• LSD and the Search for God
• Jai Young Kim
• Lopsided Space Kart

Buy Tickets

$10

9pm

21+

- Spectrum (feat. Sonic Boom of Spacemen3, and E.A.R.)

Spectrum was the most high-profile and straightforward of the projects undertaken by Pete Sonic Boom Kember after the demise of the trance-rock avatars Spacemen 3. As his work as a member of the Experimental Audio Research coterie allowed Kember the opportunity to explore ambient textures and tonal constructs, Spectrum satisfied the singer/guitarist’s more conventional pop leanings, while never losing sight of the hypnotic otherworldliness which became his music’s trademark and legacy. The name Spectrum initially appeared as the title of the first Sonic Boom solo album, released in 1990 before the break-up of Spacemen 3; a collection of ethereal, nearly formless songs, Spectrum openly acknowledged Kember’s debt to Suicide with its cover of the duo’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Killing My Life. Meanwhile, the Kember half of the Spacemen 3 swan song Recurring, with its tighter, more structured songs (like the gentle wash of Just to See You Smile), offered an even stronger indication of things to come.

After the break-up of Spacemen 3, Sonic formed Spectrum with guitarist Richard Formby and bassist Mike Stout, along with contributions from Pat Fish (a.k.a. the Jazz Butcher). After a series of singles, the band issued its debut Soul Kiss (Glide Divine), a sprawling collection of tranquil, luminous retro-pop, in 1992. At the end of the year, Formby was replaced by former Darkside guitarist Kevin Cowan, and in 1993, the group released Indian Summer, an EP of covers. After Kember spent much of the next year working on Experimental Audio Noise Research projects, Spectrum — now rounded out by guitarist Scott Riley, programmer Alf Hardy, and ex-Spacemen 3 bassist Pete Bassman — released the 1994 LP Highs, Lows and Heavenly Blows, another narcotic collection which explored unique scales and compositional structures. Another layoff followed as Sonic Boom resumed work on his other projects, but in 1996 Spectrum teamed with the Seattle band Jessamine for a joint release titled A Pox on You; at the end of the year, they also issued an EP, Songs for Owlsey. The full-length Forever Alien appeared in 1997. A second collaboration with Jessamine as well as work with the Silver Apples followed.

Sonic Boom was the alias of Pete Kember, best known as the singer-guitarist in the legendary hypno-drone unit Spacemen 3. A native of Rugby, England, while attending art college Kember teamed with Jason Pierce to form Spacemen 3, recording a demo tape in 1986; after signing to Glass Records, the group recorded their debut LP Sound of Confusion, for which Kember adopted the name Peter Gunn. By the time of their follow-up EP Walkin’ with Jesus, he had rechristened himself Sonic Boom, keeping the pseudonym for the duration of his career. In 1990 he issued his lone solo LP, Spectrum; after the 1991 swan song Recurring, Sonic recycled the Spectrum title as the name of his new band, which debuted with the LP Soul Kiss (Glide Divine). Sonic Boom was also the driving force behind the Experimental Audio Research project, a loose configuration of musicians which included My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields.

LSD and the Search for God

www.myspace.com/lsdandthesearchforgod

Jai Young Kim (from Secret Chiefs 3)

Jai Young Kim, a San Francisco musician/engineer/DJ, will rock you with his hard and hypnotic funk grooves. He plays live electric instruments (guitar, keyboard, voice) while manipulating layers of sequenced loops that he guarantees are the heaviest riffs you’ve ever heard coming out of a PowerBook! Jai Young often recruits unlucky friends of his - from avant-raucous vocalists to co-ed go-go dancers to relentless video jockeys - to help add post-punk performance art chaos atop the generally soothing hippie vibe his music suggests.

On his most recent U.S. tour, the awesome Brooklyn band Shellshag dubbed him, The Burt Bacharach of Stoner Rock.

Jai Young records and tours as much as he can, as a solo artist and with numerous bands and projects. He is one-third of the experimental noise-rock band Job, best known for its ’90s cult-appreciated CD Party at Ilan’s. He has just completed a west-coast tour playing keyboards with the widely revered Secret Chiefs 3. He also operates Feast or Famine, a small recording studio and boutique indie label.

- Lopsided Space Kart

LSK (Lopsided Space Kart) is a 4 piece instrumental unit specializing in improvisational space music, having been likened to SPACEROCK and KRAUTROCK. All recordings are 100% improvised to stereo and do not have any overdubs. Exploring the concept of ‘maximalism’, LSK uses a huge amount of electronics and acoustic percussion reminiscent of ‘poor man’s Pink Floyd’. Thus LSK shows are more of a special event as opposed to a run of the mill rock band at the local pub. The band is dedicated to doing larger scale shows in appropriate venues. The band performs in conjunction with multi-screen projection of self produced video imagery, as well as costumes and props.

The in-flight crew is: EDWARD DAHL guitars, JEFF MILLHOLLEN bass, KURT STENZEL on synthesizers and BRYAN KILFOIL on drums (LOTS of drums).

Back on Earth, each member of LSK wears multiple uniforms. Bryan Kilfoil heads up mission control as the band’s Chief Engineer in BK Studios, a giant fantasy land of gear with a full stage video green screen as well as conference facilities and a refrigerator. Jeff Millhollen is the Mission Video Producer, and 3d graphics generator. Edward Dahl manages the young Space Cadet ground crew that builds the stages and props. Ed is also Minister of Graphics. Kurt Stenzel leverages years of nefarious contacts in the music industry as Marketing Mission Specialist. Kurt and Jeff also produce a cult public access cable TV show in San Francisco called ‘Talk to the Hand’, a natural vehicle to televise LSK countdowns and re-entries.

Begun in 2005 LSK blasted off live at Xenodrome in San Francisco. From there the band went into deep space with a one year mission of recording, yielding 50+ hours of space artifacts, strange transmissions, and the sounds of the nebulous regions of YOUR MIND. Returning to the stage (and promptly leaving Earth again) LSK made history at San Francisco’s 12 Galaxies club with ‘Christmas in Space’. Incorporating live action the Space Cadets literally built the spacecraft around the band and the lovely Sugar Plum Girls sang and danced into our dreams.

LSK is training in zero sonic Gs, goggles and headphones affixed in helmets, as the Kart beches smoke and rattles to the lunch pad again. The boys are currently working on editing a full length CD release for EARTH