The Rumble is back this month with a really impressive lineup- featuring Heavy Hawaii, our friends in White Arrows and San Diego’s Ale Mania. It’s happening at Bar Pink on June 11, and as always- is totally free.

Heavy Hawaii are San Diego natives, if the music isn’t obvious enough. Beachy surf pop songs that are lazy and hazy and all that good stuff San Diego music is known for.

White Arrows recently had a Bootleg residency where they dedicated one night to Invisible Children. I was there, and it was the first time I saw the band live and I was totally blown away. Their live set is super high energy, fun psychedelic pop. Mickey, the frontman, has a wildly unique voice that somehow works perfectly for their sound.

Ale Mania recently played the Soft Pack-curated vitaminwater/Vice party that I hit up a few weeks back. They’ve been getting a ton of hype- they play mostly weirdo post punk stuff.

Come hangout! It’s free!

THE RUMBLE SAN DIEGO is brought to you by FUTURE SOUNDS, INDIGENOUS PROMOTIONS, BMI, OWL & BEAR,M-THEORY, SDDIALEDIN, BEDOUIN VINTAGE COLLECTIVE, FRIENDS WITH BOTH ARMS, EVENTBRITE, and PABST BLUE RIBBON.

RSVP TO ATTEND THE PARTY FREE AT EVENTBIRTE HERE
http://therumblesandiego.eventbrite.com/

Heavy Hawaii- TEEN ANGEL

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Rubblebucket – “Silly Fathers” from stereogum on Vimeo.

Thanks to Lucas Samuels of The Artist Mixtapes for sending this my way! Really cute video of the band walking through the streets. Makes me want to use that Super 8 my boyfriend bought me. Rubblebucket’s new album Omega La La will be out in a month or so. Enjoy!

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JUNE IN SAN DIEGO
Jun 1- Manchester Orchestra/Cage the Elephant- SOMA Buy Tix Here

Jun 1- Oberhofer/Eternal Summers/The Beets- Casbah Buy Tix Here

Jun 2- Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr- Casbah Buy Tix Here

Jun 4- Gayngs, White Hinterland- Casbah Buy Tix Here

Jun 9- Black Lips, Cerebral Ballzy- Casbah Buy Tix Here

Jun 10- Jenny & Johnny, La Sera, Nik Freitas- Casbah Buy Tix Here

June 11- The Rumble Presents: White Arrows/Ale Mania/Heavy Hawaii
FREEE
June 20- Virgin Islands/Zoo Animal/Other Mountains Buy Tix Here

Jun 20 – Dawes, Brett Dennen- Casbah Buy Tix Here

Jun 21- Thao + Mirah- Casbah Buy Tix Here

Jun 26- tUnE-yArDs- Soda Bar Buy Tix Here

Jun 30- The Rosebuds, Other Lives- Casbah Buy Tix Here

I forgot to tell you, now you can find even more of my stuff online. Really, you can calm down now. I started writing for NBC SoundDiego, a San Diego-focused music section of NBC online that features some incredible bloggers like the folks at Owl & Bear or San Diego: Dialed In. I’ll be writing on all things San Diego music. For more stories, go HERE. And I’ll keep you posted on some really cool interviews I’ve got coming up. Check out my most recent piece on the Shivers show at Habitat House, below.

Shivers Show ‘More Real, Less Faking’ | NBC San Diego

The NYC band the Shivers came through San Diego last week, making several stops, including one at Habitat House, an unconventional venue and living room-turned-gallery space in the Golden Hills site of the nonprofit art collective Sezio.

Before the show, I spent the afternoon filming with the Keith Zarriello and Jo Schornikow of the Shivers in the caves of Point Loma for an organization I work called Invisible Children. Among other things, we talked about their impromptu set at the Casbah the prior evening as a last-minute opener for San Diego’s the Tree Ring; suffice it to say that this band has made the rounds in San Diego.

Zarriello, a Queens native with a rusted voice, and Schornikow, a soft-spoken Australian pianist, share an interesting dynamic that plays out like one between siblings, taking delicate regard for one another. Their earnest awe of San Diego landscape suggests the recent New York winter has weathered them, a season that is only redeemable for the wealth of songs it inspired, including a new record, More, along with an impressive discography that includes a fully complete unreleased album that remains in limbo, as well as Zarriello’s solo album, Truants for Life.

The band remains largely unknown, but, like some of the best-kept secrets, it has acquired a cult following among those who adore them. Some of those followers made their way to the Habitat House living room, spilling onto couch corners and wooden floors — the biggest crowd to occupy that space so far. Their friends in the LA band Races rounded out the band, providing bass, guitar and drums.

The Shivers began their set with Zarriello walking through the crowd, mysteriously sporting giant sunglasses for their first song, “Irrational Love”; then moving on to “Kisses,” a song with penetrating soul. He is often so taken by the music that it brings him to his knees and then, just as swiftly, the set list transitions to more humorous, light-hearted tunes. Their indie status allows them the freedom to be entirely themselves, whether they’re eccentric, funny or heartbreaking. Schornikow provides vocals for some of the songs, with bewitching elegance, singing like a voyeur, “Watching you, watching me, watching you.”

Watching the Shivers, you get the sense that you’re in the presence of real musicians; their entire performance was tight, sophisticated guitar solos and staccato keys, soulful bass tones and a remarkable cohesiveness, considering they invited accompaniment for the night. But what is most impressive is the soul, the way Schornikow laughs in delight while playing and how Zarriello looks at her as if none of us were even there.

Between songs, Zarriello spoke about their tour — including an accidental conversion to Mormonism while in Utah — and his absolute gratitude to Habitat for inviting them. They wrapped up their set with “Afrikaan Passport” which they blended into a cover of the Everly Brothers “All I Have to Do Is Dream.” Then for their finale, they sang their haunting title track “More,” which builds in intensity and soars with every desire — “More love-making, more real, less faking” — and they delivered just that.

I just returned from two days, offline- up in the deeps woods of the Canadian North. Good thing I came back just in time to catch up on some videos I wanted to share with you guys from this week. Be sure to check out the Lower Dens Takeaway show at SXSW, filmed by my friend Derrick Belcham. Enjoy!

Grimes – Crystal Ball from Tim Kelly on Vimeo.

Lower Dens | A Take Away Show | Presented By La Blogotheque, NxNE, SxSW and ASTW from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

HOUSES “REDS” (DIR. LAMAR+NIK) from LAMAR+NIK on Vimeo.

San Diego’s Little Deadman‘s debut 7″ is set to release on Single Screen Records and to celebrate, they’ll be having their relesase at The Casbah is this Thursday, May 26th with Chairs Missing. This band has been one of my favorite local acts, check out their bandcamp to listen to “Shooting Seagulls” off Side A and “Fear is not the end” off Side B- then pick up the vinyl this Thursday. Partytime!

$8. Buy your tickets HERE.

I’m writing to you a) from my home and native  land of Canada b) next to my best friend Andrea as we stuff our faces with crepes and nutella and c) on my brand new Macbook Pro. Many of you might not know what a great big leap of progress that means for me, but I’d been writing to you for the last two years of a rusty old black Macbook that would take deep breaths before every new tab, and would surrender in defeat and shut down on a daily basis. Needless to say, it was time for a fresh new machine. I could not be more happy. And what that means is, more blogging.

So, I’ll be lazily enjoying treats prepared by my mom, while attempting to drive a boat around the lake up at my cottage, this might mean fewer posts this week, but rest assured I’ll be back, in fine form, once I’m in San Diego next week.

Just quickly wanted to tell you about the new Cults record currently streaming over at NPR- their self titled debut is our June 7th, and it is pretty wonderful. We got to hang with bits and pieces of the band at SXSW, with Ritchie of Guards, playing a Silver Series set for us (formerly of Cults)- the older brother of frontwoman Madeline Follin. It’ll be interesting to see where a full-length will take them, after their wildly popular EP that landed them a major record deal, thanks to the internet. Enjoy!

Stream the album in it’s entirety HERE.

Tracklist–

01 Abducted
02 Go Outside
03 You Know What I Mean
04 Most Wanted
05 Walk at Night
06 Never Heal Myself
07 Oh My God
08 Never Saw the Point
09 Bad Things
10 Bumper
11 Rave On

Cults- Make Time

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Red Hunting Jacket by Little Scream from Secretly Jag on Vimeo.

I’ve been listening to Little Scream‘s Golden Record for weeks and weeks now, and I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love it. She recently came out with this video for “Red Hunting Jacket” and it was the perfect thing to watch first thing this morning. She soars through the air, with animated foxes and birds running around a cemetery. I love the imagination behind everything she does.

Tonight, I’m headed to see the Shivers at Habitat House so in preparation I’ve been listening to their album Sunset Psalms on repeat. I don’t know if this record will ever officially be released but it should. This album is a gem, like the band itself- nearly unknown to most people, but some of the most beautiful music I’ve had the good fortune to come across. I’d been listening to Charades for some time now so I was amped to hear this one. Keith Zarriello’s voice has a weathered weight to it, like he’s been through it all but he still has the vulnerability enough to be soft about it. Standout tracks include “Yes and No”, “Love You Like a Dog” and “Nothing At All”- and in it’s own way, “Remain in the Pain Zone” a strange, frenzied track that’s got it’s humour, when it sings about his “fucking great face”. There’s something about it that I find so funny.

The organ makes it’s presence on most Shivers tracks, this record is no exception. It gives it that hymnal sound- like he’s singing something holy. He’s got more soul than most artists you come across in this genre. It’s a heavy heart. And you’ll believe all of it.

I’m not sure when this record “came out” and if it was before or after their official release of “More” – a record that I still need to sit with some more. I love the title track “More”, it’s a buildup, a crescendo that explodes with vulnerability and blegh, I hate the word– passion. But you know what I mean, it all feels redemptive and hopeful.

I’ll be covering the show tonight at Habitat so if you’re in the Golden Hills area, stop by for 8pm when they take up residence in either Zach’s livingroom or attic, who knows. But right now I’m on my way to go film them in the Sunset Cliffs caves. Yeah, no big deal.

The Shivers- Nothing At All

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For those of you who don’t know, I recently started contributing to NBC SoundDiego! So far, I really love it- I feel really plugged in to the San Diego music scene and I’m really excited about some of the local shows I’ll be covering for it. I wanted to tell you about their rad event coming up called SoundDiego LIVE featuring Kevin Martin and Illuminauts. There’s free food and drinks and a ton more stuff. RSVP to secure your spot for next Thursday!