IndieCon 2008: Free, All-Ages Showcases Nov. 7 & 8
INDIECON Friday November 7 @ 242 Main: Vitals, Eksi Ekso, Burbis, Cherry Cassette INDIECON WORKSHOPS at Club Metronome, presented by WRUV 90.1, Saturday November 8:
"How to: Book Bands" with Tick Tick & Friends 3:30pm-4:15pm "How to: Rock Out!" 4:30pm-5:15pm "Visual Art & The Music Industry" with JDK & Friends 5:30pm-6:15pm
INDIECON Saturday November 8 @ 242 MAIN: Dangers, Unrestrained, The Effort, Reptar, Galen
The Bands:
A culmination of vast influences and a love of thoughtful improvisation was the simple spark to the beginning of Burbis in 2002. Raised on live music and a vast record collection, along with a philosophy to question, create, and enlighten, three brothers set out to challenge the landscape of rock and roll. Their determination to be inspired by what is known, as well, as question WHAT is known, is the constant thread between brothers Len, Andy and Josh (Longo).
The heart and soul of Burbis can be found in the live performances. While adhering to a set list, songs often melt into each other with intense improvised interludes. Although Burbis has a style and sound all their own, their music is an obvious fusion of post indie rock, metal, drum n bass, jazz, and classic rock. The diversity in Burbis' music has allowed them to play alongside with a very wide range of acts including: Year Long Disaster, The Gloria Record, Horse the Band, Behold the Arctopus, Caspian, Atom & His Package, World Inferno Friendship Society, Immortal Technique, The Banner, My Chemical Romance.
After a series of member changes, Burbis came to their strongest lineup when adding Robert Miguel on synth/keys and Pete August on rhythm guitar. As a five piece, Burbis has reached a new level of intensity, writing compositions rich with spatial dynamics. In the fall of 2007, they entered the studio well practiced and anxious to put down the sound they collectively described as "epic." Finally, in February 2008, Burbis released their first full length album entitled "Curse of the Golden Dracula." They are currently booking a summer tour and are ready to conquer anything that crosses their path.
Eksi Ekso formed from the ashes of two promising Boston-based rock bands: On Fire and the Burning Paris. Like its peers in fellow Massachusetts band Caspian and Texan label mates This Will Destroy You, this sextet loves the emotional epic and favors a moody, engulfing sound. Unlike those two purist post-rock bands, Eksi Ekso - that catchy name comes from the phonetic pronunciation of the Greek words for the number six and outside: six outside - includes wonderful vocals from co-frontmen Tom Korkidis and Nate Shumaker. Guitars burn and soar, and subtle loops and samples sometimes add a trip-hop aura, but these sophisticated arrangements also include violin, viola, piano, synthesizer, oboe, trumpet, and flugelhorn. Contemplative and heavy, "Albatross" bears obvious comparison to Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Magnificent strings drive the haunting "O' God, They're Frozen," and in a lighter moment a trumpet plays a plaintive jazzy refrain, introducing the record's lead track, "Wintering, The" - a title that suggests this six-some doesn't choose a path well-trodden if there's a less obvious way to go. (Linda Laban, Boston Globe)
When four individuals gather to compose music in the library of an old farm house, a haughty milieu is conjured. A delicate chandelier hanging in the center of the room illuminates each hunched-over figure while their shadows crawl upon the collection of hard-bound literary works. However, the setting, much like the music created, is not as myopic as it appears. Outside of these walls is the Halcyon Horse Farm, which stands defiant to the popular trend of a sprawling city. This detachment from the urban lifestyle gives a sense of balance; the ruggedness of nature and the tenderness of culture. Approaching composition with a heuristic method allows the members to constantly fine-tune each work until a general consensus is reached. Even at that point of satisfaction, nothing is set in stone and frequently pieces are revisited and updated with unique articulations.
