarist Jon Devoto and became The Matches after a Chicago band called them up and claimed the name. The guys started marketing themselves aggressively from the beginning, setting up guerrilla marketing campaigns and play impromptu concerts anywhere they were allowed: parking lots, restaurants, high school hallways, etc. They really made their mark with their energy and antics on stage. All in all, they put on a great show.

The Matches have been compared to Yellowcard and Fall Out Boy. While they opened for Lit at one time, I would say that The Matches are less radio-friendly and more artistic rock; sort of like the Scissor Sisters. I think that Shawn has the vocal theatrics of Daryl Palumbo of Head Automatica and the anguish of Matt Aveiro, singer of Cold War Kids.

Their third album "A Band in Hope" was released March 18 on Epitaph Records.

FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:
"Papercut Skin" Official Video:


Award Winning Video for "Salty Eyes":


WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE THE MATCHES, TOO:
***They put on one Hell of a good show and they play about 200 gigs a year, so they are always around.
***You never know what they will wear next.
***Each of their songs tells a story and takes you on a journey.

UPCOMING SHOWS: These boys are going the distance with the AP Magazine Tour (also starring The Rocket Summer, Sonny, All Time Low, & Forever the Sickest Kids)
Apr 15 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Tremont Music Hall Charlotte, North Carolina
Apr 16 2008 6:30P AP Tour-Headliners Music Hall Louisville, Kentucky
Apr 17 2008 6:30P AP Tour-The Masquerade Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 18 2008 6:00P AP Tour-House Of Blues Orlando, Florida
Apr 19 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Revolution Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Apr 20 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Jannus Landing St. Petersburg, Florida
Apr 22 2008 7:00P AP Tour-Juanitas Little Rock, Arkansas
Apr 23 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Pops Sauget, Illinois
Apr 24 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Forest Hills Lodge Love's Park, Illinois
Apr 25 2008 6:00P AP Tour-The Rave Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Apr 26 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Newport Music Hall Columbus, Ohio
Apr 27 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Club Infinity Buffalo, New York
Apr 29 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Toad's Place New Haven, Connecticut
Apr 30 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Crocodile Rock Cafe Allentown, Pennsylvania
May 1 2008 6:00P AP Tour-Diesel Nightclub Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
May 2 2008 6:00P AP Tour-House Of Blues Cleveland, Ohio

Thanks!
Julia

Artist/Band Spotlight #2: IGLU & HARTLY

Hello again, friends!

So a whole week has passed and I hope you have all had a chance to check out last week's band RESTAURANT (http://www.myspace.com/resturantmusic)! The guys played SXSW last week and are headed back to good ol' LA real soon.

http://www.myspace.com/igluandhartly (tons of music and photos)
http://www.igluandhartly.com (official page, but hard to navigate)




WHO ARE IGLU & HARTLY?
This week's band is a lovely quintet of gentlemen from Silver Lake/Echo Park, CA named after DJ Iglu (Jarvis Anderson, lead singer) and Hartly Dark (not sure about that one). When I first saw them at the Silverlake Lounge the band was basically three white hip-hop rappers and a Jewish guitar player. They wore the most obnoxious '80s clothing and had a MAC laptop filling in for all other necessary instruments to make a band. I wasn't able to pick my jaw up off the floor until about the fourth song, where my mind was straightened out enough to think "What the hell is this?!!?" Is it comedy night at the Silverlake Lounge or are these guys for real? Oh yes, they are for real! So real, they want to prove it to you by wearing the lowest-rise jeans ever made and no underwear. That's real. Actually, the person I was with that night said "These guys should be playing in their underwear," and there was not a doubt in my mind that that was absolutely true. So anyway, after the shock wore off, I began to really like the nonsense of songs like "The Pajama Song" and "DayGlo." I have now seen them perform a handful of times around LA and they have yet to disappoint me. The band now has a real-live drummer and a bass player, and their fan base is growing show by show. They just signed on with Red Ghost Management but have yet to put together an album or sign with a label. The single "Violent and Young" is on iTunes though!

Music Connection named Iglu & Hartly one of the Best 100 Unsigned Artists!
http://www.musicconnection.com/issues/2007/issue25/guide/mchot100unsigned2007.pdf





WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE IGLU & HARTLY, TOO...:
***The guys wear almost no clothes at all.
***Their music is 110% pure fun and their live show will definitely put a smile on your face.
***It's not often that a band that takes their silliness seriously goes very far, but I really have faith in these guys.
***They already have MERCHANDISE!! so they must be on the right track.

Every week I add this exact update to the front page of my own MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/juliaswanwick. Let's be friends!

Thanks!!
Julia