Soft Cat is Neil Sanzgiri's experiment. An experiment in composition, instrumental layering and collaboration in a blossoming Baltimore music scene. The result? A haunting, beautiful sound. Neil Sanzgiri is a transplant in Baltimore, MD by way of Dallas, TX. Soft Cat grew out of the music that Neil was making with Talking Tiger Mountain . Neil's new Baltimore friends ( Weekends , Small Sur and Andy Abelow ) also helped him out on this project. Soft Cat will be releasing a split release with Talking Tiger Mountain. If you are interested in purchasing [...]
Dallas born, now on the wire in Baltimore, Neil Sanzgiri was originally in our local scene with the now disbanded Voot Cha Index . Since relocating to the B-more area, Neil has joined with members of ( before mentioned ) Weekends , Andy Abelow , and Small Sur (along with others) to form Soft Cat . Comprising rich layers while painting intricate soundscapes, this is more than your average campfire sing along. Both "Dark When It Should Be Violet Hour" and "Silver Babies Sun" are slow rollers, but come to fruition before dragging out [...]
This was sort of a Make A Wish foundation type moment. Multi-instrumentalist and musical Swiss Army Knife Andy Abelow has always implied interest in having a band. And he assembled a doozy of one for his first time, opening our little fest. I'd like to think we catalyzed a little bit of a dream to come true. While you're heading out to the Zodiac this Friday the 13th for Beach House, make sure to stop by the Windup Space and catch Andy's set, where he will again be backed by a band. You won't [...]
Wye Oak is already posted, and over the next 11 days we'll be posting the rest of the live audio and tons more coverage from our first annual Aural States Fest! Thanks for coming out! All photos: Shantel Mitchell OK, I am sure I am not alone in thinking that this was one of the best shows that I've been to in awhile. Not only did this show [...]
OK everyone, gather round! The line-ups and venue info are all finalized. Here we go: January 30th (Performance Night) @ Sonar Club Room/ Talking Head Club $10 // 2 stages // Doors 630PM // Music 730PM // Tickets Free grab-bags including CDs, MP3s, merch & Video Americain rentals. Handed out to paid entrants starting at doors until supplies run out. [...]
Photo credit: Greg Szeto Baltimore has once again served up a night of fantastic folk-inspired live music along with a cozy sense of brotherhood and community between the artists and the audience, and between the artists themselves. Andy Abelow headed off the night with probably the best set I've ever seen him play. As a solo artist, he is truly becoming a unique entity. A one-man show without the trite implications of comedians in the same vein. His compositional processes [...]
Don't miss Small Sur's CD release show Aug. 9 @ 2640 Space, and their show at the Talking Head Aug. 30 with Duchess and the Duke. With this first release on Tender Loving Empire , Bob Keal, ringleader for the motley crew of wilderness folksters Small Sur , banks on a hypothesis...one he clearly bases on years of tradition and strength in circles of bluegrass, country and the many sounds of folk in rural Americana. He is betting that there is a well of universal memories, vivid images ingrained in our [...]
Whartscape 2008's Friday show was at the 2640 Space, a church undergoing renovation assisted by the Red Emma's collective. In exchange for their services, they get to hold events provided there is no alcohol sold/drunken on the premises...house of God and all. This year's line-up has more variety with a less shotgun-based approach of toss whoever, together whenever (as intimated by Adam in our interview). And what more perfect theme for the 2640 Space than a night focusing on folk and generally softer music. The hallowed and empty space, presided over by stained glass [...]
To celebrate all things Wham and Whartscape, we asked some of the artists performing to answer five questions. Andy was our first test subject. Stay tuned for tons more in the week to come. Andy Abelow is all the fuck over the Baltimore scene, loosely dubbed "the Greatest Scene in the World" or "the Scene that Reads" by Rolling Stone. Like many in the musical circles of Charm City, he is an artistically polygynous multi-instrumentalist...going it solo as well as performing with many other acts including Jana Hunter and Bob Keal-fronted [...]
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