New single: It Multiplies

The second single leading up to our new album is out today. It is a song about infidelity. In fact, a specific incidence of infidelity, and the consequences. Listen to it here.

The artwork was done by local Jolly de Guzman, who has created some incredible art.

Our goal was to release something entirely different in theme and mood from our last single. It's going to be a great year...

It Multiplies video shoot location: FOUND!

(photo by Danit Sigler)

Having sought a perfect desolate location for the It Multiplies video, we happened upon a house in Palmdale, CA that had the remains of a chicken farm behind it. These rotting wooden shacks are incredible, and look very creepy at night.

Seeing as the song is a bit darker and moodier than our last, we wanted something to fit that. Our director Lior Molcho is very pleased with the find and is looking forward to making a bit more of an 'art video' than the last one. Photographer Tami Bahat is going to some makeup/art direction of the shoot as well, so we'll see what that brings.

Shooting takes place on the evening of January 23rd, and the weather is supposed to be somewhere around 30 degrees. Hooray winter desert night shoot!

The song is set to be released on January 31st, a month or so before the video.

#52 Redwood Bar on 1-4-2011

(photo by Danit Sigler)

We were invited to play this show by Cinderella Motel. The lead singer is a bit New Romantic looking, and can play the accordion. Redwood Bar has a nautical theme, and though the stage is small, there is a nice painting with a busty mermaid behind it.

We were pleased to have our video director and cinematographer in town to finally see a live show. I was using new bass equipment, and trying to get used to it. The sound on stage was very odd, and nothing was sounding right. I became discouraged, and after finishing a song I announced that we would not be playing another until we got the sound sorted out. The sound man made some adjustments, which helped a little, but overall the performance felt like a challenge. It was well received though, and we were pleased to have some familiar friends with us.

I left my hooded sweatshirt at the club, but luckily Michael retrieved it. 

#51 Sancho on 12-3-2010

(photo by Robert Hogg)

This was our final show of the year. We arrived at the venue and found an empty white artspace, and it's proprietor starting to set things up. I offered to set up the PA and got started. It was 9:30, and though we were set to play at 11, a flock of people showed up to see us play. I suggested they enjoy themselves at a local bar or eatery, and that's what they did. AV Club were the openers, and were running a bit late, but setup was quick and we were on schedule.

AV Club put on a great show, and I mixed the best sound I could with the small speakers provided. Our set was lively, and I was pleased to have 'Valley Born' back in the set. Wayne commented it was "five years in the making," which made me laugh. The last band (Fay Wrays) apparently had a breakdown and were not going to make it, so after playing we lingered as long as we could. A nice end to this year's performances.

#50 The Airliner on 11-2-10

(photo by Matthew Stolarz)

Congratulations us! This was the Active Set's 50th show! Hurrah! Hurrah!

This show was handed to us after playing the Terrace. I told my friend Sean Guerin to see about playing it, and lo and behold we got to play together. Francis and I ate tacos, separately, before the show.

The show was opened by a cool experimental 'loop station' guitarist. The Airliner has 3 stages, and we played the tiny one downstairs, not the big cement loading dock one out back or the super cool big stage upstairs. That was reserved for the 'damage to your nervous system' DJs.

They played a bunch of dub reggae on the PA as we set up, which always puts me in the mood. Though the stage is sideways facing the bar, everyone stood in front of us while we played. I couldn't keep my jacket on through the whole set, and Wayne called me a 'pussy' or 'quitter' or something. I made a lot of jokes about Meg Whitman, who was losing the election to Jerry Brown.

AV club is fronted by Austin Eastlee, a friend of mine. Sean Guerin plays keys. They have a good band.

#49 Pierce College Halloween Harvest Festival on 10-22-10

(I really had misgivings about including this photo, taken by Vivian Lovell.)

I was eager to see what this show would be like. I realized that we hadn't brought a box of CDs to sell, and this was the very type of event that people would probably be buying them. I managed to dig up 4 from the van and luckily one of the attendees had some backup copies. We played on a gigantic outdoor stage, facing benches and several concession stands. We were all so spread apart that we couldn't really hear each other's amps. (The sound men kept telling us to turn down so as to not drown out Castro's drums.)

I felt a bit performance-unsatisfied, and turned to Francis to say "one more." He shot me down.

We had friends who brought some people, and plenty of children watching our set. Children intrigue me as audience members, because they pretty much like it or they don't, and when they do it's pretty magical.

#48 Central on 10-8-2010

(photo by Amber McCandless)

Central Social Aid and Pleasure Club is in Santa Monica. It used to be called 14 Below. (I once played there with an earlier band and our attendees were not counted correctly so I was screwed out of $140.) We had been invited to play by Holy Rolling Empire, a Tucson band.

We were set to open the show, and we were going to share drums with some of the other bands, and I was borrowing a bass amp. We set up for what seemed like forever, and the sound men were having some technical issues, so it was actually longer than forever. I didn't remember the stage being so cramped. We played to a modest crowd, but they seemed into it. It would be a shame if I didn't comment on the lights in the room, which were pin-laser-psychedelic-spiral-dance-club madness. They were definitely in competition with us.

The crowd filled out as the night went on, and I must say there is nothing like playing shows with bands that are your friends. This was our 5th (6th? 7th?) show with the Monthlies, and the 2nd show with new friends Cola Cola, so the environment was warm and inviting. It reminded me a bit of shows on tour.