ShoutNote

Dengue Fever played a long, hot set at Make Music Pasadena last Saturday. I arrived a solid 45 minutes before they began, taking no chances of missing a great spot near the stage. Surf psychedelia fused with Asian-style pop is the closest I can come to relating their sound in the written word. They are sometimes labeled as a world music band, but I’ve come to equate the term with groups whose sound grows old after two or three songs. Dengue Fever somehow always finds a way to hook you in, while never sounding false or untrue to their own unique style. Lead singer Chhom Nimol (spelling referenced on band’s website) and guitarist Zac Holtzman spoke to me briefly after the set. You’ll notice a slight disparity between the questions I asked and the ones Nimol answered in the video below, but it was cool to talk with her anyway.

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Long waiting for the opportunity to profile an indie band from outside the L.A. area, I caught a show by the group Yeasayer on April 25. The band’s considered part of the experimental rock scene emerging in Brooklyn, which includes acts like Free Blood, High Places, and MGMT. I captured a few live clips and interviewed lead singer Chris Keating, who had some interesting things to say about how he’d improve the indie music scene and L.A. club owners’ affinity for “pay-to-play.” Check it out:

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Free Blood played a set along with Yeasayer on April 25. As one of the notable groups from the Brooklyn music scene, the two-person act combines electronic dance grooves with dissonant noise and trippy techno pop. It’s an experience to be heard and a fun show to check out if they pass through your town. A few live clips in the video below.

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