The vibe at oft-creepy Kava Lounge, home of the Vegan White Russian and kava mixed drinks, is atypically cheery for the Bonobo Benefit. About 25 primate empathizers mill about beneath dangling fliers of factoids from …
September 18, 2010
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Stories by Wate Charles
Kava Lounge Hosts Bonobo Benefit and Todo Mundo
I Am an Essential Element
"It's DNA," YellowFever drummer Adam Jones says fresh out of the van after a hot drive from Phoenix into "sweater weather" as Roxy Jones howls a mic check at Soda Bar. The Austin-based tropical malady …
August 16, 2010
The Temperature of My Mouth
Sound-check or disco-punk John Cage tribute? Rafter's drummer pounds out quarter note kicks in time with programmed 808 bass drops; square-rimmed Rafter Roberts strumming Gibson SG makes no sound till the tubes get warm. A …
July 4, 2010
Making Love With Fear
What's up with the platypus? It's like a duck smeared over a beaver, but then it swims like an otter and, really, what sort of mammal lays eggs, anyway? It's totally ridiculous and probably alien, …
June 28, 2010
Attention-Deficit Rock
San Diego pioneers WITT and Snuffaluffagus are off on a West Coast tour to Canada. The send-off show at UCSD's Ché Café sees an all-ages (read: teenages) crowd hopping around to upbeat indie Bossa Nova …
June 21, 2010
Innerspeaker
Debut album Innerspeaker from Aussie three-piece Tame Impala arrives just in time for summer navel-gazing. Recorded and produced by front man Kevin Parker, engineered by Death In Vegas's Tim Holmes, and mixed by Dave Fridmann …
June 15, 2010
Hieronymus Beboppin’ Bosch
I almost feel 17 and angsty again as Bellingham mathcore dudes Dog Shredder bobble around Bar Pink. All elements are present: drummer in Dillinger Escape Plan tee with Band-Aid under eye as if he just …
May 24, 2010
Ephemeral Eon
Minneapolis-based indie folkster Luke Redfield's debut speaks of wanderings both spiritual and geographical. The collection of transcendental travel songs tells the story of a modern seeker probing for truth within and abroad and ultimately finding …
May 10, 2010
Primal Duality
"We're going to space," Primitive Noyes' guitarist says. "Will you come to space with us?" The bassist puts a bow to her strings, coaxing ethereal groans and harmonics through a delay pedal. The layered sound …
May 1, 2010
High-Five Your Neighbor
The sold-out Belly Up show saw a front-row throng of doe-eyed hippy chicks in tangled hair casting quixotic glances at Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros singer Alex Ebert while eight other performers sing and …
April 21, 2010
You Feeling?
Lord Howler played their third show to a crowded Bar Pink. A Flying V and a left-handed Les Paul harmonized leads over driving, Van Halen bass. “Let's get it on!” Front man Charlie says. “This …
April 6, 2010
Bin Booty
Portland's nice nice opened up the Casbah with polyrhythmic percussion over loops, noise effects, and synth. A samba troupe wanders into a Neu! concert covering a Glenn Branca piece. More sound than music, the dancey …
March 28, 2010
No Megaphones in Rome
Boyscout opened with two drummers, two guitars. Informed by San Diego's unique brand of hardcore and guitarist Lain Weck's roots (Marasol, Fever Sleeves) in odd-time noodling, the set was an energetic experiment in dueling strings …
March 17, 2010
Ding! Ding!
It's a lively night at the Ruby Room. Post-apocalyptic quasi-porn plays on flat screens. Resident artist Alex draws caricatures of unwitting patrons. Vinyl Film plays a generic Get-Up-Kids-grow-a-pair pop punk set. "Yes, I'm wearing a …
March 14, 2010
Soft Pipes, Play On
This album is just one more reason why I'm convinced San Diego is some sort of afterlife. I mean, if it were up to me to choose the post-life house band, it would go something …
March 13, 2010
Live from Bellingham
It's just before ten at the Radio Room and Fkenal’s ending their set. A dude with long hair bums me a Top rolled cigarette. His name is Andy and his band Sugar Sugar Sugar is …
March 11, 2010