Music News and Features
21
Aug
2015
by
Brian Blueskye -
The members of the Yip Yops spent much of last summer holed up in their Palm Desert practice space, writing new material and honing their skills. Turns out all of that work paid off: This summer, the Yip Yops have spent much of their time recording with producer Ronnie King at his studio, Chateau Relaxo, in Thermal—thanks to a recently signed a record contract. I arrived at Chateau Relaxo on a recent Saturday afternoon just as Mari Brossfield (right), the newest Yip Yop, was getting ready to record her vocals for a song called “Straw Dogs.” Through a handful of takes, her vocals kept sounding better and better. Alvin Taylor, producer and a local drummer who has performed with Elton John, Eric Burdon and Sly and the Family Stone, was also present, and tutored Brossfield on where her vocals fell flat a couple of times. The Yip Yops have certainly…
17
Aug
2015
by
Brian Blueskye -
The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus and the California Desert Chorale are both preparing for their new seasons—and they’re both looking for new members to join in the fun. At 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the Church of St. Paul in the Desert in Palm Springs, the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus (www.psgmc.com) will be holding auditions. During a recent phone interview, artistic director Doug Wilson explained the audition process. “What I’m looking for are people who can match pitch,” Wilson said. “They can come in and sing a song that they prepared, something that they have worked on before, or they can sing a simple song like ‘My Country ’Tis of Thee’ or ‘Happy Birthday.’ I’ll take them through a couple of scales just to see if they can match pitch, and that’s all I need to know. If they can match pitch, we bring them into the…
28
Jul
2015
by
Brian Blueskye -
After a recent performance by EeVaan Tre and the Show at the Coachella Valley Art Scene, I asked Tre: “Why R&B and soul music?” He laughed. However, David Morales, the bassist, had an answer. “It’s how we feel.” The powerful R&B and soul of EeVaan Tre and the Show has not only made the group one of the valley’s best bands; it also landed the group a slot at Coachella in 2015. The band’s live show is exceptional; it’s truly feel-good music. “I personally love the R&B from the ’80s,” Tre said, “the real cheesy love stuff. I guess it’s just a reflection of how we grew up and what we like. We all really dig the same stuff. … I guess that’s why I like to perform R&B and soul. I guess for myself, my exposure to it was in a specific way. I grew up listening to doo-wop.…
28
Jul
2015
by
Robin Linn -
In 2006, guitarist and songwriter Jamie Hafler left Ohio and headed to Los Angeles via Twentynine Palms to visit his brother Jeff, a singer/songwriter. Back then, Jeff had just hired a then-recent desert transplant as a nanny for his son, Cash: artist and singer/songwriter Cristie Carter. Cristie is a native of San Francisco with deep roots in the Bay Area metal scene of the mid ’80s. She moved to Los Angeles and got into the punk-rock music scene of the mid-’90s, most notably as the manager for the all girl teenage punk band The Grown Ups. There, she formed a close relationship with artist Zaina Alwan (now married to desert-rock icon Brant Bjork). The two women came to Joshua Tree with artist Paul Hadley, known to some as “Bing.” In 2006, Cristie fell for Wonder Valley, and Zaina fell for her “dream house” in Twentynine Palms. Jeff then introduced Jamie…
10
Jul
2015
by
Jimmy Boegle -
For the first time in years, a band performed inside a venue on Arenas Road in downtown Palm Springs. And it was good. EeVaan Tre and the Show kicked off the NestEggg Food Bank Concert Series at Chill Bar on Tuesday, July 7, playing to an enthusiastic and late-arriving crowd. The series is presented by Brian Blueskye and the Coachella Valley Independent. The concert raised $175 for the food bank, which is a project of the LGBT Center of the Desert. The food bank feeds about 275 people, including many seniors and people with disabilities, each week. The series continues at 9:30 p.m. every Thursday in July at Chill Bar, located at 217 E. Arenas Road in Palm Springs. Attendees are asked to make an optional donation to the NestEggg Food Bank of $5 or more. On Tuesday, July 14, DJ and EDM artist Alex Harrington (www.alexharrington.co) will perform. Formerly…
03
Jul
2015
Desert Rock Chronicles: As Always, Stoner-Rock Greats Are Part of the Yosemite Music Festival Lineup
by
Robin Linn -
Desert summer is upon us, and it’s hotter than Haiti outside! Many of our local music venues are on auto-pilot—but there are a lot of great live shows and music festivals not too far away that will allow you to escape the heat and get your live-show fix. As for me … well, stoner rock and way-outside acid-jazz are in my immediate future. I am escaping the desert heat and heading up the Sierra Nevadas into beautiful mountain surroundings for the Yosemite Music Festival, taking place Friday and Saturday, July 10 and 11. The Atomic Sherpas, Green Machine, 3 Leafs and others are scheduled to perform; a weekend pass is $40. Past performers have included Hungry Bear, Fatso Jetson and Hawks. Also on the bill this year is San Francisco-based stoner rock band Golden Void. The band’s latest release on Thrill Jockey Records is firmly rooted in melody, and the…
22
Jun
2015
by
Brian Blueskye -
One performer that received a lot of attention at the kickoff of the Vans Warped Tour in Pomona was Kosha Dillz. The New Jersey Israeli-American rapper has been the talk of the rap world. During an interview after his performance on Friday, June 19, he discussed where his name came from. “It came from the pickle jar. It’s basically the combination of being Jewish, business, being a hustler, sex and food—all my favorite things!” said Kosha Dillz. While some have accused Kosha Dillz of being a gimmick, he said his recent success—including being included on the entire Warped Tour—proves he’s legitimate. He conceded his name does bring him a lot of attention. “I’m on Warped Tour, and they could have picked anybody. I think that says a lot,” he said. “Whatever people say, we know what we’re doing, and we’ve been doing it long enough that we love to keep…
22
May
2015
by
Robin Linn -
Jam in the Van is an Internet music program that’s taking the music world by storm. It is quickly becoming as recognizable as the giant music festivals to which it travels. What MTV was to music videos in the early ‘80s, Jam in the Van is to music festivals and independent artists today. The van is a moving piece of art, covered with colorful portraits of rock legends and wallpapered in memorabilia from shows gone by. It is also a solar-powered recording studio that travels to the hottest music festivals. Parked outside of Bonnaroo, High Sierra, SXSW and Bottle Rocket, JITV entrepreneur Jake Cotler and his crew invite performing artists inside for a three-song set, documented with state-of-the-art recording gear by pros who are passionate about capturing the magic. The concept was born in 2011 in the expanded consciousness of Jake Cotler. In a psychedelic haze at the Bonnaroo Music…
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