Friday, January 31, 2014

Emancipator - "First Snow" - Song of the Day - (1/31/14)

With Emancipator on tour right now and me seeing him tomorrow, appropriateness was found in posting the song that first turned me onto this musical genius. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Galactic live @ Jazz Fest - Song of the Day [1/30/2014]



Galactic is a New Orleans funk rock band that had me instantly hooked.  Horns, keys, guitar and a soul that comes alive on stage.  My first Galactic show may have set the bar a little too high.  At last year's Jazz Fest, just hours after this was filmed, Galactic took the state of NOLA's infamous Tipatina's at 3:00am. They played for nearly 3 hours and we stumbled out as the sun came up...  Life altering.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

BANKS - BRAINS (Produced by Shlohmo)


Up and coming R&B artist BANKS teams up with beat maker king Shlohmo to create an incredibly lush and moving tune. BRAINS is one of the most sensual tunes in the downtempo R&B movement. BANKS' very emotional vocals floats seamlessly over Shlohmo's hip-hop beats. With heavily filtering and fuzzy synths, Shlohmo starts the tune off with a slow but heavy vibe. When BANKS' vocals come in, the vibe continues but now exudes pure emotion. Right before her vocals take us to another dimension, Shlohmo warps BANKS' vocals, turning them into hazy synths we heard in Shlohmo's very famous tune Later. These synths merge perfectly with BANKS' vocals, delineating the strain which her lyrics explain.
BRAINS is a tune that will be the inspiration for many R&B singers and producers in the coming months and years.

Emancipator Ensemble National Tour (Preview)


By: Joe Lebeau
The sweeping melodies of Emancipator will be explored in a new light as Doug Appling, the mind behind Emancipator, is joined onstage for the first time by the Emancipator Ensemble. 

The Emancipator Ensemble is a 4-piece live band, currently making their debut tour across America, and the addition of more live instruments to the beautiful music of Emancipator can only mean a richer, more rewarding musical experience. The Ensemble tour comes at the end of a big year for Emancipator, following the 2013 release of his highly-acclaimed third studio album, Dusk to Dawn, and numerous big-name festival appearances, including Electric Forest, Lightning in a Bottle and Global Dance Festival.
It’s hard to believe that music that is largely without lyrics can feel so relatable to listeners, but that is the exact reaction evoked by Appling’s work and is a contributing factor to his growing popularity. The sounds of Emancipator can all at once feel natural yet celestial, uplifting yet melancholy, familiar yet wonderfully refreshing. His music comes across as more of a personal dialogue with the listener than a collection of isolated works, and the passion Appling pours into the Emancipator project is evident in each note. This passion shines through during his live performances, making for an intimate and engaging musical exploration.

Supporting performance will come  from Real Magic a.k.a. Drew Englander, who labels his blend of grimey electronic riffs and soaring live vocals as “Experimental Pop”, and ODESZA, a collaboration project between producers Harrison Mills (a.k.a. Catacombkid) and Clayton Knight (BeachesBeaches) that bring together dreamy soundscapes with glitchy vocals and goopy bass lines for a uniquely beautiful and very dance-able sound.

Music enthusiasts of all denominations will not want to sleep on this opportunity, so whether you’re a longtime follower or a curious newbie, get yourself to the Ensemble!


Bassnectar - "European Vacation Mix" Song of the Day [1/29/14]

In light of Bassnectar taking the Winter and Spring of 2014 off to make some new music, we can't go to long with out our fix. This mixtape of straight club bangers is sure to turn that frown upside down. If his new music turns out like his earlier creations, we're in for a good year. Excitement is an understatement when it comes to Bassnectar and his music. Turn this up and let everyone know what your'e listening to.














Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Feed Me - "Death By Robot" - Song of the Day (1-28-14)




Jon Gooch or as you probably know him, Feed Me, is one of the world's best producers of electronic dance music. He dropped a huge bomb on the world with a twitter post last May talking about how he was going to be taking a hiatus from touring to focus on other things. Since then he has been busy in the studio creating music and also founding his own record label called Sotto Voce. Later Jon would announce that in 2014 he would return to touring the world, thank god! Today's song of the day is one of the best tracks from Feed Me's album Calamari Tuesday entitled "Death By Robot".



Monday, January 27, 2014

Ziggy Marley - "Beach in Hawaii" - Song of the Day - (1/27/14)

David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley is the eldest son of legend, Bob Marley, and this track is a testament to the love he has for the man and how much he misses his presence in his life. As Rolling Stone put it, "Beach in Hawaii" is a "quick-stepping song with sun-soaked guitars that mask a heartsick loneliness." 

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Major Lazer - "Bubble Butt Remix" (Feat. Bruno Mars, 2 Chainz, Tyga and Mystic) Song of the Day [1/26/14]

The title says it all, "Bubble Butt", how can you go wrong? You can't help but get a smile on your face listening to this song. Turn it up and spread the joy!!



















The Noisy Freaks - "Selection"



The Noisy Freaks are back with another amazing complextro song, the first single from the upcoming album Straight Life. "Selection" starts off with a simple piano line that builds for about 2 minutes and then, boosh! The drop is almost impossible to not bop your head to. The Noisy Freaks blend together a number of interesting melodies for a very deep final mix. The Straight Life album set to release on February 17th, and it's full of intense EDM tracks of many different sub genres. Definitely stay current on The Noisy Freaks for a bunch of energetic new music.


Saturday, January 25, 2014

Computer Jay - "Binary Fix" (Eprom Remix) - Song of the Day - (01/25/2014) [FREE DOWNLOAD]


Glitch-hop mechanic Eprom released his latest remix yesterday. Computer Jay's Binary Fix is a very smooth synth heavy electro-funk tune with maximal glitchy percussion. The song overall is very soulful, with many synths layered over a rhythmic techno beat. Eprom completely removes every piece of original percussion until only the beat remains. Eprom then warps the vocals significantly and throws in some 808 percussion. This remix is a great example of how far production in the electronic industry. With surround sound effects and flawless sidechaining, Eprom takes electronic music to a whole new dimension.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Bloc Party - "Ratchet" - Song of the Day (1/24/14)


"Just make it count!" That's the mantra of this flirtatiously experimental song off their release, The Nextwave Sessions, that utilizes a potentially headache-inducing guitar riff that makes more and more sense with each listen. Hopefully y'all enjoy this track as much as we did.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

The Lumineers - "Ho Hey" - Song of the Day (1/23/14)

""Ho Hey" is a song by American folk rock band The Lumineers. It was released on June 4, 2012 as the lead single from their debut self-titled studio album. The music video was also released on March 11, 2012. "Ho Hey" reached No. 1 for 18 non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard rock songs chart, as well as two weeks in the top spot on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, and reached number No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming their first single to do so, as well as their first Top 5 single. It is also their first single to reach Platinum status in the US. Rolling Stone named the song the 26th-best song of 2012."


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

August Burns Red - "Marianas Trench Live" Song of the Day [1/22/14]

August Burns Red graces our page again this time with "Marianas Trench". Definitely one of the best jams they have. This video focuses solely on their drummer Matt Greiner. His ability to pound on the drums becomes apparent with one view. Sit back and enjoy.











Tuesday, January 21, 2014

My Chemical Romance - "Helena" - Song of the Day - (1/21/14)

Today's song of the day is taking us back to our emo days with the classic by My Chemical Romance, "Helena." Having not listened to this song in a couple years it was definitely a blast from the past!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Eddie Money - "Gimmie Some Water" - Song of the Day (1/20/14)

True story, I have an autographed Eddie Money album on vinyl. Now that you're nice and jealous, I'll give yo some water. Enjoy ;)


heRobust - "Get Busted" [FREE DOWNLOAD]



Hayden Jerome Kramer, better known by alias heRobust, made huge waves in the EDM scene in 2013 and he continues to inspire enthusiasm with his most recent release, "Get Busted." In this self described trapstep track, the Atlanta native utilized dubstep sounding synths and some powerful bass to create a truly wonderful track. A free download right in time for the SMOG City Tour, get it while it's hot!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Deadmau5 FT. Kaskade - "I Remember" Song of the Day [1/19/14]

It's Sunday, you wake up not feeling so hot. What do you do? Sit back, turn this smooth melodic jam up and let these two amazing producers take all your troubles away.


















Case & Point - "Savage"


The word "Savage" brings a lot to mind but what is it to be savage? Primitive, uncivilized, fierce, violent, all words representing what some might find a negative thing, are actually showing the incomparable qualities of the song Case & Point has brought upon us. Although, to most, savage may come off giving someone indifferent feelings but we have been shown that savage can be found in the beauty of many things. Listen to the "Savage" through the ears of Case & Point and decide for yourself what this word will mean to you. 

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Laurel Halo - "Chance Of Rain" - Song of the Day [01/18/2014]

Today we're going to into the weirder side of electronic music with our Song of the Day. Laurel Halo, a very experimental electronic music released her second full-length LP Chance Of Rain a couple months ago. Unlike her debut Quarantine, Chance Of Rain does not contain any of her vocals and is generally more beat-driven; however, it is just as if not more experimental. The most hard-hitting hypnotic tune of the album is Chance Of Rain. Like Behind The Green Door, an EP she released earlier in 2013, Chance Of Rain has a steady techno beat along with a very rhythmic, meditative vibe. Laurel Halo starts the tune off with a four-to-the-floor kick and a very glitchy bass line. Slowly adding some floating synths and more percussion, she creates a steady plane of introspection that remains evident throughout the tune. There are many moments throughout where Laurel Halo removes the bass altogether and just leaves us with her signature glitchy percussion, allowing our minds to fall into a trance until the bass kicks in again.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Arrogant - "Hometown" - Song of the Day (1/17/14)

Everyone loves to rep their hometown, especially when it's Chicago.Although this is common in the rap/hip-hop genre, all too often the message is of violence and malice. Arrogant has something else on mind... Make things better. The lyrics of this song are close to home and you can feel the passion in his voice. Truly incredible stuff for today's song of the day. Enjoy!

Duece & Charger feat: Benn Moore - "Always Broke" (TYR Remix) [FREE DOWNLOAD]

"I don't know where the money goes, but it feels like I'm always broke." -- I bet that sounds familiar to all too many of us. This track is an emotional journey fueled by the melodic vocals and feel of the original track while encapsulating and showcasing the production skill possessed by this Colorado native, TYR. An up and comer to keep an eye for, we recommend snagging this free ear candy while you can.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

The Glitch Mob - "Can't Kill Us" - Song of the Day [1/16/2014]


With The Glitch Mob's freshly announced spring tour and the pending release of their new album "LOVE DEATH IMMORTALITY" (coming Feb 11th, 2014) we thought it was more than appropriate to share the dark and heavy track "Can't Kill Us" off this new addition to the Glitch library.  



Is there a show coming to a city near you?  Let us know if you're gonna go.

The Glitch Mob Tour Dates 2014 [LEG ONE]
3/11 - Portland, ME @ State Theatre
3/12 - Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
3/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
3/15 - Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
3/17 - Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
3/18 - Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music
3/19 - Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
3/20 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
3/21 - New Orleans, LA @ Buku Festival
3/22 - New Orleans, LA @ Buku Festival
3/24 - Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
3/25 - Austin, TX @ Emo's
3/28-3/30 - Miami, FL @ Ultra Music Festival l
4/11 & 4/18 - Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival

Wakarusa Full Line-up Now Available!

Wakarusa, the fabled festival on Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arkansas has released the final wave of artists that will be gracing their historic stages for the 2014 rendition of the festival.. With a jam-packed lineup like this, it is sure to be an incredible time. Let us know who you are most excited for!

1st Wave Announced on January 2, 2014

2nd Wave Announced on January 9th, 2014

3rd & Final Wave Announced January 16th, 2014

Full Line-up Poster Released 1/17/14


Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Polica - "Spilling Lines" Song of the Day [1/15/14]

Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota the snyth-pop group known as Polica has begun to make splashes around the music world. Off their recent European tour to promote their new release "Shulamith" they recently performed on Jimmy Kimmel and rocked the house. Here is "Spilling Lines" from that show. With two drums perfectly in sync the entire show, this is one live act you have to go see.













Enter To Win 2 Free Tickets to Action Bronson w/Special Guests @ Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver on 1/28/14!

Here's your chance to win a pair (2) free tickets to Action Bronson w/Special Guests on 1/28/14 at Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver, Colorado! 


Arian Asllani (born 2 December 1984), better known by his stage name Action Bronson, is an American rapper from Flushing, Queens, New York.

Before entering the rap scene he was a respected fire-flame gourmet chef in New York City, and frequently raps about food in his songs. He hosts his own online cooking show entitled "Action in the Kitchen". He has gained notoriety for lyrically and stylistically resembling rapper Ghostface Killah (with whom he collaborated, along with friend and fellow rapper Termanology, on a song called "Meteor Hammer" from the 2011 compilation album Legendary Weapons). In an interview with HipHopDX, he was asked about how it was to sound like him, and he responded with,

"Yeah, I mean at the end of the day, it’s all good because Ghostface Killah is one of the best rappers alive, so if I sound similar to the best rapper alive then that is fine. To me there is no comparison; he is a legend and I am a newcomer. If I would try and emulate with anyone it would be Kool G Rap, he is the person I look up to the most. I am not upset but at the end of the day I am my own person and no one can take that away from me."

He released his debut studio album Dr. Lecter in 2011, which is available in digital download and also in CD-R on his official website. Action Bronson is an atheist, which he revealed in the song "Not Enough Words" (lyrics: "ask to swear to God, but in that I don't believe though"), from Action Bronson's collaboration album with Statik Selektah, Well Done.

He was recently featured twice on Domo Genesis's & The Alchemist's debut collaboration album No Idols on tracks "Elimination Chamber (also featuring Earl Sweatshirt & Vince Staples) & "Daily News" (also featuring SpaceGhostPurrp & Earl Sweatshirt).

The Hangout Beach, Music, and Arts Festival Lineup Announced! - May 16-18, 2014 - Gulf Shores, Alabama

Hangout Music Festival has announced their lineup for the 2014 rendition of this incredible event. The Black Keys, Outkast, STS9, The Killers, Queens of the Stone Age, Pretty Lights, and the list goes on for days. 

CounterPoint Music Festival Lineup Announced! - April 25-27, 2014 - Kingston Downs, GA

CounterPoint Music Festival is returning in 2014 after being replaced by TomorrowWorld in the fall of 2013. This lineup is hot fire with Outkast, STS9, Pretty Lights, Big Gigantic, Nosaj Thing, Papdosio, Tycho, The Floozies, and the list goes on and on.. Who are you most excited for?

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Serj Tankian - "Sky Is Over" - Song of the Day - (1/14/14)


What do I consider the song of the day? Well System of a Down's Serj Tankian released solo music not too long ago and blew away many! "Sky Is Over" showed us the diverse techniques used by the talented artist. If you were or are a System of a Down fan, Serj definitely brings us back to that and prove the reign is not over! 

David Murphy & STS9 Part Ways...


Posted to their Facebook & website just moments ago...

 "In life, the only constant is change. We try to embrace this in our music and in our lives and its in this spirit that we announce STS9 and bassist David Murphy are parting ways. We are postponing our upcoming winter tour dates through February.   We’ll miss David and wish him the best on his journey ahead.

To our fans, we can’t thank you enough for your understanding and continuous support.  We are thrilled for the future of STS9 and can’t wait to share it with you.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!

-Hunter, Jeffree, Phipps & Zach" 

This is huge news to any Sound Tribe loyal... Wondering how this will  play out in the future. Thoughts?

420 Posts... Let's Get High!

 http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BdPjocfSoII/hqdefault.jpg


For our 420th post we thought we'd do something a little bit special.. Share with you some of our favorite weed-themed songs. This is by no means a definitive list of the best songs out there, just something our team here at Ikonic Sound threw together to get into the spirit! In no particular order, here we go...

The Expendables - "Bowl For Two"

Dr. Dre feat: Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, & Nate Dogg - "The Next Episode" (live)

Cypress Hill - "Hits From the Bong" (live) 
----This video is awesome, although the audio isn't the greatest. 

Black Sabbath - "Sweet Leaf"

Sublime - "Smoke Two Joints"


Kid Cudi - "Marijuana"


Neil Young - "Roll Another Number (for the road)"


Method Man & Redman - "How High"

Afroman - "Because I Got High"


Weezer - "Hash Pipe"




RESOLV - "Mary Jayne"
---This last one is actually a track by a member of our Ikonic Sound family :) 


A big thank you to all of you amazing people that keep us going on a day to day basis, we cannot adequately express how grateful we are for each and every one of you! Stay high friends ;)

Monday, January 13, 2014

STS9 - "Twilight" [Live @ Fox Theater, Boulder, CO 6/23/04] - Song of the Day - (1/13/14)


It should be no surprise that we love STS9 around these parts and today's song of the day is an oldie that I,  in my 9 times having seen Sound Tribe, have yet to hear played live. A bit longer than the usual Tribe song, but it surely doesn't disappoint. Kind of has a halloweenish feeling at the beginning, here's a carved pumpkin i found on google! Pretty damn good job if you ask me.

Far East Movement & Sidney Samson - "Bang it to the Curb" [FREE DOWNLOAD]


Far East Movement, the LA-based electro hop duo that brought us the hit, "Like a G6," has teamed up with Dutch DJ, Sidney Samson, to get back into the music scene with their newest single, "Bang it to the Curb." Electro synths and powerful kicks & claps save the horseshit vocalists this track has on it. The production quality is on point throughout and helps me get past the vocals fairly effortlessly .  For those that truly love trap, this is a free download for you.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

The Vapors - "Turning Japanese" - Song of the Day - (1/12/13)

I think I'm turning Japanese.

Exist Strategy - "Traveler" [FREE DOWNLOAD]


I have never heard a crazier combination of percussion in a glitch-hop tune more than I have in Exist Strategy's new single Traveler. With a combination of 808s, effected claves, glitchy bass drums, and other weird percussion sounds, Exist Strategy has produced a song that embodies a very different subgenre of glitch-hop than most producers in the scene. His interesting percussion combination is only one factor that differentiates him from the rest. He also incorporates spacey synth melodies that give the whole track a wider range with a sense of movement and introspection.

Martin Garrix - "Animals" (Will Sparks Remix) [FREE DOWNLOAD]


Australian producer, Will Sparks, is already shaking things up in 2014 with his first release of the year - this remix of Martin Garrix track, "Animals." Although largely leaving the original melodic buildup intact, the remix heavily infused with Sparks' "Melbourne-bounce" style of house that is sure to get some bodies moving. Check out this incredible take on a track that was hugely popular in 2013. Cheers to some free ear candy!

Theatre of Delays - "Voyage" [FREE DOWNLOAD]

Through this voyage, Berlin based producer, Theater of Delays, is not taking us on a physical journey from point A to point B on our earthly realm, but rather, it is a voyage through musically induced emotion. Laden with beautiful synths and an overwhelming sense of joy, "Voyage" carries the listener through a range of ascending scales and chords that is truly enchanting. Almost felt like I floating through an abyss slowly coming closer to the light, pretty powerful. Never a disappointment from this up and coming producer.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Jay 5ive & Kromestar - "Wishful Thinking" (Om Unit remix) - Song of the Day [01/11/2014] [FREE DOWNLOAD]

Today's Song of the Day comes from an artist who is right now completely tearing up the bass music scene. Om Unit released his Threads LP last year around Halloween to wide critical acclaim, with most electronica fans believing that it was the best bass music album of 2013. With his very unique percussion, dark melodies, constant hip-hop base beat, and slow-fast rhythms, Om Unit develops a whole new spectrum for bass music that is very dissociating and spacey. His most remix is of Jay 5ive & Kromestar's Wishful Thinking. Om unit frequently collaborates with Jay 5ive and Kromestar because they are also bass music artists with a hip-hop background. In this remix, Om Unit starts off with a solid four-to-the-floor kick drum and slowly adds the synths from the original tune. When the beat drops, he throws in his signature otherworldly percussion and the original tune's low frequency synths. As the tune progresses, Om Unit adds more percussion, flawlessly creating a sense of movement better than most slow-fast tunes. With incredible sound system production and dynamic range mastering, Om Unit has taken the original tune and turned it into a very psychedelic bass journey.

Friday, January 10, 2014

No Doubt - "Spiderwebs" - Song of the Day - (1/10/14)

Today's song of the day is the 1995 classic by No Doubt, "Spiderwebs." "Spiderwebs" was the 2nd single off their third album, Tragic Kingdom. The song peaked on the Billboard Top 100 Modern Rock boards at #5. Apparently the song is about a guy that would consistently call Gwen to recite bad poetry to her.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

MOUR - "Opus Orca" [feat. Sidecar Tommy, Jamie Janover, & Hannah Thiem]


Random Rab, under his new alias MOUR, released his first single off his upcoming EP less than an hour ago. Random Rab previously said that MOUR will be darker sound compared to his other works. Opus Orca starts off with some very exotic instruments, perfectly blended together into a phrase of organized chaos which sound very '3D'. Random Rab completely blows us away with his production skills when he drops a very clean hip-hop beat after the intro, to give the tune a a subtle movement. The flawless mixing of lows and highs on this track leads me to believe that this upcoming EP will set a great example as a very lush, clean sounding psy/downtempo piece for many upcoming artists.

To honor Jimmy Page's 70th birthday... Stairway to Heaven with Super Solo - Song of the Day [1/9/2014]


Rock Legend Jimmy Page celebrates his 70th birthday today.  He single-handedly changed the Rock sound of the late 1970's and epitomized the term "rock god".  Not only could the guy shred then, but even now 40 years later, he still can.  He may have been slightly "medicated" during this version, but I think it truly highlights his ability to tear a guitar to pieces.  Here are 10 minutes of Led Zeppelin to help sooth the soul...


Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Boss Miller - "Power Trip" (Official Video) [FREE DOWNLOAD]

Boss Miller released his latest tune, Power Trip, containing a lush beat layered by very flight synths. Dweezy James starts the beat off with a slow filtered beat; he mixes in Boss Miller's vocals along with a few more percussion arrangements. Boss Miller seems to float perfectly over the beat, providing a very sensual flow and swing to the tune. During the hook and bridge, we fully experience Dweezy James' production skills. Keeping the beat steady, he adds a hypnotic melody and a funky bassline while glitching up the hi hat pretty smoothly. Overall, Power Trip is a great collaboration between these two upcoming artists, providing us with a taste of how sensual hip-hop can truly get.


For those that prefer SoundCloud...

Hoodie Allen - "Two Lips" (Acoustic) Song of the Day [1/8/14]

New York's finest independent hip-hop artist Hoodie Allen gives us a whole new take on his work. Turning some of his biggest hits into acoustic pieces gives his music an entirely different feel and meaning. A chill tune to get you through the day, turn it up, sit back and enjoy.

















Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) 5-Night New Years Run @ The Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA [December 27-31, 2013] (Review)

A Review By: Troy Manley
Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) formed in Georgia in 1998 and haven’t looked back since. The band has released 11 full length albums, two remix albums, and  two live DVD’s – not including their countless live sets available for download through their website. Sound Tribe’s music is almost entirely instrumental electronic rock that maintains funk, jazz, hip-hop, and drum and bass influences throughout their live shows. The band prefers to maintain group cohesion and rhythm over individual solos in their self described “post-rock dance music.” Consisting of five stellar musicians – David Murphy on bass and midi keyboard, Hunter Brown on Guitar and midi keyboard, David Phipps on keyboards, Zach Velmer on drums, and Jeffree Lerner rounding things out on percussion and handsonic – STS9 have developed a large following and average nearly 5,000 tickets per city on their tours. They have headlined stages at large festivals like Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Electric Forest, Summer Set to name a few. There is an extensive list of festival appearances: HERE. STS9 has also has their own record label – 1320 Records – which has a host of talents artists under its belt, which can be found HERE. For this New Years they decided to return to Atlanta, Georgia for a 5-night run at The Tabernacle- also known as “The Tabby.”
  Below: The Tabernacle Circa 1920 source
    The Tabernacle is a mid-sized venue in Atlanta that as a lot of history behind it. The building was initially constructed on as a Baptist Church and its first services were held in September of 1911. The pastor of the church upon its construction was Dr. Len G. Broughton and the church became known as “Broughton’s Tabernacle” among the locals. The church officially ended services in 1991 and was sold to a group of investors in October 1994 who intended to redevelop the venue in conjunction with the 1996 Summer Olympics. After unsuccessful attempts to restore the building, a deal was cut to open a House of Blues just in time for the Olympics. They turned the venue into a fully functional concert hall in 45 days and it was ready to go when the Olympics opened in July 1996. The first act to perform at the new House of Blues was The Blues Brothers. The House of Blues officially shut down when its lease expired in January 1998. Lance Sterling is the hero of this story. In March 1998, he announced an investment of $2 million of personal funds to develop the venue. He also gave the concert hall its current name, The Tabernacle. Officially opening on March 28, 1998, The Tabernacle was under Sterling’s command for two years, until he announced he was to sell the venue because his involvement conflicted with his family life. He sold it in December 1999 to SFX Entertainment – now Live Nation – who has operated the venue since. The 2,600 capacity venue sustained extensive damage as a result of a tornado that went through Atlanta in March 2008. Workers labored around the clock for two months to repair the building; much of the building has to be redone and repainted, so the company brought in the original painter from the 1996 opening to fix the damaged sections. That was the first tornado to hit the downtown of the city since weather record keeping began in 1878. Luckily there weren’t any tornados this time around.
Below: The Tabernacle in 2011 (source)
                The Tabernacle is right next door to a giant colorful and flashing Ferris Wheel, SkyView Atlanta, in the heart of downtown Atlanta and there is plenty of parking in the direct vicinity of the venue, so that shouldn’t be an issue. “The Tabby” is a giant brick building with white trim that doesn’t necessarily seem that big from the outside – although it is monstrously tall. With only a pair of will-call windows and a single entrance into the venue, lines should be expected and it is advised to arrive a little bit early to the show to ensure you are inside on time. After a thorough, yet semi-intrusive, security check at the entrance you walk up a flight of stairs into a main lobby area that you can continue straight through and down another set of stairs to arrive at a large lobby area with TV’s and audio equipment set up so those below can still enjoy the show. This is where the merchandise booth, bathrooms, water fountains, and multiple bars were located. Rewind back to the original staircase now. Instead of going straight and down the stairs, you can either go left or right and continue up another set of stairs. On this floor you can enter the main general admission floor and some other bars. There is a SweetWater Brewing room on this level that has some awesome beers with higher ABV’s at the same price as the lower quality brews, they’ve even got some couches for you to sit on. If you’re into craft brews I suggest making your way into that room.
Below: SkyView Atlanta, The Tabernacle is the Brick/White building on the bottom left (source)
                You can continue up the stairs a couple more flights and find multiple lounge rooms with couches for people to enjoy, as well as multiple bars on the other floors – beverages are not hard to find in this place. There are 2 balconies and I checked both of them out. I don’t really recommend the 2nd balcony unless you’ve got VIP. VIP has the 1st and 2nd row center stage of the 2nd balcony reserved and that is arguably the best seat in the house. Elsewhere on the 2nd balcony I did not enjoy because I felt like the 3rd balcony was right above my head and I couldn’t truly enjoy the light show – the acoustics also felt a bit off. The chairs were also a bit crammed in there. I’m 6’7”, so that probably doesn’t help my cause either. On the other hand, the 3rd balcony is awesome, although you need to get there early to get a good spot – it filled up quick every night on this run. The chandelier in the middle of the room and the décor of the ceiling are awesome and they are difficult to see from the lower levels of the venue. The light show is stellar from the 3rd floor as well, you can see everything in its entirety and just really take it all in. The chairs have more room too. My only complaint was that it got quite a bit warmer up on the 3rd balcony than on the floor. All in all, the Tabernacle is an incredible venue.
Above: One of the multiple lounges and bars scattered throughout the venue (source)
DAY ONE- 12.27.31 w/Lunice
                Lunice was the opener for the 1st night of the run. He is a French-Canadian producer born and raised in Montreal that maintains heavy hip-hop influences throughout his set. His set started off pretty cool with him interacting with the crowd and just having a good time to lift the mood. He asked the crowd if they like rap music before the show, I guess I didn’t really know what to expect from a DJ that played rap music. He infused vocals over grimy and progressive type trap beats for the first portion of his set. He left the decks multiple times and at one point was down in the crowd walking around while his music was still going. The vibes I was picking up from the crowd was that many of them weren’t exactly digging it. I could understand where they’re coming from. Midway through his set he changed things up and included less vocals into his music and made it a more bass heavy dance style set – this got the crowd going. Despite not necessarily digging his music all that much – I’m just not really into in trap, personal preference – this guy was pretty damn good behind the controls. He knew exactly what to do at the right time and that is not something you see all that often. If you dig trap, dude’s worth checking out.
Below: STS9 on the first night (source)
                Once Lunice’s set was finished the crowd started filling up the floor in anticipation of Sound Tribe taking the stage.  The guys wasted no time and came out of the gates swinging with “Mischief of  Sleepwalker” and a massive set ensued. “One a Day” came up next and then it progressed through “Kabuki” > “Warrior” > “South of Here” > “Equinox”> “GLOgli” > “Tap-In” and rounded out the first set with “Scheme.” Holy shit! That’s the first thought that crossed my mind when they took their set break. After a 30 or so minute break, the band came back on for their second set and got things going again with the high energy “EHM,” which was followed by “Orbital” > “Abcees(OG)” > “T.W.E.L.V.E.” > “Awesome” which transitioned into “Unquestionable Supremacy of Nature” and was rounded out with “Baraka.” After going off for a couple minutes, the crowd started doing the Atlanta Braves war chant – god damn was that cool. After a minute or two of the chant roaring throughout the entire theater, the band came back on and the place went crazy. Their encore consisted on “This, Us” and “Ramone & Emiglio” finished off the night.  The energy of the crowd was par-none throughout the show and the band was feeding off it and played on point with an incredible vivacity the entire time. Their lighting guy, Saxton, was on the money all night as usual – shouldn’t expect anything less, ever. With 4 suspended light bars and their fabled high-definition light board, he had all the tools at his disposal necessary for him to work his magic. Lights were projected onto the walls and ceilings, as well as the stage area, which made for an incredibly entertaining and refreshing light show throughout their two sets. The entire show is available for download: HERE.

DAY TWO - 12.28.31 w/Eskmo
                After their killer performance the first night, anticipation for the 2nd night of shenanigans was running high. Well, shit did not start out on the right foot. Traffic caused us to get there a little bit later than we were hoping to, so when we got to The Tabernacle there insanely long lines leading up to the lone entrance, and some more lines – although not as long – as will call. Well, after about 50 minutes waiting in lines in the rain we finally got into the venue and Eskmo was midway through his final song. It is truly one of the most aggravating things ever when you miss an artist because of lines to get into the venue.
Below: STS9 (source)
                After about a 30 minute intermission the lights dimmed, the crowd went nuts, and the band took the stage. STS9 started things off with “Bigs” and transitioned through “1.2.3” and “Empires” flawlessly to create one ‘super track.’ Without losing any momentum, Sound Tribe got into “F. Word” and then proceeded to work their way through “Crystal Instrument” > “Song 2” > “Metameme” > “Looking Back on Earth” and “Roy G. Biv.” But that’s not where they ended their first set. Murphy called friend and fellow bassist, Alana Rocklin, to help them finish strong with “Hidden Hand, Hidden Fist” which was impeccably melded into “Shakedown Street.” Alana Rocklin is the official bassist for J.U.S.T.I.C.E. and is part of the duo, sub-ID, which is part of the 1320 Records family. Tribe’s second set was another raging dance party as the group demolished “Hubble” > “Arigato” > my personal favorite, “Golden Gate” > “Water Song” > “Open E” and finished off by bringing “Tooth” around into “Moon Socket” in an emphatic fashion. After leaving the stage for a couple minutes, the band came back on stage for another song with the talented Alana Rocklin, “Gobnugget,” which was followed up by “Instantly.” The entire show is available for download: HERE.

DAY THREE – 12.29.31 w/Russ Liquid
                Russell Scott, better known by his stage name, Russ Liquid, is a Portland, Oregon based producer and DJ whom in a short period of time, has already developed a reputation for “radiating a sonic supernova of genre-blending beats on the dance floor, captivating audiences with passionate live instrumental performances.” Throughout his set Russ Liquid utilized a trumpet and a flute throughout the set and maintained an incredible level of energy that truly transpired onto the crowd. Truly an entertainer, Russ seamlessly added flourishes of instrumental color and emotion while manning all the various controllers and instruments himself. Not to mention he was dancing like a mad-man the whole time. Hands down one of the coolest electronic acts I have ever had the opportunity to see, I HIGHLY recommend checking this dude out – you will not be disappointed.
Left: STS9 (source)
                If there is one thing I’ve learned about bands making a multi-day run, you don’t want to miss the Sunday show! Sound Tribe let no time go to waste in getting into things by starting off with “Blu Mood” and “Evasive Maneuvers” before getting down to “Wiki Chikana,” “Grizzly,” and “Between 6th and 7th.” They took a quick break to invite some friends on stage. Russ Liquid took the stage along with GharlyG to provide some support on the horns for their insanely awesome and unexpected cover of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” – holy shit was that freaking cool. The level of energy Russ Liquid brought to the stage was incredible, and was maintained throughout the entire night. Gharly G and Russ Liquid stayed on for “Simulator” and took a quick break for “Move My Peeps” before coming back on for “2001 (Also Sprach Zarathustra)” to close out the 1st set. After a 40-minute set break the lights dimmed and Sound Tribe was ready to take the stage again. GharlyG and Russ Liquid came back out for the first 2 songs of their second set, “SpottieOttieDopalicious” and “Vibyl,” to get things going again in a high energy fashion. STS9 powered their way through an insane set list through the rest of the night, following up those 2 awesome tracks with “Shock Doctrine” and then melded together “Frequencies DnB,” “Frequencies Peace 2,” and “Frequencies 3.” Next came “Squares & Cubes” which transitioned into “New Soma.” They finished their second set up strong with “Robot Rock”- which is a Daft Punk cover – “Lo Swaga,” and “From Now On.” After going off stage I successfully predicted their encore to my friends, “King Pharoah’s Tomb!” For this incredible rendition of the powerful track, they invited Russ Liquid and GharlyG back on stage to power out some horns, however, as a special surprise, they also had Kenny from J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League come out to lay down some sexy sax on the track. The 3 horns and band maintained an insane level of energy throughout the encore and god damnit did those horns get sexy. They jammed out, worked in some horn sections, and even danced like hell on stage. Although only a 1 song Encore, it was incredible and everyone left the venue ecstatic about what had just happened. Easily the best of the 3 days so far, I could only imagine what the next couple days will have in store.  The entire show is available for download: HERE.
Above: GharlyG(left) & Russ Liquid(right) join STS9 (source)
DAY FOUR – 12.30.31 w/Cherub
                Cherub was opener for the 4th night of shenanigans at the Tabernacle. Cherub is an electro-pop duo consisting of Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber hailing from Nashville, TN that has been making splashes since the release of their first album, Man of the Hour. Having seen the band once before at North Coast 2013 in Chicago, I was pretty excited to see them in a venue as spectacular as The Tabernacle, however, the excitement and expectations fell short. I was up in the 3rd row direct center of the stage on the 2nd balcony for their set, and boy did they sound bad. For the first half of their set their sound was extremely muddled and their voices just seemed off. Not to mention they took the stage 15 minutes late and played a short 30 minute or so set. They had energy on stage, but the control of their music seemed to be coming from somewhere else other than the stage, and although they were playing guitars and using a beat pad, it felt too choreographed to an extent. They played “Jazzercise ‘95” during their set which was really cool because most crowd knew the track and went crazy. Going into their last song I was surprised they hadn’t played “Doses and Mimosas” yet, and that they elected to end their set with the track. Kind of cliché to end your opening set with the only track that anyone really knows. Oh well, their music is awesome to listen to on the daily – so I can live with it. Maybe it was just being up on the 2nd balcony, which I do not recommend, but I would suggest checking Cherub out if they are opening for an act you like or are at a festival and have the opportunity to check them out – their music is entertaining.
Below: STS9 (source)
                After Cherub ended we made our way down onto the floor because we just weren’t too satisfied with being up on the middle balcony. After a short wait STS9 took the stage and started things off right with “The Rabble” that was transitioned into one of my personal favorites, “Kaya.” They continued on through “Somesing” > “Atlas” > “Satori” > “Tokyo” > “Hi-Key” > and “Mobsters” transitioned through “Surreality” into “EB” before inviting Cherub on stage to do an incredible cover of Eddie Murphy’s “Party all the Time.” What a perfect way to end out the first set, the whole place was going nuts and signing along to the party anthem. After a short set break they came back on and rocked the place with “Really What?” before pausing to invite Kenny from J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League on stage for the 2nd time in the run to play “Vapors” – another one of my favorites. They finished up the set with “Sheme Reprise” > “Today” > “Jebez” > “Inspire Strikes Back” and “20-12.” After their powerful set came to a close, they went off stage for a couple minutes only to come back on for an incredible encore consisting of “Nautilus” and “…And Some Are Angels.” The entire show is available for download: HERE.

DAY FIVE – 12.31.13 – New Years Eve w/Project Aspect
                I brought my cousin with to this show; she had never heard of STS9 prior to that and had only been to The Tabernacle once a couple years prior, despite living in the Atlanta area. We rocked out solid seats in the 4th row of the 3rd (highest) balcony. Jay Jaramillo, aka Project Aspect, set the stage for the night on New Years Eve at The Tabernacle. Beginning in 2008, Jay began project aspect with a new vision for exploring EDM – an emphasis on depth and layering of sounds to provide an unpredictable live performance. Playing 100% original music throughout the night, he displayed a vast array of skill throughout heavy bass music, ambient and melodic tones, and crunchy glitch style beats. This was definitely the most I had seen the crowd get into an opener throughout the 5-night run. Jay has also teamed up with a good friend of mine, Ronnie Weberg – aka Unlimited Gravity – for a side project called Unlimited Aspect. They are going on tour soon, I highly recommend checking that out if they stop through a city near you.
Below: STS9 @ Midnight on NYE (source)
                After seeing Project Aspect from up on the 3rd balcony, I was excited as hell for Sound Tribe to take the stage. Once Sound Tribe took command of the saddle, they got things rocking right away with “MOD” > “Beyond Right Now” > “When The Dust Settles” and “What is Love?.” They continued through a rendition of “Music US” that was worked into “Grow,” followed by “Rent” and then “Dance” was worked into “Luma Daylight” to finish out the first set.  They took a 30 or so minute set break and then came back on minutes before midnight. They rocked out the end of 2013 funky with “Monkey Music” before pausing for a countdown to midnight and bringing the new year in with their self-titled track, “STS9.” They then pounded out “Kamuy” and “Aimlessly” before playing what was technically the only repeat of the weekend, “Abcees” – however, this version was played with the new, reworked ending and the previous with the original ending. They finished out their set with “March” and “Breath In.” After going off stage for a couple minutes, they came back on for one of the best encores I have seen them perform. They worked “Four Year Puma” into “Circus” which made for a perfect ending to an incredible show. The entire show is available for download: HERE.

The End
After everything was all said and done I could not believe how blessed I was to be able to take part in something as incredible as this 5-night run by arguably one of the best touring acts right now. The Tabernacle is an awesome venue and it was great to have STS9 be my first experience there. It’s a venue that is easy to access with easy parking in the vicinity and has awesome sound throughout. It also helped that Sound Tribe was incredible throughout the weekend. Never missing a beat,  Murphy, Brown, Velmer, Phipp, and Lerner worked together and had an awesome time on stage fed by an insanely energetic crowd. That place was rocking each and every night.  I ran into a dedicated sound tribe fan, Jeff Ashachik, that was rocking out a pair of crutches after tearing his achilles tendon playing some good 'ol basketball. It was his 4th time seeing tribe and he traveled about 50 miles from Carrollton, Georgia to get to the show. He said his favorite part about the show - other than STS9 killing it - was how understanding and accommodating everyone was when they saw he was on crutches. Apparently they let him right up to the front. Not bad. Although he could only make it to the one night of STS9 he was excited to see them again and is hoping they're going to announce some festivals in the near future. I can only imagine how tired he was after the show. At the end of the 5-day run I was exhausted. My legs were sore, my feet hurt, and I just needed some sleep. But I cannot wait for the band to get on the road for their Winter 2014 tour, which is probably hitting a city near you… so, you shouldn’t miss them. If you do, well, there’s always festival season. A big thanks to STS9 and 1230 Records for having us out at the run and for continually doing what they do best, put on an awesome show.