MLGF Presents...

So, um, hell yeah, St. Vincent's going to be in Santa Barbara in February! Phosphorescent and Bon Iver in March! And dear Frank Turner, too! Not to mention fabulous Oxnard indiepop sensations Maria!

And that kid said there was absolutely no music scene in Santa Barbara... Not that it's L.A. or anything, but that kid's obviously never been to Biko, or to Muddy Waters. Spending too much time on DP listening to "Rebelution" every night will do crazy things to a person, I guess.

I have been somewhat disappointed by UCSB's actual concert series, because last year they got Busdriver, Man Man, Starlight Mints, Aqueduct and others to come play shows on campus. This year, a lot more time seems to be devoted to screamo... not that, uh, there's anything wrong with that, of course...

Feb. 1 - The Coral Sea, Springtime is Wartime (@ Biko)
Feb. 2 - Jesca Hoop (@ SoHO)
Feb. 16 - St. Vincent (!!!) (@ Velvet Jones)
Feb. 22 - Frank Turner, the Donner Party (@ Muddy Waters)
Feb. 23 - Maria, Clitorectomy and the Mutilators, Foot Foot (@ Biko)
Feb. 24 - Red Pony Clock, Harry Lowton (@ Biko)
Mar. 2 - Philip Glass (@ UCSB's Campbell Hall)
Mar. 13 - Roseanne Cash (@ UCSB's Campbell Hall)
Mar. 21 - Phosphorescent, Bon Iver (@ Muddy Waters)
Apr. 16 - Arlo Guthrie (@ UCSB's Campbell Hall)
Apr. 18 - The Mutineers, Drunken Prayer, Power of Country (@ Muddy Waters)
May 29 - The Cure (@ the SB Bowl)

COMING SOON:The Walkmen To Play at SoHO

The Walkmen are coming to Santa Barbara during their run of West Coast tour dates with the Subjects! I'd use more exclamation points, but I've been told by more than one person that that's slightly aggravating. Seriously, though, I love the band. The tour comes as the band's puts the finishing touches on their upcoming album, rumored to be scheduled for release early in 2008. The show's being presented by Club Mercy and UCSB's own student-run radio station, KCSB, and SB-natives the Coral Sea will also be playing. It's a little sad, though: It's 21+, as is usual for downtown. I gotta grow up!

TOUR DATES:
11-10 San Diego, CA - Casbah
11-11 Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour
11-12 Santa Barbara, CA - SoHO
11-13 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
11-15 Portland, OR - Doug Fir
11-16 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards
11-17 Seattle, WA - Neumos

LISTEN:
"Lemon Hill" [MP3]
"The Rat" [MP3]

ON THE WEB:
The Walkmen's website

Santa Barbara Concert Calendar

Santa Barbarians, this is where I'll be posting all the concerts I hear about that sound interesting and regularly updating it to include new ones. Shows that are 21+ have a star (*) next to them, and those that are 18+ have a pound (#) sign next to them. A smattering of Ventura shows as well. Know of others? E-mail me! See address at left.

10-15: Hell Shock, Street Trash (@ Biko Garage)
10-19: Trainwreck (featuring Kyle of Tenacious D) (@ Velvet Jones)
10-16: The Black Lips (@ Velvet Jones)
10-19: Beehouse Records Showcase (@ Muddy Waters Cafe)
10-20: Tipper's Gore, Broken Needle, No Man's Land (@ La Casa)
10-22: Watercolor Paintings, Boyish Charms (@ Biko Garage)
10-26: Pharoah Monach (@ Velvet Jones)
10-31: Tegan and Sara (@ the Lobero Theater)
11-01: Good on Paper (@ Storke Plaza)
11-02: The Winter Sounds (@ Muddy Waters)
11-05: Dos, Joe Lally (of Fugazi), Capillary Action (@ Muddy Waters)
11-06: Ween (@ Ventura Theater)
11-08: Veltexans, the Kris Special (@ Muddy Waters Cafe)
11-09: Saturday Looks Good To Me, Cryptacize (@ Muddy Waters Cafe)
11-11: Dengue Fever, the Spires (@ Mercury Lounge)
11-12: The Walkmen (@ SoHO)
11-12: Pulling Teeth, Frightener, Pressure, No Man's Land (@ Biko Garage)
11-16: Shook Ones, Easel, Please Don't Feed the Bears (@ Biko Garage)
11-19: The Winks (@ Biko Garage)
11-24: The Northern Two (@ Muddy Waters Cafe)
11-28: Red Leaves (@ Muddy Waters Cafe)
12-13: Tori Amos (@ Arlington Theatre)
12-15: Finn Riggens (@ Muddy Waters Cafe)

01-02: Iji, Math the Band (@ Biko Garage)
02-16: Chuck Prophet (@ the Lobero Theater)
03-02: Philip Glass (@ Campbell Hall, UCSB)
03-12: Roseanne Cash (@ Campbell Hall, UCSB)
04-16: Arlo Guthrie (@ Campbell Hall, UCSB)
05-29: The Cure (@ the Santa Barbara Bowl) <-- Rescheduled!

The Immaculate Machine Hits Santa Barbara Saturday!!!

Immaculate Machine: Brooke Gallupe, Kathryn Calder and Luke Kozlowski

Last minute surprises! Immaculate Machine comes to town this weekend... and of course it's the weekend I'm going to be in Long Beach. Man oh man. the Immaculate Machine will be playing at the Biko Co-op on Saturday night at 8, with local bands Mouth and Clitorectomy and the Mutilators!! Amazing indie pop from Mint Records.

I complain a lot about not being close to the LA shows, but the great thing about Santa Barbara is that when bands do come around, they often play in our (by our, I mean college students) backyards here in Isla Vista! I saw the Advantage (the "8-bit Nintendo band," which is way more awesome than it sounds, and far less gimmicky) play last night at the Pink Mailbox. Great show. The crowd was really enthusiastic and captivated, especially when the band got gradually softer and softer until they were basically inaudible... "I can't hear you!" some drunk person jeered from the back, but it was all in good fun.

And, don't forget to go and check out Sea Wolf play downtown at SoHO this Thursday, Sept. 13, or Modest Mouse, who will be at the Bowl next weekend while I'm in Austin for ACL (and Hot Freaks! on Sept. 15). Enjoy the multitude of awesome musical events happening in Santa Barbara. You've earned it, neighbors.

LISTEN:
Immaculate Machine: "Dear Confessor" [MP3]
Modest Mouse: "Dashboard" [MP3]
Sea Wolf: "You're A Wolf" [MP3]