Ground Zero | Issue 2

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INTRODUCING THE GENRE-BENDING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA UP-AND-COMERS

REVIEWING:

THE FRONT BOTTOMS FRANCISCA VALENZUELA FLYING LOTUS, AND MORE PLUS:

FIRST CITY FESTIVAL PATTI SMITH’S JUST KIDS OUTSIDE LANDS SJ JAZZ FEST

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS EXECUTIVE STAFF

Editors-in-chief Kathy Tran Christopher Smith Creative editor Ashley J. Song Photography editor Jessica Perez WRITERS ABOUT KSJS:

90.5 KSJS Ground Zero Radio is a non-commercial radio station licensed for 1500 watts, channel 213 and class A. KSJS’s transmitter is on Coyote Peak and our signal is received worldwide at www.ksjs.org.

KSJS broadcasts from San Jose State University’s Hugh Gillis Hall, Room 130.

REACH US AT:

groundzeroksjs@gmail.com facebook.com/KSJSfm twitter.com/KSJSfm, #KSJSfm KSJS.org

Shane Carroll Sam Eaton Joy Edquilang Sebastian Figueroa Ritu Ghiya Britinee Marshall Patrick Mattes Franco Miranda PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ruben Casas Joy Edquilang Sebastian Figueroa Britinee Marshall Luigi Villanueva CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Chloé Pérez SPECIAL THANKS TO

Austen Marr Alysa Trinidad

INSIDE THIS ISSUE REVIEWS 15 Rose EP, by The Front Bottoms / Sebastian Figueroa “Coronus, the Terminator,” by Flying Lotus / Sam Eaton Desiderium, by TOKiMONSTA / Kathy Tran El Pintor, by Interpol / Franco Miranda Remembrance, by Suicideyear / Shane Carroll Charmer by Tigers Jaw / Franco Miranda 34 CULTURE BEAT: Patti Smith’s Just Kids / Ritu Ghiya

LIVE EVENTS 6 VENUE SPOTLIGHT: The Caves at Sutro Baths / Sebastian Figueroa 10 Francisca Valenzuela in concert / Kathy Tran 12 SKATERS and The Orwells in concert / Patrick Mattes 23 Photo essay: San Jose Jazz Summer Fest / Christopher Smith 30 First City Festival / Britinee Marshall 36 Three days at Outside Lands / Joy Edquilang

REGULAR FEATURES 4 A brief history of the KSJS Newsletter 44 FEATURED ARTIST: Interviewing Shoos Off / Ashley J. Song 54 On-air schedule

KSJS 90.5 FM School of Humanities & the Arts San Jose State University Hugh Gillis Hall, Room 126 San Jose, CA 95192

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE KSJS NEWSLETTER: In the spring of 2012, the then-KSJS Director of Operations Amanda Holst created an internal monthly newsletter named The Experiment. In its three-issue run, it published articles focusing on KSJS and its alums. However, it eventually fell by the wayside, temporarily forgotten.

A year later, in the fall of 2013, general manager Nick Martinez created the Social Media department and chose current director, Alysa Trinidad, to spearhead it. Alysa revived the newsletter as its art director, envisioning an expanded readership and a broader range of content. Teamed up with Brittany Romby, creative director, she reeled in readers from around the globe through reviews of local concerts, along with interviews with musicians such as The Summer Twins, DJ Basura, and Raul y Mexia (the last of which we would publish months later, in July).

Then, in 2014, Social Media assistant director Christopher Smith assembled a new team to continue the legacy that Amanda and Alysa had started, and in doing so birthed the latest, and current, iteration of this newsletter. With Kathy Tran as co-editor-in-chief and Ashley J. Song as creative editor, the KSJS newsletter was rebranded GROUND ZERO. This rebranding shifted the focus of the newsletter, orienting it around music and all its trappings: live shows, album reviews, and more. It also allowed us the freedom to introduce elements from outside of KSJS, highlighting talent from other SJSU departments, other campuses, and the world in general. July 2014 saw its first release, complete with several new features, including an expanded reviews section, a live venue spotlight, and the in-KSJS interview series Ask A Disc Jockey.

Which brings us to the present: this very issue, our seventh, packed to the brim with all the usual, plus festival coverage, photo essays, and Culture Beat, our newest feature. And it’s all brought to you by the GROUND ZERO staff you know and love. Here’s to a continuation of something good—and the beginning of something new.

Love, _

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VENUE SPOTLIGHT:

T H E CAV E S A SU T R O BATH The Sutro Baths was once the largest indoor swimming pool in the world. Opened up in 1896 by entrepreneur and former mayor of San Francisco, Adolph Sutro, it was the place to be. People gathered there for the pool, but the location also had exhibits for everyone to enjoy. Over time, it was used as a venue for many festivities. After high maintenance costs led Sutro to sell, it was soon shut down, and in 1966, a fire burned the place down. Now, its ruins lay near Ocean Beach, open as a national park for people to come visit. Every now again, some folks decide to throw on a show in the cave at the baths.

When I heard that some local doom and black metal bands were throwing on a show, my mind basically equated “doom + cave + full moon= my attendance.”

My friend Shane and I arrived at 7 PM, the advertised show time on the Facebook event page. From my experience as someone who attends many concerts, the show didn’t start until much later, but I didn’t mind because it gave us time to check out the premises. We WORDS BY Sebastian Figueroa

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IMAGES BY Sebastian Figueroa

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scoped out the ruin of the baths and the tiny beach near it (where the show was to be held), and it was interesting because tourists and visitors were still exploring the area, meanwhile a mob of people in black were loading gear into the cave and hanging out around the area. But once the sun was down, only metal heads loitered outside the cave, waiting for the first signs of music to play. Some time after 9:00, we headed in, and the first band began shortly.

The first band of the night was Akatharsia. This was my second time seeing the Oakland black metallers, the first being when they recently opened for Ash Borer. The cave is fairly narrow, so unless you’re next the band, it’s hard to see what’s

“ When I heard that some local doom and black metal bands were throwing on a show, my mind basically went, ‘doom + cave + full moon = my attendance.’ ”

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going on. I was standing only 4 rows behind, so the vocalist was somewhat visible. The band did a good job delivering their strain of black metal with hints of crust. I was more impressed with their material this time around and was even more impressed with the sound in a cave. It was actually pretty decent, when I was expecting an echoey mess. The only sound mishap was that the vocals got drowned by the guitars; however, that problem was fixed for the other bands.

A good amount of the crowd was drinking, and when you’re drunk in a cave, I suppose hearing distorted guitars inspires you to come up with the wonderful idea to mosh. But moshing in a cave means you’re pushed into the cave walls-and hint: it is not pleasant. Aside from the bruising and concussions, though, Akatharsia was tight, and I look forward to the day they play again with vocals that can be heard.

The next band was the touring band on the bill, Fórn. A doom metal band from Boston, the band sounded absolutely crushing and let out on an onslaught of evil doom riffage with the occasional burst of black metal. They were monstrously loud, and the sound filled the place up. I’m surprised the cave didn’t collapse in on itself. Again, every time they hit an exceptionally heavy riff, moshing occurred, but the band played well enough that I didn’t mind that much. During the sections with “clean” guitars, the other guitarist was feed backing. If he wasn’t doing this, I felt the moments the riffs came back would have been more crushing. Overall, Fórn was absolutely stellar. After their set, my friend and I stepped outside to get a little bit of cell reception. The “super” moon was in full effect and looked absolutely beautiful. The ocean breeze and the sound of the waves was also a nice epilogue to Fórn’s set. After a while,

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“ A good amount of the crowd was drinking, and when you’re drunk in a cave, I suppose distorted guitars can inspire you to mosh. Maybe playing in a cave just immediately makes any doom metal band better. ” we went back in to catch the next band.

Up next were Santa Cruz stoner gloomers Folivore. This was my second time seeing them, the first being when they opened for Thou in San Jose. Admittedly, I wasn’t huge on their set the first time around. I felt it was half-baked stoner doom that went on way too long. They do a good job of channeling to Electric Wizard and Noothgrush, but there wasn’t enough variance in the riffs to excuse a 20 minute track. They sounded much, much better this time around.

Maybe playing in a cave just immediately makes any doom metal band better. They were playing harder, and their riffs sounded punishing, not lethargic. After this set, I’m definitely more open to see Folivore again.

so their set was awesome. The riffs were huge. They played with lots of energy. They recently got back from a national tour, and it seemed they were glad to be back home.

The vocalist definitely brings it and gets right up in the crowd as he’s screaming his face off.

What I thought of this Sutro Baths cave show? How’s this: CAVE SHOWS RULE. FIND A CAVE! HAVE BANDS PLAY THERE (PREFERABLY DOOM, SLUDGE AND BLACK METAL.) PICK A GOOD FULL MOON AND GO NUTS.

The last band of the night were Oakland sludge dudes Bädr Vogu. This was my second time seeing them, the first time being when they opened for Eyehategod in San Jose. My friend and I were right in front of the set, which proved to be a good idea because the middle of the crowd was mosh central. Again, the first time I saw Bädr Vogu, I thought they were a decent effort, but I was not too impressed. Being in a cave makes everything so much cooler though, 9

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WORDS BY Kathy Tran IMAGES BY Ruben Casas

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LIVE EVENT

IN CONCERT: FRANCISCA VALENZUELA Leo’s club was small and dimly lit, creating an atmosphere of intimacy and warmth. On August 6, Francisca Valenzuela graced the stage of Leo’s in Oakland.

The alternative en espanol singer-songwriter grew up in both the local area of Berkeley and the country of Chile. In 2007, her first album was released in Chile and she gained wide popularity. It allowed the twenty seven year old to travel worldwide and perform at many reputable festivals in Latin America, Spain and the United States. In fact, earlier in the week Francisca Valenzuela opened for the popular music festival Lollapalooza located in Chicago, Illinois. This was her second show in the Bay Area that I luckily got a chance to check out.

As my first experience attending an alternativo en espanol show, I was not disappointed. My fellow DJs, Kid Sasquatch and Jay, and I went into the venue full of excitement right when the music began. On the way to the show, we had listened to her second album, Buen Soldado, to hype ourselves up. While the tracks are immensely catchy on the studio album, the live versions with her spirit made it next level. Fitted in a pair of high waisted spandex pants and a white crop top, Francisca commanded everyone’s attention with her larger-than-life stage presence. She filled up the room with her pop hits: “Buen Soldado”, “Quiero Verte Mas,” “Almost Superstars,” “Siempre Eres Tu.” I was pleasantly surprised to hear her sing songs from her newest album in both Spanish and English, all the while jamming energetically on her keyboard. I didn’t care for much of the other instrumentation, as it wasn’t too wildly different from the standard formula that most catchy, sensible pop songs follow. I was, however, taken with Francisca’s performance as an artist. She had an alluring, radiant energy and a powerful voice, genuinely ecstatic to be there. Her passion for performing truly shined under the mixed red and blue lights as she ended the show with her hit track, “Que Seria”, off her second album.

If the alternativo crew asks me to join them for another night of high energy music, I definitely will not pass them up thanks to this fun first experience.

I didn’t know what to expect, but my experience surpassed anything I could have imagined.

SOCIAL MEDIA franciscavalenzuela.com soundcloud.com/franciscavalenzuelamusic facebook.com/franciscavalenzuelamusic twitter.com/franciscamusic

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IN CONCERT: SKATERS & THE ORWEL WORDS BY Patrick Mattes

IMAGES BY Jessica Perez

On September 27th, two punk rock bands invaded San Francisco: New York band SKATERS, opening for Chicagoans the Orwells. Both have found a way to make punk both grungy and melodic, bringing the hardcore punk elements we are used to and fusing them with catchy tunes and lyrics suitable for radio play.

In a recent interview, SKATERS claimed that “San Francisco has one of the craziest crowds,” calling us second only to Santa Ana, California, and rivaling Columbus, Ohio. So how rowdy was the crowd that night? Well, along with a ton of screaming fans and a mosh pit that spanned half of the standing room floor, audience members felt so inclined as to get on stage, several at a time, to jump around with the band and then proceed to stage-dive back into the pit. This happened non-stop through the entirety of the show, at times even interrupting some of the musicians. Nonetheless, this stopped neither the bands nor the audience from having a fantastic time. Stay rowdy Bay Area, and remember—punk’s not dead.

SOCIAL MEDIA skatersnyc.com facebook.com/skatersnyc theorwells.com facebook.com/theorwellsband

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KSJS RECOMMENDS: 3

Our take on the most relevant in new (and new-ish) music

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The Front Bottoms / Rose EP The Front Bottoms are an indie rock duo from New Jersey. Childhood friends Brian Sella (vocals and guitar) and Mathew Uychich (drums) joined forces back in 2007, combining elements of folk rock, pop punk, and emo to execute acoustic-driven instrumentation. The band has since released 4 full lengths, and now, with Rose, EPs. The EP clocks in at just over 18 minutes and spans 6 songs. It’s actually a collection of recorded songs from the band’s past. The majority the tracks are primarily driven by vocals, 4 chord progressions on acoustic guitar, and drums. The first three songs on the EP are the poppiest and more upbeat tracks. They don’t break outside of the verse/chorus model, so they’re not exactly the most exciting tracks. The fourth song on the EP, “Jim Bogart”, starts with nothing but vocals and guitar, but over the course of the track, we hear some horns and keys, along with a guest female vocalist; it eventually builds into a crescendo and erupts into a nice refrain, driven by a steady piano chord and drums. It’s a nice change of pace. The following track, “Be Nice To Me”, feels like it was written by a band and shows the band’s pop-punk tendencies with gang vocals, driving bass, and a catchy guitar line.

The majority of Rose is fairly straight forward acoustic folk/pop-punk about love and heartbreak, but the two aforementioned tracks in the middle give it some much-appreciated variety and keep it from being boring.

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REVIEWS

Flying Lotus / “Coronus, the Terminator” Under the name Flying Lotus, experimental electronic musician Steve Ellison has cemented his name as a trailblazer over the past decade. Ellison’s releases defy simple classification, occupying a space roughly between jazz, hip-hop, and EDM, with his latest single “Coronus, the Terminator,” exemplifying this unique blend of genres. Compared to the visceral, hardhitting single “Never Catch Me” featuring Kendrick Lamar, this track is a two and a half minute long slice of intergalactic soul. Pattering drums and rolling bass form a beat that ranks among his best, but the real attention grabber is the ethereal choir-like group singing that tops off the track. Altogether, “Coronus, the Terminator” is a psychedelic and irresistibly groovy single, and while it may disappoint some with its length, the majority of Flying Lotus’ tracks are better understood in the context of a complete record. Flying Lotus’ upcoming album You’re Dead, featuring “Coronus, the Terminator,” is due for release on October 7th.

- Sam Eaton

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TOKiMONSTA / Desiderium TOKiMONSTA is the stage name of fearless electronic DJ Jennifer Lee, a KoreanAmerican artist from Los Angeles’ South Bay. Combining her classical training in piano with her passion for hip-hop, TOKiMONSTA has carved out an original sound in hip-hop influenced electronic music, which has itself become an increasingly popular crossbreed genre in the music game. She released her first album, Creature Dreams, under Flying Lotus’s label Brainfeeder and was notably the first woman to join the lauded L.A. crew.

Released on her newly created label Young Art Records, the seven-track album Desiderium dropped on September 23, 2014.

Even prior to this, though, after having listening to some tracks on her Soundcloud, I already knew the album was going to be toptier, with the kind of electronic production that starry-eyed musicians would want to imitate.

The album is off to a soaring start with the first track, aptly titled “The Beginning.” A flight of heavenly symphonic chorals evolve into lush electronic elements until monstrous beats completely take over, enticing the listener with the promise of

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REVIEWS

an amazing album. And TOKiMONSTA delivers, following up with “Drive” ft.

Arama, whose soulful voice creates a rich, R&B vibe supported by classical progressions. One of my favorites, the enjoyable “Steal my Attention,” highlights pitched vocals arranged in danceable, pleasurable synths. And dipped in summer synths with sparse, chopped up vocal samples and occasional horns, “Dusty Star” is another favorite that’s so effortlessly enjoyable. Finally, TOKiMONSTA closes off her album with “Sakamoto’s Spring”, exhibiting her inventive tendencies of putting together elements that shouldn’t work but still retaining repetition to keep the track catchy.

This album is complex and truly indicative of the fact that electronica really is a no-man’s-land kind of genre. Listening to TOKiMONSTA’s remarkably rich songs leave me impressed that people can put together all these wacky sounds and, with the help of technology, create things that sound amazing.

TOKiMONSTA has a virtuosic understanding of how sound becomes music and how music becomes anthem, and it shines through in her work. Desiderum is one of my favorite releases of 2014, and I will question any end-of-the-year album review lists neglecting to include it.

- Kathy Tran

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Interpol / El Pintor Interpol is an indie rock, post-punk revival, and alternative rock band hailing from New York City, New York. They are one of the bands associated with the New York City indie music scene and are one of several groups that emerged from the post-punk revival era of the 2000s.

Back in 2002, they released their debut album Turn On The Bright Lights, which won them critical acclaim. After that album, they experimented with different sounds. Released on September 9, 2014 through Matador Records, El Pintor is an anagram of Interpol and means “the painter” in Spanish. In “El Pintor”, the band go back to that Bright Lights sound, and that sound is what made Interpol one of the most celebrated bands of the early 2000’s. Honestly, this is the band’s most solid, consistent effort since Bright Lights and it may very well be one of my favorite albums of the year. The songs are expansive, textured, and confident. A good number of them have some gothic leanings to them, and some of them even remind me of songs by My Bloody Valentine and Smashing Pumpkins. Then again, Alan Moulder mixed this album, who coincidentally worked with those bands. Overall, this is a great record by Interpol, and I would recommend it to anyone who is into well-produced and well-performed indie rock music. - Franco Miranda

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REVIEWS

Suicideyear / Remembrance EP I first became aware of Louisiana producer Suicideyear back in 2013 when I heard his excellent work on Oakland duo Main Attrakionz’ “Kushed Up Brothers,” a stunning mix of skittering, high-strung trap rhythms and starry-eyed cloud rap weightlessness.

By that time, he had already released a handful of remixes (most notably “Hard in the Paint”) and original production spots for rappers, culminating with Yung Lean’s “Hurt,” a beat so intoxicating not even Lean’s fumbling verses could weigh it down.

He has since carved out a space for himself working with an impressive cast of cloudy rappers and dropped a few solid instrumental collections along the way.

Now we have Remembrance, his latest instrumental work and easily his most fully realized solo output to date. The half-hour EP delivers in spades, 8 tracks of glowing textures and crisp slaps that coalesce into an extremely gratifying, insular listening experience. Without rappers to keep the music grounded, Suicideyear’s sound takes on a life of its own, covering a wide variety of influences. Sparkling synths and playful melodies interact with hazy ambience without once feeling cheap or cheesy, instead slowly revealing a human emotional center, as nostalgic as the EP’s title suggests.

The set opens with a retitled track originally released as an Antwon song, “I Don’t Care About Death Because I Smoke,” an open nod to Squadda B, whose production work is without question a major influence on Suicideyear’s own, and closes with, of all things, a cover of My Bloody Valentine’s “When You Sleep.” This last move is only surprising until you consider how much in common shoegaze really has with the cloudrap aesthetic defined in recent years by producers like Clams Casino and Friendzone, all formless glow and obscured melody, simultaneously intensely euphoric and deeply melancholic. Well-worth checking out for anyone into cloud-rap, the lighter side of beat music, or even shoegaze, Remembrance is impressive not only within Suicideyear’s catalogue, but also as a prime example of cloud-rap production done right, skillfully constructed and unironically sentimental.

- Shane Carroll

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Tigers Jaw / Charmer Tigers Jaw is an indie rock, emo, and pop punk band from Scranton, Pennsylvania, comprised of 2 members: Brianna Collins (keyboards, vocals) and Ben Walsh (guitars, vocals). Other members have come and gone, but the aforementioned members are the only ones active in the band.

They have been making music since 2005 with three studio albums and a 7-inch under their belt. Their most recent album, Charmer, was released on May 30, 2014 on Run for Cover Records. The album is filled with catchy melodies and hooks in addition to great production work. There are moments on the album that remind me so much of music from Fleetwood Mac, Brand New, and to some extent, The National and Pixies. The lyrics are emotionally-driven and there are some strong vocal performances from both Brianna and Ben. The songs are good, but they do seem to be better when you listen to them one at a time, not altogether. Basically, it is one of those albums where the whole is not greater than the sum of the parts. Still, if you are into well-produced indie rock music with a hint of folk, Charmer, by Tigers Jaw, is the album for you. - Franco Miranda

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LIVE EVENT

IMAGES BY Christopher Smith WORDS BY Kathy Tran

SAN JOSE JAZZ SUMMER FEST For three consecutive days starting August 8, the Plaza de Cesar Chavez hosted the 25th Anniversary of the San Jose Summer Jazz Festival. The KSJS jazz and alternativo departments attended the event and experienced one of the biggest music events in the Bay Area. In case you missed it, here are some photos capturing the spirit and energy of the fun summer entertainment happening righthere in San Jose. summerfest.sanjosejazz.org

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CALLINGALL: ALL: CALLING ALL: CALLING PHOTOGRAPHERS PHOTOGRAPHERS PHOTOGRAPHERS WRITERS WRITERS WRITERS ARTISTS ARTISTS ARTISTS DESIGNERS DESIGNERS DESIGNERS MUSIC LOVERS MUSIC LOVERS MUSIC LOVERS CRITICS CRITICS CRITICS CONCERT-GOERS CONCERT-GOERS CONCERT-GOERS COPYEDITORS EDITORS COPY EDITORS COPY ILLUSTRATORS ILLUSTRATORS ILLUSTRATORS JOURNALISTS JOURNALISTS JOURNALISTS TALENTEDFOLK FOLK TALENTED FOLK TALENTED

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E’S YOUR CHANCE TO GET OLVED IN SOMETHING BOLD, TING, AND RELEVANT— M THE GROUND LEVEL. INTERESTED? SAY HI AT GROUND ZERO KSJS@GMAIL.COM

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FIRST CITY FESTIVAL IMAGES BY Britinee Marshall WORDS BY Britinee Marshall

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Located near California’s Central coastline, the Monterey County Fairgrounds puts on an annual two-day First City Festival. With an impressive line up of big-name performers as well as newly rising artists, the festival is progressively gaining popularity. In addition to the music, memorable performers and unlimited

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rides were offered with the admission.The music varied from electro-pop, to unique orchestrals, to alternative rock. Regardless what genre you enjoy, there was enough variety that you undoubtedly could pick a favorite from the weekend.

Of all the performances on the main stage, named Redwood, the act Future Islands was my favorite. The lead singer, Samuel T. Herring, was wildly fun to ​watch and ​photograph. He moved so passionately as he danced​and belted out his songs. His facial expressions were shown in deep display, and his voice enraptured you. The performance was captivating.​ Most of music I listened to took place on the Manzanita Stage. During my two days, I pleasantly got the chance to listen to the bands: Mr. Little Jeans, The Lonely Wild, Survival Guide, The Family Crest, and Lo-Feng. Back in May 2014, I saw Mr. Little Jeans in San Francisco and fell madly in love with the band’s performance.

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“ Holding a long note, the clown slowly and carefully, shoved half his microphone down an observer’s mouth. The observer was not harmed during this act. ”

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sync for the first three songs, and the crowd wasn’t nearly as pumped up since that last performance. Perhaps the lack of intimacy made the experience less magical.

Nonetheless, The Lonely Wild and The Family Crest did have two of the best performances on this stage on the second day. Unfamiliar with the bands’ work, I was mesmerized by the dynamic team of artists in both bands.

One of my favorite acts of the festival took place on the smallest stage. Here, I saw a seven-foot clown, Puddles Pity Party, doing covers of popular songs, such

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as Lorde’s “Royals”, Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, and the Metallica version of “My Heart Will Go On”. The performer’s attire consists of an all white, loose fitting suit with white face paint. His mouth was a slightly disturbing, darkly painted smile, which made me feel both terrified and intrigued. Having seen his videos on YouTube in the past, I already knew his reputation as the sad clown with the golden voice. He sang so beautifully, but I question his signature attire and wacky performance. One notable incident that happened was as personally interacted with the crowd, he relentlessly held a long note. As this was happening, he slowly and carefully, shoved half his microphone down an observer’s mouth. Shocked by this event, most gasped and a few just bursted out laughing.

Once he was done with his long note, the microphone was removed. The observer was not harmed during the act. Nonetheless, those memorable antics are worth checking out.

shenanigans. L ​ike any other music festival, it is virtually impossible to see every single artist. Plan ahead and research potential candidates to watch or be spontaneous enough to just play it by ear the whole time.

Regardless of the strategy you choose, have an open mind and free yourself with the beautiful music!

SOCIAL MEDIA firstcityfestival.com facebook.com/firstcityfestival twitter.com/firstcityfest instagram.com/firstcityfest

If you wanted to take a break at any point during the musical performances, the rides, games and other attractions in the carnival side allowed for amusing

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WORDS BY Ritu Ghiya

IMAGES BY Chloé Pérez Ashley J. Song

Introducing Culture Beat, our newest space for discussing music and musicians in the greater cultural context.

For this inaugural piece, we asked our friend, New York blogger and writer Ritu Ghiya, to read Patti Smith’s 2010 memoir. Here’s what she thought of Just Kids.

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I have an apartment in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and I have a chronic, hearty helping of self-doubt. To find a career, satiate an ambition, make my family proud and similar breathless mantras permeate my everyday. I mean, they are my everyday. They always have been. I have never once shed an ounce of this lifelong self-doubt, even with the supposed pretension and self-importance that living in “NYC” supposedly grants.

And for this reason, Just Kids was the most alienating literary experience of my recent time. Patti Smith has been labeled the “Godmother of Punk” for infusing rock and poetry into her music and, subsequently, the genre itself. Her album Horses is a staple on most top 100 lists, having influenced countless stars

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like Courtney Love, Madonna, and even Morissey in an immense way, and my thinking is that Just Kids was published as a window into the beginning of her empire.

However, rookie self-doubt makes no appearance in Patti Smith’s memoirs. Rather, it’s a laughable attribute. The beginning of the book is shrouded with childhood tales of wonder and generally figuring herself out. And yes, it is intriguing and refreshing that (especially in a femaledriven narrative) crippling self-reflection is not the primary conflict; yet it’s not too long before this absence of fear equates a general lack of emotion.

certain touchstone for most of her experiences, the memoirs offer a peek into a time often undocumented. A huge huge plus for anyone taken with image of the Village in the seventies.

However, when she inserts herself and her rose-tinted passivity into the story-telling, her prose most times is distant. A short, curt example:

Smith struggles with homelessness, chronic hunger brought on by a dangerously meager income and death striking her closest friends. However, whenever her personal strife from the aforementioned issues is even mentioned on the page, it seems bizarrely secondary to her assurance of being an artist, of success being her future. This piece of work is at all times a successful future Patti reflecting on a bygone era of names and events with the blinding erasure of emotion (because well, she’s rich and successful now!). She offers bits and pieces of a beginning in the music industry, yet refers to her voice and musicality as a foreign entity. The gravity of the importance of her voice, and even of her poetry, is lost in a never-fully-explained fascination with a ragamuffin culture.

“My sister and I returned to New York on July 21. Everybody was talking about the moon. A man had walked upon it but I had hardly noticed.”

Just Kids is largely about photographer Robert Mapplethorpe’s fervent companionship with Smith preand post-success, but she never displays the appropriate self-involved hurt when Robert discovers he is gay. Patti is sleeping with him at this time. Patti in love with him at this time. She must have, on some level, been destroyed at the time, yet she swears she accepts his revelation. Her passion is always written, rarely shown, and, therefore, disjointed.

Yet the faithful documentation of the time is compelling.

With Allen Ginsburg and Jimi Hendrix entering and leaving her life, and Chelsea Hotel becoming a

Patti! Really! Why did your editor think that wasn’t a ridiculous thing to say? I really, really don’t know. Smith writes for fans who worship her already and people who do not find brimming confidence overwhelming. An emblem of hippie and punk, she is undoubtedly a hero, but her memoirs offer a startling, almost offensive, lack of genuine glimpses into how she became that hero.

Just Kids, by Patti Smith Ecco Press, 320 pp

See more of Ritu Ghiya’s work at thelesigh, Palmarium Magazine, BULLETT MEDIA, and ritughiya.tumblr.com

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THREE DAYS AT OUTSIDE LANDS 2014 WORDS BY Joy Edquilang

IMAGES BY Joy Edquilang

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Indio has Coachella, Chicago has Lollapalooza, Manchester has Bonnaroo. and here in San Francisco, we have our own famed festival: Outside Lands. For the first time in recent memory, the Bay Area’s biggest music festival sold out in record time— all general admission passes available were purchased within 24 hours. Those lucky enough to score tickets were treated to an array of musical acts ranging from from Kanye West and Arctic Monkeys to Tom Petty and Macklemore. This year marks Outside Lands’ seventh anniversary, and if you weren’t among the more than 200,000 festival goers at Golden Gate Park this time around, here’s a recap of the best performances and surprises.

DAY ONE - FRIDAY: Warpaint, Tegan & Sarah, Kanye West The opening day of Outside Lands seemed to have the most artists and bands scheduled, but undoubtedly, the main act on everyone’sradar was headliner Kanye West. Before we get to Kanye’s performance, notable acts of the day included LA’s Warpaint. Although the band’s 38

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and ethereal sound did not match the sunny and upbeat atmosphere of the festival, all the members of the band seemed enthused and happy to be playing in front of a sizable crowd, especially since bass player Jenny’s mom was in attendance. Tegan and Sarah also deserve praise for their performance. The Canadian sister act not only performed a medley of classic songs with their current radio hits but also entertained with their endearing on-stage banter.

Towards the end of the night, however, Golden Gate park was abuzz in anticipation for Kanye West’s performance (and the possible sighting of his new wifey Kim Kardashian). Sometimes known more for his on-stage rants than his actual performance, Kanye West drew thousands to the main stage, who hoped to experience a spectacle. His performance, however, was void of any controversial statements and guest appearances. Instead, it was straight to business - all about the performance and music.

Against a simple red background, Kanye was the only figure on the stage with his face masked and his hand tightly gripped to his mic. Compared to some of his previous performances, he seemed serious; he spoke little to the crowd and moved from one

LIVE EVENT

song to the next. In fact, at one point, he repeated the track “Blood on the Leaves” three times until he felt it was right and even encouraged the crowd to create “circle pits.” Maybe he was nervous because baby momma and new wifey Kim Kardashian was in the crowd. Nevertheless, Kanye’s performance was overhyped and under delivered, especially since at the end it seemed as though he ran out of time and got cut off. At least he showed up.

DAY TWO - SATURDAY: Local Natives, HAIM, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Out of the three-day weekend, Saturday proved to be the coldest day; Golden Gate Park was shrouded in fog, but despite the dreary weather, it was the best day for alternative/indie fans, especially at the main stage. The main stage featured opening bands like The Dum Dum Girls and The Kooks and closed with Death Cab for Cutie and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. In the middle of the afternoon, the main stage already gathered a huge crowd for LA band, Local Natives, who revealed that Outside Lands marked their biggest San Francisco show yet. They

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“ From the get-go, Haim commanded the stage with heavy guitar riffs and blaring percussions mixed with their 80s-esque pop vocals. ”

played a mix of tracks from their first two albums and announced that this would be one of their last stops before heading back into the studio for their third record. The audience was so excited and receptive to the band that lead singer, Taylor Rice, jumped into the crowd and sang “Sun Hands” while crowd-surfing upside down.

The crowd that gathered for Local Natives remained at the main stage for sister-trio, HAIM, who played immediately after.

From the get-go, HAIM commanded the stage with heavy guitar riffs and blaring 40

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percussions mixed with their 80s-esque pop vocals. Simply put, they were a thrill to see live; there was not one dull moment that occurred when they were on-stage.

They performed their tracks with vigor and enthusiasm, but they also drew the crowd in further with participation.

The sisters encouraged fist pumps and sing-alongs and even convinced multiple guys to carry girls on their shoulders. At one point, vocalist/bassist, Este, instructed the audience to envision that they were at a HAIM house party, “We’re going to need you guys to pretend that we’re all in the HAIM living room right now, there’s some snacks, maybe some Coronas… Are you with me Outside Lands?” The sisters then grabbed their guitars and drum sticks and engaged in a heavy jam session. Without a doubt, these rock Goddesses delivered one of the festival’s best performances.

Equally notable (though a surprise) was Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who played a stage across and during the performance of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Macklemore’s performance on Saturday was electrifying; he had a full band, smoke machines, and even fireworks that went off on-stage during certain parts. Throughout his performance, Macklemore stated great love for San Francisco. He described his appreciation for the city’s “grime” before starting “Thrift Shop.”

Then, before playing “Same Love” (with surprise guest Miranda Lambert), Macklemore praised San Francisco’s civil rights history and invited

“ Macklemore was so excitable that he jumped into the crowd, not once but twice, even playing well past his slot time. ” a woman on-stage, who then proposed to her girlfriend (she said yes). Ultimately, Macklemore’s performance on Saturday was an absolute thrill. It was clear Macklemore was having a good time on-stage and in return, so was his audience. Macklemore was so excitable that he jumped into the crowd not once but twice, even playing well past his slot time. He was the only artist over the weekend to have an encore performance. Ultimately, to quote Macklemore’s song, “we danced…we laughed [and] we had a really, really great time.”

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“ With their outfits and on-stage props, The Flaming Lips provided the most interesting set over the weekend: backup dancers in inflatable costumes; a woman in a rainbow suit; men dressed like mushrooms... It was like an acid trip gone bad on-stage. ” DAY THREE - FRIDAY: Lykke Li, The Flaming Lips, The Killers The third and final day of Outside Lands marked the warmest day. Under a sunny sky, Swedish pop songstress Lykke Li nervously walked on-stage and announced she was a little hesitant to play her “indie/acoustic stuff” right after Australian EDM DJ Flume. Indeed, the two acts are drastically different, but as soon as her band began to play, Lykke Li commanded the crowd. She began with the track, “I Never Learn,” and revealed “this song is about [messing up] not once, not twice, but three times.” Yes, Lykke Li’s set consisted of songs from her latest melancholy break-up record, but despite the dark songs, she interacted vividly and memorably with the crowd. During the middle of her set, she noticed a concert-goer smoking a cigarette and asked the fan to share. To balance the mellow tracks, Lykke also played some of her earlier hits like “Little Bit,” “Youth Knows No Pain,” “I Follow Rivers,” and “Get Some” and danced on-stage as if no one was watching. Ultimately, Lykke Li’s performance was a 42

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brilliant blend of “upbeat sad songs” that left the crowd wanting more.

At the main stage were The Flaming Lips, who provided the most interesting set over the weekend mostly due to the bands outfit and onstage props. Throughout their performance, lead singer Wayne Coyne wore a body suit of a painted naked torso with blood red veins. For each song, the band welcomed different backup dancers who wore inflatable costumes; a woman dressed in an inflatable rainbow suit knelt in front of Wayne during an entire song, men in mushroom costumes pranced behind Wayne in another, while a giant inflatable sun appeared next. It was like an acid trip gone bad on-stage. The crowd didn’t seem to get The Flaming Lips’ antics because Wayne had to repeatedly encourage enthusiasm from the seemingly dormant audience.

He kept shouting “Come on San Francisco! Come on!” before every song. As soon as they reached their last song the crowd still wasn’t feeling The Flaming Lips and a frustrated Wayne exclaimed, “C’mon [expletive] it’s our last song!” Overall, it was a mediocre performance, redeemed only by their stage antics, the best part of which was when Wayne climbed into a hamster ball like bubble and crowd-surfed.

Outside Lands is a festival that rightfully sold out within 24 hours this year. I’m glad I got that experience to see both highprofile bands and rising newcomers alike on such an amazing line-up, and it was a lot of fun. Hopefully, next year promises an even better line-up and more fun times.

SOCIAL MEDIA sfoutsidelands.com facebook.com/sfoutsidelands youtube.com/outsidelands twitter.com/sfoutsidelands

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MILD-MANNERED ENVELOPE-PUSHERS It’s hard to say whether Southern California band Shoos Off straddles the line between disparate genres and sounds or occupies a space outside them altogether. With musical backgrounds so eclectic that they should come with footnotes, each member in its rotating cast contributes a different strain of 20thcentury subculture—R&B, funk, EDM, metal—which ultimately cohere in songs that come off as dreamy, soulful love letters to pop.

WORDS BY Ashley J. Song IMAGES BY Luigi Villanueva luigivillanueva.com

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I spoke to a few key members at their studio following the July drop of Most Times, an independent EP released on a name-yourprice model through bandcamp.com. Our hourlong conversation ranged from songwriting, to Orange County’s strange musical history, to the soft, soft hands of John C. Reilly.

JACQUELINE PABLO: I’m Jacqueline and I play the drums.

JASON CHANG: Jason. I play the keys.

PATRICK KILLEEN: I’m Pat. I sing.

SCOTT ZSCOMLER: I’m Scott. I play the bass So what stage, musically, narratively, are you guys as a band at right now? Considering the ways in which your sound’s evolved so far.

SZ: I guess we’re at a stage right now where Pat and I have put out a couple albums already, and it’s been mostly songs that we’ve done together. But as we make more music, Jacqueline and Jason have become more

and more a part of the band. And we’re trying to incorporate more of a live aspect into the new CD. PK: They [Jacqueline and Jason] both did play on both of the albums and the EP, but I think it’s more that. Right now, we’re just trying to bring it all together. I mean, we have been playing together for a while, but…

JP: We’re like immature teenagers. (laughing) Like, still trying to figure it out. We know what we are, but you know…

Yeah, you’re exploring.

JP: Exactly.

I did look up an interview you did with OrigAudio a few years

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“ We’re like immature teenagers. Like, we’re still trying to figure it out.

We know what we are, but you know… ”

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ago, and it had a quote one of you said about Drugs and Other Loves [the latest album at the time]: “Whatever song you’re listening to, the next song won’t sound anything like it.” Which was interesting, because the albums have become a lot more cohesive since then.

PK: Yeah, I think so. I think the last album [Issues] is a lot more cohesive. I think, yeah, I think the EP [Most Times] is a little more varied, maybe?

And the new album coming will also be a bit more varied too.

SZ: Hopefully.

PK: Hopefully.

Shoos Off’s latest EP, Most Times

different kinds of—

“ We’re not a part of that [Burger] scene, which I’m okay with. I’m okay with not being part of a scene. ”

SZ: Well, we all come from

JP: —musical backgrounds.

That’s the appeal of Shoos Off, though, isn’t it? You guys are an amalgam of different things.

SZ: Right.

I did notice, though, that the new EP isn’t as… funky?

PK: Less funky?!

I mean, it was funky, but there wasn’t as much of

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an element of funk. Also, there was a pretty notable absence of rapping. Was there a conscious decision to go away from that, or…

PK: I don’t really know. I mean, I kind of have been going away from that for a while now, but, it’s still just like, sometimes it just feels natural to just write a verse or something. Even if that’s not what we’re doing right now. But, ah, it wasn’t really conscious, no.

SZ: I wouldn’t want to move away from that, really.

I like that style, a little bit of that thrown in. I don’t think it’s anything we’re trying to move away from, necessarily.

PK: Right now we’re focused on just making cool songs.

Then we can expect to see more rapping in the future?

PK: (laughs) Probably from Jacqueline.

JP: Yep, a shipwreck.

PK: We do have a guy who usually does the rapping, but he’s not here right now. But yeah, maybe in the future.

Changing tracks, where do you all draw inspiration from, individually and collectively? For songwriting or whatever else.

SZ: With me, it’s new music. Listening to anything new and fresh.

JP: Totally agree.

Any favorites recently?

SZ: I was just getting into this earlier. I’ve been listening to D’Angelo’s new record, Voodoo. That sh-t’s sick. But that… that’s not a new album.

PK: It’s new to you!

SZ: New to me, yeah. But also newnew music, too.

JC: Nude music, too.

Semi-nude. Shoes off.

PK: I like new music a lot. I just went to see Jay-Z and Beyonce last night, which was great. It was pretty awesome. But also not-new music.

You know, I like Marvin Gaye, D’Angelo, Sly and the Family Stone.

But yeah, new bands… There’s some good new bands.

JC: There’s so much music out there, anything you can think of.

PK: Have you guys heard that new Foxygen song? Those guys are f-cking sweet, man. They have like… throw-back jams.

SZ: Temples is a band I’ve been listening to a lot. They have a new album, Sun Structures. That’s really good. Another 60’s kind of a jam 49

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band.

SZ: Yeah, what was that whole ska thing about?

PK: Another really good one— Perfume Genius. I saw him, them, a few years ago. I actually met John C. Reilly there. He had, like, the softest hands ever. He was a total sweetheart, talked to us for a little bit.

PK: I could get down with some ska every once in a while.

JP: Wow. A sweetheart and soft hands. What more do you need?

JP: I really don’t know where we fit in [in regard to Southern California music and Burger Records].

JC: I don’t think we fit.

PK: We’re definitely not, I mean we’re not a part of that scene—

Speaking of new music, there’s JP: Yeah. a lot from Orange County and Inland Empire now, specifically PK: —which I’m okay with. I’m okay from Burger Records. Shoos Off with not being part of a scene. doesn’t really seem to be that vibe, though. Where would you say you Would you even classify yourselves as an fit in? OC has a weird history for OC band, then? music, too.

PK: Well, two of us live in LA, so maybe we’re an LA band. Jason’s from LA, JP: A random history.

Jacqueline lives in LA. I live in Long Beach now, but I was from Huntington.

Like rockabilly, ska.

JP: We’re not from anywhere.

JC: But we’re everywhere.

“ It’s not pop in the sense that it’s popular, it’s not on the radio, but it’s potential pop. But that’s not really a genre, I guess. ”

JP: A wish-wash of things.

We’re omnipotent.

PK: Omnipresent?

JP: Omnipresent.

JC: I’ll take omnipotent too, though.

Would you say you even

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belong in a genre?

PK: Well, sometimes it’s hip hop, sometimes it’s indie. Sometime’s it’s slow R&B kind of stuff, you know?

I mean, I like to just call it pop, because— JP: That can be like, an umbrella.

“ Right now, we’re focused on the music and not much else. Which might or might not be a good thing. ”

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“ We’re just starting off in this non-genre, doing our own thing.

We want the music to get out there first before we start charging for it. ”

Shoos Off at a recent show

PK: Exactly. I feel like it could potentially, you know, well, it’s not pop in the sense that it’s popular. (laughing), you know it’s not on the radio, but it’s potential pop.

You could throw it on, and maybe someone who listens to something different could like it. That’s how I feel. But that’s not really a genre, I guess. Potential pop?

JP: But I like that! I like that it’s all different and we can experiment with different sounds without feeling streamlined into a certain genre, trying to write a certain way.

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SZ: Feel like one day we could do Coachella, then the next week we could do EDC. JC: Coachella is EDM now.

PK: Perfect, we’ll kill those two birds with one stone.

So then what’s the next step?

PK: We’re just growing it right now, you know. I want it to be as organic as possible. I don’t want to spam our sh-t out to people. I want the music to be heard by people who want to hear the music.

SZ: People who like it, people who want to share it, give it to their friends.

FEATURED ARTIST

PK: Right now we’re just focused on the music, and not really much else. Which might or might not be a good thing.

So what you’re saying is you really want those 15 year old boys at the mall, handing out CDs as promo.

PK: (laughs) Exactly. I want those 15 year old boys at the mall, burning CDs and trying to make profit off of our work. “Hey, check out this cool EP that me and all my friends did!”

SZ: Yeah, after Issues [an album released in 2013] came out, we focused pretty quickly on the next project, which was a group of songs that got quickly divvied up into this EP and an album, which we’re trying to figure out.

PK: The songs for the album are at all different stages right now. But we’re not too far off. It should come out before the end of the year.

Releasing it through bandcamp.com again?

PK: Yeah, bandcamp. But I’d sort of like to press it. We haven’t pressed anything yet. It’d be nice to put it on vinyl.

want the music to get out there first before we start charging for it. So hopefully it’ll hit some ears, and if people enjoy it enough they’ll come back and pay what they will for it, and we’ll pay for studio time.

Yeah, the few people I’ve met who’ve listened to your music have all been rabid fans.

JC: They’re rabbits?

JP: Rabbit fans.

PK: It’s cool because we don’t have a huge fan base yet, but people seem to be into it.

JP: People are reacting to it, so that’s cool.

PK: Yeah, and we’ll keep growing it.

As long as we put out good music, I think people will keep listening.

Until we start making really sh-tty music.

SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/shoosoff soundcloud.com/shoosoff shoosoff.bandcamp.com

JP: Yeah, give it a try.

JC: Before it gets f-cking all over Zippyshare.

SZ: But we understand that we’re just sort of starting off in this non-genre, kind of doing our own thing. We 53

SUNDAY

2 AM - 6 AM

6 AM -10 AM

10 AM - 2 PM

2 PM - 5 PM 5 PM - 6 PM

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Late Night Shenanigans

ROTATING

GOOD DOG Off The Leash

DJ BROWNBEARD The Domestic Disturbance

DJ SOLSTICE The Midnight Sun

CAPTAIN PATSY Vessel to Nowhere

JOHNNY W. Screamin’ From The Suburbs

DJ SARAHNADE Stormy Soundwaves

DJ TREBELMAKER

JAY MIDNIGHT The Jay Theories

DJ SOLSTICE Electric Escape

PATRICK TORI TBD

ARIA TBD

RADIO ETHIOPIA CELLULOID DREAMS

6 PM - 10 PM

SHANE C. Metronome Arthritis

STRONG ARM Fresh to Death

KEVIN FOLEY Unconscious Desires

10 PM - 2 AM

DJ MOANEY MONE Keep it Cymple

T LO The D-Low w/ T Lo

TREY & ROB The Alloy

ALTERNATIVO

ELECTRONIC

JAZZ

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

The Afterparty With GARMON

ROTATING

DJ NICKIE Disco Katz

MR. MUJAH Insomniac Nation

JOHNNY STRESS Speaker of the House

DEE The Light Show

DJ DARK CHAO Brave New World

DJ B-RYAN So Fresh, So Clean

DJ SASQUATCH Pico De Gallo

BERLYN The 5th Element

DENNIS TERRY Friday Flashbacks

DJ DEEPTHOUGHTZ Dope Ideas

DJ GO GET AH Getting Life

DJ ZORDON The Power Chamber

CHEF RAMON The Devil’s Music, feat. the Blues Cafe

MR. GHOST Scatter-Day

WEDNESDAY

SPORTS WEEKLY JEDI JAY Puro Party

SHIVA DIVA The Takeover

NIZENLO OFF the DEEP END

LOS Urban Lecture

ABELTRON The Tonight Show

NIGHT PIC Concrete Jungle

KAKI pikza gatas

OZZY GoTime

SPECIALTY SPECIALTY

SUBVERSIVE ROCK

URBAN

JOIN OUR TEAM!

At 90.5 KSJS, we aim to perfect the balance of hard work and free play.

This fall, we’re looking for the next generation of driven KSJS members looking to gain realworld experience under the university setting.

If you’re a registered San Jose State University student interested in working in the sports, entertainment, audio, or creative industries, consider joining our team. We’re comprised of all types of majors, from engineering to political science to, of course, RTVF. Here, we have the ability to use our unique skills in a variety of opportunities, which include DJing, audio engineering, and creating publications like this one. And while we represent a diversity of SJSU students, at the end of the day, we all joined KSJS for the same reason: our love of music.

To learn more about KSJS, check us out at ksjs.org and facebook.com/ksjsfm.