Month: July 2016

Love at First Listen: Hidden Levels

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About Hidden Levels
The influx of amazing local bands is on the rise in Las Vegas. But the band that just recently stole my eardrums is Hidden Levels. In the Fall of 2014,  Jason Aragon (bass), Adam Grill (lead vocals and guitar), and Brian Scanlan (drums) started producing music together.  The trio decided on their band name, after going through a dozen others, when they came to realize that they shared a connection with playing old school videogames, like the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. “Hidden levels in a videogame hearken back to a nostalgic time. Our childhood and simplicity. Before the advent of social media and the internet. When you had to call a friend on your home phone and if they weren’t there you just rode your bike to their house,”Grill said.  These lads have been in the local music scene for some time, being part of various bands, including Twin Brother and Same Sex Mary.

About their sound
What would you describe their sound as? At first listen, I thought of it as a dreamy shoegaze sound, with an alternative rock presence. But after listening to their live demos over and over it became harder for me to pinpoint, which was exactly the point according to lead vocalist Adam Grill. “I try and write music that is unique. That is why I make music. So I mostly just write what I want to hear with as little influence as possible,” Grill said.

Their moody jams put you in a trance, with long distorted guitar riffs continually fading out over steady syncopated beats and melodic baselines.

Grill did say, if placed in a genre, they would fit most into the post-rock-pop genre- claiming Arcade fire, early Modest Mouse, Fugazi, Blur, and Tortoise as definite influences.

What’s up next?
The band last performed at the Griffin with Tiger Breaks and at the Bunkhouse Saloon for the We Are Love benefit, which raised money for the victims in Orlando. While the band doesn’t have any upcoming performances lined up, they are currently working on their debut album.

Listen to their live recordings on Bandcamp!

Song on rotation: Everyone Knows How

Performance @ The Griffin
Big thanks to Bad Moon Booking for introducing me to Hidden Levels. I caught one of their latest performances at the Griffin and snagged some footage of their performance. *SWOOON*

Artist Spotlight with Eric Vozzola

 

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Meet Eric Vozzola! An accomplished artist, graphic designer, muralist and human being trying to find his own language through his art. After a year of preparation, Vozzola exhibited his second solo art show “A Visual Language” at the Winchester Gallery in Las Vegas.

Vozzola began developing his exhibit by fusing the ideas of vast landscapes he’s traveled and cryptic language inspired by hieroglyphs, petroglyphs, and cave wall drawings. “I wanted to fill a space with images that were somewhat cryptic and ornamental on the surface, but held deeper meaning underneath, allowing the viewer to interpret it as they wish” said Vozzola.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Vozzola graduated UNLV with a BFA in graphic design and studio art. He has worked on murals for the Life is Beautiful Music Festival as well as other miscellaneous projects Downtown. He is a part of the design team at The Venetian Las Vegas and a freelance graphic designer.

I interviewed Eric before the opening reception to find out a little more about “A Visual Language.”

Femme Friday in DTLV

 

A growing community of female artists
Femme Friday is a radical event showcasing art, fashion, and music by women. Raw Femme originated as a blog by founder Amanda “Rawky” Lozano, to created a platform for emerging female artists to share their talent. “Raw Femme is not just a blog, but also a society that unites ambitious and innovative women from around the world. A collaborative of music, fashion, film, art and design. Women finally have a place where their artistic voices can be heard,” said Lozano. Raw Femme expanded its reaches this past First Friday by bringing together female artists, fashionistas, and musicians from Las Vegas and Los Angeles to showcase their work at their inaugural event.

The event
Femme Friday took place at a furniture store turned art space known as “the corner building”–now Metroplex Arts-located on Main Street and California Avenue. Walking in, you could hear the bass vibrating from the groovy tunes played by DJ Skye in the backroom. Fashion and jewelry vendors displayed swanky jewelry, jean jackets with custom embroidery, and sweet vintage clothing. Drinks flowed from the bar conveniently placed in the center of the room. In the warehouse-like backroom, live music was showcased and the exhibiting artists displayed photographs, paintings and digital prints. In the mist of an incoming rainstorm, many supports still came swelling through to show their love to the ladies. A portion of the proceeds were donated to the Dreaming Zebra Foundation-an organization that provides art and music supplies to under privileged children throughout the world.

What to expect next from Raw Femme
While Lozano plans to throw the Femme Friday event twice a year, she also plans to set up smaller events in between. “I’m planning to showcase fashion shows, individual art exhibits, and more” said Lozano.

For more about Raw Femme check out the website:
http://www.rawfemme.com/