I first came across Mini Trees (the moniker for Lexi Vega) at the 2019 Echo Park Rising festival. If you so wish, you can find a photo I took here on a Buzzband's photo gallery from the festival. I only caught a song or two. That's just how it is when you're running and gunning for a blog site. The band played at Trencher. Trencher was a restaurant (since closed) and I remember people coming in and out to pick up or order food throughout the time I was there.
 |
| Mini Trees at the Art Center College of Design |
I took a look at the bands that I caught there in 2019 over a two day period. It is a rather impressive line-up to say the least. On day one, I caught Trousdale for the very first time. I believe it was also the first time I crossed paths with Christina Apostolopoulos who now plays with Cuffed Up. Mini Trees played on day two. There are a handful of others that played those two days that I'm sure singer-songwriter fans will recognize. I don't recall who booked the line-up for Trencher that year, but one has to say that the person(s) had an eye for talent.
As mentioned, there was only a single photo posted on Buzzbands for the Echo Park Rising coverage; however, that connection between Mini Trees, Buzzbands, and myself eventually repeated and this time it was based on a full set. Flash forward to 2021 at the Moroccan Lounge for the band's Always in Motion album release party. You can read that Buzzbands article here.
 |
| Mini Trees at the Art Center College of Design |
I happened to notice from a Gracie Gray Instagram Story that Mini Trees was going to play a short set on the ArtCenter College of Design rooftop (curated by the Altadena Seed Library) during the Printed Matter Art Book Fair. Off I went. Admittedly, this is being posted a few weeks after the event so as a note, this happened on Saturday, May 17th. I don't usually mention specific dates in this blog, but the reason I do so for this post is that it was mid-May and it was raining! It wasn't a down pour, but it was enough that I took out a lens rag that I always carry with me and constantly wiped the rain water off my camera.
I thought it was rather impressive that I would brave the rain to catch Mini Trees' set. It wasn't all that impressive. One of Vega's friends drove in from Phoenix, Arizona.
 |
| Mini Trees at the Art Center College of Design |
Comedic moment of the set. Vega asked the crowd at the end of "Cave," "you'll never guess the title of that song . . . . 'Cave.'" Okay, you've got to understand that the lyrics "You're never going back there" are sung some 10 plus times."
What's the song focus for this post? It has to be "Spring." Vega and Gray played the full set sitting. To prevent the rain from falling on them, a canopy was placed over them. Later in the set, rain water would pour over the edges. The two shared a duet while Vega strummed the guitar.
 |
| Mini Trees at the Art Center College of Design |
And let it wash away with the rain
'Til it's all but drowned
Setlist: Moments in Between, Spring, Underwater, New Song (an imaginary breakup song), Want Me To Stay, Cave.
No comments:
Post a Comment