The audience awaiting the band’s arrival was very eclectic. Most of the people that were there for Karen Meat had stayed for the whole evening with the intention of seeing Beach Fossils as well, even if their sounds are very different.

There were also a lot of people showing up that were older than the audience for the previous two bands but not by too much. They could have been in their late 20’s or early 30’s.

As soon as the band begins playing, I can see why. This is the kind of music I love, that provides a special kind of comfort, kind of like a nostalgia but for a time you can’t pinpoint. The echoey, drawn out notes on an electric guitar that seem like they might fly.

The vocals slick over the subtle beat of a drum. The sound is timeless, something lasting. I could see anybody listening to Beach Fossils, since their music is clearly about the feeling a person gets while listening to it.

I wish that the band had interacted with each other more or had been less formal, for lack of a better term. Their music was amazing, and it’s important to focus on making music sound great in live performances.

It still would have been nice to create a dialogue with the audience or with each other to make the experience a little bit more accessible.

They did say that they were inspired by a trip to Jimmy John’s to write a song about their trip to Iowa.

As a born and raised Midwesterner, this was a much appreciated sentiment. He also told us a little story about a guy outside the restaurant eating shrooms. As a born and raised Midwesterner and University of Iowa student, this sounds about right.

I don’t know what it was, but something about the experience was off.

Of course, it could have been the table of 15 loud, drunk people sitting behind me, or it could have been the wrong venue for the band, but something didn’t click right for me.

I loved the music, I loved the band, but something kept me disconnected from the amazing feeling of being at a concert and seeing the music you love laid out in front of you.

I did, however and thankfully, find a new band I would love to listen to constantly. I’m glad to hear that on their recorded albums there are string influences! You can hear cellos in there!

A band that can appreciate classical music even in it’s tiniest forms automatically owns my heart. They create ideal road trip music, or at least music that makes you feel like you’re going somewhere.

Listen to Beach Fossils’ latest album, “Somersault”, below!

The post Witching Hour: Beach Fossils @ Gabe’s 10/20/17 appeared first on KRUI Radio.

As the third annual Witching Hour festival nears us, we must prepare for all of the talented acts that are coming our way this weekend. All the events will be taking place on Friday, October 20th and Saturday, October 21st.

So many events, so little time? Don’t worry. We’re listing the top ten events we think you should see here!

1. Public Art: The Creative Confessional [Workshop]: (Friday 3-5p.m. & 7-10p.m., Saturday 10am-1pm) Do you have an idea you’ve been too afraid to voice? A poem you’ve never shared with anyone? A secret love you’d like to confess? Well, now’s the time to lift these things off of your shoulders. On Friday in the Ped Mall, Jami Milne is hosting a free public portrait booth where you can confess anything your heart desires, and have a beautiful portrait taken of you. Speak your ideas into existence or set your secrets free.

   

2. DJ Spooky [Performance]: (Friday, 7p.m. – Englert Theater) DJ Spooky is one of the most unique performances at Witching Hour this year. As a composer, multimedia artist and writer, his work blends genres, social issues and cultures together to create an experience unlike any other, surprising and exciting audiences. His name, of course, also fits the vibe of the festival and month of October.
3. New Voices in Comedy [Performance]: (Friday, 7:30p.m. – The Mill) Come see an intimate performance from six of the best and brightest comedians from the Midwest while eating some of Iowa City’s best pizza.
4. Beach Fossils [Performance]: (Friday, 11p.m. – Gabe’s) As the headliner for Friday’s lineup, Beach Fossils is a show that you do not want to miss. The Brooklyn-based Indie Rock band recently released their third studio album and introduced a more focused, refreshing sound that will sweep you away into airy summer nights. Read a more detailed preview here. 
5. Doorway to Intuition: Gong Bath and Sound Healing Meditation with Doug Mills [Workshop]: (Saturday, 10a.m. – Englert Theatre) In the fast-paced world of college where we hardly have time to eat lunch, let alone meditate with zen bowl tehniques, take advantage of this opportunity to destress and reconnect with your mind and body after a tough week of midterms. Doug Mills will immerse you in the beauty and power of the gong, while you lay on the Englert Theatre stage and allow yourself to get lost in the sound surrounding you. 
6. Finding Honey in the Rock: A Workshop of Obsession [Workshop]: (Saturday, 12p.m. – RADinc.) For experimenting and experienced writers alike, this workshop will ask you to consider your favorite topics of writing that you cannot seem to step away from. Here, you’ll learn how to overcome writers block and to find fresh ideas in areas of writing that you’ve always had an infatuation with.
7. Variations [Performance]: (Saturday, 5:30p.m. – Englert Theater) Enjoy a discussion and performance by Tricia Park, esteemed Korean violinist. Park has performed in many renowned venues such as the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall and was named one of “Korea’s World Leaders of Tomorrow”. Come listen to her “achingly pure sound” (The Toronto Star) and learn about her creative process.
8. Jak Knight [Performance]: (Satruday, 7:30p.m. – The Mill) Come laugh with Jak Knight, a comic on the

   

   rise, who has received high praise already in his young career. Knight was named a 2014 Comedy Central Comic to Watch and a 2015 New Face at the Montreal JFL Festival. Enjoy his hilarious bits and again, eat some great pizza.

9. Kweku Collins [Performance]: (Saturday, 11p.m. – The Mill) Armed with poetic lyrics and Afro-Latin instrumentals, Kweku Collins is a rising rap star. He has received acclaim from Pitchfork and Billboard and is just getting started. Read a more detailed preview here.
10. Yves Tumor [Performance]: (Saturday 12a.m. – Gabe’s) As the last performance of the entire festival, Yves Tumor is prepared to knock you off of your feet. Tumor’s whimsical dance music is entrancing and multi-layered, and he is known for his elaborate live performances. Get ready to dance during the whole thrilling performance.

This list of ten events is just to get you started – enjoy the endless exciting performances, workshops and interactive events that Witching Hour is the proud home of. Check out the schedule and if you still haven’t bought your pass! It’s not too late!

Happy Witching Hour week!

The post KRUI’s Must See Witching Hour List appeared first on KRUI Radio.

The Brooklyn-based band formed in 2009, but only one original member remains – lead singer, Dustin Payseur. This is ironic because the band began as a means to expand the solo project of Payseur, but quickly turned into an ensemble act. The three current band members are Payseur,

bassist Jack Doyle Smith, and guitarist Tommy Davidson. The band name itself doesn’t hold much meaning, as Payseur explained to Flavorwire – “Whenever I’m reading I make a list of words I like. Usually they’re words that aren’t as clear as Beach Fossils, but when you’re choosing a band name it needs to be something that people can remember. It’s kind of unfortunate because at the same time there was a lo-fi beach theme going on so we ended up getting lumped in with that. Now that’s phased out some maybe people will stop associating us with that genre.”

The genre that Beach Fossils wishes to reside in is experimental pop. Some consider them to be an Indie Rock band, and “Be Nothing” gives us a glimpse of this with a lengthy hand-banging instrumental. But other than a few songs, most of Beach Fossils music evokes a sway rather than a head bang. The band toys with many different instruments such as piano, flute, saxophone and harpsichord, and writes intimate, striking lyrics.

Their sound reminds me of the time between when I wake up and when I actually begin my day – the moments where I pull myself out from under the covers, sip a mug of coffee, tip-toe around in slippers, imagining what the day will hold. I think Beach Fossils is the perfect backdrop for this time of day – calming, comforting and contemplative.

Now’s the time to start listening to Beach Fossils, because every one of their warm, soothing songs is worth knowing. They released their third studio album, “Somersault”, in June of this year, and knocked it out of the park. “Somersault” is the first album that the band has released on Payseur and his wife Katie Garcia’s record label, Bayonet.

Unlike previous albums where Payseur took the reins in terms of songwriting, the band truly collaborated for this record, creating a cohesive sound. “Third times the charm” definitely applies here, as this third album surpasses the prior two. Beach Fossils just keep getting better.

Here are a few songs that you’ll want to hear before you attend the show:

“Saint Ivy” – this light-hearted track conjures up the image of someone prancing along a sidewalk with a dog leash in hand, meandering about a park in the sun. The entire second half of the song is purely instrumental, beginning with a lovely flute solo, followed by a merging of piano, guitar and strings that keep carrying you through that park.

“Rise” is a short 1:42 song featuring Cities Aviv giving a point-blank confession. The instrumentals behind his voice sound bluesy, placing us in a foggy basement bar – saxophones slink through the air like smoke clouds as Cities Aviv speaks from the heart.

“Tangerine” has a peculiar title and vibe. From the moment it begins, we are set in a dreamy state as Payseur extends lyrics into lullaby-like notes singing, “Our time together’s always blurry/After a while it’s all a story”. Rachel Goswell sings the chorus in a whispery alto that wraps us up in seductive blanket of tangerines.

Beach Fossils’ show at Gabe’s at 11pm is one that you don’t want to miss. Come check them out  on Friday, October 20th and envision yourself in that road-trip montage.

The post Witching Hour Preview: Beach Fossils appeared first on KRUI Radio.