 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Rosin Coven is an American theatrical music ensemble that is considered part of the dark cabaret genre. [1] They are based in San Francisco, California and are known for their participation in the annual Edwardian Ball, which is dedicated to both the Edwardian time period and the illustrator Edward Gorey. [2]
Rosin Coven's sound can be described as part of the dark cabaret movement, with strong jazz, rock, lounge, theatre and klezmer influences, amongst others. Most all of their music performed is original, with very occasional covers. For lack of a suitable genre, they came up with "Pagan Lounge Music," based on a mock business card that a friend created and handed to them at their very first backyard gig in Berkeley, California.
The band has become popular amongst many San Francisco subcultures, the most notable being devotees of the Edwardian Ball, a mini-festival based on the works of author/illustrator Edward Gorey and the Edwardian Era. They are also well known within the Burning Man crowd, having performed many times at the desert festival and at the San Francisco event known as Decompression.
Rosin Coven initially formed as a trio in San Francisco in 1996, and has performed regularly in the San Francisco area continuously ever since. They have made three albums: Penumbra, Live in the Pagan Lounge, and Menagerie.
The band formed around Carrie Katz, née Davis (vocals, guitar and harp), Beth Vandervennet (cello), and Anastasia Emmons (violin). The core trio had a vision of amplified, sweeping strings accompanying driven lyrics. The three began a search for compatible musicians, primarily a drummer and bass player.
Working through friends and free ads in the San Francisco Guardian, the three found Patrick Kaliski and Justin Katz, who met in San Diego as students at UCSD and played together in other bands. Beth's summer work in a trio in Yellowstone Park required a substitute cellist, and Brian Bulkowski was brought in, but the added richness of a second cello lead to his assimilation.
The band's early works were primarily penned by Carrie Davis, with other members contributing. Songs were often orchestrated and improved collaboratively, leading to an eclectic mixture of sounds and songs.
Justin and Patrick lived in a warehouse in the "Jingletown" district of East Oakland, where other bands formed (notably YOU, a psychedelic space-rock band), and large parties were thrown on a regular basis. Rosin Coven's first gigs were at warehouse parties, although they quickly graduated to San Francisco's clubs, such as their first gig at the Hotel Utah. It was at this gig where they were scouted by Cafe du Nord's booking agent, which led to a series of performances at that club in the years to follow.
Anastasia departed the band early, and the search was on for a new violinist. Andrea Walls, a veteran of San Francisco's rock and gypsy scene, joined the band, and the band gigged heavily in 1998 and 1999. Soon thereafter, a second female vocalist, Carri Abrahms, joined the band, adding operatically trained vocals and great depth to Rosin Coven's sound, as well as composing strong songs.
The band's first album, Penumbra, was recorded during this period, and the band's debut year at Burning Man was 1999.
San Francisco's live music scene was vibrant during this period, as the Dot-com bubble was in full swing. The band's mainstay club was Cafe du Nord, and they typically performed in elegant costumery with an emphasis on decor and set design.
The band expanded on its theatrical roots by creating and performing a live operetta, "Dream of the Scarab, A Beetle Bagatelle", which ran in sold-out glory for only four shows on one weekend at small black-box theater space called Venue 9. This exceptional experience prodded the band to greater emphasis on theatricality and costumes, in collaboration with visualist Ken Reeser who became the band's "visual alchemist".
2000 was a watershed year for Rosin Coven, with a one-month European tour primarily in the Netherlands, Germany, and the Czech Republic. The tour was repeated in 2001 with Poland and France added to the visited nations. Both the 2000 and 2001 tours included weekend gigging stints with the classic Czech rock band, Brutus. In 2002, financial strain of touring an eight-piece band led Rosin Coven to cut the tour to a week in New York City, where they played CBGB Gallery and the Flux Factory. Other than this period, the band has not toured extensively, primarily performing in the San Francisco area.
Two key forces were added - trombonist Tim Carless, and vibraphonist Tim O'Keefe. Violinist Andrea left the SF Bay area for Hawaii, and a new violinist was found in Lila Sklar, who shared many of the gypsy-inspired violin techniques, but with a heavier influence on jazz than rock.
Importantly, Carrie and Justin were married in late 2000, contributing to the stability of the band. Later, Tim Carless and Beth Vandervennet would marry as well, turning Rosin Coven into a decidedly family affair.
The album "Live in the Pagan Lounge" was compiled from live recordings around this period, primarily for sale on the short tours.
Rosin Coven's music found its way into a short film project by Yael Braha called, The Waves, which won an Eastman award. "Lion Song", from Penumbra, was heard on MTV's Big Brother, as well as in the Malcolm McDowell film, Dorian, a mediocre retelling of the Oscar Wilde novel.
The band's booking and management primarily became the responsibility of bassist Justin Katz, who co-founded Berkeley arts organization Epic Arts, and began organizing and promoting his own shows, often under the PARADOX Media name.
San Francisco's Edwardian Ball, celebrating both the Edwardian Period as well as writer and illustrator Edward Gorey, began in 2000 as PARADOX Media productions, initially at the Cat Club SF and as the event grew it was moved.
2004 saw several changes, as band members settled down. Lila Sklar had a daughter, while the two couples in the band, Carrie and Justin and Beth and Tim, had boys who were born within a week of each other. Carri Abrahms left the band during this period to pursue other projects.
Rosin Coven's music took even more theatrical turns, working with costumer and visual artist Gitty Duncan. Longer songs, such as the 20 minute song cycle "Train (A Vague Hunger)" created extended collaboration with local dance groups.
Band members Justin, Patrick, Tim and Espie formed a project called Dr. Abacus inspired by cartoon soundtracks, burlesque and 80's glam metal during this period with saxophonist John "Dr. Abacus" Schroeder. This was, in fact a sort of continuation of Schroeder, Justin and Patricks' seminal "YOU" band that recorded 3 studio albums, hosted outrageous art parties in their Oakland loft (where R.C. first performed) and toured the western U.S. including a tour van flipping and leaving Justin's upright bass in splinters and Patrick with his now famous "belly scar."
The album "Menagerie" was recorded early in this period, showing the band with a lusher and more mature tone. It featured original paintings by Craig LaRotonda of Revelation Art. Soon thereafter, family responsibilities slowed down the band's pace, but as the children have grown, the band is back on track with new material and even larger shows.
Rosin Coven continues to live and perform in the San Francisco area. Their biggest event of the year continues to be the Edwardian Ball, which has grown into a multi-city, multi-day event which in 2010 topped 4,000 in attendance. [2] [3] Since 2009 the Ball has been held at San Francisco's beautiful, historic Regency Center, with attendees traveling to the event from throughout the United States and from around the world, including Europe, South Africa, Japan, and the Middle East. They collaborate with their friends Vau de Vire Society, a San Francisco-based theatre-dance-circus troupe that co-create the show each year.
DNA Lounge is an all-ages nightclub and restaurant/cafe in the SoMa district of San Francisco owned by Jamie Zawinski, a former Netscape programmer and open-source software hacker. The club features DJ dancing, live music, burlesque performances, and occasionally conferences, private parties, and film premieres.
Flipper is an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1979, continuing in often erratic fashion until the mid-1990s, then reuniting in 2005. The band influenced a number of grunge, punk rock and noise rock bands. Their slowed-down, bass-driven and heavily distorted style of punk is considered to have inspired bands such as the Melvins and Nirvana, whose bass player Krist Novoselic played with the band in the 2000s.
Justin Vivian Bond is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Described as "the best cabaret artist of [their] generation" and a "tornado of art and activism", they first achieved prominence under the pseudonym of Kiki DuRane in the stage duo Kiki and Herb, an act born out of a collaboration with long-time co-star Kenny Mellman. With a musical voice self-described as "kind of woody and full with a lot of vibration", Bond is a Tony-nominated (2007) performer who has received GLAAD (2000), Obie (2001), Bessie (2004), Ethyl (2007), and a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists (2012) awards. Bond is transgender.
The Tiger Lillies are a British musical trio formed in 1989 by singer-songwriter Martyn Jacques. Described as the forefathers of Brechtian Punk Cabaret, the Tiger Lillies are known for their unique sound and style which merges "the macabre magic of pre-war Berlin with the savage edge of punk".
Lee Presson and the Nails is a swing band that formed in San Francisco in October 1994 during the late 1990s swing revival.
Tea Leaf Green is an American four-piece jam band from the San Francisco Bay Area, composed of Josh Clark, Trevor Garrod, Scott Rager (drums), and Eric DiBerardino (bass).
Jill Tracy is a composer, singer, pianist, storyteller and "musical evocateur" based in San Francisco.
Those Darn Accordions, commonly abbreviated as TDA, are an American accordion band from San Francisco, California, originally formed in 1989 by Linda "Big Lou" Seekins.
The Mutants are an American band, notable in the history of San Francisco punk rock and new wave music. They are known for their theatrical performances which often include elaborate props, projections, and comical antics. They are credited with being one of the first "Art-punk" bands in San Francisco, and were one of the most popular bands of the San Francisco punk scene during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Trance Mission is a world fusion ensemble co-founded in San Francisco by American clarinetist and composer Beth Custer and British-born didgeridoo player Stephen Kent in 1992, with Canadian musician Kenneth Newby and American percussionist John Loose. Their music incorporates elements of jazz, fourth world and ethnoambient music styles. In the 1990s, the group recorded four albums on the ambient label City of Tribes.
Embarcadero Plaza, previously known as Justin Herman Plaza from its opening in 1972 until 2017, is a 1.23-acre (0.50 ha) plaza near the intersection of Market and Embarcadero in San Francisco's Financial District, in the U.S. state of California. It is owned by Boston Properties, who acquired the neighboring Embarcadero Center office, hotel, and retail complex in 1998.
The Rondo Brothers are a musical duo from San Francisco, United States, consisting of multi-instrumentalists and producers Diamond Jim and The Bastard Prince. They met in 1998 when Jim was working as a talent buyer at legendary SF music venue the Paradise Lounge, but did not collaborate on music until 2003 when they scored a series of NFL commercials and began a 10 year journey as performing artists, remixers, producers, DJs, multi-instrumentalists, and more.
Dmitri Matheny is an American jazz flugelhornist. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Matheny is “one of the jazz world’s most talented horn players.”
Wanderlust Circus is a theatrical circus troupe based in Portland, Oregon, founded in 2006 by creative partners Noah Mickens and Nick "The Creature" Harbar. Since 2006, Wanderlust Circus has grown from a small band of creatives to a full-fledged circus troupe, and non-profit organization. The organization presently comprises a team of acrobats, a 10-piece swing band, a trick-roping cowboy clown; and several aerialists, contortionists, hand balancers, jugglers, and dancers. Their most popular recurring shows have been The White Album Christmas, A Circus Carol, and the dance party series MegaBounce.
The San Francisco Drag King Contest is an annual contest for drag kings held in San Francisco, California and founded by performer and producer, Fudgie Frottage. It is the biggest drag king contest in the world, and the longest running drag king competition in the U.S. The related International Drag King Community Extravaganza (IDKE) is the largest drag king performance event in the world but not a contest. The 26th Annual San Francisco Drag King Contest will be held Sunday, August 21st, 2022.
Mina Liccione is an American performing artist, comedian, tap dancer, choreographer, and arts educator.
Drop is the fifteenth studio album by American psychedelic rock band Thee Oh Sees, released on April 15, 2014 on Castle Face Records. Primarily a collaboration between core member John Dwyer and regular collaborator Chris Woodhouse, the album is the ninth to be released under the name, Thee Oh Sees.
A Dickens fair is a weekend or multi-day gathering open to the public which attempts to recreate a Victorian English setting reminiscent of the novels of Charles Dickens. Events may be outdoor, indoor or a combination of the two. Many are Christmas-themed, a reflection of the enduring legacy of Dickens' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. The fairs generally include costumed participants, musical and theatrical acts, and art, handicrafts, food and drink for sale.
William Catalano Jr. was an American jazz trumpet player who performed with Stan Kenton And His Orchestra in the late 1950s, appearing on at least 30 original recordings as well new compilations from Capitol, Omega, Playboy Records, and Verve. After returning to his hometown of San Francisco, he resumed playing the local scene as a side musician, bandleader, and musical contractor, hiring local musicians for numerous touring performers and shows. Alongside his performing career he was an educator for 41 years, teaching music to middle school and high school students in San Francisco. One of his best known private students was jazz trumpet player, Jon Faddis.
| Authority control databases: Artists |
|---|
