Hoodoo Gurus, Loquat, DJ Evil Justin March 31, 2007

Doors at 8:30
$20
21+

Hoodoo Gurus
For over twenty years and eight albums, Australia’s Hoodoo Gurus have given the world a dozen classic anthems, topped the charts and gained cult hero status. Hoodoo Gurus have now remastered their early albums and on October 24, the bands’ own Hoodoo Gurus’ Records will reissue their debut recording Stoneage Romeos. Additional back catalogue will be available digitally and a new studio release is planned for 2007. Hoodoo Gurus have also assembled all their favorite video footage together in a long-form DVD for the US release of Tunnel Vision.

The Stoneage Romeos reissue comes with the original Australian front cover art, as well as additional new material, including a fold out poster, and features bonus tracks “Leilani Pt 2”, “Be My Guru” and “Hoodoo You Love”. Full of garage punk songs, big fat rhythm section and a wall of guitars, the band’s debut topped the US college charts ahead of The Replacements, REM and Black Flag and stayed at #1 for seven weeks. The first track, ‘(Let’s All) Turn On’ is a manifesto - checking off the Flaming Groovies, Ramones, Elvis, the Stones T-Rex and the Archies. Of the release, All Music Guide says, “StoneAge Romeos ranks with the most solid debut albums of the 1980’s and if you don’t like the Hoodoo Gurus, I suspect you don’t like rock & roll very much.”

The two disc DVD, Tunnel Vision, includes all the band’s thirty videos, live performance filmed in venues around the world, and a full length documentary including interviews with the band as well as special guests including Redd Kross and The Bangles. “Tunnel Vision is a timely reminder of the importance of the Hoodoo Gurus.” - Kerang

The band is currently in the studio recording a new album for release in Spring of 2007 to be accompanied by their first live dates in the United States in many years.

Loquat
Kylee Swenson and Earl Otsuka met in 1996 and began writing music together under the name of an exotic fruit, Loquat. Five years later, bass player Anthony Gordon came along and asked the duo, "Why aren't you playing live?" To which Otsuka and Swenson just shrugged their shoulders and went back to their guitars. Gordon then recruited childhood friend, drummer Christopher Lautz, and original Loquat keyboardist Ben Kasman to whip the band into shape. After Kasman left, Ryan Manley entered the fray, and the happy quintet now makes stunning pop music while trying--sometimes unsuccessfully--to drink in moderation.

Armed with its organic-meets-electronic guitar pop, Loquat released its first two EPs--The Penny Drop (self released) and Fall (Dreams By Degrees)--in 2002, and various Loquat tracks have found their way to compilations, including Listen.com's Listen Picks Vol. II and Amoeba's Amoeba Music Compilation Vol. IV. In 2003, Devil In The Woods records released Loquat's EP, Before the Momentum, including a cover of The Smiths' "There is a Light That Never Goes Out."

The SF Weekly wrote about the band, "It's the combination of the superb musicians and their significant restraint that makes Loquat so habit forming." And DIW magazine said, "Loquat [is] where electronic and organic sounds meet to make eloquent, gorgeous music."

The band has shared the stage with The Cardigans and Evan Dando, was voted "Best Pop Group" at the 2003 SF Weekly Music Awards, toured from California to Texas for SXSW, and had its track "Swingset Chain" featured on The WBs One Tree Hill.

A month after the U.S. release of the bands debut full-length album, Its Yours to Keep (Jackpine Social Club)--released in Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Sweden on Dearstereofan records in 2004--Loquat reached ..85 on the CMJ Radio 200 chart. Additional support has come in the form of regular airplay on SF commercial radio Live 105, and the band was also the Editors Pick for the launch day of CNET Music Download.

Backed by the lilting, moody dynamics of her bandmates, Swenson sings in sepia tones, mixing bittersweet nostalgia with sardonic humor through penetrating lyricism. Hauntingly familiar and captivatingly ethereal, Its Yours to Keep calls to mind the wistfulness of childhood and languid remembrances of friends passed on and out of reach.