It's my firm belief that it's quite rare to find another human being that vibrates at either the same frequency as you or at a relative complimentary frequency. Say you're ringing out at C and you come across someone that's at about a G. When you put those together you form a C power chord. One of the most basic and most widely used forms of chordal music that everyone who listens to punk rock and classic rock can relate to. So during a show not too long ago I met a G note. He was a cool dude who was rocking a marvel comics t-shirt and on top of that I was digging the music he was performing. We chit chatted and I was surprised to find out we shared similar tastes in comics, anime, and music. Time traveling to more current dates I find out that I'll be performing at his CD release show. With all these situation unraveling I couldn't help but use this opportunity to do an origin story with this specific artistically inclined character. Read on below to further your understanding of the one and only, TerribleFolly...
Check out the Video for Moments, one of my favorite tracks from Los Angeles' very own Brainfeeder Teebs. Moments appears on Teebs' debut album Ardour. Catch Teebs along with Austin Peralta and Daedelus at the Brainfeeder Showcase this weekend at Macarthur Park. The event is Free and All Ages so go and get your brain fed! Bonus video for those who are extra hungry!
Over the past year it has become even more apparent to me that the city of Long Beach is becoming more and more organized in terms of quality music events. Sure you can say I'm biased because I'm involved with a handful of events. I'm also biased because a good number of my friends are creating/nurturing these events. Regardless of my ties to the city it's safe to say we have something to say and more importantly we stand for something. Whether it be for music, fun, family, or the benefit of our fellow human beings.
Recently through various circles of music heads I met a man who also stands for something. To trail it back a couple steps we clicked because we liked the same music. Whenever I meet another being who diggs what I digg then we automatically click. Enter Steven Kerns, who gave me a heads up about this event he was organizing for a fallen comrade. I asked him who was performing and he told me. I asked him where was it going to be held and he said, "Long Beach." That's more than enough info for me right there. I'd go into greater detail, but I'm just going to let him do most of the talking...
I remember the first time [e]ccentric showed me the video for the EDC 2010 trailer. I responded with, "Wait. We're going to that? On BOTH days?!". The initial response was something along the lines of "This looks like the most craziest amount of fun possible. What a way to start the summer." This year EDC is back but they've added a third day. I can barely survive Coachella's three day insanity, I hope my body will forgive me for the amount of fun I'll have in Las Vegas. If you have yet to purchase your tickets go get them as soon as possible. I'm certain it will sell out. See you all there!
Excited? Hell yes! We can't wait to see them at HARD Weekend. Purchase your tickets for HARD Oakland here | HARD Los Angeles here | HARD New York here. See you on the dance floor.
If Johnny Depp shows up in his whole Mad Hatter garb I'm going to go bonkers. I wonder if there will be secret underground tunnel entrances for super special and magical ticket holders. Will Alice consume the bottles labeled "DRINK ME" and cake aptly titled "EAT ME". Is there going to be a blue caterpillar on top of a giant mushroom in the Caterpillars Garden smoking a hookah. Do we have to attend the tea party in order for us to get to the Queens Domain? None of these answers are questioned in the official trailer. There is however a yummy audible treat titled Space Junk which accompanies the stellar visuals.
My brother [e]ccentric, Ms. Nightfox, the LOL Man, and I made the drive up to Cinespace last Tuesday evening for a night of infrasonics and bass thumping music[don't worry fabricated you're joining us for the next show]. For those of you who have been keeping up with our posts you've seen our support for this young and talented UK producer, Jakwob. We've interviewed him to see what his plans were for his label Boom Ting Records and we were treated to an exclusive Hip Hop mix that was aired last month for Dank Radio. So you can imagine the amount of anticipation we had to finally see him make his Los Angeles debut.
As the years go by it's becoming more of a rare occurrence for my brothers [e]ccentric, G1ockz, and D$ to be at the same show as I. One could say it's because our schedules don't always match up or maybe it's that money isn't as available for shows of our favorite artists these days as it once was[ticket prices have gone up over the years haven't they]. Whatever the reason may be it was a fun trip down to No Doubt's backyard to watch our favorite Pharmaceutical Bandits rock the House Of Blues Anaheim stage right next to the "happiest place on earth".
Last week Thursday (New Year's Eve EVE) D$ and I visited the House of Blues in Anaheim to get one last skank in before the new year at the Ska Luau with our long time buddies Chase Long Beach, and OC favorites Suburban Legends & Starpool. I know, I know, I'm super late but I've been in another dimension these past few weeks and I was just recently hit with a cold... but without further a due, I present to you my Ska Luau experience:
CLB front line (Photo: Mary Bell)
We arrived just in time to catch Chase Long Beach getting the party started. Upon entry I immediately noticed a number of younger people in attendance. It was good to see the power of Ska still reaching kids of all ages, uniting us under one roof for a night of energetic fun and wild dancing. To my surprise, this new generation of rude boys and girls knew all of the lyrics to CLB's tunes which made me dance even harder once I absorbed the energy and positive vibrations of the crowd. Another thing I noticed was an intense amount of FUNK provided by the latest addition to the line-up, Patrick Clancey aka P-Funk. His groovy bass lines kept my feet moving and kept the pit busy getting down during the breakdowns of songs. Great sound, good stage presence, and awesome crowd energy, overall CLB experience: two thumbs up. (Note: CLB is still looking for a lead singer so hit them up if you or someone you know is interested!)
P-Funk holdin' it DOWN & Joe Coop tearin' it UP! (Photo: Mary Bell)
SL in Action (Photo: Mary Bell)
Next up was Suburban Legends. These guys NEVER disappoint. They always bring their unique style of upbeat poppy yet funky dance music to the table. No show is complete without their choreographed dance moves, which in turn results in my own ridiculous dance moves. Once upon a time many moons ago, D$ & I danced so hard at a CLB+SL show at the Key Club that D$ socked the contact out of my eye. There was blood everywhere. Needless to say, we love to dance and so does Suburban Legends. Highlights of their set include: Bright Spring Morning, Getting Down to Business, I Just Can't Wait to be King (Lion King Cover!), and High Fives. I love high five-ing everyone in the pit whenever they close their set with that song!
Suburban Legends keeping the crowd involved (Photo: Mary Bell)
Last but not least was STARPOOL! I'll be honest with you all, I do not know a single Starpool song. With that being said, I actually have seen them a number of times, I just never had access to their material therefore I can never get familiar with their tunes. This problem of mine was solved at the Ska Luau because D$ and I came ready and dressed in our Luau attire to obtain our free sampler of tracks of all the bands playing that night at the Ska Luau!! Despite not knowing any of their songs, I still got into the pit and skanked throughout their set. I may have even lost a few pounds from non-stop dancing. The highlight of their set for me was their cover of SHOUT! which they played as their encore. This song was like the cherry on top of the whole night because it gave all of us one last chance to get out on the dance floor and get down. Members from every band on the bill that night came out for one last dance with the crowd. And of course, no new years eve eve party would be complete without a countdown! + plus a stage dive!
The Ska Luau was jam packed with energy. Despite the chilly weather there was still a huge turnout. Everyone came to dance and have a good time. It felt great to see a sea smiles and to feel the warmth of the crowd on a cold December night. I'm glad these bands are keeping the Ska alive and allowing all of us to escape reality for a night of skanking. I can't wait for the next round of the Ska Luau!
Be sure to check out the latest releases from all of the bands!
For some of us locals here in Long Beach, we've begun to notice the slow and steady growth of more events provided within our great city. The Summer and Music festivals put on every summer by Rand of Fingerprints and his team have been a great addition to the downtown area as well as the neighboring East Village. But what about us who still prefer a good band at a bar, or maybe a whole line up of bands playing at a local warehouse. Here's where Black Boot Productions comes into play.
Nativity: First off, thank you Eric for taking the time to do this Interview. I know you're a busy man with lots of fun ideas/events that constantly need to be worked on. Let's begin with the origins of Black Boot Productions. When we ran into each other at a local show and you told me about the conversation you had with your partner in crime about your call to action. Why don't you share the Black Boot origin story with our readers?
Eric: My Partner Maribel Banuelos and I have been living here in Long Beach for the past 4 years. Both of us are originally from Southern California but had a chance to live in Portland, Oregon for a while. While living in Portland we quickly discovered a huge underground “D.I.Y.” music scene. Our nights bar hopping and enjoying local talent in downtown Portland was truly an eye opener. Here was a community chalk full of talented musicians sharing the same goal in organizing in order to bring in the people. Relocating to Long Beach we found the potential to do the same. We thought to ourselves there is a lot of great bands in Long Beach why is no one really pushing this? I, Eric play in many local bands (Bird Mad Girl) (D-Strutters) & one bigger touring act (Pastilla) so I have been in the scene for awhile & have seen how bands get shitted on & we wanted to change that.
Nativity: Like we discussed that night we both agreed upon the need for all the locals to stick together and really just get organized. I'm glad you're starting to do that with your shows. How do the bands feel about what you're trying to build? How have the shows been so far? Any fun stories/moments that stand out?
Eric: The local bands have been really responsive to what we are doing and they are excited. The Black Boot shows have been gaining a lot of momentum over the last three months and are only getting better. As far as moments at the shows, for us it's every time we see someone rocking out with a huge smile on their face. Like the satisfaction one gets when seeing a kid get the toy they wanted on Christmas day, priceless.
Nativity: And it's not just bands that you're working with correct? You have this weekends event at Que Sera called The Hold Up and you're working with DJs for that event. What kind of music can people expect to find and what kind of vibe are you building?
Nativity: Looks like it's going to be a fun event to check out. For all of the bands and/or DJs who feel like they have what it take to lace up and perform for Black Boot, where/how can they get in touch with you? Is there anything specific you want from them? Press Kit? EPK? Soundcloud links? Etc?
We have also been asked by the Long Beach Party Project to write a couple of reviews for some local acts that you can check out. Expect to see more in the near future.
Nativity: Awesome. Thanks again for doing this Eric. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers or your fans? Teasers of what's to come for 2011 maybe? Future events? Bands they need to check out?
Eric: Black Boot will be doing events every week and weekend. Make sure to visit us at facebook.com/blackbootprod to see what shows we have lined up. Black Boot is expanding to bigger locations such as Alex's Bar and Blue Cafe. Expect another all ages warehouse show coming up in March. We will be spreading our wings out to a venue in Pomona, Ca.
Alright. It's time to take a small break from all the International EDM artists we've been talking about and turn the focus back to the underground Hip Hop artists doing good things in our local community. You may recall, we sat down with Fatgums of Beatrock Music to talk about the 1 Year Anniversary of the artist collective that includes: Bambu, Power Struggle, Otayo Dubb, The CounterParts, BWAN, and the DJ crew Mass Movement. I was fortunate enough to attend the Long Beach Anniversary Celebration but wasn't able to make the trip up to the Bay area to party at the San Francisco Celebration. Luckily, the awesome folks at Just Bombin Films put together some of the highlights of the event into the video you see below. In addition to the highlights and behind the scenes interviews comes news that Kiwi and Rocky Rivera have joined the Beatrock Music family. So press play and see what Bambu has to say about a new Native Guns EP...
I mean for me, it's my way to express how I feel about what's going on in the world through my eyes. Speaking for my folks and family...that can't speak for themselves and talk about what's really going on in our lives. ...It's blue collar Hip Hop - Otayo Dubb
The music is a counter balance to the struggles and stresses of front line organizing. When the people are out there fighting for their rights and you're blessed with [the] opportunity to be able to make cultural work, make music, make art on behalf of people that are struggling...that's a blessing. That's the rest and relaxation. - Nomi of Power Struggle
Sometime during this past summer Destructo was interviewed by a national publication about his plans for his Birthday this year and he stated that he wasn't doing anything. We actually believed this up until the point where he posted the line up for this years Hard New Year's Eve party. He's going strong right up until the year ends and there is no doubt in our mind that this party will be anything but the definition of the word Fun. With a line up including Brodinski (I didn't have a chance to check out his set during HHM), Congorock (Amazing set of releases this year!), Mr. Oizo (Be sure to pick up a copy of the Rubber Soundtrack), and local favorite Harvard Bass, this will surely be one of the premiere events in Los Angeles to ring in 2011. Check out the set times down below.
Major props to Hard Fest for continuing their exclusive mix series throughout the year. They had one with Erol Alkan for Hard Summer, one with Busy P & Brodinsky for Hard Haunted and they're finishing off this year with a mix by Harvard Bass. I've seen Harvard Bass rock crowds with no more than 25 people as well as a packed house at Avalon. His mix below is a great summary of what he can do when you're ready for #paritaim.
Our good friends Reset Events from San Diego have just released their teaser trailer for their upcoming two day festival set to go down on March 4th & 5th of 2011. So far they have the following artists confirmed: Avicii | Alan Braxe | Datsik | Tritonal | David Kim | Brett Nieman. Reset always puts together stellar productions so don't sleep on the special Holiday Pre-Sale 2 day passes which will be available until Jan 3rd 2001.
Growing up my parents always told me and Eccentric that whatever you do during the first moments of the year will be a good gauge of what types of activities will be in-store for the remainder of the year. With that said...
Go Ventures and Insomniac have put together one massive line up for their lucky number 13. Having to decide on whether to spend the countdown with either Laidback Luke, Jack Beats/Major Lazer, or Rusko is just killing us. LBL has held it down each and every single time we've seen him this year and knowing him he'll have some LA treats thrown into his mix for this special occasion. Jack Beats, Wolfgang Gartner, and Nero have all produced mind blowing Essential Mixes. 12th Planet and Kill The Noise have always held it down for the locals and it'll be great to see them at the party. Diplo might even do his special 'ladies' set to get all the females grinding/grooving. And the opportunity to finally witness the Dada Life is just plain bananas.
Whichever artists we do have the opportunity to party with at TAO will in no doubt be a great time. I can't think of any other way I'd like to start off my year. Spending time with my brother, good music, and fun people. 2011 is going to be a fun year, this I'm certain. [Bonus Info: We're heading up to the radio station RIGHT AFTER TAO. In true Dank Radio fashion the party will continue until the sun rises. LIVE BROADCAST // Aziatik Rhythmz Present: Dank Radio // Saturday Jan 1st. 4 - 6am // 90.7fm KPFK // kpfk.org {streaming worldwide}]
TOGETHER ARENA 5:30pm-6:30pm Swedish Egil 6:30pm-8pm Richard Vission 8pm-9:30pm Markus Schulz 9:30pm-11pm Dada Life 11pm-12:30am Laidback Luke 12:30am-2am Wolfgang Gartner
SATURDAY NIGHT SESSIONS ARENA 5:30pm-6:30pm Barry Weaver 6:30pm-8pm Kill The Noise 8pm-9:30pm Afrojack 9:30pm-11pm Diplo 11pm-12am Jack Beats 12am-1am Major Lazer 1am-2am DJ Reza
Had a chance to sit down with Shea from LBPP.net to talk about what he's doing for the local Long Beach music scene and his upcoming 2nd Annual Secret Santa's Toydrive show with Free Moral Agents and Repeater. Shea is definitely someone you want to link up with if you're a local musician. We at Dank Radio are very grateful for the support he showed us in the past with our former projects and his continuing support with the ever evolving music activities of the Dank Radio family.
Nativity: First off, Many Thanks to Shea from LBPP.net for taking time from his busy schedule to do this interview. Before we talk about The 2nd Annual Secret Santa's Toydrive, let's talk about LBPP.net. How did it all start back in 2003 and how has it developed over the years? I remember when I used to play your shows back in the day[Many thanks for being crazy enough to book us back then]. Shea:The original inspiration for Long Beach Party Project was the movie Old School. After seeing it a few times in the theaters, my friend and I argued over the backyard house party with Snoop Dogg scene and if something like that could actually be pulled off. Well after much debate we decided if you had the right connects and timing you could pull it off in real life. That was the original "project" we embarked upon, hence the name Long Beach Party Project. Lots of things have changed since then though, going from just a blog where we posted pictures from our house parties, to club promoters packing hundreds of heads into local spots, to a failed party bus idea, and now booking and promoting local music. Your old band Sun Doominal was always one of my favorites... I still rock the cd!
Nativity: With that said, How do you feel about the current climate of music in Long Beach? What has changed from from 2003 to 2010 and do you feel Long Beach is ready and more willing to expose it's hidden musical gems these days? Shea: I really love the Long Beach music scene, it can be clicky sometimes, but in general everyone tries to support each other I think. The best thing about it is the diversity of music in the city and how well rounded the music tastes are. Since 2003 I have seen quite a few great bands come and go, as well as some crappy ones, and I think with the slew of recent popular acts coming out of Long Beach it is definitely encouraging to the closet musician to get out and get some exposure because there is so much support.
Nativity: Speaking of musical gems, What local bands/artists are on your radar? Any favorites you can suggest to our readers that they need to check out at a show local show a.s.a.p.? Shea: Man, there are so many good up and coming bands... The Fling, Eugene & The 1914, Centrevol, 60 Watt Kid, Armchair Generals, Pebaluna, Hot Minute, We Barbarians and a bunch more. Most of these bands are still playing local but not for long, so make sure to check them out at your favorite LB venue.
Nativity: One local band I'm very excited to finally check out live is Free Moral Agents which is performing for your 2nd Annual Secret Santa's Toydrive. How did you get the band involved with your event? Shea: Yeah we are pretty excited to have them play! Originally we were invited to do a behind the scenes video of the shooting of their new single called "Little Trouble Girl", after that we had talked about doing a show and it just worked out that they were just getting back from national tour with 2Mex.
Nativity: It's good to see LBPP.net giving back to the community with the event by giving the un-wrapped toys and donations to Coalongbeach.org. Not very many parties tend to have a social awareness. Is this something you've always wanted to do with LBPP.net? Shea: We noticed a few years back the trend of lots of promoters or event organizers to use donating to a "charity" as a way to attract people to their event, but the problem is you never know where the money goes. Did it ever even make it to the charity? Most organizations [try] to think about this but that is what prompted us to do this party last year and we created a video piece to show everyone the impact they made locally with their toy donations.
Nativity: Thanks again for doing the Interview. Anything else you'd like to share? Maybe even a brief summary of what's to come in the new year for LBPP.net? Shea: Yeah, its great to connect again! We are going to be doing it big in 2011, bringing back one of our signature series The Punk Rock SiDeShOw which features local punk & rockabilly acts with a vaudevillian style circus performer supporting at the Puka Bar starting the Last Friday in February at the Puka. Also have a big St. Patrick's Day show that is in the works that is going to be epic!
12/16 LBPP.net presents: The 2nd Annual Secret Santa's Toydrive with Free Moral Agents & Repeater | More Info Here & Here
In celebration of the upcoming anniversary of Los Angeles based independent record label Beatrock Music I had a chance to talk to founder Eric "Fatgums" Strand about the origins of the label and it's associated with local clothing company Beatrock. For those of you who may not be familiar, Beatrock Music is home to artists such as: Bambu, Power Struggle, Otayo Dubb, The CounterParts, BWAN, and the DJ crew Mass Movement. In addition to speaking with Fatgums we had a chance to hear some words from Beatrock supporter Manila Ryce and Mass Movement DJ ReVision on what Beatrock means to them.
Nativity: First off how did Beatrock Music Start? How is it associated with Beatrock Long Beach? Fatgums: After the release of the Beatrock Presents: FATGUMS X BAMBU A Peaceful Riot EP, I was at a crossroads. At that time I was on a leave of absence from medical school and was trying to figure out where my heart and mind were truly at in life. Other than my family, my friends, and a commitment to social change, I knew that music was something that would be a part of me forever. It wasn’t only making beats and scratching that I was in love with, it was the entire process of creating physical things that could become timeless pieces of art. I asked David Araquel, the owner of Beatrock, what he thought of expanding upon what we started with A Peaceful Riot. He told me that his vision for Beatrock had always included a musical component. I love Beatrock. I love what they represent as a company and I love the image and style that they have created. It was clear to me that by becoming a part of the Beatrock family through establishing a music wing of the brand, I would be able to realize my own personal vision for a record label – to create and spread music that is rooted in social change. I am forever grateful that the Araquel family entrusted in me the Beatrock name. It is and will always be my priority to represent it well through the music we make.
Nativity: Have there been any struggles over the past year to get everything going? Fatgums: It was my objective from the beginning to create a label that is for the artists and in many ways run by the artists. Given this approach, getting Beatrock Music started has been a very team-like effort. As with anything in life, working as a team or collective has made the whole process much easier. It has been a blessing to work with artists who have more than their own self interest in mind. We all are striving for something bigger than our music and our own self recognition. There have been struggles, but together we have been able to rise above any obstacles that have faced the label thus far
Nativity: Why Long Beach and San Francisco for your celebrations? Fatgums: Long Beach is the city where Beatrock started. The Beatrock Clothing Store/Art Space was a cultural magnet for many activists, musicians and artists. From the grand opening celebration to the final show, artistic creativity, political discourse, and live music oozed from its doors. Beatrock became more than a safe space for artists to show their work, it became a community that we all became a part of. Now that the physical space is no longer there, it became very important for me to bring the anniversary celebration back to Long Beach and to the community that Beatrock inspired.
We chose San Francisco because many of our artists, like Power Struggle and Otayo Dubb, are based out of the Bay Area. I wanted to be sure their fans and supporters could join in on the celebration.
Nativity: What is your favorite Beatrock moment so far? Fatgums: My favorite moments have to be back at the Beatrock store when we’d take shots of Lori’s crazy drinks with like 30 folks at a time.
Nativity: What's in the future for Beatrock? What are your hopes? Where do you see Beatrock in 5 years? 10 years? Fatgums: I want Bambu to become the next Jay-Z, Bwan to become the next Nas, Otayo Dubb to become the next Biggie (but alive), and Nomi to become the next Chuck D.
Nativity: How can an artist get in touch with you if they feel their music fits with Beatrock? Fatgums: The best way is to visit the contact page on our website. There is a Soundcloud dropbox and an email form that sends emails directly to me.
Nativity: Do you have any special thank you messages for your supporters? Fatgums: I’d like to thank everyone who has supported us. From the young kid who told his or her friend to check out one of our videos to the family and friends that have helped us realize our dreams of making music, we thank you all.
Bambu - Who's That?!
Nativity: What does Beatrock mean to you? Manila Ryce: To me, Beatrock means community. It is truly communal in the sense that there is no one person leading the charge and calling the shots. Every artist; be they musician, painter, or designer; helps to advance the Beatrock brand and philosophy in their own way and on their own terms. Beatrock is a collective of friends, old and new, whose primary motive is to bring a certain level of consciousness to the neighborhoods they live in. Without that social bond, Beatrock would just be another failed establishment in a collapsing economy, but since it is so much more than a business it continues to flourish.
ReVision[Mass Movement]: For me, Beatrock Music is synonymous with Community. Not only is it a close knit community of artists, but the artists themselves are people who are FOR the Community as a whole. When you listen to any of the MCs on the roster, it's clear that each one has a genuine love for the People in the positive messages that they convey. It's not just art for art's sake...it's art with a purpose. It's art with a progressive message.
At the same time, the Beatrock label is passionate about the Music itself and won't settle for mediocrity. Whether it's beats, lyrics or videos, everything is always top notch quality. There are tons of conscious artists out there, but they're so focused on their message and not the quality of the music that it ends up falling on deaf ears. Since its inception, every single record that Beatrock puts out is just damn good music, so the listener gets the best of both worlds.
Beatrock Music is a true representation of Hip Hop culture. This label isn't going to sacrifice quality in exchange for commercial success. It'll stay true to its vision while carrying on the tradition of its predecessors. Beatrock Music pays homage to the Golden Age of Hip Hop while maintaining its own fresh style instead of simply trying to emulate the sounds of the past.
12/10: LONG BEACH – The Cellar (201 East Broadway) | More Info Live Performances by: · Bambu and DJ Phatrick · Power Struggle · Otayo Dubb · The CounterParts · Bwan · L.U.V · K-nine Host: Mass Movement DJs: DJ ET and Krissfader
12/11: SAN FRANCISCO – Pier 23 (Pier 23 on the Embarcadero) | More Info Live Performances by: · Otayo Dubb · Power Struggle · Dirty Boots · Kiwi · Rocky Rivera and more Host: Bambu DJs: DJ Roza, DJ Fonz and Fatgums
The events will also celebrate the birthdays of Nomi of Power Struggle, Rachel and James of Dirty Boots, and DJ Phatrick!
Check out the Video for Moments, one of my favorite tracks from Los Angeles' very own 
