A fan is illuminated by a spotlight during the band's performance.
© Stephanie Yee
This is the eight song set list from the band's performance at Cinespace in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008.
© Stephanie Yee
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Library isn't a library if it sings
Just after Thanksgiving I photographed an up and coming band at Hollywood hot spot Cinespace. I arrived not too long after the Hollywood Thanksgiving day parade on Hollywood Blvd. Traffic and parking wasn't too bad that late in the evening. The concert didn't begin until midnight. Needless to say it was a long night, but I must say the band wasn't bad.
Below is an article I wrote that was published in the SMC Corsair newspaper on 12/3/08
The Library hits the right notes
by Stephanie Yee
Corsair Staff Writer
Twenty something hipsters united at the main concert stage in Hollywood hot spot Cinespace Sunday night to the self-described electro-dance pop sounds of the Library.
The very mention of libraries and electro-dance pop together in the same sentence is incongruous, but the Los Angeles-based band is anything but conventional. Providing the voice to the quintet is the boy band cute Court Alexander, 27. He is tall and has a commanding persona on stage and off. His soaring vocals is reminiscent of another singer in a band that he shrugs off when their name is mentioned: Maroon 5. There are worse comparisons that one could be compared to than the famous Grammy-award winning multi-platinum band.
Keyboardist Matt Blackmar, 24, and Steve Lopez, 25, who plays guitar and keyboards, formed the Library a year ago in its current incarnation with the “right mix of people” from MySpace and Craigslist. Rounding out the band is bassist Sean Krell, 25, and drummer Dave Lewis.
Krell and Blackmar point to Lopez as the “autocrat and dictator” of the band, otherwise the songwriter, but possibly something more sinister. You can’t tell with the lot of them in one room together what is up or down. It’s difficult to get a completely straight answer from anyone. Case in point, they couldn’t quite pin down their musical influences as it differs from person to person. But a few bands and artists they did mention were Radiohead, Mars Volta, Philip Glass, David Axelrod, and Chick Corea. With such divergent influences, it’s hard to peg exactly where their sound originated.
Sam Sparro is a better contemporary comparison than Maroon 5. The soulful warblings of Alexander and the band’s electro pop sound is easily comparable to Sparro.
Their eight-song set Sunday night began minutes before midnight. In their first headlining performance at Cinespace, they call the club their “home.” They’ve played the venue many times and have steadily drawn in a number of fans that follow the band. “Hipsters like us, 30 year olds that like Motley Cure don’t. They pretend they do,” said Lopez.
Samantha Ward, 21, and her sister Courtney, 18, have seen the band four times. The appeal is their lyrics, sound and they “are so fun to look at. And the singer is amazing.”
The danceable tunes had people in the room on their feet for the entire 30-minute set. Alexander drew the audience in closer to the stage for the band’s final number, “You Don’t Need No Doctor Sugar,” a soaring coup de grace.
The band’s long-term goal is to finish their first album by February 2009 and to sign with a major record company. In the meantime, they have two more shows to cap the year off: Dec. 10 at Boardner’s and Dec. 16 at the Key Club.
Below is an article I wrote that was published in the SMC Corsair newspaper on 12/3/08
The Library hits the right notes
by Stephanie Yee
Corsair Staff Writer
Twenty something hipsters united at the main concert stage in Hollywood hot spot Cinespace Sunday night to the self-described electro-dance pop sounds of the Library.
The very mention of libraries and electro-dance pop together in the same sentence is incongruous, but the Los Angeles-based band is anything but conventional. Providing the voice to the quintet is the boy band cute Court Alexander, 27. He is tall and has a commanding persona on stage and off. His soaring vocals is reminiscent of another singer in a band that he shrugs off when their name is mentioned: Maroon 5. There are worse comparisons that one could be compared to than the famous Grammy-award winning multi-platinum band.
Keyboardist Matt Blackmar, 24, and Steve Lopez, 25, who plays guitar and keyboards, formed the Library a year ago in its current incarnation with the “right mix of people” from MySpace and Craigslist. Rounding out the band is bassist Sean Krell, 25, and drummer Dave Lewis.
Krell and Blackmar point to Lopez as the “autocrat and dictator” of the band, otherwise the songwriter, but possibly something more sinister. You can’t tell with the lot of them in one room together what is up or down. It’s difficult to get a completely straight answer from anyone. Case in point, they couldn’t quite pin down their musical influences as it differs from person to person. But a few bands and artists they did mention were Radiohead, Mars Volta, Philip Glass, David Axelrod, and Chick Corea. With such divergent influences, it’s hard to peg exactly where their sound originated.
Sam Sparro is a better contemporary comparison than Maroon 5. The soulful warblings of Alexander and the band’s electro pop sound is easily comparable to Sparro.
Their eight-song set Sunday night began minutes before midnight. In their first headlining performance at Cinespace, they call the club their “home.” They’ve played the venue many times and have steadily drawn in a number of fans that follow the band. “Hipsters like us, 30 year olds that like Motley Cure don’t. They pretend they do,” said Lopez.
Samantha Ward, 21, and her sister Courtney, 18, have seen the band four times. The appeal is their lyrics, sound and they “are so fun to look at. And the singer is amazing.”
The danceable tunes had people in the room on their feet for the entire 30-minute set. Alexander drew the audience in closer to the stage for the band’s final number, “You Don’t Need No Doctor Sugar,” a soaring coup de grace.
The band’s long-term goal is to finish their first album by February 2009 and to sign with a major record company. In the meantime, they have two more shows to cap the year off: Dec. 10 at Boardner’s and Dec. 16 at the Key Club.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Welcome!
This is solely devoted to my photography, published works and future endeavors. Since I haven't been as up to date with my website as I'd like to be, I thought this would be the perfect way to get out there until I get everything together and sorted.
I'm opening myself up to you out there for comments, criticism and critiques. I'll try to update this as often as possible.
Thanks for stopping by and checking in.
I'm opening myself up to you out there for comments, criticism and critiques. I'll try to update this as often as possible.
Thanks for stopping by and checking in.
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