Katelyn Tarver recently released her third studio album Tell Me How You Really Feel. The album's subject matter is about her divorce and subsequent feelings around it. I got the opportunity to photograph her The Echoplex set for US Rocker Music. You can read the review here. If you're interested in an official review, I would suggest going there.
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| Katelyn Tarver at The Echoplex |
I was trying to figure out if I wanted to head out to a WFNM showcase on either Wednesday or Thursday night. I decided to do some research on Instagram. I went looking at all the artists / bands that were playing those two nights (less the individual I had previously seen) and checked out their Spotify accounts. I got to Amy Jay and took a listen to her music. I don't recall exactly which songs I played, but it was most likely her most listened to songs: "Reliance" and "Sorrow." It was an obvious choice, which night I was selecting. It was going to be Thursday night at Bar Lubitsch.
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| Amy Jay at Bar Lubitsch |
The Seattle to Los Angeles band Mr. Dinkles blends a young Jane Fonda activism with punctuated punk rock edge. Many of their songs are furious bursts of energy, often clocking in at the 2 minute mark. The two piece band has Mac Rettig on vocals / guitar and Rocco Ramos on drums.
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| Mr. Dinkles at Gold-Diggers |
It was a Friday night and Silverdeer (previously known at Saturn 17) wanted everyone to enjoy the start of the weekend. They played a relatively short 20 minute set to open up the Rocknite showcase at Gold-Diggers, but those minutes were packed with a festive attitude that had the crowd dancing.
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| Silverdeer at Gold-Diggers |
Andrew Benjamin (aka Andrew Benjamin Maldonado) took to the Bar Lubitsch stage at the WFNM showcase. He used the opportunity to showcase some niffy guitar playing. He seamlessly would transition between root rock to blues. One moment, he took his guitar to a high pitch level riff that had me thinking Top Gun soundtrack. His song "Vessel" had guitar scratching that had me thinking back to the prom scene in Back to the Future.
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| Andrew Benjamin at Bar Lubitsch |
A last minute slot opened up at the WFNM's Almost Acoustic Showcase and Nashville based-Sara Jean Kelley jumped in to play the opening set. Bar Lubitsch was filled with friends and family, many hanging out with her dad in the corner of the venue. I overheard that she wasn't sure if he would be able to show up or not, but show up he did.
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| Sara Jean Kelley at Bar Lubitsch |
I got to attend a recent underground / secret Basement set. It was held outdoors at Milky's and presented by Sound and Fury. You can read my official US Rocker Music review here.
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| Basement at Milky's |
Alexia Rev (moniker for Rebecca Alexia Tobaly) took part in the second WFNM's Almost Acoustic Showcase at Bar Lubitsch. As can be surmised by "second," this is a recent new music series. In the debut night, I had seen most of the curated singers. I knew I was going to love all those singers. This time around, there was only one singer on the list that I had seen before. That fact gave the night a feeling of discovery. Of course, Alexia Rey was one of those newly discovered singers.
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| Alexia Rev at Bar Lubitsch |
Operelly (moniker for Olivia Rose Austin) stopped by El Cid as part of a 10 stop tour to promote her recently released EP called *FLUTTERS AWAY*. Ground Control Touring has this tidbit about their client, "Operelly’s music weaves together delicate electronic and acoustic elements into a form that Olivia calls 'tiptoe music.'” That combination of electronic and acoustic could be heard at the start of the set. She started off playing an intro on her electric organ / synth before shifting over to her acoustic guitar for "Cozy."
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| Operelly at El Cid |
