Live + On Record: Holiday Mountain, Hellbirds, Evolfo, Blue & Gold

Here in this humble corner of the internet universe affectionately known as DaveCromwellWrites, the year 2014 wraps up with this four band feature.   All made significant contributions by way of their inspired recordings and/or live shows.  It was my good fortune to catch the first three bands featured here live at one single show.

November 26 proved to be a worthwhile adventure, trekking out to Pianos for the final night of Holiday Mountain's residency there.

Having only a casual familiarity with their music, their high energy and quirky performance had all the right ingredients to create an instant fan.

The central focus falls clearly on frontperson/vocalist/keyboardist and all around whirling dervish Laura Patino.

Along with their wildly entertaining live show, the band recently released a tripped-out hallucinogenic video for their song "Motion Sickness" off of their full-length album "You Be You."

Utilizing an optical illusion technique called motion aftereffect, the viewer becomes subject to a wild hallucinatory adventure.



Dubbed as the "first video that will make you trip for free," the lime-green dream gets you there without all the messiness of actually having to take any drugs.

Laura explains the concept this way:  "The song is about being torn between desiring something because you authentically want it for yourself, or do you want it because the society around you has given you a reason to think that it means you've accomplished something?" This echoes the underlying theme of the band's album, "You Be You," which Patiño explains is about "Being proud of your weirdness." She continues, "I think lots of people probably feel weird in their own ways and we hope to create an environment that makes people feel a connection."

Having showcased the video earlier this month in an [ALL HAIL CROM] feature on Dingus, it's always satisfying to see a public acknowledgement of that.

Check out that Dingus feature here - and link to Holiday Mountain for additional info on where they will be appearing next.

* * * * * 

Earlier that evening, the co-featured act Hellbirds took to the stage in front of an enthusiastic audience.

Standing out in front of their instruments, the members began the show with an acappella version of their opening song.

After that impressive vocal harmonization, the show kicked into gear with full instrumental accompaniment.

Core members Nick, Jasno, Abdon and Caroline present the songs with a familiar clarity

While newest member Niko adds propulsive bass patterns that further enhance the overall live sound .

The band have concluded their updated recording of Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift For You, recently releasing one song a day from December 10th-23rd 2014.

You can listen to previews of the tracks and get the whole album right here

Hellbirds and Holiday Mountain gather for a collective snapshot.

While I jump into the fray for some Hellbirds related moment-in-time capture as well.

Catch the band next at Pianos on January 15

* * * * *

Closing out that particular night was the Boston-to-Brooklyn brass/rock'n'funk ensemble Evolfo

Fusing classic funk  with high-energy dance music, the inclusion of a brass section (sax, trumpet and trombone) gave it all a distinct New Orleans vibe.

While frontman Matthew Gibbs kept things closer to rock with his chunky wah-wah guitar sound.

The whole set was upbeat and sweat-soaked.  The perfect close-out to a great night of live music.

* * * * *

Brooklyn blues-rockers Blue and Gold deliver an impressive first single in advance of their debut album with the track “In My Head.” Combining driving guitars with soulful, bluesy vocals, their sound appeals on a number of levels.

Solid thunderclap drums and precision fuzz bass lock it down while well-placed power chords and rippin’ lead guitar solos point to the era when Leslie West’s Mountain continued to evolve the electrified blues-rock hybrid.

On the second chorus, girl/boy tandem vocals give way to alternating single lines. “Ain’t got no time” becomes the throw-down vocal hook statement, when “I want you” is followed by “why don’t you want me too?”

Earlier this month I wrote about this track and had it featured on The Deli Magazine

Dave Cromwell Writes about Blue and Gold on The Deli Magazine

Once again, nice to see the band acknowledging it.

Celebrate the release of their album with them when they perform live at Mercury Lounge on January 10.

Onward to 2015!

* * * * *