A New Beginning For Off The Air – Last Show In Modesto

5:50 pm March 1, 2013

Off The Air Proudly Presents

French Cassettes
w/ special guests The Airlings and Awahnichi
Friday, March 29
Deva Cafe, 1202 J Street, Modesto
Doors @ 7pm / Show @ 8pm
$5
ALL AGES

I honestly never thought it would happen, but Friday, March 29, 2013 will be the day Off The Air shows end in Modesto. On this night, it will be almost exactly 8 years since OTA was born into this world—crazy. It’s been such a fabulous and life-altering ride and nothing short of painful for me to bring Off The Air in Modesto to a full and complete halt. However, this doesn’t mean Off The Air is over as I plan to continue my efforts via Off The Air Recordings and live-music events in the East Bay where I would be honored to have your ongoing love and support.

I hardly know how to begin to unravel the thoughts and emotions that went into making this decision. In short, it was damn hard. And, while I’m sad to be moving on, I’m equally as excited for the future and all of the fresh challenges that come with venturing down a new path in life. Without the support and faith of such a lovely group of human beings, I wouldn’t have the gusto and life experiences to face the new challenges that lie ahead.

Thank you is an understatement. Your embrace of, and belief in Off The Air has given me more than you will ever know. The friendships and memories I’ve made have been my greatest reward.

I love you, Modesto. You are in my heart forever—a permanent tattoo. Keep growing, challenging yourselves, creating top-shelf music and art and being straight up awesome. I’ll always consider you to be my hometown and am proud to wear that emblazoned on my sleeve.

Cheers,

Greg Edwards
Off The Air, Founder

Special Thanks To . . .

Off The Air Crew & Alumni (aka The Instrumental People Who Helped Make It Happen Show After Show)

Andrew Platts
Julie Edwards
Matt Sai
Aaron Dial
Doug Holcomb
Theo Souza
Tawny Holt
Bethany Benson
Andrew McGranahan
Phil Baird
Allen Passalaqua
Stephanie Foster
Marivy Pazos
Jeff Bonilla
Matt Torres
Greg Moore
Wes White
Trevor McManis
Max Wilson
Adam Wright
“Sandwich Dan” Liston
Matt Frederick
Shannon Gonzales
Marisa Ferreira
Adm Golub
Christian Garcia
Steven Michael Werning
Justin White

Wonderful People & Places Who Gave Off The Air A Home

Jamie and Lorena Loftis (Deva Cafe)
Chris Ricci (Fat Cat Music House & Lounge & X-Fest)
Paul Tremayne (Concetta)
Mitch & Tammy Maisetti (The Union Room @ Tresetti’s)
Brad Hawn (Modesto Art & Wine Festival)
Jack Souza & Kathleen Ennis (Prospect Theatre Project)
Jed Griffith (Jed’s Scenic Castle)
Ed & Elizabeth Plata (Palace de Plata)
Lynn Dickerson (Gallo Center for the Arts)
Beth Liston (House of Wine and Sandwiches)
Brandon Weber (The Hive / Sacramento, CA)
City Art Gallery / SF, CA

Honorable Mentions

Julie Edwards
Andrew Platts
Matt Sai
Sam Pierstorff
Jeff Bonilla
Kate Trompetter
Tim & Myrna Vick
Ricardo Friaz
Michael Leahy
Nathan Walker
RC Essig
Tony Pennington
Neil Jackson
Chris Doud
Sean Duncan
Shannon Gonzales
Lisa Gotelli
Keith Cole
Tammy Cruise
Angie Good
Donna Miller
Malcolm Sosa
Dina Waxman
Tony Serrano
Sue Richardson
Nick Brunner
Iain Salazar
Jessie Woletz
Chad Sokolovsky
Dos
Jim Fairchild
Jordan Lonn
Ava Sai
Lisa Renner
Ruben Porras
Chris Murphy
Ian Hill
Clay Nutting
Kevin Wan
Jules Bee
John Baccigaluppi
Marijke Rowland
Delta Sierra Beverage
Tom Price
Aaron Gomes
Jack Souza
Joe Scalero
John & Caitlin Gutenberger
Nelson Gomes
Sonny Frisco
Irene Carillo

*Sorry if I forgot someone here. There have been so many people along the way who’ve helped out and I apologize in advance if your name is not listed in this post!

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Wow Era Jewelry Pop-Up Shop at Off The Air on Wednesday, February 27

5:59 pm February 22, 2013

Wow Era Jewelry will be setting up a pop-up shop at the Off The Air show on Wednesday, February 27. We shot the artisan and founder of Wow Era, Stephanie Foster, a few questions via email about the jewelry she creates and she graciously bounced back some pretty awesome answers. Check the Q & A below and then we’ll see you at the show!

Off The Air: Where did the name Wow Era Jewelry come from?

Stephanie: “Wow Era” was actually a serendipitous result of an autocorrect of a text that was supposed to say, “wowzers.” It came at a time in my life that was certainly “wow”-worthy and would just as certainly go down in my internal personal history log as quite an era. Is that vague enough? I think everyone (or at least I hope everyone) has lived through or will experience a Wow Era of his or her own. If it’s wild enough, it can be one of those secret, personal treasures that only you can understand. That’s the feeling I like to be possessed by when I sit to my work table and design these pieces. I want each necklace or bracelet to have that certain feel.

Off The Air: How would you describe your jewelry to someone who has never scene anything you’ve made?

Stephanie: My jewelry is approachable because it’s all made with natural, earthy components which, I feel, people innately recognize and are attracted to. Some pieces are chunky and colorful while others are delicate and light but they all share natural elements as the common denominator. I especially love working with semi-precious stones that have unusual shapes. I tend to break rules of patterns and symmetry and linear-shape and am more in favor of strange architecture. In the beaded jewelry world, my pieces are a little anarchist but easily wearable.

Off The Air: How do you find the beads and materials you use to create your jewelry?

Stephanie: I’ve been to bead shows in the Bay Area and have deconstructed vintage pieces found here and there but, mostly, I love shopping at the best bead store we have access to on the west coast (I know–I’ve checked). That store is right here in Modesto and it’s called Beads Of Contentment. Holly, the owner, has been in the business so long that she can get the most unique, legitimate, and even museum-quality inventory out there.

Off The Air: Can people find your jewelry online?

Stephanie: Soon! Very soon! But, for now, I can be reached on my personal Facebook which I do not mind a bit.

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Off The Air Proudly Presents Dana Falconberry w/ special guest Rose Droll

1:06 pm January 29, 2013

This show will be on a WEDNESDAY otherwise known as Hump Day, that day right smack dab in the middle of the muck. Let us be your saving grace and partake in the perfect dose of magic we’ve put together to help get you through your week!

All of the details are below! Hope to see you soon!

Off The Air Proudly Presents Dana Falconberry w/ special guest Rose Droll
Wednesday, February 27
Deva Cafe, 1202 J Street, Modesto
$5
Doors @ 7pm // Show @ 8pm
ALL AGES

and a pop-up shop by Wow Era Jewelry and guest DJ, Zbroing

—> Dana Falconberry (Austin, TX / Antenna Farm Records)

“…My new favorite is Dana Falconberry.” – Robin Hilton / NPR All Songs Considered

“Falconberry can knock you out with one push of a breath and just the introductory notes of a song that will continue to flutter and flit all the way to its high perches.” – Sean Moeller / Daytrotter

—> Rose Droll

“Modesto’s Rose Droll packed up her piano about a year ago and wheeled it over to the Sunset in San Francisco which she now calls home. Constantly writing new songs, she’s ever evolving and adding on to her finely-crafted mansion of music—every room creatively decorated and painted with sounds that grab ears and don’t let go.” – Greg Edwards / Off The Air

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New Music from Off The Air Recordings: Boy Scouts / “The Morning Moon”

1:21 pm December 15, 2012

Boy Scouts (Taylor Vick) will be releasing her new album “The Morning Moon” via Off The Air Recordings on Tuesday, January 22. Those lucky enough to have secured a ticket to the sold-out Off The Air show on January 18 at Deva Cafe in Modesto, where Taylor opens for Sea of Bees, will have the opportunity to purchase a limited-run refrigerator magnet beautifully decorated with the album art above that will come with a digital-download code for “The Morning Moon.” Hear the album in its entirety by scrolling to the bottom of this post.

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!!!SOLD OUT!!! Off The Air Proudly Presents Sea of Bees w/ special guest Boy Scouts! / Only 60 Tickets Available

12:29 pm December 8, 2012

If you’re an Off The Air regular then you know our shows are normally standing room only. However, for this one, we’ve decided to leave a decent amount of chairs out on the dance floor to encourage a chill vibe and have chosen to limit the amount of tickets we are going to sell to this event to 60 in the attempt to ensure an intimate, inspiring and disturbance-free evening of stunning live music.

Please join us and be a part of this magical night! Get your advance tickets HERE!

Off The Air Proudly Presents Sea of Bees w/ special guest Boy Scouts!

Friday, January 18, 2013

$8 in advance // $10 at the door

Doors @ 7 PM // Show @ 8 PM

This event is ALL AGES and will be hosted at Deva Cafe, 1202 J Street, Modesto, CA 95354

Deva Cafe will provide a full menu for the evening as well as beer and wine for those 21+

—> SEA OF BEES (Team Love)

There are those artists that just grab you at first listen, send chills up your spine and put a smile of pleasure and delight on your face. Sea of Bees, also known us just plain Jules, is just that kind of artist for me and upon discovery I knew I’d stumbled across something incredibly special. She is beyond memorable live, one of those perfomers who will leave you picking your jaw up from the floor over and over again. I double-dog dare you to not come to this show and not leave feeling like you just took your life up a hundred notches on your personal life-experience scale. Greg Edwards, Off The Air

“If I had to sum her up in a sentence, she’s sort of a female Sparklehorse. Her music is rooted very much in folk and rock but wildly experimental; some crazy, beautiful, wonderful sounds . . . On my top 10 for the year.” Robin Hilton, NPR radio host

—> BOY SCOUTS

Boy Scouts is title of the solo project for Manteca-based singer-songwriter Taylor Vick. Taylor has spent the last year and a half studying abroad in Costa Rica and India, experiencing the world in ways very few of us will ever get to do. As she is home for the holidays, Taylor will releasing her new album titled The Morning Moon with Off The Air Recordings on Tuesday, January 22, but will be making it available at this show via a limited-edition refrigerator magnet that comes with a digital-download code for the album. Hear the album in its entirety HERE.

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Off The Air Recordings Teams Up with Crossbill Records to Release a Split 7″ by Jason Lytle and Sea of Bees!

3:59 pm October 5, 2012

Jason Lytle and Sea Of Bees took turns covering one another’s songs for a limited 7″ release – Out November 23rd, 2012 on Crossbill and Off The Air Records!

Fans on the West Coast can pick a copy up at all of their upcoming tour dates together October 16th – 24th.

When we had finished the first Sea of Bees album, Songs for the Ravens, and were trying to get people to listen to it, Jason Lytle was one of the first artists to champion Jules and the album, and that really helped open a few doors and garner the record some listeners. A year or so later, Jason emailed me asking for the lyrics to “Won’t Be Long” as he was considering covering the track.

Another year or so went by and we got a call from someone involved in the Twilight soundtrack who really liked the track as well, but Twilight only uses unreleased songs. “Well, our friend Jason Lytle has a version of that song that’s never been released, do you want to hear that?” Send it over they said. So I emailed Jason, but he was just getting ready to go in the studio to mix his new album, Department of Dissapearance. “It’s close,” he said, “but it needs to be buttoned up and mixed. Let me give it a quick listen and I’ll send over the files.” So we get the track and it’s amazing. It didn’t have any bass, so Jules added a bass part and did the harmony part that Andy Cabic (Vetiver) did on the original version. I dug the flipping of the male/female vocal parts. We mixed it and sent it off.

Months go by again, and no word from the vampire posse. We’re getting antsy, because we really like the track and well, let’s face it, those movies are fucking goofy. Wouldn’t it be cool to do a split 7″ and have Sea of Bees cover one of Jason’s songs? Team Lytle is into it. We get an advance of the new album which is great. Best yet from Jason IMO. There were several songs that would have been fun to cover, but “Get Up and Go” won out because it’s just so damm catchy. You’ll see. When Jason was passing through town, he stopped by and added a vocal at the end of the track and we shot the cover photo at the swingset across the street from the studio. Andrew McGranahan did the photo collage. To bring it full circle, the album is a joint release between Crossbill Records who put out the first Sea of Bees album and Off the Air Recordings which is based in Modesto, CA, hometown to Grandaddy. Vampires lose, you win. Give it a spin.
-John Baccigaluppi, The Hangar Studios / 7″ Producer

“I fell in love with this song a few years ago. I really think Jules captured a real special feel with her recording of it. I just wanted to see if my own version of it could come anywhere near hers in capturing that same sort of feel. Of course it’s naturally different, but it was a joy trying.”
-Jason Lytle on “Won’t Be Long”

“The first time I heard this song, I felt fitted with it. I related to it at this time of my life, the song was like a sweet reminder. There aren’t many songs like this one, it’s a simple message, a not easy to do message. I enjoyed the time spent with it. It really was an honor to give this song a go!”
-Jules Bees on “Get Up and Go”

Tour Dates:
10.16.12 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza+
10.17.12 – Portland, OR @ Holocene+
10.19.12 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall+
10.21.12 – Santa Barbera, CA @ Soho+
10.22.12 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah+
10.23.12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater+
10.24.12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Largo+

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OFF THE AIR, 08/31 – Muir (CD Release), Brass Bed, Alto with the return of our beloved house DJ, Sandwich Dan & a pop-up shop featuring screen printed goodies by ROUSTABOUT

1:06 pm August 19, 2012

It’s been way too long since our last show and we can’t wait to see your glowing faces! To make the wait worth it we’re serving up a doozie of a party to rock your socks ’til they do the wop! See you there? See you there!

OFF THE AIR Presents

An Evening Of Live Independent Music

Featuring

Muir (CD Release)
Brass Bed, Lafayette, LN / Crossbill Records
Alto

with the return of our beloved house DJ, Sandwich Dan and a pop up shop featuring screen printed goodies by ROUSTABOUT

Friday, August 31
Deva Cafe, 1202 J Street, Modesto
Show @ 8 PM
$5
ALL AGES


ALTO – http://altomusic.bandcamp.com

ROUSTABOUT CLOTHING —>



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OFF THE AIR, 06/29 – French Cassettes, Appetite (SOLO), Bells, Rare Leather with guest DJ, Teslow and a pop-up shop featuring fine art by Andrew McGranahan

9:53 pm June 19, 2012

If you’re thinking OH HELLZ YEAH!!! after reading through the copy on that poster then your brain waves are definitely on the money. Absolutely do not miss this event if you love to party, smile and shake your groove thing! You can bet that lots of that will be happening at Deva Cafe on June 29 and the more is always the merrier!

OFF THE AIR PRESENTS

An Evening Of Live Independent Music

Featuring

French Cassettes
Appetite – Sacramento, CA / Crossbill Records (SOLO)
Bells – Oakland, CA
Rare Leather

with Guest DJ, Teslow and a pop-up shop featuring fine art by Andrew McGranhan

Friday, June 29
Deva Cafe, 1202 J Street, Modesto
Show @ 8 PM // $5 // ALL AGES

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OFF THE AIR, 04/27 – Myosin (CD Release), NIGHTGOWN, Television Skies

11:18 pm April 23, 2012

So much new music is coming out of every direction in Modesto. It’s like a water faucet that dispenses awesome got permanently left in the open position. It’s such a good thing and we’re happy to be the bucket that catches a lot of it where you can bring your cup and partake of the sweet-sounding goodness!

Our next show goes off at Deva Cafe (1202 J Street, Modesto) THIS Friday, April 27! Hope you can join us! All of the deets are contained in this post. Thanks for checking in and we hope to see you soon!

Come and grab a brand-spanking-new album by Modesto’s very own Myosin at THIS Friday’s show! These dudes are promising a rollicking live set that will be including, but not limited to, a brass section! You’ll just have to come and see what fireworks actually pop off for yourself!

That video right up there is by NIGHTGOWN which is Rusty Miller’s (Jackpot) new project! Rusty has “played with the likes of Chuck Prophet and Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle.”

NIGHTGOWN will be in the house gettin’ all silky and lacey in the space between your head’s listening devices. If Barry White only knew how sexy and spaced-out indie rock could be maybe he would’ve flipped the script and donned some skinny jeans. I guess we’ll never know, but what we do know Rusty is a legend with a seductive voice of his very own that both inspires and melts hearts like butter. NIGHTGOWN will not disappoint!

Oakdale is home to loads of great music and Television Skies is definitely shaping up to be another fancy feather in its cap. Make sure to arrive early as these guys kick off the night. It’s not everyday you hear someone play a steel drum in a rock band!

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OFF THE AIR House Show! Emily Jane White & Foxtails Brigade! 04/13

10:55 pm April 10, 2012

Our first OFF THE AIR House Show of 2012 is soon approaching! THIS Friday to be exact! Originally the show was going to take place outside, but Mother Nature decided to bring the rain this week so that’s now a no go. Totally not complaining though. We need all of the sky water we can get, right?

Luckily for us, a saint named Jed has opened up the doors of his Scenic Castle and is allowing us to rock our house show under his roof while the pitter patter of rain drops play their own music outside. All of the show deets are below. Hope to see each and every one of you at this sure-shot, memory-makin’ event!

—> The Fine Print

OFF THE AIR House Show Featuring Emily Jane White & Foxtails Brigade
Friday, April 13
Jed’s Scenic Castle, 1408 Scenic Drive, Modesto, CA 95355

Arrive as early as 7:00 PM to hang out and shoot the breeze. The music will start around 8 PMish. Definitely pack along your good vibes and delicious conversation!

All Ages. Bring the whole FAM!

STRONGLY SUGGESTED donation of $5 – $20. All of the cash goes to the bands.

BYOB, but NO UNDERAGE DRINKING WILL BE TOLERATED. Please respect our host and OFF THE AIR, ya’ll.

—> Featuring the musical delights of…

Emily Jane White

“….San Francisco-based singer-songwriter with a
dark streak, has the perfect voice — a coarse but
beautifully aged alto soaked in rye….a beautifully
produced collection of shiver-inducing songs, and
one I’ll return to many times this year.” – NPR

“…as melancholy as a rainbow glimpsed through the
bars of a prison window.” – Rolling Stone

Foxtails Brigade

“The pretty melodies and flower-strewn stories conjure memories of playing dress-up in vintage finery. Yet a sharp, almost violent edge is ever present, saving the music from sugary sweet, indie-folk doldrums.”– SF Bay Guardian

“Foxtails Brigade has that soul-transporting ‘anytime but now, anywhere but here’ quality that accompanies a lot of bands not punching away at the prefab Garage Band beats on their Macs, and it’s such a welcome vacation. The violin and guitar glide and pluck together beautifully, accompanied by Laura Wenbach’s sweet and powerful vocals.” – SF Weekly

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