Through the majestic powers of online social networking, we came into contact with a man named Lee, who lived just outside Chico, California. It was to be our first time playing a show in Chico, and a first visit ever for me, and he was very gracious in giving us a place to stay the night. The crazy part is that it wasn't your typical beds in a room, but a custom-built tour bus.
Before loading our gear into the venue, we met up with Lee to check out the accommodations. The bus parked in the middle of the acres of almond groves outside Chico. After pulling into the drive and meeting our host for the evening, he took us inside. There were benches on either side of the bus that doubled as beds, with a master bed that could sleep two in the way back. The most striking aspect of the design was an actual wood-burning stove installed inside the bus. Lee assured us that the stove was only operational when the bus was stationary!
Lost on Main is relatively new on the scene in Chico, and definitely a unique spot. The outside window display featured a custom built sign reminiscent of a giant Lite-Brite, proudly displaying the venue's logo. The "o" in Lost has been replaced by a plasma ball. (You've seen them, the spherical glass orbs filled with ever-changing lightning). This was just a taste of what was inside.
The stage on the immediate right overlooks the long 2-story room. Every corner of the place is adorned with what seems to be every red green and blue light available on the market today. The front-of-house soundboard is encased in a giant visual graphic equalizer, giant light-up bars bouncing in time with the music. Full-length mirrors cover the length of the room, leading to bar, which end-to-end lines the entire back wall. Featured most prominently amidst the bottles of hard alcohol is a giant blackboard tracking the bartender's individual stats selling shots of absinthe. (First to sell 100 gets $500!) Clearly, we're not supposed to feel like were actually in Chico, California. Oh, and the happy hour prices are deadly: $1 for pints and/or well drinks. Clearly, we're not going to be able to walk out of here unassisted either!
The green room sits up the stairs from the stage. To get there, we walk through the owner's second venture, a still-being-constructed coffee shop called Lost Grounds. A giant work area reveals giant salamanders spray-painted black, a multitude of metallic animal horns, and more mirrors. An entire wall has been covered in a M.C. Escher replica. The green room wall is tiled with green (duh!) reptilian blocks, a plasma screen TV broadcasts images from the stage and dance floor, and a glass window overlooks the new coffee shop.
The show itself was fun, and we had a good turnout considering it was our first time playing in town. For a Wednesday night, people definitely like to stay out late… I was dead tired by the end of our set, but the fun was just getting going. The majority of the crowd from the club, made their way to the all-night pizza joint down the street. I was standing outside talking with some people, watching multiple people dancing on the tables inside.
Then quite suddenly and without warning, a severely intoxicated man bursts thru the door running (or, trying to run) down the street. After making it about 15 steps, he falls down on the pavement. After about 5 seconds, he gets up and manages to make it almost around the block. Meanwhile, two friends of mine had burst out of the door and run down the street after the guy. Just as this happens, the guy falls again. One of my friends (who still shall remain nameless) catches up to him and pushes him against the wall. With blood running down his face (probably from face-planting into the asphalt multiple times), he cries in protest, "Whaat the fuuuuck??!" I now understand that the guy had stolen money and gets an epic fail award for worst getaway ever.
Hard to believe the night was not complete yet, we went back to Lee's to warm ourselves by the wood-burning stove in the tour bus. A Bootsy Collins documentary in playing on the bus' DVD player… his band was truly quite freaky, but it's hard to argue with a guy who plays a star-shaped bass, with star-shaped sunglasses, and a rhinestone suit covered in star-shaped patches. Oh, and a horn section known as the Horny Horns.
By what must have been nearly dawn, I sink deeper and deeper into the bed, pulling the blanket decorated with a giant Grateful Dead logo around me. I'm pretty sure finishing that last can of PBR can wait until morning.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Tourblog By Tripp : Slim's : San Francisco : 9-27-08
Our show at Slim's was something I was looking forward to pretty much from the moment we booked it. It's been incredibly difficult for me to formulate a blog for this show in my head nevermind actually typing!) because there were so many things to fit in to any kind of synopsis. But at the urging of my fellow cohorts, this show is really something I really want to share with you all. That being said, here goes...
It was a homecoming of sorts for us as well, since BLVD had been doing tons of touring during the summer, but without many performances in the Bay Area. We had also been selling hard copies of our new album "Music For People" at our shows for a couple months, but our Slim's show was the official release party marking the date when people could actually buy the album through online channels.
The album "Music For People" represents many things for BLVD. For starters, it's our first release with our MC: Souleye. The last time we performed at Slim's, Souleye was relatively new to the group, and the CD we were releasing (the all-instrumental and electronically produced "Digital Disorder") didn't even feature him. It was refreshing to have an album with his vocals. In addition, we finally had a release that was way more characteristic of our live show! Our previous efforts, while exciting studio projects, didn't really capture what people heard from us live.
It's always been a battle for BLVD to try and bridge the gap between the live music venue and the DJ club, anyway, and this show was no different. The show itself was fun to put together...our friend Random Rab opened things up at around 9pm, which was maybe a little early compared to when most people are used to seeing him, but I thought he tailored his set to the circumstances really well. It's not every weekend that a DJ is done playing by 10:30pm, haha!
We took the stage at around 10:30, and played every song from our album, in addition to some newer tunes that haven't been recorded yet. We've also been playing a lot of tracks from "Digital Disorder" that have been modified and augmented to include live instrumentation. It's always been fun for us to represent older material in a new format, which is what we've done with songs like Brown Eyes, Deep State, and Stained Glass.
After we were done, James Christopher took over the stage to present "Savage Journey," which was a project he had been working on for over a year mixing drum'n'bass with documentary footage from Hunter S. Thompson's life. What I didn't realize until the show was that it was actually a full-on stage performance...Chris as Richard Nixon, MC Manny Vibes and Rob Newell (a.k.a. Dave Laser from Seven Minute Style) as a secret service agents, DJ Majitope as a 60s-era hippie, just to name a few...it was a kind of organized chaos and a pleasure to behold. It was hard to know whether to dance to the banging beats or watch and try to unravel the mystery of what was unfolding onstage!
After the show came to a close, we all walked outside to see our sleek new Dodge Sprinter van that our manager had pulled up in earlier. People kept coming up to me offering me their congratulations, and it was hard to know whether they meant the van or the show we had just played, haha! The Slim's show was the first date beginning our upcoming fall tour, so it was nice to know that we'd be a little more comfortable driving east the following week. Anyone want to buy a '99 Chevy Suburban? (grin)
Check out this highlight video of the Slim's show by our friend Luxvibes...
It was a homecoming of sorts for us as well, since BLVD had been doing tons of touring during the summer, but without many performances in the Bay Area. We had also been selling hard copies of our new album "Music For People" at our shows for a couple months, but our Slim's show was the official release party marking the date when people could actually buy the album through online channels.
The album "Music For People" represents many things for BLVD. For starters, it's our first release with our MC: Souleye. The last time we performed at Slim's, Souleye was relatively new to the group, and the CD we were releasing (the all-instrumental and electronically produced "Digital Disorder") didn't even feature him. It was refreshing to have an album with his vocals. In addition, we finally had a release that was way more characteristic of our live show! Our previous efforts, while exciting studio projects, didn't really capture what people heard from us live.
It's always been a battle for BLVD to try and bridge the gap between the live music venue and the DJ club, anyway, and this show was no different. The show itself was fun to put together...our friend Random Rab opened things up at around 9pm, which was maybe a little early compared to when most people are used to seeing him, but I thought he tailored his set to the circumstances really well. It's not every weekend that a DJ is done playing by 10:30pm, haha!
We took the stage at around 10:30, and played every song from our album, in addition to some newer tunes that haven't been recorded yet. We've also been playing a lot of tracks from "Digital Disorder" that have been modified and augmented to include live instrumentation. It's always been fun for us to represent older material in a new format, which is what we've done with songs like Brown Eyes, Deep State, and Stained Glass.
After we were done, James Christopher took over the stage to present "Savage Journey," which was a project he had been working on for over a year mixing drum'n'bass with documentary footage from Hunter S. Thompson's life. What I didn't realize until the show was that it was actually a full-on stage performance...Chris as Richard Nixon, MC Manny Vibes and Rob Newell (a.k.a. Dave Laser from Seven Minute Style) as a secret service agents, DJ Majitope as a 60s-era hippie, just to name a few...it was a kind of organized chaos and a pleasure to behold. It was hard to know whether to dance to the banging beats or watch and try to unravel the mystery of what was unfolding onstage!
After the show came to a close, we all walked outside to see our sleek new Dodge Sprinter van that our manager had pulled up in earlier. People kept coming up to me offering me their congratulations, and it was hard to know whether they meant the van or the show we had just played, haha! The Slim's show was the first date beginning our upcoming fall tour, so it was nice to know that we'd be a little more comfortable driving east the following week. Anyone want to buy a '99 Chevy Suburban? (grin)
Check out this highlight video of the Slim's show by our friend Luxvibes...
Thursday, November 20, 2008
BLVD News and Tour Update
News to mention:
- CBS is currently using many songs from our new album, Music For People, to advertise for the upcoming Victoria's Secret fashion show Dec 3...links can be found at the top of our home page.
- Our song 'Music is a Medicine' was featured on MTV's Making the Band 4.
- Music Connection Magazine named us as one of the "Hot 100 Unsigned Artists list for 08" coming out in their 11/27 issue.
- We are playing at the Sea of Dreams New Years Eve show with Thievery Corporation, Bassnectar and The Mutaytor.
Tour Update:
Opal Ultra Lounge, South Lake Tahoe, NV
Friday, 12.5.2008 with On The One
Lost on Main, Chico, CA
Thursday, 12.11.2008
Hopmonk Lounge, Sebastapol, CA
Saturday, 12.13.2008
W.O.W. Hall, Eugene, OR
Wednesday, 12.17.2008
The Good Foot Lounge, Portland, OR
Thursday, 12.18.2008
Tost Lounge, Seattle, WA
Friday, 12.19.2008
Live from Earthdance 2008, Santogold cover...L.E.S. Artistes
- CBS is currently using many songs from our new album, Music For People, to advertise for the upcoming Victoria's Secret fashion show Dec 3...links can be found at the top of our home page.
- Our song 'Music is a Medicine' was featured on MTV's Making the Band 4.
- Music Connection Magazine named us as one of the "Hot 100 Unsigned Artists list for 08" coming out in their 11/27 issue.
- We are playing at the Sea of Dreams New Years Eve show with Thievery Corporation, Bassnectar and The Mutaytor.
Tour Update:
Opal Ultra Lounge, South Lake Tahoe, NV
Friday, 12.5.2008 with On The One
Lost on Main, Chico, CA
Thursday, 12.11.2008
Hopmonk Lounge, Sebastapol, CA
Saturday, 12.13.2008
W.O.W. Hall, Eugene, OR
Wednesday, 12.17.2008
The Good Foot Lounge, Portland, OR
Thursday, 12.18.2008
Tost Lounge, Seattle, WA
Friday, 12.19.2008
Live from Earthdance 2008, Santogold cover...L.E.S. Artistes
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sea of Dreams New Years Eve Party
THIEVERY CORPORATION [live], BASSNECTAR, THE MUTAYOR, BLVD, CIRQUE BERZERK HEADLINE THE BAY AREA's MOST SPECTACULAR NEW YEAR's EVE CELEBRATION
With more acts still to be announced, Sea of Dreams promises to be one of the most sought-after New Years tickets in the United States.
>WHAT: Sea of Dreams New Years Eve
>WHEN: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 from 9pm-4am
>WHERE: The Concourse Center, 635 8th Street, San Francisco
>INFO: www.seaofdreamsnye.com
>ORGANIZERS: anonEvents, Sunset Promotions, blasthaus
>ADMISSIONS: 18+ Admitted
TICKETS: Advanced tickets go on sale Sunday, October 26, 10am PDT
Online at http://www.seaofdreamsnye.com & http://www.sunsettickets.com
By phone at 415-256-TIXX
At all Bay Area Streetlight Records stores.
Presale Link
>Presale password: sfnye
VIP EXPERIENCE: Sea of Dreams VIP's will enjoy free champagne all night,
exclusive viewing areas, exclusive bars, and a limited edition "Sea of Dreams" Poster to take home.
Sea of Dreams is already a case of musical and visual overkill and is sure to sell out: so get tickets quick before its too late.
With more acts still to be announced, Sea of Dreams promises to be one of the most sought-after New Years tickets in the United States.
>WHAT: Sea of Dreams New Years Eve
>WHEN: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 from 9pm-4am
>WHERE: The Concourse Center, 635 8th Street, San Francisco
>INFO: www.seaofdreamsnye.com
>ORGANIZERS: anonEvents, Sunset Promotions, blasthaus
>ADMISSIONS: 18+ Admitted
TICKETS: Advanced tickets go on sale Sunday, October 26, 10am PDT
Online at http://www.seaofdreamsnye.com & http://www.sunsettickets.com
By phone at 415-256-TIXX
At all Bay Area Streetlight Records stores.
Presale Link
>Presale password: sfnye
VIP EXPERIENCE: Sea of Dreams VIP's will enjoy free champagne all night,
exclusive viewing areas, exclusive bars, and a limited edition "Sea of Dreams" Poster to take home.
Sea of Dreams is already a case of musical and visual overkill and is sure to sell out: so get tickets quick before its too late.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Tourblog by Tripp : Steamboat Springs, CO : 10-09-08
It's no secret... I love Steamboat Springs, but not for the reason you may think. It's a great skiing destination for tons of people, but I love it for the people. Every time we have played there, we've had a venue full of people rawking out... it doesn't matter if it's in the height of the winter season, or in the off-season. This time was no different!
What was different was: This marks Souleye's first return to Steamboat since he moved to San Francisco (so BLVD could join forces once and for all!). We had a great turnout, and I know it was especially sweet for Souleye since he knows so many people in town.
BLVD has also been getting the royal treatment when it comes to the airwaves. Steamboat's local radio station has been playing Stamina (off our new album "Music For People") religiously. Much love to KFMU! We were also interviewed for the first time to television at Steamboat's local TV-18, which is broadcast to all the resort hotels. It was a fun experience to be on Steamboat Today, and somehow we all managed to be there for the 8am live broadcast! For myself especially, this is no small feat.
The icing on the cake was on our way to Denver (to begin our 8-show run opening for Lotus). Instead of just hearing ABOUT our song being played on KFMU, we tuned in and actually heard it for realz. Thanks so much to the entire Steamboat community for supporting BLVD!
What was different was: This marks Souleye's first return to Steamboat since he moved to San Francisco (so BLVD could join forces once and for all!). We had a great turnout, and I know it was especially sweet for Souleye since he knows so many people in town.
BLVD has also been getting the royal treatment when it comes to the airwaves. Steamboat's local radio station has been playing Stamina (off our new album "Music For People") religiously. Much love to KFMU! We were also interviewed for the first time to television at Steamboat's local TV-18, which is broadcast to all the resort hotels. It was a fun experience to be on Steamboat Today, and somehow we all managed to be there for the 8am live broadcast! For myself especially, this is no small feat.
The icing on the cake was on our way to Denver (to begin our 8-show run opening for Lotus). Instead of just hearing ABOUT our song being played on KFMU, we tuned in and actually heard it for realz. Thanks so much to the entire Steamboat community for supporting BLVD!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Official Las Tortugas Schedule & Details
We are very happy to share the official Tortugas schedule grid, courtesy of our friends at Jambase. Click here for the link.
Tickets are NOT sold out!!
Buy a weekend pass now for only $125, with no extra ticketing fees. If you wait until you get up to the Lodge to buy tickets, the price jumps to $135 for a weekend pass, or $20 for Thursday only, or $45 for a Friday only, $45 for a Saturday only, or $45 for a Sunday only.
NIGHTLY COSTUME THEMES
Thursday: Welcome to the Jungle
Friday: Halloween Masquerade Ball/Costume Contest
Saturday: Naughty by Nature
Sunday: Gospel Jubilee
Check out the re-designed official Las Tortugas website.
Reminder...JamBase is giving away 2 VIP Passes, contest ends SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2!
Click here for the full Las Tortugas story.
Tickets are NOT sold out!!
Buy a weekend pass now for only $125, with no extra ticketing fees. If you wait until you get up to the Lodge to buy tickets, the price jumps to $135 for a weekend pass, or $20 for Thursday only, or $45 for a Friday only, $45 for a Saturday only, or $45 for a Sunday only.
NIGHTLY COSTUME THEMES
Thursday: Welcome to the Jungle
Friday: Halloween Masquerade Ball/Costume Contest
Saturday: Naughty by Nature
Sunday: Gospel Jubilee
Check out the re-designed official Las Tortugas website.
Reminder...JamBase is giving away 2 VIP Passes, contest ends SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2!
Click here for the full Las Tortugas story.
Tourblog by Tripp : Club DubDub : Houston : 10/4/08
We drove through the night from the Coalessence Festival in Eureka Springs, Arkansas to Houston, Texas... the first time BLVD would be visiting! Hurricane Ike hit the city about 3 weeks before, and the stories sounded like some pretty intense clean-up happened over the weeks leading up to our arrival... century-old trees with 10-foot stumps up-routed into the air... Showers of glass from windows breaking in the high winds... Days and days of chainsawing broken limbs... my favorite quote: "There's a sailboat in my yard and it's not mine."
Club Dub Dub is actually in a residential area called Houston Heights, nestled in the trees behind the owner's house. The venue itself actually has a rich history of bands playing there over the years. It's become a favorite tour stop for many bands on the road due the intimate setting and amazing hospitality. We were treated to a great dinner and had an entire section of the house to call home for the night.
It was an honor for BLVD to be the first performance at the Club since the hurricane had rolled through. The start time was earlier that we are used to for a Saturday night, but a good number of people made it out by 9:00 when we started. By the time we were in the thick of the show, you would have thought we were in a downtown club by how much the people were getting down.
The people of Houston that came out to the show were amazing and encouraged us to come again, and it was fun to spend time hanging out after the show. I was joking with some people that it was a pleasure to be done with the show before midnight, because usually we would be rolling into a hotel at 4:00 in the morning! But the concensus was that rocking at Club Dub Dub was the perfect way for people to shake off the vibes from the hurricane. Thanks for inviting us!
Club Dub Dub is actually in a residential area called Houston Heights, nestled in the trees behind the owner's house. The venue itself actually has a rich history of bands playing there over the years. It's become a favorite tour stop for many bands on the road due the intimate setting and amazing hospitality. We were treated to a great dinner and had an entire section of the house to call home for the night.
It was an honor for BLVD to be the first performance at the Club since the hurricane had rolled through. The start time was earlier that we are used to for a Saturday night, but a good number of people made it out by 9:00 when we started. By the time we were in the thick of the show, you would have thought we were in a downtown club by how much the people were getting down.
The people of Houston that came out to the show were amazing and encouraged us to come again, and it was fun to spend time hanging out after the show. I was joking with some people that it was a pleasure to be done with the show before midnight, because usually we would be rolling into a hotel at 4:00 in the morning! But the concensus was that rocking at Club Dub Dub was the perfect way for people to shake off the vibes from the hurricane. Thanks for inviting us!
Monday, October 6, 2008
'Music For People' Digital Distribution Begins Today, October 7, 2008
BLVD’s “Music For People” Brings Electro Hip Hop To The Masses
(San Francisco, CA – Tuesday October 7, 2008) – BLVD fuses live instruments with electronic production techniques to bring their audiences a refined and progressive musical experience. Combing hip-hop, house and breakbeat they continue to break down boundaries between dance club culture and the live music community.
BLVD was a three-piece instrumental ensemble until 2007 when they were joined on stage by the jet-setting MC Souleye. They had an immediate connection during an impromptu performance at the Tucson Gem and Jam and have been together ever since. BLVD's live interpretations of what are generally considered to be electronic musical forms blend naturally with Souleye's conscious and rhythmic approach to rapping. Souleye's partnership with BLVD is a natural convergence of two unique yet like-minded styles, and continues to earn these four talented artist great notoriety and devoted fans of many diverse musical tastes.
Drummer Dylan McIntosh and bassist Tripp Bains lock into deep, sub-woofing grooves while electric guitarist Curtis Sloane adds tight, rhythm based, melodic progressions and heavily effected looping patterns. Bridging gaps between hip-hop, drum & bass, electronica and funk, Souleye has emerged as one of the most sought-after MC's in the live music and dance club scenes. Together "they create an irresistible booty shaking combination of house, breakbeats and rock...tailor made for the dance floor" the founder of the Joshua Tree Music Festival, Barnett English, raves.
BLVD’s dynamic sound and broad appeal helped spark the fourth album "Music For People". Recorded live at Rodent Records to capture the group’s energy and chemistry, “Music For People” is a genre and mind-bending exploration of electro and hip-hop. Produced by McIntosh and Sloane and mixed at One Union Studio in San Francisco, fans are sure to be blown away by the electronic musical blends with conscious, thought provoking lyrics.
BLVD has become an unstoppable force as they push forward with their musical expansion, pulling you out of your seat and on to the dance floor.
Buy it now here!!
(San Francisco, CA – Tuesday October 7, 2008) – BLVD fuses live instruments with electronic production techniques to bring their audiences a refined and progressive musical experience. Combing hip-hop, house and breakbeat they continue to break down boundaries between dance club culture and the live music community.
BLVD was a three-piece instrumental ensemble until 2007 when they were joined on stage by the jet-setting MC Souleye. They had an immediate connection during an impromptu performance at the Tucson Gem and Jam and have been together ever since. BLVD's live interpretations of what are generally considered to be electronic musical forms blend naturally with Souleye's conscious and rhythmic approach to rapping. Souleye's partnership with BLVD is a natural convergence of two unique yet like-minded styles, and continues to earn these four talented artist great notoriety and devoted fans of many diverse musical tastes.
Drummer Dylan McIntosh and bassist Tripp Bains lock into deep, sub-woofing grooves while electric guitarist Curtis Sloane adds tight, rhythm based, melodic progressions and heavily effected looping patterns. Bridging gaps between hip-hop, drum & bass, electronica and funk, Souleye has emerged as one of the most sought-after MC's in the live music and dance club scenes. Together "they create an irresistible booty shaking combination of house, breakbeats and rock...tailor made for the dance floor" the founder of the Joshua Tree Music Festival, Barnett English, raves.
BLVD’s dynamic sound and broad appeal helped spark the fourth album "Music For People". Recorded live at Rodent Records to capture the group’s energy and chemistry, “Music For People” is a genre and mind-bending exploration of electro and hip-hop. Produced by McIntosh and Sloane and mixed at One Union Studio in San Francisco, fans are sure to be blown away by the electronic musical blends with conscious, thought provoking lyrics.
BLVD has become an unstoppable force as they push forward with their musical expansion, pulling you out of your seat and on to the dance floor.
Buy it now here!!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
BLVD on MTV!!
The moons have aligned and our new single "Music Is A Medicine" ended up on Making The Band 4. If you have the ability to record it, it is Episode 7 and it premiered last night (9.30.08). You will hear us during minute 52, right after a commercial break.
Also, check us out on Soundtrack to Making The Band 4's website. Just scroll to the bottom to see the "artist from this show". If you want to help us, click on our picture and vote for us. More votes gets us more exposure...you know the drill.
This is a very exciting time and we want you all to share in the excitement.
Want to be the first to own our newly released album "Music For People" featuring this song and the killer tune "Stamina", click here!!
Also, check us out on Soundtrack to Making The Band 4's website. Just scroll to the bottom to see the "artist from this show". If you want to help us, click on our picture and vote for us. More votes gets us more exposure...you know the drill.
This is a very exciting time and we want you all to share in the excitement.
Want to be the first to own our newly released album "Music For People" featuring this song and the killer tune "Stamina", click here!!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Zebra Lounge and The 8 Degrees of Ani DiFranco
Bozeman, MT : 7-25-08
So, we arrived in Bozeman and checked into the Lewis and Clark Motel (everything in this part of the country seems to be named after them btw). We learned that Ani DiFranco was playing a show in town the very same night, and we immediately sought out the venue to promote... which gave me an idea. You know how iTunes will tell you "people who bought X also bought Y"? So, I got on iTunes and tried to see how many degrees of separation there really are between BLVD and Ani.
ani difranco
pj harvey
stereolab
zero 7
massive attack
prefuse 73
modeselektor
vibesquad
BLVD
There ya go... i really wanted it to be 6 degrees, but facts is facts. I don't really see a lot of crossover, but maybe some Ani fans were at our show, who knows. Souleye was yelling at them out of our vehicle like a madman!
By: Tripp Bains
So, we arrived in Bozeman and checked into the Lewis and Clark Motel (everything in this part of the country seems to be named after them btw). We learned that Ani DiFranco was playing a show in town the very same night, and we immediately sought out the venue to promote... which gave me an idea. You know how iTunes will tell you "people who bought X also bought Y"? So, I got on iTunes and tried to see how many degrees of separation there really are between BLVD and Ani.
ani difranco
pj harvey
stereolab
zero 7
massive attack
prefuse 73
modeselektor
vibesquad
BLVD
There ya go... i really wanted it to be 6 degrees, but facts is facts. I don't really see a lot of crossover, but maybe some Ani fans were at our show, who knows. Souleye was yelling at them out of our vehicle like a madman!
By: Tripp Bains
Thursday, September 25, 2008
BLVD CD Release Party Saturday Night at Slim's in San Fran!
BLVD is having an "official" CD release party in support of their new upcoming album, Music For People, at Slim's in San Francisco, on Saturday, September 27th. Other amazing acts include S.F. local Random Rab, and a very special presentation by DJ James Christopher and KJ Sawka.
BLVD's dynamic sound and broad appeal helped spark their fourth album "Music For People". Produced by McIntosh and Sloane, "Music For People" is set for release in October 2008. This is the first album that captures the full spectrum of that unique and unexpected BLVD/Souleye sound. Recorded live at Rodent Records and mixed at One Union Studio in San Francisco, fans are sure to be blown away by the heavy hip-hop backdrop with conscious, thought-provoking lyrics.
James Christopher Featuring KJ Sawka -- San Francisco Premier of "The Savage Journey". An audio visual tribute to the early works of Dr. Hunter S Thompson
The Savage Journey will be set to the music of KJ Sawka. The purpose of The Savage Journey is to create a audio/visual music environment using visual imagery representing the concepts covered in the works of Dr. Thompson. The overall goal is to deliver a vision of Hunters point of view concerning politics, America and society using his most important writings as conceptual source material. Using modern computer imaging and 3D animation in combination with original stock footage from the 60's and 70's, our mission is to create a hyper surreal interpretation. During the SJ performance the imagery will be projected on no less than two movie screens and will be set to Drum & Bass with James Christopher mixing and KJ Sawka playing live .
Random Rab
Emerging from his own distinct corner of the West Coast electronic music scene, Random Rab offers a powerful, timeless contribution to sonic exploration. Rab is a master of manipulating our temporal awareness, leading us into seemingly ancient worlds, where to our amazement, we find visible shreds of the future. Allow his sound to catalyze your travels into haunting ecstasy, and you will not return to your same beginning. Playing only his own originally produced music live, the depth and craftsmanship of this offering is remarkable. With an array of drum machines, samplers, sequencers, and instruments, it is a clear devotion to expression and perfection. The beats are smooth, bold, and overwhelming. The original vocals, melodies and hitting bass merge seamlessly into a tapestry of unique and unexpected journeys."
Advance Tickets still available here. Tell your friends that it’ll save them time if they buy a pre-sale vs. waiting in line for tickets.
BLVD's dynamic sound and broad appeal helped spark their fourth album "Music For People". Produced by McIntosh and Sloane, "Music For People" is set for release in October 2008. This is the first album that captures the full spectrum of that unique and unexpected BLVD/Souleye sound. Recorded live at Rodent Records and mixed at One Union Studio in San Francisco, fans are sure to be blown away by the heavy hip-hop backdrop with conscious, thought-provoking lyrics.
James Christopher Featuring KJ Sawka -- San Francisco Premier of "The Savage Journey". An audio visual tribute to the early works of Dr. Hunter S Thompson
The Savage Journey will be set to the music of KJ Sawka. The purpose of The Savage Journey is to create a audio/visual music environment using visual imagery representing the concepts covered in the works of Dr. Thompson. The overall goal is to deliver a vision of Hunters point of view concerning politics, America and society using his most important writings as conceptual source material. Using modern computer imaging and 3D animation in combination with original stock footage from the 60's and 70's, our mission is to create a hyper surreal interpretation. During the SJ performance the imagery will be projected on no less than two movie screens and will be set to Drum & Bass with James Christopher mixing and KJ Sawka playing live .
Random Rab
Emerging from his own distinct corner of the West Coast electronic music scene, Random Rab offers a powerful, timeless contribution to sonic exploration. Rab is a master of manipulating our temporal awareness, leading us into seemingly ancient worlds, where to our amazement, we find visible shreds of the future. Allow his sound to catalyze your travels into haunting ecstasy, and you will not return to your same beginning. Playing only his own originally produced music live, the depth and craftsmanship of this offering is remarkable. With an array of drum machines, samplers, sequencers, and instruments, it is a clear devotion to expression and perfection. The beats are smooth, bold, and overwhelming. The original vocals, melodies and hitting bass merge seamlessly into a tapestry of unique and unexpected journeys."
Advance Tickets still available here. Tell your friends that it’ll save them time if they buy a pre-sale vs. waiting in line for tickets.
Monday, September 15, 2008
2 New BLVD CD Reviews
Album Review:
Music For People
September 4, 2008
Genre bending electro hip hop for those who think young and have the energy to shake it all night long accordingly. Truth? The hot, young accountant or lawyer that's bleary eyed at your morning meeting was out until 4 in the morning bopping to this, not looking at your file. Get her a Red Bull and an Urban Detox and make your move, with this as the soundtrack.
Midwest Record Recap
www.midwestrecord.com
September 12, 2008
Album Review:
Music For People
BLVD is the marriage of Colorado's MC Souleye and San Francisco electronic mavens BLVD. The trio has become four as MC Souleye ads his rhythmic poetry to BLVD's breaktronic sound. Music For People, BLVD's groundbreaking debut will be available on September 29, 2008. If you want to be on the forefront of a new musical experience, this is the place to start.
Recorded live in studio, Music For People captures the energy of a live show. You can't help moving to this music. Even the rhythm challenged will be moved by BLVD. Music For People is party music, or feel good music, or workout music, or whatever you want it to be. It's lyrically safe for young rap fans (parents will approve). Highlights include 108 Rose Petals, Stamina, Sounds Of Blvd and Alignment. The messages throughout are positive, the music is bright and energetic, and the band itself is more than just samples.
BLVD is a talented concatenation including MC Souleye, Dylan McIntosh (Drums/samples), Tripp Bains (Bass) and Curtis Sloane (Electric Guitar/samples). Music For People is just different enough and full of sufficient talent to make a dent in urban and pop radio. Don't be surprised if you hear a lot more of this band in the coming months.
Wildy
wildysworld.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Mahogany Ridge
Steamboat Springs, CO July 23, 2008
Steamboat Springs is the home of Souleye and his fiance: Jen Fritz. It has always been a favorite tour stop for us... Unlike many of the cities we play on tour, we have always played the same spot: Mahogany Ridge. They are a restaurant by day and a music venue by night. They have an extensive menu, but every one of us always orders the same thing: buffalo steaks with porter cream dipping sauce. It will not fail to disappoint! The steaks are great on their own, but they fact that Mahogany is a brewery and they make a sauce out of beer they brew themselves makes for a meal that I have dreams about.
On this visit, we got invited to do a radio interview at KFMU, local Steamboat radio. It was a great opportunity for us to promote the show, and they were kind enough to play a few tracks off our new album Music For People, as well. Thanks guys!
Once the interview was over, we went outside to find that one side of the trailer's axle had completely dislodged itself. It didn't actually come as a surprise, as we haven't been looked upon kindly by the trailer gods over the years. This was our second trailer, and third trailer axle. Trailer 1 died when we were driving back from Yosemite and a kind passer-by noticed the left tire looked "a little wobbly." When we stopped and jacked up the trailer, the tire completely fell off! Trailer 2 (New and Improved!) eventually had the exact same problem, only we replaced just the axle, not the entire trailer. With these wonderful experiences under our belt, this current dilemma came as no surprise. I was honestly surprised it hadn't happened sooner!
So we ever-so-carefully brought the trailer down to a safe place, then picked up a rental for the rest of the tour, and reloaded the gear. You can still go visit our old trailer somewhere in Steamboat, where you will likely find moss growing into the axle's cracks by a nearby sulphur spring.
The show at Mahogany Ridge that night was a great one, and that's saying a lot, considering how awesome the crowd is whenever we visit. It was a little bit sad since it was the last time we'd be there while Souleye and Jen lived there, but I'm psyched to go back in the winter.
And I'm definitely excited to have Souleye in San Francisco.
By: Tripp Bains
Steamboat Springs is the home of Souleye and his fiance: Jen Fritz. It has always been a favorite tour stop for us... Unlike many of the cities we play on tour, we have always played the same spot: Mahogany Ridge. They are a restaurant by day and a music venue by night. They have an extensive menu, but every one of us always orders the same thing: buffalo steaks with porter cream dipping sauce. It will not fail to disappoint! The steaks are great on their own, but they fact that Mahogany is a brewery and they make a sauce out of beer they brew themselves makes for a meal that I have dreams about.
On this visit, we got invited to do a radio interview at KFMU, local Steamboat radio. It was a great opportunity for us to promote the show, and they were kind enough to play a few tracks off our new album Music For People, as well. Thanks guys!
Once the interview was over, we went outside to find that one side of the trailer's axle had completely dislodged itself. It didn't actually come as a surprise, as we haven't been looked upon kindly by the trailer gods over the years. This was our second trailer, and third trailer axle. Trailer 1 died when we were driving back from Yosemite and a kind passer-by noticed the left tire looked "a little wobbly." When we stopped and jacked up the trailer, the tire completely fell off! Trailer 2 (New and Improved!) eventually had the exact same problem, only we replaced just the axle, not the entire trailer. With these wonderful experiences under our belt, this current dilemma came as no surprise. I was honestly surprised it hadn't happened sooner!
So we ever-so-carefully brought the trailer down to a safe place, then picked up a rental for the rest of the tour, and reloaded the gear. You can still go visit our old trailer somewhere in Steamboat, where you will likely find moss growing into the axle's cracks by a nearby sulphur spring.
The show at Mahogany Ridge that night was a great one, and that's saying a lot, considering how awesome the crowd is whenever we visit. It was a little bit sad since it was the last time we'd be there while Souleye and Jen lived there, but I'm psyched to go back in the winter.
And I'm definitely excited to have Souleye in San Francisco.
By: Tripp Bains
Samana Lounge
Vail, CO July 22, 2008
After our show in Denver, we kicked it a couple days in Boulder before driving up to our show on Tuesday in Vail. In case you missed my last blog, the drive down I-70 is a totally different experience in the summer. There's a stretch of road before you get to a tunnel which is pretty treacherous in the winter. We were on our way to Aspen when our trailer started fishtailing on a patch of ice... at 50 mph. After seeing our lives flash before our eyes, I don't think we cracked 20 mph the rest of the way.
Needless to say, the voyage was much smoother this time around. We met up with the promoter for the Samana Lounge, Peter Blick, who is also a great DJ. The venue itself is right in the main pedestrian area of Vail, and features a wall which looks as if one million candles have burned on it. Different colored waxes merging with stone in weird ways.
Before our show, Boombox was playing a free show at the Ampitheatre in town, so we went up after our soundcheck to scope out the tunes. They are a duo with Russ Randolph DJing and Zion Rock Godchaux on vocals and guitar. There were a bunch of people up at the show, and they were definitely into it... so much so in fact that they stormed the stage. Zion, normally quite cool in his demeanor, quite abruptly ended the show and they went off stage. The crowd quickly became hostile, demanding that they come back, but it became clear they wouldn't. The security force started running around the stage trying to corral people... this is some intense action for Vail!
We went down to Samana Lounge and played our show, and the crowd was pretty hype considering it was a Tuesday night. After things were over, Dylan spotted Zion from Boombox, who had been checking out our show. Excerpt of the conversation follows:
Dylan: "Sucks how they shut you down at the end of your set."
Zion: "It's Rock'n'Roll, bro."
By: Tripp Bains
After our show in Denver, we kicked it a couple days in Boulder before driving up to our show on Tuesday in Vail. In case you missed my last blog, the drive down I-70 is a totally different experience in the summer. There's a stretch of road before you get to a tunnel which is pretty treacherous in the winter. We were on our way to Aspen when our trailer started fishtailing on a patch of ice... at 50 mph. After seeing our lives flash before our eyes, I don't think we cracked 20 mph the rest of the way.
Needless to say, the voyage was much smoother this time around. We met up with the promoter for the Samana Lounge, Peter Blick, who is also a great DJ. The venue itself is right in the main pedestrian area of Vail, and features a wall which looks as if one million candles have burned on it. Different colored waxes merging with stone in weird ways.
Before our show, Boombox was playing a free show at the Ampitheatre in town, so we went up after our soundcheck to scope out the tunes. They are a duo with Russ Randolph DJing and Zion Rock Godchaux on vocals and guitar. There were a bunch of people up at the show, and they were definitely into it... so much so in fact that they stormed the stage. Zion, normally quite cool in his demeanor, quite abruptly ended the show and they went off stage. The crowd quickly became hostile, demanding that they come back, but it became clear they wouldn't. The security force started running around the stage trying to corral people... this is some intense action for Vail!
We went down to Samana Lounge and played our show, and the crowd was pretty hype considering it was a Tuesday night. After things were over, Dylan spotted Zion from Boombox, who had been checking out our show. Excerpt of the conversation follows:
Dylan: "Sucks how they shut you down at the end of your set."
Zion: "It's Rock'n'Roll, bro."
By: Tripp Bains
Saturday, August 16, 2008
BLVD Added to Las Tortugas Line-Up
Las Tortugas Dance of the Dead III, the annual Halloween soiree in Yosemite at Evergreen Lodge, is very pleased to announce some musical additions to an already stellar lineup. Tortugas veterans ALO will make a rare 2008 appearance. Joining ALO will be The Mother Hips, Trevor Garrod of Tea Leaf Green, Cornmeal, Flowmotion and Tracorum.
These bands will be joining a bill that already includes Tea Leaf Green, Hot Buttered Rum, host band Blue Turtle Seduction, Melvin Seals’ JGB, Lebo, Guitarmageddo, BLVD, and many other great bands and artists.
Taking place from October 30 - November 2, the Thursday night kick off party will include Hot Buttered Rum, The Mother Hips, Lebo and Friends, Blue Turtle Seduction, Poor Man’s Whiskey, Izabella, Wisebird and Dave Stein Bubhub.
Click here to buy tickets today!
These bands will be joining a bill that already includes Tea Leaf Green, Hot Buttered Rum, host band Blue Turtle Seduction, Melvin Seals’ JGB, Lebo, Guitarmageddo, BLVD, and many other great bands and artists.
Taking place from October 30 - November 2, the Thursday night kick off party will include Hot Buttered Rum, The Mother Hips, Lebo and Friends, Blue Turtle Seduction, Poor Man’s Whiskey, Izabella, Wisebird and Dave Stein Bubhub.
Click here to buy tickets today!
Monday, August 4, 2008
Denver
We took a few days rest after our trip to Chicago, then it was time to begin a 6 show run over 8 days, starting with a 20-hour drive to Denver! We had actually done a similar drive to Colorado last year when we relocated to a house outside Boulder to work on the music that eventually became Digital Disorder. The difference was: that drive was in the middle of winter and we were driving thru snowstorms and frigid wind in the middle of the night. This time around, it was refreshing to see the summer terrain and enjoy the mountain air, instead of keeping our traveling cabin airlocked for fear of hypothermia.
BoogiedDown Productions brought us to play Owsley's Golden Road is a venue right in downtown Denver, walking distance from the baseball stadium. These guys know how to hook it up! Really want to thank them once again for being such excellent hosts.It was also great to work again with Eric, who does a great job with lighting and projections. We also got to kick it with some of the fine people from Steamboat Springs, where Souleye currently lives with his girl, JenJen.
Chordata opened the night with a DJ set, and what do you know... the fire alarm goes off! It was pretty amazing to see 3 large fire engines and 2 police cars roll up to the venue in seconds flat... at least 10 firemen -- complete with oxygen tanks, axes, and full fireproof suits and helmets -- storm into the venue and head straight for the green room! They all seemed pretty pissed when it was just a false alarm, but it was pretty damn amusing to see everyone in the club mingling with the firemen.
After the smoke cleared (hehe) and Jantsen played a DJ set, we took the stage. We were excited to do a few tracks with Dominic from The Motet, who played sax with us on Music Is A Medicine, and well as doing some improv while Souleye did some beatboxing on the mic. Thanks to everyone who came out for the show, and thanks again to BoogieDown for inviting us! Hope to be back in Denver soon!
By:Tripp
BoogiedDown Productions brought us to play Owsley's Golden Road is a venue right in downtown Denver, walking distance from the baseball stadium. These guys know how to hook it up! Really want to thank them once again for being such excellent hosts.It was also great to work again with Eric, who does a great job with lighting and projections. We also got to kick it with some of the fine people from Steamboat Springs, where Souleye currently lives with his girl, JenJen.
Chordata opened the night with a DJ set, and what do you know... the fire alarm goes off! It was pretty amazing to see 3 large fire engines and 2 police cars roll up to the venue in seconds flat... at least 10 firemen -- complete with oxygen tanks, axes, and full fireproof suits and helmets -- storm into the venue and head straight for the green room! They all seemed pretty pissed when it was just a false alarm, but it was pretty damn amusing to see everyone in the club mingling with the firemen.
After the smoke cleared (hehe) and Jantsen played a DJ set, we took the stage. We were excited to do a few tracks with Dominic from The Motet, who played sax with us on Music Is A Medicine, and well as doing some improv while Souleye did some beatboxing on the mic. Thanks to everyone who came out for the show, and thanks again to BoogieDown for inviting us! Hope to be back in Denver soon!
By:Tripp
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
BLVD: Austin City Limits Battle of the Bands
The Sound and The Jury
Help us win a spot at The Austin City Limits Music Festival!!
Round One Voting Deadline is August 22
It is all about the votes!! We don't move to round two without your help now! Use all your e-mail addresses and ask your friends to vote...we need your help!
Click here to vote now!!!!
Thanks for your support and friends, please pass this on!
Help us win a spot at The Austin City Limits Music Festival!!
Round One Voting Deadline is August 22
It is all about the votes!! We don't move to round two without your help now! Use all your e-mail addresses and ask your friends to vote...we need your help!
Click here to vote now!!!!
Thanks for your support and friends, please pass this on!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Entheon and Kinetic Playground
Chicago, IL July 12, 2008
It was my birthday weekend, and what better way to celebrate than take a trip to Chicago to perform for the first time there with BLVD!
A little backstory: This past year at Burning Man, we were fortunate enough to be invited to play a show at Entheon Village... they had built an incredible dome, the largest one on the playa, visible from miles around in Black Rock City. The enormous white metal structure was composed of these enormous interlocking polygons, some covered with screens displaying ever-changing beautiful graphic projections. The space was energized with people when we took the stage on Friday night, and our MC Souleye was also camping with them. About halfway into our set, after performing many of our instrumental tracks, Souleye pulled up on Abraxas - Entheon's gigantic fire-breathing bronze double-decker mutant vehicle! He jumped on the stage with incredible fiery energy and rocked the rest of the set with us. Magikkal...
Flash-forward!!!! So it was wonderful to be invited to Entheon's hometown after having such a great experience with their crew this past summer. Kinetic Playground is a sleek venue across the street from the famous Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, with shiny corrugated metal walls and subdued lighting. The Entheon crew did a fantastic job decorating every square inch of wall space with beautiful psychedelic tapestries - some of which I had remembered seeing in their dome from the summer. We were also honored to share the stage with MO2 and Ana Sia, rounding out an all-BayArea night (2000 miles from San Francisco) LOL!
MO2 opened the show, and it was great to see them perform again, after having just seen them before our set the previous weekend at High Sierra. We took the stage after they were done and had a lot of fun playing for the Entheon crew... they definitely know how to get down! Souleye was kind enough to point out that it was my birthday more than once on the mic! THEN... what better way to celebrate the completion of another lap around the sun than to groove to Ana Sia doing her thing surrounded by the beautiful people of Entheon Village.
The Kinetic Playground is actually one of the only venues in Chicago to serve alcohol until 5am, something I'm not used to out in California.... so combined with the fact that it was my birthday, it was a winning combination, and the Patron was flowing until the sun came up. Local DJ Cringer finished out the night with a nice dubstep set, always appropriate for the wee hours....
Thanks again to the Entheon crew for inviting BLVD to play Chicago, and I look forward to seeing them again this summer!
By: Tripp Bains
It was my birthday weekend, and what better way to celebrate than take a trip to Chicago to perform for the first time there with BLVD!
A little backstory: This past year at Burning Man, we were fortunate enough to be invited to play a show at Entheon Village... they had built an incredible dome, the largest one on the playa, visible from miles around in Black Rock City. The enormous white metal structure was composed of these enormous interlocking polygons, some covered with screens displaying ever-changing beautiful graphic projections. The space was energized with people when we took the stage on Friday night, and our MC Souleye was also camping with them. About halfway into our set, after performing many of our instrumental tracks, Souleye pulled up on Abraxas - Entheon's gigantic fire-breathing bronze double-decker mutant vehicle! He jumped on the stage with incredible fiery energy and rocked the rest of the set with us. Magikkal...
Flash-forward!!!! So it was wonderful to be invited to Entheon's hometown after having such a great experience with their crew this past summer. Kinetic Playground is a sleek venue across the street from the famous Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, with shiny corrugated metal walls and subdued lighting. The Entheon crew did a fantastic job decorating every square inch of wall space with beautiful psychedelic tapestries - some of which I had remembered seeing in their dome from the summer. We were also honored to share the stage with MO2 and Ana Sia, rounding out an all-BayArea night (2000 miles from San Francisco) LOL!
MO2 opened the show, and it was great to see them perform again, after having just seen them before our set the previous weekend at High Sierra. We took the stage after they were done and had a lot of fun playing for the Entheon crew... they definitely know how to get down! Souleye was kind enough to point out that it was my birthday more than once on the mic! THEN... what better way to celebrate the completion of another lap around the sun than to groove to Ana Sia doing her thing surrounded by the beautiful people of Entheon Village.
The Kinetic Playground is actually one of the only venues in Chicago to serve alcohol until 5am, something I'm not used to out in California.... so combined with the fact that it was my birthday, it was a winning combination, and the Patron was flowing until the sun came up. Local DJ Cringer finished out the night with a nice dubstep set, always appropriate for the wee hours....
Thanks again to the Entheon crew for inviting BLVD to play Chicago, and I look forward to seeing them again this summer!
By: Tripp Bains
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
High Sierra Music Festival
Quincy, CA July 4-5, 2008
The best thing about going to High Sierra was that there were rumors it wouldn't even happen! Tons of fires were burning throughout California, roads were intermittently closed, and the fire department was actually using the fairgrounds as a headquarters until right before the festival began! It's a testament to the warriors who fight those fires that we even had a High Sierra...
That being said, it was great to never hear "it's cancelled" and we rolled in on Friday afternoon, July 4th and set up camp. After catching the end of MO2's set, we set up on the Shady Grove stage as the sun was setting. It was great to see so many people make their way over to the stage to see us play... the weather was perfect! Dylan's little nephew Jack even busted out some dance moves. As it got dark, it was harder to see all the people, but the word afterwards was that there had never been that many people at that stage before! And... the dust cloud from all the dancing was pretty intense... I had a great time rawking out.
Managed to see the end of EOTO's set with Lynx sitting in, along with the Spam Allstars late night in the Tulsa --- the same room our late would be in the following evening. After kickin' it with the good people at Javagogo for a bit, got a little rest...
The next morning had a chance to catch Lynx play solo with Jamie Janover before napping a bit. Did our loadin and soundcheck, then caught the end of Buckethead's set. The dude can do weird stuff with a guitar, that's all i can say... he's a monster.
Our set time was listed as "1:45 - ?". Ahh the dubious question mark. After talking with people about previous years' late night shows, it became clear that many people might expect us to play until dawn. While a typical set for us is about 90 minutes, we put a set together that definitely pushed the envelope. We like to hit people hard and not draw things out too much... The crowd was full of energy from the get-go, and it was awesome to see a lot of familiar faces from Javagogo right in front. Also had the pleasure of having Lynx sit in with us for a song and jam with Souleye a bit on the mic.
My favorite moment was at the end of the set... the place was HOT. I went thru more towels than i can remember, and that was with multiple fans blasting on stage. I'm sure the crowd was exhausted too, but the adrenaline was carrying us through. We played "Stamina" and I picked out this girl in the crowd, jumping up and down, fist in the air, eyes closed... I'm thinking to myself "I'm about to fall over, how can she still be jumping in the air?!" but as the lyric goes... "Move like you
never have before, here's some stamina!" It was seriously powerful.
Got lots of compliments seeing people the next day. Thanks to everyone who I had a chance to talk with... we had a great time!
By: Tripp Bains
The best thing about going to High Sierra was that there were rumors it wouldn't even happen! Tons of fires were burning throughout California, roads were intermittently closed, and the fire department was actually using the fairgrounds as a headquarters until right before the festival began! It's a testament to the warriors who fight those fires that we even had a High Sierra...
That being said, it was great to never hear "it's cancelled" and we rolled in on Friday afternoon, July 4th and set up camp. After catching the end of MO2's set, we set up on the Shady Grove stage as the sun was setting. It was great to see so many people make their way over to the stage to see us play... the weather was perfect! Dylan's little nephew Jack even busted out some dance moves. As it got dark, it was harder to see all the people, but the word afterwards was that there had never been that many people at that stage before! And... the dust cloud from all the dancing was pretty intense... I had a great time rawking out.
Managed to see the end of EOTO's set with Lynx sitting in, along with the Spam Allstars late night in the Tulsa --- the same room our late would be in the following evening. After kickin' it with the good people at Javagogo for a bit, got a little rest...
The next morning had a chance to catch Lynx play solo with Jamie Janover before napping a bit. Did our loadin and soundcheck, then caught the end of Buckethead's set. The dude can do weird stuff with a guitar, that's all i can say... he's a monster.
Our set time was listed as "1:45 - ?". Ahh the dubious question mark. After talking with people about previous years' late night shows, it became clear that many people might expect us to play until dawn. While a typical set for us is about 90 minutes, we put a set together that definitely pushed the envelope. We like to hit people hard and not draw things out too much... The crowd was full of energy from the get-go, and it was awesome to see a lot of familiar faces from Javagogo right in front. Also had the pleasure of having Lynx sit in with us for a song and jam with Souleye a bit on the mic.
My favorite moment was at the end of the set... the place was HOT. I went thru more towels than i can remember, and that was with multiple fans blasting on stage. I'm sure the crowd was exhausted too, but the adrenaline was carrying us through. We played "Stamina" and I picked out this girl in the crowd, jumping up and down, fist in the air, eyes closed... I'm thinking to myself "I'm about to fall over, how can she still be jumping in the air?!" but as the lyric goes... "Move like you
never have before, here's some stamina!" It was seriously powerful.
Got lots of compliments seeing people the next day. Thanks to everyone who I had a chance to talk with... we had a great time!
By: Tripp Bains
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Flagstaff Brewing Company
Flagstaff, AZ June 28, 2008
The following morning, we needed to return our 1-day rental and get a van to drive the 500 miles to Flagstaff. Of course, getting to bed at 7am makes it hard to get that done by 9am, but we powered it out as best we could. Our man at the van rental thought we weren't going to be there until 1pm, so that didn't help matters, considering we had to transfer all our gear from our trailer. Getting the new rental van was quite a blessing driving thru the Mojave Desert, since our broken-down Suburban's AC is out-of-commision. That doesn't bode well when travelling thru 115-degree heat!
Once we got on the road tho, we stayed in contact with everyone involved with the show in Flag to make sure the show would still go off. Luckily, a local DJ was able to open the night to give us time to set-up our gear and soundcheck. It all went quite smoothly, and we were able to start our show on-time after taking advantage of Arizona's high speed limit, haha! Thanks also to the crew at the patio for powering thru the set-up process! The actual patio is a great place to play compared with the indoor show we had done at the Flag Brew in the winter... let's just say, there's more... space.
By: Tripp Bains
Once we got on the road tho, we stayed in contact with everyone involved with the show in Flag to make sure the show would still go off. Luckily, a local DJ was able to open the night to give us time to set-up our gear and soundcheck. It all went quite smoothly, and we were able to start our show on-time after taking advantage of Arizona's high speed limit, haha! Thanks also to the crew at the patio for powering thru the set-up process! The actual patio is a great place to play compared with the indoor show we had done at the Flag Brew in the winter... let's just say, there's more... space.
By: Tripp Bains
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Cre8tivity
Venice Beach, CA June 27, 2008
We left San Diego en route to our show with Cre8tivity in Venice Beach. After going about 50 miles, the fuel pump on our battle-worn Suburban decided it's time had come. The scrambling then ensued! There was no way the pump could be replaced, and we had to get 6 people and our gear up to LA in 3 hours. Everyone on their phones calling every local Orange County rental establishment finally got the job done, and we rolled into Venice Beach with a little time to grab some local pizza and sandos after parking on Electric Avenue (i kid you not).
A friend who used to live in Venice had told me that Cre8tivity had been blowing up... Souleye and Dylan did a show with them a few months back, which helped pave the way for this BLVD show. The venue was beautiful -- hardwood floors, ornate wood trim... and a huge outdoor area featuring massive projections of the psychedelic variety coupled with fire dancers galore! While sound checking, a comment was made "It's going to be HOT in here" and that prediction definitely came true. Thank god for industrial-sized fans, because from the moment we started our set, the sweat was pouring down my face. I can only assume similar things were happening to other people's faces!
By: Tripp Bains
A friend who used to live in Venice had told me that Cre8tivity had been blowing up... Souleye and Dylan did a show with them a few months back, which helped pave the way for this BLVD show. The venue was beautiful -- hardwood floors, ornate wood trim... and a huge outdoor area featuring massive projections of the psychedelic variety coupled with fire dancers galore! While sound checking, a comment was made "It's going to be HOT in here" and that prediction definitely came true. Thank god for industrial-sized fans, because from the moment we started our set, the sweat was pouring down my face. I can only assume similar things were happening to other people's faces!
By: Tripp Bains
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Harmony Festival
Santa Rosa, CA June 6-8, 2008
Techno Tribal, hosted at Harmony Festival by Mystic Beat Lounge, was something I'd heard about from friends who had attended in years' past. It sounded so over the top, that when BLVD was booked to play, I was so excited, and even a little humbled. That being said, we were ready to bring it big time!
The day of the show, we arrived, and after being welcomed by the awesome staff, we went to the Grace Pavilion to load in our gear. Upon entering the building, the scope of the event was immediately apparent. The decorations and and size of the room were impressive to say the least. We set up, soundchecked, and spent the next few hours seeing the rest of the festival.
When we took the stage, Damian Marley (headliner for the night) was still on outdoors, so we had maybe 200 people watching. Over the course of the set, that number grew to over 4000. I got incredibly high just looking at the constantly growing masses in the pavilion, and was probably visibly freaking out on stage as the set neared a close. It was an awesome crowd, and spending time with the other artists backstage was also a great time. Thanks to Mystic Beat Lounge for putting together such a great event... I'm sure it will be a hit for years to come!
By: Tripp Bains
The day of the show, we arrived, and after being welcomed by the awesome staff, we went to the Grace Pavilion to load in our gear. Upon entering the building, the scope of the event was immediately apparent. The decorations and and size of the room were impressive to say the least. We set up, soundchecked, and spent the next few hours seeing the rest of the festival.
When we took the stage, Damian Marley (headliner for the night) was still on outdoors, so we had maybe 200 people watching. Over the course of the set, that number grew to over 4000. I got incredibly high just looking at the constantly growing masses in the pavilion, and was probably visibly freaking out on stage as the set neared a close. It was an awesome crowd, and spending time with the other artists backstage was also a great time. Thanks to Mystic Beat Lounge for putting together such a great event... I'm sure it will be a hit for years to come!
By: Tripp Bains
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Lightning In a Bottle
Santa Barbara, CA May 23-26, 2008
By: Tripp Bains
Driving up the windy hill from Santa Barbara, we arrived in the late afternoon Friday to Lightning in a Bottle. After rounding the bend the first thing we noticed was how many more people had started packing into the camping areas compared to the previous year's festivities.
Then we saw it: the beautiful Bamboo Stage... an incredible structure made with gigantic bamboo poles and strips, all organically weaved together to amass into the main stage for the weekend. After checking in with the festival, we learned that that it had rained... ALOT. Therefore, all the set times had to be truncated and we'd only be playing half the time we had expected. While this was unexpected, it was also quite fortuitous, because we had just come from Los Angeles where we had finished mastering our newest album "Music For People" -- our fourth release, but our first featuring our man on the mic, Souleye. It was the perfect opportunity to play the new tracks.
After watching West Indian Girl put on a great set, our performance was basically a short and sweet BLVD show, featuring the new album from start to finish. It was a great start to the weekend for us, and the Friday night time slot allowed us to relax for the rest of the weekend and see lots of other artists throw down with our performance already under our belt. The Do Lab brought it big time, and it's clearly this festival is blowing up in a big way!
Then we saw it: the beautiful Bamboo Stage... an incredible structure made with gigantic bamboo poles and strips, all organically weaved together to amass into the main stage for the weekend. After checking in with the festival, we learned that that it had rained... ALOT. Therefore, all the set times had to be truncated and we'd only be playing half the time we had expected. While this was unexpected, it was also quite fortuitous, because we had just come from Los Angeles where we had finished mastering our newest album "Music For People" -- our fourth release, but our first featuring our man on the mic, Souleye. It was the perfect opportunity to play the new tracks.After watching West Indian Girl put on a great set, our performance was basically a short and sweet BLVD show, featuring the new album from start to finish. It was a great start to the weekend for us, and the Friday night time slot allowed us to relax for the rest of the weekend and see lots of other artists throw down with our performance already under our belt. The Do Lab brought it big time, and it's clearly this festival is blowing up in a big way!
By: Tripp Bains
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
710 Club
San Diego, CA June 26, 2008
By: Tripp Bains
We arrived in San Diego under beautiful skies on Thursday and loaded our gear into the new 710 Club, which used to be Blind Melon's. One of the great things about this venue is it's proximity to the beach, which was literally around the corner! So after loading in the gear we had a chance to take in the sunset.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Vokab Company - 2 local MC's with original rhymes, who warmed up the packed house. They merged with Frame of Mind on this particular night, a 5 piece band with drums, guitar, bass, keys/trombone, and flute/sax. The crowd was diggin it, and BLVD kept things rocking until the venue had to close down.
It was a pleasure to see so many people come out to support live music, when they have multiple options nearby with no cover in Pacific Beach. Our friend Tim also did some dope projections for the show, who we originally collaborated with at the Joshua Tree Music Fest back in May.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Vokab Company - 2 local MC's with original rhymes, who warmed up the packed house. They merged with Frame of Mind on this particular night, a 5 piece band with drums, guitar, bass, keys/trombone, and flute/sax. The crowd was diggin it, and BLVD kept things rocking until the venue had to close down.
It was a pleasure to see so many people come out to support live music, when they have multiple options nearby with no cover in Pacific Beach. Our friend Tim also did some dope projections for the show, who we originally collaborated with at the Joshua Tree Music Fest back in May.
By: Tripp Bains
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
