Throughout the course of their 12-year existence, Lake Trout has consistently defied genres within the music industry. The Baltimore five-piece has displayed a unique, multi-dimensional blend of rock, creating ambient soundscapes over ferocious rhythms that channel psychedelia, industrial and modern indie rock.
“…can’t seem to pry their voyeuristic eyes away from the seemingly mundane events on the four screens.”
The premise is simple… until it’s not… and then things go horribly wrong, which is good. And bad. Let me explain…
Occasionally I like to set myself on fire and jump in to a 300 gallon blender full of rusty hammers. Seriously. But, for those of you whom might be the faint at heart or not have access to giant industrial mixing equipment, the Monotonix show at Red Bull Moon Tower Austin was right on par. Please don’t mistake my verbiage for being anything of the negative sort. I just can’t think of any other way to inform you the reader of what it is like to experience a show of this kick ass dimension. Nuckin futs I tell you.
One of the all time classic names for a band, Seattle’s Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head.
Photos by Cory Ryan
Cory Ryan has been shooting primarily fashion, food & rock n’ roll in Austin for the past 5 years. A North Carolina native, Cory moved to Austin to work on the city’s independent film scene & take in the thriving music culture. Friend to many local bands and the favorite photographer for rockin hipster weddings, Cory recently started playing bass with local indie pop darlings Hollywood Gossip.
http://www.coryryan.com
http://flickr.com/photos/coryryanphotography/
http://www.myspace.com/coryryanphotography
Seriously baby, its not you, its me!
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness rocked the Red Bull Moon Tower Wed night. Peep the Pics folks!
Photos by Dustin Downing
As a child, some people aspire to become firemen, astronauts, and maybe even Portuguese Men o’ War. But for as long as photographer Dustin Downing has had the concept of consciousness, he had the desire or ‘drive’ to become the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile Captain. In the interim though, he figures he’ll just snap a few pics to make ends meet.
Dustin Downing joins the ChinaShop team, further proof that sometimes you just have to settle son!
The Republic Tigers make mood music for the future- something resembling ambient folk (or something of that ilk). Named after front-man and bands founder Kenn Jankowski’s high school mascot, the Republic Tigers are a lot like their name – strangely familiar, but undeniably unique. Their layered brand of synth-driven ballads, wrenched out by former choir-boy-turned rockabilly crooner blends the folk-y sounds of the past with ambient synthesized sounds aiding – As Jankowski explains it, “there are just too many limitations in using just a guitar.”
A self-proclaimed “gamer,” Jankowski’s love of electronic music stemmed from his love of technology (he even said the ideal venue for their music would be a videogame soundtrack.) Before you sneer at the computer screen, you should realize that it was Mario Brothers. and all those other brilliantly catchy video game theme songs that got most of the electro kids started on the sound at an early age. Don’t try to tell me you can’t remember how the Mario Brothers theme goes?
Check out this unreleased B-side Sinkin Annie Down Down Down a ChinaShop exclusive
Jamie Newman is a native to Manhattan Island. Photography was the first media to ignite his passion and intrigue in documenting the innermost workings of the city in which he lives, and the inhabitants who call it home. Jamie has been involved in media related ventures (professional and otherwise) since the age of 18 – honing his own biting brand of (backhanded) snark while serving as Editor in Chief at the liberal arts school he attended in the “scenic Hudson Valley” in Upstate, NY. Following graduation in 2004, Jamie worked for YRB Magazine, where for the next two years he grinded it out as Associate Editor/Music Editor.
A recent addition to the China Shop crew, Jamie strives to report his vision of the world he inhabits in New York City and any other locales his explorations of music, art, and fringe elements of society may take him. He also maintains a blog, www.StarvedArtStar.com , a site dedicated to his sardonic bent on his city’s cultural pulse. In addition, Jamie is also the Music Editor for NYC based site www.mapcidy.com
Every time I say the name Tina T I sing a little ACDC in my head! (Tee-Nah-T, like Dynamite! Come on..now you sing…)