A-Kamp sounds like the music you hear while sleping with a concussion: comforting and at the same time confusing. The former punk band turned progressive rock band's song structures are snowflake-fragile, but they amply support the weight each added dynamic brings to each new measure. The band is sleepy and dreamy, yet punky and progressive enough to keep you awake through their vague mystery. It's very Frank Zappa with many instrumental journeys into the abyss. Bobble Tiki bets this didn't help anyone. Check it out. One Nation Undereducated also on the bill.

Went to the show at Tugboat Annie's Thursday night. Got there too late to hear Les, which is too bad since the folks who heard him said he was good. Caught all of the A-Kamp set. Liked Tommy's antics with rapping into a telephone, and some really sick fast metal riffs thrown in. Flowmotion was awesome, with two drummers, two apple g4's controlling the 2 projectors projecting acid trip melting lights, rather like the visualizations in a good media player, but all over the walls and the band and the people dancing. They opened with a really rollicking Shady Grove, and kept everybody bouncing the night away. Good parties were attended after the show. The color orange will be remembered.

- posted by ae @ 2/14/2004 06:34:04 PM

After the show at the Backstage I came home and ran the dogs and ate some food. I looked at the clock and saw that it was not yet Midnight,
so I decided to go hear A-Kamp at Rang-Dong! I've never been in Rang-Dong before, mainly because I heard the law is out to get them - I always wanted to go because it's close to home and I love playing Pool - anyhow, the place was PACKED. I could barely get in the door. A-Kamp had their groove on and was sounding very good. After a song I heard Tommy thank God for how good they were sounding. Seemed reasonable considering how very good they sounded. They played that I had a girlfriend song, and they played a bunch of other sweet songs. Trumpet, Bass, Keyboard, Drums, Guitar and Vocals. Yeow! They got me dancin to their earthy groove. These guys still remind me of The Grateful Dead, which is a really good thing, in my book. When they had finished up the set with an intricate nearly classical piece in which Tommy and Genius lock into these sick riffs that they both play simultaneously, Jeremy from One Nation Undereducated got behind Lars' kit, and Genius got back on Bass, and some folks started freestylin' on the mic. Ben Compton of messageboard infamy was one of the rappers.
To top it all off, Tommy gave me a live cd from Le Voyeur to which I have been listening while writing this, and enjoying.
Rock On!

- posted by ae @ 1/31/2004 02:10:16 AM

Went to the A-Kamp and One Nation Undereducated show on Thursday night at McCoys.
The first song A-Kamp did really reminded me of the Grateful Dead a lot. I like those guys.
They are fun. They did the most rockin version of frosty the snowman i've ever heard, and actually dedicated it to me and Alex and our families and friends. I was sure they were going to play their olymusic song that I keep hearing about when they said they were dedicating a song, but then it was frosty, but it was all good, because it was the best frosty ever. they played the olymusic song at the end of their set, but i was foolishly purchasing a beer at the bar, unaware that the song was in motion, only knowing that there were some catchy riffs in the air, but not tuned in to the lyrics. the song came to an end just as i was coming back to the area where i could successfully catch the lyrics. friends were hooting and howling with bright eyes and Alex flashed me a smile and someone asked what i thought of the olymusic song, and i was all "damn! you mean i missed it!!??!!??!"
I'll have to move in with those guys to hear it I guess. One thing I didn't know is that Lars is playing drums with A-Kamp. Cool!
One Nation Undereducated was loud, intense, music with drive. I was compelled to ask Tracy what sort of FX he is using, because there were some awesome sounds coming from his guitar. He showed me a Big Muff, and another distortion pedal, and that was it! He said he does lots with harmonics, and that has to have been what I heard. Great technique. Those guys are pretty tight, definitely rockin, and as I said, they make some sounds that I haven't heard before. Check em out if you get the chance. Rock on Olympia! Oh, and one of the guys from Sesame Street Gangsters gave me a flyer with a mostly naked Santa Claus that I'm planning to scan in soon!

- posted by ae @ 12/20/2003 03:54:19 PM