Welcome our newest contributor: Rjyan Kidwell.  He is co-founder of Tigerbeat6 with Kid 606 and makes music under the moniker Cex (Wiki)

Photo credit: Amelia

Last night I went to The Bank— pretty much my favorite place to see bands play in Baltimore— to see a bunch of harsh noise bands I’d never seen before.  I experienced a wide range of feelings at this show, so I thought I might come home and try to compose a few haikus about each band I saw.  However, in the spirit of harsh noise, I am pretty much ignoring the syllable rules that make haikus haikus.  

LEGLESS
Dude’s shirt is off quick,
but those pudge layers look warm.
whoa, an ARP Odyssey!

hmm, Tomita riffs are not here.
it sounds like a giant blowing in a microphone.
I wonder what that huge sampler is for?

A Boss loop pedal, as well!
The red one, that stores loops in memory—-
all of this to make a big wind noise?

Good thing his bro is along.
Smashing the cymbal with contact mic and chain.
Roby turns, “Breaking instruments will never get old.”

Big Dude screams: “The truth! 
The truth is the only (something something) 
your fucking face!” Hmm.

It’s not that bad, though,
Smashing-friend got me amped, but all good will is squandered 
by the raging sexist outburst later back by the woodstove.

Real tall guy doing full-on 
tactless sexual harassment— maybe seems “noise” to him but it’s pathetic
proof you had more to purge during that set.

Read the rest…

This was sort of a Make A Wish foundation type moment.  Multi-instrumentalist and musical Swiss Army Knife Andy Abelow has always implied interest in having a band.  And he assembled a doozy of one for his first time, opening our little fest.  I’d like to think we catalyzed a little bit of a dream to come true.

While you’re heading out to the Zodiac this Friday the 13th for Beach House, make sure to stop by the Windup Space and catch Andy’s set, where he will again be backed by a band.  You won’t regret it.

Andy Abelow
Aural States Fest
Talking Head Club
Baltimore, MD
January 30, 2009

Source: mg sms2000/200 > tascam hd-p2 (oade – acm) @ 44.1/16 bit
Compression: cdwav > flac
Taper: Steve Sanford

Stream and download individual MP3s after the jump.  Also catch some nifty video from Zach Kaufmann from SpliceToday.

Read the rest…

Sick.  Heavy.  The sonic apocalypse (as tagged by the UK rag Metal Hammer).  It could only be Caverns.

Caverns
Aural States Fest
Talking Head Club
Baltimore, MD
January 30, 2009

Source: mg sms2000/200 > tascam hd-p2 (oade – acm) @ 44.1/16 bit
Compression: cdwav > flac
Taper: Steve Sanford

Download the full set formatted as: MP3 or FLAC

Stream and download individual MP3s after the jump.

Read the rest…

Everyone welcome our newest contributor, Matt Byars. Matt runs West Main Development, who released the transcendent Nathan Bell @ 2640.

Photo credit: Angeline Evans

Anyone who has ever looked for inspiration knows that looking for it is the last way to find it.

When do moments of inspiration actually arrive? Usually when we’re ill-prepared to meet them: in the shower, in the car on the way to work, the dark of the movie theater.

Creating these situations artificially, thus allowing these moments to find you rather than the other way around, is the premise of many improvisational and “experimental” musics; LA-based experimental mainstay Joseph Hammer is one of the most compelling practitioners of this approach.

Read the rest…

Long have we sung the praises of DC’s Imperial China, and finally, Baltimore gave them the crowd (both in size and reception) they deserve.  Another gloriously kinetic and rhythmic punch to the gut as they bring their live show up a notch and down to the floor, Baltimore-style.

Imperial China
Aural States Fest
Talking Head Club
Baltimore, MD
January 30, 2009

Source: mg sms2000/200 > tascam hd-p2 (oade – acm) @ 44.1/16 bit
Compression: cdwav > flac
Taper: Steve Sanford

Download the full set formatted as: MP3 or FLAC

Stream and download individual MP3s after the jump.

Read the rest…

DC’s Farley Miller aka CANNOT BE STOPPED surprised a lot of people with one of the most high-energy, intense performances of the night and manages to be that rarity of musician and percussionist wrapped into one individual.

CANNOT BE STOPPED
Aural States Fest
Talking Head Club
Baltimore, MD
January 30, 2009

Source: mg sms2000/200 > tascam hd-p2 (oade – acm) @ 44.1/16 bit
Compression: cdwav > flac
Taper: Steve Sanford

Download the full set formatted as: MP3 or FLAC

Stream and download individual MP3s after the jump.

Read the rest…

In characteristic style, Lo Moda delivered a transcendant performance (probably the best I’ve seen from them).  A live show unlike any other tonight or anywhere, a unique alchemy of musical talents specific to a time, a place and a set of extremely talented and diverse individuals.  

Treasure this.

Lo Moda
Aural States Fest
Sonar-Club
Baltimore, MD
January 30, 2009

Source: Peluso CEMC6/ck4(cards)>PS-2>AD-20>NJB3
Transfer: NJB3>PC>SF-7>Wav>FLAC
Taper: Jeff Mewbourn (jm292@yahoo.com)

Download the full set formatted as: MP3 or FLAC

Stream and download individual MP3s after the jump.

Read the rest…

Sri Aurobindo came prepared to open the Club stage up with a bang, complete with incense and a brand-new album for sale.

Sri Aurobindo
Aural States Fest
Sonar-Club
Baltimore, MD
January 30, 2009

Source: Peluso CEMC6/ck4(cards)>PS-2>AD-20>NJB3
Transfer: NJB3>PC>SF-7>Wav>FLAC
Taper: Jeff Mewbourn (jm292@yahoo.com)

Download the full set formatted as: MP3 or FLAC

Stream and download individual MP3s after the jump.

Read the rest…

Andras Frenyo was kind enough to come out to Aural States Fest day 1 and take some awesome panorama shots.  Check ‘em out at his website, Panorama Blog.  In addition to Arbouretum, Andras also cobbled together panoramas for Wye Oak and Imperial China!  

Sweet!

Dave Heumann and the rest of Arbouretum delivered a thunderous and powerful set; one of the best I’ve seen them mete out.  Their sound filled the Club room, its weight perfectly matched to the room’s size.

Arbouretum
Aural States Fest
Sonar-Club
Baltimore, MD
January 30, 2009
Also posted to the Live Music Archive

Source: Peluso CEMC6/ck4(cards)>PS-2>AD-20>NJB3
Transfer: NJB3>PC>SF-7>Wav>FLAC
Taper: Jeff Mewbourn (jm292@yahoo.com)

Download full set formatted as: MP3 or FLAC

Stream and download individual MP3s after the jump.

Read the rest…