The Torch Club’s fourth annual Torch Fest is looking to bring a whole lotta soul, funk, rock and blues into your life on Sunday, May 24, 2015. Tunes start at 4 p.m., and you better come ready to groove because 10 total bands are set to bring their A-game. On the bill: San Francisco’s eight-piece groove machine Afrofunk Experience, local country/Americana duo Million Dollar Giveaway, Reno-based garage/soul band Failure Machine, San Diego’s rock/blues outfit Black Market III, local folk-rock group The Sealegs, Sacramento songstress Keri Carr Band, Southern Californian rock/soul group Shari Puorto Band, as well as Merle Jagger, Black Star Safari, The Inciters and Walking Spanish. Cover is $15, 21-and-over only.
-J. Carabba
Riding on the success of their consistently jam-packed live show schedule and well received 2013 debut album Ibw, local acoustic/blues/reggae/funk band Island of Black and White has quite a busy year ahead of them. On Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, they’re recording a live album at Torch Club and then in February and March they’re hitting the road for 40-plus days, touring to Austin, Texas for SXSW before hitting Houston, New Orleans and Memphis, as well as stops in Arkansas and Oklahoma. After the extensive tour the group plans to start recording their second album. All of this comes with a hefty price tag; touring ain’t cheap after all and neither is recording an album, so IB&W is doing what more and more bands are doing these days, turning to Kickstarter to raise funds online. The band set a lofty goal of $10,000 to fund the tour and the making of the album. As of press time they had raised just over $1,000, so if you want to support a hard working and well deserving local band, hit up Kickstarter.com and search “IBW Southwest Tour & Album 2015” before Feb. 10, 2015 to pledge some bucks and get some goodies from the band in return. Learn more at Facebook.com/islandofblackandwhite
A.C. Myles Combines Originals and Old Favorites on His Latest Album, Reconsider Me
A.C. Myles wanted to pay homage to his influences, so he did what any respectable bluesman would do: He booked some studio time and recorded an album.
Myles, a blues guitarist from California, released Reconsider Me this summer. The 11-song disc is a collection of four originals and seven covers that he says were carefully chosen as a nod to his influences and collaborators, especially those he has worked with over the past 10 years.
“I was either influenced by or played with the folks whose songs are on the album,” said Myles. “I tried to cover the spectrum.”
At its core, Reconsider Me is a blues album, but it slides in many directions from there, showcasing elements of country, rock, funk and soul.
One particular highlight is the original track, “Livin’ a Lie,” which is carried by the heaviest guitar riff on the album and bound together by a rapid-fire chorus that I found myself singing along to on just my second listen. The back end of the track features a manic slide guitar solo and one more punctuating verse and chorus before ending with a bang. That song is immediately followed by the smooth and sultry “Death Bed Blues,” which is a good embodiment of the album’s stylistic variety.
Myles is from Fresno, but when I asked him about his hometown, he just said he was from Northern California. After I pressed him for a city name, he semi-reluctantly specified Fresno. I asked him, “Why not just claim the city?”
“Fresno really didn’t do a whole lot to develop me,” he said. “Things never really got going for me until I got out. It’s sad to have to say that because it’s my hometown, but the whole reason I migrated to San Francisco was because the area was limiting to my growth.”
We caught up with Myles by phone in early November, between one of many shows he’ll play in the next two months. One of those gigs is a Dec. 6, 2014, show at the Torch Club, which he says is his favorite venue in the area.
In the conversation below, Myles talks about developing musically in San Francisco, the recording process for Reconsider Me and an old blues collaborator of his who goes by the nickname, “The Pope of Pimpin’.”
{Photo by Rachel Kumar}
When did you start playing guitar?
In junior high school I started playing in some local bands and in the school music program. After high school, I started playing in my own band, and then in my 20s I made it up to the Bay Area and just kind of kept on going.
Did you grow up in a musical household?
My father played music. He was born in the ‘50s, so he was a part of the Vietnam generation. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and he came out to California in the early ‘60s to work on the farms out here in the [Central] Valley.
What did the move to San Francisco do for you musically?
Oh, it was great. I made the rounds to all the different music clubs and some of the jam sessions and started meeting everybody I could. And then I started getting gigs in the area. I used to play at a place on Fisherman’s Wharf called Lou’s Pier 47. That was a mainstay in that town for a long, long time. I started playing there one weekend a month and on a couple of weekdays, which helped get my name out. It kind of sprawled out from there.
Could you feel your following growing as you played those regular gigs?
Oh yeah, totally. It was great for that. And the cool thing about the Wharf location is that it was a tourist spot. Not only did you have locals taking their families out, but also you had people coming from all over the world. It was like a tour coming to you.
So the place no longer exists?
They turned it into a corporate spot. It’s like a fish shack now. At the time it was a notorious kind of dive bar. There’s no place like it.
You were the sideman for bluesman Fillmore Slim, aka the “Pope of Pimpin’.” What was that like?
Riding around in cars and hanging around in airports with that guy was never a dull moment. The reason he calls himself the Pope is there’s a guy who hangs with Snoop Dogg called Bishop Don. He said, “I’ve been in the game longer than him, so I’m the Pope.” It was that consistent type of street one-upmanship. That guy has more pizzazz and swagger than you’ve ever seen; smooth like a politician.
How did you go about choosing the songs you would cover on Reconsider Me?
The album is a retrospect. Each song is there for a reason. I like blues-rock, country blues, I like traditional. [Mixing up genres] doesn’t really help you sell any more records, though. It actually just confuses people.
When did you know you had the material that would make up the album?
It was time to make one that was properly recorded. I had a bunch of live shit I was selling for a while and it wasn’t representative of what I could really do. So I took a couple of originals I had been doing over the years and then some covers that were favorites.
You recorded the whole album in two days. That seems fast.
The sidemen were just right on the money. How much time can you really spend in there unless you’re just goofing off? If you have a set guideline of what you’re going to do, you just go in there and do the work. This kind of music is pretty straight ahead. If you’ve got endless amounts of money and you just want to goof off in the studio, that’s fine. I’m sure the studio will take your money.
Do you write the riff and music first, or do you have the lyrical idea first?
I piece together the music first most of the time. It’s rare that the lyrics come first, but it just depends. If I have a really strong vocal melody idea, then that dictates, but mostly it’s musical. Sometimes I even work out the vocal melody on my instrument anyway just to get more ideas, like a pianist would.
You’ve been compared to Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. What do you think of those comparisons?
I think I understand those comparisons, but it’s subjective. I’d like to think I’m a little more well-rounded than those guys are. But you really don’t know what other stuff they’re capable of. They’re out there trying to make a buck and sell a product, too. But I do understand the comparisons; we’re about the same age, plus the genre is similar.
Do you have a guitar hero?
No, not really. It’s a culmination of some of the folks who are on the record. Mostly American rock ‘n’ roll and blues are my big influences. As for one particular name, that’s tough. But I still want to be B.B. King when I grow up.
What kinds of music do you listen to?
As you get older and grow up, you can’t help but be influenced by what’s around you. As you mature, your sense of music matures, too. I didn’t dig jazz when I was younger, but I dig it now. At the same time, AC/DC isn’t the same thing to me now as it was when I was 20. Not to say it doesn’t rock, but you know what I mean.
How do you like playing Torch Club?
Oh it’s a fun time. It’s the only place in the area that I frequently return to. I stay pretty loyal to them down there. There’s always someone who drinks too much at that place. It’s a good little dive bar that’s always got music, whether it’s a happy hour or some of the best touring bands that come through.
Steven Roth will join A.C. Myles when he plays The Torch Club in Sacramento on Dec. 6, 2014. Tickets for this 9 p.m. show are just $8. Go to Torchclub.net for more info.
Dad’s LPs Experiment with Sound on New Album
Given five words to describe Dad’s LPs, lead vocalist John Morales doesn’t hesitate before responding: “Not the same old thing.” Morales is wise to steer away from concrete musical genres, because Dad’s LPs defies simple descriptors like “alternative rock” or “pop rock.” Their sound spans from airy and upbeat pop to multi-vocalist harmonies to angst-y, grunge-like ballads, with a little something for everyone.
The band started in 2011 as a side project between John Morales (lead vocals and drums) and Jay Seals (guitar and harmony vocals). The duo quickly realized that this partnership was evolving into something bigger and more meaningful than a side project. They teamed up with Chris Twomey (lead vocals, guitar, bass) and Andrew Harris (lead guitar) and settled on the name Dad’s LPs, dreamed up by Morales.
“I had the name Dad’s LPs floating around in the back of my head because that’s where I discovered music—in my parents’ album collection,” Morales explains. The band discovered a common thread in their histories with their dads. Morales’ father had passed away when he was 21, Chris’s dad had passed away several years ago, and Seals’ dad was going through cancer at the time they started writing music together. “We all connected around the idea of giving a nod to the influence that our dads had on our musical growth.”
Dad’s LPs released their self-titled debut album in October 2011 and played their first-ever live show at Placerville’s Hangtown Halloween ball. It was a memorable event, despite the challenging acoustics. “We were in this hangar and it was a giant echo chamber,” Morales remembers.
Since their debut, Dad’s LPs has played shows throughout Northern California, gaining a steady following as their sound evolved and matured. Coordinating times to play together has always been a challenge, as the band members are spread throughout the state—from South Lake Tahoe to Long Beach. “It takes some real logistics planning, which is why we don’t get to play very often. When we do, we want to make the most of it,” Morales says. “We work on the songs independently and bring it all together the weekend before the gig.”
Another challenge has always been that the band packs each song full of so many vocal and instrumental layers that it’s virtually impossible to replicate the sound during live performances with just four band members. The songs are more complicated than just the standard guitar, bass and drums, Morales explains. Most songs also include keyboard, additional guitar parts, random percussion and layers of harmonies. Since the beginning, they have constantly explored new ways to recreate their album sound during live performances without having to hold back on the actual album.
“We’ve never wanted to limit ourselves on the album because of what we’d be able to do live,” Morales says. “We always just wanted to make whatever music was in our heads on the album and then we’ll play them as best we can.”
Dad’s LPs took a three-year hiatus between releasing their debut album and their new follow-up album, and listeners will notice the musical growth between the two albums. “We’ve definitely matured,” Morales says. “The sound, while still varied and diverse, has gotten more cohesive. We’re starting to really find our own voice.” The album is called Lemon on Fire and will be released on CD in mid-September. The band has been releasing tracks off the album slowly over the past few months, and the 10-track album version is currently available for digital download. The official CD release will include an additional two bonus tracks that the band just finished producing.
Lemon on Fire flits between slow and soulful ballads and brighter pop-rock anthems. Songs strike a pleasing balance between vocals and instrumentals. The band has a knack for timing, with most songs wrapping up neatly at around four minutes. Lyrically, each track is a self-contained story, often told with humor, and successfully integrates a rhyme scheme that is subtle enough to not sound forced or childish. These are feel-good tunes—even those that speak to heartache. Morales explains that while there is no common thread throughout the album, the songs have common storylines: “love and heartache and money problems…all these universal themes that we touch on.”
The album opens on the track “Run Around,” an airy and upbeat sing-along tune. The playful and clever lyrics tell the story of “just an ordinary guy”:
Power lunch, back to work, before I hit the gym
I do Pilates for an hour but I don’t get slim
Shower off, powder up, have a real quick shave
Throw on my favorite pair of Levi’s and I’m on my way
The dual vocals in this song have a patchwork effect, and the layered harmonies create a blended sound that would be great to crank up while cruising the freeway.
The tone alters dramatically on the second track, “Ain’t Over Yet,” which boasts a faster pace and a more powerful and in-your-face rock sound. This short track has an addictive build-up:
I can feel the embers burning in the earth below my feet
I’m a sinner in your gallows; this floor is bound to drop
And common sense would tell me to stop
This build-up crashes to a satisfying chorus: “But don’t you tell me to stop!”
“Torn Apart,” the third track, is a melodic break-up ballad that speaks on a universal level to anybody who has experienced heartache, without coming across as whiny or juvenile. The slower pace and poignant vocals are characteristic of several of the tracks on this album, including “A Whisper in the Background,” which showcases the band’s powerful vocals and harmonizing.
“Turn on a Dime” explores a particular indie folk/Americana sound that sets the perfect backdrop for the song’s message of hope and promise.
‘Cause one of these days you’re gonna pull out of the rut
You’re gonna be fine, just fine, just fine
And you and me, babe, we’re gonna live after the cut
Because love can turn on a dime
Other noteworthy sounds you’ll find in this album include the powerful ‘90s grunge sound of the track “Blown Away” and the ska sound of “SOHO.” The album closes on “Cut and Run,” which has a slower pace and a country-like twang that builds up to a triumphant finish.
On the whole, this is an album that embraces inconsistency and isn’t afraid to pay homage to the artists along the years that have made an impact on the band’s musical roots, making it worth a listen.
Dad’s LPs will play at The Torch Club for the first time on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Cover charge is $6 and the show begins at 9:00 p.m. The Lemon on Fire CD will also be released in September, and will include the 10 tracks currently available for digital download as well as two bonus tracks. Check out Facebook.com/DadsLPs for details.
San Francisco’s Con Brio Brings the Funk to Third Annual Torch Fest
San Francisco soul brothers Con Brio reignite the classic sounds of the ’50s and ’60s with two new singles, “Temptations Talkin’” and “California Cowboy,” set for release this fall on a yet-to-be titled EP through Burning House records. Both tracks respectively tip hats to the R&B, gospel and funk genres. Fitting, as the guys admit they’re heavily influenced by the charisma and energy of entertainers like James Brown and Jackie Wilson, with a deep admiration for funk purveyors Sly and the Family Stone and Billy Preston.
Formed in 2009, Con Brio (“with vigor” or “spirit”) quickly gained momentum in the San Francisco music scene performing at high-capacity venues like the Great American Music Hall, the Fillmore and the Regency Ballroom. A year later, the band recorded and released its debut album, From the Hip, followed by its live album titled The Bay is Burning in 2012. They continued the momentum with their first national tour that year.
Although this five-piece (which includes a two to three-piece horn section and full organ) originates from the Bay Area, Con Brio is no stranger to Sacramento, especially when it comes to multiple performances at the historic Torch Club. What’s more, new vocalist and dance machine Ziek McCarter, and organist and founding member Micah Dubreuil, are both masters of the long-distance phone interview—even if the two aren’t in the same city. Other up-and-coming bands take note: for our phone interview, McCarter was on a bus to Big Sur to perform with another band; while Dubreuil, who started at his apartment in San Francisco, found his way onto a bus heading to Los Angeles. Submerge caught up with the duo ahead of Con Brio’s scheduled performance at Torch Club’s third-annual Torch Fest, beginning May 24, 2014.
The latest music video for “Temptations Talkin’” off your new EP exudes a great deal of energy from everyone involved. Can you fill me in on some influences?
Ziek McCarter: Vocally, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway [and] D’Angelo. Dance moves-wise, as an entertainer, I look up to cats like Prince, James Brown or Michael Jackson, or really anyone who is a charismatic performer, like Jackie Wilson.
Who influences you behind the organ, Micah? I hear Booker T., is that someone you’re fond of?
Micah Dubreuil: I haven’t listened to Booker as much as I should’ve. I know about “Green Onions” and so forth, but for me, it’s a lot more of the jazz guys, like Dr. Lonnie Smith. [He] is my biggest influence and hero on the organ. … Some of the younger guys as well like, Billy Preston and even some gospel players like Cory Henry, who plays in a band called Snarky Puppy.
What inspired you to play the organ?
MD: It’s just a beautiful sound, an incredible feeling. An organ is a 400-pound machine and there’s buttons and levers and it feels like you’re driving a big truck. I’ve been told I play it in a pretty heavy-handed way, I think it definitely helps push the sound and really elevates the music when the time is right.
The mixture of genres within Con Brio’s music seems to be a perfect fit for the Torch Club. How did you stumble upon that venue?
MD: We were recommended the Torch Club by our friends in a touring blues band. Since then, we’re happy to play there, always.
Which song relates to you the most off the new EP?
ZM: Oh man, that’s a hard one. That’s like asking me, do I have a favorite genre? I’ve been listening to one song all day called “Give it all,” which is a song that Micah and myself wrote. I’m really excited about it and I want it to make me cry and it’s almost there. Its story has so much emotion, especially for me. I’m making sure to push the song to the highest level and make sure that it penetrates myself first and foremost. I’m speaking in the context that I’m talking to a woman, but a lot of it is inspired by my father, who has passed. He gave me all that he had and I am what I am because [of him].
Why did you two want to join a funk or soul band?
MD: It’s so good, man. It’s the music I love. It makes me feel something inside of me whether as a listener or performer.
ZM: It’s something I always wanted to do since I was a kid, be an entertainer. It just happened to come through the vein of funk and soul, as a band. I used to play blues with my pops. So, I guess it kind of prepared me for what was to come.
What are you looking forward to over the next couple of years as a band?
MD: We’ve been lucky enough to play some great venues in San Francisco like the Independent, the Great American Music Hall or the Fillmore, but we’d like to perform at those kind of rooms around the country.
ZM: Hit all the major festivals and get on that festival circuit, like the one in Sacramento!
If you could perform alongside any one person from the past, who would it be?
ZM: It would have to be James Brown or Prince. The way they deliver in the moment and just their high energy and the momentum that they have. I feel like I operate on that same level, and so I would like to see first-hand how it’s done instead of watching videos.
MD: It’s funny, I might’ve been thinking James Brown, too. I get the most out of working with singers and drummers on stage. The singer is directing the traffic from the front with the audience and the drummer is working from the back. But, James Brown had so much energy and such an ability to capture a moment, I think it would be really incredible and amazing to have that experience.
Con Brio will perform the second day of Torch Club’s (904 15th Street) third-annual Torch Fest. The two-day fest kicks off on Saturday, May 24, at 6 p.m. and continues on Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets for this 21-and-over event cost $12 the first day, followed by $15 on day two.
The Old Screen Door is a super talented local “Rock N’ Soul” band that’s been working hard and paying their dues since they first emerged on the scene in 2011. They’ve earned themselves some huge gigs like opening for The Mother Hips during last year’s Concerts in the Park series, as well as opening for international touring band The California Honeydrops at Assembly. The Old Screen Door isn’t slowing down, either. Their newest release, The Seduction EP, which was recorded in November 2013 at Pinnacle College’s recording facility and was produced by Dave Jensen, is now available for purchase online through iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon MP3, and on Spotify for free streaming. Definitely make sure you check out the track “Death and Taxes,” which features a shredding guitar guest spot by JR Halliday of ZuhG! The official release party for TOSD’s new EP is going down on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at Torch Club. That one starts at 8 p.m. You can also catch them on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14, 2014) at Marilyn’s on K, which gets underway at 9 p.m. For more information, hit up Theoldscreendoor.com or Facebook.com/theoldscreendoor.
Island of Black and White Descend from a Reno Studio with a New Album in Tow
Alexander Graham Bell once said that when one door closes, another opens.
This was precisely the case when Island of Black and White lost its drummer hours before a show and band manager Nawal Alwareeth stepped up, picked up a pair of drumsticks and filled in without missing a beat. No small feat for the fledgling drummer, whose previous drumming experience consisted of banging on table tops and the occasional whack on the bongos.
“I played some percussion, like hand drums…and playing on tables and that kind of thing, but never a drum set,” Alwareeth says. “Chris [Haislet, founding member] said that we had a few hours to practice before the show [in] Humboldt so that’s what we did.”
“She knew all the songs, so it was perfect,” Haislet adds.
A caribbean-drenched fusion of funk, reggae, rock, folk and blues, IBW emerged from the foothills of El Dorado County in 2004 when multi-instrumentalist Haislet—his musical repertoire includes piano, guitar, accordion, melodica, flute—and a friend transformed their jam sessions into a full-fledged band. And, like the music they play, the band’s lineup has evolved; but at its core are Haislet, Alwareeth on drums and vocals, lead guitarist John-John Baguio and Justin Maddux getting down on bass.
“We play a lot of reggae and we play a lot of blues,” Haislet says. “And our favorite kind of music to play is reggae and blues. We listen to all different types of music. Good music is good music.”
“I think it stems from just playing music you love—music you love listening to,” Alwareeth adds.
While Island of Black and White has been celebrated for its idiosyncratic take on covers of classic funk, blues, rock and soul jams, it’s this love for music that prompted the band to also amass a prodigious catalog of its own original tunes. Tunes they’re now able to share with their large fan base on their debut album, aptly titled IBW.
IBW landed a producer for their debut release after winning the Hard Rock Battle of the Bands round in Tahoe in March, when their performance piqued the interest of veteran producer Douglas Patrick Vaughn—a staple of the Reno, Nev., recording scene for nearly 30 years. After having saved up money from their shows and throwing an album fundraiser in April for recording fees, the band hit the road and trekked up the hill to Reno to lay down the tracks on their first serious foray into the recording booth.
“We met Doug [at the Hard Rock Battle of the Bands], he was the sound guy, and told us he had a studio in Reno. He offered us a good deal at Sierra Sonics Recording Mansion, and they were just super cool people, super friendly and an awesome studio,” Alwareeth says. “We went there a few different times; we kind of started with one song then worked our way up. Then we [went home], saved a little bit more money and went back and finished the whole album. Doug also mixed and mastered the album with us so we spent some more time together and did that.”
The 12-track LP, released on Sept. 20, 2013, emerged out of everyday life experiences and draws heavily on their varied backgrounds—Alwareeth was born in the United States but raised in Egypt and Haislet hails from El Dorado County.
For instance, the album’s closing track, “Egyptian Lullaby,” is a serpentine jam that weaves in and out of tempo while incorporating Haislet’s honeyed vocals. A rattling tambourine slithers in and out of the track as gusts of energetic notes emanate from an accordion, while the lyrics pull inspiration from Alwareeth’s Middle Eastern roots.
“The songs were ready, and had been ready for a while,” Alwareeth says. “We were waiting to find the right person, and the right place, [and] the right time. It was awesome. It was perfect.”
“And the right price,” Haislet adds.
Their live shows are highly improvisational and have been known to run three hours in length, but the duo says that the ebb and flow of each performance relies heavily on the energy and vibe of the crowd.
“I think we have a good time,” Alwareeth says. “We enjoy what we do, and I think everything we do when we get up there [on stage] is on the fly and in the moment and whatever we’re feeling, and whatever the crowd is feeling, it all affects it, I think. We just play and have a good time and all of sudden three hours is over.”
Bringing this off-the-cuff methodology of performance into the recording studio, however, forced the band to focus this freewheeling style into a concise and deliberate vision.
“We definitely had to go about it a different way,” Haislet explains. “When you’re playing a live show, and when you’re recording, you’re kind of painting a picture and both [venues] are different in how you paint that picture. I think the hardest part for us was making the songs shorter.”
“Instead of 10-minute jams we had two [to] three-minute jams,” Alwareeth adds.
As solid contributors to the local music scene in and around Sacramento for nearly a decade, Island of Black and White has established itself as a soulful, musical powerhouse. Having played for the heaving crowd of thousands at the 2012 opening ceremony at Cesar Chavez Park’s Concerts in the Park series, the Hot Lunch concert series at Fremont Park and the Cosmic Family Gathering in Placerville, their music has gained a substantial and loyal following.
The band’s frenetic energy is only matched by its jam-packed tour schedule. With shows stretching up and down the state from Tahoe to Sacramento and as far south as Los Angeles, the quartet has performed at small coffee shops, restaurants and local hot spots like Harlow’s Restaurant and Nightclub.
“We play four shows a week,” Alwareeth explains. “We have some weekly gigs and then some weekend gigs that we do, but this is our quiet time. Summertime is crazy for us.”
“We get through it by getting lots of sleep,” Haislet chuckles.
Looking forward to their upcoming performance, including a local CD release show at the venerable Torch Club on Nov. 29, 2013, Alwareeth and Haislet, who met by chance at a Hacky Sack club meeting at Folsom Lake College, say it’s a privilege to play the music they love full-time. And, while their unrelenting tour schedule can be grueling and downright exhausting at times, you wouldn’t know it from their cheery dispositions and the sheer joy that seems to exude from every pore of their being as they are laying down a righteous jam on stage.
“We’re all about peace, love and music,” Haislet says. “And having fun.”
Island of Black and White’s CD Release show will be at Torch Club (904 15th Street) on Friday, Nov. 29, 2013. To view other upcoming tour dates and purchase the album, visit Islandofblackandwhite.com.
We’ve hinted at it before, so we’ll just come out and say it: the Torch Club is one of the most important venues in town. Even though they might not get as much hype as other larger clubs in the region, week in and week out, Torch hosts some amazing live musicians, both touring and regional. And they sure as hell are the best place to see live blues/funk/soul/R&B/etc., acting as an integral part of the local arts and entertainment scene. I mean, seriously, imagine a Sacramento music scene without Torch. It’s a sad, depressing thought. Anyway, over the last couple years, Torch has successfully started adding more and more genres of bands into their already diverse live repertoire: i.e. more rock, folk, and styles of that nature. Case in point is their new free music showcase that happens twice a month called “Debut Tuesdays,” every second and third Tuesday. Mark Mitchell of the Torch Club is particularly excited about this new ongoing free music showcase. “New faces checking out new live music is always a plus for this club and this town,” he told Submerge. “We want to help bands get their sound on a legendary stage, and help them to step up promotions, before and during a show.” The next Debut Tuesday is on Sept. 10, 2013 which will feature Oakland’s Caldecott, a four-piece roots-rock group with some really cool surfed-out, reverb-drenched, garage band vibes (check them out at Caldecott.bandcamp.com)
Caldecott
They will be joined by Scary Little Friends (from Santa Cruz and San Francisco), a dreamy sounding rock/pop trio, as well as Igneous Rock from Sacramento. After that, the next Debut Tuesday will be on Sept. 17, 2013, and that one will feature Flies In the Kitchen, a local five-piece guitar-driven rock band; Jacob Waters, a Sacramento (by way of Philadelphia) folk/indie/acoustic artist; and National Soul, also from Sacramento. Mitchell even hinted that he’s in talks with one of the most prominent DJ’s in town to start spinning on Debut Tuesdays as well. “We want a party at the torch on Tuesday’s,” Mitchell said. “I want folks to see and hear the worthwhileness of being in the room when live music is happening, enough that they will come back and financially support the band they will see and hear for free on Tuesday, and not walk away with a look like I demanded their left foot when I ask for a five dollar cover on a Wednesday.” Make sure you take advantage of these awesome free shows, Sacramento. You can thank Mitchell and Torch owner Marina Texeira with a cold one if you feel so inclined. Learn more at Torchclub.net or Facebook.com/thetorchclub.
What went into Mia Dyson’s newest album, and how it feels to finally be present
The future is bright. Or at least we all hope it is, so we tend to put a lot of pressure on it and think about it. A lot. One could even say we look forward to a fault, nearly forgetting about the present altogether. This is the case of Mia Dyson, the Australian singer/songwriter who’s currently in her musical prime, all thanks to finally letting go of the future.
But to begin talking about Mia Dyson, first we have to talk about her past. The Australian native has been playing music since her teenage years. Around 14, she picked up a guitar and started learning covers and gradually starting to write her own songs.
“It took many years before I actually wrote a song I liked,” Dyson said.
During her early musical development, her dad was playing her a lot of American artists like The Band, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams. Those influences can be heard throughout Dyson’s music, most prominently in her gravelly yet soulful vocals that tend to feel like heavy, strong steps over big percussion, moaning guitar and saloon-y piano chords, all with a strong Americana essence.
Not only did this play a big part in shaping her own musical style, but it gave her a strong desire to eventually make her way to the United States.
“Not only music, but so much American culture, the good stuff, the great American soul and literature, it all treks to Australia, and I grew up on all of that,” Dyson said.
She spent nearly a decade building her career through a breakthrough debut, Cold Water, followed by four ARIA nominations and one win, opening tour slots for Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Nicks and incredible praise from the press. Even with all this acclaim, Dyson’s goal was still to get to America. In 2009 she finally took the leap and moved out to the States, choosing Boston as her East Coast landing point.
“I kind of came over without a plan and essentially without a budget,” Dyson said.
This is where things quickly changed for Dyson. That lack of planning took its financial toll, which caused Dyson to lose her band and soon after go broke. With things rapidly going sour, Dyson heard about some industry opportunities in Los Angeles, so she made her way west.
“That was kind of a crazy red herring, because they really wanted to change my image, change my name, sort of re-market me,” Dyson said.
Despite the continued difficulty, Dyson went along with it for a while and tried to work with the re-branding, but the process felt unnatural. At the time, she was barely recording or playing shows, and until that point a majority of her musical career had been built around creating a fan base from her live performances.
“That time felt kind of wasted and out of my hands,” Dyson said.
Just when it seemed like coming to the United States might have been the worst decision Dyson could have made, it wasn’t. She started meeting new people in L.A., going through the trial and error process of finding new bandmates or bill mates for shows around California. Slowly, she began building a community of inspiring friends, including her producer Erin Sidney. The two started swapping old favorite songs and suddenly developed a musical camaraderie. From there, Dyson began working on new songs under Sidney’s guidance.
“It just organically happened that we started to make this record together,” Dyson said, “I just lucked out.”
Dyson took her new songs to the studio, and her newest album, The Moment, was born.
The keyword for this album is strong. It begins with “When the Moment Comes,” a song jam-packed with incredible momentum and Dyson’s dynamite belting, followed by the equally fantastic “Pistol,” a heartbreaking number with choppy chords and loud drums, slicked over by guitar licks, all still overshadowed by Dyson’s howling chorus. The album keeps its strength all the way through with anthemic Americana pieces like “Cigarettes,” having a sing-along feel to it powered by the highlighted organ noise. The real heart of the album for Dyson, is to be present.
“It’s about being in the moment, and how there’s only the moment, not one, but this continuous—that kind of crazy—how do you describe it? There’s always a moment,” Dyson said. “I’m trying to live my life more like that now, and that’s what the record’s about.”
The process of making this album was a huge growing experience for Dyson, one that involved her letting go a little bit.
“That came only from having grown up a bit in the last few years,” Dyson said. “To realize I don’t have to have total control, it doesn’t have to be all about me. I think I had some ego in there when I was younger that meant I didn’t really want anyone helping me.”
This is the first collection of songs that Dyson has allowed this level of group involvement on, allowing more hands on the writing process for a more powerfully crafted album.
“More could be accomplished by bringing together people to share the vision. I had never experienced that before,” Dyson said. “It came at the right time and I was ready to do that.”
She brought the record back to Australia in August 2012 where it’s been well received. Going back to Australia gave Dyson a chance to reflect on her last few years in America.
“I think I came over pretty scared and pretty desperate to make it work, and, yeah, certainly with leaving my home country I have to make it and return triumphantly,” Dyson joked.
However, Dyson did realize her goals. Through her tumultuous years in the States she met bandmates, realized her potential, and developed her strongest catalogue of sound. After all that, she was proud to go back to Australia, of “being able to return, maybe not with fanfare, but with a record I was really proud of,” Dyson said.
But what about the career she already had in Australia? The whole decade of her career when she was opening for artists like Chris Isaak? Wasn’t she already successful?
“I didn’t necessarily appreciate that when I got to play with some of those artists, of course it was a huge honor to me, but there was always that sort of ‘what’s next and what’s the next thing,’” Dyson said. “Now instead of looking down the road to what is coming along, which may not come, I’m really enjoying it and grateful.”
Her past is packed, and her future with this new album seems successful, but for now, Dyson is going to put her attention into basking in the new present.
“A fresh start was January last year, and this is now the next chapter of that,” Dyson said. “It was definitely a lengthy career, a real change and a fresh start.”
Mia Dyson will perform in Sacramento at the Torch Club as part of their second annual Torchfest May 26, 2013. Dyson is scheduled to play at 8 p.m. Torchfest is a two-day event that begins on May 25, 2013. For more info and for a full lineup of bands, go to Torchclub.net.
Rock duos are so hot right now! Think about the popularity of bands like The White Stripes, Black Keys, Matt & Kim, Japandroids and Death from Above 1979, to name a few. There is something about the simplicity of just two people on stage, turned up loud and bringing the ruckus, that draws an audience in. The StereoFidelics might be the next addition to the list of popular duos. The funky indie-rock band from Asheville, N.C., made up of Chris Padgett (electric guitar, foot-controlled bass synth, vocals) and Melissa McGinley (drums, vocals, electric violin) has received praise from countless media outlets for their energetic and unique live shows as well as their DIY, road-warrior work ethic, performing 200-plus shows a year around the country. Now on tour in support of their new album Dynamite Fist, The StereoFidelics are coming to Sacramento to play the Torch Club on Wednesday, March 27. They hit the stage at 9 p.m., the cover charge is just $5 and it is 21-and-over only. How often do you get to see a ripping guitarist play synth keys simultaneously with his feet next to a super cute female drummer with a great voice? Answer: not very often, so don’t miss this show! Visit http://stereof.com/ for more information and to hear some tunes. Torch Club is located at 904 15th Street in downtown Sacramento.
