Upcoming Show!

I'm excited to say that I will play on Thursday, 1/2/2014 with Rent Romus's Ruminations at the Luggage Store! Ruminations also feature Christina Stanley, Markus Hunt, and Bob Marsh. Fine company! I will play Cloud Kit.
Along with Ruminations, the  Matt Davignon/Dave Douglas Duo will play.
The Luggage Store is located at:
1007 Market St. at 6th St.
Show starts promptly at 8PM!
A fine way to start off the New Year.

Crow Crash Radio live footage

Post by Crow Crash Radio.

This footage of us playing our tune Don't Go to the Sun, live at 19 Broadway in Fairfax, CA in November of this year. 

I believe that it was filmed by Brian's friend Tomas. 

Sweet! 

Barney Cauldron-Orange Sky/Pounding Rain

First off, mega congratulations to former Barney Cauldron guitar player Scott Jones, who celebrated the birth of his first son, Scott Jr., this week! Nicely done!

These recordings were made in March of 2008, after we drove through a giant rain storm to get to Orange Sky studios in Hayward, CA.

I think it's safe to say that Scott and I are both pretty proud of the music that we laid down that night.

Enjoy! 

Mountain vs. Building-Gaylord Sunshine video

Along with being an ass kicking drummer and keyboard player, Sheila Bosco is also a very talented film maker.
Sheila's style is Surrealist, for sure, and it comes through loud and clear in this new video, produced by Sheila, with appearances and music by Mountain vs. Building.

Enjoy!

Janina Angel Bath Group-Harmonia, Sausalito; 12/6/13

Last night the Janina Angel Bath Group slogged through a cold rain to get to Sausalito's Harmonia, a great space that used to the Record Plant. I was excited when I realized that Alice Coltrane had recorded there. Man, the carpentry of that place! Beautiful.
We played a short set of five tunes, and I felt like things hung together really well. None of the terror feelings of the previous evening's gig were present!
A fun, sweet gig, and a really nice way to finish off this year's gigging commitments.

Above: Michael ready to drift
Below: Brian with the Folk Songstress guitar

Below: Janina at the keys

Matt of White Light Prism filmed video, so perhaps at some point there will be footage to post.
Below: Mark at the Cloud Kit. Photo by Brian Lucas. Thanks, Brian!

Cloud Shepherd-Luggage Store Gallery, SF; 12/5/13

Last night the men of Cloud Shepherd convened at SF's venerable Luggage Store Gallery to play our first gig in months.
Things started off well, as I was enjoying playing the revamped Cloud Kit. We dove into a piece featuring alto sax, Cloud Kit, and theremin. After a time, though, I started to feel the absence of Brian, who was not able to make the show due to logistical snafus. What started as a gap gradually intensified into a chasm in my mind, as Brian's bass playing always provides me with an anchor. Scary stuff!
Anyway, we got through our abbreviated set and beat a hasty retreat. Ah, well. Improvised Music is tough!

Above: Cloud Shepherd minus 1! Photo courtesy of CJ Borosque. Thanks, CJ!
Below: Cloud Shepherd live shots, courtesy of Michael Lowe-Grandi. Thanks, Michael!

New Cloud Shepherd digital release!

I am particularly excited about this one, as it's the first to feature my new, "up off of the ground" Cloud Kit!
Andrew told me it "kicks ass"!Thanks to Joe for engineering!

Upcoming shows!

Next week will be busy, what with two shows!

First up, Cloud Shepherd will be playing at the Luggage Store on Thu., 12/5. We will be playing with Cartoon Justice and the Pascucci/Oppenheim Duo. The Luggage Store is located at 1007 Market St. at 6th St. in San Francisco, and the show will start promptly at 8PM.

Next, on Fri., 12/6, I'll play percussion with the Janina Angel Bath Group at Harmonia in Sausalito. We will be playing with Black Cobra Vipers and French Cassettes. The show starts at 8:30 PM. Harmonia is located at 2200 Bridgeway in Sausalito. JABG will play at 8:30 or so.

Now, I've got some practicing to do. 

Mountain vs. Building-Luggage Store, SF; 11/21/13

Last night Mountain vs. Building set up our expanded, two drum set edition within the airy confines of SF's venerable Luggage Store.
I have to say that I was really stoked to be playing the composition "Spirals: Dumb as a Box of Rocks" last night. It went OK, but perhaps a bit shortened. Maybe due to nerves? Things seemed to start off well, but the energy kind of flagged towards the end. Ah, well. I had fun trying. I really liked the kit that I cobbled together: kick/snare/hat/ride/rack tom/gong/bongos. Simple, stripped down, and perfect.
We only played for a scant thirty minutes at best, a fact which seemed to irk a few folks who came out to support. Sorry folks! Hopefully next time we'll jam out a bit longer.

Above: Mountain vs. Building and Erors set up
Below: my rig from last night, a very enjoyable kit to play!

Many thanks to Outsound for giving Mountain vs. Building a venue in which to play. We appreciate you guys immensely.

Below: live shots by Eugene Koontz. Thanks, Eugene!

 

Mountain vs. Building will play the Luggage Store!

Mountain vs. Building is pleased to be playing at the Luggage Store this Thursday, 11/21! I am particularly excited, as we will be debuting the composition Spirals: Dumb as a Box of Rocks. I started writing this piece for Barney Cauldron in 2009-10, and we had one hilarious rehearsal of it, but never played it live. Brian, Michael, and Sheila have been very accommodating in their suggestions and help as we've rehearsed it, so much so that I really will have to give them credit as co-writers at this point.
We will be playing with Erors, and the show starts at 8PM sharp.

The Luggage Store
1007 Market St. (at 6th St.)
SF, CA

Barney Cauldron-Live at Zambleta, SF CA, 2010 ; Filmed by Sandra Home

This show was bizarre and fun. Barney Cauldron basically played inside of a large gym within a larger building on 22nd St. in the Mission.
A very old lady danced to our music, and a young man with Down's Syndrome played along with us on a conga drum. Both can be seen in this video. The old woman's movements give this clip a particularly surreal vibe.

Thanks to Sandra Home for filming this show!

Crow Crash Radio-Love to Lou; Live recording

This is Crow Crash Radio's tribute to the late Lou Reed, recorded live at 19 Broadway on 11/3/2013.
RIP to a guy who inspired so many, myself included.

Crow Crash Radio-19 Broadway, Fairfax CA; 11/3/13

This show had a very weird vibe. I was reminded of my times touring with Birdsaw. To wit, drive to some town, deal with whichever logistical changes to have been inevitably made, watch locals go through their own rituals, watch locals beat a hasty retreat as you begin your set, and then drive away.
Still, I feel like we played well, given the challenges. Our Lou Reed medley was particularly fun.

Above: Andrew in green light
Below: Brian reps Oakland to drunken Marin-ers

Thanks to Melissa for taking the pics!

Mountain vs. Building-Delta of Venus Cafe, Davis CA; 11/1/13

Delta of Venus owner Lee told us that the previous night's Halloween festivities had had the place packed, and Davis did have an exhausted feel when Mountain vs. Building rolled into town last night. That did not stop us from bringing our Kosmiche jam tunes out for display.
We did three long sets. I felt like it took most of the first set to gel. Good sounds started to emerge for me during the second and third sets. At one point, Michael's life-long friend Wesley joined us on melodica.
My favorite musical part of the evening was figuring out how to incorporate a wall of bamboo trees into our sound. Windy!

Above: Michael tunes, Sheila rolls, drums in a pile
Below: Brian enjoys the AMAZING Jamaican food at Delta of Venus: HEAT

Below: two live shots, courtesy of Eugene Koontz. Thanks, Eugene!

Upcoming shows!

This weekend looks to be busy for me.
First up, Mountain vs. Building will be playing at Delta of Venus Cafe this Friday, 11/1.
Delta of Venus is located at 122 B St. in Davis. The show starts at 7PM.

Next, Crow Crash Radio will be playing on Sunday, 11/3 at 19 Broadway in Fairfax. 19 Broadway is located at 17 Broadway Blvd. The show starts at 6PM, with three bands playing.

Tell a friend!

UB Radio Salon-10/27/13

Last night Sheila Bosco, Brian Lucas, Dos and Ninah from Big City Orchestra, and myself convened at the UB Radio Secret Location in Alameda to work our piece Insect Dreams of Interzone.
We had a blast laying down our ambient/illbient sounds. I read four excerpts from various works by William S. Burroughs. I'm currently enjoying his writing a lot. Of the two pieces that we did, I felt that the second one was particularly inspired.

Above: Dos works his new mixing board!
Below: Shiela preps her rig

Below: Brian and Mark prepare to leave for Interzone

Archive here:

https://archive.org/details/UbradioSalon302

Ubuibi Radio tomorrow night!

Brian Lucas, Sheila Bosco, and myself will be performing live on Ubuibi Radio tomorrow night at 6 PM PDT.
Link here:

http://dfm.nu/

The theme for our piece will be "Insect Dreams of Interzone".

Please join us on the internet airwaves! 

Forest-Pine Trio live shots

These photos of Forest-Pine Trio's first show were snapped by Sheila's husband, Eugene Koontz.

Thanks, Eugene!

Update: Sheila has posted the recording from the evening, here:
 http://hauntedtoast.wordpress.com/

Forest-Pine Trio-The Foundry, Berkeley; 10/19/13

This evening Sheila Bosco and myself debuted our Forest-Pine Trio at Berkeley's Foundry Arts Space for their Foundry Nights event.
We played one long forty minute set, made up of loops and percussion from Sheila, and Cloud Kit percussion from me.
I felt that my playing was very contemplative and introspective, on account of the day's date, which will always bring to mind the passing of friend and band mate Justin Martin. Oddly enough, one of my drumming heroes, Ronald Shannon Jackson, passed away today. Needless to say, that occurrence added to the emotional weight I was feeling. I just closed my eyes and let the sounds guide me as I thought about those two dearly departed individuals.
I did feel that our individual sound worlds interacted in a good way. Hopefully those in attendance concurred.
On the whole, I'd say Forest-Pine Trio's debut was a quiet, calm affair. Sheila recorded it, so perhaps in time I'll be able to present the evidence.

Below: Cloud Kit and Sheila Kit make up Forest-Pine Trio's sound