May 16, 3pm
After missing last week’s show, DJ AmperDan comes back with the strongest “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” show yet. But before anyone starts thinking AmperDan should take time off more often, let’s consider all the new releases from local Bay Area musicians that have come out this week which also contributed to the success of this week’s show.
First, A B & The Sea have a new album called “Constant Vacation” that they have been selling on their recent West Coast tour with Tommy and The High Pilots (from Santa Barbara). These ten songs, two of which have been released as singles, take the sunshine pop sound A B & The Sea are known for and move it in a more mature, and somewhat darker, direction. Within this juxtaposition is where the best Pop! lives, and Koley and the boys have hit the perfect balance with this collection. I love it. The songs are strong and the performances brilliant, both live and on record.
I picked up a copy of “Constant Vacation” at A B & The Sea’s show at The Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles last Wednesday night, and listened to it on the way home from the show. I was so impressed, I was half considering dedicating this show to the album. But for my listeners’ sake, I restrained myself. Besides, there are more new releases to consider.
Like the new single from Bart Davenport, “Cheap Words”, an excellent sad pop jem, with a slow electronic dance beat, from this soulful pop songwriter.
And then there is “Shame”, the new single from Lilac. A dark mid-tempo rocker about a girls decent into something shameful, like the record business, and what lessons are learned there, with a terribly cool groove and guitar solo.
Also in the darker pop vein is the new single from London’s Deaf Club called “Sunday”.
On top of that, there are so many records that came out in the last month or so that are still so fresh and new, like “Cleaver” from Fake Your Own Death, everything on the new EP from NuShu called “Joystick”, and of course, the new album from Loquat “We Could Be Arsonists”. The list goes on and on . . .
Those and so many more are why I couldn’t just follow my bliss and take my own constant vacation and play A B & The Sea’s new album “Constant Vacation” over and over again. As good as it is, and it is, there is just too much good music coming out to indulge myself to that extent.
So I mixed it up pretty good, and had a great time doing it. But how successful I was can only be know once I listen to the podcast, because I can’t listen to “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” at the same time as I do the show, so I have to wait for the podcast to hear how I did. But I feel pretty good about this one. Check it out and tell me what you think at djamperdan@gmail.com
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- Rykarda Parasol – A Drinking Song
- Cold Play – (You’ve Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)
- The Bruises – Motion Light
- The Bangles – Ball and Chain
- The Soft White Sixties – Live in The Evening
- Nushu – Happy Hour
- DangerMaker – You’re Not There
- Seeking Empire – Broken
- Bart Davenport – Cheap Words
- A B and The Sea – Constant Vacation
- Sugar Candy Mountain – Baby’s In Town
- Fake Your Own Death – Clever
- Lilac – Shame
- Books on Tape – Myth of Trust
- Deaf Club – Sunday
- Loquat – Time Bending
- The She’s – Then It Starts To Feel Like Summer
- Mister Loveless – Wild Summer
- A B and The Sea – Short Straight Bangs
- The Dollyrots – California
- The Avengers – We Are The One
- Lia Rose – California
- The Child – The President
- Or, The Whale – Rope Don’t Break
- Kelly McFarling – This Change
- Ash Reiter – Oakland
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
May 1, 5pm
Two things made his week’s edition of “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” special. First, I had the awesome honor of being one the first to share the beautiful new album from Lia Rose and Kelly McFarling entitled “Conspire”; and second, I tried a different delivery tempo during my mic breaks. Upon review this morning, both made the show particularly really good, but only one made it brilliant!
Of course, “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” would be nothing more than dead air punctuated by my dull observations if not for the music. Really! The show exists only to share the fantastic music being made in and around the San Francisco Bay Area by local independent Pop and Rock musicians.
Let’s define. “Local” in the sense of working close to home, in both the physical and emotional senses; but especially local to me. “Independent” in the sense of doing it with “limited outside resources”; thus willing to give me free CDs. “Pop and Rock” being an umbrella wide enough to cover all the local sub-genres that tickle my ear and satisfy my Pop sensibilities, including the Poppier ends of the Electronica, Soul, Trip, Folk, Americana, Alt-Country, etc.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, it comes as no great surprise to discover that the album I highlighted this week isn’t Pop. In fact, Gracenote gives it a “country” genre label. But it’s my show, and play what I want and call it Pop!, if I want to. So there it is, I played it.
Lia Rose recently turned me on to Kelly McFarling. I’ve been a fan of Lia’s since first heard her former band Built For The Sea. I was overjoyed when I heard she’d joined Or, The Whale. And I’ve fallen hard for her recent solo work. I had heard about Kelly McFarling, but had not heard her when I went to see her and Lia play Lot One Café in Los Angeles. As we walked in Lia told me “You’re going to like Kelly”. And I did. A lot.
What was cool was Lia and Kelly had their sets, but they played and sang back up for each other. So during Lia’s set, Kelly sang harmonies to Lia’s lead; and during Kelly’s set, Lia sang harmonies. Not only was it a pretty neat way to get to play two sets, but also Kelly and Lia’s voices really do magical things together.
Anyway, that same arrangement is at work on their latest “Conspire”, which has its release party on Wednesday 2 May at Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco. Both Lia and Kelly contribute six songs to the project, but instead of being blended together, they are arranged as if one side of the album was “The Kelly Side” and one “The Lia Side”. As a matter of fact, I think a cool collectable packaging idea would be to do a limited release of “Conspire” as a double-EP with a gatefold cover . . . but I digress.
This arrangement of the songs seems to beg the listener to compare and contrast these two singer-songwriters. And that is something that also happens. But what I end up feeling in how unified this album is. There are a number of musicians the two singers share, notably the amazing pedal steel player Tim Marcus (Or, The Whale); the two women sing harmonies for each other; the tracks are all recorded and mixed by Scott McDowell at Hyde Street Studio C in SFCA and mastered by Michael Romanowski; but there is something else, on a deeper level, that reduces the divide between these two sets of songs and unites them into an album. And I’m still trying to put my finger on it.
Needless to say, if you are a fan of either or both of these women, you need this record. If you’re a fan of “Sweetheart of The Rodeo”-era Byrds and the like, you’ll probably like this record, a lot. The songs are all top-flight, they beautifully sung and played with all the reckless abandon and emotional integrity you could want, and captured from the ether by a producer who knows how to let the music shine through. This album offered so much in fact, that I had a hard time deciding exactly which tracks I was going to play on the show. But decided I did, cuz it’s what I do when I do this sort of thing.
I played five of the twelve tracks, which leaves plenty of mystery and surprises for you to discover. Check out the Playlist, then click on the Podcast and listen close when I play the tracks from Lia Rose and those from Kelly McFarling, (they are all from “Conspire”). Even though they are not Pop! in the strictest sense, I think you’ll like them.
Then go see Lia and Kelly perform live on Wednesday 2 May at Rickshaw Stop and pick up a copy of “Conspire”. Your ears and heart will thank you.
The rest of the show is pretty cool. Lots of great local Bay Area music. And I find the sequencing of the tracks very pleasant too. Kinda tells a story, like the soundtrack of a big romantic pop film, if you listen to it that way.
Well, the other thing that was a little different about this week’s show was the tempo with which I delivered my mic breaks. I was experimenting with a slightly quicker delivery. It was subtle, but just a bit snappier. Heck I was able to put an extra song in the set . . . Anyway; you can hear it on the Podcast. Check it out and tell me what you think at djamperdan@gmail.com
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- Best Coast – The Only Place
- Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet – Different Drum
- A B & The Sea – In The Sunshine (Acoustic)
- Lia Rose – Where Highways Used To be
- Kelly McFarling – The Hustle
- Girl in A Coma – One Eyed Fool
- Books on Tape – Myth of Trust
- Feral Kizzy – Bee Charmer
- Susanna Hoffs – All I Want
- Rin Tin Tiger – Ghost Door
- Loquat – Time Bending
- B and Not B – Traffic Jam of Stars
- Survival Guide – Escape Velocity
- The Trophy Fire – Darkness Into Gold
- The Soft White Sixties – I Am
- Dirty Ghost – Rope That Way
- The Love Dimension – Living In Atlantis
- The She’s – Jimmy
- Seeking Empire – Fairytale
- The Hundred Days – Sex U
- The Child – The Garden
- Lia Rose – The Wanted Love
- Kelly McFarling – Same Sky
- Doe Eyes – I Hate You
- The Bruises – Let Go
- Mister Loveless – Wild Summer
- Girl Named T – This Is All I’ll Ever Be
- Lia Rose – California
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
April 24, 1pm
Last night on “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!”, my continued fascination with the new Loquat album is obvious. I can’t help myself. This album is amazing, and they are playing this Friday night at The Independent with those other AmperDan favorites, Mister Loveless and Excuses For Skipping. But I also played some other fantastic current local music as well.
Nothing brand new, but lots of new tracks mixed in with some tried and true. You can check it all out on the podcast.
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop
!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- Johnny Thunder – You Can’t Put Your Arms Round A Memory
- Lindsey Paveo – Somebody That I Used To Know
- Kill Moi – Januaries
- Loquat – Monsters
- Picture Me Broken – Crazy On You
- The Hundred Days – Girl At A Party
- The Bruises – Motion Light
- Mister Loveless – Old Pain (Live)
- Schande – Still Running
- Loquat – Time Bending
- Excuses for Skipping – Missing Stars
- The Child – Faster
- Books on Tape – Myth of Trust
- The Love Me Nots – Soul Kitchen
- Dirty Ghost – Shout It In
- Girl in A Coma – Smart
- A B & The Sea – In The Sunshine
- The Aerosols – Would It Be So Bad
- Erin & The Project – Birthday (Pt 2)
- Feral Kizzy – 22 A Month
- The Soft Bombs – Wake
- The She’s – Put It All Together
- Mister Loveless – Nineties Children
- Loquat – Seeds
- The Wrong Words – Wrong Again
- Sorry Ever After- Honey Girl
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
April 17, 12pm
Tons of new releases by local Bay Area indie bands got an airing on “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” last night. Okay, not tons, but quite a few. Most notably new tracks from Books on Tape, Fake Your Own Death, and the brand new album from Loquat.
I received a copy of the new Loquat album, “We Could Be Arsonists” last week, and it has been on infinite repeat in my player ever since. I love Loquat. With their sophisticated melodies, smooth grooves, heartfelt lyrics, and Kylee’s amazing vocals, they are one of the most interesting pop bands anywhere. And it’s been too long since we’ve had any new music from them. So “We Could Be Arsonists” arrived to eager ears.
And it does not disappoint. It is everything we’ve come to expect form this fine band. Every song is rich, deep, and full of nuances. You can get lost in the lyrics, in the musical structures, in the individual instrumental parts, or just put it on and dance. The songs seem straight forward enough that you can enjoy it as a casual listen, or you can put on your headphones and delve deep into the nuances. And it’s one of those albums that reveals its secrets with repeated listenings.
“We Could Be Arsonists” certainly is worth the wait, and shows that Loquat haven’t been sitting on their past laurels. It is everything a Loquat fan could want, and certain to win them new fans as well. I anticipate if being the soundtrack of this summer.
I’ve got say; it took a great deal of restraint to limit myself to playing only three tracks from the album on the show. I was so tempted to just play it for the two hours I was on the air.
But there were other tracks too that I was excited to share as well.
The Love Me Nots recorded a cover of The Doors “Soul Kitchen” in their living room for a Phoenix TV News spot on the band. It was so slinky, and sensuous, and sexy that I had to have a copy, so I wrote to the band and asked them. Nicole said it was only a rough recording, but it doesn’t matter. There is something in this casual performance that is so cool. I love it.
The song has a special place in Nicole and Michael’s history. The story goes that Nicole’s previous band played the song and offered a prize if anyone in the audience could name what other band recorded a definitive version of the song. Michael was in the audience, and got the answer right, winning not only the door prize but also Nicole’s phone number, making him a winner on three fronts. He got the door prize, a new band, and a date with his future wife. Pretty cool for knowing that X also recorded the song.
Other new tracks making their debut on the show: Books on Tape’s “Myth of Trust”, Fake Your Own Death’s “Clever”, and Persephone’s Bees’ “Liars”. All deserving a paragraph or two, but time is short and I still have to do my taxes. So it will have to wait for another time. But rest assured, they all rock!
You can check out these and all the songs on tonight’s show by listening to the podcast.
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop
!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- The Waterboys – Fisherman’s Blues
- That Dog – Punk Rock Girl
- The Yellow Dress – The Window
- Lou Lou and The Guitarfish – I May Never Grow Up
- The Aerosols – She’s So Far Gone
- The Bangles – Open My Eyes
- The Love Me Nots – Soul Kitchen
- Loquat – Time Bending
- Excuses for Skipping – Helena
- Fake Your Own Death – Clever
- The Child – The President
- Girl in A Coma – As The World Falls Down
- Persephone’s Bees – Liars
- A B & The Sea – Down and Around
- Nicki Bluhm – Before You Loved Me
- Best Coast – The Only Place
- Loquat – We Could Be Arsonists
- Mister Loveless – Wild Summer
- The She’s – Fabian
- Feral Kizzy – Bee Charmer
- Kill Moi – Stranger’s Kiss
- Books on Tape – Myth of Trust
- Coco Morier – Explosion
- Loquat – Change of Scenery
- Girl Named T – Raven Fly
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
April 10, 12pm
Sometimes, even I am blown away by how good “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” show can be. That doesn’t mean I think I’m all that, I mean at best a DJ just establishes the frame around the art created by others; but sometimes, I’m blown away by the quality and quantity of the art I get to present. And last night’s show is a perfect example of that.
I could bang on about all that went into choosing the tracks I played, and how artfully I programmed them; but the fact of the matter is, it’s the music that makes all the difference. And the music speaks for itself. So, if you missed the show, or simply want to hear it again, check out the podcast, and you’ll hear what I mean.
Of course, as my psychotherapist continues to remind me, even the selection process and the sequencing of the songs tells a story. A story that reveals what is going on at a deeper level of the DJ’s unconscious desires, dreams, etc. I’ll have to listen to the podcast to see what my choices reveal.
But one thing I do know . . . The music really rocks!
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- Loquat – Harder Hit
- The Flutterbies – Ace of Spades
- X – Los Angeles
- The Love Me Nots – I’m Gonna Be Your Girl
- The Dollyrots – Bad Reputation
- Kill Moi – Tortas and Wine
- Lily Holbrook – Apocalypse Kiss
- The Wrong Word – Summer’s Gone
- Feral Kizzy – Bee Charmer
- Wax Idol – Schedenfreude
- Rin Tin Tiger – Far Away
- He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister – Escape Tonight
- PreTeen – Left Hand Blues
- The Soft Bomb – Wake
- The Downer Party – The One South
- The Aerosols – Cold Jewelry
- Best Coast – The Only Place
- Mister Loveless – Wild Summer
- Ash Reiter – Heatwave
- Books on Tape – Asleep On The Telephone
- The Child – Boomerang
- Dominate Legs – Hoop of Love
- Coco Morier – Explosion
- WhisperTown – Open The Other Eye
- Girl in A Coma – Smart
- The Goldenhearts – Star
- The She’s – Pictures of Houses
- Loquat – Need Air
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
April 3, 10am
You can count on “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” to play the latest tracks from the finest of the Bay Area’s current indie pop rock scene. You can also count on DJ AmperDan to feature music by bands with shows on the local club calendar. But this week DJ AmperDan seems to be contemplating what happens when “Good Girls Don’t”.
Last week I met Lisa M. from the L.A. pop group NuShu. We were at The Mint in L.A. to see a program called “Songwriters in the Round” that included Vicki Petersen of The Bangles and Maureen Davis of The Flutterbies, (and a fantastic program it was too) and my friend Daryl introduced us. Lisa and I talked about pop music and her band NuShu. I had never heard them, so she gave me copies of their CD’s. Their latest “Joystick” is a collection of ‘covers’, and since I believe cover tunes are one of the best ways to understand what is unique about a band’s sound, I decided it would give me the best insight into NuShu.
I was pretty impressed. NuShu has a great pop rock sound, and great chops. Even on first listening, I was all smiles. And by the end of the five song EP, my face ached from smiling so much. All the songs will be familiar to everyone who has listened to pop music over the last 20 years. And if you’re a fan of pop music, you’ll love this CD as well. The opening track is NuShu’s take on The Knack’s “Good Girls Don’t”. And since I’ve always liked that song, I decided to share it on my show tonight.
Another exciting surprise this week was the release of The Downer Party’s new single “Blue State”. Since Sierra Frost has been working with her old friend Lily in the revitalized Two Seconds, and August Churchill has been working on solo projects and is the new second guitarist in Fake Your Own Death, I assumed The Downer Party was on hold for a while. So I was pleasantly surprised when saw the notice that they were releasing “Blue State”, and I had to get a copy.
“Blue State” is a song that has been a part of The Downer Party’s live set for the last year or so. And even though it is a fine song live, the recording allows you to really hear what is going on in this song, and to appreciate just how talented a songwriter Sierra really is. I’m really jazzed this single is out, and extremely happy to share it on the show tonight.
I didn’t realize it as the show was unfolding, but as I typed up the setlist, I see that starting the show with NuShu’s version of “Good Girls Don’t” set up a dialog about that very subject that runs through out the show. Not ever song addresses that subject, but most do seem to comment on it, or deal with its ramifications. Good girls don’t, but I do.
At least that’s what it seems like to me. Of course this thesis will have to be checked out by listening to the podcast of the show on Radio Valencia’s Podcast archives. Only then can we hear what subconscious themes and motives move behind the scene of yours truly simply spinning his favorite local indie pop and rock records. You should check it out, as I’m sure my therapist will be doing as well.
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- NuShu – Good Girls Don’t
- The Hundred Days – Tattoo Girl
- The Dollyrots – Some Girls
- The Downer Party – Blue State
- The Aerosols – Would It Be So Bad
- Feral Kizzy – 22 A Month
- Good Help – Turn Me On
- Erin & The Project – Tyger of Wrath
- Foxtail Brigade – The Hours
- Rin Tin Tiger – Far Away
- The Flutterbies – Louder Louder
- The Soft White Sixties – I’d Rather Lie
- Lia Rose – Waiting for The End
- The Child – The President
- Fake Your Own Death – Bombs Don’t Show Up
- Heart and Soul Featuring Rykarda Parasol – Don’t Panic, Children
- Books on Tape – Carnival Lights
- Girl Named T – This Is All I’ll Every Be
- The Frail – Can I Keep You
- 8th Grader – Heavy Without You
- The Bruises – Let Go
- The Wrong Words – Wrong Again
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Love Me Kill Me
- Mister Loveless – Good Story
- Ash Reiter – Oakland
- Please Do Not Fight – Something Here
- The She’s – Then It Starts To Feel Like Summer
- The Dollyrots – Boom Boom
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
March 27, 1pm
This week DJ AmperDan shared some souvenirs from his recent trip to Los Angeles on “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” show. AmperDan never goes anywhere that he doesn’t go out to sample the local indie scene, and this trip was no different. Add in a heaping helping of local Bay Area favorites, and you’ve got quite a radio show.
On this trip to L.A., my buddy Daryl and I went to see Al Jardine (of Beach Boy fame) at The Roxy Theater on Sunset. A stellar show it was too. Jardine’s band was made up of a lot of Beach Boy alumni, with Al and his sons taking on the vocal duties. Jardine highlighted a number of tracks from his new solo album, but most of the setlist consisted of off-beat Beach Boy classics. Not the big hits, but the more “interesting” Beach Boy tracks. Songs like “Heros and Villians”, “Sail On, Sail”, “Wild Honey”, “Sloop John B”, and others that featured Jardine’s vocals. The performance was excellent, as you would expect from such a seasoned performer. And his sons sound remarkably like Carl and Brian Wilson in their younger days. Makes you wonder if some Wilson DNA didn’t get into the mix somewhere.
Anyway, I didn’t have any Jardine tracks to play on tonight’s show. But I saw Vicki Petersen of The Bangles at the Al Jardine show, and that reminded me that The Bangles too are known for their vocal harmonies. And since the March weather, which usually is rather spring like, is acting more like winter, I decided to play “Hazy Shade of Winter”.
Another great show I saw while in L.A. was a lot more unassuming than the Al Jardine show. On a quite street off Silverlake Boulevard is a fairly new underground “club” called BIP. “Underground” in that it’s unlicensed (BYOB), and unofficial (gotta keep the sidewalks clear or the cops will shut the show down). The space used to house a dry-cleaner, and is basically triangular in shape. The acoustics are very good, so the small PA actually sounded good. And it’s pretty intimate.
The band I went to see is called “The Beat Killers”, and is made up of members of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (another L.A. band I really like. The Beat Killers were pretty amazing. Paul, their lead singer, is like a modern-day Iggy Pop. Frenetic, unpredictable, yet amazingly fascinating. As is the music. I was totally impressed. But the band that really caught my attention was the opener, called Feral Kizzy.
I arrived half way through Feral Kizzy’s set, but I was immediately drawn in. The band was tight, singer was boldly brilliant and dramatic, and the songs were dynamic, melodic, and well-constructed. Even if they needed a little more polish, I was totally knocked out by Feral Kizzy’s performance. I spoke with Candice, the band’s lead singer, and learned that they are recording a new record of most of the songs they performed that night. I’m looking forward to hearing them, as I am see this cool band again soon. Candice gave me a copy of their demo, which is really good, and I’m happy to play “Bee Charmer” on the show tonight.
Back at home in the Bay Area, there are some really cool shows coming up. First, Daniel Lannon of The Frail is celebrating his birthday on Friday 6 April at Bottom of the Hill. Of course The Frail is playing, but Daniel has invited some brilliant friends and bands to help him celebrate. The Bruises, Fake Your Own Death, 8th Grader, and Young Digerati are some of the bands on the bill. All brilliant examples of the variety of talent in the Bay Area. If you only go to one show this month, this would be the one.
But why limit yourself? Especially when there are so many great choices in the coming weeks. Many of which I tell you about during the show, which, if you missed it, you can relive thanks to the Radio Valencia Podcast Archive.
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- The Bangles – Hazy Shade of Winter
- The Trophy Fire – Glow
- Ash Reiter – Paper Diamond
- Feral Kizzy – Bee Charmer
- Fake Your Own Death – Invisible and Bulletproof
- The Soft White Sixties – Queen of The Press Club
- The VooDuo – Doctor
- The Ferocious Few – Vamos A La Muerta
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Desperate Teenage Living Nightmare
- The Child – The President
- Love The Bomb – Potential
- The Frail – Heartbeats
- Heart and Soul (feat. Rykarda Parasol) – I Don’t Want to Fail You
- Or, The Whale – Call and Response
- The Lumineers – Dead Sea
- Nettie Rose – Mean Man Blues
- Rin Tin Tiger – Ghost Door
- The Blank Tapes – Driving Out of My Mind
- Girl Named T – Beautiful
- Please Do Not Fight – Take It Back
- The Bruises – Wait For Me
- Mister Loveless – Nineties Children
- Dirty Ghost – Rope That Way
- Excuses for Skipping – Gravity
- Silver Swan – Crimson Clover
- Rykarda Parasol – My Spirit Lives In Shadows
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
March 20, 12am
I didn’t get to go to SXSW again this year. And while all my favorite Bay Area bands were in Austin, I had nothing to do but to read accounts of their pop music glory and remember when I too was enjoying the warm Texas nights and bar-b-que. So this week “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” takes a short look back at the music that reminds me of SXSW, plus a whole bunch of music from bands with upcoming Bay Area shows.
Don’t really have a lot to say about the show other than it was a lot of fun to do, as always. And the music was pretty amazing, as always.
So this week I’ll just leave it at that, and let the show speak for itself, in the form of the podcast, which I can’t wait to hear.
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- Tres Chicas – Drop Me Down
- LoveLikeFire – From A Tower
- Scissors for Lefty – Ornamental
- The Love Me Nots – End of The Line
- The Blacks – Gravitas
- The Ettes _ Don’t Bring Me Down
- The Bruises – Friction
- Phantom Kicks – Eyes Familiar
- Excuses for Skipping – Apocalypstick
- Abby Travis – Rosetta
- Whispertown – Open The Other Eye
- Zodiac Death Valley – La Razon
- Ash Reiter – Heatwave
- The Wrong Words – Wrong Again
- SorryEverAfter – Constellations
- A B & The Sea – Yellow Haired Girl
- The Dollyrots – My Best Friend’s Hot
- Stripmall Architecture – We Are Not Cool
- Please Do Not Fight – Silence My Skin
- Survival Guide – A Moment
- Odessa Chen – The Wild Parakeets of The Carolinas
- Silver Swans – He Doesn’t Know Why
- Doe Eye – Wait for You
- Dominate Legs – Laughing The Whole Time
- Taxes – Start Stop Start Stop
- Mister Loveless – Nineties Children
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
March 13, 1am
Even though it’s cool and rainy in the Bay Area tonight, it was summer pop time on “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” Maybe it was a hold over form my being in Los Angeles again last week. Maybe it was moving the clocks forward for Daylight Savings Time, and the resulting daylight after dinner, but I wasn’t going to let the rain and cool temperatures spoil my summer mood.
I was down in L.A. to talk to some potential employers, and to see Mister Loveless play before they head off to Austin for South By Southwest. Not only did I see a couple potential employers and Mister Loveless, but I also saw The Dollyrots introduce their new drummer (Alicia) and the new songs from their upcoming album at The Viper Room, and I also saw Kiss Kiss Bang Bang rock Los Globos in Silverlake.
It was great hanging out with my L.A. friends, especially when we were seeing some really great music. But I also promoted my show quite a bit too. Seems people in L.A. are very interested in learning more about all the amazing talent in our Bay Area Pop scene. That, or I’m I really good salesman.
Anyway, my mood was pretty sunny when I was selecting my records for the show tonight. Though I was feeling a bit under the weather physically. And though I don’t think it had an effect on the music, which was brilliant as always; but I think it showed in the tone of my voice and the pacing for my mic breaks. But I won’t know that for sure until I listen to the podcast tomorrow.
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Love Kill Me
- The Downer Party – Cocaine
- The Dollyrots – A Little Messed Up
- A B & The Sea – In The Sunshine
- The Wrong Words – Summer’s Gone
- The She’s – Jimmy
- The Dollyrots – California Beach Boy
- Mister Loveless – Wild Summer
- The Hot Toddies – Summertime Dreams
- Stripmall Architecture – We Are Not Cool
- Survival Guide – Shrouded in Steel
- Phantom Kicks – Coming Home
- Silver Swans – Mother of Pearl
- Excuses for Skipping – Tonic for Hysteria
- Nostalghia – Love Junkie
- Taxes – Stop Start Stop Start
- Girl Named T – This Is All I’ll Ever Be
- Dominate Legs – Hoop of Love
- Please Do Not Fight – Something Here
- Lia Rose – Waiting for The End
- Rin Tin Tiger – Ghost Door
- Dirty Ghost – Rope That Way
- Erin and The Project – Good God
- Ash Reiter – Ishi
- Nettie Rose – To The West
- Mister Loveless – Hidden Just Enough
- The Ettes – My Baby Cried All Night Long
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
March 6, 9am
I like to say that “DJ AmperDan’s Monday Night Pop!” is the sound of San Francisco when she thinks no one is listening. And by that I mean I select the records I play based on my calendar of upcoming local underground concerts and club performances. Most of the time, this keeps the show pretty upbeat; but this week, something is different. I think it was the effect of the earthquake.
I kicked the show off with a tip of the hat to the passing of Davy Jones. A sad event for sure, but not one that should have any deep effect; especially since I played “Star Collector”, a rather upbeat number.
I also made another trip to Los Angeles this week to see Abby Travis and The Love Me Nots. Both amazing high energy shows, and I had a great time. And I acknowledge them by including songs from each in my opening set.
I also had some new records that I wanted to share. Namely . . .
Odessa Chen’s beautiful “Horses Are Knowing” from her upcoming album “Archives of The Natural World”. The album is coming out at the end of March, and Odessa is celebrating with a performance at The First Unitarian Church on Franklin Street in San Francisco. A perfect venue for this meditative music.
La Sera is a new project from Katy Goodman of Vivian Girl fame. The new album is called “Sees The Light”, and sounds brilliant. It was hard to pick just one song form this amazing album, but I settled on “Please Be My Third Eye” because it fit best in the set.
I’ve been intrigued by the single Dirty Ghosts released a few weeks ago; and now that the new album “Metal Moon” is out, I continue to be intrigued. The whole album is great. Excellent songs and stellar musicianship. I’m becoming a fan. I seriously need to see this band live.
After those, I begin looking forward to upcoming shows this week. Some in L.A., but most in S.F.. The first part of the show has a definite punky garage rock bent. But something happens about half way through and the tempo slows way down.
Don’t get me wrong. The music is beautiful, and some if it is new. I even was feeling very inspired as I played the records. One record seeming to demand that it be followed by the song following. In the moment, they seemed perfect; but as I listened, I got the feeling that the energy was definitely waning. And before I could pick it back up, the show was over.
Or so it seemed to me. But until I listen to the podcast, it’s just my impression. And I’ve been wrong before.
And speaking of the podcast . . .
You can listen to this show, any past show, or any of the other Radio Valencia show by visiting our website (http://radiovalencia.fm), clicking the “Podcast” link, and scrolling to the show. There you can download, stream, or subscribe to the podcast of any Radio Valencia show. I suggest you shop around. That’s what makes a station like Radio Valencia so much fun. It’s eclectic.
You can subscribe to my show by visiting . . . “rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!” That way you never miss a one.
Now here’s the playlist!
The Playlist
- Mister Loveless – June
- The Monkees – Star Collector
- The Love Me Nots – Make Up Your Mind
- Abby Travis – Lightening Squared
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Love Me Kill Me
- The Ferocious Few – Gasoline and Cocaine
- Terry Malts – Nauseous
- The Dollyrots – Playing with Fire
- B and Not B – The Benefits of Friendship
- La Sera – Please Be My Third Eye
- Lauren and The Blacklist – Father
- Kylee Swenson-Gordon w/ Bostich & Fussible – I Count The Ways
- Sutro – Just Getting By
- The Trophy Fire – Heartbeats
- The Soft White Sixties – I’d Rather Lie
- Seeking Empire – Fairytale
- The Wrong Words – Tonight, Tomorrow
- Mister Loveless – Good Story
- A B & The Sea – In and Out
- Kelly McFarling – Everything is Wrong
- Rin Tin Tiger – Red Pony
- Lia Rose – California
- Odessa Chen – Horses Are Knowing
- Doe Eye – I Hate You
- Survival Guide – Prohibition
- Dirty Ghost – Shout It In
- Girl Named T – Raven Fly
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AMPERDAN’S MONDAY NIGHT POP!
Every Monday Night, 10:00 pm to Midnight
RADIO VALENCIA 87.9FM SAN FRANCISCO/ http://radiovalencia.fm
Podcasts of Past Shows: rvpods.com/mondaynightpop!
