It's hard to imagine a better fit to experimental film than psychedelic drone. The brief images on screen take you away to darkened unknown landscapes, the multitracked tape manipulation of sound mimics the calm yet uneasy mood in a segmented rhythm. <!--break-->
It's with this symbiosis in mind that I recommend Date Palms – the Oakland band, made up of veteran droners Gregg Kowalsky and Marielle Jakobsons – and its double-feature this weekend. The duo will perform its soothing/unsettling, lost-in-the-rippling-barren-desert, music during two nights (one in SF, one in Oakland) of Super 8 films by Paul Clipson, himself a recipient of last year's GOLDIES.
Year and location of origin: Jingletown, Oakland, 2009.
Band name origin: I grew up in South Florida.
Band motto: Slow and Low.
Description of sound in 10 words or less: Psychedelic minimalism with Eastern tinged melodies driven by cyclical, distorted bass patterns.
Instrumentation: Bass, Violin, Tanpura, Fender Rhodes, various analog synths, tapes.
Most recent release: Four-way split double LP on Immune Records for Record Store Day with Date Palms, Expo 70, Pulse Emitter, and Faceplant (one half of Peaking Lights).
Best part about life as a Bay Area band: An open minded audience.
Worst part about life as a Bay Area band: Pacific Coast isolation, makes it difficult to tour East Coast and Europe.
First album ever purchased: Kiss - Dynasty (cassette).
Most recent album purchased/downloaded: Miles Davis - Live Evil LP (reissue).
Favorite local eatery and dish: Cholita Linda, Fish Tacos
Date Palms
With Barn Owl, Ensemble Economique, and Super 8 films by Paul Clipson
Fri/9, 8 p.m.
Lab
2948 16th St., SF
www.thelab.org
With Barn Owl, Ensemble Economique, and Super 8 films by Paul Clipson
Sat/10, 8 p.m., $7-$10 donation
Liminal Space
950 54th St., Oakl.
www.liminal-space.org