The Best Friends on The Rising Tide tonight!

Hey all,

It's been an exhausting last couple of weeks, but nothing's going to slow down The Rising Tide! As you may have noticed from our sidebar, we've got a slew of wonderful performances to look forward to in the month of May! Interviews with Pangolin, The Ian Fays, The Beggar and The Coal, and more, so keep an eye out on the blog for more information about our upcoming guests.

Speaking of which, it's my pleasure to introduce you to this week's guests on The Rising Tide, a band by the name of The Best Friends.


A 5-piece consisting of UCSC students who all met in the Stevenson dorms in their freshmen year, The Best Friends bring together the best of roots rock, r&b and funk in a way that echoes artists such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and George Clinton. The group's cooperative ethic is best seen in a live setting, where the band members share the front stage by taking turns at the microphone. It is here that the group really thrives, whether it be powering through their own original material or laying down an authentic cover song or two, for The Best Friends are the closest thing Santa Cruz has to a legit party-all-night band.

The group is coming onto The Rising Tide tonight to talk about their upcoming shows (including their May 11th show at the Crepe Place with Good People and The Jolly Llamas), possible future recordings, and whatever else 2011 has in store for the group.

This and more on The Rising Tide tonight at 7pm sharp! Listen live at 88.1fm or http://www.kzsc.org/

Magic Trick (Tim Cohen), Corpus Callosum, Man Go and more on tonight's Rising Tide!

Hey all,

Things are changing on The Rising Tide, that's for sure. Starting next week, we'll be on air from 7pm to 8:30 on friday nights.

Although we'll be programming for a half hour less than we have been, you can be assured that we will be doing our best to promote up and coming local independant artists in the time that has been given to us. That being said, I must be frank in stating that there are a few very specific reasons for the timeslot change.

In short, due to the actions taken by some previous guests on the show we are now standing on very thin ice as a program. I don't want to labor too much on this right now, as I'd rather talk about the program we are putting on tonight, but I feel like it's something I will address in full very soon.

That being said, let's talk about our guests this evening on The Rising Tide. First off, we'll be hearing from Magic Trick, a group fronted by Tim Cohen of The Fresh & Only's.



A prolific singer-songwriter hailing from San Francisco, Tim Cohen's Magic Trick is the genesis of his most recent solo output. Though not drastically stylistically different from The Fresh and Only's nor any of the other groups that litter the psychedelic garage rock scene from the city, such as Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees and The Mantles, Magic Trick's sound demonstrates the fullest extent of an artist's pursuit to fully commit himself to generate quality songs as often as humanly possible.

Tune into the program tonight to hear a portion of the interview we recorded with Tim Cohen and the rest of Magic Trick at the Crepe Place this past monday, when they opened for Six Organs of Admittance in stellar fashion.

Also on the program: Corpus Callosum from San Jose and local folk-pop musicians, Man Go.

Tune in tonight at 8:30pm at 88.1fm or online at http://www.kzsc.org/!

The She's and Hod on The Rising Tide this friday night!

Hey all,

Just wanted to let you know that you can follow us on Twitter right here. I'm not promising a whole lot, but if you do follow us, chances are you'll be the first to hear announcements about our upcoming interviews, the first to see photos of recent performances we've put up on our Picasa page, and the first to hear about all upcoming news and things concerning your favorite local music radio show!

That being said, let me introduce you to our first of two guests for tomorrow night's program, The SHE'S.


Hailing from San Francisco, The SHE'S are proof positive that making great music has no arbitrary age requirement. Much has been made of the group members' relative youth (they're in high school), but one need not delve too far into their music to find out that the band's ability to craft melodies with quality pop sensibilities reaches far beyond what one would expect for a group of musicians their age. Their sound can be described as indebted to the likes of the Shangri-Las, Herman's Hermits and the Beach Boys as far as structure goes, but The SHE'S bring that 50s-60s surf pop style of music into the modern era, having caught the attention of groups like AB & The Sea, Best Coast and Christopher Owens of Girls (who subsequently put the group on the map by having them open their Fillmore show last October).

The SHE'S will be stopping by our studio this friday night to talk about their ascension into bay area indie stardom, the pressures of being in a touted band at their age, and to perform a special acoustic set highlighting some of the songs from their self-titled (I think) EP.

After that, we'll be treated to a very special visit to the station by Hod Hulphers, better known to the people of Santa Cruz as ...And Hod.


A solo artist in his own right, Hod has been active in the music community of Santa Cruz for many years, as you can often spot him playing at the Crepe Place where his take on folk and music has found a home. That being said, the reason for Hod's appearance on the show this week is that he's in the midst of promoting a very special event taking place this weekend.

On Saturday night, Hod and a whole host of other musicians (including Little Wings, Sugar Shack (featuring Keith Thompson from The Groggs) and the Snow Buddies) will be performing at the Crepe Place to help fund raise for the Santa Cruz’s Bachelor Buddies Production Company's upcoming production of the film Johnny and the Golden Bouzouki. A parody of 70s action/adventure films, Johnny is Hod's most recent foray into the art of musicals. Hod will also be bringing the film's star (Johnny Diamonds) up to the station tomorrow night with him to talk about the film, his own experiences in music, and what the future holds for Hod.

These and more when you tune into The Rising Tide tomorrow night at 8:30pm! www.kzsc.org or 88.1fm.

Victims Family, Dan Potthast and Bam! Bam! on The Rising Tide tonight

Hey there,

With the new quarter fast approaching, expect to hear from some fresh new faces as our Rising Tide family grows to include even more DJs.

That being said, we've got a wonderful trio of guests for tonight's program. It's going to be one of the most musically diverse shows we've ever had!

We'll first welcome into our studio a band from Oakland by the name of Bam! Bam!


This Oakland based two-piece have been kicking around thrashy, lo-fi garage pop jams for the better part of the last year. Though the group has yet to officially release any of their recordings, they have been steadily building a fan-base, taking their no-frills sound with them up and down the coast of California and taking no prisoners along the way. Fans of Black Tambourine, Beat Happening and fellow s.f. lo-fi artist Grass Widow ought to take note of this band, for once they get around to putting out non-demo recordings into the world, their star is bound to take off.

Tune in at 8:30 to catch the ladies of Bam! Bam! as they come to our studio to perform some songs live in the studio and talk about what the future holds for the band.

Then we'll welcome Dan Potthast to our studio.


Once hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, this ska-punk legend has firmly planted himself in Santa Cruz. As a founding member of MU330, as well as the leader of Dan P. and the Bricks (among other projects), Dan has been making music for over twenty years. He's opened for acts like Streetlight Manifesto, continues to make music that appeals to fans of Buck-O-Nine, and is active to this day.

Dan P. will be joining us live in the studio tonight to talk about making music in his adopted home town and the upcoming show with his band The Stitch Up this Saturday night, March 26th at the Crepe Place, where they will be performing alongside The New Trust and The Smoking Popes.

Last but not least, we have for you a very special interview that was taped last night with Victims Family.


This legendary Santa Rosa punk band is world-reknown for their unique fusion of hardcore punk, jazz and experimental noise. As a Nor Cal institution that has existed for over 25 years, Victims Family have performed with the likes of The Dead Kennedys, Nirvana, Green Day, Faith No More, and hundreds of other incredible bands. Though the group has sporadically broken up over the years, they've come back together in 2010 to perform and re-release their first three records on vinyl, starting with 1990's White Bread Blues.

I chatted up the group's guitarist, Ralph Spight, last night via Skype on a breadth of subjects, and if you tune in to the show tonight, you can hear our conversation in full. One of the things we did talk about is Victims Family's show this Saturday night, March 26th at the Catalyst with Catacomb Creeps and (Rising Tide alum) Noise Clinic, which is bound to be a hellraiser of a concert.

These and more when you tune into the show tonight starting at 8:30pm! Listen live at www.kzsc.org or tune in to 88.1 fm.

Blackbird Raum and Rachel Bockover on The Rising Tide tonight

I'm excited for tonight's show, folks.

As one of the most infamous bands from Santa Cruz, Blackbird Raum have a reputation as folk-punk pioneers that preceeds them.


The group, which started back in 2003, have gained a following that far outstrips that of hundreds of better coiffed, more polished, traditionally popular acts. They've done so by refusing to compromise their sound or their wills. The group frequently takes their music to the streets of downtown Santa Cruz, where the size of the crowds they tend to attract has become the stuff of legend. Fans of Andrew Jackson Jihad and Defiance, Ohio will relish the band's retroacoustic sound. One that is driven by a fiery punk passion that may surprise those who are used to hearing banjos and violins associated with milquetoast performance art.

The group will be coming onto The Rising Tide tonight to talk about their ascent into being one of Santa Cruz's most popular acts, their upcoming performance at the 418 Project with O'Death, Helado Negro and Rising Tide alums Tether Horse on Friday, March 25th, and maybe tell us what the future holds for Blackbird Raum.

Our other musical guest for the evening will be Healdsburg's own Rachel Bockover.


A singer-songwriter whose output is all the more impressive given the multiple roles she fills as the writer, producer and performer of all instruments on her recordings. Steeped in the quasi-gothic folk of heroines Tori Amos and Elizabeth Frasier (of the Cocteau Twins), Rachel's music brings together her years of musical experience, empowering her soulful balladry with a perspective that is all her own.

Rachel is currently in the midst of recording her debut record, Tightrope Walk, and will appear on The Rising Tide tonight to talk about the process of getting her debut album together, and what it's like to be a young up and coming artist in her position.

Tune in to this and more on The Rising Tide tonight at 8;30pm. 88.1fm or http://www.kzsc.org/!

- DJ PassiveTheory

Honeymoon & Birdhouse on The Rising Tide tonight

Hey all,

I know that we we're advertising a pre-recorded interview with Yann Tiersen for this week, but due to a screw-up that was entirely my fault, we weren't able to get the interview done. My apologies.

That being said, we're going to be hosting two class act local bands on the show this evening! The first of which is Honeymoon.


Recalling the likes of Dawn Landes, Alela Diane and Feist, this bay area quartet's multi-harmony take on indie-folk has caught on like wildifre ever since the band began performing together last year. The group's profile has seen itself rise as they have opened for the likes of David Gray, Jackie Green and Ray LaMontagne among others. The group released 2010's After The Flood EP to a rapturous welcoming at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, and have more to come in 2011.

Tune in tonight to hear Honeymoon talk about their meteoric rise in the folk music world, what it feels like to pal around with Phil Lesh, preview some brand new unreleased music and talk about their upcoming tour with the Truth & Salvage Co. which will be kicked off with a performance at the Fernwood Lodge in Big Sur on saturday night.

Also on the show this evening, Birdhouse.


Birdhouse make no bones about their sound: They are devoted acolytes of the Grateful Dead. In fact, the group began as a Dead tribute band back in 2009. However, along the way, the group began writing their own songs and building a grassroots fan base that has followed them loyally as they've gone on to perform at various venues around the city of Santa Cruz, most recently a star-making performance out at the Brookdale Lodge.

Tune in tonight to hear from Birdhouse as they perform a special acoustic set in our studio, answer our questions about what 2011 holds, and tell us about their upcoming performance opening up for Ploughman in the Catalyst Atrium on saturday night.

These and more if you tune in to The Rising Tide tonight at 8:30pm on KZSC Santa Cruz. 88.1fm or listen online at www.kzsc.org!

The Growlers, Mylo Jenkins, Tater Famine & More Tonight!

Hey all,

March is here! And as a special treat for all of you, we've lined up an incredible series of guests and live performances that reach across the genre spectrum! Check out our list of upcoming performers for more details, but let's get back to what's happening on tonight's show!

Our first interview comes courtesy of a group that sold out The Crepe Place last weekend, The Growlers.


This multifaceted psychedelic surf rock act rocketed out of Costa Mesa, California in 2006, and haven't looked back since. The band's music shares the same musical shelf space as garage rock luminaries like Ty Segall, JEFF The Brotherhood and The Fresh & Only's but also recall the psychedelic strain of The Entrance Band and The Mantles.

Propelled by the success of 2010's Hot Tropics, The Growlers have been tearing it up all over the country and even around the world. Performances at the FYF Fest in LA (which we covered back in September) and this year's Noise Pop festival in SF indicate that the group is on the rise.

Tune in on Friday night to hear our interview with the group, what it's like to be an up and coming indie rock act, and what expectations they have of themselves for 2011 and beyond.

After that, we'll be playing host to one of Santa Cruz's most promising acts, Tater Famine.

A folk-punk trio from right here in Santa Cruz, Tater Famine have emerged as one of the perennial folk punk bands of our local scene, joining the ranks of similarly thrashy folk such as Blackbird Raum and Matador. The group has steadily climbed the ranks of the music scene in town, having played all over the city, and are quickly becoming a fixture in the city of Santa Cruz.

Not content to perform only within the confines of our town, Tater Famine have taken their act on the road to promote 2009's An Untimely Fashion, and have performed all over the coast and even in Europe.

The Tater Famine boys will be bringing their eclectic sound to our studio up in the forest tonight around 8:30 to play a few songs, talk about their upcoming show at The Crepe Place on March 17th, and tell us a few stories about being a band out on the road.

After that, make sure to stay tuned for our third guest of the night, Mylo Jenkins.

Mylo Jenkins is a seven-piece folk and americana act from Santa Cruz. Lead by Dan Kocher and featuring a roster of Santa Cruz musicians (some of whom perform in the local folk group Tether Horse), they band was on hiatus for a few years, but recently came to play a series of shows at The Crepe Place.

We'll be welcoming a number of the Mylo Jenkins crew to talk about their upcoming show supporting Jared Mees and the Grown Children at the Crepe Place this sunday, as well as what 2011 holds for the group.

These and more when you tune into The Rising Tide tonight at 8:30pm! Listen in at 88.1fm or http://www.kzsc.org/

Good People on The Rising Tide

Hey all,

The weather's been strange and my life has been stranger, so let's just get down to business and let me tell you about a little band that I know called Good People.

This rag-tag group of Santa Cruz musicians has been kicking it together since late 2009. Though individually schooled in different forms of music, the group music takes on indie rock, afro beat, math rock and dance rock with equal parts fervor and ambition. The group draws on influence as far flung as Fela Kuti, Discovery, Ryland Bouchard and Tera Melos.

The fivesome have pulled off a couple of coups in Santa Cruz, opening up for local folk punk heavyweights Blackbird Raum and also sharing a Crepe Place bill with the likes of Hermit Convention and Magic Bullets, but the band has stayed largely inactive since the summer, only venturing forth for a couple of shows. The reason for this is that the group has been hard at work completing their debut full-length (which has ten official titles, reflecting the band's quirky nature, but for simplicity's sake we'll call it Good People) which is bound to come out soon.

Good People will be coming into the studio this friday night to talk about their band, what it's like to balance the pressures of being students at UCSC while also trying to make a band work, and what 2011 holds for the group.

This and more on tomorrow night's Rising Tide! Tune in around 8:30pm at 88.1fm or listen online at www.kzsc.org!

- DJ PassiveTheory

Birdhand, Jeremy Lyon and more on tonight's Rising Tide

Hey all,

Hopefully many of you will profit from this extended holiday weekend and venture out into the cold, rainy winter weather that's finally set itself down on Santa Cruz to see some shows in the area. We at the Rising Tide will be giving you all the help you need to find out about great shows in and around Santa Cruz by virtue of the Concert Calendar we now have displayed on the sidebar of the blog! Until we get it updated with actual shows, though, make sure to check out Keith Thompson's blog for day-of show information for everything happening in Santa Cruz!

That being said, tonight's show is going to feature two very special local guests that are sure to delight those of you who tune in tonight:

Jeremy Lyon is an emerging singer-songwriter originally from San Francisco who moved to Santa Cruz to attend UC Santa Cruz.

Jeremy's songwriting prowess reveals the influence from classic rock staples like Tom Petty and Elvis Costello, though he takes the foundation laid down by such legends and brings it up to date (and funks it up) resulting in a modern rock sound that places his sound closer to artists such as My Morning Jacket and Kings of Leon.

His most recent work, January's Take It Back EP, clearly shows an artist who is growing both musically and thematically without losing one ounce of the ambition that makes him an artist to watch for in the near future.

Jeremy, a KZSC DJ in his own right who programs the show Devil's Music every Sunday night at 7:30pm with DJ Bobo Z, will be heading up to our tree cabin in the woods tonight to talk about his recent releases and his upcoming solo acoustic performance at the Santa Cruz Roasting Company this Saturday night where he'll be performing with Thema Tillman.

After that, we'll be joined by one of Santa Cruz's most promising new bands, BIRDHAND.


Formerly known as Brown Irish, BIRDHAND consists entirely of Santa Cruz musicians who have found success in other local bands, and the pooled experience is evident in the way that the band has played things cool and calm, opening for bands like Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band and even the legendary Bad Brains like it's no big thing.

As a live band, BIRDHAND draws on the blunt force derived from one of their chief influences, Queens of the Stone Age, but as music from their forthcoming-yet-untitled EP leaks out, the band is evidently taking a more adventurous, nuanced path with their music. One that while seemingly just consisting of balls-out rock n' roll, has more to offer than meets the eye.

BIRDHAND will be joining us on Friday night to talk about their forthcoming EP and what 2011 holds for the group.

These and more on The Rising Tide, tonight starting at 8:30pm! Tune in to 88.1fm or www.kzsc.org!

PB&J RIDE STRIKES BACK: Tour De Franzia. A hit? I think yes.

The PB&J ride is an unbelievable mass bike ride that happens about once a month in Santa Cruz. Though the people who started PB&J (Party, Bike & Jam), were not the first to think up these massive group bike rides around the city, they are keeping the flame alive and feeding what is seemingly becoming a quirky tradition of Santa Cruz.

The energy of Friday night's event was almost too much to handle. It all began in front of the Clock Tower downtown, where what seemed like several hundred of Santa Cruz's youth gathered together eagerly waiting to accomplish their goal of partying, biking, and jamming. And that's exactly what they did. When the leaders of PB&J said when, the group took off, stopping traffic and gaining the attention of onlookers all over. After a victory lap around downtown, the group rode for about an hour before arriving at the first stop to hear some awesome jams. The bands at the first house were, James Rabbit and 2001. The energy in the first house was out of control as people danced on couches and hit into overhead chandeliers. It wasn't until the second location, however that the PB&J ride really seemed to make some musical history.

The second stop is where the epic Santa Cruz band, Of Melting Moons played. When the mob of bikers descended upon the little yellow moon house, home to the local groove kings, Of Melting Moons was ready to serenade the audience, face paint and all. The fellas' moon juice, which they have been crafting in their laboratory for the last year and half, was certainly flowing. People were so infatuated with the music that they piled onto the roof, banisters and anywhere else they could fit their bodies to enjoy the band's zany energy. The house was aching due to the sounds of the 5-piece jazz-rock mother funkers, who riffed on their all-original set, rocking and jamming into the night. They played fan favorites, including "Electric Elepants," "Shadow Gliders," and "Bubble Dancers / In This Castle."

Though the bands Grizzel Toe and Nessie & Her Beard were expected to play that night as well, their time slots were unfortunately reduced to nothing when police interference ended the music and the riding.

Over all, the night was a great success and I am personally grateful that I got to experience yet another PB&J ride. Keep your eyes and ears open for the next one!

- DJ Mands

The Mystery Lights, Blackbird Blackbird, Old Arc and more on The Rising Tide!

Hey everybody,

As you may have noticed, we now have a widget displaying 5 songs from previously recorded episodes of The Rising Tide. As the year progresses, we'll be swapping in and out tunes from recent and past episodes to enrich your blog-viewing experience and, hopefully, entice you even more to listen in to the show live this friday night!

Speaking of friday night, allow me to introduce the first of friday night's guests: Blackbird Blackbird and Old Arc.

Blackbird Blackbird

Blackbird Blackbird is the monicker of Mikey S., a San Francisco-based electronic artist whose work has attracted the attention of the press (The Bay Bridged, The Hype Machine and The Fader, among others) in recent months. Though firmly in the hypnotic and hazey world of chillwave at surface level, Blackbird Blackbird forgoes the vocally-focused approach of the genre for a more glitch-and-dreampop sound that fits nicely between Gold Panda and Baths. Remixes and covers of the likes of Beach House and Modest Mouse demonstrate that Blackbird Blackbird is an artist who refuses to rest on his laurels and not challenge himself.

Tune in on friday night to hear Blackbird Blackbird talk about the upcoming CD release of his debut record, Summer Heart, his forthcoming performance at the SF Weekly's All Shook Down event, and what ever else he has in store for us this year!

Blackbird Blackbird will be joined on air by the local group who will be backing him up at the SF Weekly event mentioned above, Old Arc.

Old Arc

This local two-piece has been burning up lately, amping up their psychedelic synth pop sound with a live show that's equal parts MGMT-inspired tribalism and utter youthful exuberance. Similarly ambitious in scope as Blackbird Blackbird, Old Arc have remixed the likes of Toro Y Moi and Local Natives, and their collection of demo recordings, EPs and remixes have been on rotation on The Rising Tide for the last few weeks.

Old Arc will come into the studio on friday to talk about their live collaboration with Blackbird Blackbird, their forthcoming recordings, and what they have planned for the year as well.

And to wrap things up, we'll be joined live in the studio by our third guests that evening: The Mystery Lights.

The Mystery Lights

Hailing from Salinas, CA, The Mystery Lights relentless garage rock assault has terrorized this part of the state for several years. Sounding like something of a fever dream straight out of a 60s psych festival, The Mystery Lights are poised to deliver the goods in 2011, including the follow up to 2009's Teenage Catgirls and The Mystery Lightshow. The band has been laying low for the past few months, but they are returning to help support the one-night-only reunion of The Spurts at the Crepe Place on Thursday, February 3rd (also playing are Sugar Shack).

Tune in Friday to hear from The Mystery Lights and more!

- DJ PassiveTheory

Gay Genius and The Art Museums on The Rising Tide!

Hey all,

First off, a quick reminder that a number of photos taken of our last two Rising Tide radio programs, including January 7th's show with The Album Leaf, Carry Yrself Home and The Sacred Orchard and last week's program featuring Man/Miracle and Worker Bee are currently available online right here on our Rising Tide photo account! And for earlier photos of performances from last year, check out photographer Brian Baumgartner's photo page dedicated to the photos he took of performances from last year's shows right here.

With that being said, let's dig into the bands who'll be coming up to our treehouse up in the woods this friday night...

The first of these bands is Gay Genius.

Gay Genius

This local two-piece group is comprised of Nessie from Nessie and Her Beard and Tyler from James Rabbit, both of whom are Rising Tide alum in their own right. The duo banded together as a result of a rapturous performance piece at one of SCUM's Panbandamonium events that took place last year and got together to write last year's release, Perfect Dark. The two trade harmonies and lead vocal duties over synth pop beats that recall Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Soft Cell, among others.

Gay Genius will be coming on to the show on friday night to talk about their collaborations, their forthcoming live performances (including a show this Saturday night, the 22nd) and what the future holds for Gay Genius!

Later on in the evening, The Rising Tide will host SF's own The Art Museums as guests.

The Art Museums

The duo of Josh Alper and Glenn Donaldson have played in a number of folk and americana oriented acts both in Santa Cruz and in the bay area. However, joining forces as the Art Museums has taken their music in a decidedly different direction. As last year's Woodsist-issued Rough Frame EP can attest to, the band plunders the sounds of lo-fi indie pop music from the genre's forebears, echoing The Pastels and Guided By Voices, among others.

The group will be performing alongside The Sandwiches, The Soft Bombs and local artist Rachel Fannan (formerly of Sleepy Sun) at Slim's in San Francisco next tuesday, January 25th. But before that, the Art Museums will come on the radio to talk about the show, let us know about their upcoming work, and regale us with stories of being a band to watch for in the big city!

Tune in for these and more on The Rising Tide on KZSC! Tune in to 88.1fm if you're in the Santa Cruz, Monterrey Bay or San Benito counties, or online at www.kzsc.org starting at 8:30pm!

- DJ PassiveTheory

Worker Bee and Man/Miracle this friday night!

Hey all,

Hopefully some of you managed to catch either (or both) of the Album Leaf shows that recently went down at the Crepe Place, but they were excellent in my estimation. You can check out the photos from Jimmy LaValle's appearance on The Rising Tide (as well as photos of Keith P from Carry Yrself Home and The Sacred Orchard) by clicking here.

But now it's onto the pressing business set before me today, telling you all about our wonderful guests that will be appearing on The Rising Tide this friday night!

First, we'll be having the band by the name of Worker Bee come into KZSC for a chat.

Worker Bee

Hailing from just over the hill in San Jose, Worker Bee have steadily built a dedicated following over the last 4 years. The band's unique take on post-rock, noise and americana has culminated in releases such as 2009's excellent record, Tangler. Worker Bee's music would find itself comfortably placed in anyone's record collection between Tortoise and Nick Cave, among others.

The band will be coming into our studio this friday night to talk about their upcoming show at Cafe du Nord on January 20th and maybe spill the beans concerning their follow-up record to Tangler due out sometime this year.

Next up, we'll be treated to a visit and live performance from Man/Miracle.

Man/Miracle

Though they now call Oakland home, this indie-pop four piece used to call Santa Cruz home and met while going to school at UC Santa Cruz. Drawing on a sound that echoes artists as far-flung and disparate as King Sunny Ade, Wild Beasts, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Man/Miracle's debut LP that came out last year, The Shape of Things, shows signs of a band that has taken their musical prowess to the next level.

The Man/Miracle boys will be coming into the studio to talk about their forthcoming musical ventures, their experiences on the road touring with artists like Rogue Wave, perform a few songs live in the studio, and talk about their forthcoming show at Metavinyl Records this Saturday night with former Rising Tide guests Hermit Convention and Grizzel Toe (as well as New York's own Dinosaur Feathers).

Tune in for these and more this Friday night on The Rising Tide!

First Show of the New Year! THREE GUESTS!

First things first... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010 was quite the year, and I'm going to look back on it someday with a degree of fondness in my heart, especially as far as this radio show is concerned. That being said, we're moving on and have a number of surprises in store for all of you! The first of which being the new blog redesign that coincides with our brand new Rising Tide logo/decal designed by none other than the otherworldly-talented Stacie Willoughby (check out the rest of her art!).

That being said, we're not even waiting until the actual start of Winter Quarter to whip out the BIG GUNS.

Yes, there is a Blazing Saddles reference there, somewhere...

This friday night, January 7th, The Rising Tide will play host to three amazing guests. The first of which is a band hailing from Santa Cruz called The Sacred Orchard.

The Sacred Orchard

This local folk quintet cites freak-folk luminaries like Akron/Family and Bon Iver as influences and has been gaining a quietly growing audience over the past year in the city. They'll be performing at the SubRosa Infoshop and Cafe's Benefit Show this Saturday night, but first they'll stop by the studio to play some songs and talk about their experiences of being in a young and promising local band.

After that, we'll be joined in the studio by Keith Petrocelli of Carry Yrself Home.

This will be Keith's second time coming on the show, and as expected of one of Santa Cruz's busiest music personalities, he has a whole host of shows to come on the air to talk about. Not only that, but we'll also be talking to Keith about his involvement with booking The Rio Theatre in 2011, and what future projects he has in store for the city of Santa Cruz.

But Keith won't be alone when he comes on air this friday night, for joining him on air to talk about the two nearly-sold-out-already shows taking place next week, is The Album Leaf.

Jimmy LaValle of The Album Leaf

The Album Leaf's take on folk and indie rock is as diverse in it's instrumentation as it is profound and appealing in it's quality. Never afraid to incorporate live electronics and loops into his music, The Album Leaf fall along a similar line of modern musicians such as múm and Eluvium, while the San Diego-born Jimmy LaValle has made Santa Cruz his home in the last few years. A pair of upcoming hot-ticket shows at the Crepe Place (see the link above) attests to his ever-constant popularity and prowess.

I'm fucking stoked to welcome The Album Leaf into our studio at KZSC this Friday night and ask about his forthcoming projects, his experiences as a globetrotting musician, and to talk about what makes these two shows at the Crepe so special and so explicitly local.

These and much more when you tune into KZSC Santa Cruz this Friday night at 8:30 pm for the FIRST Rising Tide of the new year!

- DJ PassiveTheory

Seasons Greetings, NYE Show and more!

Hey all,

As I type this, I'm sitting comfortably at home in San Diego enjoying my two or three weeks off from school while being sick as a goddamn tuberculosis sinus infection-ridden mule. Don't ask me how that makes any sense at all, just roll with it.

Anyway, there won't be a typical Rising Tide programme for the next two weeks; the collective's shoes will be filled in by various KZSC DJs programming whatever the hell they want to. This is rather unfortunate, but given the amount of work we have put into the show this past quarter, I'd say that it's only fair to give us a break to spend with our families.

Pictured: Christmas Morning at DJ PassiveTheory's household

That being said, it's my pleasure to let you know that The Rising Tide will be programming on New Years' Eve, and it will be a jam-packed special edition that will be THREE HOURS LONG. That's right! From 7pm until 10pm on New Years Eve, you can tune in to KZSC (88.1fm or www.kzsc.org) to hear a very special edition of The Rising Tide. Will DJ PassiveTheory re-broadcast some of his favorite interviews over the past year? Will there be a super-special guest coming to the station to perform live in the studio? Who knows! (Wrong, I know... Maybe.) You'll just have to tune in to find out!

Also, stay tuned because there will be a blog post in a few days detailing the very first ever Rising Tideys! The Tideys are a series of awards with no actual trophies that I will bestow on some local artists, records, venues and what-not that will only be displayed on this website! This means that they have little-to-no validation outside of this blog! (i.e. Don't read too much into my choices, goddamnit)

Stay tuned for these and much more on The Rising Tide!

- DJ PassiveTheory

P.S. Have a happy holiday, folks!

Recent Photos and Thanks

Hey all,

I've been meaning to post up these photos that our friend, Brian Baumgartner, took of Grizzel Toe and the guys of FolkYeah! a few weeks ago. Enjoy!

Grizzel Toe:


FolkYeah!:


You can check out all of Brian's photography on the show here. If you do, make sure to check out the rest of Brian's photos. He's been taking photos for us since this summer and is about to embark on a voyage which will take him to Australia, so unfortunately we won't have his handy lens and eye for lighting handy for a few months and we're gonna miss him.

That being said, if you or anyone you know would be interested in taking photography of artists performing inside the studio for The Rising Tide, please email us at therisingtideonkzsc@gmail.com and let us know! We even want people to come film performances (because that would be some rad shit).

Peace,
- DJ PassiveTheory

A Friday of G's: The Groggs and Getaway Girl live on The Rising Tide!

Hey all,

It's just about the end of the scholastic quarter at UCSC, and as the leaves turn to brown and eventually hit the ground, most of our collective members are hard at work catching up on the academic travail that they happened to neglect up to this point. Oh well, everybody loves a procrastinator!

That being said, we here at the Rising Tide, as always, are working to provide you the best in local music programming, as well as the focal point of spotlighting a different independent artist live in the studio each and every week. This week we have two such artists.

First off, let me introduce you to The Groggs.


This local garage rock three-piece is slowly becoming an institution in the city of Santa Cruz. If you want to listen to a band whose music feels like a five o'clock shadow repeatedly punching you in the face until you keel ovel, and then makes out with your girl while standing over you... Then this is your band. Echoing recent garage rock revivalists like The Black Lips and Mark Sultan, The Groggs are a band that have made a name for themselves amid a scene as vast and colorful as Santa Cruz's by playing loud and playing fast. They'll join us on The Rising Tide tonight to talk about their recently released EP 3D, to talk about their upcoming shows this month, and play some previously unheard new songs!

Our second guest tonight is a local artist by the name of Getaway Girl.


As Getaway Girl, local singer-songwriter Courtney Jones displays her virtuosity with the piano, crafting gorgeous and captivating songs in the vein of fellow piano-based singer-songwriters like Regina Spektor. Getaway Girl imbues a familiar style of music with a fresh new perspective, using her experiences in the world to break away from the pack and set herself apart from everyone else. Tune in Friday night at 8:30 to hear Getaway Girl perform songs from her new EP, Say It Through The Flowers, and to hear about her upcoming performance next Friday night at the Asana Tea House in downtown Santa Cruz.

These and more if you tune in to 88.1fm or go online to www.kzsc.org tonight around 8:30 and listen to The Rising Tide on KZSC Santa Cruz!

The Rising Tide 11/19/10: sea birds + more!

Hey all,

This has been an insanely busy week, but we here at the Rising Tide are working to provide you the best in local music programming, as well as the focal point of spotlighting a different independent artist live in the studio each and every week.

For tonight's Artist Spotlight, we'll be hosting SLO's very own Morgan Enos, a solo artist who performs under the monicker sea birds.


Morgan's take on slow-burning electric folk music exemplifies his talents as a promising singer-songwriter, one whose songs have a depth to them that is impossible to write off as deliberately minimalist or simplistic. We're very fortunate to have sea birds grace our studio, and you should tune in this Friday night to hear from the SLO native, as well as hear him play a couple of tune on-air.

Also, there will be plenty more in store on tonight's episode of The Rising Tide! 8:30 to 1030pm tonight on KZSC, 88.1fm or www.kzsc.org!

TRT 11/5/10 - Toes n' Folk

Hey all,

Sorry for keeping quiet this week. We've been working up to the last minute in trying to put together an awesome show to kick-start the month of November, and I think we've assembled an impressive lineup for tonight!

First off, we'll be hearing from Britt Govea, the man behind FolkYeah! productions. Britt has, in recent years, established his organization as a linchpin in Nor Cal's indie rock, psychedelic rock and (naturally) folk circles.


He's brought the likes of Animal Collective, The Arcade Fire, Beach House, Conor Oberst, The XX, Dirty Projectors and Cat Power to our neck of the woods, and has also featured local artists such as Mountain Animal Hospital and Sleepy Sun. His booking of the Brookdale Lodge has made it a local music hotspot.

Tune in to hear Britt talk about FolkYeah, it's recent run of successful shows in and around the Santa Cruz area, and perhaps some interesting news concerning the Dean Wareheim (Galaxie 500) show at Don Quixote's next Friday night...


Not only that, but The Rising Tide will play host this week to Santa Cruz's very own Grizzel Toe. Born from the ashes of one of SC's most exciting bands, Grizzel Toe re-emerged this summer and garnered enough attention to open for Wavves at the Crepe Place without having any songs made public! (or... at least none on myspace).

Believe the hype.

These Sonic Youth disciples will be coming in to the studio tonight at 8:30 to talk about their new project, where they think their music will take them, and when (if?) we might be able to get any of their recorded material.

Tune in tonight at 8:30 for these and much more on The Rising Tide! You can tune in at 88.1fm if you're in the Central Coast or www.kzsc.org if you're outside of that range.

- DJ PassiveTheory

Pledge Drive Happenings This Friday Night!!!

Hey all,

As you may or may not know, this week is KZSC's fall pledge drive. This is the one time of the year where the little radio station in the forest asks folks like you to give what you can to our radio station and, in return, we'll send you guys some cool gifts ranging from KZSC t-shirts to CDs of your favorite artists and even some tickets to shows in and around the Santa Cruz area.

Also, we at the Rising Tide have been busy at work preparing a show befitting such an important event for this Friday night.

Behold, the fruits of our labor!

Fucking delicious.

First off, we managed to get an interview with one of the most promising Bay Area bands of the year, The Morning Benders, whose newest release Big Echo has earned the praise of critics both near and far.

Four-square.

DJ Rigmarole caught lead singer Chris Chu before the Morning Benders took the stage at the Rio Theatre last Friday night, and you'll be able to listen to hear what the indie rock frontman had to say about life, music, and whatever else was on his mind this Friday night at 8:30pm.

Also, last but certainly not least, this week's live local music spotlight will shine brightly on Santa Cruz's very own San Narciso.

Fine, upstanding citizens or criminal masterminds? YOU DECIDE.

The post-punk trio is in the midst of gearing up for the long-anticipated release of their debut EP, Friend Prices, which you can check out here at their BandCamp. The aforementioned release will take place this upcoming Sunday, October 24th at the Crepe Place where the bay area's own French Miami and XOXO will join San Narciso for some good jams with good people. But before then, San Narciso will come into KZSC's on-air studio to talk about Friend Prices and why you should be as excited as I am for it.

Tune in this Friday night for these and more on The Rising Tide. Tune in at 8:30pm and remember to pledge!