Author: watsonsauce

REVIEW: El Ten Eleven

watsonsauce

El Ten Eleven is an amazing band. If you have never heard them please do so immediately!
Kristian Dunn is probably the most incredible guitarist I’ve ever seen perform live. His skill with rhythm and melody are unparalleled from anything I’ve experienced before. He loops live, playing with tempo, melody, harmony, key signature you name it. Knowing what little I do about loop pedals I can imagine this is a very difficult process that requires a great deal of attentiveness and command over this particular approach. Dunn is also a rather likable fellow. He interacts well with a crowed and seemed pleasantly surprised at the enthusiastic reception they received at The Blind Pig.
Tim Fogarty, the drummer, has mastered his instrument to an expert level. I appreciated the way he and Dunn interacted musically, combining their rhythmic patterns and respective melodies. They are a seamless team of highly skilled, innovative artists.

The entr’acte for the evening was Beacon (Thomas Mullarney III (vocals) and Jacob Gossett), hailing from Brooklyn NY. (http://www.ohmyrockness.com/bandbio.cfm?bandid=34842, http://beacon.bandcamp.com/). They mix samples with haunting, high falsetto vocals from Mullarney (reminiscent of Michael Jackson, with a lack of pop, not to mention his curtain of black hair!). This duo was a great set up for El Ten Eleven. Different enough to keep things interesting but not so different that the collaboration felt disjointed.

The size of the venue was very conducive to this kind of show. Some people wanted to hang out on the fringes and bobble head, others, myself included, were in the thick of things, full body jamming to the beats of these two excellent bands.

Please take a moment to check out their music and broaden your horizons. Also, be sure to take advantage of all the amazing music that comes through this lovely college town of ours! It really is a treat!

REVIEW: EQMC: An Experiment in Music…

watsonsauce

Last night I went to EQMC’s show at Work Gallery on S. State St. The show was around 3 hours long and relatively well attended by students. This venue is a fantastic use of student space on campus. I definitely recommend going to a show here if you ever get a chance.

Jonah Baseball opened the show with a set of sampled music, sound and beat conglomerations. I enjoyed his mixes and skill of flow between beats and sounds. He also seemed to be having quite a bit of fun himself which is always enjoyable in a DJ. Very fun to watch, listen and dance to.
-Jonah Baseball (Ann Arbor – Michigan Student)

Samn Johnson is a composition major at U-Mich. He combined a couple different styles through out his set using the drums, electric guitar, key board and sampler to create his music. In each of his songs he inserted original compositions. The last piece, which he composed himself, was played solo on the keyboard.
I have great appreciation for composers, especially when they are younger and working in different media. Samn has skill in hearing beat flow and melody.
-Samn Johnson (Ann Arbor – Michigan Student)
http://samnjohnson.bandcamp.com/

The headliner for the night was Blithe Field, a young guy from Ohio who is on his second tour for an album that came out earlier this year. He used a complicated system of sampling, loop pedals, beats, voice clips, taps, tics etc. His compositions are really amazing, well put together, entertaining, great melodies and mixes etc.
I spoke to him after the show and asked him a little about where he was traveling and how long he has been playing. Spencer is a very sweet, soft spoken young man. He has been playing around with music since he was “about five.” Ann Arbor was the second stop on his tour around the Midwest. I wish him all the best and hope he will come back again soon!
Blithe Field (Ohio)
http://blithefield.bandcamp.com/

REVIEW: The Perks of Being a Wallflower: My 13 yearold self jumping up and down

watsonsauce

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, written by Stephen Chbosky, was published in 1999. I read it for the first time in 2002 while in 7th grade and proceeded to read it at least 14 more times after. This book is well known in many preteen and teenage circles and is likely to pass from one friend to another with few words on the lips other than: “You have to read this book.”

Chbosky wrote a wonderful coming of age story, set somewhere outside Pittsburgh during the early 1990s. It is filled with mixed tapes, novels, clothing styles, life struggles, relationships and one young boy’s struggle with past painful experiences.

The film, which came out October 12, 2012 was adapted and directed by Chbosky. His writing translated very well to the screen and his original vision seemed to remain in this visual representation. Due to this format, Chbosky seemed to be able to take some of the book’s more delicately hinted concepts to a different level. He did a very nice job of portraying high school life in the 90’s with all the common themes of premature senses of adulthood and self-awareness.

The story is narrated in the form of letters by Charlie (played by Logan Lerman). A young boy starting his first day of high school. From the beginning he mentions a time when “things were bad.” His struggles and pains gradually become clear to us over the course of the film (I really don’t want to say too much about this because it was so well introduced in the film I feel I would be taking something away from you!) He becomes friends with a group of seniors, specifically Patrick and Sam (played by Ezra Miller and Emma Watson) who introduce him to music, style, a social life and the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Many typical teenage complications occur, loves gained and lost, bad girlfriend habits, abusive and cheating boyfriends and some other not so common life experiences, mostly in Charlie’s past . . . the “bad times.”

It had been at least 7 years since the last time I read this book but it’s content still sticks to me. I spent the last 15 minuted of this movie with tears running down my cheeks. As did all the other teenage girls sitting in the theater with me! 🙂

Not only is this story beautifully constructed, it is also excellently adapted for the screen. The characters are likable and as difficult as some of the life truths may be they are all important to recognize and acknowledge.

For those of you who have read this book, I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. For those who have not, please go experience this film!

Another great thing about this movie, the soundtrack was excellently constructed. Much of the book is dedicated to talking about music. They did a very nice job of involving this theme in the film.

The Film: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1659337/

The Book: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Perks_of_Being_a_Wallflower

The Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/perks-being-wallflower-original/id558273105

PREVIEW/ Announcement: EQMC presents MUSICAL SENSATIONS 10/19/12

watsonsauce

Work Gallery: 306 S. State St. Ann Arbor
Friday October 19th
8pm Free (donations appreciated)

A group of experimental musicians are going to showcase their music for an enthusiastic crowed tomorrow night!
Their music varies in style and content although they all mix and sample other artists, loop sounds and play around with different themes to create interesting new musical pieces.
Much of their music is listening rather than dancing music, although it’s definitely good social hang out/ get to know each other and move around to a beat kind of music at times too.

If you want to broaden your auditory surroundings I suggest you join us tomorrow night!

Blithe Field (Ohio)
http://blithefield.bandcamp.com/

Samn Johnson (Ann Arbor – Michigan Student)
http://samnjohnson.bandcamp.com/

Jonah Baseball (Ann Arbor – Michigan Student)

Preview: Cat Power: Not to be confused with Thunder Cats…

watsonsauce

The Ark is a wonderful venue in Ann Arbor. They are skilled at bringing lovely musicians to the area and have recently been kicking off some new album tours, the most recent of which was Ingrid Michelson.
Cat Power has been performing on and off since the mid-90’s and has recently come out with a new album: “Sun.”
I was introduced to her music in 2007 in a mix CD from a crush. Her sound is somewhat reminiscent of MOBY. She has a beautiful voice and clearly has a finely tuned ear for music.

“Sun” is a blend of electronica, ethereal vocals, and computerized ticks. “Critics have noted the constant evolution of Cat Power’s sound, with a “mix of punk, folk and blues” on her earliest albums, and elements of soul and other genres more prevalent in her later material. [3] [4] [5] Her 2012 album Sun incorporated electronica, in a self-proclaimed move from the “really slow guitar songs” she initially wrote for the album. [6]” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_Power) “Really slow guitar songs” are what Cat Power has filled previous albums with. Her early music has a little Patty Smith flavor through out it’s execution. It is refreshing to experience an artist with such a past in the industry reinventing her sound for this album, the first original she has released in Six years. These style changes are not always well received within the music critic and listening community.

This show takes place on Saturday October 27th at the Royal Oaks Theater http://theark.org/3343.html

Learn more about this talented lady: http://www.catpowermusic.com/

Cat Power: Ruin: \”Sun Announcement\” – Video

Preview: El Ten Eleven: Post Rockin, Double Necking

watsonsauce

This LA duo, El Ten Eleven, is coming to The Blind Pig on Saturday October 20th 9pm. $10 in advance, $12 at the door. 18+
Their sound is entirely musical, no vocals. Very rhythmic, using drums, keyboard, fretless, double necked bass and loop pedal in innovative ways to create a physically and mentally captivating sound. They are beautiful to watch and amazing to listen to. I highly recommend checking this group out after the Michigan State game on Saturday!

The Blind Pig Calendar:
http://www.blindpigmusic.com/calendar.html

El Ten Eleven – KEXP