Akron/Family stopped by the Blockley on 1.20.12. Just as they did last year they brought life to the crowd with amazing versions of “So It Goes” “River” and an amazing version of “Everyone Is Guilty” with members of the Sun Ra Arkestra. Miles Seaton talked briefly about how Etta James would have wanted us to party in the beginning of the show. They brought up Etta James “At Last” as fitting house music to end the show. The video below is a slice of the evening including most of the spirited “Everyone Is Guilty.”
I want a new knee. OK, maybe that is a bit dramatic. I want my knee to work better for longer than it currently does. How much longer do I have to wait until I can get a replacement that works better than the original? A while yes, but progress is being made.
You’ve probably seen the Cheetah legs before but as this story discusses, the future holds some interesting questions. Do the legs give an advantage and if they do, what are we supposed to do about it?
If you look ahead, you can see that this type of personal augmentation will wreak havoc with how we treat health care. We all know that our health care costs are rising but what happens when someone literally wants to become a six-million dollar man? Assume for a moment that new knee exists. It won’t be cheap. Who pays?
For a guy like me who can still get around, this might qualify as a luxury purchase. For someone who had been hobbled for years and is in constant pain, insurance will pay the bills. Where does the line get drawn? I suspect this will become a key consideration in the future.
The Blockley put on an amazing funk show this past weekend with The Soul Rebels Brass Band absolutely blowing away my expectations and creating one of the most fun and dancable sets I’ve yet to see at the Blockley. The UK band The New Mastersounds was no slouch either tearing through a rock and jazz filled set that went late into the next morning. Peep the action in the video below.
There is one heck of a protest going down in the country right now fueled by a DIY attitude and a zealous desire for change. If you put a soundtrack to the energy in the country what would it sound like? Some may feel Tom Morello strumming them towards a new world. While for others it’s something older with twangs of Dylan and Richie Havens. In my mind its more upbeat and constructive it seems to have the heaviness of bass mixed with an uplifting horn section. It’s got multiple voices and many heartbeats. To me it seems that Rubblebucket, a band that lives and breathes a DIY lifestyle plays a fitting soundtrack to tone of our current movement. A few weeks ago BOMS sent off an email to Rubblebucket’s publicist with a several questions for this eclectic band.
Here are Rubblebucket’s singer and saxophone player Kalmia Traver’s answers.
BOMS: How would you describe the type of music you are creating – dance rock, new wave, artsy pop – something else?
KT: short answer: Psychedelic Pop
long answer: Ecstatic psychedelic dance art-pop with horns and sweaty action and lots of dancing so come it’s going to be great!!
BOMS: What can one expect when coming out to see a Rubblebucket show?
KT: See above? (haha) No really… I think we all pride ourselves in being some very hard-working members of show business. We love to play live and feel the energy that comes off whoever’s in the room. We kind of live for those magical moments when a bunch of stuffed-up post-workday self-conscious people suddenly become transformed into hyper joyous dancing sirens. We all lift each other up!
BOMS: Rubblebucket seems to thrive in an upbeat sounding area. “Came Out Of a Lady” and “Silly Feathers” are hard not to enjoy with a smile. Your rhythms, horns and muti-layered songs drive the listener to movement. What pushes you towards the light vs. darker side of music?
KT: This question probably has a lot of different answers, depending on which band member you ask. I will tell you my answer (Kalmia): I’ve almost never used music as a force of dark in my life. I know that many people let it plunge them deeper into their emotional lows, or have experienced it as a community which houses and enables their insecurities. But I’ve almost always been lifted up by music. Playing it and listening to it. Not always in a an annoying, cheery way, sometimes I cry, but it’s always expanded me, and pushed me forward. That’s just the reality for me, and I’m so thankful for it.
BOMS: You’ve recorded “Came Out Of a Lady” several times on different albums – have you perfected it yet or will you give it another go?
KT: The first time we recorded it was for a web series called “Masters from their day” The idea was to get bands who are good at the instruments, and record and completely mix one song in one day, in the way of the old greats. The producers wanted a new song, so we chose came out of a lady. It was only a month old, and we were really excited about it – felt it had a lot of potential. So of course that recording has got a lot of special vibe, and we also ended up using it for our music video. The new one (on Omega La La) is Eric Broucek’s take. I love them both, and probably couldn’t choose one over the other. I think that song’s done for now, but I sometimes think about going back and re-recording the song Violet Rays. It’s a beauty, and it’s evolved a lot since we first recorded it.
BOMS: How much are you influenced by musicians from today vs. Musicians from an earlier era?
KT: With some of the most amazing emerging bands that I love these days, I can hear their ears hearing old music that’s influenced me too. It’s crazy to be making music in the middle of this information-availability explosion. I get so overwhelmed sometimes, that I just shut down. But I think the truest answer to this question has to be that we all owe huge tribute to musicians of bygone eras. Lots of our sound is based on rhythmic fundamentals that flow throught the blood of humanity, and have been unveiled and discovered and expanded on through the years of pre-recorded and recorded music by awesome visionaries. Sometimes I feel all this music that’s been created in the world is a giant playground and, with our contemporaries, we are just little kids running around, all digging, playing and exploring side by side.
BOMS: So with 3 albums tucked under your belts how has Rubblebucket evolved as a band since the first?
KT: We’ve finally settled on a line-up, and we all get along with each other, for the most part. That’s pretty huge. We’ve been always following our ears and our ears have definitely been leading us somewhere. It’s a place of art and grind, synesthesia, and rolling out the carpet for people, so we can all get our free on together.
BOMS: You’ve played hundreds of shows– could you pick and describe a favorite and why?
KT: Playing at Higher Ground in Burlington, VT is always a benchmark. That is one of our biggest homes, and has some of the most loving fans, and we’re friends with everyone who works there. I think every time I’ve played there I’ve left saying “that was the best show to date”. We’ve also had some amazing ones with very low attendance
BOMS: You’re a substantial band at 8 pieces deep already, but if you could invite any musician(s) to join you in the band (alive or dead) who would you pick, and why?
KT: First I immediately thought Moondog, but that’s just because I’ve always wanted to meet him and to collaborate with him in any way would be a dream come true. I think we could share some mutual fun with George Clinton, if he came up with us just doing his thing. We’ve got some mutual colors.
BOMS: Do you feel more comfortable playing in a live setting or in the studio? And why is there a comfort level difference – if there is one?
KT: There are extreme pressures in both. The studio is warm, bright, smells great, and I can sip as much tea as slowly as I want. But in the end, something amazing has to come out, and I have to be happy with it FOREVER. I find myself going in and out of bouts of hilarity when we’re having fun, and then nervous heart palpitations, if something isn’t feeling right, or communication is blocked in some way. The stage and the road are very hard on the body. But the liberation is exhilarating. It is possible to get into a comfortable rhythm, but takes a lot more effort and organization (WHERE are my raisins and keys and left boot??). However, we get to play all these live shows where it’s really about “leaving it all on the stage”. I have permission every night to have a public spaz attack. Talk about emotional release!!
BOMS: If you believe music evolves over time – where do you see the Rubblebucket sound going 5 years from now?
KT: I think in a way we’ve finally made it to our sonic home, after 3 albums. Not to say that we won’t keep evolving, because that’s in our nature. Five years is a lot of time, so I suppose it’s hard to predict specifics. We’re always listening, bopping around, joking and absorbing. I think our music does have some settling to do. I can imagine softer deeper tones, and more evolved lyrics.
BOMS: What inspires you away from music – art, food, play?
KT: Absolutely. And also sex.
Rubblebucket is on tour in US through mid-November for more information visit here
Peep these wild cats from the UK throwing down the rock that they do best. David Fricke said that this is one of the best live bands going in 2011. They are decent but watch and decide for yourself. Personally I feel they have nothing on a slew of bands killing it stateside.
When it rains it pours and in Philly the month of September is packed with great music all across the city. Over here at BOMS our September kicks off with These United States at Johnny Brenda’s on Friday the 9th. We are really digging These United States new album What Lasts and are super excited that they warm up in Philly for their farewell bash the next eve in Washington DC as the band moves to other parts of the country (no worries they will still be playing together).
Unbelievably in some weird turn of fate the Teddybears hit Philadelphia Sunday the 11th and will no doubt sell out the North Star bar. This will be one to catch it should be a hot little Sunday evening party over at 27th and Popular while we catch those wacky swede’s Patrik Arve and Joakim Ahlund tell us how they sold out all over the world. Their latest album Devil’s Music has been spun all summer so hearing it done live in any form should be a blast and with this being one of only six us tour dates this is bound to get interesting.
A major nod to Sean and the R5 crew whose new venue Union Transfer is scheduled to open on September 21, 2011 with Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah. Then on Friday the 23rd and Saturday the 24th of September FDR park gets new version of the Popped festival. Gone are the multi-venue fishtown days and in are some of the hottest names in the indie world. Friday we are most excited for The Joy Formidable who played only a few months ago at Johnny Brenda’s. After Popped this fall they will be at the stadium opening up for the Foo Fighters. Go figure when you have a front woman like Ritzy Bryan who can produce a gutsy bit of guitar rock as good as the best of them. Also watch The Hold Steady and Yuck rule Friday. On Saturday besides the double dose of dance with Girl Talk and Pretty Lights we are excited for Cults and Foster the People who should get some of the largest sing-alongs as they undoubtedly will uncork the summer crowd favorite “Pumped Up Kicks.”
That’s barely a taste of all the great music plowing through the city in September weather you hit TV on the Radio at the Mann or Bass Drum of Death at the Kung Fu Necktie just be sure to get out and see some great live music.
