show review: the mallard

"The Mallard, Strawberry Jam, Ornery Ones were fantastic last night! The Mallard sounds super cool as a four piece!" - Luke Giffen, via facebook


last night i went out to see the mallard play at audie's olympic.  fortunately, heather is on vacation so she was able to go as well.  i like the mallard, and really like them live.  for those that don't know, the lead singer of the mallard is greer, formerly of rademacher, but it's a much, much different sound than the old days of rad.  i dig it.  the first time i saw the mallard it was a two piece. then, heather and i saw them as a three piece. now, it's a four piece and sounds really good.  the music is more densely constructed, but still has a very light, energetic and loud feel to it.

the first band of the night was a project featuring james brittain gore on guitar & singing, benji mcentee (of the fay rays) on bass, and another guy on drums.  they had a nice sound, but it didn't blow me away.

the second band of the night was strawberry jam.  i'd never heard of them, but they're from the area.  and they freakin rock.  both heather & i were astonished by the bass player especially.  she laid down some seriously good bass lines on the night.  i shot two videos of them to share with the world:





finally, the mallard was up.  i could see them over and over.  the energy.  the talent.  the awesome noise.  the videos don't do them justice.

so, i'd agree with luke.  awesome show last night.

diego's umbrello & the quiet americans

thursday night an intriguing little show hits audie's olympic.

local favs, and up and comers (as much as an up and comer group with all road tested, successful musicians can be) the quiet americans are taking the stage @ audie's.  i dig 'em a lot, and if you haven't seen them, you should.  and buy a cassette.

they'll be joined by a band named diego's umbrella.  i haven't heard of them, but apparently they have a bit of a name to them.  and, i like their sound, which sort of reminds me of a little more electric ska el olio wolof.

check some vids from diego's umbrella






okay, i definitely like the quiet americans better, but it should be an intriguing show.

a place to bury strangers @ audie's olympic

this show's just over a week away, but it'll be dope and you should buy your ticket in advance.



and, you can hear one of the concert facilitators, johnny q on a great podcast over here.

a place to bury strangers @ audie's olympic

this show is still a bit away, but it's going to be hella good. shoot, i've already got tickets. get yours here now.



to hear a place to bury strangers, click over here.

the underground garden art piece

i'm taking part in a collaborative art project called "the underground garden," put together by local musician blake jones. it goes hand in hand with the release of the newest album from blake jones & the trike shop.

basically, each artist (there are a ton) are being given a 12"x12" piece of plywood to work with. the prompt is to think about how the local art/music scene is reflected by the idea of an underground garden.

here is my unfinished piece - it's due back to blake by 4/19.



admittedly, this is a crap picture. for whatever reason, i couldn't get a clear picture of the piece. i think it's because of the smearing i used. the piece is done in oil pastels, something i haven't used in a long time. i enjoyed working with them again, and so maybe there is an element of rebirth in it for me. i wanted to use a tree, a common symbol of life to be a symbol, or reflection of the growing arts and music culture in fresno. in the piece you see fruit of different valley plants (grapes, oranges, cotton, strawberries, all coming from the same tree, the same soil. but, this is also a take on the actual underground gardens, where there are fruit grafted onto other trees and so you have a tree that produces multiple fruits. fresno's art & music culture is beginning to bear fruit. it also comes from different branches. in the piece, there are 4 main branches, but this is more symbolic, as there are more than four branches, and more than four types of fruit being born here.

i'm more or less done with piece, i want it to be a quick reaction based on the inspiration.k it's not something i want to work and work and work on. that's not a reflection of the fresno art & music scene, just me & this piece. i'll be adding a polyurethane coat over the top to seal the pastels, and to give is some depth & shine.

the whole collective piece will be unveiled on april 24th at audie's olympic.

(cross posted at artbyedwardstewart)

dj woody at resurrect

there's a guy in fresno that's been putting on shows every other monday night at audie's olympic. now, someone putting on shows isn't all that special, but he's doing a night of music that isn't really all that ordinary. and, he's actually drawing a decent little crowd. friend of the blog, woody, has spun at two of these weeks, and here's his set from the most recent show.




i'm super excited that these are being recorded and put up on the web. i really can't wait for the release of last week's set because i was there for a few minutes, but didn't stick around. hey, i was tired. but, monica pasillas, who did one of my tattoos (and several friends) spun a set of 90's hip hop that i heard was amazing.

so, congrats to professor stone for putting on the resurrect shows. they're super dope and i hope they keep growing.

dj woody returns!

there's a new crew of dj's in fresno or the greater fresno area. okay, i don't know exactly how new they are, but they are putting on shows @ audie's every 2nd monday of the month. this monday (2/8) features my homie woody. stylistically, i'm curious what he'll be playing. he's played dubstep, drum & bass, jungle, grime (i think) and more.



added bonus of this show, it's free.

fay wrays weatherman

some video i took last night of the fay wrays during a very enjoyable show.



i loved fay wrays last night. the played stuff from the new album, some newer songs and more. wheels of fortune were enjoyable, but i keep talking to people that don't enjoy them so much. i can't figure out why.

shoot, i even enjoyed racelegs' set, and i haven't in the past.

fay wrays' cd release show

in case you didn't know



fay wrays have an album release tonight. you should be there. it will be super fun.

rademacher bellyflop ep release show 9/18

what are you doing tonight? forget that bizness over @ cedar & shaw, you should be ovver at floradora and van ness.



audie's olympic is hosting a cd release show for fresno's indie vets rademacher. they'll be playing, along with others, but the real gem is a chance to pick up the new album.


here's the original flyer for the show, when it was supposed to be a double release party for rademacher and fay wrays.



sadly, fay wrays had some problems getting their cd all ready to distribute and had to postpone their release. but, i have heard that fay wrays will be having a cd release show on oct 22nd @ audie's olympic. you won't want to miss that, or the new cd, which i have a pre-release copy of. it's fan-effin-tastic.

post art hop dub step show @ audie's olympic

lotta cool stuff going on around fresno tonight. here's one of the things i'm going to:



and i'm completely serious when i say hd4000 is one of the world's best dj's.

the queers @ audie's olympic

saltwater merchant @ audie's olympic

looking for something to do this evening? well, how about you jaunt on over to audie's olympic and see something different. i'm a fan of loud music, but sometimes you have to mix it up. and sometimes you have to do something other than the post arthop show at tokyo. i think tonight is the night for both.

why you ask? well, my friend travis oberg, who plays under the name saltwater merchants, is playing @ audie's. he is a delightful individual, a charming man, an excellent guitarist, and has the voice of an angel. he also smelled nice last time i saw him.



travis even has his own album available on itunes (search his name) and probably tonight @ the show.

dj swamp @ audie's olympic

i'll actually miss this show because i'll be out of town, but there is no reason for you to miss it. what a line up:
dj swamp (beck's old dj) - awesome
aesop fables - fresno's own member of the living legends crew
the fay wrays - amazing local heavy band

and some more.

i'd be there. be there for me.

no town derby concert

that's right y'all. tonight at audie's we got music, we got derby girls, we got an old school raffle.

rademacher at tokyo garden 12/27

if you're not like me and watching a crazy good ufc fight tonight, here's what you should be doing in fresno.



really, get the heck out of your house, brave the cold weather, and see some great local music. i'm not totally sure, but you may also be able to pick up a copy of rademacher's newest, 4 trx xmas. it's pretty nice, and i'll definitely throw on auld lang syne to ring in the new year.

if you're really lucky, you might even see me there after the fights.

and, maybe you're looking for something different. here's another fresno option...40 watt hype

cafe corazon benefit

here's what you should be sunday afternoon: going to see bands perform in honor of the best coffee shop that fresno has ever had.



seriously, be there.

benefit for cafe corazon

*updated!*

ahh, the start of another week. and, as usual i'm already looking forward to the weekend rather than paying attention and really enjoying everything that happens between now and then.

some good friends will be hitting the 'no later in the week.

and on sunday, there's an event planned to benefit the owners of cafe corazon. it's an early start, which is cool, because that allows for more fun on sunday night.
audie's olympic (club fred) plays host to:
Wheel of Fortune & Succulent,
Love Seats,
It'll Grow Back,
Blake Jones,
Roger Perry
local poet Chicago.
[and just added...Rademacher!]

starts @ 4, music goes on @ 4:30, show's over around 8.

cost? only $5. although, as a lover of cafe corazon, i'm likely to donate a little more.

fay wrays, the sleepover disaster, geographer & fights monsters

looking for something good to do after halloween? or just because it's saturday? get yourself over to audie's olympic/club fred and see the fay wrays

11-01-2008 21:00 at Audie’s Olympic
w/ Silian Rail,
Geographer,
Fights Monsters,
and Sleepover Disaster.
Cost: $5.00
Fay Wrays, Silian Rail(SF), Geographer(SF), Fights Monsters (Bay Area), and Sleepover Disaster!!!!!!!!!!!

i paid $5 to see the sleepover disaster & light fm on thursday, and i'll probably pay another $5 to see them with the fay wrays.