You are cordially invited to the last showcase at The Dark Room Theater. After over two years of some of the most... Continue Reading
Dear Readers,
As you’ve probably noticed, I have been very sporadic with posts and photography over the past few months. The reason; I am Active Duty Coast Guard and have been deployed to work in Portsmouth, NH on the CGC Tahoma. I have been working for the Coast Guard for over 11 years now and there’s no turning back now. My job has provided the flexibility for me to maintain this website, travel to concert festivals, take concert photography, host a successful comedy variety show, and collaborate with some great personal heroes of mine, both musical and comedic. Now it’s time to pay my dues and move to the next unit.
If you would have told me this website would have become what it has, I would have slapped you and laughed in your face. I started concert photography because of this website. I discovered so much amazing and innovative music due to this website. I have been able to talk to people like Marc Maron, Henry Rollins, Noah Lennox (Panda Bear), Frightened Rabbit, Portugal. The Man, Dredg, and Gregg Gillis (Girl Talk). And the most rewarding aspect of this is because I started this website. I worked my ass off to make sure my readers only heard music I love and made sure I never succumbed to advertising and excessive press emails.
I’d like to thank the very talented Scott Coello (Cribble) for the incredible design of Kata Rokkar. When I approached Scott about the feel of the website, I did not expect this level of imagination and since then he’s done nothing but impress me with his consistently awesome ideas.
Thanks to Erin Lodi, Tanner Pikop, and Ivan Hernandez for covering and photographing shows for me.
I’d also like to thank Dawson Ludwig of DO415 and Noise Pop. Dawson has provided so many opportunities for this website and my own comedy show that I feel like I owe him my first born.
Also I’d like to thank The 405, The Bay Bridged, The Deli SF, Pete from Ears of the Beholder, Kevin from Epicesauce, Jason from Indie Shuffle, Future Sounds, Captain Obvious, Adrian from ipickmynose, Nate from Yours Truly, Julie from The OCMD, The Owl Mag, Motel De Moka, David from SF Critic and SF Station, Matt from Song by Toad, Anthony from The Needle Drop, Matt at Turntable Kitchen, Will from We All Want Someone To Shout For, Anthony from Hype Machine, Brandon from Elbo.ws, Ben from Metrojolt, Chloe Roth from SF Chronicle, and Ian Port from SF Weekly.
Also to all the people that gave me access to cover concerts; THANK YOU! I often wonder why you asked or allowed me to do so but I am forever thankful.
Lastly, I am not done! While I am retiring the Kata Rokkar name, which I admit is the worst website name ever, I will be returning with another project shortly and you will all know as soon as I get settled in.
I had a lot of fun doing this and it’s become one of the best things I’ve ever done. Thank you to all of you who have read through my horrible grammar and evolving music tastes.
See you soon!
Shawn Robbins
Emily Jane White[/caption]
Dark, gritty, and heavy on the shadows…I’m talking about the Brick & Mortar’s stage lighting. But that could easily be used to describe Emily Jane White’s recent US-release Ode To Sentience. This show was special, mainly due to the fact that Emily decided to play her entire album from start to finish for the lucky audience. She was even nice enough to tack on an intimate version of Wild Tigers I Have Known from her 2009 debut, Dark Undercoat.
She is one of a kind…
MP3: Emily Jane White – Black Silk from Ode To Sentience (2012)
Enjoy this appropriately gorgeous video for Bowerbirds‘ “Overcome With Light”.
The band’s latest album, The Clearing, is out now via Dead Oceans.
MP3: Bowerbirds – In The Yard from The Clearing (2012)
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With a kind of Jonathan Richman style charm and demeanor added to the backdrop of an experimental yet modern electro-dub beat, Exray’s did a swell job at making sure the room was aware of their unique brand of off kilter pop music. Celebrating the release of Trust A Robot (out June 26th on CD/MP3/Cassette Tape) the band drifted through tracks like the simplistic and spacious Yellow Light and the deeply psychedelic Ancient Thing.
Now let’s see what happens when they take this album on the road; I foresee positive feedback.
MP3: Exray’s – yellow light from Trust a Robot (2012)
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MP3: Exray’s – ancient thing from Trust a Robot (2012)
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In addition to this awesomely odd video, our own Grass Widow have scheduled their record release show on Friday, July 20 at the Rickshaw Stop.
Sydney based synth-pop types Circle have released a dramatic and well mooded video & track entitled Fashion Me a Drum. From their upcoming August 8th via Monday Records debut release, The Middle.
Keep an eye out…
So as probably very few of you know, Destroyer created not only my favorite album of 2011 but one of my most obsessed about records of all time. There’s something simplistic and meaningful about Kaputt that drew me in like no other album I’ve listened to. It was like Bacon & Eggs; basic by design but you keep returning to it because it’s tied to something you find familiar…plus it’s fucking delicious. So I was quite excited to see Dan Bejar and Co. take the Fillmore stage and recreate these songs that I’ve identified with. Plus with my recent discovery of Sandro Perri added to the line-up, it made for a pretty interesting night.
