Tag Archives: 1015 Folsom

[Festival Preview] Noise Pop Festival 2016–SF, 2/19-2/28

np2016-admat_fullNoise Pop 2016 is quickly approaching, beginning this week, February 19th, and ending nine days later on February 28th. Following San Francisco’s anointment as Super Bowl City on January 30th, the city was the center of the American sports world for nearly 2 weeks. Now, as those ceremonies are winding down, excitement regarding a more local-grown type of entertainment will be ratcheting up. Noise Pop has outdone itself in 2016, bringing one of the boldest and most impressive lineups in its prestigious history.

We were lucky enough to chat with Chad Heimann, the sole talent buyer for Noise Pop, so you’ll find some of what he had to say sprinkled through out this preview. Badges are still available for purchase here.

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[TMN Interview] How to be Hard Headed: GANZ on his Vision and Path to Success

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The ever shifting musical landscape of today lends itself to short memories and drastic overstatements. Albums are placed in the upper echelons shortly after their debuts, and claims of dominance fly constantly, portraying musicians as the literal godfathers of their respective genres. Part of the blame is shouldered by writers; an over reactive bunch who tend to go a bit overboard in backing their favorite artists. “Godfather” might be a bit of an embellishment, but in the case of Dutch producer Jordy Saamena, it would not be entirely hyperbolic to claim that he spawned an entirely new production style two years ago – one that has sparked a new wave of artists emulating his early success.

Saamena, who has situated himself as a internationally known producer under his stage name GANZ (pronounced gans), took the attention of the electronic music world through the release of his unique remixes – coined as “flips” – dating back to February of last year. While at 1015 Folsom in San Francisco on the first of an 8-stop North American tour, Jordy and manager Dennis Saamena (his older brother) were gracious enough to take some time after his performance and give The Music Ninja a run down on what the past two years have been like, the release of his label, and what he sees for the future of GANZ.

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[Event Review] Alison Wonderland Throws Down at 1015 Folsom, 5/15

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’Alison Wonderland – I Want U’

Written and photographed by Dominic Powell

Alison Wonderland has made quite a name for herself since she began producing music in 2010. Before she developed her energetic and infectious stage presence, she was churning out remixes of her favorite songs from her bedroom, while developing a relatively modest following on Soundcloud.  Five years after she first began creating content, AW has honed her production and singing skills, carving out a niche in today’s electronic music scene as arguably the most influential female singer/producer of the year.

AW’s rise to prominence has been put on full display this summer, with her debut album Run being heralded as an overwhelming success by any measure of the word. Upon hitting the road in March of this year, she kicked off a North American tour in support of her work, familiarizing herself with U.S. EDM fans around the country including an enormous set at Coachella Music Festival. At the tail end of her tour, we were able to catch AW again at the Lightning in a Bottle pre-party at 1015 Folsom, the most popular nightclub in San Francisco. Quoted as calling her album, “all bangers and no mash”, the same Australian slang perfectly sums up Alison Wonderland’s live sets.
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’Alison Wonderland – Cold’

Moving seamlessly between the majority of her original productions, AW’s energy and stage presence had even the staunchest wallflowers vibing on the dance floor. Midway through her set AW began mixing in familiar hits such as “Slasherr“, “Fall Over“, and “Do You?” with more of her recent work, including a gentle piano and string based tune co-produced by Lido which she deemed, “her favorite song”.

Towards the latter half of her nearly two hour-set, AW had the entire crowd jumping. In the midst of playing a quirky set list of  “Backseat Freestyle,” “Take It To Reality,” Get Ready, and “Simon Says” in succession, it was clear to everyone in attendance that the young artist had come a long way from bedroom productions. Much to the surprise and enjoyment of the packed dance floor, Alison Wonderland ended her set with Drake’s universally popular “Know Yourself“, gaining a city full of raucous fans in the process.

After finishing off her extensive North American tour with a bang, AW’s headed back to Australia hopefully to work on some new material. Next time she’s in San Francisco, we certainly know where we’ll be but, in the meantime, check out some more pictures from the show below. Continue reading

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[SF Giveaway + Exclusive Interview] Kodak to Graph @ 1015 Folsom, 4/30

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’Kodak to Graph – Los Angeles’

Kodak to Graph approaches electronic music in a powerful, novel way that combines a diverse set of sounds with a sensibility that spans from EDM trap to ambient and trance. His debut album, Isa, embodies his versatility capturing a broad range of emotions telling an elaborate story along the way.

The LA-based talent will be stopping through 1015 Folsom in San Francisco next Thursday, April 30th, as part of his Break the Ice Tour and we’re giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky winner! With support from Big Wild and OBESØN, the show promises to not only be a night full of dancing but also one that showcases some particularly organic up ‘n coming electronic styles. We also were lucky to ask Kodak to Graph a few questions about his musical background, putting together his debut album and his live performances. Get to know K2G a bit better in our exclusive interview and enter the giveaway by inputting your email below! The winner will be contacted via email on April 28th, a week from today. You can also still purchase tickets for the show here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY TO WIN 2 TICKETS

’Kodak to Graph – Glaciaa’

TMN: Can you tell us a bit about how Kodak to Graph came to be and what your earlier explorations into music involved?

Kodak to Graph: K2G began as an outlet for me to release my sappy loop based ‘post-rock’ music back in high-school.  I use to have this delay/loop pedal that would let you loop for about 6 seconds and I would make little loops of guitar, bells, random TV noises, vocals and pretty much anything else that could make noise and kick beats over them for hours.  From there I started playing little house shows for my friends and that’s pretty much when I came up with the name Kodak to Graph. The name comes from an old slide projector that I used for visuals.  It was called a Kodak Ektographic.  I would hang a sheet in front of me, because I was too terrified to perform in front of people, and project slides of old family photographs on the sheet. Most of the first Kodak to Graph recordings were written on my girlfriend’s computer and recorded with one condenser mic. It was all real instruments, the music was kind of reminiscent of old Efterklang, Helios, Sigur Ros etc. There was very minimal electronic influences in the beginnings.  The first record I released as K2G, which I don’t think exists on the internet anymore, was all very melodic chilled out ‘post rock’ / math’y oriented music.  I started getting into electronic music a few years later through my older brother and that’s really when I started to be like, okay let’s see where this can go.

TMN: Your background clearly spans more than just electronic music. Who are some artists you listened to growing up that have impacted your sound? 

K2G: Totally. In middle school I was a die-hard At the Drive In / Mars Volta fan.  I think that was the first time I really discovered experimental/ psychedelic music and I remember being so f#@€ing excited and nutty about how alien that type of music sounded to me. I still find myself pulling inspiration from their music to this day. From there I grew into more melodic/math’y/ambient instrumental bands like Lymbyc Systym, Toe, American Football, Joan of Arc, Mice Parade, Mum, etc. I was first introduced to electronic music by my older brother through cats like DJ Shadow, Four Tet, Clutchy Hopkins, Bonobo, Caribou, etc; Which I feel that style of electronic music was the gateway into electronic music for a lot of people my age. We kind of came from that era where guys were sampling melodic folk records over old funk breaks.  I still have so much love for that sound.

TMN: Isa, your debut album, has a really fascinating and textured sound. Even with the variation, though, there’s a certain almost theatrical aesthetic that really ties it together. What was the recording process like in creating something that cohesive?

K2G: I wrote the record over a span of 2 years so the recording and writing process on the record was ever changing and evolving.  I’m kind of A.D.D when it comes to writing music, so I’ll start tracks by getting really really messy and just layering anything and everything on top of each other then come back to it later and pull layers back.  I don’t generally consider how I’m going to make something sound cohesive when I’m writing the music. In the case of ISA, I chose 10 songs out of a bunch of 50+ or so tracks and moved them around and stitched them together until it created the story I was trying to tell.

’Kodak to Graph – Desolation Wilderness’

TMN: What’s the most unexpected sound you used in the creation of Isa and on what song?

K2G: Oh man.. There’s so many sounds throughout the record that were very time and place specific that always bring me back to the period of time when I was writing a specific tune.  There is a layer of field recordings in every track on the record.  I always have my iPhone out, recording field noises with voice memo, it gives the tracks a feeling of personality that they wouldn’t have otherwise, – a moment that I can hold on to forever., I’m kind of obsessive over it. In terms of sounds that ended up being completely foreign from their original form, The lead plucky high pitched lead guitar part on ‘desolation wilderness’ was a sample of piano and bass from an old 70’s television excerpt that’s pitched up about 60 semitones and reversed, chopped, stretched, delayed, spread, and filtered. The end product was a pleasant surprise but so different from my original intentions.

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[TMN Premiere] Kodak to Graph – IAMANTHEM (Big Wild Remix) + Exclusive Tour Video

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IAMANTHEM (Big Wild Remix)

LA-based, Florida-bred producer Kodak to Graph had a breakout year in 2014, but his debut album, Isa, which dropped last month, truly crescendoed that growth. The project plays from start to finish like an epic novel filled with emotional range, unexpected turns and vivid sonic explorations. Today, we’re excited to be bringing you the premiere of Big Wild‘s fantastic remix of one of Kodak to Graph’s hardest hitting tracks, “IAMANTHEM.” Big Wild, also a ninja favorite, flips the tempo creating an incredibly smooth, layered vibe with an unbelievable percussive arrangement. It’s a fantastic experimental whirlwind of a production that somehow mixes an 808-driven, chill-trap feel with a near-disco aesthetic.

This remix will be featured on the upcoming remix EP for Isa, which is due out in May and will also include re-works from Com Truise and Slow Magic. If you dig what you hear from Big Wild, also keep an eye out for his upcoming single that’s coming out through Odesza‘s Foreign Family Collective label next week.

Kodak to Graph is also currently in the midst of his Break the Ice Tour  along with Big Wild and OBESØN and shared with us some awesome, psychedelic tour footage. Check out the premiere of that video below and find upcoming tour dates here. For all of you in SF, we’ll be giving away tickets to his show on 4/30 at 1015 Folsom–keep an eye out on Monday!

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7 Acts We Loved At Noise Pop Festival 2015–SF, 2/20-3/1 [Festival Review + Playlist]

Flight Facilities-16Now in its 23rd year, Noise Pop Festival has become an absolute staple of the Bay Area for fans of independent music, film and art. With multiple shows every night at some of the best venues SF and Oakland have to offer, Noise Pop presented the best kind of difficult decisions on a daily basis. The Noise Pop HQ, at the newly renovated Swedish American Hall, was a fantastic destination as well hosting intimate shows, happy hours and even a live podcast recording with Toro y Moi where he premiered “Half Dome,” the eighth track from his upcoming album. Although there were plenty of activities outside of the concerts, being the ninjas we are, we’re going to focus on our favorite performances from the week. Browse through some pictures and songs in our chronologically ordered list below.

1. Flight Facilities, 2.24 @ The Regency Ballroom

Why we loved it: Australian DJ duo Flight Facilities, of the esteemed Future Classic, took stage at The Regency in full aviation gear for an energetic set. What really took their performance to the next level was live vocal assistance from talented Owl Eyes and Surahn Sidhu, member of Empire of the Sun, who covered female and male parts of Flight Facilities’ countless hits. [Photos by: Justin Yee]

’Flight Facilities – Two Bodies feat. Emma Louise (Extended Version)’

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[SF Giveaway + Exclusive Interview] Buku & Willy Joy w/ Washed Out & Make It Funky, 12/5 @ 1015 Folsom

’Willy Joy & Buku – Punani’

Bass music is in a constant state of evolution with new sub-genres emerging each year. The artists who shine in an often over-crowded space, though, are those who manage to be unaffected by the current trends around them. Two producers who stand out in the realm of trap/dubstep/future tunes are Chicago’s Willy Joy and Philly’s Buku, who recently teamed up for the two-track Meaner & Leaner EP. While Willy brings a festival-ready, big-room sound, Buku provides a far-out bounce and funk making them a force to be reckoned with as a duo–both in the studio and on stage.

Buku and Willy Joy will be taking over the upstairs room at 1015 Folsom SF this Friday, December 5th, as part of their Meaner & Leaner Tour and we’re excited to be offering a couple VIP passes to the show, which will also feature sets from Washed Out and the DJs of Make It Funky SF among others. We also had a chance to catch up with Willy and Buku in advance of the show to chat a bit about their musical backgrounds, the tour life and how they first met. Enter the contest and enjoy the interview below–if you win, you’ll also get a meet & greet with Buku & Willy in case you’ve got any questions for them we haven’t already asked! Please keep in mind that all participants in this contest must be over the age of 21 and bring a valid ID to the venue to pick up their tickets. The winner will be notified via email Friday morning. Tickets are also still on sale and available for purchase here.



 

TMN:  Thanks for taking the time guys! First off, can you tell us a bit about how you first linked up? A Chief Keef show was involved, right?

Willy Joy: The first time we met was when we were booked on the same show in Washington, DC. It was in a big complex, and Chief Keef had a show in another room of the building. We kept sneaking away from our own show to go watch his. It was a definite bonding moment.

TMN: What caught your attention about each other’s sound?

Willy Joy: Buku has such a strong sonic identity – you can instantly tell if a track is his, and its such a dope, cohesive sound. I’m always drawn to people finding originality in established forms, and he’s carved out an entirely new lane for himself. That’s a long winded way of saying his tunes bang super hard.

Buku: I was and still am infatuated with the amount of energy Willy has in his music. From listening and playing together, I’ve learned quite a bit how to keep the party going wild. When he plays his tunes and special edits live, I usually have to grab hold of something concrete nearby.

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