Category Archives: concerts

concerts, live music, music, on the road

[on the road] Future Islands

September 29, 2011 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

Future Islands are hitting the road this Fall in support of the upcoming release of their latest LP, On The Water, which is due out Oct. 11th via Thrill Jockey (pre-order). I’ve heard nothing but great things about their live shows, so check the dates below and make it out if you have the chance, you’ll definitely see me at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach on Nov. 18th.

♫ Future Islands – Balance ♫

October 1 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Prospecto Festival
October 8 – Baltimore, MD @ The Sound Garden (Free In-Store Performance! Starts at 5PM)
October 25 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat (w/Javelin)
October 26 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theatre (w/Javelin)
October 27 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern (w/Javelin)
October 28 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick Lounge (w/Javelin)
October 29 – Kalamazoo, MI @ The Strutt (w/Javelin)
October 30 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall (w/Javelin)
November 1 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
November 2 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
November 3 – Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Saloon
November 4 – Norman, OK @ The Opolis
November 5 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
November 7 – Marfa, TX @ Padre’s
November 8 – Santa Fe, NM @ VFW
November 9 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
November 10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
November 11 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
November 12 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project
November 13 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
November 15 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
November 16 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Muddy Waters
November 17 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
November 18 – Long Beach, CA @ Alex’s Bar
November 19 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
November 20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
November 23 – New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar
November 25 – Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree
November 26 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl (w/Lonnie Walker)
November 27 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle (w/Lonnie Walker)
November 28 – Wilmington, NC @ Soapbox (w/Lonnie Walker)
November 29 – Charlottesville, VA @ Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
November 30 – Lancaster, PA @ The Lizard Lounge
December 1 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (w/Zomes)
December 2 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kungfu Necktie
December 3 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar (w/Javelin)

concerts, hot off the press, live music, music, new music

[hot off the press] Big Black Delta//BBDLP1

September 26, 2011 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

As a successor to the free debut EP BBDEP1, Los Angeles experimental pop project Big Black Delta’s debut LP BBDLP1 is out today on Coming Home Records.

Citing “being out of tune” as a muse, the songs on the album are the spawn of multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Bate’s imagination and inspired musical exploration. It was recorded entirely on a laptop given to him by Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails, SONOIO) in and all over Los Angeles, from assorted apartments and friends’ houses to backyards across the city, often at all hours of the night. Guests on the album include Cortini, who played his buchla on “The Zebrah,” as well as Morgan Kibby (M83, White Sea) whose vocals are featured on “Dreary Moon.”

Tonight will mark the last night of Big Back Delta’s residency at The Satellite in Los Angeles, CA. As a celebration of the album release, Big Black Delta will be selling signed limited-edition colored vinyl, brand new shirts, posters, and decals. Bates will be performing with live vocals, dancing, an orchestrated light show, and dueling female drummers Mahsa Zargaran and Amy Wood, as depicted in the brand new video for “Betamax” included above.

I’ll be at the show tonight, so come along and say hi. Either way, enjoy the track “Capsize” below, as well as the brand video for “Betamax”.

♫ Big Black Delta – Capsize ♫

concerts, live music, music, on the road

[on the road] Hello Electric

September 21, 2011 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

Portland’s trio Hello Electric promises a series of dynamic shows on their tour of the West Coast, beginning October 15^th, which includes stops in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle, and their hometown of Portland (check the dates below).

Kirk Ohnstad, Henry Gibson and Zachary Bendt make minimal electronic rock with a dash of power shine. Their live shows are centered on depth, intensity and simplicity. Each member has a distinctive role, although they all have the same roots: the drum set. Rhythm is essential to Hello Electric. Their live show combines real drums with electronic beats and pushes the low end with dark keys and thick synths. Unity takes shape with gritty guitar leads flourishing the heavy bass-driven backbone.

“I am inspired by minimalism, open sounds and emptiness. It’s a difficult place to be because of the amount of patience involved…” explains Onhstad.

The band’s next venture, Dead Champion EP, will be released on October 11th. Catch a preview of the newest songs live at their shows down the West Coast. [source: planetary group]

♫ Hello Electric – Introduction ♫

TOUR DATES
Oct 14 Portland, OR @ Ella St. Social Club
Oct 15 Corvallis, OR @ Cloud 9
Oct 17 San Francisco, CA @ The Knockout
Oct 20 Los Angeles, CA @ Origami Vinyl
Oct 20 Los Angeles, CA @ The Standard Hotel
Oct 21 San Diego, CA @ Tin Can Alehouse
Oct 23 San Diego, CA @ Kava Lounge
Oct 25 Portland, OR @ Holocene
Oct 27 Seattle, WA @ The Mix
Oct 28 Tacoma, WA @ The New Frontier
Oct 29 Bellingham, WA @ The Wild Buffalo

concerts, live music, music, on the road

[on the road] Said the Whale

September 20, 2011 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

Vancouver, Canada’s Said the Whale made their first foray into the U.S. last March, touring on their sophomore album Islands Disappear, traveling from Seattle to Austin’s SXSW and back up the West Coast. Now as they ready to release a new EP in November, the quintet prepares to launch another tour of the United States, touching down in some familiar spots along the West Coast as well as a spattering of dates in unfamiliar territory around the rest of the U.S.. They’ll be joined by Kelowna, BC’s atmospheric progressive pop band We Are the City, who will release in the U.S. their debut EP, High School, plus brand new 7″ single, “Mourning Song/Morning Song” on October 4. [source: planetary group]

♫ Said the Whale – B.C. Orienteering ♫

SEPTEMBER
30 – Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro (FREE) – Bellingham, WA

OCTOBER
15 – Dirtroom (Double Door) – Chicago, IL *
16 – Eagle Theater – Pontiac, MI *
18 – M Room – Philadelphia, PA *
21 – Piano’s (CMJ Music Festival) – New York, NY
26 – The Cave – Chapel Hill, NC *
28 – The Vagabond – Miami, FL *

NOVEMBER
01 – Emo’s – Austin, TX *
03 – The Rhythm Room – Phoenix, AZ *
04 – The Mint – Los Angeles, CA *
05 – Bows and Arrows – Sacramento, CA *
06 – Hemlock Tavern – San Francisco, CA *
10 – Ella St Social Club – Portland, OR *
11 – Q Cafe – Seattle, WA *

DECEMBER
08 – The Phoenix – Toronto, ON, Can #

* with We Are the City
# with Tokyo Police Club and Born Ruffians

concerts, live music, music, video

Big Black Delta @ The Satellite

September 19, 2011 Concrete Opinions Leave a comment

If you live in LA and you’re at least 21 years old, go check out Big Black Delta at The Satellite tonight (9/19, along with War Widow, Kristeen Young, & The M.I.D.S). The show’s free, so no excuses. Be there.

Set times:
9 p.m. – War Widow
10 p.m. – Kristeen Young
11 p.m. – Big Black Delta
12 a.m. – The M.I.D.S.

If you need a bit more reassurance, the video below gives you an idea of what’s in store.