5 Cities Strong Baby! Hello Hampton Roads! Hi there Roanoke! Welcome to the fold!
Come on in and catch your local Virginia music online. The Nines, Raw Dawg, The Influence, Jackmove, The Jackal Tickets!, MacAwesome, Howie DeWitt, The Transmitters, Tattooed Brest, and so much more.
Cover credits:
See article.
All five cities on the cover! Hampton Roads and Roanoke's Premier Issues! The others are Richmond, Charlottesville, and Roanoke.
Cover Credits:
Top petal and then to the right in a circle:
The Nines, photo by Megan Wagner, Richmond
Bimini Road, photo by Lauren Nicolaus, Hampton Roads
DJ BeetKeeper, photo by Derek Kirkland, Fredericksburg
The Jackal Tickets!, photo by T.J. Wells, Roanoke
Mill Street Grill Jazz Musician, photo by Sherry Morris, Charlottesville
Overall design by Heather Mullican.
First of all, my apologies for not including this in the original showcase review for the February edition. Due to a miscommunication between myself and our Director of Events, it was not included. I hope you all understand that I did not intend to bypass this fun evening in my review!
Another snowy night in Richmond, and I began to think we should be calling these events "Magazine33 Snowcases". Hotel X opened the evening with an unusual set of music that incorporated many world-themes and melodies. By now, I hope you've all noticed that I'm a big fan of any kind of unconventional instrumentation, and this lively (and large) group did not disappoint. I wish I could better describe them, but they're truly an act to be experienced rather than heard. To get a better idea, pay a visit to their Myspace page: MySpace.com/HotelX.
Los Santamarias returned for another set of driving funk. Though Magazine33 usually chooses to vary our artists, these three were encouraged to return when we rescheduled the showcase after the first Snowfall of 2009-2010. Check out the January showcase review to see what I mean! If you haven't heard of them though, they're a trio of brothers who are deceptively good and bring a phenomenal energy to the stage. I'll bring back a quote from a fan back in January:
"If I had just seen this one song, just that one, it'd have been worth the drive from Fredricksburg."
Next up, and headlining the event, were reggae rockstars Unity Sound. I love it when a reggae band closes up the night. Everything wraps up with great music to move to and dance to. And even if you're not on your feet, I hope you'll agree that it's a terrific way to close the evening! They have such a good vibe and as a listener, you can tell they've been playing together for the better part of a decade. Their music is sharp and rhythms are tight. Check them (and their music) out online at UnitySoundReggaeBand.com.
Thanks for checking back! Again, Magazine33 and I apologize that this wasn't included in the original showcase review. Blame my busy schedule and hectic life. Thanks for your understanding!
Not many bands hit their peak twenty years after they've broken up, but then again, not many bands play live without monitors. Boston's Mission of Burma left their indelible mark on the eighties post-punk scene when they released Vs. in 1982, their only full-length release at the time. Because of the band's intense live volume and their affinity for chaotic feedback and psychedelic tape looping, guitar player and vocalist Roger Miller developed a severe case of tinnitus, prompting the band's breakup. Fast forward to 2004, when the reformed Mission of Burma released their second full-length studio album, Onoffon, placing them right back at the top of the genre they helped define with artists such as Sonic Youth and Pere Ubu. Still plagued by tinnitus, Miller wore a protective headset used on firing ranges while playing live, placing his single amplifier at the very front of the stage and playing sans monitors so as to not further damage his already pummeled hearing. After a successful reunion tour, they released The Obliterati to further acclaim, solidifying their status not only as pioneers of their genre, but innovators as well. They have since modified their live setup for their current tour in support of their latest release The Sound the Speed the Light, adding monitors by the bassist (Clint Conley) and drummer (Pete Prescott) and some slightly updated tape looping technology for man-behind-the-scenes Bob Weston. Roger is also fortunately able to use some slightly less obtrusive hearing protection these days, as was seen at their first ever performance in the state of Virginia at the University of Richmond's Tyler Haynes Student Commons. Despite the fact that these guys are old enough to be your father (my father saw their "final" show in 1983), they tear their contemporaries to shreds with the tenacity of a grizzly bear protecting its young, or in their case, their status as peerless renegades of modern music. Roger Miller took some time in between sound checks to answer a few questions for us.
33: What are currently your favorite songs to play live? Do you have a favorite song to cover? Do you have any early songs that you simply can't stand to hear or play anymore?
RM: I don't have any favorite songs to play, really. Whatever is newest is usually the most interesting to me. That means I prefer tracks from Sound Speed Light, or a new song we recently learned called "This is Hi-Fi". I still enjoy "Certain Fate" and "This is not a Photograph", though. Honestly, I sometimes just plain don't want to play "Academy Fight Song" - clearly the song is really a great song, and I feel bad about not wanting to play it because it's so great. But we ALWAYS play it. That bugs me. The other guys aren't as bugged by this.
We've been playing "Happenings 10 Years Time Ago" by the Yardbirds in this round of shows - it's almost custom-made for us.
33: How has the band's songwriting and collaboration process changed or evolved since your original inception in the 80's? Has it changed over the course of the three albums you have made since reuniting?
RM: Songwriting hasn't changed at all since we started. One person basically writes the song and the other three contribute when it's brought into rehearsal. Clint and I generally have things fully mapped out - Pete's songs get more beat into shape in rehearsals. But every song has some contributions by the others. We have been talking recently of sharing riffs, just to see what happens. That hasn't occurred yet, though.
33: Who is Mr. Science and what is his role in the band?
RM: Mr. Science was a guy in Madison, Wisconsin, who used to tweak everyone's amps that lived there. I was there on a Maximum Electric Piano tour in the late 80's, and wanted the following: a hollow-body electric with a whammy bar and a "strings go behind the bridge" setup so I could get as many sounds as possible from it. I didn't care if it could stay in tune. I knew Mr. Science, told him my request and he said, "I have just the guitar for you - I tried giving it away to a street person and they rejected it. Come back in three hours." I came back in three hours, and there was the guitar - the person gave it back to him because it was so bad they didn't want it. That's the guitar I use in Burma on "Wounded World", "Absent Mind", "...And Here it Comes", "Good not Great", etc. It's a 60's Kay guitar. I did have the tuning pegs replaced when I realized it was an ADVANTAGE to be able to tune the guitar. I christened this guitar "Mr. Science" after the man who got it for me. He disappeared from Madison shortly thereafter. I also have an unusual tuning on it because it really does not play well in the "normal tuning" mode.
33: Do you feel that Mission of Burma is more accepted in today's musical climate than it was during the 80's, given your influence on the art-punk and experimental music scene?
RM: Oh definitely. In 1979-1983 we were used to being ignored and totally misunderstood. Now when we play, people actually cheer when they recognize a song! Vacuous looks from the audience were the norm for us in the early days.
33: The average age of your typical audience member has obviously increased since the 80's. Is there any part of you that misses the more aggressive nature of your early live shows?
RM: When we reunited in 2002, it was mostly people "our age" that came to shows. That petered off after ON/off/ON, and so did our audiences. When The Obliterati came out, our audiences grew, and it was mostly 20-30 year olds! Eventually the older types said "we've seen 'em now, let's get back to our lives," but the younger rockers keep coming back. It's quite satisfying, actually. But we definitely are a multi-generational rock band. Weird.
33: How did you guys come to the decision to reunite after nearly 20 years? What were your original intentions for the reunion and how have they changed since?
RM: We don't really know for sure why we reunited. The intention was to play two shows - one in Boston, one in New York City - and stop. Clearly that didn't happen. It turned into three in Boston and two in New York City, all sold out. It snowballed after that - in a very slow fashion. Eventually we realized we were actually sort of a band again.
33: You guys have been praised as one of the most successful "reunion bands" that have reappeared over the last decade in terms of maintaining the quality and artistic integrity of your previous work. What is your general feeling towards the recent influx of reunion bands (Pixies, Stooges, My Bloody Valentine, etc.)? Are there any other bands that you feel had a particularly successful reunion (in non-monetary terms)?
RM: I don't know. I really enjoyed seeing the Stooges in LA at ATP when we played. I saw them in Detroit when their first album came out (1970), so it was quite a rush to see them rip those songs quite well. Pixies? They seem to be just playing the hits, obviously, something we never intended to do. But then, we were never successful really, so we never had any hits! So we were able to keep going without anything to hold us back. Dinosaur Jr. has put out new material I think - Clint says it's quite good. So have the Buzzcocks. I haven't followed them, though.
33: What is Mission of Burma Day and how did it come about?
RM: Mark Kates, our manager, knew someone in office in Boston. Basically, those guys are around our age, and some of them used to hit the clubs. It's only that ONE day; it's not a recurring day. It was a lark as far as we were concerned.
We played outside at MIT on that day (in Cambridge, not Boston - that's part of the joke). We weren't allowed to have beer outside, but of course I had one in a plastic cup. After the show, I was standing near the stage and saw a cop coming my way. I teetered the cup away from him so he wouldn't see that nice amber color of an IPA. But he kept coming at me, and shortly I realized he wanted to talk to ME, specifically. I turned to give him my best innocent smile, and he looked straight at me and said, "Why didn't you guys play Revolver?" I was pretty relieved and amused at that point.
33: When not playing in Mission of Burma you manage to stay pretty busy. What are some of the other projects you have worked on recently?
RM: Currently I am in New Hampshire with Kino-Dance, a multi-media dance group. I play an upright piano that I have complete control over, hence my hitting it with pieces of metal, preparing it in "unconventional" ways, etc.
kinodance.org
Four days ago I was in Washington State, then Montana, with The Alloy Orchestra. We accompany silent film all over the USA and occasionally, the world. I play keyboards and the other guys play a rack of junk metal, drums, and assorted other things.
alloyorchestra.com
"Snakes Dream Sky", my quartet for viola, piano, percussion and modified sounds, is being premiered in the fall at the New England Conservatory. It's 100% written out music. Rock vibe penetrates acoustic concert hall.
A CD on Table of the Elements will come out later this year as the group "M2" - that's me on prepared piano, and my brother Benjamin (hence "M2") on seriously modified guitar in full improv mode. While it is definitely "free improvisation", it is quite impressionistic and people I have played it for really like it. Sounds a bit Japanese, I've heard.
And so forth...
33: Are there any current bands that you find interesting or intriguing? What is the band's music of choice when traveling in the tour van?
RM: We listen mostly to indie rock supplied by band members. Honestly, I don't find much current indie rock to be that interesting, but as always, there are bands that stand out. Future of the Left from UK, Fucked Up from Canada, Explode Into Colors from Portland, Oregon, Bunnies from Massachusetts, Psychic Paramount from New York City. I like those bands a lot.
33: What bands or artists are particularly influential to you in your creative process?
RM: Nothing currently. It's been a while since a band has tweaked me enough to make me change anything.
33: And finally, if Mission of Burma were an animal, what animal would it be?
RM: A pygmy tiger.
Check out their website at missionofburma.com
J3 Project plays music that anyone could enjoy. It sounds simple, but it's true. To be less concise, J3 Project is an ambient/organic/experimental/electronic jam band that plays music anyone could enjoy. Most recently, I checked them out at Europa with a friend of mine who has played guitar in various death metal bands. He was a huge fan.
Justin Huppmann (guitar/synthesizers), Jason McLaughlin (bass), and Josh Santamaria (acoustic and electronic drums) have been playing together as a band for less than a year, but already they've turned a lot of heads. J3 Project's musical repertoire ranges from fast-paced dance to relaxing and seductive, incorporating jazz, progressive rock, and pretty much anything they would like to play.
"All forms of music are an influence. It's usually appealing to pick out ideas from music in a global approach and then we 'J3 it,' so to speak," Santamaria explains.
The trio tastefully incorporates live electronics, playing original tunes sustained by open ended jams and unannounced improvisations for a futuristic and universally appealing sound all their own.
A sound that is distinct, but ever-changing. Sometimes what the trio perpetuates sounds dreamlike, euphoric, or trippy. Other times, they're like musical secret agents, swanky and sexy. They like to tweak the tempo and the shape of the sound so that no two shows are ever alike.
A constant, however, is that these three musicians play intricate music with painstaking ease. It's obvious when you see these guys play that Huppmann is capable of some fast and furious fretwork or that Santamaria could just smash the drums all night long, but every move they make is deliberate. Huppmann is a tactful guitarist and Santamaria has great sense of the appropriate.
What makes Huppmann stand out is his highly developed, straightforward approach to playing guitar and a fundamental, idiosyncratic style that is rarely found in local music. This style is something he constantly builds upon and modifies. He plays a mean funk guitar like a magician. He uses synthesizers, delays, and various other effects that enrich and shape the overall ambient soundscape he creates in addition to adding layers and samples that encompass what you might hear from a keyboard. Or a jazz horn. Or a robot.
Speaking of robots, the physical moment Santamaria 
exacts playing the drums is mindbending to watch. When J3 played at Europa most recently, somebody in the crowd commented, "I've been watching the drummer all night and that guy has not made one single mistake."
"Josh has to be a machine playing drums," says McLaughlin. "He has a crazy ability to tap and change the feel, making his style his own."
When asked about his role as a robot drummer, Santamaria has this to say, "Playing drums with the electronic pads is something I avoided and looked down upon for so long. I looked at them kind of like Skynet in The Terminator," he explains. "I saw the possibilities and reactions from people in a modern, live setting and realized it was stupid to disregard the challenge and fun that can come out of these machines."
"Hunter Davis from Existor, Geoff Bakel of The Former Champions, Brian Reyes from The Silo Effect, and Alen Jarrell from Lar Jar, and myself are setting the example for what is to come from the live drummer in the next hundred years."
McLaughlin definitely brings sex appeal and unique style to the stage, always aware of what's happening on the drums, the guitar, and in the crowd. He rocks the pick and then sticks it in his mouth to thump with his fingers.
Santamaria elaborates that "his playing, just like Justin's and mine, can be concretely simple and uberly off the stratosphere. He's not afraid to go over the bar line and beyond. From the drummer's standpoint, when I'm diggin' hard into one of those punk/techno grooves, that characteristic is essential to make J3 what it is."
By and large, the music is great and each performance is like a concept in itself. A few songs in, you'll be easily transfixed by the astral, reaching melodies, the unremitting stamina from the drums, and subterranean bass sound.
"Coming to see us on different occasions you might hear something entirely different. Every show we've ever done there has been a large portion of our set that is completely improvisational. Even as a band, we might not know the direction we're heading in or the territories we're going to cover. We may start from scratch right there in front of everyone," says McLaughlin.
"The open-endedness is what solidifies the improvisation that is going on when our chemistry is working onstage. With a bunch of people watching, sometimes we are able to transcend the things we come up with while just rehearsing...making these chords and rhythms that are able to move people in certain ways."
As far as what the future holds for J3 Project, McLaughlin promises, "there is a lot to come in means of complexity."
The band has upcoming shows in town at Europa, Emilio's, and City Dogs.
Currently, Titties is playing guitar out of Newport News (or as he calls it the 757) for Septic Shock, but in Richmond he played bass for Mister Doubleyou. 
Mister Doubleyou released a 14 song LP called "Mind Your Own Business", recorded at Minimum Wage Studios in Oregon Hill, but is now on hiatus until further notice. Mister Doubleyou has a 90's indie rock feel, which is quite different than the thrash and grind sounds of Septic Shock.
Titties has wanted tattoos since he was a kid, often admiring his grandfather's tats. "Now I honestly get tattoos because I think everything about them is badass. It's a style of art you can't really see anywhere but human skin." His first tattoo was an old-school style eagle, but he has since moved on to other icons such as the Bad Brains "Banned in D.C." image and the ever-popular Black Flag stripes on his knee cap. His favorite tattoo is a zombie viking on his shin by Dustin Davis. "He's an undead warrior holding a broken bloody axe, and he will fucking kill you. It's not only the concept I enjoy, the colors in this thing are out of control."
While Titties doesn't think that tattoos and music always go hand in hand, he can't help but notice the correlation in certain genres and scenes, such as punk rock musicians, especially when it comes to getting other bands' logos as tattoos. He advises against getting tattooed by non-professionals which he has done. "It was a rushed decision....while I still love all of my tattoos, let's face it, some of them look like shit."
To get more on Mister Doubleyou, go to myspace.com/misterdoubleyou
A pedalboard is a guitarist's painting pallet for coloring the sound spectrum. Tonal purists prefer a minimal setup, while others plug into a mission control center of pedals to amplify a specific sound. This new year called for adding another pedal to my board. I was content with my overdrives, delays, reverbs and octave pedals but wanted something to spice things up. I had been eyeing the Boss PS-5 Super Shifter for a few months and decided after research and testing that it was the one. Its sounds, affordability, and compact size sold me. Here's a more detailed look into its features:
T.Arm: Essentially, this mode simulates the effect of a guitar's tremolo arm. Adjust the pitch knob to select its shift (up or down), the speed knob to the desired speed of the shift, and balance knob to adjust the wet/dry mix. Holding down the pedal's footswitch activates the T.Arm effect. I prefer this feature over Digitech's Whammy 4 (I know, it's nothing close to the original) where you have to activate the pedal first and then use its expression pedal to achieve the effect.
Harmonist: In this mode, you can harmonize single notes according to the key you're in. If you're unfamiliar with music theory, you may have difficulty using this feature. The instructional manual helps a little, but this mode may encourage you to brush up on some theory. Once you select the key and pitch setting, you're on your way to harmonizing bliss. Instant Smashing Pumpkins in a box... sort of. Using an Ebow with this mode sounds amazing! Important note: make sure the guitar is in tune or else the harmony won't sound right.
Detune: It is a subtle effect, but in this mode, you get a warm, chorus like effect without sounding too watery. Adjust the speed, add some delay, a little reverb and you're set.
Pitch Shifter: I haven't quite learned the art of dialing in this effect yet. You have the ability to shift the pitch up or down two octaves maximum. Make sure the guitar is in tune or it muddies the effect. In my opinion, the pitch shifting effect sounds glitchy and digital (I know... it's a digital pedal). While not my favorite feature, I'm sure if used correctly, one can achieve some cool sounds.
Flutter: In my opinion, this is the pedal's downfall. It's supposed to produce a fluttering, vibrato effect, but sounds more like a Looney Tunes character getting hit with a mallet. I haven't found any tasteful use for it.
Overall, I think the Boss PS-5 Super Shifter is worth the money. Its sounds, compact size, and wet/dry mix feature make it a steal compared to Digitech's large, expensive Whammy pedal. It takes a little music theory knowledge, but nothing too difficult to grasp. In regards to signal path, I suggest placing the Super Shifter before overdrive or distortion pedals. Adding delay and reverb to the mix makes for some tasty, colorful tones.
You can find it online at bossus.com
As loyal readers will remember, I don't normally cover Southern Rock shows. I'm the head (and sole member) of The Well, Mag33's punk section. In all honesty, I rarely listen to Southern Rock, and I know very little about it. So I decided I'd review the show as the only person I know who listens to Southern Rock - my old roommate, Texas Dave.
Method-journalism! It's the way of the future! Reporters playing characters to do interviews, and examine stories from alternate perspectives! Finally, we can lay the hackneyed myth of objective reporting to rest, admit everyone has their own biases, and instead of trying to hide those biases, reporters can embrace them, and tailor them to fit their audience! Honestly ladies and gentleman, there are times when even I am amazed by my own genius.
I started getting in to character the afternoon before the show, sitting around in my living room with no shirt on, watching Law and Order reruns, and listening to all the Lynyrd Skynyrd I have on my iPod (3 songs, all "Sweet Home Alabama").
When evening came around, I drank Jack and Cokes until I ran out of Coke, then I dipped tobacco and shot straight Jack Daniels for another hour.
Once I finished puking, I donned a Hawaiian shirt, work boots, and a straw cowboy hat, and stumbled off to the show, arriving just in time to miss the first band. The horse-humping-thunder-cunt working the door claimed he'd never heard of Ratso, or Magazine33, so I had to shell out ten bucks to get in.
After a few minutes, the second act, a local Richmond band called Horsehead, came on. They were fun, I've got to give them that. Real balls-to-the-wall, heavy rock and roll. But, and maybe this is Ratso shining through the Texas Dave here, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was watching a high school production of Hamlet. Technically, everything was great, but there was a total lack of passion in their songs. I never for one moment believed they really did, or felt, the things that they sung about. They're a very good band, but barring some radical changes, they're never going to be great.
Between the two bands I badgered a friend into loaning me five bucks so I could get another Jack and Coke at the bar, where I met Zach, the manager for the headlining band, Sons of Bill. Unfortunately, he told me he didn't think an interview with the band was going to be possible. He was a real nice guy though, and he didn't call me on my fake southern accent, even when we realized we were from the same northern city.
Then SOB came on, and I've got to say, they were really great. All the substance that Horsehead was missing, they had in spades. Some of their lyrics struck me as a bit cliché, but every word felt so real, if they said they shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die, I would have called the police right then and there.
Stylistically, they mixed a lot of really great country music themes and riffs together with all this rock and roll energy, which was a lot of fun. They sound like what would happen if Willie Nelson killed James Hetfield and took over Metallica, forcing them to play his songs at gunpoint. Also, they had keyboards.
Midway through Sons of Bill's performance, I was accosted by a mustachioed hobo, who yelled at me about how he went to high school with the band.
"Right." I replied.
"So how've you been man?" He asked me.
"Uh...I've been...good. How've you been?" I said, trying to think up a quick way out of the situation that doesn't involve getting stabbed.
"You know I know you man. I've seen you around. I see you around all the time." Said the Hobo, putting his hand on my shoulder.
"Oh....yeah. Of course. I see you around too," I lied, mentally debating the ethics of throwing a bystander in the hobo's path and fleeing for the exit.
"You know we used to live together...right?" he asked me.
"Oh sure, sure. I remember," I said, silently running through my list of former roommates. Matt? No, we're still in close touch; I know exactly what he looks like. Dameon? He has dreadlocks, and last I heard, he was in Washington State. Brittney? Not unless she's had a sex change. Actually, it could be Brittney.
"You know who I am, right? I'm Chris _____." He told me, and all of a sudden I realized he wasn't a crazy hobo at all, but the Dave Matthews obsessed roommate from my freshman year of college, sporting an entirely new, grungy look.
Around this point, things start to get fuzzy. I believe there was more rum and Coke involved, more dip, and I think I may have unsuccessfully tried to trade the latter for the former. Sons of Bill did a few more songs, and I believe they did an encore too, but I was outside puking and cursing Texas Dave's name, swearing I'll never touch dip again.
You can find Sons of Bill online at sonsofbill.com
Christine Stoddard
Writer. Artist. Performer.
Pres. of the Greater Washington Indie Arts Festival
Exec. Editor of Quail Bell Magazine
Student at VCU Arts in Richmond, Virginia
ChristineStoddard.com
WorldofChristineStoddard.com
DCIndieArtsFest.org
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