Live in Oberlin (Last Night)

Best Coast Tour CD-R (DOWNLOAD)

Last night Drew and I went down to Oberlin for the Best Coast show and I'm so glad that we did. It was definitely the best $5 I've spent on a recent night on the town. I was a little hesitant about another night at the Sco after the bad experience Drew and I had when we saw Girls/Dum Dum Girls, but it must have just been the crowd that Girls drew. The audience for the Best Coast show was much smaller & on the whole, uncomfortable invasions of my personal space decreased by about 100%, which was much appreciated.

The opening band, Geffika, was a duo (drums & guitar) that played some pretty heavy, sludgy rock. Their music wasn't really my style, but I did like the last song that they played -- it felt much faster compared to the rest of their set & seemed more like a hardcore punk song. Even though I wasn't super into Geffika, I really appreciated having the experience of seeing them play. Even though I try not to be, I'm (in many ways) very limited in what I listen to, especially when it comes to music made by women, so it was really cool to have an experience that forced me outside of those limits. It was also cool to know that Jessica, one half of Geffica, is Bethany's childhood best friend. One of the main things I appreciate about independent music is the idea of communities as opposed to scenes & I feel like seeing Geffica and Best Coast play together really reinforced that for me.

Best Coast played an awesome, awesome set! Bethany had a gorgeous sonic blue Fender Mustang with a tortoiseshell pick guard (I don't know why, but I've been really into noting people's gear lately) & her band was spot on. I loved the interplay between Bethany and Bobb Bruno & their drummer was awesome too!

They played a long set of short songs (if that description makes any sense) including a couple of covers, songs from their 7"s, and a bunch of really wonderful new songs that have me super stoked about their rumored upcoming full-length.

All of the Best Coast vinyl is long sold out (I feel lucky to have what I do!), but the band was selling CD-Rs of their current discography decorated with Lisa Frank stickers. While it's not my typical policy to share full releases, I've ripped and uploaded my CD-R since all of BC's vinyl is way out of print (and currently being trafficked on eBay for more than 5 or 6 times it's original sale price -- something that I feel very strongly about, in the "HEY, THAT'S WRONG" sort of way) & since not everyone will be able to see Best Coast, I'm sharing this. That said, if you have the chance to see the band, please support them and buy a shirt and/or a CD-R. It's worth it!

For those of you who are new to the Best Coast party, Best Coast started out as Bethany Cosentino's bedroom recording project -- fuzzy guitar pop inspired by California, cats, and weed. Bethany writes some beautiful songs and I love the way her music sounds with a full band. She's released a handful of all now sold out 7"s with Art Fag, Black Iris, & some other labels and has a rumored full length album on the horizon.

If you want to sample a song before you commit to downloading the tour CD-R, here's the video for "When I'm With You" (the A-Side from a 7" released on Black Iris.)



ALSO: Of course, the day I publish an article on Liz Phair vs. Rivers Cuomo (see here), Drew decides to wear a Weezer shirt to the Best Coast show & Bethany says to him, from the stage, between songs, "I like your Weezer shirt," and after the show even goes so far as to say, "I wasn't trying to be a bitch/make fun of you when I said I liked your shirt, Weezer rules!" She then went on to explain that she learned how to play "Keep Fishing" for this tour, but that her bandmates didn't, so they haven't been covering it. Oh Rivers Cuomo, can I go a single day without you playing a pivotal role in my life? Probably not.

Best Coast Tour CD-R (DOWNLOAD)