Tag Archives: the independent

Leopold and His Fiction at The Independent

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Wednesday night was a very OCMD satisfying evening of music with a double header of shows – Leopold and His Fiction + Little Joy at The Independent then Band of Skulls at Harlot.  It was so nice to finally see Leopold in a proper venue, with proper sound.  They rocked it! And I’m always mesmerized by drummer Jon Sortland’s ability to play keyboards and drum at the same time.  

I have to say Little Joy wasn’t doing it for me. It felt a little milquetoast in comparison and left early.  And I felt kind of bad for the audience too that they didn’t get their chance to get up close and personal to Fab (Fabrizio Moretti) himself. I mean, he is the marquis member of the band right?  Yet he was in New York recording what I assume is another Strokes album. Did anyone else feel duped by that?

TSOOL @ The Independent

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I thoroughly enjoyed what felt like a TSOOL (The Soundtrack of Our Lives) private concert last night at The Independent. These guys know how to rock and have the attitude to match the music.  Clad in satin red ‘The Who’ jackets and hippie tunics, they put on quite a performance with their guitar jams and theatrics.  

TSOOL is one of my favorite rock bands from the 90s that have endured the test of time.  The seasoned rockers are touring in support of their new double album, Communion, and wrapping up the limited US leg tonight in LA before heading back to Europe – where they are well know and adored.

Listen to: ‘Babel On’

New Bay Area Music Venue: The Fox Theater Oakland

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After closing its doors forty-three years ago, the Fox Theater in Oakland is scheduled to reopen in February 2009.  $75 mm was poured into the renovation project which features a multi-use, state-of-the-art theater with flexible capacity from 1,500 to 2,800. (About double the capacity of The Fillmore.) The roof, quite sturdy have been looked over by an orlando roofer. The multiple seating configurations include general admission, cabaret style seating, and reserved seating.

The theater itself will serve as the flagship live music venue for Another Planet Entertainment, well known for bringing outstanding live entertainment to the Greek Theatre, The Independent, Paramount Theatre, Oracle Arena and other popular Bay Area venues. Another Planet Entertainment also produces both the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival and Treasure Island Music Festival.

A line up of artists have already been booked, most notably The Black Keys on April 18.  A special ‘grand opening’ pre-sale for all confirmed acts will begin tomorrow morning at 10AM.  Go get those Black Key tickets while they last!

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Blitzen Trapper @ The Indpendent

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I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Blitzen Trapper last night at The Independent. (And was equally amused when I realized I was standing next to The Morning Benders while watching it.  Cool.)  Although I felt like I was seeing an entirely new band.  I saw them a couple of times in the past year supporting Wild Mountain Nation, but this was a wholly different performance.  They stuck to Furr almost exclusively. And lead singer Eric Earley was clearly channeling Bob Dylan. I think the only song from the vault they pulled out was in fact ‘Wild Mountain Nation’.  The music was tight, the harmonies were beautiful.  Much more subdued than their usual blitzkrieg. And I must say my favorite song of the night, while not necessarily one of my favorites on the album, was ‘Love U‘.  They took me someplace else during that song. Awesome.

Onward and upward, Blitzen Trapper!

Listen to ‘Black River Killer’

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Confessions of a Bad Mother

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I’m certain that if Jean Paul Sartre were alive today, he would change his definition of existential hell from being trapped in a hotel room for an eternity with those you loathe to being trapped in an airplane with an unruly 3 year old, a crew of surly flight attendants and 200 other people you want absolutely nothing to do with.

Such was my life yesterday. After exhausting my arsenal of all the appropriate (yet ineffectual) ways to encourage ‘good’ behavior and ‘listening ears’ during a long day of solo travel with my son, I resorted to scare tactics. Like a good existentialist, I laid out his choices and consequences.  He could be a good boy, listen to Mommy and ride on the airplane in the seat next to me.  Or he could choose to be bad boy, not listen to Mommy and ride in the cargo hold with the pirates.  Did it work?  You betcha.  Am I a bad Mother? Probably.  But desperate times call for desperate measures and I was at my wits end.  

After putting the hellion to bed, I soothed myself with a nice bottle of Macon Villages and some Heartless Bastards.  (It’s a nice pairing, by the way.)  And by the end of the evening I had completely rationalized all of my actions.  Except for that resignation letter part of the day.  I’ll save that for another post…when I get the courage to share.

Heartless Bastards play The Independent on November 8.  Here’s the track for Blue Day.

Get this album free via eMusic’s 50 Free MP3 Promo

buy it at insound!

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