Blog — Page 172 of 275

2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of what many consider to be the first proto-punk album in history, Kick Out The Jams. While this may or not be accurate, it was an album unlike anything that came before, and this band from Ann Arbour, Michigan began an aggressive rock n’ roll activist movement that continued for long after the band dissolved 3 years later.

There are many bands who work the tour circuit up and down the coasts, and through the heartland of the country with only one original member and often times it comes across as little more than a sad tribute act. But this tour was a celebration. A golden anniversary celebration of an album that was a true game changer. And original guitarist spared no expense in assembling a band that could do the music justice, including Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty, Faith No More bassist Billy Gould, Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil and Zen Guerilla vocalist Marcus Durant.

Opening with Rambling Rose, Kramer and company made it clear from the start that this was a celebration, made all the more evident from the smile on Kramer’s face that quite literally never left for the duration of the show.

Next up was the song everyone was there to hear, Kick Out The Jams. Beginning the complete album run-through right up to the final space-jazz improv strains of Starship, with Durant busting out the pocket sax and sounding great doing it. There’s been some cynical rumblings that Durant has co-opted the look and sound of original vocalist Rob Tyner, but anyone familiar with his work in Zen Guerilla, a criminally underrated, truly great blues rock band that was part of the garage-rock resurgence of the late 90s knows that he hasn’t changed a bit. A 6’7 afroed and sunglassed big ol’ bottle of swagger. His performance on Let Me Try alone is worth the price of admission.

In addition to ...Jams, the band also worked through a sizable chunk of their 1970 follow-up, Back in The U.S.A. - bringing out Arrow de Wilde, openers Starcrawler vocalist to handle singing duties on High School and tackling Durant in the process. Starcrawler, incidentally are a fantastic up-and-coming rock band from LA that are a must see, live. Just be warned that if you’re in the front row, be prepared for an interactive experience.

2018 also marks the 70th birthday of Wayne Kramer, who to be perfectly honest looks more spry and energetic on stage than musicians more than half his age and holy shit, can the man still play.

It’s rare to go to a show these days and feel like you’re witnessing something truly special and watching the musicians on stage feel the same way - like they can’t believe their luck and are having an unfettered blast. The MC50 tour continues through the US and Europe through November. Don’t miss it.

Mind Over Matter -- Floating

If you are into Matt Groening’s satirical depiction of working-class life, you might have come across the Simpsons episodes that has Homer taking Lisa to a New Age store, where both of them are introduced to a water-filled sensory deprivation tank. What ensues in a spiritual journey for Lisa, while Homer’s journey becomes a real one.

Ever since coming across the aforementioned episode, I was intrigued whenever I came across etablissements offering float therapy and have wanted to try it.

Enter Koa Recovery.

The therapy center Koa Recovery was founded by its owner Shaun’s after personal experience with a back injury and his subsequent endeavours to recover, which led him to North America where he came across the Float Therapy, Whole Body Cryotherapy and the other treatments that Koa Recovery now offers. Experiencing immediate tangible benefits from the treatments, Shaun decided to bring these concepts and therapies to Sydney, Australia where he now offers them to help others – be it for pain management, prevention or rehabilitation of injuries, enhancing athletic performance, preparation for game day or to aid with relaxation and de-stressing to enhance resting the mind and nurture creativity.

Let’s enter the realms of restricted environment stimulation therapy and the actual sensor deprivation tank, shall we?

Apparently “isolation tanks” first emerged in the 1950ies for science experiments before they were modified to resemble the pod-like chambers that I was going to experience at Koa Recovery.

The initial idea was to create a separation from your surroundings through confinement in a tank that is filled with about 25 centimeters of water, heated to around 34 degrees Celsius and hundreds of kilos of Epsom salts so your body floats and to create a sensory transcendence by depriving all senses of stimulation.

The therapy has come a long way and what now materializes at Koa Recovery are luxurious, soundproof pods that allow to pull the plug and disconnect from the white noise of the daily humdrum, constant connectivity and chatter of our minds.

After taking a shower and scrubbing off anything that might taint the water and entering the pod, it took me a minute to acclimatize but it proved to be surprisingly easy to become buoyant, let go and slow down, switch off and allowing every muscle to relax.

It becomes second nature easily.

Having been on a training regime for the recent Sydney half-marathon, the high magnesium concentration and elimination of gravity made the floating session the ideal recovery as the elimination is gravity is ideal for muscle and joint recovery post injury.

Now, what happens inside the pod?

Nothing – and that is the whole idea behind it. You float in darkness – there is opportunity to adjust the lighting or leave the tank open if you suffer from symptoms of claustrophobia – and become one with black velvet.

It is a form of meditation that focus, creativity and productivity with one hour of floating being roughly equivalent to four to five hours of sleep as he sensory deprivation results in a change of brain waves to the relaxed theta state, i.e. the state before actually falling to sleep.

What do you feel?

Well, unless you let the liquid come close to your eyes, which stings a lot, a lot and nothing at the same time.

After a few minutes music stops playing and the lights dim down to blackness.

It is difficult to explain but the pod becomes your universe – the universe.

My weightless session of not using any muscles helped me enormously with my lower back pain, decompression and the realignment of my spine as it allows you to stretch in ways you have never stretched before.

Soaking in the magnesium rich water not only felt amazing after but you also absorb the minerals through osmosis, which aids detoxification and aid in combatting insomnia, both of which I was in dire need of.

Is it a spiritual experience?

It can be. It takes practice. With the first session in the clamshell, egg-shaped tank it is not very likely to experience any Simpsons-esque hallucinations or epiphanies, however, the loss of spatial awareness and not being able to differentiate between water and air definitely offers the perfect opportunity to connect with yourself and take an hour long vacation. Your mind starts to wander zigzagging through a state between being awake and a fluid dream-like state.

Once you emerge from the pod, my skin felt awesome, my back felt pain free and I felt overcome by a Hindu-like sense of Zen calm and clear-headedness.

I ensured to hydrate throughout the day after the session and what followed was a night with the most restful, dreamiest sleep I have experienced in years.

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Photos courtesy of Koa Recovery

Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto

Opera House

Sydney, Australia

October 21, 2018

The collaboration between Japanese composer, maverick and constituent of the synth pop outfit Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and experimental electronic cosmonaut Alva Noto, i.e. German minimalist par excellence Carsten Nicolai, may only appear curious on the surface as tonight’s incarnation of the two joining forces at Sydney’s Opera House illustrated what an organic chemistry the two manage to establish by blending minimal piano with austere electronics and beats in the realm of glitch.

Sakamoto by himself usually is more accessible and enters at times sentimental territory, but the synergy between him and Alva Noto that rest on a solid foundation of improvisation adds another dimension that balances warm emotions with electronic drones, rustling noises, piercing tones and hushed sounds. It is not for nothing that the alchemy they channel has dramatically enhanced the movie The Revenant with the soundtrack they provided.

In essence, Noto and Sakamoto incarnating in a live environment is an extended, abstract musical dialogue that meanders far away from any resemblance of popular music. Starkness, tense waves building and subsiding while being framed by a sense of calm and a foreboding of intense unease is what comes to mind had one to describe their performance.

Manually created sounds are digitally processed and alienated, accompanied by the emissions of Sakomoto’s synthesizer wafting about in space like high frequency audio flying saucers, and at times it feels like their collaboration elicits a physical reaction.

The performance was set against a strangely hypnotic and calming 3-D projection that not only corresponded with the performance but was in perfect alignment – abstract and free for interpretation yet borderline tangible.

There are times during the improvised parts when the performance appears overly unstructured yet it always finds its way back to the heart of the action / reaction dynamics that makes their relationship and which aids in them finding their path.

As they complemented each other while maintaining their individuality, it did not prove too difficult to see what they have chosen the name ‘Two’ for their joint performance and tour.

An enchanting and immersive evening that allowed one to space out from the daily humdrum of the white noise outside.

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Photos by Prudence Upton

Water of Life

Sake and Cocktails

In essence Kid Kyoto is a themed, dimly lit exposed brick lined Japanese restaurant whose ambience catapults you back into the throes of 90ies grunge and punk rock and when I say “themed”, I mean it: Every facet of the operation is a less than veiled allusion to either a song, band or something alternative music related down to the leather-bound menu carrying a freedom spike and the names of dishes and cocktails either directly referencing a band, a song or a phenomenon of the independent music scene.

What at face value could culminate in a gimmicky exercise and an ode to a decade that culminated in the year that punk died is actually a sophisticated culinary affair based on izakaya classics (think share style dishes), with a clever and genuinely well-sorted wine list, Japanese beers and premium sakes to match proffered by a team that is on point, attentive and forthcoming without being intrusive.

Kid Kyoto’s sake master class, which is conducted by the dedicated bar staff, is an exercise par excellence in not merely proffering but exploring the nuances of world-class sake, with a tasting journey specifically curated for the participants.

Sustained by nibbles and a curated, matched array of delectable dishes, alongside various sakes, paired for the occasion this intimate event is ideal for both the uninitiated as well as the well-versed samurai as it helps understand the complexity that makes Sake the mysterious tipple it is.

An affordable and highly interactive introduction to the world of premium Sake that helps unpack the differences between grades, types and brewing regions covering grades and types, sake brewing, the regionality of sake and of course the chemistry of taste, which will let you walk away with the right lingo and the confidence of a connoisseur.

Change of pace?

Like Cocktails?

Aight.

The diametric opposite of the laneway Kid Kyoto in terms of location is the waterfront Planar Bar & Restaurant, which offers basic fun cocktail mixology classes that prove to be the perfect launching pad for a night out as you learn how to shake, mix and muddle your way to being the life of the party.

Guided by in house mixologists and cocktail connoisseurs, you can learn how to make your favourite cocktails in an engaging ambience.

Based on a foundation of contemporary Modern Australian cuisine, i.e. a mélange of eclectic menus from all around the world, a culinary journey through the five continents.

A boozy exercise in Planar’s top-tier bartenders sharing the tricks of the trade covering everything from the tools you need to the basics of cocktail structure, as well as the history of alcoholic concoctions and tips for making your own recipes.

Summa summarum, an event that makes one salivate for Planar’s Melbourne Cup fashions on the field extravaganza sandwiched by drinks and canapés on Tuesday, the 6th of November.

Read more Water of Life entries here.

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1st image courtesy of Kid Kyoto, others courtesy of Planet Planar

SurlyFest 2018

The Hold Steady, Bad Bad Hats, Mixed Blood Majority, Static Panic, Rachel Kurtz, DJ Shannon Blowtorch

Festival Field (Surly Brewing Company)

Minneapolis, MN

October 13, 2018

SurlyFest is an annual tradition hailed by the brewery as a metaphor for their overall approach to beer. Much like Dogfish Head’s “Off-centered ales for off-centered people” core concept, Surly uses this Oktoberfest-inspired event to do their own thing. Yes, Surly releases an annual Oktoberfest-ish beer each year and throws this fest in that spirit, but the beer itself is well outside the rauch or Marzen flavors most associate with Oktoberfest. Surly’s version (which changes from year to year), embraces their hop-forward approach instead of highlighting that caramel malt base. Similarly, SurlyFest the even doesn’t emphasize lederhosen and accordion, but modern American indie rock.

This year’s lineup is a testament to that: diverse in style, generally from the vaguely-defined “indie scene” where bands are independent but have enough name recognition to highlight a festival. The lineup is usually local in focus, including this year, though technically The Hold Steady are from New York.

After missing the opening two acts due to schedule conflicts, I arrived just in time for Mixed Blood Majority, a hip-hop trio from the Twin Cities featuring rappers Crescent Moon (Kill the Vultures) and Joe Horton (No Bird Sing) and Lazerbeak (Doomtree) on beats. The crowd was still trickling in when their set began at 5pm but those up front where there for the music and not the beer, which is that fine line that sets an event like this apart from your average block party or parking lot event. Festival Field is built for bands, not just crowds. Mixed Blood Majority braved the temperate conditions, spitting lines as you could see their breath, and gradually shedding layers, ditching the winter coats but keeping stocking hats on. That’s kind of a theme for the night, besides the beer and music (of course). While I’m familiar with the artists and knew their first record, it was my first time seeing them in action. The chemistry between Crescent Moon and Horton was in full force, complementing each other’s flow and carefully sharing the spotlight as Lazerbeak worked his magic behind them. The two tradeoff for the most part, handing off verses and interacting physically at those points, otherwise taking up their own corners of the stage when it was time to shine individually.

Bad Bad Hats were a fitting segue. In full winter coats (to start) the dreamy pop band was less energetic on stage, befitting both of their style and that it was a chilly dusk. The set highlights their ability to straddle different styles: serious and fun, introspective yet universal, bouncy but with an inward-looking weariness. Autumnal music, for sure.

And then The Hold Steady took the stage. I haven’t seen them perform in any other city (not even St. Paul), but what always strikes me is that enormous grin on Craig Finn’s face whenever he takes the stage. It’s a homecoming show for the (half) Twin Cities-native band, and their enthusiasm is undeniable. The crowd also eats it up. Minnesotans take pride when one of our own strikes big. When a band like this – who namedrop everything from nationally-known landmarks to suburban strip malls in their material – achieve mainstream success, it’s embraced for life. They aren’t at a Purple Rain or Fargo level, but it’s a big deal.

Onto the actual show, though, which culled from their whole discography, opening with “Stuck Between Stations” and continuing for over an hour and a half. The ‘70s rock influence that overshadowed more recent albums was more subdued live. It’s ever-present in the light show and stage presence, but the solos and pomp added to the energy rather than taking something away. It’s a palpable energy that transcends from Finn’s grin to the shifting spotlight on stage that often turns to keyboardist Franz Nicolay. Nicolay adds the flair, while everyman Finn sings his stories and flails his arms like at a poetry jam. It’s a spectacle, in the good way. While the homage is certainly to an era of grandiose I’m generally not fond of, The Hold Steady keep a distinct balance. After all, the lyrics are accessible and relatable and Finn’s cropped hair, sportcoat, and vocal style are all more punk rocker than rock star.

So what’s the takeaway? In many ways it was a “greatest hits” show, and I’ve had the band in my head for the past week, even though I don’t know when I last listened to a full album. That’s the easiest way to say it was a rager. The band is always billed as a homecoming act in the Twin Cities, but it came across as a regular concert from a band that’s mastered their craft.

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Photos by Loren Green