Events

Among the most versatile musicians and producers of his generation, Terrace Martin has worked extensively with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Lalah Hathaway, and Herbie Hancock, and as a leader has a Grammy nomination to show for his creative synthesis of jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. The first record the young Martin bought was EPMD's single "You Gots to Chill." While his love of hip-hop continued to grow, he also began to appreciate jazz through his father, a drummer. After playing keyboards for several years as a teenager, Martin picked up the saxophone and within a few years landed a gig with P. Diddy. Shortly thereafter, he began a long-term association with Snoop Dogg and gained a college scholarship via Jay Leno after the Tonight Show Band's Kevin Eubanks heard his playing.

Martin kicked off his production career in 2004 with work for 213, Shawnna, and others, and in 2005 he worked with a pair of West Coast legends, landing a track with Warren G along with three cuts on the collection Bigg Snoop Dogg Presents: Welcome to tha Chuuch - Da Album. Snoop also gave Martin his first production credit on a single when "Neva Have 2 Worry" dropped in 2008. That same year he released the mixtape Locke High with DJ Drama as host. The year 2010 saw him partnering with DJ Devi Dev on the mixtape Here, My Dear. In 2011 he joined forces with rapper Murs for Are Melrose, and worked with Devi Dev on the Sex EP. The next year, Martin contributed to Kendrick Lamar's breakthrough, good kid, m.A.A.d city. His first solo album, 3ChordFold, arrived in 2013 with appearances from Lamar, Snoop, Ab-Soul, Robert Glasper, and others.

During the next few years, Martin racked up an assortment of credits on albums by Lamar, Big K.R.I.T., Travi$ Scott, Ty Dolla $ign, and YG, among others. Signed to the Ropeadope label, he released Velvet Portraits in 2016. Featuring Glasper, Thundercat, and Lalah Hathaway, the album's relaxed grooves were recognized with a Grammy nomination in the category of Best R&B Album. Continued studio sessions and live activity with numerous collaborators, including Herbie Hancock, preceded 2017's Sounds of Crenshaw, Vol. 1. Credited to the Pollyseeds, it was another multi-genre work, and involved the likes of Glasper, Kamasi Washington, and Rose Gold.             

THE MYSTIC BALL -Unleash Your Magic-

Sunday, April 5th 7-11pm 21+ Followed by Church of Hive (Mystic Ball tickets cover Hive entry)

The Mystic Ball emerges in celebration of humankind's innate creativity and aptitude for innovation. An Imaginarium where dreamers are encouraged to express the personification of their most empowered, mystical essence.

A glimmering realm of magic & enchantment awaits your arrival... Inspired by the decadent masquerades of yore, with a twist of archaic whimsy ~ The Mystic Ball is an immersive, otherworldly extravaganza brimming with unlimited potential, where YOU are the crowning star and authentic expression reigns supreme.

Dance with delight between shadow and light, midst the gossamer court of the Fey ~ Where dragons grant wishes to wizards and witches and goblins are keen to play.

From the producer of The Mystic Parlor, Salon L'Orient and Bogville - The 2020 Inaugural Mystic Ball weaves together a bewitching bouquet of live music, world-class performance art, whimsical decor, nostalgia driven - cutting edge DJ's, Oracles, Interactive Altars, a photo booth and an arraignment of uniquely gifted vendors in our Grand Esoteric Bazaar.

High Fantasy cosplay &/or beguiling ballroom regalia is mandatory! Humans attempting entry before the clock strikes 11, dressed in muggle attire (jeans, sneakers, scrunchies etc.) will be bio-glitter bombed and heckled by trolls.

2020 ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP:

SHATTER SPELL The Sonic Living Theatre Operetta by Subaqueous & Valôurian Theatre with live vocals by Marya Stark Featuring Company Dancers: Tiare Valôuria SolAura Pearl Nova Nova Rachel Smith Memorie Eden Samantha Jones Autumn Sage Kalimah Maya Medina Sefana Wilde Ayla Realta & Anastasia Euthanasia

'Shatter Spell' is a Dance Theater Operetta Portrayal of key historical and mythical archetypes who have influenced the shattering of spells of the powers that wish to enslave humanity. Valôurian Theatre joins forces with Subaqueous and the live vocals of Marya Stark. Together they build a mythic world, telling a timeless story of awakening, inspiration and magic.

From Oracles and Fairy Queens to Dragon Guardians and Wizards, this is a story realm where anything is possible and liberation is inevitable. Come Explore the world of Shatter Spell at the link below to get a visual and audio preview of the show. www.shatterspell.weebly.com

Live Orchestral Folk Music by STRANGE & THE FAMILIARS (Storytelling Soul Strings & the Eldritch Waltz) www.strangeandthefamiliars.com

DAR of LIVING PRISM (Curated nostalgic DJ Set) www.livingprism.us

AND MORE TBA...
  

After 5 years of touring extensively and releasing 3 studio albums; San Diego natives Secrets took 9 months off from touring to create their newest upcoming record with producer/engineer Kris Crummett (Sleeping With Sirens, Issues, Dance Gavin Dance, etc.) and is set to be released in early 2018.

Their newest record will be self-titled, as the band has depicted themselves in a new shape and form not only in their writing and recording process but how the band runs and operates. Secrets pushed their boundaries recording their new record, exploring different avenues of sounds, tones and writing styles. While they stay true to their melodic energetic past, they press forward with a bigger and more mature sound. Secrets signed to Made in the Shade records in January of 2017 and quickly got to work on pre-production at Catacomb Recordings in Los Angeles, California. The band co-wrote with a few reputable song writers such as Mike Green (All Time Low, 5SOS, Pierce the Veil, Paramore) and Brandon Paddock (Papa Roach, Avril Lavigne, The Used, Panic! at the Disco). Their first single 'Incredible' off of their new record was released September 1, 2017.

Cash and Maverick Website – www.cashandmaverick.com
Space Cowboy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8psO1zBHqJ0
Whatever It Takes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwyIuJFdKiQ
All My Life - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcrMw5PZA58

Yak Attack is a live electronica power trio from Portland, Oregon. Founded in 2013, the band has experienced steady growth over the past few years and has been building buzz on the strength of its live shows and the instant connection its music makes with new listeners. The group's music is best described as "organic electronica", using skillful playing, live loops, and tightly constructed songs combined with raw improvisation to build high-energy and uplifting music from scratch, where every note is played and recorded live. The band draws on influences from a wide spectrum of electronica, such as house, drum and bass, and breakbeat, along with elements of jam, funk, and jazz. The result is a live show that is musically sophisticated but widely accessible, with a diverse and engaged fanbase that travels to out of town shows and festivals to witness the band's continually evolving sound.

Yak Attack has been selling out local and regional shows and has developed a reputation as "the region's go to late night act" in the summer festival and afterparty circuit. Fresh off a round of touring supporting jamtronica heavyweights STS9 and Sunsquabi, the band has also shared the stage with established or up-and-coming acts such as Fruition, Turkuaz, TAUK, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, and The Magic Beans. After releasing "Safety Third" on Ropeadope records in 2018, the band is currently recording their fourth full-length album, and about to embark on a packed festival schedule including national events such as Camp Bisco and Jazzfest. Watch for Yak Attack to bring its unique dance party to a venue near you.        

+ Guests CYTRUS
Cytrus eight-piece funk-driven fusion makes a place at the table for everyone, offering a psychedelic pallet of funk, disco, electronic, rock, neo-soul, hip-hop, and more. The Seattle-based band is personalized by its juicy synths, bass-induced grooves, and cinematic live performances. However, the group is best known for their flowing transitions in variety, consistently sonic wall of sound, and undeniable chemistry."

The Mad Caddies have always had a diverse set of influences. Since forming in Solvang, California back in 1995, the band has channeled their love of classic reggae, dub, ska, dancehall, two-tone, and punk into something that's distinctly theirs. Over the past twenty years, the Mad Caddies have made music that slipped between genre lines, and with Punk Rocksteady, they offer a record of punk covers that shows the Mad Caddies are capable of taking all that piss and vinegar and turning it into something beautiful. 

Recorded at San Francisco's Motor Studios with Fat Mike serving as the record's producer, as well as its spiritual guide, the Mad Caddies got to bring one of Mike's pet projects to life. "This has been one of his dream projects for a long time," says guitarist Sascha Lazor. "It's been a party conversation. 'Hey, you should do that.'" But after years of talk, the stars began to align. What followed was a two-month long process that saw the band, as well as Mike, collaborate on making a list of songs that were befitting of the Mad Caddiestreatment. "We had a grand vision that we needed to have four-to-six sounds on here," says vocalist Chuck Robertson. "We needed to have traditional ska, super horn-heavy dancehall songs, reggae, SoCal stuff, and we needed to have something new and weird that we could make our own."

In order to make Punk Rocksteady diverse, the band labored over picking songs that could be interpreted in ways that would feel new and exciting, but still retained the spirit of the originals. With Punk Rocksteady, the Mad Caddies effectively reframe the past 40 years of punk history into something that's lighter but no less impactful.

"We wanted this to be a cohesive album that, even if you're not a fan of punk, you could throw on and enjoy," says Robertson. And for punks that are dubious of reggae, it gives them a new view of the songwriting chops of some of their favorite bands. With both the Mad Caddies and Fat Mike in a room, the material for Punk Rocksteady had a really high bar to clear, and the band put in the work to ensure it did. "It's really hard to take a Bad Religion song and make it a reggae song and have it sound good," says Lazor. 

"There's so much movement in the chords, and that doesn't work for reggae." But the result was finding a way to translate Bad Religion's "Sorrow" into something that retained the song's powerful arch with it sounding like something you've never heard before. A byproduct of reworking all these songs to fit the Mad Caddies' style was that the band finished the record inspired to look at their own songwriting with the same critical eye. "We don't like to learn covers or play covers, but we picked these songs that we thought were really good," says Lazor. "It really gave us a fresh perspective on writing songs." It's something that permeates Punk Rocksteady and reminds that, in the world of the Mad Caddies, the best thing to expect is the unexpected.        



 

Over the course of its two-decade existence, Lightning Bolt has revolutionized underground rock in immeasurable ways. The duo broke the barrier between stage and audience by setting themselves up on the floor in the midst of the crowd. Their momentous live performances and the mania they inspired paved the way for similar tactics used by Dan Deacon and literally hundreds of others. Similarly, the band's recordings have always been chaotic, roaring, blown out documents that sound like they could destroy even the toughest set of speakers. Fantasy Empire, Lightning Bolt's sixth album and first in five years, is a fresh take from a band intent on pushing themselves musically and sonically while maintaining the aesthetic that has defined not only them, but an entire generation of noisemakers. It marks many firsts, most notably their first recordings made using hi-fi recording equipment at the famed Machines With Magnets, and their first album for Thrill Jockey. More than any previous album, Fantasy Empire sounds like drummer Brian Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson are playing just a few feet away, using the clarity afforded by the studio to amplify the intensity they project. Every frantic drum hit, every fuzzed-out riff, sounds more present and tangible than ever before.

Fantasy Empire is ferocious, consuming, and is a more accurate translation of their live experience. It also shows Lightning Bolt embracing new ways to make their music even stranger. More than any previous record, Chippendale and Gibson make use of live loops and complete separation of the instruments during recording to maximize the sonic pandemonium and power. Gibson worked with Machines very carefully to get a clear yet still distorted and intense bass sound, allowing listeners to truly absorb the detail and dynamic range he displays, from the heaviest thud to the subtle melodic embellishments. Some of these songs have been in the band's live repertoire since as early as 2010, and have been refined in front of audiences for maximum impact. This is heavy, turbulent music, but it is executed with the precision of musicians that have spent years learning how to create impactful noise through the use of dynamics, melody, and rhythm.

Fantasy Empire has been in gestation for four years, with some songs having been recorded on lo-fi equipment before ultimately being scrapped. Since Early Delights was released, the band has collaborated with the Flaming Lips multiple times, and continued to tour relentlessly. 2013 saw the release of All My Relations by Black Pus, Chippendale's solo outlet, which was followed by a split LP with Oozing Wound. Chippendale, an accomplished comic artist and illustrator, created the Fantasy Empire's subtly ominous album art, and will release an upcoming book of his comics through respected imprint Drawn and Quarterly. Brian Gibson has been developing the new video game Thumper, with his own company, Drool, which will be released next year. And, of course, Lightning Bolt will be touring the US in 2015.         

Sampa The Great released her acclaimed "Birds and the BEE9" mixtape in 2017. Working with a close circle of producers - including Kwes Darko (Slowthai / R&S / Black Acre), Silentjay (Rhythm Section) and Sensible J (Remi) - the release found inspiration in spiritually-minded gospel and chants to neo-soul and hip-hop, intertwined with Sampa's clearly-defined, no-holds-barred political outlook. Described by The Observer as a record in which "categories dissolve around her", support for Sampa The Great has come from the likes of NPR, Clash, Okayplayer, Okayafrica, Bandcamp, XLR8R, Huck, Mixmag, Rolling Stone AUS, Complex, Noisey, Vibe, Gal Dem and more. "BEE9" was also the winner of the prestigious Australian Music Prize Best Album Of 2017 (previous winners and nominees include Jordan Rakei and Courtney Barnett). With radio support from Zane Lowe and Julie Adenuga (Beats 1); Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Phil Taggart (BBC Radio 1); Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan and Don Letts (BBC 6 Music); Jamz Supernova and Mistajam (BBC 1Xtra); NTS, KCRW and more.

Her new single 'Final Form' was released on 5th June 2019 alongside an official video. Named Zane Lowe's World Record, it is Sampa's first new music for 2019 and sees her fiercely delivered lyrics entangled with a warm, tightly wound beat. Produced by longtime collaborator Silentjay - and mixed by Jonwayne of Stones Throw Records notoriety - it draws inspiration from the energy of their shared inspirations in classic hip-hop.

Born in Zambia, raised in Botswana, and now based in Melbourne, her upbringing continues to bear an influence on her music. Moving to Australia six years ago, the connections she made there have propelled her to where she now stands. Living in Sydney when she first arrived, it was the shock of losing a close friend which prompted her to take the leap to try to become an artist. Going to the city's weekly Jazz Hip-Hop Freestyle sessions for the first time, she went onstage to join the band and continued to go there each week, building up a network of like minded music heads. It was there that she connected with producer Dave Rodriguez (Godriguez), who she worked with on 2015's "The Great Mixtape" and again for the 'Blue Boss' single. In 2016 Sampa released "Heroes Act 2" a collaboration with Estelle and Rahki as part of a project with Red Bull Sound Select. Following the success of "BEE9", Sampa capped off 2018 with new single 'Energy' - premiered via Zane Lowe's show on Apple Music's Beats 1 and clocking up over 1M views on Youtube. She also recently collaborated with Denzel Curry on his Triple J 'Like A Version' session.

Having previously performed worldwide supporting the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Thundercat, Joey Bada$$, Hiatus Kaiyote, Noname, Ibeyi and Little Simz, Sampa toured "The BEE9 Experience" live throughout 2018 playing at Meredith Music Festival (alongside The Breeders and Yaeji) as well as KOKO, Somerset House (London) and Sydney Opera House. In 2019, following her recent homecoming show in Zambia, Sampa The Great is set to play live at both Glastonbury and Love Supreme Jazz Festival in the UK, before performing alongside Burna Boy in New York's Prospect Park on 19th July, with additional shows at Dark MOFO (Tasmania - alongside FKA Twigs, Kelsey Lu, Nicholas Jaar), Down The Rabbit Hole (Netherlands) and headlining Hip- Hop Collection (Paris) with more TBA.         

WIRE are the definitive post-punk group. Since their inception they've maintained a reputation for creating music that stretches the rock form whilst simultaneously editing it down to its essence. With their gift for crafting songs that perfectly balance experimentation and accessibility, WIRE were recently hailed by the Quietus as "one of the most consistent British bands of all time." Yet WIRE exhibit little inclination to look back or trade on past glories, rather they remain resolutely focused on producing music which is smart, vital and defiantly modern. ​

Mind Hive is the group's first newly recorded material since 2017's stellar Silver/Lead. That album garnered rave reviews ("Some of the best tunes they've done" - The Guardian) and career best sales. Yet, if Silver/Lead set the bar pretty high, Mind Hive seems to have no problem vaulting over it - - a supremely confident album featuring some of the band's most upbeat moments of recent years. ​

WIRE's back catalogue is of course studded with influential epoch defining works. Last year saw the reissue of their groundbreaking first three albums: Pink Flag, Chairs Missing and 154. These were voted amongst the top reissues of the year (Rolling Stone at no.10, Uncut at no.12 and Select at no.3). And now Mind Hive arrives at a time when WIRE are being cited as an influence by yet another generation of bands. They are also the subjects of a career spanning feature documentary called People in a Film due for release late 2020. ​

Quite how a group that has been operating for such a long period is still able to produce such exciting and essential work is difficult to understand. And yet here we are; Mind Hive is the most masterful 35 minutes of post-punk you will hear this year.        

Without desire, most of the world's problems would be solved and it would be a miserable place to live. For the last 30 years, Greg Dulli has been the poet laureate of the bizarre whims and cruel tangents of desire. A foremost authority on the sell-your-soul rewards of carnal lust, the high voltage epiphanies of chemical enhancement, and the serotonin lows left in their wake. The front man of the Afghan Whigs has long been on a first-name basis with his demons, most of whom eventually relented and let him pour them a shot. But then there are the known unknowns at the heart of our nature, the intractable difficulties of love and death, and the recurring human desire for survival and rebirth.

Therein lies Random Desire, the first solo album under Dulli's own name, following canonized stints at the helm of The Afghan Whigs and The Twilight Singers. The title is a play on "random selection," which refers to a process that researchers use to pick participants for a study. When using this method, every single member of a population has an "equal chance of being chosen as a subject." Recontextualized, it allows us to realize the randomness of existence, the odd alchemy of emotions, chemistry, and circumstance that baffle us to no end. The reasons why artists write songs and why listeners need them. And even if the answers are evasive, that's no excuse to quit searching.