Concert Reports

The 8th Annual KJEE Summer Round Up took place at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Friday, June 1st.

 All Photos: Ray Soto/Central Coast Rocks

Special Thanks: Jesse Lee Weis

Please Visit: www.KJEE.com                  www.SbBowl.com

Young and old alike gathered under sunny skies and warm temperatures giving the festival the go ahead to showcase the station’s more popular groups that dominate their airwaves throughout the year. This year’s Round Up featured the return of Garbage, who released their new CD “Not Your Kind of People’ last month which features the debut single, “Blood For Poppies”, which is already burning up the airwaves.

“Well look who showed up,” were Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson’s first words of the night after she strode to her center stage mike grinning from ear to ear. The band then tore into their early evening set, opening with “Automatic Systematic Habit,” which also happens to be the killer opener on the new album as well, then launching into their breakthrough hit from 1995 “Stupid Girl.” Other highlights were the new single “Blood For Poppies,” with it’s catchy hooks and sing along chorus, and “I’m Only Happy When It Rains.” Welcome back Garbage, it was far too long without you!

Santa Barbara’s Gardens & Villa opened the festival nicely at 4:00P.M. G&V bang out instant classics — each crystal clear and immaculate, but no less sweeping or languid. Their self-titled debut released last year is a youthful exploration of just how opulent and pop starkness can go. In 2010, Gardens & Villa traveled to Oregon to record their debut with visionary, vibemaster and labelmate Richard Swift. Together, they put some sand in the sheets of new wave (“Black Hills”) and pop some translucent funk (“Orange Blossom”). Look for Gardens & Villa on tour throughout the year.  

Indie rock band Grouplove was up next and instantly gave a happy vibe to the growing Santa Barbara Bowl crowd, who rose to their feet and sang along to the band’s songs, including “Colours,” and “Tongue Tied.” Never Trust a Happy Song is the group’s debut album. It was released on September 13, 2011 through Canvasback/Atlantic Records.  

Each year at the KJEE Summer Roundup, a band gives a performance that showcases why they are poised to break through in a big way. The Naked And Famous was clearly that band at this year’s festival. Charismatic singer Alisa Xayalith and guitarist Thom Powers had the Bowl crowd energized from their band’s first notes, and their live show coupled with their post punk revival sound - make for a winning combination. Their early EPs No Light and This Machine are finally available digitally on all worldwide iTunes stores, which feature songs that have become live favorites as the band has toured the world this year, including Bells, Serenade and Dadada. 'Passive Me, Aggressive You,' is the band’s current CD.

Co-Headliner Silversun Pickups released their third studio album, Neck of the Woods, this past May. Neck of the Woods contains 11 tracks and was produced by Jacknife Lee. Bloody Mary is the first single.

www.Garbage.com

www.TheNakedandFamous.com

www.GrouploveMusic.com          www.GardensandVilla.com

www.SilversunPickups.com

Special Thanks: Jesse Lee Weis

Please Visit: www.KJEE.com                   www.SbBowl.com  

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