It's time to visit the Hospital. One that's in the Mountains and serves Animals.

Hey all,

This week's guests on The Rising Tide are MOUNTAIN ANIMAL HOSPITAL (space) an experimental rock quartet that is every bit as ethereal and textured as they are loud.

Let's go rock the woods.

A fixture of the Santa Cruz local indie rock scene for the last few years, they released their full length debut, Startled By Deer, in 2008 on Lovers in Heat records and have performed at the Crepe Place, the Brookdale Lodge, the Blue Lagoon and the Resource Center for Non-Violence among other venues here in Santa Cruz. They have also taken their act on the road and have played with the likes of Sleepy Sun, Silian Rail, Judgment Day and Loch Lomond.

Stunning.

But what about this band makes them so unique, especially in a city like Santa Cruz where bands tend to be constricted by the limitations of their genre-oriented scenes? You'll have to tune in this Friday to find out as not only will I be playing some choice songs off of Started By Deer, but I will be conducting an in-depth interview with the group and previewing some of the material from their newest full length which is to be released later this year. Also the band will be demonstrating their flexibility by performing a number an acoustic arrangement of some of their songs live on the radio! Tune in this friday night at 8:30pm to hear this and more of the new indie rock music you've all come to know and love!!!

ALSO///////////////////////IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT:

Grand Lake // James Rabbit // Acid Tapestries // The Best Friends LIVE at The Merrill Cultural Center on Friday February 26th!

WOOOOOOO.

- Lee Bizzle

AMAZING WEEEEEKEEEENNNDDDDDD

Hey ya'll, I just wanted to give you the rundown of the weekend ahead with the LOCAL SHOW LOW DOWNN 0))) part TWOOOOO!!!

Raise your skinny fists and pay tribute to the gods of local, quaint, Santa Cruz ROCK.

First off... Get down with your baddddddddddd self at 215 Storey where the following benefit show/spectacle will take place:

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12th - 7pm SHARP
:::Live @ 215 Storey::: SC Free Skool benefit, so bring $$$!!
JAMES RABBIT (sc) - All-around goodfellas, future guests of the show!
PANGEA (oak) - Surf rockkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
INTERGALACTIC SMUGGLERS (sc) - One of the best folk-punk bands around... They should come on this show... Hmmm
JUNK BONES (seattle/sc) - Sweet, sweet folk-punk tunes

Secondly... Not to toot my own horn, but there's a pretty wicked awesome show goin' on Saturday night at the Resource Center for Non Violence starring some pretty sweet bands:

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 13th - 7pm SHARP
:::Live @ the Resource Center for Non Violence::: freeeeeeeee (515 Broadway)
MOUNTAIN ANIMAL HOSPITAL (sc) - Best psych-rock-folk-rock-awesome band in the world
ACID TAPESTRIES (sc) - Just a band... **coughreadthisarticlecough**
OUTLAW (oak) - Outlawed from Oakland, at home in Santa Cruz

Third, well... It's Valentine's day so... Reject bullshit commercialism and come show some awesome bands some REALLLL LOVVVVEE:

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 14th - 6pm SHARP
:::Live @ 215 Storey::: freeeeeeeee
CHRISTMAS (oly) - The funnest band this side of the solar system!!!
ROUNDABOUT (sc) - Cool dudes with tunes to satisfy YOU.
SLAM DUNK (ALL THE WAY FROM CANADAAAAA) - That's all I got.
COOL BAND NOW (sc) - Tune in this Friday to hear more from these dudes!

See you there peeps!

- Admiral Lee Bedrouni III

Two for the price of one!... So... It's free as long as you have an internet connection.

Lame jokes aside, it's my pleasure to introduce the guests for this Friday night's edition of The Rising Tide: HERMIT CONVENTION and NEW BENGAL SPICE, two solo artists who are going to BLOW YOUR MIND TO FUCKING PIECES, if you would excuse my French.

But who are these two mysterious gentlemen whose presence looms large on the Santa Cruz indie music scene?

What is Hermit Convention!? What is New Bengal Spice?! How are they relevant to my BEING!??!? AUGH, the suspense, it's killing me!

Hermit Convention is the project of the one-man, bass-wielding, face-melting giant, Craig P. He's been a fixture in Santa Cruz's local music scene for farrrrrrrrrrrrr longer than I've been around town, and with good reason to. Whenever I see Hermit Convention listed on a bill for a show in town, I know that there will be good times to be had, as he's practically the only artist in town who doesn't have to fill a house with cacophonous noise in order to keep a crowd attentive. Nah, HC is all about luring people in with the promise of simplicity (a man + his bass + a loop pedal) and then absolutely overwhelming you with the kind of lyrical wit and personality so many bands strive for.

Just keep on layin' down those vibes, dude.

New Bengal Spice is the solo-project of Peter Wallner, and he too will fuck your shit up. Even the mere thought of having Peter join Craig on the Rising Tide is life-threatening to say the least. Especially given the spectacle that is New Bengal Spice live; searing guitars and a keen pop sensibility that ties all the noise and loops together in a nice, in your face package. Peter also currently drums for local sensations Green Flash and used to be member of the band Sheena, so he too has been around the block (so-to-speak) in Santa Cruz far, far longer than yours truly.

I'm in ur local scene, tak'n da spotlight.

And with that, I will leave you all with this picture of a gorilla and a shark high-fiving each other while an explosion occurs in the background to symbolize the explosive prowess and team ethic of these two solo artist who, coincidentally, are set to release a split ep/tape/release-thing through 1019 records. Hmmm... now where have I heard of that record label before? Regardless, I implore you to tune in to KSC this Friday night, starting at 8:30 for more awesomeness.

BOO YAH!
- Lee B.

P.S. Check out the sidebar for some live vids featuring both performers as well as upcoming performers including COOL BAND NOW, MOUNTAIN ANIMAL HOSPITAL and JAMES RABBIT (to be updated soon).

Photo 1 Credit: Ken Kouot
Photo 2 Credit: Wherewolves.net