Normandie played the Becker Amphitheatre March 10. Photo by Christa Connelly/Daily Titan Photo Editor

Video by Oscar Romero/Daily Titan Staff Writer

ASI Productions’ concerts presented Normandie as they enthusiastically performed at the Becker Amphitheater at Cal State Fullerton Wednesday.

More than 60 students watched as the band put on a zealous performance on the concrete stage.

“The music, the energy, awesome voice, awesome vibe. I love this band,” said Betsy Cruz, a CSUF alumna and elementary teacher who attended the show.

Normandie is based out of Los Angeles and have been together for a little over a year and a half. Trio is composed of lead singer Aimee Echo alongside guitarist Jamie Miller and drummer Chelsea Davis. Echo and Miller previously played in a band known as The Start. Eventually, they both left and teamed up with fellow bandmate Davis to create Normandie.

The trio blends together a dark sound with melodic background vocals and and harmonious lyrical flow. Contrasting the harmonious flow, Echo will distort her voice in a rough and raspy element to the vocals. Much of their lyrical content involves dark themes and slow  tempos. Their sound bears some resemblance to the hard rock group Queens of the Stone Age – an experimental rock sound with guitar effects and crashing drums.

The band credits some their influences to musical acts like Blonde Redhead, My Bloody Valentine and Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Many of the songs were driven by the drums and vocal with guitar and effects adding to the gloomy sound. The band also incorporated percussion instruments such as the tambourine and the cowbell.

“Art, rocky with eclectic splashes of other stuff,” Davis said.

The band’s name originates from a house located on Normandie Avenue where lead singer Echo lived with friends.

“Normandie represents all the best times in our lives,” Echo said.

The musical trio performed various original songs and introduced their new tune “Siamese.” Along with that song, the band also played “Thrill of Victory,” “Bomber” and their spacey sounding song “Future” and “White and Red.”

“White and Red has a really different sound to it and  no real course to it,” said 21-year-old Robert Gomez, an attendee at the performance.

They also covered “Dayglo,” a song written by ’90s band Plexi, as a tribute to one of their members who was injured in a car accident.

The band is currently writing songs for an album they plan to release sometime in the near future.

“I love this band, and I’ve seen them before live. They were coming to Cal State Fullerton and it was free. I had to be here,” Gomez said.

Wasted Potential is out March 16

It seems that many of the Fat Wreck Chords/Epitaph punk-rock scene are turning down the distortion and unplugging their guitars. Some, like Chuck Ragan, Tony Sly and Joey Cape have abandoned their punk-rock roots for careers singer/songwriters. Others, like Tom Gabel and Greg Graffin, merely moonlight as singer/songwriters as side projects for their bands.

Brendan Kelly of the Lawrence Arms and Joe McMahon of Smoke or Fire fall into the latter category with the release of Wasted Potential.

Wasted Potential is a split, featuring seven songs each by Kelly and McMahon. It is being released on vinyl by Anchorless Records and on CD by Red Scare Industries March 16.

Kelly, The Lawrence Arms co-vocalist and front man of the punk rock super group, The Falcon, kicks off the disc. His side includes six stripped-down Lawrence Arms tracks, as well as an acoustic cover of Jawbreaker’s “Kiss the Bottle.”

McMahon’s side consists of five Smoke or Fire tracks, including “Filter” and “Little Bohemia,” as well as a track from when Smoke or Fire were known as Jericho RVA, “Beauty Fades.” It ends with a cover of Johnny Cash’s “Let the Train Blow the Whistle,” which was also included on All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash.

Both Kelly and McMahon turn in stellar performances on Wasted Potential. While nothing ground breaking, after all, this is really nothing more than stripped-down punk rock songs, both front men churn out sugary sweet track after sugary sweet track.

On tracks like “Necrotism” and “Requiem Once Again Revisited,” Kelly trades in his gruff snarl for a more soothing country sounding croon. Kelly even tackles a track originally sung by Lawrence Arms band mate Chris McCaughan, “There’s No Place Like a Strangers Floor.”

The only complaint with Kelly’s side would be the lack of any tracks off of The Lawrence Arms masterpiece, The Greatest Story Ever Told, as well as any material from The Falcon. But complaining about song selection is certainly just nitpicking.

But as good as Kelly’s side is, it’s McMahon’s side of the split that’s worth talking about.

McMahon gained quite a bit of notoriety with his solo performances at punk rock festival The Fest and Harvest of Hope. One listen to his half of the album shows the notoriety is well deserved.

Whereas Kelly’s tracks sound campfire friendly, McMahon’s tracks are at times unrecognizable as acoustic Smoke or Fire songs. “Beauty Fades” is almost unrecognizable, and sounds even better stripped down then the original. The same goes for “Filter.”

If he ever does decide to venture outside Smoke or Fire and forge a solo career, McMahon certainly has the talent to do so.

So neither Kelly or McMahon will be quitting their day job any time soon, but if they ever decided to (especially in the case of McMahon), they certainly wouldn’t embarrass themselves or disappoint their fans.

Permalight is out now on Brushfire Records.

For fans of: Matt Pond PA, The Helio Sequence, Sea Wolf

Rogue Wave is back with an exciting new sound that will pleasantly shock you.

The band strays away from their known soft beat songs such as “Eyes” and “Lake Michigan,” by experimenting with an electronica sound. Rogue Wave’s makeover is risky but magical for those who like energy and spice in their music.

“Good Morning” is  where an unusual sound from Rogue Wave starts to be heard. It takes on the sweeter side of electronica, almost sounding like a purer version of the band Moving Units.

Another experimental yet innocent sounding track is “Right Here With You.” The mood is playful and reminiscent of the Fountains of Wayne.

“Stars and Stripes,” the fourth song on the album, keeps up with theme of experimentation, taking on a more Arcade Fire-like approach.

The most surprising track on the album is “Permalight.” In just this one song so much diversity is displayed. Singer Zach Rogue has an identical voice to the singer of Hello Goodbye. Sound effects, which sound like an ‘80s video game, are heard throughout the track. That is just the beginning. There are parts throughout the song where there are similarities to the band The Smiths, breaking away from their usual soft harmonies. Sound bites of people celebrating top off this unique track.

Although Rogue Wave’s sound might have changed, their ability to write a set of exceptional lyrics has not. Songs like “Sleepwalker” speak to the soul. The lyrics “can’t walk and sleep for you” convey this unfulfillment of not being able to do everything. “Fear Itself” contains blunt lyrics describing the intensity of being alone and how terrifying it is. It is the most heartrending track on the album with its lyrics of “don’t go, don’t go, don’t go without me”.

One of the most touching songs is “I’ll Never Leave You.” The song puts one in a place imagining a loved one saying “I’ll never leave you, I’ll never be like that” making the song so real.

Along with its new sound mixed in with classic Rogue Wave lyrics that move your imagination to a serious state, the album has the perfect combination of experimental tracks. Rogue Wave is not staying safe but branching out into unknown territories – conquering them as well.

Photo by Marc Samala for The Daily Titan. Gianna Gianna and Jesse St. John of the 'Blok', nominated for Best Hip-Hop, gives a live performance during the 2010 Orange County Music Awards at The Grove of Anaheim in Anaheim, Calif. on Saturday, Mar. 06, 2010.

Not even rain could stop the 9th annual Orange County Music Awards March 6 at the Grove in Anaheim.

106.7 KROQ DJ Psycho Mike dressed to the nines as he hosted the evening. Psycho Mike started the evening admitting that he is not an OC native, though he does get his hair cut here.

“I was honestly really flattered to be asked to host this years OC Music Awards because I know how important the OC music scene is to modern rock and everything,” Psycho Mike said.

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band were the big winners, taking home three awards for Best Country/Americana, Best Rock and Best Live Band.

After winning Best Rock, the band seemed stunned to beat out other bands like Thrice, who’s music is much harder.

“They rock a little harder than us but they don’t have an accordion,” guitarist Edson Choi of Dusty Rhodes and the River Band told the crowd.

The Steelwells took home a pair of awards for Best New Artist and Best Song for “El Capitan”.

The OC Music Awards honored music journalist and historian Jim Washburn with a Lifetime Achievement Award

Thrice did not win for Best Rock, but happily accepted the award for Best Album for Beggars. Brothers Riley, drummer, and bassist Ed Breckenridge were stunned when they were announced as the winners.

“We’ve never won anything before and its amazing be to playing music and get recognized for it,” said Riley Breckenridge. “It’s a record were really proud of and to have it recognized and receive this award is very gratifying and its something that were humbled by.”

The Dirty Heads were the winners of the Best World Award. Guitarist and vocalist Duddy B told the crowd that he doesn’t think they even got soccer trophies when they were young.

“It means a lot to us, I mean we all grew up here and were born in Orange County so it just couldn’t be more fitting,” said vocalist of the Dirty Heads Jared Watson.

Their song “Lay Me Down,” which new lead singer of Sublime Rome Martinez makes an appearance on, has been a huge hit on the radio. Martinez also joined the band for a live performance of the song towards the end of the evening.

“Theres never going to be a shortage or an end to OC bands of all generes making a huge impact in mainstream music,” Psycho Mike said. “Because there is a built-in scene, with both the suburbs and the beach cities with all the venues around, it makes a perfect recipe for great music continuously coming out of the OC.”

Photo by Marc Samala for The Daily Titan. The band Dusty Rhodes and the River Band arrive on the red carpet during the 2010 Orange County Music Awards at The Grove of Anaheim in Anaheim, Calif. on Saturday, Mar. 06, 2010.

2010 OC Music Award Winners

Best Album – Beggars, Thrice

Best song – “El Capitan,” The Steelwells

Best New Artist – The Steelwells

Best Rock – Dusty Rhodes and The River Band

Best Country/Americana – Dusty Rhodes and the River Band

Best Live Band – Dusty Rhodes and The River Band

Best Acoustic – Billy Kernkamp

Best Folk – Yellow Red Sparks

Best Punk – The Adolescents

Best Indie – The New Limb

Best alternative – Stereofix

Best Metal – Ateryu

Best Hip-Hop – Blok

Best pop – Stacy Clark

Best Electronic – Electric Valentine

Best blues – Roman Alexander and The Robbery

Best Surf – The Growlers

Best Jazz – Translucent Ham Sandwich Band

Best World – The Dirty Heads

Best Latin – Boogaloo Assassins

People’s Choice Award – Duress

Lifetime Achievement Award – Jim Washburn

There are a few rumors I’ve heard, some of which more realistic than others, about those that might make a special appearance at this year’s vaunted list of performers at the festival out in Indio. Some of the more ridiculous claims were that The Rolling Stones would make a performance by some whacked out blogger; Soundgarden was “thinking about playing” – no; and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins only wishes people still gave a hoot about his music enough to be included in Coachella. Here’s a couple more realistic rumors of what could be going down this year in Indio:

First of all, it seems like everyone is speaking of Thom Yorke and his band of four question marks. Does this mean solo or Radiohead – something else? It’s being talked about like the second coming of Christ. Big hype for the close of night three, but we will have to see for sure to find out exactly. I’m more interested to see what Club 75 has to offer on night three. Comprised of French DJs Cassius, Busy P, Mehdi and Justice; it’s one act I wouldn’t miss. Justice slayed crowds in 2008 and gave audiences a difficult conundrum of choosing to stay and see the end of Roger Waters’ mind-blowing performance or head to the dance tent. Club 75 will definitely be a hit and it will be interesting to see if Justice plays from their new release Planisphere.

No Beastie Boys this year, due to health reasons. We got stuck with Jay-Z instead for night one, and if you ask me he is the one performer who truly sticks out like a sore thumb in the whole Coachella lineup. I’d head to the parking lot early and rest up for day two.

The folky, electro-pop band Here We Go Magic is on tour with White Rabbits and the New Pornographers. Pitchfork.com has reported that they will be playing Coachella, but there is no official release from Here We Go Magic on their Web site that they will be there. They are cool if you are into that kind of music, but not particularly a band I would rave about.

The Glitch Mob will be performing on night three of Coachella – the official kick-off to their Drink The Sea tour – and will be followed along by fellow tour-mates Deru and Free The Robots. It would be awesome to see Free The Robots playing Coachella, the Santa Ana band under Chris Alfaro will be releasing it’s first album, CTRL ALT DELETE March 30 and it would be a huge jump for Free The Robots to play for such a massive audience. They don’t show up on the actual Coachella playlist, nor do they have Coachella on their MySpace calendar, but according to The Glitch Mob’s Web site, they will be playing with them at every stop on their tour minus a few exceptions – maybe this means they will collaborate at Coachella.

These are but a few of the rumored Coachella performances this year. In the meantime, you will find me milling around Chatroulette until I happen to run into one of these bands and get the opportunity to ask them face to face. Alas, I suppose that it doesn’t even really matter much to me because of the prohibitively expensive ticket prices Goldenvoice has come up with this year. Maybe I’ll just jump the fence again.

Photo Courtesy of Tiny Human. Phantogram is Josh Cartel, left, on guitar, and Sarah Barthel on keyboard.

For fans of: Le Loup, Yeasayer, Blonde Redhead

A phantogram is a form of optical illusion, created with a pair of two-dimensional images that are distorted in a way that makes them appear three dimensional – a fitting name for the duo from Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Comprised of keyboardist Sarah Barthel and guitarist Josh Carter, Phantogram is an interesting mix of dreamy post-rock and electronic, beat-driven sounds that are both musically and visually appealing for the audience. Despite there being only the two of them, the use of synthesizers, samplers, guitar, tapes and records forms the illusion of a multi-demensional sound, seemingly created by a much larger group of people.

“The name fits our sound pretty well,” Barthel said. “It’s just the two of us, but we try to make it sound like a lot more.”

The band formed in 2007 after Barthel returned home from college, originally under the moniker Charlie Everything.

The two had been friends since high school when Carter asked Barthel to help him finish a song he had been writing.

After playing numerous live shows and gaining a substantial live following, the band signed under BBE record label, where they changed their name and released their first EP.

In October 2009, the band signed with Barsuk Records, after having toured with bands like Minus the Bear, Ra Ra Riot, Yeasayer and playing SXSW festival in 2009.

They released their first album, Eyelid Movies, in February, and are currently on tour promoting their new record.

Eyelid Movies is just that: eleven songs, each paired with a visual metaphor, which is what the band intended.

“When we wrote our album, a lot of our ideas stemmed from visual imagery and what we imagined something would sound like. For example, in ‘Running from the Cops,’ we wanted to recreate what it would sound like if we were actually running from the cops,” Carter said.

“We loved the idea of listening to a sound and picturing something happening,” Barthel added.

Visual imagery seems to be a key element to both listening to the band and watching their live performance. At their performance at Bordello Bar in Los Angeles March 4, the use of various lighting techniques, especially strobe lights, created a stunning live visual to go along with their electronic beats.

While constructing various visuals for their audience seems to be something that sets the band apart from others, they do not strive to gain a specific response to their melodies.

“A lot of people will come up to us and have questions about meaning,” Barthel said, “but we aren’t expecting a certain reaction in particular.”

Phantogram is simply a band that enjoys making music with one another, and strives to create a sound unlike anything you have heard before. However, unlike most bands today, they are able to do just that. Each song on Eyelid Movies is completely refreshing and stimulating to the senses.

“We want people to enjoy something fresh while finding something they relate to,” Carter said. “We hope that people are enjoying the record – and that they turn it up and enjoy.”

Daily Titan: Do you think that the film has a potential to be a classic of our generation?

Jay Baruchel: Wow, oh my gosh. Well that’s like, if it isn’t we’ll eat these words. I think that it can hit a nerve. I’ll just be psyched if kids dig it at all. But I definitely think that there’s potential, that it’s the kind of movie that people will tell their friends that they should maybe watch it. You know? And I think that it’ll be a DVD thing that kind of gets passed around a lot. Maybe a cult classic.

DT: Director Jean Field Smith has directed sketch comedy and this is his first big feature film. So how did Smith bring that kind of experience  to directing this particular movie?

JB: Well, he was also a sketch performer himself in his own right. He is just kind of wired comedicly. He kind of always knew what was funny and I think he had pretty good instinct.

Nate Torrence: I think that he did a great job as far as just not only letting us play but just being able to control the tone of it all. I think he did an amazing job for a first timer. I was never worried, really. He’s a funny guy.

DT: I was wondering what personal touches you added to your characters to make them relateable?

NT: I think that all of us really tried as hard as we can, not just with characters but with the whole movie. Our director wanted to make this not caricatures, but reality … I think a great sense of what we were trying to do is even with our lunch scene. We all got to choose what we thought our character would eat. That was one of the funniest things. TJ, if you look on his plate he had a plate of pizza and chicken McNuggets and then I have everything Zip-Locked.

JB: I was the smart one, I chose not to eat, because I know how gross it is to eat on camera … I think you got to make them sympathetic and accessible. I guess it’s a question of inserting yourself a bit more into it at certain points.

DT: Jay, this is your first leading role, with the exception of Undeclared. What was it like taking over that leading role?

JB: I have to say that I was kind of groomed for it, in that fortunately the whole time that I’ve had a career in the States doing supporting stuff, I’ve been making some pretty cool independent movies back home in Canada and I’ve been the lead in most of those. That coupled with Undeclared and plus when I started when I was 12, I was the lead in two different TV shows. So if nothing else, I knew what it was to … carry a movie on my shoulders. I guess it’s all about longevity.

DT: Was there a lot of improving while you guys were filming and did any of it make it to the final cut of the film?

NT: Yeah, that’s what was cool. We got to play around and there are definitely a bunch of jokes where you just make up as many funny things as you can. There’s also a couple of scenes where they flat out just weren’t in the script and they made it in the movie somehow.

JB: You put the four of us in a room together and no matter what it’s gonna be an improv festival.

Ewan McGregor (The Men Who Stare at Goats, Moulin Rouge) plays ‘The Ghost,’ a ghost writer hired by former British Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan, Mamma Mia!) to help him finish his memoirs. The Ghost doesn’t quite know what he gets himself into when he finds out his predecessor ended up dead, and the Prime Minister is accused of illegally seizing suspected terrorists in Pakistan and handing them over for torture by the CIA. After doing some research of his own, The Ghost comes to find that not everything is as it seems, putting his life in danger. The clock is ticking and only The Ghost can find the truth, but can he do it before he ends up like his predecessor?

This film is not simple and mindless – it is a tangled web of politics, lies and intrigue. The film keeps the audience on their toes and requires their full attention to completely understand the plot, otherwise the ending becomes anti-climatic and leaves audience members scratching their heads wondering what the hell just happened.

The film has one talented cast, including McGregor, Brosnan, Kim Cattral (Sex and the City: The Movie), Tom Wilkinson (Duplicity) and Olivia Williams (An Education). The cast are the heart and driving force behind the film, so even if you leave the theater thoroughly confused by the plot, at least the acting was superb.

Despite the controversy of Polanski’s personal life, he proves that his films are still a tour de force and The Ghost Writer is no exception.

The Cove is an inspiring documentary that unfurls like a thriller. Equipped with camouflage clothing, hidden cameras and deep sea divers, the crew is determined to slip past aggressive guards to capture images of the rampant dolphin slaughters, all while being chased by what might be Japanese cops, or the mafia.

Because dolphins are not protected by the ban on commercial whaling, the annual killing of the 23,000 animals is perfectly legal, however scenes in the movie show the brutal, stomach-churning massacre in the secluded lagoon – scenes that the locals are completely unaware of. Other secrets are exposed, revealing the disreputable business that supports the city’s economy and the possible “buying” of votes in the International Whaling Commission.

The exceptionally well-put-together documentary, which debuted in July 2009, earned an Oscar at the 2010 Academy Awards.

During the film, we see Psihoyos recruit his dream team in order to capture the powerful images they need in hopes to shut the operation down. With state-of-the-art equipment hidden in trees and rocks surrounding the kill zone, they capture sights and sounds of the cruelty that rouse you to shred your SeaWorld pass.

The movie features heroes of the movement, including two Japanese councilmen who were responsible for prohibiting the mercury-infected dolphin meat from the school lunch system.

Richard O’Barry, who captured and trained the five dolphins used for the family-favorite Flipper, feels responsible for the billion dollar swim-with-dolphins and show-whale industries. The fatigue is ever noticeable, showing the exhaustion of the 35 years attempting to undo what he created.

Along with the Oceanic Preservation Society, Psihoyos, O’Barry and the crew embark on this mission to expose the sinful procedures in the hidden lagoon and why it matters to everyone else in the world.

In typical Burton fashion, this isn’t simply a remake of the Walt Disney 1951 classic; it has been revamped to illustrate Alice’s return to “Underland,” (as the denizens call their fantastical home) after 13 years.

Now a young woman, Alice (Mia Wasikowska, Amelia) returns to the world of wonderland, convinced that she is stuck in a dream. Alice’s friends and citizens of Wonderland, White Rabbit (voiced by Michael Sheen, New Moon), twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas) and Dormouse (voiced by Barbara Windsor) must convince Alice that she isn’t dreaming and that she is the “champion;” the chosen one to defeat the Red Queen’s (Helena Bonham-Carter) fearsome creature, the Jabberwocky.

The film is visually stunning. Burton brings the world of Underland, a place of imagination, vibrancy and charm, to life, especially in dazzling 3-D.

The cast of live actors, Wasikowska, Bonham-Carter, Anne Hathaway, Johnny Depp and Crispin Glover are a titanic force in this film, acting within an imaginary world, talking to imaginary creatures and interacting convincingly with things that aren’t really there.

In a distinct departure from the Disney classic, every time Alice shrank or grew, her clothing didn’t shrink or grow with her. This served as a distraction in anticipating her next costume and critiquing the outfit as if it were a dress at the Oscars.

There’s no reason not to like this film: the plot is exciting, the film is visually beautiful and there couldn’t be a better cast. Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is a rabbit hole worth falling into.

Cinemassacre.com is a Web site created, produced, and edited by the same creative mind, James Rolfe. He is widely known across the Internet as the “Angry Video Game Nerd” and he does harsh reviews on games for the classic Nintendo, Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis gaming consoles.

What started out as just a joke seen only by his friends turned into an Internet phenomenon among gamers. He doesn’t just point out visual and story flaws, he makes them known. He isn’t called the “Angry Video Game Nerd” without reason. He verbally butchers these retro games while he plays them as you watch. Much like the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 series, it makes you laugh because you realize you were thinking the same thing.

I remember playing some of the games from his extensive list during my childhood and thinking to myself, is this game really making me do that? Is that a glitch? Will I ever figure this out?

Some of the things he says are absolutely hilarious. His obsessive use of profanity and violence only adds to the experience. Rolfe’s witty (and sometimes repulsive) humor is nothing short of entertaining.

While he mainly reviews old school video games, he also reviews board games (weird, I know), movies, has mini rants called “You Know What’s Bullshit?” and makes his own short movies.

His movie reviews are not only from classic movies, but newer movies as well. This section also contains top 10 lists from TV shows and movies where he doesn’t just sit in front of his webcam and ramble, he includes clips from the actual TV shows and movies with his comedic voice over.

The “You Know What’s Bullshit?” section is a list of mini-rants about everyday life, much like the “What Grinds My Gears” skits for those of you who watch Family Guy. My favorites include his rant on pay toilets, followed by the rant on pennies, which actually made its way to CNN Headline News.

So whether you want to have a laugh at some of the games you may have played during the ’80s or ’90s, or just watch some creative films he has made starting when he was just 9 years old, it is all at Cinemassacre.com.

Photo by Skyler Blair for The Daily Titan. From left: Claudia Ochoa, 26; Gabrielle Delatorre, 25; and Liz Ochoa, 20; chatting beneath the artwork of Barbara Godoy during an early evening dine in at The Crosby.

Nestled on the outskirts of Santa Ana’s Artist District is The Crosby, one of the area’s newest establishments progressively making a name for itself among fine diners, local artists and music lovers alike. The Crosby will be entering its two-year anniversary April 2 and fine arts student at Cal State Fullerton and General Manager Dante Parel has been there from the very beginning. He sat down for a few minutes to chat about how his expertise helped shape the restaurant/bar/bookstore and how it has evolved into what it is today.

The Crosby was the brainchild of Marc Yamaoka, Phil Nisco and Chris Alfaro, three young entrepreneurs who are musicians and artists themselves. Parel met the current owners while working at The Lab in Costa Mesa. His experience in fine dining led the three owners to decide to let him in on their audacious plan.

“I have been working in the restaurant industry for about 8 years, which is one of the reasons why they brought me on, but I have never opened my own restaurant,” said Parel. “So we are all kind of learning as we go. I worked at French 75 and Culinary Adventures, which is a little more higher-end … a lot of French cuisine. I’m a big fan of French cuisine, so I loved working there. Just from my background of working as a server and the things I learned from that, I was able to get my foot in the door. Right when we opened it was a collaborative effort with myself and all the staff.”

Parel explained that the owners had really no true experience in owning and operating a restaurant going into this project. They are all “musicians, artists, graphic designers and clothing designers,” Parel explained, which is why they thought it would be a good idea to bring their ideas together and make a place that could serve as an artistic community – with the addition of delicious food and spirits.

The Crosby began with the notion of serving gourmet pizzas and a few pastas as well as a late night bar that served beer and wine, but has grown since then.

“That was the idea when we opened but I think it has morphed into something new. We have (added) a very nice menu. We have two menus now: The chef’s menu, which is more creative culinary dishes and the hidden gems like filet mignon, and right now we have a really good pork tenderloin cheese purees,” Purel said.

If that hasn’t already gotten your mouth watering, The Crosby also offers more of a diner’s menu with affordable items such as ‘the starving artist grilled cheese,’ which has gruyere cheese, sautéed balsamic mushrooms and a tomato shooter for only $5. They also cater to a vegan crowd with a selection of items like the ‘chili cheese fries’ consisting of “meatless” ground beef, kidney beans, black beans and tomato for $5.

Parel explained that The Crosby has always been a kind of hide-away from public view and when they first opened most business was generated via word of mouth. From the outside, you might not recognize that it is a restaurant at all. Once inside, it has a quaint ambiance, resembling a 1920s New York pub.

“When the owners were designing the place, they were modeling after the old speak-easy style. The whole bar is made out of wood so it has that antique feel to it,” said Parel. “Now that we have been here longer it has caught on and we have this logo on the front window and people come in and ask us about it, but there are a lot of people who still don’t know about it because we don’t have a big sign outside. In some ways it works to our advantage because people feel that it’s intimate and their personal spot.”

And it’s this quiet and intimate atmosphere that attracts many patrons during the dinner hours. But don’t be fooled, The Crosby turns into a bumping venue blasting music across Broadway, bringing in the younger late night crowd to listen to a smorgasbord of musical genres, from up-and-coming local musicians and DJs.

“On Tuesdays and Wednesdays you can hear punk, garage and psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll,” Parel said. “Thursdays through Saturdays you get everything from hip -hop to electro to soul – more of a dancing vibe – and every Friday is Obey Radio.”

In addition to the local sounds, one can find an ever-changing assortment of local artwork as well. Currently on display is a piece by Barbara Godoy. Also, every third Tuesday of each month The Crosby holds Trifecta, where artists display their works throughout the restaurant. There is also the Obey sponsored billboard directly above the door which changes frequently as well. The current billboard is a provocative design created in collaboration with some artists from To Die For and Sid’s Tattoo.

The Crosby has grown a great deal in its short time and has already shown itself to be one of Santa Ana’s hidden night spots where locals know they can find an excellent mixture of music, art and good food.

Photo by Nick Marley Daily Titan Photo Editor. Craic House performed the Becker Amphitheatre Wednesday, March 3.

Craic Haus rocked the Becker Amphitheatre on Wednesday at noon and delivered a standout performance, not only through their music, but also through their motto: to “enjoy yourself.”

The band infused different elements from many genres in their music, creating a one-of-a-kind sound. Dylan Oberbeck and Julian Johnson played the electric guitar and the classic bass, giving off of a noticeable rockabilly sound. Danny Oberbeck on the drums mixed his unique style with a traditional Irish flute and amusing lyrics.

Craic Haus also mixes in blues and swing music into their set, as is apparent in the song “Same Auld Wasted Morning.”

The oddest addition in the already versatile mix is the Irish influence. All this is done in hopes of creating something different for the masses to enjoy, according to the band. Craic Haus’ goal is to create an entirely new genre.

“We want our music to be totally unexpected while staying true to our Irish heritage,” said Johnson.

“This band is definitely in my top three of performances I’ve seen at the theatre,” said Cal State Fullerton junior Vanessa Espino. “It was great to hear something so different.”

Although the band played  an exceptional set, their spirit was key in producing a successful show. The word “craic” comes from an Irish and German linage, meaning “fun”. That is what Craic Haus hopes to accomplish with fans. They want their audience to “just have fun.”

“If I were to sum up the band in one word, it be adventure,” said Oberbeck.

Craic Haus’ desire for everyone to have fun with their music adds character to the show.

“There is definitely a certain attitude Craic gives on the stage that is hard to not enjoy,” said Adrian Johnson, a guest performer. “It is just so ‘craicadelic’ and intensely fun.”

The band’s chemistry is obvious. The members have such positive personas and connections with one another that really made the show.

“There is just such a strong bond between us,” said Johnson. “There was a song that we totally winged it we didn’t even practice it and it sounded great we are that connected with each other.”

Photo courtesy of Asian Man Records. Andrew Jackson Jihad is Ben Gallaty (left) and Sean Bonnette. The band formed in Phoenix while the duo worked in a coffee shop in 2004.

For fans of: Against Me!, American Football, Ghost Mice

Andrew Jackson Jihad has received quite a bit of attention in the last couple years for their infectious sound and strange band name. Because of the political nature of their lyrics, it’s not a surprise that they caught the attention of filmmaker Michael Moore.

According to the band’s Wikipedia page, Moore used their song “Guilt: The Song” in the promotional trailers for his documentary Capitalism: A Love Story.

“Actually, that never happened” said Sean Bonnette, guitarist and vocalist of Andrew Jackson Jihad. “I think what happened is whoever posted the trailer to the movie that had used the song ‘Paper Planes’ by M.I.A at the bottom of the blog was like ‘oh yeah, also right now I’m listening to ‘Guilt: The Song’ by Andrew Jackson Jihad.’ ”

Okay, so maybe they didn’t capture Moore’s attention (and maybe you can’t believe everything you read on Wikipedia), but it’s no lie that Andrew Jackson Jihad have made quite a name for themselves in the folk-punk community.

Hailing from Phoenix, Andrew Jackson Jihad formed in 2004 when Bonnette and Ben Gallaty were both working at a coffee shop. According to Bonnette, he had been writing songs and asked Gallaty, who had just acquired an upright bass, to start a band.

“It seemed like a good fit,” Bonnette said.

They decided on the name Andrew Jackson Jihad after a discussion about Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States.

“He was a very interesting political figure,” Bonnette said. “Not really a good political figure, but an interesting one … he was at war with everyone.”

The name, suggested by Gallaty, was in Bonnette’s mind a temporary name only meant to last a couple shows. But now, he said “we’re stuck with it.”

And like the name would suggest, Andrew Jackson Jihad is anything but conventional.

One look at the influences section on the band’s Myspace page could help explain the band‘s less than conventional sound; listing both 70s folk-singer Joni Mitchell and progressive punk’s NomeansNo. Bonnette also cites Neutral Milk Hotel, whom the band covered for their contribution to Suburban Home Record’s Under the Influence series, The Clash and the Pixies as influences.

And while Bonnette and Gallaty make up Andrew Jackson Jihad, the band is not exclusive to the two. They enlist friends and fellow members of the local Phoenix scene to sit in with the band, whether it be on album or live. The revolving line-up helps keep the band’s sound both fresh and evolving.

This can be heard on last year’s release, Can’t Maintain, which was a departure of sorts for the duo. For one, it’s a far more personal album then it’s previous releases, including 2007s LP, People Who Eat Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World, dealing more with personal reflection then with politics. Also, the band recruited musicians to play instruments foreign to previous releases, including drum sets and kazoos.

“I think people might like it because it wasn’t the same record that we’ve made,” Bonnette said. “I think we grew and developed a lot as a band, or at least as selectors of musicians that we got on our record. It’s really diverse. I think it’s a fun record.”

With the music industry in such a chaotic state, which Bonnette refers to as both “cool” and “interesting,” the chance to grow is something both possible and intriguing to the band.

Bonnette says that working with Asian Man Records is great, but realizes that a move to a larger label is a possibility.

'Odd Blood' is out now.

For fans of: Le Loup, Dirty Projectors, Animal Collective

Yeasayer’s second album may be titled Odd Blood, but that might be slightly misleading – the album is anything but odd. It’s an absolute vision for any indie music lover.

Their sound seems to change from song to song without seeming schizophrenic. But if one were to try and describe their general music, it would be a mixture of Depeche Mode’s cool rhythms, Matt & Kim’s upbeat tempo, and MGMT’s futuristic melodies. It seems conflicting, but it’s like the attraction of magnets – it just works.

The album opens with “The Children,” a track clearly synthesized to the edge of the world and back again – but in a good way. It’s dark and deep and slightly unexpected, sending the listener into a trance from which escape is only possible after the last track has finished playing.

The fifth track on the album, “O.N.E.” is a happier, lighter track, with doses of electronica expertly mixed with hints of alternative rock.

Though the lyrics are greatly overshadowed by the actual music, they’re not bad. In the album’s second track, “Ambling Alps,” they’re even a little inspirational. “Now, the world can be an unfair place at times/but your lows will have their compliment of highs/and, if anyone should cheat you, take advantage of, or beat you/raise your head and wear your wounds with pride.”

Odd Blood is both an album that one could listen to individual songs or listen to the whole album in one sitting – the contrast leaves no room for boredom or monotony. Though the songs are experimental in some forms, one thing is for sure: Yeasayer has a lot to say “yea!” abou