Quick Hit Band Interview: Oak Palace

Oak Palace at El Cid

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

How would you describe your music? Oak Palace is ADHD music ranging from alternative rock to indie folk to electronic dance with some stuff in Spanish.

What’s your favorite gig/set/tour story? Our first tour was last May to Mexico City where we climbed to the top of the closed Angel de la Independencia statue while the guards weren't looking.

Final thoughts: we're a bilingual band with more music in English and Spanish coming soon.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Uruguay

Uruguay at El Cid

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

What are some things that are currently inspiring the band? This is for our friend Jay, back home. Timothée Chalamet is killing it right now. His interview with Harry Styles broke the internet. But, also his vulnerability, heart and realness in “Call Me By Your Name” and “Beautiful Boy” are inspiring and much needed right now.

Outside of music, what are some of your other interests? Culture, fashion, benefit causes, sensuality, Ben’s budding rap career (lol, that’s a lie), travel, learning French, and watching “Big Mouth” and “Lock Up: Extended Stay” on Netflix.

Own Q&A: What drives you the most as a musician?

Stepha: I want to be a voice for those that are put in the shadows. I hope I can be a vessel for them to be heard.

Ben: I sometimes have a hard time expressing myself with words, and music has always been a way for me to get out what I am feeling. Also, I live for those moments when random people come up and say how our music has affected them. That connection is priceless.

El Cid: Lily Waters, Moderns, Uruguay and Strawberry Army

It was off to El Cid to catch 3 bands I'd seen before (Lily Waters, Moderns, Uruguay) and one that was new to me (Strawberry Army)

Things started off with Lily Waters. I just love those deep vocals. And there was that moment of a guitar hug.

Lily Waters

Moderns has those electronic beats. And those eyes that always seem to be staring off in the distance. It was a special night for Moderns as Rosie (lead singer) had her father in the audience for the first time ever.

Moderns

Uruguay has those singer-songwriter jams. And there is always a quick laugh. They mentioned that they won't be playing in Los Angeles for awhile and so purposely were playing songs that their friends had requested.

Uruguay

Strawberry Army closed out the night with a fun blend of garage rock and hair flings. You can definitely tell that they're having a blast playing on stage.

Strawberry Army

This was a Wild Riot event and they seem to always pick out awesome bands for their shows.

Quick Hit Band Interview: El Mañana

El Mañana at Sunstock Solar Festival

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

What is currently influencing your music? Currently, listening to a lot of tropicalia music from the late 60s, mainly Jorge Ben Jor and Caetano Veloso— so that’s been influencing many of the core rhythms in our music as we progress.

Do you have a favorite music-themed movie, tv show or book? I recently loved a documentary on the making of Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. That Brian Wilson came from such a pop background and was able to create something deeply artful and forward-thinking is immensely inspiring. Another fave would be Control, the film about Ian Curtis/Joy Division. I think I tend to resonate most with stories about artists whose music expressed some inner turmoil they couldn’t otherwise make sense of, though I’m aware there’s a danger there of perpetuating unhealthy stereotypes about how creatives should treat their mental health. I try to think of those stories as cautionary examples.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Good Witch

The Good Witch at The Satellite

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

What are your major influences (in terms of music) at the moment? PJ Harvey and Liz Phair are probably my biggest influences of all time, but I was listening to a lot of Lykke Li, Rhye, and Lana del Rey while we were making the new EP.

How do you believe the band has progressed over time? Good Witch existed only in recorded form for a couple years, so the fact that we go out and play live now feels like progress. It feels good to exist in the real world.

Quick Hit Band Interview: Teenage Ritual

Teenage Ritual at The Whisky A Go Go

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

What is currently influencing the band's music? Influenced heavily by Cyndi Lauper, L7, Danzig, and tons of 80's music.

What is your favorite Teenage Ritual lyric and what about it makes it so special? A line from "Born of A Demon"

"The Queen of my heart
Her eyes are glowing red
Never heard a word I said.
Now I'm hypnotized
Her lips starts to curl
For a terrified little girl"

It's important to me because it's about being honest with yourself about whatever is holding you back in life.

Final thoughts: While my band was first getting started in Montana, I was also a member of Jason Newsted's Chophouse jam sessions. I primarily write my music on the guitar-- but Jason is the reason why the bass turned into a thing for me!

Madame Siam: Christina Castle with Reece

I first came across Christina Castle when she was backing Mikey Mike at the Bootleg Theater in 2018. I was impressed by her pure exuberance on stage. I noticed the she was going to do her own thing at Madame Siam (hosted by WFNM). I made a decision I was going to catch her set. I wasn't the only one who was there to catch her set. There was a short line of folks waiting to get into Madame Siam prior to the doors opening. All I heard were folks talking about Christina Castle. Then during her set, screams of "CC" were heard throughout. It was a true love affair evening. And yeah, her power vocals with just an occasional touch of hip hop mixed in had me from the start. I can't wait to see her again.

Christina Castle

Reece opened the night. His vocals were pure and his song "Alone" will definitely touch your heart.

Reece