For the second week in a row, Newport Beach's the Jakes played a free show Tuesday at eVocal in Costa Mesa. Makes sense, given that they're playing free shows every Tuesday at the venue this month. Also for the second week in a row: Sameer Gadhia, lead singer of the Jakes is sharing with us some thoughts on the night.
Welcome to the second edition of my OC Weekly blog spot for the
month of May. For those of you who have just joined us, I will be
covering our FREE KROQ Locals Only residency at Evocal in Costa Mesa
with unparalleled wit, charm, and (let's hope) timeliness every week
this month.
]
If I wasn't already made evident by the residency title–yes
the show is FREE, and yes it is sponsored by KROQ. In fact, all six of
us band members went in to the KROQ studios to pay a visit to Local's
Only radio host darling Kat Corbett to talk about the residency and
play some live acoustic tunes last week.
With
the help of the Clearlight video crew, we have also pumped out a
not-too-horribly awkward first episode video blog that delves into the
psychological depths of The Jakes psyche… or maybe just features some
cool beach montages.
This last Tuesday marked the second of four
shows that showcased the diversity and breadth of Southern California
music and art scene. Despite the vast differences in style and message,
all performers were united under the pursuit of the creative spirit.
Plus, pretty much everyone was down with the hotdogs and grilled
vegetables. In the atrium, DJ Dean spun vinyl and digitals, the eVocal
crew live screen-printed our shirts, and the bands sold their wares.
Despite the first week's surprisingly strong turn-out, this Tuesday
brought out at least twice as many people. By 7 o'clock, eVocal had
become a contemporary Renaissance Faire.
The night was kicked off
by Orange County bred tripsters Dolphin City. Whilst listening to their
set, I couldn't help but relate their musical performance to the calm
and swell of the Pacific. Their lush arrangements mirrored the glassed
fluidity of a graceful wave; organic yet structured, wild but playful.
The group had also set up a projector screen that provided visual
accompaniment. Dolphin City is tearing up the road, so make sure to
check them out!
Next up was Warped Tour veterans Run Doris Run. We
first met Run Doris Run at a downtown Anaheim Battle of the Bands in
2006, and since then we have played stages all over California
together. A mix of youthful vigor and meticulous maturity, the
Huntington Beach rockers graced the stage with a mix of powerful vocals
and melodious punk rock chords that exposed the emotive and creative
forces of their work. Be prepared to see these guys touring the nation
again sometime soon.
The third and final guest band before us was
LA based Devil's Orchestra; probably one of the most unique and
talented bands out kickin' the scene today. With a mix of hardcore,
heavy metal, prog-rock, and acid jazz, the Los Angeles trio has some
ridiculous chops that is not for the faint of heart. DO's Sunday
residency at the Cinespace in Hollywood has been one of our greatest
influences for our month of May series, and we were honored to have the
live-stage powerhouses on the bill with us. With steadfast tempo and
garish meticulousness, Devil's Orchestras drill-bit engineering is
precocious to say the least, and is rock with gritty intellectualism.
DO is also hitting the road after their year-long residency runs up
this July, so be sure to slum it like a Dead fan for these local
legends.
At every residency show, the Jakes will be playing new
songs, and this last show we unveiled an untitled song that was
finished earlier that very same day. It's not about the polished show
or the risers, it's not about the lights or the stage attire. For us,
this residency is about forming bonds between performer and listener
that will exceed the expectations of its individual parts. New song or
old, it is important to recognize the importance of both player and
listener. And with that, we cordially invite you to partake in the
creative process.
