Newsy Bits: Anthology Closes, Pacific Magazine Music Feature and more...

So I have been meaning to catch up but let's just say I'm taking my time getting into the swing of a new year, and the time I set aside to write seems to disappear quickly when I'm bouncing around town on my new bike or going to the zoo or hanging with Darren or playing Words With Friends (guilty). So anyway, you've heard that 4th & B and now Anthology have closed down. I would guess that you can probably expect both venues to reopen under new owners at some point, but nobody can really be sure at this point. CityBeat covered the story quite thoroughly this week, as did the U-T, and I was on NBC news last week to chat about it (you can read their article here). I thought it would be inappropriate to mention the divorce of the owners, but apparently that is fair game and the most obvious reason behind the closure.

View more videos at: http://nbcsandiego.com.

I also meant to share the link to Pacific Magazine in case you hadn't seen the music feature yet. Me, Pyles, Tim Maze, Candace Mandracia, Johnny Shockey, and Freddie Harb were asked to make music assessments and predictions. Pretty cool, I have to say.

I really didn't have a whole lot of other stuff to talk about that I haven't mentioned already. 91X has their 30th Anniversary party this weekend so that is a pretty awesome achievement. I remember being a kid on my skateboard and listening to early versions of the station (I loved Duran Duran and Tears For Fears at the time), and we've all seen them transform over the years and endure radio ups and downs and ownership changes. Congratulations to everyone who has been a part of the station over the years.

And speaking of anniversaries...the Casbah has been around for 24 years now, and though the whole month is part of the celebration, I guess you can call this weekend the official anniversary weekend, with Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys on Friday and Mrs. Magician, The Howls, The Short Eyes, and Teenage Burritos on Saturday. You can grab Big Sandy tickets for just $5 at M-Theory.

And while I'm talking about the Casbah...a while back I Am Not A Hipster shot some scenes at the club and the movie screened at Sundance and with a couple showings around town, and if you helped Kickstart the project, you should have your DVD by now, but if you still haven't seen it, you can catch a screening on Thursday night at the Ken Cinema. Go here for information.



Ok, early morning biking means I'm going to sleep.

Congratulations To Michael Tiernan!- ISC Honorable Mention

Today the International Songwriting Competition 2011 winners were announced. There is a grand prize which went to Kimbra for her song, "Cameo Lover" and then winners in several categories were announced. You can see and hear all of the winners here, but I wanted to give an extra congratulations to local Michael Tiernan, whose song "LA Can Wait" grabbed an Honorable Mention in the AAA (Adult Album Alternative) category.

This year, ISC received over 16,000 entries from 112 countries throughout the world, representing all genres of contemporary music. With an esteemed panel of judges including luminaries Tom Waits, Kelly Clarkson, Wynonna, Jeff Beck, McCoy Tyner, Ozzy Osbourne, Lucinda Williams, Keane, and many more, winning the ISC Grand Prize is an extraordinary accomplishment that recognizes excellence in the craft of songwriting.

You can see Michael Tiernan and his band perform at Anthology on May 19 for The Reader's Loyal Reader Appreciation night.

Bela Fleck & The Flecktones Original Lineup Coming to San Diego

Bela Fleck & The Flecktones are playing four-yes,  four!!- shows this Tuesday and Wednesday at Anthology.  They are performing with the original lineup which includes Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, Roy "Future Man" Wooten and Howard Levy.  Individually they are some of the best musicians for their respective instruments.  Bela Fleck is one of the best banjo players ever (if you google best banjo player his wiki page is the first result), Victor Wooten in my mind and many others is the best bass player in the world, and Future Man created his own instrument which incorporates both guitar and drums. For the past decade Jeff Coffin has been the fourth member on saxophone, however this is the original line up with Howard Levy mixing things up by playing piano and harmonica.  Together they push each other to create an unbelievable fusion of bluegrass and jazz.  Tickets are going fast and some of the seating is sold out so make sure to get your tickets asap.

Tonight at Anthology: Good Old War

Good Old War are back in town tonight! I love this band. They're such sweet guys, great songwriters, and excellent performers. This ain't no hipster shit, just good solid music that makes you feel good to see and makes you want to sing along. If you don't have other plans, I suggest you call Anthology and make a reservation now. This is a playlist of a show they played at Porter's Pub last year. There are 10 videos in this playlist. Make sure to check out the last song, "Loud Love", which I believe is still unreleased but is pretty much a perfect song to me. Enjoy.

The Barr Brothers at Anthology, November 1, 2011

I see live music nearly every night of the week which means that, if you include the days and nights when I hop to multiple shows, the amount of bands I see annually is somewhere in the high hundreds to low thousands. I love music and I love bands and I'm constantly impressed by shows, but I have to say that because I have such a high music tolerance (if that makes sense), it takes something really magical to blow my mind. Last night's show with The Barr Brothers was just that kind of show.

Going into the night, I had skimmed the press releases and such. The publicist added this note:

I saw them live in NYC recently and they were amazing. They're known for a kind of a mad-scientist approach to instrumentation, which includes a classical harp played through a fuzz pedal, an electric toolbox guitar, a hand-made peanut dish banjo, an old air-compressor and a PVC xylophone. It comes together to create beautiful, nuanced indie-folk with African rhythms and swampy rock guitar riffs thrown in.

I've had the album for a couple weeks and have listened to it several times, but maybe I hadn't listened in the right headspace or listening on my laptop wasn't the best way to go or maybe I just wasn't paying attention, because in no way was I prepared for the show we got. See more after the jump.

Tonight At Anthology: The Barr Brothers

photo by Andre Guerette, courtesy Shorefire

The Barr Brothers recently released a self-titled album on Secret City Records and if you haven't had the chance to pick it up (or download, as you probably do), you're missing out on quite the gem of the kind of folky rock that makes this blogger swoon. I don't know who you trust as your music filters or tastemakers, but when a band gets a video premiere on NPR, or is gushed about on My Old Kentucky Blog, WXPN and the like, and credible reviewers describe the band as a cross of the Avett Brothers and Blitzen Trapper, I can be  fairly certain that I'm gonna trust those sources and dig the band. The Barr Brothers are playing tonight at Anthology and as far as I know there are still tickets available. Don't trust me on this one, trust NPR.

Jeff's Weekly Pick: Diego Garcia @ Anthology Saturday, June 4, 2011

For those unfamiliar with the New York based indie rock band Elefant, led by singer Diego Garcia, released three albums before officially calling it quits last year. The albums reflected sounds of The Cure and other 80s inspired music. Garcia was born in the US, eventually settling in New York to pursue a career in music, with an economics degree as a financial backup. Raised in Argentina, Diego started playing acoustic guitar in his teens and has gone back to his musical roots since going it on his own. The recently released Laura, on upstart Latin label Nacional Records, is nothing short of phenomenal. The title is in reference to Garcia’s wife, and he definitely has found a musical style that suits him. The songs flow with ease from start to end and is a must listen. Radio station KCRW has been promoting the talented singer songwriter and deservedly so. San Diego gets its opportunity to see Diego Garcia live this Friday at the beautiful supper club Anthology. This should be the perfect venue for Diego to showcase his talent. Don’t miss this artist as a great way to spend a romantic Saturday night.

Watch a video of You Were Never There below.

Jeff's Weekly Pick: William Fitzsimmons @ Anthology Friday May 6, 2011

One of the lesser known musicians in the ever growing eclectic folk genre is Pennsylvania native William Fitzsimmons. Born to blind parents who were musically inclined led William to pursue a degee in the mental health field. Home recordings became the subject matter of his initial album, and subsequent songs were featured on Grey's Anatomy. Touring with more popular musicians before solo tours have garnered a growing fan base for the long bearded singer who possesses a hushed vocal delivery. He is able to play many instruments, but focuses mostly on the guitar in the live setting.

His current tour,which brings Mr. Fitzsimmons to the swank downtown club Anthology this Friday, is in support of his fifth album, Gold In The Shadow. Divorce has been a recurring theme in his music on previous albums. While the songs seem sad in nature, there is a certain feeling of hope which becomes apparent to the listener. Having seen Fitzsimmons perform several times, I am always struck by his ability to not take things too seriously, as he brings a dry sense of humor to the stage. Once you have seen William Fitzsimmons, you will probably not forget him for a long time, and that is a wonderful thing indeed.

Slow Runner sets the stage.

Watch a video of The Tide Pulls From the Moon below.

The Tide Pulls From the Moon


William Fitzsimmons Myspace Video

SoundDiego Session: Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels

As I mentioned yesterday, I spent the evening at NBC studios as Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels recorded two songs to help promote this Thursday night's SoundDiego Live event at Anthology. The first of those videos, for "Fool's Errand", is available for your viewing pleasure below. I also shot the songs with my little HD camera, so after I review, I'm sure we'll be posting those down the line as well.

I hope to see all of your pretty faces out for the free show on Thursday night. There will be drink specials all night ($3 beer/$5 wine), so it won't break the bank, plus you get two great bands with The Blackout Party and Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcsandiego.com.

Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels: Pyles Session & SoundDiego Live

On Friday I had the pleasure of hanging out at SDRL...Stereo Disguise Recording Laboraties...as Keith Milgaten and Pall Jenkins recording a Pyles Session with Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels. The full session will be broadcast tonight on The Local 94/9 on FM 94/9 at 9:30. If you're not near a radio or outside of San Diego, you can stream the show online here.

Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels will be performing a free show this Thursday night at Anthology with The Blackout Party. Doors are at 9:30 pm and there will be drink and appetizer specials all night long. I'll even be providing the music between bands. Click the flier to RSVP for the event, and we hope to see you on Thursday night.



This is an outtake from before the session. I was on a weird ladder, so sorry it gets kinda shaky for a minute as I adjusted my position.

Jeff's Weekly Pick: Tina Dico @ Anthology Thursday February 10, 2011

Danish singer songwriter Tina Dico (nee Dickow) has been quite busy of late. She recently released her seventh album, Welcome Back Colour, in Europe with an early 2011 release date in North America. The album contains a total of 27 songs, a mix of new, acoustic and favorites from her previous work. What distinguishes Tina from most of her cohorts is her individuality in both her singing and profession. She decided to start her own label, Finest Gramophone, back in 2000. Rather than recruit other artists to her label, her main objective was to have an outlet to maintain creative control. Moving to England in 2002 to stimulate this creativity was a part of the process. While achieving great success in her homeland, gaining a worldwide audience has proven to be a much taller task. Tina returned to her native Denmark to live in 2009.

Tina Dico has played in San Diego several times, from the Casbah to the smaller stage at the House of Blues. She has a powerful yet soothing vocal delivery. Many fans know her from her stint with Zero 7, which was a wonderful match for both. Watching her perform in the near perfect (acoustic) room at Anthology should prove to be a wonderful evening for all in attendance.

Trevor Davis sets the stage.

Watch a video of On The Run below.


Tina Dico - On The Run


Tina Dico Myspace Video

Jeff's Weekly Pick: The Autumn Defense @ Anthology Thursday February 3, 2011

Photo by Mae Moreno,
Courtesy Yep Roc

I am a firm believer in the old adage that the cream rises to the top. In the less publicized world of indie music, such is the case when one listens to The Autumn Defense, a group formed in 1999 by Wilco bassist John Stirratt and multi instrumentalist and producer Pat Sansone. The group has released four full lengths to date, the latest being Once Around on Yep Roc last November. As of 2004, Sansone has also become a full fledged member of the much more popular band Wilco. If one word could best describe the music of this low key spin off group it would be pleasant. It is very evident to notice the influence the 60s and 70s have on their music. Some might say that the sound is too steeped in the past, while I believe it has enough originality to bring it to the current era. The production on all the albums is top notch, reflecting Sansone's talent as a producer.

Sometimes music is at its best when the listener is swept away in more subtle ways rather than a tidal wave. Such is the case in point: The Autumn Defense consistently produce instantly accessible quality music. Come see (and listen) for yourself this Thursday when the group makes a rare San Diego appearance at downtown's beautiful supper club Anthology. Even if you have not heard the music before, it will seem like reaquainting yourself with a friend you lost touch with years ago.

Jonathan Wilson sets the stage.

Watch a video of Bluebirds Fall below.

The Bad Plus at Anthology, 12/8/10

All the music aficionados came out for The Bad Plus, who playing a long and fascinating set at Anthology.









For more photos, check my blog post on the show. If any SD/LA bands want some professional looking photos of a live show or promo shoot, let me know.

Tonight: Matt Hires at Anthology

Matt Hires will be at Anthology tonight. It's an early show (at 7:30) so you can still make it out to another destination of get home early enough to prepare for your Monday morning blues.

Here are two versions of his song "Out of The Dark". The version from the harbor cruise is my 2nd most viewed video, which I'm sure is a direct result of the placement of this song in a pivotal scene in Grey's Anatomy. Over 47,000 views!





And this is a song called "A To B". At the time this was filmed, it wasn't yet recorded, but not it's available on an EP of the same name.

Old Photographs: Greg Laswell @ Anthology, 6/11/2010

Some more old photos...Greg Laswell performed at Anthology (June 11, 2010) and it was a bit of a homecoming as well as a CD release show. I started my night at the Casbah, catching Old Tiger's debut there, then hurried to Anthology to catch the end of Brian Knight and all of Greg's set. This was a rare show at Anthology, where the tables had been moved and the crowd was standing in around the stage. Some yuppie chick with a giant purse kept pushing me with it, letting me know that she was saving her friend's spot with the luggage on her shoulder. Greg, I love you, but the more your music spreads, the more I hate your bitchy stalker fans.



Another thing of note was the ring on Greg's finger. My friend later told me that Greg and Ingrid Michaelson were wed, however this week I talked to Cary Brothers about it and he said they're engaged, but not yet married. Either way, I'm happy for the talented couple. More pictures if you click 'keep on reading' below.

One eskimO & Alpha Rev at Anthology, July 1

Earlier this week, Jeff posted his pick of the week with the One eskimO and Alpha Rev show. We've had the pleasure of seeing both bands; One eskimO played a KPRI show at Soundwave and Alpha Rev played for the station at West Coast Tavern. Both are playing tomorrow at Anthology, and while first floor tickets are sold out, some V-tix are still available here.

Here are the videos from both shows, and while the videos are decent, I guarantee this is a show you want to see live, especially in a beautiful venue like Anthology.

Jeff's Weekly Pick: Greg Laswell @ Anthology Friday June 11, 2010

Greg Laswell has been an integral part of the independent music scene in San Diego for many years. Earning his chops by playing in small bars and clubs was the way for him to gain an audience while learning his profession. Since going out on his own, Greg has recently released his fourth LP, Take A Bow. While listening to his music, it becomes apparent how emotionally charged his songs are and always have been. Greg has started a new chapter in his personal life with a recent move to Brooklyn. This is reflected in his songwriting and shows an artist really hitting his stride. It is easy to take things for granted, since Greg plays live music in San Diego on a regular basis. Now that he is based on the East Coast, there is no telling how frequent his future visits will be. Fortunately for local fans, Mr. Laswell will be performing at the beautiful Anthology supper club this Friday. Here is as opportunity to listen to songs from his newest effort (cd release show), as well as songs from his previous albums. This promises to be be a special evening and a wonderful way to start the weekend.

Brian Wright sets the stage.

Watch a video of Take Everything below.

Greg Laswell "Take Everything" from Vanguard Records on Vimeo.

Mindy Smith & Landon Pigg @ Anthology, 1.21.10

Before making my way to Casbah for Sezio's big night on Thursday, I went to Antholigy to see Landon Pigg and Mindy Smith. Jeff bought tickets so we decided to make our way down early to have some dinner before the show. I'd been to Anthology for a few happy hours and had some snacks, but having a full dinner was phenomenal, and I recommend it to anyone heading there for a show. Anthology is tied in with the SoundDiego project, and as such I mentioned I'd be there and was super grateful for the complimentary appetizer...goat-cheese stuffed medjool dates wrapped in bacon. My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

But enough about the food. The show, too, was excellent. Landon Pigg started the night and while I wasn't familiar with his music, I happened to recall that he was the first musician to ever friend request me on MySpace. I guess the name just always stuck out. Over the years he's played San Diego a handful of times but I'd never listened to his music until he played this song, and he solved the mystery of "who sings that one sing in that one commercial" for me:



He was cute and awkward about the seated crowd eating dinner, but his music was great and the piano accompaniment was perfect for the venue.



After Landon finished, there was a quick break (less than 10 minutes) before Mindy Smith came out. I had been turned on to her music by my old boss, Jack Poe, who loved her voice and told me to get over the Jesus stuff and hear it for what it was, and he was right. I listened to that CD endlessly for a period and so I was pleased, since that was almost 6 years ago, that I still knew that music and she still played it. She was also cute and awkward, explaining that she hadn't packed a hairbrush for the trip and then telling stories about her songs, trying to compensate for the sadness and melancholy of her songs with funny stories between songs.



But there were sad songs that also got sad stories, like the one below, which was written for her mother who died in 1991 from Breast Cancer. Apparently the song has been adopted by many breast cancer organizations and I always admire singers who can tell such stories, even with time passed, and not totally lose their shit onstage, because I know were I in their shoes, my voice would quiver, the tears would pour, and I'd be done.



But the night wasn't all somber and she played a lot of songs in a little over an hour long set and I was glad that I had the opportunity to go (Thanks, Jeff!). I don't really do the jazz stuff, but Anthology has some shows that veer from the jazz and blues that I'm considering checking out, like Mike Doughty or Toad The Wet Sprocket. The show ended early and I made it in time to catch the full set from the opening band at the Casbah which worked out perfect for someone like me that isn't satisfied with just one concert in a night. Here are a couple more videos and there are some more photos after the jump (click 'keep on reading')

Where It's At This Saturday Night

Your attendance is mandatory.

note-Tickets for this show are $10 and are general admission. The regular dinner seating and $15 minimum do not apply (despite what the Anthology website says).

Joseph Arthur, Anthology, 7/23/08

Wednesday night was a long night that started early. With Dagart, my preferred partner in crime (PPIC) in tow, we made our way downtown around 6:30 to attend the beer and sake festival held at the W Hotel and hosted by the Japan Society of San Diego.

I won the tickets from a giveaway on X1FM.com and I really don't know how much I should gush about the event, but it was awesome. Of course, it was 'sampling', so the first couple pours of sake seemed weak, but it didn't take long to realize, between bites of ahi from Jade Theatre and spoonfuls of goodness from Nobu, that those little sips of sake quickly add up. We sampled several sakes before moving upstairs to the Beach for the beer tasting. Once there we found more food and got some heftier pours with the beer sampling. I ran into a couple old friends while enjoying the rooftop. And, for the record, I didn't bring out my camera once at this event.

After a couple hours of drinking and snacking on the various samples, it was time for us to walk over to Anthology. Talk about a change of scenery that smacks you in the face. Where the W was packed elbow-to-elbow, Anthology was virtually empty, with less than 50 people there for the show, and with the set-up of dinner tables, it looked even more sparse and you could hear a pin drop. Unfortunately we missed the opener, but at least our timing worked out and we arrived between acts. We were on the guest list, but I was also supposed to have photo privileges. Not having prior experience at a show for the venue, I wasn't sure exactly how that would work, but the hostess said, "oh, cool, we'll just let the security know". We ran into Jake and Malinda and hung with them for a bit and also Jeff, who was nice enough to buy us a round of drinks.

When Joseph hit the stage, he obviously noticed how empty the venue was and immediately asked that everyone move closer to the stage, which made for a much better show, but it was just unfortunate that he wasn't playing the Casbah or something where he might've had a bigger draw. On the other hand, the sound there was incredible and the few people there hung on every word, every lyric, every note. He played a couple songs then played mostly requests, which was kinda funny to hear how many of his own songs he doesn't remember. It made me remember how much the guy writes. His latest EP was in a series of four released over the last year, but on top of that, I had to stop subscribing to his MySpace blog because he just posted way too much for me to ever keep up with. The guy bleeds and breathes words. And we were lucky enough to be there to watch it happen live.

If you missed it, I posted video here. See more pictures if you 'keep on reading'.


The really crazy part of that night was after Anthology was all said and done, we went to the Casbah. Unfortunately, Aspects of Physics canceled because one of the dudes cut his hand on a glass. It was wrapped but he had to elevate and you could still see it bleeding through the gauze, so it was pretty gnarly. Still, we hung out with some friends before acknowledging it was late and time to call it a night. It's these nights...the 3 venue in one night nights...that make me really love and appreciate this city.