18 Dec 10

Hey, blogspot readers, more rockin' around the holiday tree! Saturday night's adventure took this fearless reviewer to a quiant Irish pub/venue - The Abbey for Strange Arrangement's 3rd Annual Holiday Party. This rockin' shindig also featured performances by Land of Atlantis and UV Hippo. SouthSide suggests checking out the lively funk-tastic sounds and rhythmic groove of Fresh Hops. She enjoyed this band's unique twist on the Jazz-Blues combination having lots of soul which included one heck of a rhythm section (percussions, keyboards and saxophone) and violin. This string instrument (the star attraction of Fresh Hops, in SouthSide's opinion) provided some cool breeze to this band's hot groove while the keyboards kept the edgy three-guitar sound mellow but energetic. The music itself was breathtaking especially during classical-inspired song done in a waltz tempo yet performed with a modern neo-Jazz tone. It was also passionate with Fresh's gradual crescendo rises within the tempo and rhythms ...and coupled with the lighting fx - the stage seemed to be pulsating at the same speed and direction of the music. Visit Fresh Hops at http://www.myspace.com/freshhops for more information about this band and its music.

Continuing with the central theme of the night, Land Of Atlantis rocked the stage under a thunderous burst of neo-Jazz yet with an edgier rock sound than Fresh Hops. The song, Alley Cat, kicked off this band's set with an aura of smokin' but sublte Blues tone like a cat stalking the dark alley ways. SouthSide enjoyed hearing the lively passion woven throughout each of Land's rhythmic tempo and sound. This rockin' sound has a little bit of everything for every eclectic musical taste - from Jazz to rock and between. During one particular song, the audience grooved to a Caribbean/Island flavor and then to a classic Stax/funk sound. Even while closing this performance with an eclectic mesh of neo-Jazz and romantic ballad, Land's left everyone ready for more. SouthSide highly recommends checking out this band and its energetic instrumental groove in 2011. Visit http://www.landofatlantis.net or http://www.myspace.com/landofatlantis for more information about this band and future show dates.

Featuring more electronic than the other bands within their neo-Jazz rock combination, Strange Arrangement warmed up the chilly venue with its rockin' rhythmic sound. One extra thing also sets this band apart from the others - Strange's lyrical prose. Though the words might be few, one can still hear the poetry flowing vibrantly inside the music. Coincidentially, this band's eclectic music fueled that energetic vibe wafting throughout The Abbey ...it's so instanteous that their fans felt it upon hearing the burst of guitars and keyboards combined. this was one electronic holiday Jam celebration, blogspot readers, in which many grooved nonstop especially when Strange performed the popular, Front Porch. The wicked Stax guitar sound mixed with a lively techno vibe gave this crowd a brief taste of summertime to dance away the winter cold. In another particular song, the crowd continued dancin' to an 80s pop/electronic feel that contained sharp tempo and rhythm changes (lil surprises hidden in this one as well as others). SouthSide enjoyed Strange's futuristic music resonating very well against the fantastic lighting fx sequences. This reviewer highly suggests checking out the hip and happening of the now within electronic-modern Jazz/rock scene by Strange Arrangement. Visit http://www.strangement.com or http://www.myspace.com/strangearrangement for more information and when this band's rockin' again in 2011.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide