April 15 and 16: Huge Fresno & Bakersfield Shows

Fresno, April 15 - Friday, April 15, Club Fred in Fresno, The D's headline a raucous night with 2 A.M. Orchestra, the infamous Filthies (they're blowing up, folks, so don't miss' em!), and more! Blue shag carpet and pink stage lights--this is rock 'n roll history! Visit the tour page for more info.

Bakersfield, April 16 - Saturday, April 16, The Dalloways join Johnny Come Lately and Norfolk at Narducci's, one of Bakersfield's premier Basque haunts, now open to eighteen and over! Don't miss this opportunity to hang out in one of the coolest venues in town and listen to music so raucous and beautiful, you'll want to laugh and cry in your drink, guaranteed. 18+ 18+ 18+ 18+ 18+! Visit the tour page and nlbelardes.com for more info. Also, Enrique, glam master femme music and fashion critic, will make an appearance at this show. Cat's definitely out of the bag now.

Cocktails, Ghosts, and Three Chord Whore

So what's going on Wednesday night down a downtown alley in Bakersfield? A little speakeasy haunting--that's what.

Nico and I checked in at Maxwell's, the alley restaurant and bar just east of downtown Chester, a little hole in the wall famous for fantastic Frangelico-steeped deserts and one resident ghost. We happened to catch up with N.L. Belardes. Perfect place, too, for this guy just seems to be everywhere and nowhere at once, a bit ethereal, like the spirit that moves through the old catacombs below the restaurant. We talked about Lords a bit, but not too much, and always seemed to dance around certain touchy, and frankly, disturbing, subjects within the new novel. Best not to press, I thought. We talked about the Bakersfield music scene past and present, KoRn (yes, KoRn), and Fresno literary criminals...

And guess who walked through the door? None other than Three Chord Whore--one of Bakersfield's toughest bands. Heather, Shirl, and the very cool Shantell. Do yourself a favor--when you meet them, don't try to peg them as some cliche typical girl band. They're very nice and will most likely be accommodating, but really, they've got their own thing going and most likely won't appreciate someone trying to lump them up with The Donnas, The Bangles, or L7 (well, they might just like the L7 connection). I haven't heard 'em yet, but by just talking with the trio, I've got a feeling about what I'll hear--killer upbeat fast-break angst-ridden grunginess.

They took stools against the horseshoe shaped bar for some drinks. One of them looked a little familiar. Oh, it's that Shirl the Pearl (nothing much on her website right now but bad links), front woman for the now defunct angry synth punk band The Mia Maids.

Here's some history: The Dalloways played a Boiler Room show (always a strange mixture of math metal, screamo, punk, and shoegaze bands all lumped onto one ticket) with the Mia Maids awhile back. I remember the vibe of that now lost band, and so I'll write it for history's sake right here--The Mia Maids were angry, defiant, snarling, railing against religious hypocrisy (the band name was derived from the term used for young LDS women between the ages of 14 and 15), and sexual fascism. Their set was intense and loud and raucous.

I asked Shirl if TCW had the same vibe. "No," she said, "Three Chord isn't so dark as that." Hmm, OK, but if Shirl's involved, I've got a feeling this is no tame soiree. Hopefully they'll stick around longer than the Mia Maids, and long enough to make an indelible mark in the Bako scene and beyond.

For more on The Dalloways, visit The Dalloways Online. And be sure to make friends with the group on The Dalloways at Myspace.

PS: I just heard a rumour circulating that Enrique may be making an appearance at the Dalloways April 16 gig at Narducci's. Someone told me that some cat was let out of some bag on some blog somewhere. Frankly, this resident social mingler and saucy writer is somewhat of a mystery, and so I'm not sure what kind of entrance he'll make, or whether he'll remain incognito the entire night, or whether he'll be there at all. More soon...

Dalloway Ticket 5/16/05: Norfolk

Norfolk
3-4 song EP
Release: April 2005

SHOW SPECS - Date: Friday, April 16. City: Bakersfield. Venue: Narducci's. Age: 18+. For Details: The Dalloways Tour Page

Group members and side projects: James Ratliff, Pete Prevost (also in Johnny Come Latley), Jason Ford Turner (also in stepsonday), Pablo Alaniz (also in Diary).

The ideal fit on a national tour: The Thrills, Superdrag, and Pedro the Lion

Name an artist fans will be surprised you're is into: There are a few Diamond Rio songs that get me all worked up.

Got an elevator pitch? Norfolk is music for people who enjoy music. It has a subculture feel to it, but hopefully it can be excepted as just well written music.

Name the best live show you’ve ever seen? What in particular made this performance so good? Thats a tough one. It's got to be Weezer at Jerrys Pizza in Bakersfield. There were a few hundred poeple cramed into a small basement to see one of the first Weezer comeback shows in 2000. Later that month I was getting married and the show actually made me worry that the Weezer day would overshadow my wedding day as the best day of my life.

Describe your band's look: (Don't you love this question?) My bandmates look like the people you go to school with. How else do you answer that one?

Got a master plan? What’s the next step for this band? 1). Record a ridiculously good indipendent album. 2). Play a bunch of ridiculously good shows. 3). Get signed to a ridiculously solid Label. 4). Make ridiculous amounts of cash. 5). Burn out and become a grade school teacher.

- Q's by The Dalloways, A's by James Ratliff of Norfolk -

Dalloway Ticket 5/15: 2 A.M. Orchestra

2 A.M. Orchestra
Impermanence
Release: April 2005

SHOW SPECS - Date: Friday, April 15. City: Fresno. Venue: Club Fred. Bands: The Dalloways, The Filthies and 2 A.M. Orchestra. For More: The Dalloways Tour Page

Group members and side projects: David J. Kelley - Guitar/Vocals; Randy Stindt - drums (also sings in a band called Hero Myth); Aaron Taunton - bass

The ideal fit on a national tour: Muse, Radiohead, and Pedro the Lion (in our dreams, anyway).

Name an artist fans will be surprised you're into: Though I've been throroughly made fun of, I have to admit that I've really been into Emperor lately. Emperor is, or was, rather, a Norwegian black metal band that defined and continues to define the genre.

Got an elevator pitch? "2 A.M. Orchestra ... plays emotional alt-pop with the ups of a Ben Folds record and the downs of a Radiohead epic." –Performing Songwriter Magazine (Vol. 10, Issue 60, May 2003)

Name the best live show you’ve ever seen? What in particular made this performance so good? Jon Brion Live at the Large ... Incredible one-man show. You have to see it to believe it.

Describe your band's look: (Don't you love this question?) We look like three guys between the ages of 25-26 playing music ... uh ... yeah."

Got a master plan? What’s the next step for this band? New record coming out in April.

Bakersfield on a Friday, Fishlips and Lunatics, Jerry's and Jenoah, Gigantic the New Factory

Last night I got antsy and had to get out of the house. I had heard a rumor that a friend was going to be roaming the angry streets of Bakersfield looking for trouble wherever he could find it, and so I slipped on my kicks thinking I'd cross paths with Nick, this old school punk and Star Wars buff. Never saw him. But what I did see . . .

10:15 -- FISHLIPS AND LUNATICS -- Wandered into Fishlips because I heard some sick 80's metal guitar screaming from the stage. Dark, as always, so I let my eyes adjust till they focused on the ocean treasure decor mounted atop the bar. Then I checked out the crew on stage. It was Lunatic, Bakersfield's favorite metal cover band, in all their old school glory, playing "La Bamba" with Randy Roads lead guitar tones! Mix Ritchie Valens and Ozzy, and you've got a very strange concoction. "Try back later," I thought. "They do a mean 'Rainbow in the Dark'."

10:25 -- JERRY'S AND JENOAH --Checked out Jerry's Pizza. Walked up and read the fliers outside while some scream metal band screamed away downstairs. Talked to a skinny young guy outside with frazzly old bell bottoms and grunge cowboy boots. He turned out to be in a traveling band called Jenoah. Asked for their elevator pitch, and he said "I don't know. Our music is very hard to explain." Typical. So I asked him, "If you got to choose the ideal band to tour with, who would you choose?" He said Death Cab. Alright! I'm down. That puts me in the ballpark.

So we networked a little, and then I got in for free somehow and descended into the dank pit under Jerry's. Reminded me of the basement of a WW II era building somewhere in Eastern Europe, a place that's never been refurbished after the war, just maybe swept of fallen plaster and dust once or twice in 1962 or something -- grungy walls with gum all over them, chipping black paint, a chalky concrete floor, and no place to sit. Have I read a description similar to this before? . . . So I leaned up against the one dirty pillar and checked out the band.

The PA sound sucked! Tinny high ends and mushy vocals, like stabbing needles and oatmeal. So I stuffed some napkin shards into my ears and listened as best I could. Jenoah turned out to be very fine stuff regardless. Less Death Cab for Cutie, more Jeff Buckley jam band. Frontman Stephen Martinez plays a thrashed Fender bass and sings so hard the sinews of his neck pop out. Now I know why his boots look so trashed. He shuffled around like crazy, particularly during the small bass licks between verses.

Between songs he panted and wiped sweat off his brow as he talked and sniffled. He sounded sick, like he'd been catching a tour cold from all night drives in a grungy van. The twelve people listening didn't seem to mind; they nodded attentively and moved, ever-so-slightly, to the energy-driven tunes. On broadjam, Martinez says, "Our songs will never make complete sense to anybody. All of our songs are just complete feeling." Yup, and it's workin'. I hope they make another album. Maybe we can work out a show swap.

10:50 -- GIGANTIC -- Wandered down 19th Street, stepped over the black-clad punks laying down on the sidewalk and walked up to Gigantic to see if there was some music. Sign said closed, but Sapo let me in. AJ and a few other guys were just hanging out. AJ filled me in on the new dance floor plans and the Northern Soul and other free dance nights they had planned for the future. Finally, an alternative for Bako! A few dance/stage lights, and some snacks and drinks for sale, and this place could really take off. This could very well become Bakersfield's own Warhol-esque Factory.

11:25 -- RONNIE JAMES DIO -- Decided to head home. Passed by Fishlips on my way to the car. Heard, "Do your deeeemons / do they ever let you goooo / When you've tried, do they hide, deep inside / Is it someone that you know oh oh oh oh ohhhhhh? . . .

For more on The Dalloways, visit www.dalloways.com. And be sure to make friends with the group at www.myspace.com/thedalloways.

May & June: The Grateful Dalloways Tour, Bathing in Canals

Alright, bloggsters, check out the huuuuge little tour we got comin' up booked by Haywire Booking. You can find all developing info on the The Dalloways Tour Page. Interested in tagging along on this couterclockwise loop of the West and Northwest? Dedicated road fans are a rarity these days.

As always, make friends with the group at www.myspace.com/thedalloways.

The Dalloways and Dynamite--Napoleon Dynamite!

How could the Dalloways pass this connection up! So what is the connection between Napoleon Dynamite and The D's? Take a close look at the moody young lady on the cover of Penalty Crusade below. If you're a cult fan of the hit movie, then you know her as Julia (Yuka) Ruell who plays Uncle Rico's new love that rides up on the bicycle toward the end of the movie. Ruell also edited the film and happens to be married to the shot's photographer Aaron Ruell who plays Kip in this Hollywood sleeper sensation.

Visit Napoleon Dynamite Online
Peruse Actor Aaron Ruell's (aka Kip) Photography Online

The Dalloways Online
The Dalloways' EPK
Preview and Purchase PC

Nico signing in

Hello Everyone!
This is my first blog posting EVER! Should I be nervous? Well, maybe a little, but truthfully I'm pretty stoked. I hope all of you hella-cool fans find my little posting worthy of your impeccable taste.
Sincerely yours,
Nico

April 15 at Club Fred, Fresno

Fresno fans, your very own dreampop extraordinaires have a treat for you! The Dalloways are hosting 2 A.M. Orchestra plus two other bands tba. We'll let you know more as this show develops. This'll be a fun night of dancing, drinking, and general merry-making. Wear a cool tie, and The Dalloways may just give you a gift.

For more details, visit www.dalloways.com. And make friends with The group at www.myspace.com/thedalloways.

April 16 at Narducci's, Bakersfield

Dreampop and modernism fanatics, you've got to come hang with the cool kids at Narducci's April 16th. Yours truly, The Dalloways, will be performing with pop princes Norfolk and Johnny Come Lately. This is an all-ages show at an established Basque haunt decorated with moody vintage street and business signs from a by-gone era. It'll be nice and raucous and pretty and distorted and happy and melancholy all at once--so lovely, you'll want to laugh and cry in your drink, guaranteed.

This will be a very special all-ages night at this usually 21+ venue. For more details, visit www.dalloways.com. And make friends with The group at www.myspace.com/thedalloways.

Ciao!

Virginia Woolf Joins The Dalloways

Virginia Woolf had a beautiful long face, pouting eyes, drop dead gorgeous lyricism, and terrible bouts with depression and jealousy. And, according to Nico, she wore very cute shoes. If she were alive and well today, about twenty- or thirty-something, played the cello, and really loved dreampop, she'd definitely be our sixth member! Visit www.dalloways.com.