We Dropped That Thun Thun Thun at another unforgettable event!
Co-Host: Music Supervisor LIVY RODRIGUEZ-BEHAR (Dreamboat Music) Performances by: Ella Rosa & Killa F (Finatticz)
Livy is a music supervisor, and the founder of Dreamboat Music - a music supervision company formed in Austin, Texas. The music scene of Austin drew her in at an early age, and so did the moving pictures on the silver screen. She developed a strong affinity for movie soundtracks, with favorites such as Almost Famous, School of Rock and High Fidelity. Throughout her career, she has worked on musical branding projects for companies such as Disney, Warby Parker, Tory Burch, Target, and TomTom. Additionally, she has worked on film and television projects for Martin Scorsese, Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, and others.
Her passion for music and film inspired her to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Business at Full Sail University, where she earned the Valedictorian title of her graduating class. After college, she landed a position with Facebook's music team, conducting metadata research and music licensing. Thereafter, she was brought on to manage a vendor team of 8 music experts that she exploded into 90+ globally for YouTube Music. In 2019 she founded her own music supervision company, Dreamboat Music LLC, where she works full time music supervising indie feature films, shorts, and docu-series. Dreamboat, while a young company has had the fortune of being invited to SXSW, CD Baby's DIY Musician Conference, SoundSync, Austin Music Foundation, Nashville Film Festival, Los Angeles Film School, UCLA, MUSEXPO, and the annual Guild of Music Supervisors Conference. Livy's films have circulated notable film fests such as Tribeca, Austin Film Festival, SOHO International Film Fest and gained distribution on popular platforms like HBO Max, The New Yorker, Altered Innocence, and Amazon Prime.
British artist Ella Rosa is a singer, songwriter and storyteller. The young artist started her career as an opera singer in Henley-on-Thames, England then slowly transitioned into R&B. With her admiration of artist like Erykah Badu, Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill and more, Ella paints the perfect picture musically through soulful vocals, underlined with jazz undertones.
YOUTUBE INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD WEBSITE
West Coast Hip-Hop legend KILLA F cemented his place in music history as a founding member of FiNaTTiCz. In 2012 the group released the now party staple "Don't Drop That Thun Thun", a worldwide hit.
The FiNaTTiCz still perform concerts all over, the individual members of the group are currently active and releasing solo projects. Don't miss Killa F's show, it'll be full of surprises.
Airwaves Music Festival 2022 by Alicia Yang
I attended the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival in early November for the first time this year. After a visit to Iceland years ago, I found out about the Airwaves Festival and have made it a goal to attend. The recent years have had some uncertainty in travel, but I decided to plan as if I were going to go and am glad I did.
Attendees of this event respect the art form and that's what I loved most of all. It was a collective celebration of music amongst a crowd of music lovers enthusiastic enough to buy a ticket and trudge it out in cold weather to several venues sprinkled all over downtown Reykjavík. Chilly evenings or not, it was one of the best experiences I've have had attending a festival.
Note to reader: I purposefully did not research any band until I saw their performance. The only information I had was on the Iceland Airwaves Festival official site and Spotify playlist. I felt it presented more of a fresh experience that wasn't hampered down with the number of followers, posts, label/manager/album reviews, etc. that can bring judgement upon an artist. While there were a few names I was already familiar with - it was a fun experience to go into without biases from social media and the like.
After briefly going over the lineup of the festival and trying my best to retune my circadian rhythm to the time difference, I only had energy to see two bands. While disappointing, I told myself I would make up for it expeditiously in the next two days.
The first day of festivals can sometimes be a wash, but being determined as I was, I wanted to uncover a jewel in the midst of the ocean of talented arts gathering in the city. Eyes glazed after scanning the online schedule several times, one band caught my eye - Apparat Organ Quartet.
Although they were playing in an off-venue, meaning no bracelet or festival entrance was needed, I knew right away I needed to get there fast. Word had been spreading of unbearable lines and attendees growing skeptical of being able to get inside their concert of choice.
A few hours into Iceland Airwaves and I had already overheard attendees bringing them up. So quickly getting into Apparat Organ Quartet on pure instinct was right on the money. It was a packed room and the door locking right behind me, as I entered.
Being that they were not part of the official lineup in an official festival venue, gave it this underground feel. It was a one of those word of mouth or random flyers that was passed out to get there. Once you got there, your street cred just rose by 50 points.
The quartet was in deep song as I entered, more drum machines and knobs than a recording studio. There was one on some kind of percussion instrument. I got some real Kraftwerk vibes, also just the nature of the setup and the packed room harkened me back to my warehouse days in Detroit. 808s pulsing and rhythmically creating the homegrown sound.
One of the members had to leave for the last few songs. A bubble machine was activated after he left, not sure if the two were related. I really wish I had caught the whole performance. They had records for sale and when I walked by the back retail area of Bad Taste, the line was too long for me to stand in. (I bought it a few days later anyway.)
Decided to go back to my headquarters and warm up, took a short break and felt done for the night. As I prepped for the next day, I saw that Crack Cloud was on in six minutes and it was a three minute walk to get there. Not being one to turn down new music, I am so glad I was able to get over any hesitation. Crack Cloud was a joy to watch and a band right up my alley.
A multi-instrumental ensemble, their lead vocalist being also the drummer made for an interesting energy and stage set up. The amount of multitasking that was happening made the dynamics on stage constantly influx. One of the bandmates being a multi-instrumentalist, switched between guitar, sax and other instruments.
The keyboardist went all the way. He threw himself into his performance and it was not ignored. There was a moment of soloing, like a jazz impresario diving into his work and recreating deeper levels of the piece. If you haven't had the pleasure to witness something like this, it's akin to any other type of solo work on stage - cadenza in the symphony, a soliloquy from Shakespeare, etc. The moments of his solo work were close to sacred moments in completing the performance. I definitely see a promising future for this band hailing from Canada.
Cosby - Not sure I wanted to see this band but was immediately drawn to their energetic and upbeat songs from hearing it through a curtain partition. I realized I should be on the other side of the curtain and get my boogie on. Their lead singer kept the party going through their high frenetic song making.
The night before, I met someone from London who had recently become a fan of electronic music and has been exploring the genre. A super fan of Janus Rassmusen and going on about his prior performances, I could sense the absolute admiration and respect for Janus’ work. I really had no choice but to check him out.
One part of a Icelandic-Faroese duo Kiasmos, from what I could tell, this was a solo performance by Janus. Unfortunately the line was long (good sign), but eventually got up in the queue and caught about the last 10-15 minutes. Upon entering, one sees heads bopping and bodies trying to shift around to the music - it was a straight up sauna in there. I felt like I was in one of the community pool places, the collective body heat conjured up this thick, warm wet air - 200% humidity made by 100% dancing. Boy lit the room on fire.
Marius DC is a Faroese MC who caught my interest from his video on the Airwaves site. His boyish looks and charm are a bit deceiving. His lyrics that let you know he is street wise, although from an area of the world that is yet to be recognized for its hotbed of music activity. I did enjoy his live performance just as much and would have liked to seen more of him. I don’t know if it comes from again, my roots in Detroit and working at a rap label. If it does, I suppose I just have a softer spot for up and coming rhyming lyricists.
Icelandic band LÓN was very peaceful and appropriately placed at Fríkirkjan, a church venue. There was a calm and stillness to the music. What I especially loved the most was being able to hear the acoustic set in absolute stillness, while every pew was filled in a standing room only sanctuary and have the acoustics of the church carry the set forward. My only objection was that it was at the very beginning of the evening when everything is just starting to pop off. Don't get it twisted, I thoroughly enjoyed the music but it would have been great to hear this right before I went to bed. At this performance, I was accompanied by a local Icelander who said her parents enjoyed LÓN. Do what you want with that information.
Another Icelandic band, Vök is a local favorite and recognizable to several Icelanders for their hits being in constant radio rotation and public play. They definitely kept the energy up and fans were not disappointed.
Arlo Parks has a rich, smooth voice that just wraps you up in a silky robe on a sunny day. Her voice instantly roped me in with its warmth and class. I could really listen to her anytime. There's no excuse needed to play her songs, they are good for anytime, anywhere.
Norwegian band Combos was listed as hip hop. I then took a listen to the track listed on Spotify and a quick look at their photo, which was puzzling. Their style reminded me of a ska, punk, possibly reminiscent of that 90s garage rock. They have an energy right out the gate that is aggressive, in your face and punchy. Right away, you'll want to release your own aggression in the mosh pit. The lead knows how to command the audience and enjoys surfing the crowd often. The band is in synch, confident in what they're delivering and do a great job of it. There is no room for maybe we'll play a little, it's let's go from the start.
Röyksopp's DJ set was a definite crowd pleaser, ending the festival at the Art Museum. I danced my pants off it was so great, really! They had a great tech-house set and of course ended on their hit song. They were the only performers to go past the set end time and play an encore song, that I witnessed personally. My friend also made the same observation.
Every performance up to this last one, started right on time and ended on the minute of their end time. Even though crowds were absolutely begging for an encore - none would cave. So it was a nice breaking of rules for the very last act.
It's too bad this list is longer than it should be. There were moments you just had to sacrifice one artist for the other and hope that they will tour soon or make it to another festival.
Emotional Oranges - Hunnypot favorite! I know I know, how could I? My scheduling got off on the night of their performance and really sucked some stinky shark meat.
Daughters of Reykavík - An Iceland music export gaining traction in the US, will most likely play US at some point. Got some info that it was a great show with some punk aesthetic and good on them for using their platform for positive action.
Inspector Space - They will be on heavy rotation on my dance playlist
Ultraflex - I was trying to balance out the type of acts I was going to catch and unfortunately this one got missed (couldn’t miss Janus! I’m sure they understand.)
Árný Margrét - this Icelandic artist's voice enraptured me with her mellow tunes, soothing on a cold night and goes well with a warm cup of tea. Aeing after Lon though, I was worried I would fall asleep.
Gugusar - performing on my poorly planned Friday, I missed out on them but have been dancing along with their music.
Bríet - Local favorite, I saw a bunch of tweens/teens and their mothers getting all excited over her.
Kristján Hrannar Pálsson Organ Concert - Big fail. This was a special concert taking place at the largest church in Iceland, Hallgrímskirkja. The venue is a huge point of tourism for the city and houses an organ with 5,275 pipes. Kristján was set to play the works of Daft Punk on organ... drool, the music lover/dork in me. It seems he has performed Daft Punk on organ a few other times so hopefully there will be another opportunity.
The US has always welcomed a Norwegian and Iceland music export here and there for quite a while now and I don't see any reason to stop. They continue to bring a good time and respectful compositions and strong performances.
All of them starting on time and ending on time.
--- Alicia Yang INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK
I was fortunate enough to catch Post Malone and Roddy Ricch for the first time and I don’t think I’ve been this excited to open an email. Post Malone being a Dallas native, this show surely was going to be one for the books. The Dickies Arena in Fort Worth was a venue that I have not been to yet so when I arrived, I was blown away by the size of the place. Shooting alongside some good friends, it was going to be a great night. Post is the 17th most listened to artist in the world right now according to Spotify and I was excited to experience why. Accompanied by Roddy Ricch, fans roll in and start to fill the seats. Let’s dive into it.
The stage was one of the more extravagant mazes I’ve had to navigate. With 3 runways for Post and Roddy to run all over, we found ourselves also, running around with cameras to get some shots – but that was one of the fun parts of the night. Won’t turn down a good challenge with a camera in my hand. The light production was incredible as well. He had halo spaceship looking light fixtures hanging over the stage that moved up and down making for some sweet environment photos with a huge LED screen in the background. There were points in the show where Post Malone got all up in the camera and all you saw was his head on the jumbo screen. It was hilarious.
A local Dallas DJ got the show started with some bangers and then Roddy Ricch came out on stage. Hip-hop hasn’t always been the forefront of my music tastes but I can appreciate a good song no matter the genre and Roddy definitely delivered on that. I would describe his set as very vibey and interactive. He got the crowd singing all the hits like any good performer does and everyone was vibing. Rocking Gucci like it’s nobody’s business, he was the wear for the occasion. He navigated the three catwalk like runways like a champ and gave everyone some attention. He ended his set with “The Box” and “Ballin” then the performance ended. Glad I got to spice up my experience with a new artist.
And now the moment everyone was waiting for, Post Malone. Being #17 on Spotify for monthly listeners just told me right away this was going to be one of the best shows of my life yet. We make our way out to the floor and ready ourselves with the schematic of where Post will be for the first 3 songs. I’m a little nervous but gave it my best shot. Lights drop, crowd cheers, and Post slowly rises on stage with all the fog imaginable creating a silhouette. He starts his 23-song set with “Reputation” and we were there. Running around this crowded floor was a fun challenge and he didn’t do exactly what we were told but oh well. Regardless, Post was all about interacting and shaking the hands of the fans in the crowd. He exuded pure happiness to be doing what he’s doing in his HOME state.
The production surrounding his whole performance was immaculate. The saucer moving lights with lasers pointing down on him created such a cool spacey feel. Made for some really dope photos as well. One of my favorite songs of the night was “I Fall Apart” because at one point he was on the ground screaming the lyrics with so much emotion. What was great about the entire performance was the fact that nearly all his songs are hits, so it was the perfect show to be at. I could go on forever, but this show was 11/10 in my book and stoked I was able to cover it.
Hunnypot has been long time fans of Mystical Joyride and we flipped our lid when they released the gregarious single/video for "Keep My Head Up".
Mystical Joyride is the intersection between the primal and the cosmic, the spiritual and the ratchet. Formed in 2015 by married couple Leah and Joel Van Dijk, with the addition of Arzeen Kamal, the band sought to combine Leah's existential questions with the Wizardry of Joel's production skills.
Hunnypot Approved!
The Who’s 2022 tour is named The Who Hits Back! Tour and while it’s unclear whom The Who is hitting back, they are hitting back in a big way. On this tour, the legendary band is sharing the stage with orchestras from the US and Canada something started with their last tour, Moving On!
The October 28 show at the Honda Center in Anaheim featured a full orchestra from the Southern California area and Pete Townshend said they had been rehearsing all day. For many bands, using an orchestra brings a collective, “Huh?” response, but when it comes to The Who, it’s more like, “Of course.” After all, this is the band that invented the Rock Opera. To be even more precise, it’s the genius of Pete Townshend that bought forth conceptualism to the rock world and it’s his music and lyrics that we celebrate all these years later.
The opening act was Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs. It was a fairly short, seven-song set, featuring four Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers songs. So if there was a Tom Petty-ish vibe, it makes total sense since Campbell was the Heartbreakers guitarist for 50 years and co-wrote those tunes. It’s great to see Campbell with the band he put together as a side project and not be the sideman. Everyone knows what a great guitar player he is, but after his run with Fleetwood Mac, it could be the moment for him to take center stage full time.
Now on to The Who. In their heyday, they were possibly the most powerful band on the planet. (Perhaps even past their heyday. (Google their Concert For New York performance.) It’s never taken much to make Townshend seem invigorated, but the backing of those talented musicians seemed to put him in a very playful mood. How playful? He entered the stage running with a thin red wrap/shawl/blanket draped around his shoulders. (He exited the same way.)
They started with a set of songs from Tommy: “Overture”, “1921”, “Amazing Journey”, “Sparks”, “Pinball Wizard”, and “We’re Not Gonna Take It”. Then they exploded into “Who Are You.” Things slowed down just a touch with "Eminence Front” and featured a strong vocal from Townshend. Then just to remind us that they are not just a classic rock act, “Ball and Chain” was played from their most recent album, WHO.
With that, the orchestra left the stage and The Who did a band-only set comprised of “You Better You Bet,” “The Seeker,” “Naked Eye,” “Another Tricky Day,”and Won’t Get Fooled Again. Everyone knows what’s expected from Won’t Get Fooled Again. It’s an anthem. It’s a call to action. It’s power chords on top of synths. And it could be the most taxing song for the almost 80-year old Roger Daltrey. As the synths swirl and the unmistakable drums built to a crescendo, you could almost feel the entire audience holding their collective breadth in anticipation of what was to come next. Daltrey delivered. His legendary scream/howl caused any member of the audience who hadn’t already been on their feet to deliver a standing ovation even before the song’s end.
Next was “Behind Blue Eyes” with Townshend on acoustic guitar and a few orchestra members. It was a beautiful take on the moving tune.
The full orchestra reappeared for a set of Quadrophenia tunes: “The Real Me,” “I’m One,” “5:15,” “The Rock,” and "Love, Reign O’er Me.” Townshend told the audience that the Quadrophenia songs were demanding for him. This is a good place to mention the sound issues that plagued the band the entire night with Daltrey constantly fiddling with his in-ear monitor. At certain points during the show, it seemed like his vocals dropped noticeably. A semi-irritated Townsend shouted out, “There’s an f-ing echo in this f-ing place!” During “5:15" as Daltrey was scat-singing and touching his in-ear monitor, Townshend came over and touched him on the shoulder in what almost seemed to be a gesture of “enough.” Pete then proceeded to rip into a screaming, scorching solo followed by a succession of windmills that led to thunderous applause.
When introducing the band members, Townshend kept up the comments about the echo with: “Zak Starkey on DRUMS, DRUMS, DRUMS, drums, drums, drums…” Starkey is the son of Ringo Starr and his connection to The Who is a strong one. Keith Moon was his godfather and and former Who drummer Kenny Jones helped teach him to play and even gifted him one of Moon’s drum kits. Starkey is just what The Who needs, combining the passion of Moon with the technical ability to keep everything from going off the rails.
Rounding out the band was Simon Townshend (Pete’s brother) on guitar and backing vocals, keyboardist Loren Gold, second keyboardist Emily Marshall, bassist Jon Button, drummer Zak Starkey and backing vocals by Billy Nicholls, along with orchestra conductor Keith Levenson, principal violinist Katie Jacoby and principal cellist Audrey Snyder.
The final song, (there wasn’t an encore) was “Baba O’Riley” at the end of which, Katie Jacoby took center stage for a showcase of her violin prowess.
At the end of the evening, Townshend said that he and Daltrey had been playing together for 60 years. He mentioned once again the weird sound things that had been going on, but he also said, “Roger has been singing so great these days.” There was a sweetness in his voice when he said it. Townshend and Daltrey are more than just bandmates. They are survivors. The quartet that was once The Who are now two. The band whose slogan was Maximum R&B is still delivering maximum music, just in a different form than in years past. Which makes them worth seeing every time they tour.
Headlining an explosive showcase at the Monarch Tavern in Toronto, the hot young punk band Militarie Gun was dripping their visceral energy all over the crowd in this exclusive engagement to launch their new album . Formed in 2020 in Los Angeles, Militarie Gun is re-defining the punk and hardcore world. Vocalist Ian Shelton instantly took command of the stage with a massive amount of swagger, encouring the crowd to match his angst filled rage. The band–whose lineup has expanded to include guitarists Nick Cogan and William Acuña, drummer Vince Nguyen, and bassist Max Epstein–draw on a wide range of influences to make something that sounds combative yet accessible, they dare you not to like them. They get right in your face with a “I dare you not to get sucked in” attitude, and there I was, getting sucked in. There is no easy box to try to fit these guys into. Their 12 Track deluxe edition of All Roads Lead to the Gun just dropped last week. It’s impossible to pin down the era, from track to track it vacillates from early Beastie Boys or Black Flag to almost channeling The Pixies on the title track “All Roads Lead to the Gun”. By the time the album gets to “I Can’t Stand Busy People”, it feels like a the Beatles vibe with a underlying rage. The aggressive guitar-work has hooks for days.
The setlist was a full showcase of the album, and included a few other tracks as well. Militarie Gun’s songs are instantly memorable, and familiar, there is a blending of familiar styles that makes you feel like you have heard all of their songs before but now they are filtered through a new lens giving them a different feeling. The new release features 4 additional songs not found on the EP. Both the set and the album were highlighted by the first song on the Album “Ain’t No Flowers” which they have also released a video for. “Don’t Pick Up the Phone” is another grinding track that has serious hooks and showcases Shelton’s vocal range. My only gripe about the album was that there wasn’t more of it. The longest song, “Disposable Plastic Trash”, tops out at 2:49 with “Background Kids” coming in at just 1:46, just as I was getting into the riff, the song was over. But that is the thing, the flame that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. And these guys are burning bright.
Full Setlist:
All Roads Lead to the Gun: Track List
Back in the before time. The long long ago. In the distance past of early 2020. Back when we were young and innocent and living life like nothing could hurt us. Concert tours were in full swing, and one that I was excited for was Aesthetic Perfection. Originally planned to kick off their tour in Los Angeles, CA on March 21st, 2020. I remember sitting in my room on March 19th watching as Daniel Graves live tweets during his flight into the United States. Worried about the lock down going into effect and being stuck in the Country. As soon as he landed, he bought a new plane ticket and flew back out of the country. While on that flight home, the United States went into lockdown, and all tours were cancelled. It’s been two and half years and I still vividly remember this day. But finally Aesthetic Perfection are back in the United States on a full national tour named the American Psycho Tour, with Josie Pace and genCAB in support.
The opening act on this tour is a new band going by the name genCAB. Short for GenerationCable, and fronted by singer and keyboardist David Dutton. He was formerly the keyboardist for Aesthetic Perfection when I first saw them. It was great to see David stepping out onto the front of the stage as he has so much charisma and stage presence. Backed by only the drummer CARV.R who was eye candy behind the kit. With flowing blonde hair and eye makeup that was so sharp it could cut you. CARV.R was bringing the energy to genCAB’s music with his drumming. Together these two are creating a powerful industrial sound that had people in the audience dancing and loving life. David’s showmanship was truly seen when the mic cable went out halfway through a song, and a roading had to change the mic and cable out. This didn’t stop David as he just continued to sing the lyrics straight at the audience without a mic. It’s that kind of resilience that show just how much of a true performer David is.
Up next was a performer that had the look of a punk rocker but mixed it with an industrial flair. Josie Pace stepped onto stage with a blood red leather jacket adorned with metal spikes all around it, a platinum blonde mohawk, and an attitude that said she owned the stage now. Starting off her set with “Hello, Who Am I?”, Josie was ready to get the crowd cheering. Backed by her music producer Ken Roberts on synth’s, Josie commanded the entire stage. Whether you knew who Josie was, or whether you were a fan of her music, she didn’t care. She performed right at the foot of the stage in faces of the crowd, making sure she enticed you to dance, groove, sing, or just move in the audience. No one was safe from her hypnotizing sound. Playing songs like “I’m Begging You,” “Even If It Kills Me,” “Storm and Stress,” “Future,” “Vicious,” “Brain-dead,” and closing with a cover of Placebo’s song “Pure Morning.” Josie Pace was there to make her presence known, and she made sure everybody in the Echoplex knew who she was.
Finally, after two and a half years, I was going to get to see Aesthetic Perfection again. This would be my fourth time seeing them, and the fourth iteration of the bands lineup I’ve seen. Fronted by Daniel Graves on vocals, who is single handedly making bucket hats goth. Adorning a custom Aesthetic Perfection basketball jersey. Daniel Graves is pushing the boundaries of what “dressing Goth” truly means, and still finding a way to make it stylish. Daniel danced and commanded the stage like no other. However, he’s packed Aesthetic Perfection with a duo of high-class showmen. On drums we have Joe Letz, who is a sight to behold. Not only does his flamboyant attire draw the eye of everyone in the crowd, but he is also one of the most charismatic drummers playing today. Pouring water on his drumheads, knocking over his kit throughout the show, walking to the front of the stage and making the audience hold his floor tom as he plays it. It’s hard not to be sucked into his performance alone. New member Constance Antionette is pulling triple duty playing guitar, keys, and bass throughout the set. With a personality that could only be described as gothic Harley Quinn. Playing songs from across their discography like “Gods & Gold,” “S E X,” “Rhythm + Control,” “Antibody,” “Spilling Blood,” “American Psycho,” “The Siren,” “Wickedness,” and ending their set with an encore performance of “Love Like Lies.” Aesthetic Perfection continue to be one of the most underrated live Industrial Pop bands performing.
Since my first time seeing Aesthetic Perfection in 2017, they have continued to change their line up with members coming and going. This is easily my favorite line up I’ve seen so far. Each member brings so much stage presence to an Aesthetic Perfection show, and candy to the eyes. Josie Pace really stood out as a shining light in the genre, and genCAB brought a power and darkness to synthpop that really spoke to the crowd. The American Psycho Tour has been a long time coming, and I am so happy to have finally seen it. The supporting bands that Aesthetic Perfection brought with them helped created a unified industrial/gothic night for all the misfits of LA to come out for.
It was 2015, the last time I saw Bring Me The Horizon. They had just released That’s The Spirit and they were touring for the album. It was when I really started to tune into what they were creating, and I was 100% there for it. While Sempiternal was great, it still didn’t fully catch my attention, but "Throne" did the moment it released with the album. I kept up with them and it only got better from there. The moment they started releasing singles for POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR, I was locked in and ready for more. On the announcement of the album tour, I saw it was with Grandson, Knocked Loose, and Siiickbrain and immediately knew I had to be there. The day arrived and we made our way to the The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory. Unfortunately, we heard prior to the show that Knocked Loose was not able to be there due to their bus breaking down. It was a letdown, but I’ll be sure to catch them next time they are in the area.
First up was Siiickbrain, an artist I was in the presence of at So What! Music Festival but was not able to see. I was stoked to be able to witness the uniqueness they exude on stage. This being my first time, I went in with no expectations. I was excited to experience a new artist. She opened with "Overdrive" from her Ashtray for Your Agony EP and the show was off to the races. I really enjoyed the stage presence from her as she walked across the left and right in what I’d say was a very mysterious manner. In the 6-song set, we got all the bangers from Siiickbrain. It was an experience, that’s for sure, but I walked away intrigued and thinking I’ll see her again in the future. Having not released a debut album yet but singles and Eps, she sure has made an impact in the scene given the 700K monthly listeners on Spotify. 10/10.
Next up was Grandson, a guy I had seen 2 times before, who has literally taken the industry by storm. I always look forward to seeing him on stage because he does not keep the energy held in. You really get to feel it with him and everyone in the crowd. He started his set with “6:00” and immediately he was jumping all around. The crowd was getting wild at this point. I think Bring Me The Horizon did a good job picking their tour mates this go around as Grandson got the crowd incredibly hype for them. Grandson is the type of performer that doesn’t just give you the run of mill walk across stage – he is running non-stop back and forth to make sure the crowd doesn’t skip a beat. He went on to play "We Did It!!!", "Riptide’" and my personal favorite – "Blood // Water" to close out the set. There really isn’t anything much like a Grandson set and everyone should find their way to one of his shows one day soon.
Lastly, the songs we have been waiting for all night were about to be played by the legends themselves, Bring Me The Horizon. The crowd patiently waits as the house music plays and teases everyone as each come to an end but then the next starts. Without expecting it, the lights drop, and a screen comes on with an AI looking character setting the tone for the show. Something I had never seen before but I was there for it. The audio drops and you hear the beginning of "Can You Feel My Heart" start to play and the crowd goes nuts. The Toyota Pavilion was nearly shaking with the roar of the fans singing and chanting. The first three songs from the pit went extremely quick and then it was out to the crowd to enjoy the rest of the set.
The production was absolutely insane. There was so much light in the room, it didn’t even feel like it should have been a Bring Me show. The amount of success that they have seen in the last 2 years has skyrocketed them to a point where their time and resources could be put into putting on one of the best tour shows ever. Oli Sykes was so animated that it made for a fun experience watching him and every other member of the band on stage. The different levels of the set-up really gave it some depth and overall made the viewing experience that much better. The floor lights that illuminated up on everyone was certainly a cool effect and made for some dope photos. They went on to play new and old songs that were fan favorites like "Parasite Eve" that they released during the Covid lockdown. "DiE4u" was one that I didn’t even think about when I got there and it straight up blew me away - I was vibing. They closed out the show with "Throne" from That’s The Spirit and left everyone speechless (metaphorically because there wasn’t a single person not cheering in the room). It was a solid 7 year wait but I’m glad I got to witness them again. What a show.
Another unforgettable Hunnypot Halloween event!
Spin Magazine's Featured Artist DOLL MACHINE mesmerized the dance floor! We twisted to dueling back to back sets by Garage Rock/Surf Guitar legends THE TREMOLO BEER GUT (Denmark/Sweden) and THE BOSS MARTIANS (Seattle).
Co-host was our beloved industry icon THOMAS GOLUBIC´, who rewarded all us minions with his companionship and a Halloween inspired DJ Dance Set.
Spooky! Photos: J. Gray
THOMAS GOLUBIC´ is a four-time Emmy-nominated music supervisor, DJ and twice Grammy-nominated record producer. His music supervision credits include the AMC series Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Halt And Catch Fire, The Walking Dead, the Netflix series Grace and Frankie, Love, the Amazon series Sneaky Pete, the Showtime series Ray Donovan, and the HBO series Six Feet Under among many other film and television projects.
In 2017 Thomas became the president of the Guild of Music Supervisors, the same year he was nominated for the first Outstanding Music Supervisor Emmy Award for his work on Better Call Saul. He received subsequent nominations again in 2019 and 2020. The Guild twice awarded Thomas with Best Music Supervision in a Television Drama for his work on Breaking Bad. Thomas was twice nominated for Grammy awards for producing volumes 1 and 2 of the Six Feet Under soundtrack album, and with Gary Calamar was responsible for the use of Sia’s “Breathe Me."
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The Tremolo Beer Gut are from Denmark/Sweden and there touring the US west coast from Seattle to San Diego. A 98% instrumental garage rock/spy surf combo. 5 LPs and a bunch of 45's on the rap sheet. Low maintenance/High performance 4 piece
Formed in a different millennium by Yebo and Sune Wagner from The Raveonettes – later joined by Per Sunding from Eggstone and The Great Nalna (when Sune moved to the states) and Jengo.
Nalna and Yebo has also played with Jon Spencer and Matt Vert - Ray’s Heavy Trash combo, Yebo also with Junior Senior, PowerSolo and Thee Attacks.
All in all a well seasoned and very spicy combo with a lot of garage rock pedigree and a guaranteed hot live show at your party/show/mother’s house.
Fronted by guitar-smashing, soul singing, anthem-writing buzzbomb Evan Foster, Seattle's BOSS MARTIANS are thee Rock & Roll jet boys to look for in 2008! Got Songs?? HELL YES!! At least, that is, according to Rolling Stone's David Fricke who anointed them "rising stars" referencing their addictive hooks, killer tunes, and super-charged performance in 2004 in New York City at Little Steven's International Underground Garage Festival alongside The Strokes and Iggy Pop (among many others!) SPIN Magazine, quick to get aboard, said "The Boss Martians' irresistible 'I Am Your Radio' should make them stars…" regarding the Foster-penned Power Pop instant-anthem. Taking it all over the top at the concert that day was the introduction the Martians received from the "Boss" himself – Bruce Springsteen – to 20,000 people!
Martian History Lesson: Evan Foster (guitar, vocals) and NickC (keys) met as teenagers in Tacoma, WA and discovered a mutual obsession with Garage, Punk, Surf, and Power Pop – basically all things COOL. They both wanted to start a band and take over the world – enter The Boss Martians!! The Martians uniquely combine the primal energy of Punk with the raw, unmistakable sound and swagger of Northwest Garage Rock (think The Sonics!!), English blue-eyed soul (think Small Faces and The Who!!), and the pure pop sensibility of a young, sneering Elvis Costello. Rounding out the band's low end thump and drum-killing bump, respectively, are "Scary" Scott Myrene on bass guitar and the mysterious, Spokane-born, Thomas Caviezel on drums.
Genre-defying recording artist, composer and producer Doll Machine has been electrifying stages with her unique and culture-challenging performances.
With roots in electronic, hip hop, pop, jazz, and punk, doll machine brings forth a new level of artistic authenticity and self expression. She’s co-written with Grammy-nominated Telepopmusik, house legend DJ Robbie Rivera and is currently working on a collaboration with Grammy-winning artist, Really Doe. She’s also the co-founder and creative director of monthly Japantown residency Multi-Player.
Read Doll Machine's recent feature in SPIN Magazine, watch her Day In The Life video.
John Anderson aka DJ Hot Tub Johnnie has been spinning parties and throwing epic events for over 25 years. His DJ moniker "Hot Tub Johnnie" began with his infamous HUNNYPOT pool party events that began at Coachella, Sundance, and SXSW. When Hot Tub Johnnie is behind the decks, he delivers a crowd pleasing collection of party treasures, crossing many decades and genres across the board.
Fresh off dropping Fenix Flexin Vol. 2, Fenix Flexin and friends have been promoting the project with a 19-date Fenix Flexin Vol. 2 Tour. Cruising through the West Coast up to the Midwest and back out to the Pacific Northwest, the Fenix Flexin Vol. 2 Tour boasts the support of Lil Maru, MBNel & RE Da Chilliman. Rucci was a featured special guest for the homecoming show in Los Angeles as well. Fenix Flexin shows always appear to be a family affair with all the homies on stage with him, and this one was expected to be A1 considering it was in Los Angeles where it all started. When I heard he was playing in town, I knew I had to swing by The Novo to see Fenix Flexin before the tour heads out east for the remaining 16 dates. Let’s hop into my favorite points of the night.
As the crowd rolled in, each of the openers worked the crowd just a tad bit more than the previous act. By the time Rucci hit the stage, the energy at The Novo was top notch. The “Get The Strap” rapper single-handedly raised the vibe of the building from a laid-back rap show to a full blown party, setting the tone for the headliner to hit the stage. When the lights dimmed for Fenix Flexin, the audience responded by raising their cell phone flashlights to light up the venue. Rapping his breakout single “Fell In Love”, Fenix Flexin rushed out on stage and the audience absolutely lost it. The sea of lights made it a magical moment. Fenix rapped a full catalog of material spanning from old Shoreline Mafia bangers like “Musty” to the newer material like “Threat” and “1,2,3,4”. Special shout out to Fenix’s hype man: Yung Moody. He not only kept the energy up all night, but who also climbed the rafters and did a gnarly backflip down onto the stage. I’m sure security was not a fan, but the crowd completely ate it up.
To conclude, Fenix Flexin and the team brought the energy to this one. Obviously, with it being a bit of a homecoming of sorts, it was expected, but Fenix Flexin continues to exceed expectations with each show. The haters said he couldn’t branch out successfully into his solo lane, and those haters are being proved wrong time and time again. Catch Fenix Flexin on the Fenix Flexin Vol. 2 Tour if it’s coming near your city. It’s a show you are not tryin’ to miss.