Rockers put style into every show
While it seems like hip-hop bands with live instruments are becoming more commonplace, there is something out of the ordinary about southern California’s Crown City Rockers.
Of course, their sound falls in with college radio-ready organic art-hop similar to The Roots, Black Eyed Peas, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest.
And there is a prevailing, authenticating old-school sensibility about the Crown City vibe.
But what stands out about this funk-jazz-hip-hop unit is its members’ personalities and how they shine through in the music.
The founding half of Crown City’s rhythm section has nearly a decade of history to contribute: Bassist Headnodic and keyboardist Kat Ouana started jamming together at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in the mid 1990s.
Ouana has played in a rich variety of bands such as a free form improvisational group and an instrumental hip-hop crew. She also laid keyboard tracks for The Simms Online.
Headnodic introduced Ouana to hip-hop.
Another Berklee graduate, drummer Maxwell MacVeety is a bit of a jazz prodigy who started learning Latin and jazz rhythms at the age of 8.
Resident beatsmith Woodstock’s main influences are darker toned East Coast golden-age hip-hop classics such as Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ready To Die” and Common Sense’s “Resurrection.”
And Los Angeles emcee Raashan Morris counters with an upbeat West Coast party vibe.
See what happens when these elements form like Voltron at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday at The B-Side, 230 W. Riverside. Locke and The Chris Wilson Five open the show (see Spin Cycle on page 5 for details). There is a $5 cover.
The Grey Album
New-wave-indie-emo-rockers Lucia’s Grey Dot proved itself as one of the brightest spots to shine in the all-ages scene, but things are about to get interesting for the band of recent high school graduates, as uncertainty hangs overhead.
Tonight at The Big Dipper, Lucia’s Grey Dot plays a CD release party for its new five-song EP, “Presentiment.” It’s also the final show for cellist Chris Adare, who departs for the University of Washington the day after the show.
“There is a possibility of him doing another show during his breaks, but we’re just kind of playing it by ear,” bassist Tyler Tupper stated in a recent e-mail. “Who knows what’s going to happen, but no plans are underway to replace him as of yet.”
Catch LGD tonight at 7 p.m. at The Big Dipper, 171 S. Washington, with Seattle indie-rock band The Myriad and Coeur d’Alene indie-rockers Kite and Anapsyksis. Tickets are $7 at the door for the all-ages show.
In addition to live music, The Big Dipper also offers computer games, an Internet café and open mikes for teens, thanks to collaboration among RAWK, TINCAN’s Virtual Online Teen Center and the Chase Youth Commission. The new coffeehouse opens on Thursday at 3 p.m. To volunteer, contact Dale Strom at 998-9767.
Club hoppin’
• With guitarist James Hunt working out of town on most weekends, Six State Bender makes a semi-rare appearance on Saturday night for a punk rock showdown at The B-Side with sister Seattle band The Authorities and Seattle’s The Bullet Club. There is a $5 cover.
• Minnesota surf punks Tora Tora Torrence! hit The Spike Underground, 122 S. Monroe, on Thursday at 7 p.m. L.A.’s Bullet Train To Vegas co-bills the show. There is a suggested donation of $4.