There is a new (to me, anyway) band called The Atlas Life that was playing at The Gypsy. I could find hide, nor hair of them on the interwebs, so I decided to check them out for myself. Thus, this was the first stop on our Saturday Night adventure. By the time the foursome (2 guitars, drums and bass with both guitarists on vocals) began, the Gypsy was filled to the brim with music fans of the ‘under 21′ persuasion. Unbeknownst to me, The Atlas Life already has a dedicated fan base, complete with singing-and-dancing along. For being so young, The Atlas Life is very impressive musically. The lead guitarist creates most of the melodies from a technique called double tapping, which involves no strumming at all, just pushing the strings into the frets in rhythm to your desired melody. Yes, it is as difficult as it sounds, but this nerd-rocker pulls it off with ease. The overall sound is comparable to The Mars Volta and other experimental hard rock outfits like Queens of the Stone Age.  Pillotalk and Benjamin Lyman also played the Gypsy Saturday, but alas, the pavement and $3 Guinness called us.

We pedaled just a few short blocks West to the Crystal Pistol, where Low Litas was just coming off the stage. We buckled in for the long haul see the remaining bands on the bill; Jacob Abello, Fiawna Forte and BRONCHO. Jacob Abello adds a glam-rock Freddie Mercury character to the scene fully outfitted in body glitter and a gold sequined tuxedo jacket. Oh, and don’t forget, gold suspenders. Heavy on keys and gloomy bass lines, it’s hard not to think of Tim Curry in Rocky Horror.

Fiawna and BRONCHO put on great shows, as always. Energy, happiness and excitement to be a part of something were all feelings exuding from the crowd. It was a terrific night for Tulsa’s music scene. We teetered home, feeling alive.

Caution: if you decide to bike next time you go out, make sure you have reflectors, lights and other safety gear. Cars hardly see bicyclists anyway, but in the dark after a night of bar hopping, it’s important to be extra careful!

The case of 2 + 2 on the Moon happens to disprove this theory. Aficionados of instrumental/experimental music would most closely compare the Moon to Explosions in the Sky. The four piece sticks pretty close to the formula, guitar, bass, drums and synth. However, the effect produced with this simple set up is intricate and lush. At one point during the set, the percussionist brings a separate guitar and amp onstage. He creates a wafted feedback effect with the amp, then proceeds to slap the back of the guitar with his hand, and later with a tambourine. Talk about a creative way to get the desired effect! Both the drummer and guitarist seem to ooze the music from their pores, at some points during the set they seem utterly possessed.

These guys keep it interesting and fun to watch. Catch them next time they are out and about, and they will change your view of instrumental bands for good.

Late Incubus overlain with shades of early Green Day and Nirvana brings us back full circle, and you’ll be happy you took the trip. “When one door closes, the other’s ajar / none of these hallways have gotten me far / I looked for answers written in the clouds / but time and time again the storm’s all I’ve found,” Chris murmurs on ‘No More Running.’ Scales of Motion are a logical choice for any post-rock fan.

You can pick up their album ‘Cave Dweller’ on their myspace (link above), and you can read their blog for musings on love, photos, quotes and a peek into the life of a local band. Their willingness to be vulnerable is refreshing.

Also! Don’t miss them this Saturday with Lizard Police at Soundpony! 10pm!

Projected on the screen behind him are videos synced up to each song. A scene from the 80’s cult classic Tron was reworked and remastered to make perfect sense with the sci-fi video game rock playing as its soundtrack. Daniel stands cooly in the foreground, jamming on his bass, as if he hasn’t spent hours creating the electronic compositions matched perfectly to the frantic video art behind him.

Another reworked movie scene from Dead Alive is not for the weak of stomach. Perpetual replays of bloody stumps and entrails up the shock value more than I bargained for. But, Daniel definitely sets himself apart as an avant garde music and video artist. Many other twinkling tracks fill his set with colorful, neon shapes and cartoons. It is a thoroughly invigorating stimulus overload. There is a sore lack of quality Audio/Visual bands in Tulsa right now, and Daniel(s) fills that void without apology.

I’ve already discussed both these bands, Panda Resistance here, and Dead Sea Choir here.  I won’t waste my breath repeating how awesome these guys are. We have huge Rock’n'Roll months coming up in March and April, with SXSW March 17-21 and Norman Music Festival April 24th-25th. It’s ok to rest up your little indie feet for these awesome events, but we hope to see you out to support your local music scene!

Samantha Crain and The Midnight Shivers– Samantha has gained quite a bit of notoriety around the country within the Indie/Gospel revival movement, but for some reason Tulsa hasn’t gotten privy to her. Samantha’s song-writing will transport you to another era, a black and white picture of a (sometimes)  romanticized South. Full of wistful narratives and dusty spirituals, Samantha’s got the right idea. Her albums are available on iTunes. Mixtape Pick: Rising Sun

Fiawna Forte– Ok, well, maybe you have heard of her. The Gospel of Fiawna has traveled far and wide. She played our blog launch show on the 6th, and the pictures of her alone are enough to make you swoon. Fiawna and her band have found the holy grail: chemistry, dynamics, charisma, and a lead singer you want to take home to mom–but only if your mom is into Janis Joplin and Jack Daniels. Mixtape Pick: I’d Rather Die

Pillotalk– Broken Arrow crooners Seth Harcrow, Nikolai Datsko, and David Warwick certainly are smooth. With complicated guitar harmonics, acoustic/electric pairing and cymbal heavy drum beats, they make very difficult musical endeavors look, and sound easy. Comparisons to Snow Patrol and Iron & Wine are easy to draw. Mixtape Pick: Away With Me

Low Litas–Mandii Larsen is responsible for Low Litas, which is remarkable in itself. To think that one person could create all the sounds you hear in Low Litas music is mind-blowing. I hear something new every time I listen. At the core, Low Litas is a girl singing about love and loss. Piled on are heavy vocal effects, sound effects, harmonicas, guitars and a number of other things. Listening to Low Litas is like finding someone else’s love letters. As you uncrumple the music, you begin to live vicariously through the protagonist. She lets you in, and you root for her. Mixtape Pick: Closer, but No Good For You is pure poetry.

The Lava Children–Featured on NPR last lear, The Lava Children are one of Tulsa’s best kept secrets. They don’t play often, but their Self Titled EP is available on iTunes. If you purchase this EP, you can expect to hear Joanna Newsom-esque vocals, heavy basses and lots of electro elements. The sound is layered and whimsical. The Lava Children manage to combine a childlike fairy tale fantasy with a heavy alternative rock sensibility.  Mixtape pick: I am a Pony

If you’re looking for a romantic trip to Swoonsville check out Leah Hugon tonight at Ida Red. (3336 S. Peoria Ave.) 7pm.

With vocals akin to Neko Case, soulful and deep, Leah’s music is decadent. Acoustic guitars accompany the gentle but sure siren. On her recordings, there are also electric guitars and basses, but I don’t know if tonight is an acoustic set or not. Either way Leah’s voice will mesmerize you.

She is playing with an act dubbed simply Anne! At this point I haven’t been able to gather any information about Anne!, but maybe her elusive behavior adds to her charm. I will update you fully, or you could just come out to the show and see her for yourself!

Ida Red Boutique is an offshoot from The Cains. They sell Cain’s gear as well as local art, jewelry, soda pop and candy! In an effort to do more local shows, Ida Red was created to give local musicians a venue that is all ages. It is a great place to enjoy local music that you might not see at some of the more mature venues (bars). We love Ida Red here at IC, and we want you to love it too!  Even if you just stop in for a Brambleberry Soda, all the shows are free!

Keep on rockin’ Tulsa!

Wighead’s new release, due out in a few weeks, is a refreshing and fun new direction for the band. It’s safe to say that Wighead has matured over the past few years, and Frontage is great evidence of that. The band members are seasoned veterans of the Tulsa music scene, having weathered many incarnations, but Chris Rusk and Evan Inman-Butts’ are the main song-writing machine for this lineup. With the introduction of new instruments including the slide whistle, the ukelele, the banjo and trumpet, the band really goes all out on this release.

Track 1: William and Edward Frontage R.I. P. — Harmonies and Organs start out the record, an homage to the record’s fictional namesakes. This track provides a serious intro which couples well with the bubble-gum sensibilities of the next track.

Track 2: Never Go Home — This track is the gem of Side A. The ukelele blindsides you with a cheerful and hooky melody. Claps and backing “oohs” accompany “If you ever feel alone / like the darkness, it can’t be over thrown / Just take my hand in yours we’ll go away.”

Track 3: Madrid — It is difficult to make a slide whistle relevant, but these boys pull it off. With the help of Lindsey Bolliger on backing vocals, this song tells the tale of a sailor who “wrote his future in invisible ink.” The banjo adds a delicacy to the song that couldn’t have been achieved with the acoustic guitar.

Track 4: Bad Idea – Bad Idea is a quirky story of a man who’s fallen in love with the ocean. “I guess its a bad idea to fall in love with a body of water / but its hard cause it’s so big and it sparkles in the sunshine.” The introduction of the cello and ukelele make this star-crossed love song a legitimate reality. This song is a great example of Wighead’s ability to merge fantasy and reality.

Overall, the record is deeply enjoyable. It displays a move into new territory for Wighead, away from a less serious, younger band to a more mature and fleshed-out ensemble. The record will be officially released February 20th, and you will be able to purchase it at Dwelling Spaces, or on WigheadCentral.com.

The bands up for selection are: Klondike 5, Red Eye Gravy, the Panda Resistance, Whirligig, and the Moai Broadcast.

Klondike 5– When you self apply the name “Tulsa’s Hometown Hillbilly Band,” I begin to conjure images of doublewides and chewing tobacco, but Klondike 5 is far from your country band of the week. Fiddles, Mandolins, Guitars, Banjos, and Upright Bass, all complimented with lovely vocal melodies cast this band as more bluegrass/Americana than anything else. They recall sounds of The Decemberists, Allison Krauss and The Watson Twins to name a few. If you like good old tunes to remind you of yesteryear, Klondike 5 is your pick.

Red Eye Gravy– These Talequahnians send out a tune to all those stoner-cowboys out there. Dubbed “country-punk,” they can certainly get down on the fiddle, all the while making a good case for the use of illegal substances. (Independent Cause does not support the use of illegal substances, or illegal activities of any kind (unless they aide in the rock’n'roll)). You just need a piece of straw in your mouth and you’re good for a hippy-hoedown.

The Panda Resistance — A Trio of Clay Welch (Callupsie), Bo Halford (Paul Benjamin Band), Andrew Bones (Paula Benjamin Band, Stone Trio) give us a groovy collaboration. No vocals this time, just Electric Guitar, Drums, Xylophones and Electric Bass. Surprisingly, you don’t miss the vocals. The smooth, jam rhythms are enough to sway you to consciousness.

Whirligig– Featuring Michael Back  on Drums/Percussion, Matt Casteel on Bass, Dylan Layton on Guitar, Paul Moore  on Drums and Kelly Oliver  on Guitar, Whirligig brings a pop sensibility to the traditional Jam Band format. With a 70’s funk/psychedelic layer, and a Joe Cocker-esque vocalist Whirligig is thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.

The Moai Broadcast– Upbeat rhythms fueled by jazzy bongos and synth-driven melodies. The Moai Broadcast is great music to chill out and have a beer to. And sometimes, if you listen just right, it sounds like something suspenseful is happening. That just makes your life seem more exciting!

You have the power to send any of these bands to Wakarusa! Just pick your fave, tomorrow night at 7 ( I wouldn’t be late, the Cain’s doesn’t mess around about show times ). Their fate is in your hands!

We also featured 5 of Tulsa’s most notable bands: The Televised, Ghosts, Broncho, Fiawna Forte and La Panther Happens. I want to thank every one of these bands for participating; it was really great and the music was amazing! Instead of regaling you with tales of awesomeness, I’d rather show you. Our photographers from The Tulsa Project worked hard all night to capture the moment, and it would be a shame not to show these pictures to the world. Without further ado…