Saturday was the big day of our "Rock Or Die V" showcase. Little Dickman Records, The Garden State Beard & Mustache Society, and I worked on it together; and we held the show at Valhalla Tavern right in the thick of it on 7th and Red River St. The line-up was chock full of friends and favorites with The Gloomies, Dentist, Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, Fruit & Flowers, BOYTOY, Sharkmuffin, Kino Kimino, High Waisted, and Honduras. All of these bands were super-busy throughout the week, and it was great to be able to get them all for our show.
The Gloomies
Dentist
Lee Bains & Tim Kerr
As for the show, what can I say? With the amazing folks on stage and in the crowd, it was a beautiful day. The Gloomies won me over during their 11:30 time slot, their Southern California vibe a perfect start to the day. Dentist's Emily Bornemann took a pretty serious spill following one of the band's shows on the way down to SXSW, but she played all of Dentist's showcases -- including Saturday's -- like a trooper. Except for the Band-Aid on her chin, you would never have known she was injured. Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires played at around 1pm with all of the abandon and passion that you'd expect to see in a packed room on a Saturday night. High Waisted have a new line-up, and brought a rainbow of color to the darkened bar. As Honduras were finishing up their set, a group of us bounced along with the music while cheering CoolDaughter #1 on in her 200 yard breaststroke final as I livestreamed it on my phone. Everyone else was, without exaggeration, fantastic, ripping through 25-minute sets and leaving us all wanting more.
Fruit & Flowers
BOYTOY
Sharkmuffin
And this is the kind of stuff I live for. Lee Bains or Kim Talon (Kino Kimino) bringing their guitar down into the crowd to play a bit in the scrum. Tarra Thiessen asking us all "Are you still having FUN at SXSW??" during Sharkmuffin's "Fun Stuff." The crowd screaming for more from BOYTOY or Fruit & Flowers as the house music came up.
Kino Kimino
High Waisted
Honduras
Almost as important, the show ran on time; and everyone was able to get to their next gig. After packing up and loading out, a bunch of us -- the Dickmans, Matt Beardo, Joe Stalker, the guys from Dentist, and I -- headed over to the big, outdoor stage for A Giant Dog and Roky Erickson. The stage was set up in a vast green space next to Austin's Lady Bird Lake. The photo pit was huge, and that left a giant space between the audience and the main stage.
A Giant Dog
A Giant Dog
A Giant Dog played their set and were maaaaaybe slightly more subdued than they were at Hotel Vegas on Monday. They didn't censor themselves at all for the family audience, which was welcome (by me, anyway); and they owned the big stage.
This got me thinking, though. The show was such a stark contrast from the show we just threw at Valhalla and even from A Giant Dog's own set earlier in the week. I missed being thrown around by the crowd at Hotel Vegas as the dust flew up from the ground and as Sabrina Ellis or Andrew Cashen got right in my face. I missed the connection you feel with the band and the audience in those close quarters.
This is no knock on A Giant Dog. Their songs are more than strong enough to bridge much of the divide created by the big stage. And they deserve to be playing the biggest stages in the world. They are that good. But the contrast made me understand what it is I love about going to shows. It's the music, sure. But it's also the shared, communal experience of living those moments -- an experience that doesn't really happen for me when the band is several yards away and several feet above my head. (Aside: I realized that I'm not as comfortable shooting those kinds of shows either.)
Anyway.
Following A Giant Dog's set, we hiked around the grounds in search of some food. I hadn't eaten anything all day. We got back in time for the set by psych-rock pioneer, Roky Erickson. Both times I've seen him, the experience has reminded me of seeing Brian Wilson in recent years. Neither is the same as they were when they were younger (Who is?), but they are surrounded by a band that seems to know all of their idiosyncrasies. And the chance to hear classic songs ("Night of the Vampire," "Don't Shake Me Lucifer") performed by the person who created them is a chance I never like to miss.
Roky Erickson
There was a lot more stuff going on late into Saturday night and into the wee hours of Sunday morning, but I had walked / stood / bopped / bounced / taken pictures about as much as I could for the week. My flight was at noon the next day (Which, in SXSW time, might as well be 6am), so I went back to the hotel to pack and get some rest.
And so my third year at SXSW drew to a close. As I've said before, if I were better at this music website thing, I probably would have had a bunch of artist interviews or photoshoots or whatever; but I'm first and foremost a fan. I pretty much just went to shows and took it all in. There were bands I missed for one reason or another (A Place To Bury Strangers, METZ), and I had some pangs of FOMO as I watched the Instagram feeds of my friends who stayed through Sunday for the "hangover parties;" but this was my most rewarding year in Austin. By now you know that I'm all about shared experiences, and there's just something so cool about being away from home and sharing this experience with friends. I hope I can do it again next year.
I've got a ton of pictures to edit, so keep your eyes peeled for a few big photo blasts in the coming days. For the most part, though, it will be back to our regularly-scheduled programming.
Saturday night was truly amazing. The RocknRoll Hi-Fives, Smalltalk, Shellshag, and dollys constituted pretty much a dream line-up for me; and they all turned in great sets. As usual, it was fun to hang and talk to everyone. I think we even fostered a new best-band-friends relationship between The RocknRoll Hi-Fives and Shellshag.
The RocknRoll Hi-Fives
Smalltalk
People onstage and off said some really inspiring and validating things to me throughout the night. That had me tearing up a few times, and it also strengthened my resolve to keep going and to try and make CoolDad Music the best it can be -- whatever that is.
Shellshag
dollys
Thank you to everyone who helped put the show together: the bands, Angie, MJ, Jenn, The Asbury Lanes Family, and everyone else behind the scenes. Thank you to everyone who showed up to the show; and, even if you couldn't make it, thank you for five-years' worth of support. Thank you, of course, to CoolMom for putting up with CoolDadMusic and for putting up with my increasing stress levels as the day got closer. Thank you to everyone who helped get the word out about the show including YouDontKnowJersey.com, Makin Waves, BlowupRadio.com, Babez In Boyland, Speak Into My Good Eye, Mike, and any other outlet or individual who shared out the info. And thank you to anyone I forgot to mention.
I was pretty much dead for most of Sunday, but there was no resting. Little Dickman Records and I had our re-scheduled date with Kino Kimino at The Saint. It was TARRAlicious as Tarra Thiessen played with Kino Kimino, Ex-Girlfriends, and Sharkmuffin for what must have been her 298th, 299th, and 300th shows in the last two or three months. EVL MOMMZ made their Asbury debut. Lunch Ladies closed things out. Tarra got two cakes in honor of her 27th birthday, which is today.
EVL MOMMZ
Ex-Girlfriends
That one also had a nice turnout, especially considering it was Sunday night; and it was fun to introduce Kino Kimino and Asbury Park to each other while watching Sharkmuffin and Ex-Girlfriends let loose on the last night of their long tour.
Kino Kimino
Sharkmuffin
Lunch Ladies
I'm going to take it easy today. Edit some pictures. Maybe put up a guest post. I'll be back after it post-SXSW / post-Anniversary in the next day or two. Stay tuned. I'm in the process of putting pics up into the Flickr galleries, so check there for everything.
And, as always, thank you for giving me any of your precious time.
I just wanted to say a few things about the shows I attended on Thursday and Friday nights last week.
On Thursday, I headed up to Brooklyn's Gutter Bar for Ex-Girlfriends' / Fruit & Flowers' tour kickoff show. The evening doubled as the release party for You're Next, Ex-Girlfriends' Little Dickman Records debut, and also featured Kino Kimino and The Off White. I'd been planning to attend ever since we had to cancel our Kino Kimino / Fruit & Flowers show at The Saint a couple of weeks ago; but, as the prospect of getting up to Brooklyn and coming home in the wee hours of the morning loomed, I began to lose my resolve. When Chris & Amy Dickman offered to handle driving duties, I bucked up and went for it.
The Off White
Kino Kimino
It was the right call. The Off White's loose and gritty charm has only been enhanced by their decision to bring Pat Brenner out from behind the drums to shepherd things as wild lead vocalist / ring master. Kino Kimino blew me away again with their off-center, 90s-inspired art rock. Ex-Girlfriends brought the riot grrrl punk as they slashed through the tracks on their burner of an EP. And Fruit & Flowers just mesmerized with their post-punk surf noir. More than all of that, though, the overall vibe of the evening was an uplift. Little Dickman, their bands, the friends of the label, everybody comes together in a beautiful, little community at all these shows; and it's a nice reminder of why I do all the stuff I do here at CoolDad Music.
Ex-Girlfriends
Fruit & Flowers
On Friday, I was beat. The second night of Don Giovanni Records' annual showcase was happening at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, and it was coming down to a game-time decision as to whether I was gonna make it or not. Vacation, Shellshag, Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires, California X, though, are all bands I love; and I wanted to finally catch Painted Zeros and Peter Stampfel. Off I went.
Painted Zeros
California X
Vacation
And -- I gotta say -- once again, the sets by each of the bands gave me a second wind. Vacation were relentless. One of the best punk bands going right now. Period. There's something very special about seeing Shellshag in a room full of people who know every song and adore the band. Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires leave everything on the stage, as they say; plus, they're this refreshing combination of straight-up southern rock and political awareness. Peter Stampfel is joyfully old-school, lefty, freak folk. California X bring the 90s fuzz I love so much, and Painted Zeros earned a new fan in me following their set of dream-, shoegaze-pop.
Peter Stampfel
Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires
Like Thursday, the music was only part of the experience. It's always fun catching up with the folks at Don Giovanni. The label has been super-supportive of CoolDad Music over the years; and, like Little Dickman, they've built a real sense of family and community. I felt it in the music and I felt it in all the time I spent chatting with people throughout the night.
I'm not the 42-year-old spring chicken that I was when I launched CoolDad Music back in 2012. Humping it into Brooklyn, standing at shows, and taking pictures for several hours can sometimes take a toll on me physically and mentally. So it's nice to spend a couple of days like I did last week singing along and chatting with people who are out there making art and giving it a chance to thrive for all the right reasons. It's the kind of thing that keeps me coming back... ...in a few days... ...after I've had a chance to rest up a bit...
Laura Stevenson in Asbury Park's Convention Hall for Don Giovanni's New Alternative Music Festival back in September.
When Black Friday Comes...
Here are a few things that have hit my email box in the past few weeks that I figured I'd gather all together in one place to mark the day.
Charly Bliss, "Turd"
Eva Hendricks of Charly Bliss penned this song after being catcalled, touched without her consent, and followed as she walked home from a guitar lesson. "I wrote this song to make me feel like I had some power in a situation where I felt totally powerless, and we're releasing it for the same reason," wrote Hendricks at the Charly Bliss Bandcamp page back in November.
The song is sneering and angry but full of all of the "bubblegrunge" sound that I've come to love about Charly Bliss.
ENTRANCE, "Not Gonna Say Your Name"
Los Angeles-based Guy Blakeslee performs under the name ENTRANCE. Earlier this week, Blakeslee released "Not Gonna Say Your Name," a song expressing his feelings about the current political state of affairs in the U.S.
"Not Gonna Say Your Name" is a beautiful entry into the great tradition of American protest hymns.
All proceeds from the sale of "Not Gonna Say Your Name" go to support Planned Parenthood.
Above The Moon, "We're Still Here"
Madison, NJ's Above The Moon released single "We're Still Here" today. Kate Griffin sings, "It's all right to feel defeated," but follows that with, "No matter what, we won't surrender." Her voice -- and the song -- is simultaneously sad and uplifting.
All proceeds from the sale of "We're Still Here" go to support Planned Parenthood.
Laura Stevenson, Live at The Vera Club
I am a huge fan of Laura Stevenson. The Long Island native is one of our great songwriters, has a voice that is otherworldly in its beauty; and she runs one of the funniest accounts on Instagram. Last month, Stevenson released Live at The Vera Club, a document of the second-to-last evening of an eight-week, international, headlining tour. The show took place in Groningen, Netherlands in front of a small crowd.
The set that evening included songs from 2015's Cocksure along with favorites like "Runner," "L-Dopa," "Master of Art," and a cover of the Replacements' "Alex Chilton." The album is available as a free download from Jeff Rosentstock's Quote Unquote Records; though, in exchange for downloading, you're encouraged to make a donation.
All donations for Laura Stevenson: Live at The Vera Club go to support Planned Parenthood.
dollys, tape
This week, Asbury / New Brunswick band dollys released a five-song covers compilation via Little Game Records. The collection includes covers, like "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson and "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel, which have shown up in dollys' live sets from time to time. In addition, the band take on "Somebody Made for Me" by Emitt Rhodes. They turn Nirvana's "Tourette's" into a surf / spy rock instrumental. And they include another instrumental take on a classic with "Ghostbusters."
dollys recorded and mixed everything live to 4-track tape. The first batch of tapes sold out at the band's release show, but there's still a pre-order link up at Little Game Records.
Kino Kimino, Fruit & Flowers, Lunch Ladies, and EVL MOMMZ at The Saint on January 23rd
On Monday night, January 23rd, Little Dickman Records and CoolDad Music are happy to bring you the final stop on Kino Kimino's March To Washington Tour. The band will be heading home after touring their way down to this Saturday's Women's March On Washington. You can check out my interview from earlier this week with Kino Kimino mastermind, Kim Talon, to read what she had to say about her inspirations for the tour.
The show promises to be a great one. All of the bands put on amazing live shows, and it's really a no-risk proposition since admission is only $5. RSVP to the show here and come out on Monday night.
All proceeds from Kino Kimino's commemorative March To Washington Tour merchandise will go to support Planned Parenthood.
Kino Kimino (l-r: Tarra Thiessen, Jordyn Blakely, Kim Talon) by Thomas Ignatius
Kino Kimino Go to Washington
For over a decade, songwriter / artist Kim Talon has brought a wholly individual voice to her brand of post-punk pop. From her DIY, self-produced work as a member of LA's Eagle & Talon to her more recent efforts with legendary producers John Goodmanson (Sleater-Kinney, Bikini Kill) and John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile, The Hold Steady), Talon has continued to challenge and push boundaries.
On Kino Kimino's debut, Bait Is for Sissies, Talon worked with Agnello and Sonic Youth members Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley at Sonic Youth's New Jersey studio. The result is a collection that is simultaneously sweet and serrated, accessible and experimental. Talon's voice alternates between angelic and angular; while the guitars hum, buzz, or bounce against the intricate drums. There's definitely an infusion of recognizable 90s indie rock on Bait Is for Sissies, but it's impossible for Talon's unique style to sound derivative.
This week, Kino Kimino -- who now consist of Talon, Tarra Thiessen on lead guitar, and Jordyn Blakely on drums -- embark on their March to Washington Tour. After hitting Brooklyn, Philly, and DC, the band wind things up with a show at The Saint in Asbury Park on January 23rd. That one also features Fruit & Flowers, Lunch Ladies, and EVL MOMMZ. It's brought to you by Little Dickman Records and yours truly.
I had the chance to ask Kim Talon a few questions before Kino Kimino head out on tour. Check that out, along with all of the March to Washingon Tour dates, below. Over the course of your career, you’ve gone from being part of a Los Angeles-based duo with Eagle and Talon to fronting your own New York-based projects with JAN and now Kino Kimino. What effect have those transitions had on you as a musician and songwriter?
Collaborating with different artists always has an effect on composition, so the songwriting always ends up shaped by the different musicians I'm working with. As a musician, those transitions have really helped me to grow by learning something from every collaborator along the way.
You’re a singular artist with a distinctive voice. At the same time, you got to work with some indie rock icons in John Agnello, Lee Renaldo, and Steve Shelley on recording Bait Is for Sissies. First of all, how did that come about? Second, can you talk a bit about what that collaboration did for your songs?
I met Lee and Steve through John Agnello. I had just moved from LA to NY and didn't know many musicians, so John introduced me to them. Steve added such a beautiful and interesting rhythmic foundation to the record and Lee helped fill in the high end with his soaring and extremely creative guitar parts. They really helped me transform the demos into something much bigger and I had so much fun working with them. They're all the kindest people… This is a characteristic highly valued by Canadians such as myself.
I remember reading a quote from back when you released "Caste Out" as a single where you said the song was about the experience of being an outsider and the joy at finding others who may not quite fit in. Have you always felt like an outsider? Have you been able to find a community of other outsiders in New York?
I'm so fortunate to have an amazing community of artists here in Brooklyn who have so warmly welcomed me into their arms. So, no, I'm not feeling artistically isolated at the moment. I think I have intermittently felt that way because I left home as a teenager and have been slightly nomadic ever since. I think that moving around a lot and touring on and off for years can make a person feel secluded.
Speaking of that, you've put together a new Kino Kimino line-up for live shows and tours. How did you get together with your current group of outsiders?
Thank you for asking me that… Every day I feel so lucky to be playing with incredible women who are unbelievably talented, intelligent and endlessly creative. Jordyn Blakely from Stove and Jackal Onassis is playing drums and Tarra Thiessen from Sharkmuffin & Ex-Girlfriends is playing lead guitar. I met Jordyn through mutual friends and Jordyn used to play in Sharkmuffin, so she introduced me to Tarra and it's been true love ever since.
That line-up is heading out on a mini “March to Washington Tour” that starts in Brooklyn on January 18th and winds up here in Asbury Park on January 23rd. On January 21st, the day of the Women’s March on Washington, you’ll be in DC to participate in the march and play the Not My Inauguration Fest. What’s your excitement level for that day right about now?
0.5 of me is concerned I'm going to lose my voice screaming at the march before the show so, my excitement level rests at a solid 9.5.
It feels like this is a pretty special little tour. Do you have anything planned to mark the occasion?
Yes! We'll be selling special edition Women’s March to Washington merch that will only be available at the shows, with all proceeds going to Planned Parenthood. We’re also playing some benefit shows and will be debuting some new material.
Jan 18: Brooklyn, NY @ The Footlight
Jan 20: Philadelphia, PA @ The Barbary
(Planned Parenthood benefit)
Jan 21: Washington, D.C. @ Not My Inauguration Festival
(Planned Parenthood benefit)
Jan 23: Asbury Park, NJ @ The Saint
I saw you at a show a few days after the election where you covered REM’s “It’s the End of the World.” Have your feelings evolved since the rawness of those first few days?
When I think back to that week and that show, all I can recall is a black cloud hanging over me. I was really struggling to envision any hope for the future and fell into a depression that has only recently subsided. I began to feel better once I started to organize our March to Washington Tour and am elated by how many people have jumped on board to support our mission.
I keep reading that a silver lining to all of this is that we’ll get some great protest art. Have you been inspired to write more songs?
I guess those sentiments -- which I’ve also been hearing around -- upset me somehow, because to me, there isn’t silver lining to having a president with no moral compass.
Kino Kimino at Berlin NYC in November, 2016.
As I mentioned, you’ll be winding your tour up at The Saint in Asbury Park at a show CoolDad Music is throwing with Little Dickman Records that also features Fruit & Flowers, Lunch Ladies, and EVL MOMMZ. Will this be your first time playing Asbury Park?
Yes! And, only my second time playing in New Jersey. I’m still an East Coast newbie.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that it’s probably going to be one of the best Monday nights people have experienced in a long time -- one of the best nights period. They would be crazy to miss it. Can you confirm this?
I can absolutely confirm this. I've recently fallen for Fruit & Flowers and have gotten to know Caroline [Yoder]. She's an epic front woman with a gorgeous voice. I'm also excited to see Lunch Ladies and EVL MOMMZ for the first time!
Thanks so much for answering my questions. Have a great tour, and I look forward to seeing you at The Saint.
Here's just a quick post to share some pics from Sunday night when I headed up to Brooklyn to catch Kino Kimino and Outer Spaces at Shea Stadium. I was there primarily for those two bands but ended up getting an additional pair of extremely good sets from Very Fresh and Drawing Boards in the bargain.
My friend and fellow cooldad, Joe, was already in Brooklyn taking a little music-filled vacation over the long weekend. Like me, he's the kind of guy that would rather hike up to the hot city to see shows than head over to the beach. We met for some pre-show drinks at Kings Tavern and then made the short walk over to Shea.
Brooklyn's Very Fresh, featuring Kino Kimino bassist Cindy Lou Gooden on lead vocals, opened with a set of lo-fi indie rock that was reminiscent of early (good) Liz Phair. They were followed by Baltimore's Outer Spaces who put out one of my absolute favorite records of 2016 in A Shedding Snake. The dark, slightly alt-country songs sounded great live, especially Cara Beth Satalino's vocals. Kino Kimino were next, and Kim Talon's stage presence took the songs of Bait Is for Sissies from quirky, punky pop to the level of performance art. Drawing Boards from Queens closed things out on a high with the chiming, jangling guitars that I always love so much.
Solid night all around and a great way to spend the holiday eve. You can check out all of the pics in the Flickr galleries or on the Facebook page.
