NOLA Fest @ Bard

What could be better than 8 straight hours of music for a good cause? What if those 8 hours included electric performances from Aviator and InfinitiRock? This Friday, July 23rd, the Anand brothers (not to be confused with The Allman Brothers, The Avett Brothers, or any other fraternal music group) will be performing at NOLA FEST on Bard College's Campus. Proceeds from the show will benefit the children of Andrew H. Wilson Elementary School in New Orleans.

The festivities begin at 4:00 p.m. and run until midnight on the Campus Quad outside of Campus Center. In addition to Aviator and InfinitiRock, there will be performances from Great Pyranese, StickLips, Cosmopolitan, Emanuel Gears, Marina & The DayTrippers, Red Shift, and Christopher Paul Stelling. Advance ticket holders will also be entered into a drawing for two tickets to the Spiegeltent to see Jackie Hoffman's comedy show.

Call 404-296-4494 for advance discount tickets: adults $12, kids (18 and under) and seniors (60 and over) $10, and students (with valid ID) $12.

Tickets may be picked up at will call the day of the event.

Day of tickets: adults $15, kids and seniors $10, and students $12.

Come for a day of great music, great times, and a great cause!

Look What We Found: The Health Benefits of Beer

Researchers at the University of California have discovered that beer may actually help build stronger bones--prompting infants the world-over to throw down their bottles of milk and declare: "Mom, get me a beer!" Check out the facts about this deliciously convenient scientific discovery.

Supersillyus @ Forbidden Bass Wednesdays

Come see Supersillyus lay down his unique blend of psychedelic dance grooves and electronic wizardry as a part of Forbidden Bass Wednesdays at Rehab Nightclub in Worcester. The party kicks off at 9 p.m. with opening performances from DJ Siga and NLYTN (DJ Lenny Sosa) prior to Supersillyus

18+ with a $5 cover charge gets you access to Rehab's 3rd and recently opened VIP loft on the 4th floor.

Enjoy Rehab's enormous dance-floor, killer lighting, and top-line bar. The VIP Loft is complete with DJ booths overhanging the dance-floor and amazing lounge. Bring 4 friends and receive a free wristband.

Grab your glowsticks for a night of seriously silly entertainment.

Desiderata Festival 2010

The Tribe is calling - the Desiderata Tribe. Prepare for a 5 day spectacle of electronic jams, visual and performing arts, independent films, yoga, and camping in the beautiful Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. Desiderata features musicians, DJs, and artists from around the world crossing a variety of genres.

In addition to music and arts, festival-goers can also participate in wellness workshops, yoga, drum circles, campfires, tribal dances, World Cup match viewings, and interactive art exhibits.

Notable acts included Alex B (of Pnuma Trio), Juno Reactor, Future Rock, Talamasca, and dozens more.

Even more exciting! Base Trip Records' electronic wizard, Supersillyus, will be playing at the Lost in Sound tent. Friends of Base Trip Records, Wobblesauce, will also perform.

Desiderata will run from June 23-27th at Stone Tavern Farm in Roxbury, NY. Tickets are available through the official website.

Hope to see you there. WOMP!

Look What We Found: Princess

Check out the single, "Princess," by Primary 1. An arid desert landscape, brightly dressed invisible men, and trumpets make for quite the visual experience. We're not quite sure what any of this has to do with princesses, but we like it anyway.

Alex B (of Pnuma Trio) and Supersillyus at Wonder Bar

Come out to Wonder Bar on Friday, June 11th, to see electronic phenomenon Alex B (of Pnuma Trio) perform material from his newly released solo debut, Moments--currently #4 on iTunes electronic charts.

Base Trip Records' own Supersillyus will open the night alongside EJ3 Robot of the Boston-based music collective, Fameless Fam.

Set breaks will feature up and coming DJ, Krallspace.

Admission is 21+ only. Show begins at 9 p.m. and tickets are $15. Presale tickets are available through Lost In Sound.

Check out the Facebook event for more details.

The night promises to be full of chewy, chunky, electronic goodness. Don't miss it!

Moe Pope: "Rock Me"

Check out the video for "Rock Me" from local Boston rapper, Moe Pope. Shot mostly in Jamaica Plain, the video also features background appearances from Base Trip's Aviator and Dory Greenberg.

Look What We Found: Carl Sagan Remix

The mysteries of the universe revealed... through electronica.

The Dr. Will See You, Now

A low murmur of excitement hung in the air at the Paradise Rock Club, Tuesday night, as the growing crowd awaited their canine friends to take the stage. With the addition of each Dr. Dog disciple, the murmur swelled to a full roar and chants of “Doc-tor Dog! Doc-tor Dog!” sporadically erupted as stage-hands shrouded in black shuffled across the stage. Though the Philadelphia-based quintet has remained quietly below the mainstream’s radar, the crowd’s pre-show energy suggested that this is a band ready to make some noise. It’s no surprise that Dr. Dog can pack a room at the Paradise—their newest release, Shame, Shame, recently topped the College Music Journal’s list of Top 10 College Radio Albums—and Boston is the college-town, after all.

Opening the night were idiosyncratic alt-country rockers, Deer Tick, out of Providence, RI. Frontman John McCauley swaggered on-stage decked out in a red “I’m Not Santa Claus, but you can sit on my lap anyway…” t-shirt, white hipster sunglasses, and a black Boston Red Sox hat—“Just for you, Boston.” McCauley’s gritty drawl sounds like the result of a life lived at the bottom of a barrel of Tennessee whiskey smoking three packs of Marlboro Reds a day. His semi-Southern persona was underlined by the occasional glint of his sliver tooth in the stage light. Deer Tick played an hour-plus set featuring songs from their first two albums, War Elephant and Born on Flag Day, as well as new releases from their upcoming The Black Dirt Sessions.

Deer Tick are far from unknown as illustrated by the crowd’s cheers and sing-alongs throughout the set. Standout tracks included a slowed down rendition of “Ashamed,” which traded acoustic sensibility for arena rock appeal, culminating in show-stopping guitar solo that could have easily been the work of Eddie Van Halen. During “These Old Shoes,” McCauley hilarious pointed to bassist Christopher Dale Ryan and guitarist Ian O’Neil (formerly of Titus Andronicus) while crooning about surviving a plane crash with a “priest and a clown” before shouting, “it was a no-go for this hobo!” O’Neil’s steady vocals complimented McCauley’s coarse voice while his rhythmic guitar often broke into face-melting erratic riffs. Their set ended with an extended drum solo from Dennis Ryan reminiscent of John Bonham’s “Four Sticks.” Expect great things from these guys.

On to the main attraction. Dr. Dog’s neon-orange tape lined instruments glowed in the darkness of the stage as the band jumped into the swirling rhythms of “Stranger,” a song showcasing their ability to match themes of uncertainty with upbeat melodies. Though Dr. Dog’s recordings portray baroque pop sensibilities, their live performance highlighted an explosive yet subtle punk-rock side. Bassist Toby Leaman and lead guitarist Scott McMicken traded lead vocal duties throughout the set creating something of a Lennon-McCartney dynamic one can’t help but draw from the band’s established 60s pop sound. Additionally, guitarist Frank McElroy’s commanding rhythms played perfectly off of McMicken’s bending guitar while Zach Miller’s and Eric Slick’s consistently inventive piano and drum work drove the engine of the band.

The set focused primarily on tracks from 2008’s Fate and the recently released Shame, Shame, though songs from We All Belong periodically found their way into the set. Perhaps the greatest sing-along response from the crowd came during “The Old Days” as McMicken sang the chorus while the stage lights pulsed along to the beat:

Down, down, down,

Moon gonna fall down.

Thump, thump, thump,

House gonna fall down.

Chop, chop, chop,

Tree gonna fall down.

Down, down, down,

Down to the bottom.

Songwriting is paramount to Dr. Dog and each new song established an entirely different atmosphere in the tiny Paradise club—from down-home country during “Station” to the finely-tuned energy of “Where’d All the Time Go?” Leaman and McMicken danced back and forth across the stage as McElroy—towering in height over the rest of the band—bounced along with his guitar. Lead vocals aside, the band’s ability to harmonize in the old 60s pop “ooh-wop-bop” fashion succeeds in a paradox of complex simplicity that many other bands simply cannot match. The backing harmonies established an addictive groove that members of the crowd kept singing even after the song had finished. After an hour and a half set that left the crowd begging for more, the band returned for a three song encore that included the autobiographic “Jackie Wants a Black Eye” that featured McMicken’s only acoustic work of the night. By the night’s end, Dr. Dog had left the audience exhausted, glowing, and ready to do it all again.

-Steve Church

Interview with Frank McElroy of Dr. Dog

1. Each of you has a nickname beginning with the letter T—Taxi, Teach, Text, Tables, and you’re Thanks. What’s their significance to the band?

They’re not all that significant. It’s just a letter—like a lot of things in Dr. Dog—picked out of thin air. The significance is added to it by the fact that we decided that you needed a “T” name to be in Dr. Dog. It’s setting a feeling that we’re all in it as a team. I mean it really could’ve been any letter, but it was T. There’s no real meaning.

2. When I first heard the band’s name I assumed you guys were a rapper—somewhere between Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Where did the name Dr. Dog come from?

It’s another kind of chance occurrence. There’s not a really good story. One time Toby (Leaman) and Scott (McMicken) were together and Scott had a drawing and crossed out the A and it said Dr. Wing. Drawing with the A crossed out says Dr. Wing. And I think Scott suggested that as a band name. Then Toby said, “How about Dr. Dog?”

3. Who would you say are some of your biggest musical influences and what were you listening to while recording Shame, Shame?

We worked on Shame, Shame so much that I personally didn’t listen to much other music. You get so deep into the process because you’re working on it like 18 hours a day—pretty much every waking moment. You should check out a guy named R. Stevie Moore. He’s had a big influence on Dr. Dog because he’s like the father, grandfather, or forefather of do-it-yourself recording. He’s recorded hundreds of albums in his basement and played all the instruments and he’s out of New Jersey.

4. For the new album, you guys switched labels from Park the Van to Anti-Records and left your home studio in Philadelphia and recorded in New York for the first time. What prompted you to change labels and go in that direction?

We had kind of grown with Park the Van with each record. We were their first release and had introduced them to a few other Philadelphia bands. We got to a point where just the logistics of all of the work that goes into after you’ve made an album—promoting it and pushing it out there—and we kind of moved beyond their reach. So it was kind of a mutual recognition that we needed someone with a broader stretch to push the album.

5. Are there any other acts you would like to work or perform with?

We could do something cool with the Wu-Tang Clan. That would be up there.

6. What’s the dynamic like between Dr. Dog and Deer Tick?

Well, we’re on the whole tour with them. I didn’t know them so much before the tour but usually with most bands we get along pretty well. We get pretty close pretty fast and Deer Tick is no exception. I think they’re great. They work really well with us on this tour because people in the crowds tend to know their songs and get excited to see them. It seems like the crowd is more familiar with them than smaller opening bands. You know, it’s a toss-up because you want to introduce people to new music that you like but in the case of Deer Tick everyone already seems to be hip to them and really enjoy them so it’s great.

7. Have you ever thought about doing a take-away show—sort of like an impromptu recording on the street—like a lot of bands have been doing on La Blogotheque?

Walking around and singing? I’d love to do that. It sounds cool. I haven’t heard of that blog, though. We did a similar thing in California. Some kids came up to us after a show and asked to film us walking down the street singing a song. So I guess we’ve already done it. Youtube Dr. Dog California. It’s a black and white video. It’s one of my favorite.

8. You used to work on The David Letterman Show and then Dr. Dog played there a few years later. What was it like to go from working there behind the scenes to being featured on the show?

I got to see all my old friends. It was an honor and I was real excited. It was surreal. Working there was surreal and then playing there was even more surreal. It was a weird time to leave because it’s my favorite show but Dr. Dog was my favorite band—so it was strange.

9. What’s the next step for Dr. Dog?

We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing. We’re going to play live shows, we’re going to record albums, and we’re playing a lot of festivals this summer.

Thanks, Frank,

Steve Church and Gillian Zwengler

Look What We Found: Dancing Dinos

Check out the first single, "Tighten Up," from The Black Keys' new album, Brothers. That little dino puppet has some sweet moves.

Paintings by Supersillyus

You may know Supersillyus as a musician, but he also moonlights as a painter. Check out some of this never-before-seen original artwork!

(WOW)

(mushroomushroomushroom)

(trippy)

More to come!

TEDxBU

This Sunday, April 26, founder of Base Trip Records, Conor Loughman, and Base Trip Records' artist, Aviator (Neil Anand), will be speaking at the TEDxBU conference on BU campus.

TED is a nonprofit organization that focuses on conferences to spread worthwhile ideas. TEDxBU is an independently organized TED event, hosted by students at Boston University. The conference is a free event where anyone can gather information about education, communication, leadership, science, and technology.

Conor Loughman will be speaking about Base Trip Records, specifically music and entrepreneurship in the record industry. Aviator will be speaking about thoughtfulness and the hip-hop scene. Be sure to check out our favorite members of Base Trip Records this weekend at one of the greatest idea-spreading events of the year at BU!

Over three hundred people have reserved a spot for this event, but there are still spots to attend the conference. Even if you can’t make it to the event, content will be available online shortly after the event. The event will take place at The College of General Studies (871 Commonwealth Ave) between noon and 5 pm. Speakers will give 45 minute sessions on each topic with a short break. For more information you can follow the event on Twitter or on Facebook.

See you there,

Devondra

The BU Today Sessions: Micah

Micah recently performed some of his unreleased tracks for BU Today. Check out the videos.

You can also read BU Today's interview with Micah, here.

Micah 2.0

Last time we talked you were thinking about making an artist name change to one more suitable to your growth as a person and artist. Have you made a final decision?

My final decision is my name, Micah. It’s easy and Conor said a really good thing the other night when I actually performed first as Micah. I think it was at chill out and he said, “You know what? Micah really fits you because you don’t need any of the labels or an alias. You just are Micah that’s it. That’s all there is.” I don’t need to define myself as some other name.

What is your new material like? You talked about incorporating personal changes and new experiences into your music. How is that going?

I’m working on a lot of demos right now, but there has been a lot of different music. I like it a lot because I just got a new Mac computer so it’s a lot easier to record demos and actually put the sound to something and be able to tweak it if I want to. Conor is teaching me how to use Pro Tools and we had our first lesson last week. Hopefully we’ll have more. It’ll be really cool to get into that stuff so I know what my voice sounds like and the potential is for that kind of stuff.

Now the music you’re working on, is it similar to your old persona, Rapper Steph, or is it different?

The music is definitely different because I’ve definitely grown in my music and you can tell through the lyrics in my songs. I’ve just gotten a lot more used to be being on the mic and recording myself and knowing exactly what I want different parts of my music to sound like. It’s more experiential so I know exactly what I want to sound like. It’s pretty cool.

Since you’ve been working on new material, have you booked or are you planning future shows?

I just did Jamnesty and tomorrow I’m doing Human Rights Week. I was just on the phone with somebody who works at Hampshire College. I’m doing their Spring Jam which is their second biggest event of the year at Hampshire College in Western Mass. There are four other colleges around there: U Mass Amherst, Amherst, Mount Holyoke and Smith. It’s just a giant day where everybody is outside; it’s like an arts and music festival. It’s also Accepted Students Day so they invite all of their accepted students to their campus. It’s going be a pretty big audience and I’m really pumped about it.

Are you planning on releasing a mix tape any time soon?

I know Aviator took that route and he got a lot of plays. I wouldn’t be opposed to it and I’m working on a lot of stuff that is mix tape quality because it is using borrowed beats from Mos Def and Florence and the Machine. That is a possibility, but I was just planning on releasing those tracks as freebies. I mean a mix tape would be really cool, but right now I’m focusing on putting out an album. We’ll see what happens. If I had the music for it, I would definitely do it. I’ve really been building up the last two and a half years on making an album; an album with original beats and all of that stuff. I’ve never really thought about the idea of a mix tape. It would be really cool, but I need to write a little more music and material, so that would take a little time.

You just signed with Base Trip Records. How did it feel when you finalized it?

I’m going to be honest; it felt kind of scary because I’ve never actually committed myself to anything that’s longer than half a semester or maybe even a semester. I mean it was really cool because it made everything very official. Only time will tell and I’m not going to push time. Time does its own thing. I am not in control of time.

Any new updates in the life of Micah other than what we’ve discussed tonight?

I’m in the process of getting my name legally changed. That’s really rad. It’s going to be Micah Andre. I have to send in all of my petition stuff to the newspaper so they can make it a public notice. Once I do that and bring it to the probate court I’m done; it’s legal. I’m pretty much through the hard part.

Thanks Micah,

Devondra