{"id":13753,"date":"2017-12-06T09:22:59","date_gmt":"2017-12-06T14:22:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=13753"},"modified":"2017-12-06T09:23:07","modified_gmt":"2017-12-06T14:23:07","slug":"on-stage-ventura-fire-forces-cancellation-of-phillips-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=13753","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Ventura fire forces cancellation of Phillips’ show"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Veteran rock and jazz drummer Simon Phillips was forced to cancel his tour \u2014 including a local stop tonight \u2014 after his Venture County, Cal. home burned in a wildfire.<\/p><\/div>\n

Two British musicians who first arrived on the scene in the late 1970s and have been going strong ever since have concerts scheduled in the area at different venues on December 6 \u2013 Gary Numan at Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-232-2100, www.utphilly.com<\/a>) and Simon Phillips at Havana (105 South Main Street, New Hope, https:\/\/www.havananewhope.com\/<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the following announcement was made last night by Phillips\u2019 management \u2013 \u201cWe have some very sad news to report this evening. The Ventura County, Calif., house of veteran session jazz and rock drummer Simon Phillips was burned to the ground last night in the Thomas Fire that has swept through Southern California.<\/p>\n

At the time that it happened, Phillips was onstage at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City with his band Protocol 4. It was the first night of the U.S. leg of their tour, and Phillips has canceled\u00a0the entire tour as he deals with the fire. A GoFundMe campaign is in the process of being established.<\/p>\n

The Thomas Fire started last night at 6:30 p.m. (Pacific) and quickly spread via the Santa Ana winds, burning an acre a second and is still considered to be out of control. As of right now, it has covered 50,000 acres, roughly 78 square miles, and has destroyed 150 buildings, including an 82-bed mental health facility. According to the Los Angeles Times<\/em><\/a>, 1,000 people are fighting the fire.<\/p>\n

A native of London, the 60-year-old Phillips has a varied and distinguished career, having played with such acts as the Who<\/a>, Jeff Beck<\/a>, Judas Priest<\/a> and Joe Satriani<\/a>. He served as the drummer of Toto<\/a> from 1992, following the death<\/a> of co-founder Jeff Porcaro, until 2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Gary Numan<\/p><\/div>\n

Numan, who is known for his work as a solo artist and as leader of Tubeway Army. is an iconic and highly influential singer\/electronic musician\/rocker. In September, he released his 22nd studio album \u2013 \u201cSavage (Songs From A Broken World)\u201d via BMG.<\/p>\n

\u201cSavage (Songs From A Broken World)\u201d is an album with a narrative that is set in an apocalyptic, post-global warming Earth in the not-too-distant future. There is no technology left and most of the planet has turned to a desolate desert wasteland.<\/p>\n

Food is scarce, water even more so and human kindness and decency are just a dim and distant memory. Western and Eastern cultures have merged, more because of the need to simply survive than any feelings of greater tolerance or understanding. It’s a harsh, savage environment, as are the survivors who still roam across it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started writing the album in November 2016,\u201d said Numan, during a recent phone interview from his home in Los Angeles\u2019 San Fernando Valley. \u201cI did a Pledge Campaign. I wanted donors to experience it from Day One \u2013 to see how a song evolved \u2013 to see how the various elements are added. I hadn\u2019t gone into the studio for quite some time before that.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Numan was writing the record, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. It made sense to make him and his climate decisions the catalyst for the apocalypse theme of the album.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the election, it\u2019s an interesting connection,\u201d said Numan. \u201cThe first song I wrote was about how much pressure I was under because my last album did really well. I was doing a lot of touring \u2013 and I was managing myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was dealing with an awful lot of things I wasn\u2019t used to. I wrote 22 bits of music that turned into fouir or five actual tunes. \u00a0I wanted the new album to be good enough. So, that was the first song.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I started to steal ideas from the book I was writing about a post-Apocalyptic future. Then, Trump appeared. I saw that he was against climate change \u2013 calling it a Chinese hoax. The thing that really got me was the climate change. He was saying things that were very different to what I believed to be true and it worried me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had had no intention of doing an album about it but Trump made it all more relevant \u2013 taking ideas from my global warming book. Without Trump, the album would have been very different. I realized I needed to tap into this far more than I had anticipated. The project stopped being a purely science-fiction thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The desolate future Trump\u2019s actions could create took a central position.<\/p>\n

According to Numan, \u201cThe songs are about the things that people do in such a harsh and terrifying environment. It\u2019s about a desperate need to survive and they do awful things in order to do so, and some are haunted by what they\u2019ve done. That desire to be forgiven, along with some discovered remnants of an old religious book, ultimately encourages religion to resurface, and it really goes downhill from there.”<\/p>\n

The album was produced by long-term collaborator Ade Fenton with recording sessions split between Numan\u2019s own studio in southern California and studios in the UK. Numan and Fenton\u2019s creative connection goes back to 2006\u2019s \u201cJagged\u201d album.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2016, I hooked up with Ade again,\u201d said Numan. \u201cHe is very creative. And, it\u2019s easy for me to work with him \u2013 to come up with ideas together. He is focused on making the music as good as it can be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Numan will also bring his tour to another area venue later in the week. On December 8, Numan will visit Lancaster County to headline a show at the Chameleon Club (223 North Water Street, Lancaster, 717-299-9684, http:\/\/www.chameleonclub.net<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Video link for Gary Numan \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/lHomCiPFknY<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Union Transfer, which has Me Not You as the opener, will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $30. The show at the Chameleon Club, which has Void Vision as the opening act, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $28.<\/p>\n

Midweek can often be a slow time for live music events during the winter \u2013 but not this week.<\/p>\n

The entertainment calendar also features two very interesting shows on tap with SeepopleS headlining a show in Philly and Northern Ghost performing in Lancaster.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

SeepopleS<\/p><\/div>\n

SeepeopleS will bring its \u201cHATE Tour\u201d to MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215- 925-6455, www.milkboyphilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The\u00a0anti-genre\u00a0indie pranksters\u00a0SeepeopleS\u00a0have been a band for 17 years. The group, which is the brainchild of bandleader\/songwriter\/producer Will Bradford, has released five full-length albums and 2 EPs on its own label, RascalZRecordZ. All seven records were co-produced by Will Holland\u00a0(Pixies, New Pornographers, Dead Can Dance).<\/p>\n

Led by the multi-faceted Bradford, SeepeopleS<\/a> is an East Coast alternative pop\/rock outfit with a strong psychedelic influence. Bradford is the band\u2019s lead vocalist and primary songwriter. Over the years, he has played guitar (electric and acoustic), electric bass, drums, percussion, keyboards, organ and the Indian sitar for his group.<\/p>\n

SeepopleS have toured virtually non-stop for almost two decades and have performed more than 1,500 shows in 46 states\u00a0during their long career.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s influences come from rock, soul, funk, dub-style reggae and electronica (including trance, drum-and-bass and jungle). But, more than anything else, SeepeopleS<\/a>is a guitar-based rock band known for lyrics that have been described as melancholy, cynical, world-weary, and angry.<\/p>\n

SeepeopleS<\/a> was formed in Allston, Massachusetts in 2000, when three ex-members of a New England band called Cosmic Dilemma — Bradford, bassist Dan Ingenthron, and drummer Tim Haney — decided to keep working together.<\/p>\n

SeepeopleS<\/a> hadn’t been together very long when they landed a gig opening for Cracker<\/a> at a New York City venue known as the Acme Underground, and after two years of East Coast gigs, SeepeopleS<\/a> released their first album, \u201cFor the Good of the Nation<\/a>,\u201d in 2002. In 2004, SeepeopleS<\/a> moved from New England to Asheville, North Carolina and released their second album, \u201cThe Corn Syrup Conspiracy<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through it all, SeepeopleS has been a New England band and they recently returned to their home.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started in Massachusetts and then were based in Portland, Maine,\u201d said Bradford, during a phone interview last week from his home in Maine. \u201cThen, we relocated to Asheville. We really liked it there but then decided to come back to New England. Now, we\u2019re based in Portland.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band was recently nominated for \u201cBest Live Act\u201d for the 2016 New England Music Awards.<\/p>\n

SeepeopleS released their\u00a0newest EP, \u201cHATE\u201d earlier this year along with a\u00a0brand-new video animated by Pete List (Celebrity Death Match\/MTV, Marilyn Manson). The video for \u201cNew American Dream\u201d features great graphics and a poignant look at the history of America and the world over the last few decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe spent a lot of time conceptualizing that video,\u201d said Bradford. \u201cWe wanted to make it historical.<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, I wrote the song a long time ago \u2013 back when we were involved with Iraq. This year, we did a pre-election video of the song. Pete saw the video and said he wanted to work with us to do a post-election video of the song.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new EP is part of their triple series of EP releases \u2013 \u201cLOVE,\u201d \u201cHATE\u201d and \u201cLIVE,\u201d which is scheduled for release this month.\u00a0All three EPs will be released digitally with some bonus tracks as \u201cSeepeopleS LOVE HATE LIVE\u201d at\u00a0the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made the studio EPs last year,\u201d said Bradford. \u201cWe released the first half \u2013 the five-song \u2018LOVE\u2019 EP last year followed by the second five-song EP \u2018HATE\u2019 this year. We recorded the tracks at a wonderful studio in Bostonb — Chill House Studio. We worked with a great co-producer \u2013 Will Holland.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s worked with us for 16 years and is like a fifth member of the band. I also produce other bands. When Will and I are together in the studio, we work together pretty well. He\u2019s adventurous and that fits well with the music our band makes. The 10 studio songs were recorded over the last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our live show, we play stuff from almost every album. We do play the 10 songs from the latest EPs a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for SeepopleS \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/V8TUkRqV6pw<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at MilkBoy Philly, which has Wyllys and Post War Dream as the opening acts, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Northern Ghost<\/p><\/div>\n

Northern Ghost, a metal band featuring Tony McVaney (vocals), Alan Bryan (guitar), Nolan O\u2019Renic (guitar), Kenny Pohorence (bass) and Michael Mazzoli (drums), will perform at the Lizard Lounge at the Chameleon Club (223 North Water Street, Lancaster, 717-299-9684, http:\/\/www.chameleonclub.net<\/em><\/a>) as part of the Tour of Pure Tragedy with Tragic Hero Records labelmate Set to Stun.<\/p>\n

Northern Ghost, which hails from the Cleveland\/Youngstown area of Ohio, is currently touring in support of its debut album \u201cHappy: Sad: Depressed: Suicidal,\u201d which was released back in July via Tragic Hero. The band is known for creating emotional, honest metalcore music with influences from bands such as Underoath and Architects.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing this band for two years,\u201d said McVaney, during a phone interview Monday from his home in Youngstown. \u201cThe record just came out in July and now we\u2019re going full force.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore this band, we knew each other from playing in other bands in the Ohio metal scene. With what we did in our older bands, we built our reputation with industry people before we even became Northern Ghost.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2017, Northern Ghost signed with Tragic Hero Records. The partnership was an easy decision once they met label owner Tommy LaCombe. According to McVaney, \u201cRight away he made us feel like a priority and made it very clear he believed in what we’re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

McVaney explained the band\u2019s family tree.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrior to Northern Ghost, several of us were members of the band Set to Reflect,\u201d said McVaney. \u201cSo, we\u2019ve known each other for a while. The metal scene around here is pretty tight-kinit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Northern Ghost is definitely a metal band \u2013 but it is also more than just a metalcore act.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really are more than just a metal band,\u201d said McVaney. \u201cWe have a lot of band influences. Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead are big influences on what I add to our sound.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe finished the album in July 2016. Then, we sat on it for a year to make sure everything was ready. We shopped it around to labels and Tragic Hero stood out to us. It\u2019s really chill to be part of that family.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cut the album in Columbus, Ohio at Capital House Studio. Nick Ingram produced, mixed and mastered it. We recorded the first five songs with him independently and those were the songs we shopped out. Tragic Hero sent us back in the studio with him to finish the album. I\u2019d say we were in the studio for one month altogether.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re the kind of band that never stops writing. I do the lyrics and the melodies but everybody in the band does a fair amount of writing. It makes the writing process a lot easier when you have multiple minds working together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Northern Ghost \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/JW4zO7wFICk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Tour of Pure Tragedy will start at 6 p.m. at The Lizard Lounge. Tickets are $12.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times Two British musicians who first arrived on the scene in the late 1970s and have been going strong ever since have concerts scheduled in the area at different venues on December 6 \u2013 Gary Numan at Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, 215-232-2100, www.utphilly.com) and Simon Phillips […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13755,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[3162,6475,6477,6476,6474],"class_list":["post-13753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-gary-numan","tag-northern-ghost","tag-seepoples","tag-simon-phillips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13753"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13754,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13753\/revisions\/13754"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}