#the music genre of the group would most likely be metal with goth influences? am unsure

[washiinmachiine]

briar in a modern fit bc i love clothes. also some fan skins i made for fun for the same reason. cafe cuties one is kinda old but ill shove it here anyway..

[fridaynightbordercrossing]

Timeline of the Tijuana Rock Music Scene 1980-2016 (Part 3)

2005 - Nortec Collective releases the album Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3, an album that received Latin Grammy nominations in the categories of Best Alternative Music Album and Best Disc Graphic Presentation.

2005 - As part of the art show Tijuana In Zaragoza, Bulbo and Zona de Obras were linked live via internet television in two sessions, where Tijuana participated featuring: Luciferión and La Banda De Los Sonorritmicos (their debut show), Tyjuas Steelo, La Diabla / Koñorteño, Ibi Ego, Faca, Vandana, Ford Proco, and Mae Machino, plus other local artists and projects.

2005 - The Dark Tijuana blog appears, their objective is: “… The promotion of gothic music, industrial, post-punk, new wave, new romantic and related sounds … information about Tijuana Gothic mainly and important events of the goth scene … ”

2005 - Through the portal www.bulbo.tv, Bulbo Broadcast begins as a multimedia project of diffusion, which opens its doors to live radio programs such as Galeria Rock, Rock Tripas y Corazon, RadioTrac/JarCore Radio, Invasion Local, Y La Tierra Se Infestara …, Las Margaras Sinbeerguenzas, Manga Tanga and many more.

2005 - The television show Fusión, Encuentro De Ideas, premiered on Channel 12, hosted by Karina Muñoz, with collaborations by Octavio Hernández and Carlos Sarabia, produced by Jorge Ramos Herrera. Its launch was part of Tijuana La Tercera Nación. During its time on air, a lot of local bands performed on-session.

2005 - After a long wait by an entire generation that was influenced by their work,  Spanish electronic music stalwarts  Aviador Dro finally made their Tijuana debut. The show is at the Mezzanine of El Foro.

2005 - Radiante appears, a newspaper with critical journalism about media, culture, and society. In its first issue, the Tijuana Pop Scene Now! Article appears with artist cards and review of the scene. Later, an edition with an extensive article about the 20 Years of Electronic Music in Tijuana appeared.

2005 - Taking place at the then Multikulti, the concert Electro: Files 20 Years of Electronic Music is held. Those who participated were: Permutations, Supereit, Neo Dance, Ford Proco, Abend, Kuchuman, Voces Múltiples, La Hydra, Klansoff & Solariz, Audiifem, Foneire, Fon = 5,6,7 and DJ Zuckko.

2005 - Within the activities of the Beyer Bulevar collective (which included concerts, art, and video exhibitions and more), they released the compilation album Tracks De Aquí y El Otro Lado, with bands and soloists from San Diego, San Francisco, Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ensenada. Among the artists that appeared are Almalafa, El Lazo Invisible, Stancia En Orbita, Terrestre, Faca and more.

2005 - The Raztlan Fest begins, coinciding with the Day of the Dead weekend. All editions have been at the Hipodromo De Agua Caliente, however, also had an edition in Mexico City and alternate events throughout Baja California. Among those who have appeared in the five editions are Lumumba, Ras Michael, Gondwana, Moyenei, Alika, Quinto Sol, Amilcar Nadal, U-Roy, Morodo, Los Cafres, Quique Neira, Cocoman, Somos Uno and more.

2005 - Static Discos presents a showcase at the European festival of Benicassim.

2005 - The Radio Tijuana event takes place, with the presence of bands in two areas such as Panteon Rococo, Tolidos, DRI, Pastilla, NV, Mal Paso, Insite, Ford Proco and more. The venue was Multikulti.

2005 -Entijuanarte Festival at the Tijuana Cultural Center has their first edition. On several occasions has allowed local talent to participate on its stage and has held events such as the Nortec-OBC merger on stage.

2005 - Oxigeno House is inaugurated. They would hold multiple concerts with emerging talent and recognized bands like  Thermo, The Casualties, Delux and others. Later, it reopened under the name of Palladium Hall (with another administration) presenting concerts with Broken Bones, Total Chaos, Junior Reid, Asesino, Insite, Canseco, Delux, Aurum, and others. Later, it had a third attempt reusing the name Oxigeno House (with ATM Promotions to the front) with a 2 Minutos show and La Coyota, but it was closed again.

2005 - Jesús and Martín Hernández (Mercado Negro) joined Alejandro Zuñiga and Jorge Jiménez (Tijuana NO!) and decided to continue with the musical project of Luis Guereña, releasing the CD Tixuanarkia under the name of Agresores. The album contains compositions by all involved and collaborations of Roco from Maldita Vecindad and Spanish songwriter Albert Pla, among others.

2005 - Zigma Concerts appears, as a company that produces quality concerts with local, national and international artists and service agency campaign promotion events for the music industry of the Tijuana / San Diego region. Among the list of bands and artists with whom they have worked are Kid Theodore, Year Future, Cicuta, Ambiente, Aeroplanos, Gustavo Cerati, Pastilla, Molotov Solution and the concert serial Zigma Underground Sessions, among others. They also have been working alongside companies like Black Box, Live Nation Latino, and Tijuana Concerts.

2005 - The Tijuana Rockstars concert is held, coordinated by Soko and endorsed by ICBC, the event being held at the ICBC Multiforo. Canseco, Koñorteño, Chelsea (Mexicali) and many others perform at the awards ceremony. In 2007, the Tijuana Rockstars ICBC concert was held, with the presence of Solucion Mortal, Casa Wagner, Ambiente, Cicuta, El Astro De La Rumba and more.

2006 - For the filming of a documentary about them, the fictional band Luciferión and La Banda De Los Sonorritmicos appear, causing controversy in the scene, since is a mockery of the heavy metal lifestyle.

2006 - The first Rock and Pop Fest is held at the ICBC Multiforo, being the first of five editions, where bands such as Volumen Cero, Stancia en Orbita, Vaqueros Galacticos, Manttra, La Salida and more have participated. Other venues of the event were Box Underground, Le Drug Store, Safari Club, and El Burro Rayado.

2006 - The urban singer-songwriter El Teacher Del Rock appears. He publishes 2 albums which, without a label and through word of mouth promotion, sells more than 4,000 copies in total. In addition, releases the Tijuana-Rosarito compilation record. This album also sells a significant amount independently.

2006 - A date of the Tu Rock Es Votar tour is performed at the Calimax Stadium with the presence of DLD, La Gusana Ciega, Delux, and Los Kung Fu Monkeys, among others.

2006 - The Helldandys activate the scene rockabilly/psychobilly -although years before we had visiting bands like The Paladins and Calavera-. In addition to performing in various cities, they performed in Tijuana various shows with bands like Rezurex, Diana Death Band and Sick Sick Sinners, among others and promoted the work of local bands such as Wrecking Tones, 357 Magnum & The JPE, El Monstro, Graveyard Psychos and more that have emerged.

2006 - The Avandaro 2006 Festival is held in the parking lot of Hipodromo De Agua Caliente with the presence in two days of bands like Alan Parsons Project, Blood Sweat and Tears, Kinky, Cuca, Pastilla, Cage, Disidente, Victimas Del Dr. Cerebro, Tex Tex, Los De Abajo, Javier Batíz and more.

2006 - Winstein Productions appears as a promoter of events and booking that has worked with bands like Insite, Antiniño, Carnifex, Dr. Acula, Billy Brown, The Red Awakening and more.

2006 - The weekly publication La Guía Tijuana is published. In its pages, reports, reviews and information of local artists and groups appeared.

2006 - Tijuana Concerts hits the scene. On its webpage states that: “… being one of the main promoters of concerts in Tijuana, we have been pushed to venture into new areas. In addition to this, we will be developing a new concept that we have been working on for the last months … migrating our work from a concert promoter, towards a MUSICAL COMMUNITY … ”. Its portal and social networks are the most visited pages by fans of concerts in Tijuana.

2006 - Appears with information about events, the page tijuanaeventos.com

2007 - Appears in the Tijuana / Tecate region, the record label and booking agency Cafeína Riot Radio, which has released albums by Los Kung Fu Monkeys, Don, Tumbledown, La Plebe, Nuestra Sangre and a compilation of bands from Mexico, Germany, and the United States.

2007 - The multi-themed border magazine TijuaNeo appears, where interviews and articles related to rock in the region are given good space.

2007 - The Institute of Culture of Baja California, carries out the state contest Rockola Project 2007, wherein the acoustic genre, the Teacher Del Rock is the winner.

2007 - In October, Urban Fest is held on Avenida Revolución with the presence of Delux, Rodeo Drive, Buddy Akai, Marcelo Cunning and others.

2007 - The Salon Fiesta is transformed into one of the most important spaces in the underground circuit of rock in Tijuana, with presentations of shows of international and local bands. Among those who have presented themselves are Naked Aggression, Carnifex, DON, Valium Radio and more.

2007 - As part of the Chicano Radio Network, the Xispa Con Tita radio program appears on Radio Hispana 1470 AM, made between Tijuana and San Diego, with a proposal of community and non-commercial radio, organizing several musical and activist events along the border to benefit the program with the participation of several bands in the region.

2007 - Cultural Weeks are held at TJ Arte y Rock Café. The first three weeks were dedicated to The Doors, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, with art shows, plays, lectures, and concerts at Tía Juana Tilly’s. The last theme was the JarCore Radio Fest, which celebrated the anniversaries of JarCore Radio and Invasion Local, with the realization of conferences, video projections, radio interviews, magazine presentations, theatrical performances and performances by groups such as Plata, Púrpura, Sarasvati, Revival 71, Kosovo, Color Error, Prelude To Tragedy and The Fosther. After these events, events such as La Noche De La Luna have traditionally been held, commemorating the International Day of Women, where in addition to visual artists and other disciplines, they have had the presence of Last Shot and Carla Morrison. Independently of these thematic events, this forum has been one of the important platforms of groups of several genres, being key in the development of new bands, as well as in the presence of renowned bands and artists such as Bye Sami, Javier Batíz, Lvzbel, and La Cruz, among many more.

2007 - Club Virus presents a concert of noise with the presence of Zbigniew Karkowski (Poland), Damián Romero, John Weise (Los Angeles), El Lazo Invisible and Daniel Menche (Portland). The concert was described by José Ignacio López (El Lazo Invisible) as “… An intense concert, full of walls of extreme sound that made the place and the public tremble …”.

2007 - The first Tijuana Interzona Festival is held, with a variety of cultural and artistic events. In the list of artists who have participated in all editions, include, among others, Iraida Noriega, 1973, DJ Tolo, Rafa.Dro, Maldita Vecindad and Los Hijos Del 5to. Patio, Aztlan Underground, Lhabia, La Borrasca, Santa Sabina (their last performance in Tijuana), Ely Guerra, Aviador Dro, Lady Bombón and many more.

2007 - Festiarte starts in Parque Mexico in Playas De Tijuana. Over the years, there has been large participation of local talents on the rock stage.

2007 - The Kung Fu Monkeys make their first tour to Europe, returning twice in 2009 and 2011.

2007 - The Necropolis Fest is held in El Foro, with the presence of artists from various disciplines. The second edition takes place in 2008, with the Zaragoza Theater being the venue. Among those who participated are Ford Proco, Red Flag, Gorgonas, Noise Of Terror and more. The third edition, takes place in two days in two venues, Le Drug Store and The Rock, with the presence of God Module, Myparasites, Electrovot, Damned Prayer, The Deadfly Ensemble, Vdrey & Schultz and others.

2007 - Morrissey performs at El Foro.

2008 - The Polifonico event takes place, in which talks are given about several topics related to the music industry in Tijuana, ending with the presentation of TJ Groove Station.

2008 - Dr. Priscilla Merarit Viera Alcázar presents her Master’s thesis in Sociocultural Studies. The name and topic are Narrative Identities of Women in Rock: A Study in Tijuana. The thesis includes interviews with María Elena Coker (La Piedra), Brissia María Gonzáles (Lhabia), Ginny Silva and Keyla Zamarrón (Suicidal Vaginas). The thesis would be re-edited for the article Women in the Rock: Identities and Experiences in Tijuana, which appeared in a supplement in 2011. After this, Dr. Viera has continued with its investigations in relation to the presence of women in rock

2008 - In the midst of great controversy over legal and personal issues within the Colectivo Nortec, Bostich + Fussible present Tijuana Sound Machine on Planeta Tijuana. Tijuana Sound Machine receives the nomination in the category of Best Rock / Alternative Album in the Grammy Awards.

2008 - AMP emerges as a school dedicated to the teaching and development of electronic music production and DJ techniques.

2008 - The magazine En Tijuana appears in physical edition two issues and then irregularly until it started its period as an electronic magazine between 2012 and 2016 when it became the Tijuana Es Rock/En Tijuana Hay Rock news website.

2008 - Canseco publishes its first album El Tiempo y La Ciudad, as well as participating in the Vive Latino festival.

2008 - The book Nortec Rifa!: Electronic Dance Music from Tijuana to the World by Alejandro L. Madrid is released.

2008 - The One Scene 08 event was held at Le Drug Store, where several local promoters came together, presenting bands like Bumbklatt, Red Awakening, Uprising AD, The Helldandys, Teenage Kicks and more.

2008 - D-Town Tijuana 2008 Festival is held on Planet Tijuana, with the presence of MSTRKRFT, LA Riots, Shark Attack, Gun $ ‘N’ Bomb $, Latinsizer and more, canceling the last day, where the prestigious Iceland band Sigur Ros would be performing.

2008 - The Tijuana Rap concert is presented, with the presence of NV Música, Legion Marvel, DJ Tijuas, Toxic Flow and more in El Foro.

2008 - The Music-ON red carpet event takes place with the presence of bands like Almalafa, Solucion Mortal and others in the Planeta TijuanaLobby. It would be done again in the following years (as part of the Tijuana Interzona Festival) in spaces such as Tía Juana Tilly’s and El Burro Rayado with the presence of bands like Adevian and Urban De Falla, among others.

2008 - In several newspapers in Mexico, an interesting semblance is published on the History of Rock in Mexico, with historical data and lists of important recordings. They appear in the text because of their historical significance (according to the author): The Rocking Devils, The Tijuana Five, Javier Batíz, Baby Batíz, El Ritual, Peace and Love, Love Army, Pajaro Alberto and Sacrosaurio, Artefakto, Panóptica Orchestra, Especimen, La Cruz, Tijuana No, Julieta Venegas, Fussible, Bostich, The Kung Fu Monkeys, Hiperboreal, Plankton Man and Clorofila.

2008 - Within the Tijuana Interzona Festival, Dinamov is presented, which included the union for its dissemination of projects such as Artileria, Tijuana Eventos, Polifonico, Revolucion En Movimiento and others. A concert with Cicuta, El Astro De La Rumba and Guaycura Sounds is performed. The project does not prosper after this event, but another union intention, Mecanica, is formed.

2008 - Open Mind is a promotion company that presents events in spaces such as the Salon Fiesta, with the intention of bringing international bands and reliving the local scene. The bands that have presented in their events are, among others, Carnifex, Cease The Fatality, Jeremiah Johnson and Fallen Figure.

2009 - There are two festivals that seek to enhance the music scene in the city: Tijuana Progresivo (organized at El Foro with more than 35 bands and soloists, among them, TJ Groove Station, Led Zepagain, Guaycura Sounds, Carla Morrison, Palos Verdes, The Astro De La Rumba and others) and Rev N 'Mov (this is done at the Multikulti Coliseum with the presence as headliners of Titan, Silverio, and Jessy Bulbo). The first one would return in 2010 in the CECUT with Cabezas De Cera, La Sonrisa Vertical and others, in addition to preparing its 2012 edition, while the other has not announced the date of completion.

2009 - Circo appears on Sixth Street, a place where new producers and DJs of electronics are widely developed, as well as the presence of international artists. Among those who have presented themselves are RedS, Gina Turner, Toxic Killers, Damian Wolf, The Goonies and many more.

2009 - At Entijuanarte 2009, they merge Bostich + Fussible stage together with the Baja California Orchestra in a major event.

2009- The Under Tour arrives in Tijuana, with the presence of Akwid, The Psycho Realm and many more who took the stage at the then Planeta Tijuana (Coliseo-Multikulti).

2009 - The Tijuana Avant Garde Music Festival takes place at Tijuana’s Casa de la Cultura, with the presence, among others, of Iván Velázquez De León and La Sonrisa Vertical.

2009 - It takes place at El Foro, the TJ Live Fest, with the performance of The Kung Fu Monkeys, Bye Sami, Radaid, Urban De Falla, MYPAQ and many more.

2009 - Polen appears presenting and promoting events such as the Arts And Trees Bazaar and live sessions like Polen Sessions in different spaces. Among the bands that have participated in their events are La Noise, Revival 71, Chikita Violenta, THE SPLWLKRS, Deck B, Vis Viva and more.

2009 - In the middle of the sixth street explosion, La Sexta House of Music opens, where they have been guesting artists like Simian Mobile Disco and Ladytron, as well as the presence of Le Butcherettes, Ambiente, Lázaro Casanova, Nano Bravo & Mad Lions, Designer Drugs, Skrillex and others, however as of April 2011 it changes to being Porky’s Place de la Sexta. Places that also put their part to the nightlife with shows in the area comprised of Avenida Revolución between Sixth and Seventh are La Mezcalera, You Revolution Electronic Bar, El Burro Rayado, El Diván De Alicia, La Jiribilla, El Chez, TJ Arte y Rock Cafe, and others.

2009 - Artileria, document the 2009 and 2010 editions of Tijuana Progresivo, in addition to his work with artists and soloists such as Carla Morrison, Late Night Howl, La Diabla and more with acclaimed video clips.

2010 - Almalafa publishes its second album, Mi Peligrosa Tijuana.  

2010 - Appears as a project, Aliados Por El Rock, which seeks to strengthen the spread and support of rock in Baja California. As a result of their work, they are part of the organizers of Expo Rock Tijuana 2010 with the presence of bands like Deathriders, Puercos, Los Hollywood, Armagedón and more. For 2011, they expand their activities to a festival with bands from all over the state, the TV Poder Rock program and the second edition of Expo Rock.

2010 - It takes place at the Pueblo Amigo Shopping Center, the FusionArte festival, where in addition to exhibitions of different disciplines, they present bands like  Koñorteño, Los Hijos Del Santo, Malibu, and others. In its 2011 edition, Hiperboreal was presented in a special talk, in addition to Lucky 7 and more guests.

2010 - Gustavo Cerati appears in the Monumental Plaza with great success, this being his last concert in the city. This was days before falling into a coma in Venezuela.

2010 - The experimental documentary Antropotrip Sinfonía Urbana by José Luis Martín is presented, with live music by Guaycura Sounds. The presentation was at the ICBC Multiforo.

[rockrevoltmagazine]

INTERVIEW: Ian James Christopher of Widow's Wail

Originally founded in Las Vegas, Widow’s Wail is one of the newest acts to hit the Los Angeles scene with a ferocious force. Established in 2015, Widow’s Wail has been through its trials and triumphs and is now hitting the music industry of Southern California- having just performed an incredible live show on October 26th. Rock Revolt Magazine had the pleasure of interviewing the front man and mastermind behind the project, a Mr. Ian James Christopher about his new project. 

Rock Revolt: Let’s jump right in. Tell me about Widow’s Wail and the band’s sound. How would you describe your music? 

Ian James Christopher: I’d say there’s a lot of heavier influence on my music, not necessarily coming from heavier bands, but more so from the desire to, well, sound heavy if that makes sense. I think there’s a good mix of angst, anxiety, aggression, depression, and the music is somewhat of an embodiment of these emotions along with others. 

What image do you feel your music invokes?

For some songs, I write graphic, horror inspired lyrics, so I’d definitely look to inspire that same type of imagery. With other songs, I write from a personal perspective, so I’d like to inspire the listener to think of the passion behind the content. 

If we’re talking about appearance, I’d say that I definitely pride myself in not looking like a random guy off the street. I feel like a huge aspect of performance art is your appearance, and that you could put on some incredible mind blowing performance but if you look like someone who’d blend in with a crowd then part of the “wow factor” could be lost.

What are you greatest influences in your musical career?

I feel like my music is the blended up result of all the music I listen to, from emotionally driven bands like H.I.M., Type O Negative, and From Autumn to Ashes, to heavier driven music like Whitechapel, Bleeding Through, Chimaira, and Shai Hulud. I listen to a ton of more conventional music too like Lana Del Rey and Ace of Base, and alternative “goth music” artists (like Joy Division and Siouxsie Sioux) and I feel like all of these influence me in some way, from wanting to sound heavy, to wanting to have sticky hooks in my choruses, to wanting to invoke darker imagery, and so on. 

What has the writing and production process been like for you thus far?

I’ll get ideas at the most random times. I’ll be working out or hanging out with friends and some catchy line or cool riff or melody will randomly pop into my head; I’ll write ideas down and pull up word documents when working on a song in the studio to see if I can use some of those older ideas. 

I love that my producer and engineer understand my creative mind well and we’ll be able to meet up, sit down for a few hours, and crank out an awesome track with little to no trouble. I’ve dealt with corrupt/greedy producers in the past who provided me with a subpar final product musically, but I feel very thankful to work with who I do now.

You were established in 2015, in Las Vegas- what pushed you to start this project? 

I was living on and off in Vegas at the time but knew I was going back to college and unable to maintain regularly traveling from California to Vegas to keep up with poker and sports betting. I had previously quit playing instruments and writing music entirely around 2011 and I was missing music. 

I also felt like I didn’t really give it my all when I was younger as it relates to music. I was playing guitar and bass with friends and their bands but I never really put forth an effort in succeeding, or even recording, and I wanted to make sure I got involved with music before it was too late and I ended up not having a chance to do so. 

What about the metal genre attracts you? What is it about this particular niche of music that made you want to play it?

Community is a huge aspect for me. I’ve always felt like I was able to find somewhere I belong when I found music more related to an alternative lifestyle, specifically metal. People came to accept me as who I am and some even started to respect me, which was mind blowing as a youth, and helped to bolster my confidence so that I could stand up on my own both as an artist and as a person. I’m very fortunate and very thankful to have found the metal community.

I play metal both because it’s my favorite genre of music, but also because I feel like I need to leave a lasting artistic impression. To expand, I’d like to work hard in order to give back to the metal, alternative, gothic, etc. communities by being a part of something bigger than myself in music and art. 

Your record is anticipated to be released in 2020. What can you tell us about it? What information can you divulge?

I pride myself on the fact that a majority of my songs don’t necessarily sound the same. Some will be quieter and more ambient with an emphasis on the instruments and accompaniment, while others will be very loud/fast paced/aggressive and prioritize the blast beats and screams to the listener’s ear, with so many other songs in-between. My producer, engineer, and I do a lot of experimenting and we like to think outside the box, while still implementing these fresh ideas in songs and working toward a goal of combining them with sounds and techniques that have been proven to be well-received, whether it be instrumentally, vocally, or composition wise. 

Who are your live players? Can you tell me more about them? 

My friends Dany Khouli (formerly of Blackcast, a San Diego based metalcore act) and Triston Cheshire (who plays in several deathcore/death metal/slam bands such as Angel Splitter, Harvested Existence, False Idol, Disorder, and Avarice, to name a few) are joining me on bass and guitar, respectively. I’m very happy we’re able to work together, as we’re all very passionate about music and translate it to showing on stage or in our music. I’ve seen how great of musicians they are, and if we end up working together long-term, I’d be very interested in working together on the songwriting process. I also highly suggest anyone interested listen to their bands and affiliated musical acts! These guys are legit and I’m very lucky to call them friends and musical peers.

Another good friend of mine is working behind the scenes on learning bass, and if he’s still able to work together, Dany would probably move to a second guitarist position. We’d also love to find a live drummer with the technical ability to keep up, and a potential live keyboardist as well in future. Fingers crossed! 

What is your opinion on the music industry today? What is your ideology moving forward?

We’re living in a very interesting time. Thanks to the advent of the internet and social networking, we’re able to get our eyes and ears on so many bands and artists that would’ve most likely gone unnoticed 20, or even 5 years ago. However, because of this over saturation of music, some people aren’t impressed by anything anymore. 

Sometimes, musicians aren’t really getting paid at all, and some people might even be signing contracts or may be working with people who don’t look out for their best interests and are essentially signing away their creative and even individual (i.e. hairstyles, wardrobe) freedoms to interest groups or other entities, etc. that get to take over their lives. 

I love that I can go online and find tons of bands I’ve never heard of, but I also find that they’ve got no real following and aren’t able to establish any sort of momentum toward succeeding in getting their name out, sometimes because people will just click “next artist” if they aren’t impressed in the first 3 seconds by what they hear online and these great artists, while having their name essentially up on the world’s stage, may go unappreciated. 

What does success mean to you?

I really want my MUSIC to be well known, but I don’t really have an interest in personal fame aside from maybe it being a means to an end of getting my music and my message out there. I’d definitely consider myself to not be an “I need attention” kind of guy, even if my appearance may suggest otherwise. I like the idea of being able to go to the grocery store and load up on olives at the olive bar while a song I write plays over the radio and the guy next to me has no clue that’s me (laughs). 

Additionally, having some huge follower count online isn’t really a main goal of mine either. I feel like these numbers aren’t everything, and don’t want to get caught up focused on this over my product (e.g. the quality of the music). 

What are your future goals and plans for Widow’s Wail?

I’d like to get Widow’s Wail established musically and built up to something successful while always being able to do things on my own terms and be my own musician and person. I have a laundry list of bands with whom I’d love to be able to say I’ve had the honor of sharing stages together. After that, I’d like to work toward putting out what fans, followers, friends, and myself would believe to be my magnum opus release, and proceeding to do one last big tour before I can call it quits on my own terms. I want to spend the next few years working to reach an apex of what I consider success and quit while I’m ahead. I graduated from business school at SDSU (go Aztecs!) and I’d like to parlay any musical success of mine toward a career as a manager, agent, songwriter, or something similar; to venture further into the business side of music is definitely a long term goal of mine.

Before then? Touring and creating incredible memories with my closest friends, making music I want to make and talking about the things either in my life or in my imagination that I’d like to talk about. I’d like to give all of my friends and musical acquaintances an opportunity to see what I’m all about musically and aesthetically, and I’d like to give back to my community. 

I’d like to one day be able to sit and work to help out struggling young musicians get their voices heard, or even just help young people by being a positive influence and someone willing to lend a listening ear and a helping hand. If I can help one musician get established, or even just help one young person not end up going down a terrible path in life, I’ll feel like I was successful in that regard, though ideally I’d like to help as many people as I could.

I’ve always been very hands-on in various music scenes both in person and online. Sometimes I’ll drive hours to see bands play and be one of the only people there, but I’ll still make sure they know they’re supported and that someone genuinely enjoys their music, their band. Other times, I’ll be hard at work networking on facebook or other places online in order to get my friends in far away places’ bands noticed and help them build their names up as well, even if I can’t be there physically to help.

Any bands you’d ideally like to tour with?

I’d like to play shows or tour with all of my favorite bands, both local and big name. 

A dream tour of mine would be for me to serve as a bridge between the local scene and the bigger names, something like two big bands that I admire and two smaller acts that I call friends along with myself and Widow’s Wail. I’ve been very lucky and honored to meet the minds behind Bleeding Through, Eighteen Visions, and Carnifex and I’d like to establish myself to a level where I could be seriously considered by them/their representative(s) in order to be an act on one of their tours. Some of my other favorite active bands are Motionless in White, Crystal Lake, Shadow of Intent, Jinjer, The Amity Affliction, and Fit For an Autopsy.

CLICK HERE TO CONNECT WITH WIDOW’S WAIL

INTERVIEW: Ian James Christopher of Widow’s Wail was originally published on RockRevolt Mag

[manofmuchmetal]

Artist: Big Big Train

Venue: Cadogan Hall

Date: 30 September 2017

At the end of July, I received a message out of the blue from a certain Greg Spawton. “Hi Matt, Just finalising guest lists for the Big Big Train shows. We have you down for a seat on Saturday 30th September. Are you still available to attend?”

I think it took me about three-and-a-half seconds to compose my reply. From memory, I might have got a little carried away, suggesting that wild zombie horses couldn’t stop me from attending. But in my defence, I was very excited at the prospect of hearing Big Big Train in concert for the first time. I thought I might have scared Greg off and made him change his mind, but remarkably, my attendance was confirmed just a week or two before the show via another message that sent tingles down my spine in anticipation.

For those intrigued as to why someone with the moniker of ‘Man of Much Metal’ was so excited about seeing a pastoral progressive rock band on stage, it is because Big Big Train have rapidly become a hugely important band in my life. As I have got older, I have become more receptive to other less heavy genres of music and when I heard ‘English Electric Part 1’ after some steady pressure from some quarters on social media, I began to realise just how special this band is. The love affair has only strengthened as the years have gone by. I am now at the point where, brass and all, Big Big Train and I are emotionally linked; their music moves me like few others and I adore the storytelling within each and every track.

I felt a bit of a fraud travelling from Suffolk to the Big Smoke by car on the day in question. I should have journeyed by rail, preferably steam, but then I’d never have been able to stay until the very end. So I put ‘Folklore’ into the stereo and braved the misery of the notorious A12 and M25 main roads.

Not even the incompetence of Travel for London and their ‘unique’ system of acquiring a travel ticket for the casual London visitor could dampen my spirits as I headed closer to the venue, the famous Cadogan Hall for the evening’s revelries. As I alighted the tube and walked the 100 paces to the venue, I couldn’t help but note the differences between the clientele outside this venue and the clientele with which I was generally more familiar at live music events. Not a Goth or a blasphemous t-shirt in sight, and no strange looks from passers-by for a start.

Inside the venue, with guest ticket in hand, it felt more like a West End Show or theatre performance than a rock concert. Wine by the glass, clean toilets and sensibly-priced merchandise assaulted my senses. I bought a t-shirt to mark the occasion and then, after a short wait, made my way to my seat in the gallery. Seated in the second row near the centre, I had a great view but, having read the comments about the sound quality in the gallery from the previous night, my excitement was tempered ever-so-slightly, by apprehension.

Nevertheless, as the venue filled around me with a surprisingly diverse audience from far and wide, you could feel the anticipation in the air. As the big screen came silently to life via a raven sitting contentedly in a treetop, the atmosphere was crackling. I, like many ‘passengers’ around me, found myself involuntarily leaning forward in my seat, impatiently awaiting the arrival of the band on the ample Cadogan Hall stage.

We didn’t have to wait long before the lights dimmed and out came the first of the octet, violinist Rachel Hall to raise the curtain with a compelling solo performance. It eventually segued into a rousing rendition of ‘Folklore’ once the remaining seven members of Big Big Train had joined Hall on stage to thunderous applause, alongside a brass quintet to stage left.

Sound issues? What sound issues? From where I was sitting, I could hear just about every detail of the rich, multi-layered and detailed music and the relief I felt was palpable – not just from a selfish point of view, but for the band who had clearly suffered the night before. The inward smile was broad as I joined what appeared to be a near sell-out audience in applauding a superb opening salvo. Heck, I even embraced the brass ensemble who added their unique flavour to the song.

My applause was even greater at the close of ‘Brave Captain’. A moving composition at the best of times, I suddenly felt so thoroughly overwhelmed by everything that I felt myself well up. Several conflicting emotions collided headlong from sheer amazement in terms of what I was hearing and witnessing, to strong melancholy brought on by the emotive stills that were projected onto the giant screen of the young pilot, Captain Albert Ball at the centre of this story. I don’t mind admitting that I was a bit of a mess by the time charismatic frontman David Longdon donned a pair of pilot’s goggles and took in hand an authentic old-style microphone to deliver the dramatic mid-section of the song.

Based on the reaction of the crowd, this was the point where we collectively realised that we were in the presence of genuine magic. Even at this early stage, several of the throng stood and cheered, much to the delight and apparent surprise of the band.

‘Last Train’ came next with its strong Genesis influences and it gave the band the chance to take a collective breath and relax into the performance, knowing that everything was going well. Being a less familiar song to me, it allowed me the opportunity to drink in the view and focus a little more on each musician, all of whom gave near flawless performances.

The first half of the gig lasted for just over an hour and in that time, we were treated to the likes of ‘London Plane’, ‘Meadhall In Winter’ and ‘Meadowland’. The former is a personal favourite so I was ecstatic to hear it in all its glory, accompanied by some terrific visuals that charted the growth of our capital city from pre-Medieval times right through to the modern day. However, it was the epic ‘Meadhall In Winter’ that received the biggest ovation of the half. Deservedly so too, because it was a magnificent extended composition brought to life like never before.

What struck me was the increased power that the compositions were afforded in the live arena. Led by the effortlessly tight and commanding drumming of an expressive Nick D’Virgilio and the subtle bass work of Greg Spawton, the music felt like it came alive even more so than on disc. The keys of Danny Manners and Andy Poole, occasionally supplemented by the ever-smiling multi-instrumentalist Rikard Sjöblom, were some of the biggest winners on the night. They sounded rich, vibrant and with a strength and clarity that shook the foundations of the venue, especially when delivering those epic, rousing notes. You simply can’t replicate this sound through a recording; they made me tingle, touched my soul and gave the music another irresistible dimension.

Photograph credit: Simon Hogg

When the interval arrived, I felt stunned. I was expecting a good show but I hadn’t quite expected to be blown away in the manner that I had. As many of the patrons headed out of the hall to recharge their glasses or continue their animated conversations, I merely sat recalling and re-living what felt like a million little magical moments.

The second act began with a fabulous rendition of ‘Experimental Gentleman’, during which Rachel Hall’s violin delighted, Dave Gregory’s guitar sang like an angel, whilst the keys of Manners and Poole led the delicate beauty of the song’s closing section superbly.

It led to more standing ovations but for me, what happened next was even more incredible and special. The song ‘Swan Hunter’ was introduced, the crowd responded and I was swept up in yet more intense emotions as this moving track played out. The gentle brass carried with it a melancholy air of regret whilst in the background, the most striking still was allowed to linger. It depicted a row of terraced houses outside which a group of small children played on tricycles. But looming over everything was the shell of a giant ship being built at the nearby dockyard. It is an image that remains ingrained in my memory and, coupled with the emotive composition, led to yours truly welling up not for the first time.

The remainder of the setlist was comprised of an epic, energetic and enthusiastically-delivered ‘Judas Unrepentant’, the magnificently grandiose ‘East Coast Racer’, the emotionally-charged ‘Victorian Brickwork’, the breezy bittersweet ‘Telling The Bees’, dominated by Sjöblom’s acoustic 12-string guitar and the surprisingly stupendous ‘The Transit Of Venus Across The Sun’.

Introduced by David Longdon as one of his very favourite compositions by Greg, ‘The Transit…’ began with a stirring and sensational brass intro into which Rachel Hall blended exquisitely. This might have been the moment of epiphany where I finally ‘got’ the brass. No, more than that, I fell in love with it. In the context of this intro, it made perfect sense and I didn’t want it to end. Mind you, I have to admit that I had forgotten just how good this entire song was. Like the rediscovery of an old, almost-forgotten friend, I took it to my heart and, if pressed, it might just be my standout song on the entire setlist.

You’re never going to please everyone with the setlist, even at two-and-a-half hours and with an encore comprised of an electric drum solo from Nick D’Virgilio and a rousing, epic rendition of ‘Wassail’ complete with enthusiastic audience participation. I would have liked to hear any one of ‘Winkie’, ‘Brooklands’ or ‘Curator of Butterflies’ and there was a momentary pang of disappointment that I didn’t. However, as I quickly realised, if I’d have heard those, I might not have heard others like ‘Swan Hunter’, ‘The Transit…’ or ‘Brave Captain’, all of which were spectacular and spinetingling. So, on reflection, I wasn’t disappointed at all.

As I type this review, I am assaulted by many other memories from the show. Like the note-perfect delivery of the backing vocals from Sjöblom, D’Virgilio and Hall, or the sheer effort and commitment shown by lead guitarist Dave Gregory, who was constantly switching guitars in order to deliver just the right tones to each part of the songs. Or the previously unmentioned incredible flute-playing from the ball of energy that was David Longdon.

The other thing that struck me was just how much fun each and every member of Big Big Train was having on the stage. Smiles were never far away from any of the eight faces and this translated into the music, which was imbued with just a little something extra as a result. And the chemistry was wonderful to witness, with Longdon making several jokes at the expense of himself and others. ‘I didn’t forget to use the telescope prop…so let’s hear no more about it’. ‘Rikard, you’re up darling’, ‘on bass, surprisingly not wearing double denim…Gregory Spawton’. The list goes on and each time I recall a quip, I smile in spite of myself.

All too soon, the shotgun at the end of ‘Wassail’ fires, thereby signalling the end of the show. I was stunned at the interval, but I was shell-shocked at the finale. Nevertheless, I hauled myself off my chair and joined everyone else in the audience who, to a man and woman, boy and girl, was on their feet, giving the loudest, most enthusiastic standing ovation, I can remember at a gig for many a year. And it was richly deserved too, for it was a truly phenomenal spectacle.

As I walked down the stairs to the auditorium, I was in no doubt that I had witnessed something very special indeed, easily a top five gig of all time. And I’ve been to a few gigs over the years to say the least. The quality of the venue, the sound, the visuals and the perfectly-performed music was a devastating combination, one that will be etched indelibly on my mind for ever more. The night was made even better as I got to shake hands and take the ubiquitous ‘selfie’ with every member of the band, all of whom were very patient, welcoming and gracious.

At around 11pm, I exited the venue and headed into the rain to begin my journey home, elated, enriched and very, very happy.

Bravo, Big Big Train, bravo. What. A. Night.

Score of Much Metal: 10

  Live Gig Review: Big Big Train – Cadogan Hall, London – 30 September 2017 Artist: Big Big Train Venue: Cadogan Hall Date: 30 September 2017 At the end of July, I received a message out of the blue from a certain Greg Spawton.