Tuesday, August 23, 2011

River Whyless, The Ghost Of Wrights, The Getaway Girl, & Redoaks @ The Blue Lagoon Wednesday September 28th

Wednesday September 28th 2011
Indie Folk Rock
Boone, North Carolina

"The Self-Made Band" Good Times Article

River Whyless lugs backroads Americana, DIY savvy, and open minds cross-country

The members of River Whyless may be as nervous as they are excited about their forthcoming—and first—nationwide tour, at least according to drummer Alex McWalters. Fortunately, the quartet from Asheville, N.C. hasn’t had much time to fret. "It's all us,” McWalters explains. “We're doing literally everything this time around.”

McWalters and his band mates are so preoccupied with doing everything a record label and a public relations representative would do for a group—conducting interviews, booking gigs, burning CDs, making T-shirts, designing stickers, and redesigning their website—that they haven’t had much time to stress about the cross-country trek, which will make a stop at Streetlight Records and The Blue Lagoon on Wednesday, Sept. 28.


The band decided to drop its record label after the release of its first album, which was recorded under the moniker Do it to Julia. "It was a really frustrating experience all around,” says McWalters, of their former representation. So, they struck out on their own, and so far things have been going well, thanks to the division of labor.

Though most at home behind the drum kit, McWalters has been handling all press matters; Ryan O'Keef—the band's singer and songwriter—is the band's sound engineer, mixing their sophomore record; bassist Matt Rossino is the booking agent; and the group's violinist, Halli Anderson, is working on their website and designing T-shirts and album covers.

The DIY attitude is particularly fitting for River Whyless—the group's homespun folk-rock conjures visions of a hand-stitched quilt, woven with strains of hill-folk fiddle and insulated with wavering gospel organ or smooth slide guitar.

The result is a patchwork of Americana, which is at once reflective of old Appalachian traditions, the folk movement of the ’60s, contemporary alt-country groups, such as the Avett Brothers, and even gives a nod to electronic music.

On tracks like "Implosion" and "Pigeon Feathers," the band breaks into what McWalters calls "a human drum machine"—each member plays his or her own rhythmic portion of a larger beat by clicking sticks or banging on a closet door or trash can. The product is a fragmented, yet cohesive beat, which appears to be produced by a machine, even as the individual sounds are unmistakably organic.

"Percussion is something that we all liked," McWalters says. "We're just trying to keep it fresh insofar as thinking of different ways to express a beat."

The story behind River Whyless' tour also fits into the narrative of a self-made band. After a serendipitous meeting at a bluegrass showcase in Manhattan, a promoter from San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival asked the group to play this year.

McWalters says that the entire tour sprung up from the chance encounter. Rossino started booking shows—a line of more than 30 gigs from their home near the Blue Ridge Mountains, all the way to the foggy polo grounds of Golden Gate Park, and back.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it a little bit," McWalters says of the tour. "I don't really know how it happened to us."

He and his band mates are just thankful to have the opportunity. Even if they don't see a return on their investment, McWalters says, that was never the point.

"We're going to have a few songs to give out, meet some cool people, and play some shows," he says. "We're keeping our minds open, and we're excited to see what the rest of the country looks like."

Maybe they'll find a new home, he muses, sounding like a rambling musician. "It's not something we've talked about at length, but there's nothing stopping us from making a move."


River Whyless performs at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 at Streetlight Records, 939 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. No Cover. The band also plays at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28 at The Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $5. 423-7117.

The Ghost Of Wrights
Folk Rock Experimental
Santa Cruz

The Getaway Girl
Pop and ambient theatric sounds
Santa Cruz, California

Redoaks

923 PACIFIC AVE
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060
DOORS 8:00
SHOW 9:00

Vanishing Breed, Strelka, Mon Pubis, & Down Dirty Shake @ The Blue Lagoon Wednesday September 21st

Wednesday September 21st 2011

Vanishing Breed
Alternative
Gresham, Oregon

Strelka
Whatever
Los Angeles, CA

Mon Pubis
Psycho Blues Rock
San Jose, CA

Soul
Merced/San Francisco/Rohnert Park

923 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Doors 8:00
Show 9:00

Old Arc, Hawk Jones, B L Z R S, & The Terrible @ The Blue Lagoon Wednesday October 5th

Wednesday October 5th 2011
Psych Funk Trip Hop Visual
Santa Cruz, CA

Rock
San Jose, CA

Post-Punk Hip Hop Nu-Metal
Santa Cruz, CA

Urban Distress
Santa Cruz, CA

923 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Doors 8:00
Show 9:00

INFAMOUS BAND, MLY CREW, SCO, ROSS ROCK, RUBBA TUNG, & LP @ The Blue Lagoon Friday, September 16th

Friday September 16th 2011



SCO

ROSS ROCK


LP

923 PACIFIC AVE
SANTA CRUZ, CA 95060
DOORS 8:00
SHOW 9:00

Eviscerate, Fiends At Feast, Entragian, Giant Of The Mountain, & Gods In Graves @ The Blue Lagoon Wednesday September 14th


Wednesday September 14th 2011

Eviscerate
Death Metal
Santa Cruz, CA

We are a santa cruz death metal band that has been at it for a while now, we are always looking to play shows, and more you love us the faster we play.

Balckened Death Metal
Santa Cruz, CA

Striking a luciferian bargain between black and death metal, Fiends at Feast sound like the hellish, gruesome aftermath of a street fight between Deicide and Marduk. The commanding, vicious vocals are a hateful diatribe against the feeble Nazarene, while the razor-wire guitars slash at his wrists and the rhythm section smashes his skull to smithereens. This is not the monotonous, over-produced faux-extreme metal that gets shoved down our throats on a daily basis. This is the real shit, the shit that makes you remember what you liked about black/death metal in the first place. It’s rough and hungry and reeks of a band putting their blood, sweat and even more blood into mastering their craft.

Death Metal
Santa Cruz, CA

In the summer of 1998, ENTRAGIAN (pronounced En-tray-jen) founding members, guitarists Matt Kotila, Phil Hoey, drummer Logan Kroeber and bassist Nate Kotila comprised a catalog of brutally raw, technically exhausting instrumentals, refining their skills performing for dives and local house parties. With the addition Max Eicholz on vocals, ENTRAGIAN would draw first blood at the Aptos Club October 13th, 2001. In 2003 unleashing the ROBES EP, recorded and co-produced by Zach Ohren, and a never-released/completed full-length album. ENTRAGIAN would go on to play countless shows in the bay area sharing the stage with the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, Cattle Decapitation, Animosity and Origin, taking third place at the 2002 104.3 KMBY(the X) sponsored Battle of the Bands. Nate and Kroeber's departure in 2003 would slience ENTRAGIAN for almost 2 years, before an unannounced reunion on the same blood-stained stage where it all began. With drum-phenom Jimmy Giovacchini respectfully replacing Kroeber and Reuben Case completing the line-up, prepare for the UPCOMING NEW RELEASE

Blackened Progressive Sludge Metal
Plano, TX

Like the beast of seven heads emerging from the darkest depths of the ocean, Giant of the Mountain has ascended upon mankind with its Crushing delivery of Blackened Progressive Sludge metal

Black Metal Doom Metal Death Metal
Salinas, CA

Gods in Graves formed in late 2007 under the name Skin Canvas. Since then they have been putting on shows in the Monterey County area and in the Santa Cruz area. Debut album is in the works.


923 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Doors 8:00
Show 9:00

Skinny Ricky & The Casual Encounters, Done Beginner, & Hermit Convention @ The Blue Lagoon Wednesday September 7th

Wednesday September 7th 2011

Skinny Ricky & The Casual Encounters
Soul R&B
Santa Cruz, CA

Acoustic Experimental Rock
Santa Cruz, CA

lo-fi indie anti-folk pop punk
Santa Cruz, CA

923 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Doors 8:00
Show 9:00

The Elected Officials, Hate For State, The Blank Manuscript, & Hierosonic @ The Blue Lagoon Monday September 12th

Monday September 12th 2011

Punk Rock
Santa Fe, NM

Oldschool political punkrock from New Mexico. We rant about corporate corruption in governments all over the world, not mutually exclusive of our home country, the USA. We live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A state plagued with nepotism, corruption, corporate irresponsibility, home of the A-Bomb and plenty of other social dilemas. See our lyrical content to see what we really think..

Punk Hard Rock
Salinas, CA

Born at the turn of the millenium, HFS began playing shows before all members were old enough to be in the bars. Recording their first demo in their studio in the summer of '99. HFS has since recorded 2 more demos titled "Moving On" and "Padded Room" and 1 full length titled " Just Begun" released in 2007. HFS has toured the western US including CA, NV, OR, AR, NM and TX and has been featured on AMP TV, 103.9fm Santa Cruz X, and has played festivals including: Monterey Rock and Art Festival mainstage 4 years in a row, Salinas Growers Berry Bash 2010, The End '05 movie premiere and has placed top 10 in Your Music Magazines Battle of the Bands and Music Olympics events. Currently working on their 2nd full length album (not yet titled) set to release early 2011.

The Blank Manuscript
Progressive / Experimental
San Jose, CA

The Blank Manuscript is a band that has total disregard for the typical music structure of intro, verse, chorus, and outro. The Blank Manuscript incorporates a mix of rhythms from jazz, blues, metal, indie, cumbias, and more into their music. The songs address a combination of the band member’s philosophies about life, perspectives on social issues, and each individual’s personal experiences, as well as random thoughts. The Blank Manuscript started in the summer of 2005 with members José Leyva (guitar and vocals), Christian Montiel (drums), Matt Gonzales (keyboards), and Eduardo Daniel Montelongo (bass). Check out the The Blank Manuscript LIVE!!! Their shows are energetic, psychedelic, and powerful.

Hierosonic
Alternative / Rock / Industrial / Electro-Pop / Experimental
Harrisburg, PA

"All your leaders fail to lead you when your lovers fail to love" -- says Hierosonic on their latest album, with no shortage of thought-provoking messages, dirty bass lines, and pop hooks. Originally conceived in 2002 out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the band's steady career has spanned more than 9 years and several hundred performances, solidifying the band as a staple within the realm of underground rock music.

923 Pacific Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Doors 8:00
Show 9:00