Caldecott

The next Debut Tuesday is on Sept. 10, 2013 which will feature Oakland’s Caldecott, a four-piece roots-rock group with some really cool surfed-out, reverb-drenched, garage band vibes (check them out at Caldecott.bandcamp.com). - SubMerge Magazine

The first annual We Move Against the Tides Dayfest is taking place this afternoon at The Parkside. This event highlights and showcases a very unique line up of underground musicians, including Jorge of Jorge and the Nicoteens, who will be playing a solo set of off syncopated freak folk songs as, Whorehey Writes Psychedelic Music. There will be another appearence by Brent Stratton of The SFPD, as he moonlights his personal acoustic rock jams under the moniker, Open Bar. Rounding out and ending the afternoon of music will be the heavy garage rock band, Caldecott.

We're always excited to support new festivals and completely out- of- the- box line ups, so this show is something that peaked our interest, and should definitely draw you in. We Move Against the Tides Dayfest begins TODAY at 3 pm and will offer an afternoon happy hour which will include food and drink specials. And did we mention that this event is FREE and ALL AGES? What more can you want?? -jordannah elizabeth - The Deli Magazine

Oakland’s very own Caldecott has been cranking out a hefty helping of garage rock. Their self-titled album blends a wide array of rock elements but we particularly love the surf rock tinged guitar riffs found throughout the release. It’s a great nod to classic rock n’ roll but still has a fresh spin ready to be enjoyed while cruising Highway 1.

The band has been making major headway, doing a stint at SXSW and touring heavily. Current tour dates put them back up in the bay area, so if you like what you hear and reside in NorCal, do yourself a favor and see them live! - TheKnifeFight.com

Caldecott is Greg Rijavec, Mike Noda, Matthew Rostica and Jason ‘penny’ Eisenberg. Caldecott was born in Oakland and this will be their first year playing and/or attending SXSW. Come get a taste of Oakland with these hometown rockers this Saturday, when they play Lo-Pie/Pass Go Management’s California DIY showcase at Copa Bar.

Looking forward to most at SXSW 2013:
Burgermania, Unknown Relatives, and sharing a bill with some of our favorite bands at the Oakland Showcase. And free booze.

Your Ride:
We’re rolling in an E-3fitty. Picked up our spiritual guide, Sam, in Santa Cruz and our handicap-able, Mikey, in San Diego. Aside from gear we got skateboards, a wheelchair and a few local kegs complimentary of Linden St and Magnolia.

Food Stops:
Salt Lick, two burgers a pop from In n’ Out, California burritos wherever advertised, Duartes. Where aren’t we going to stop? We’ve noticed a significant increase in face fat in some of our members.

Highs and Lows of The Road:
Best: Cruise control. You can smell the love in this van.
Worst: Nothing sucks on the road – yet.

Tour Tale:
Shout out to the modern day Spicoli – Reeve. “Ride them waves in Mexico brah.” - Lo-Pie

Caldecott’s Oakland-based roots rock hits with a satisfying crunch on their self-titled debut. While keeping the spirit of their Rock Bottom EP, it’s a polished step forward, aiming more towards the recent Bay Area garage rock scene than the hippie noodling of yore that one still associates with SF. It’s worth remembering that for all their Bayou affectations, Creedence Clearwater Revival came from the Bay Area, and Caldecott measures up in their straightforward approach. Venturing into the twisted songwriting sensibility of the Handsome Family on “Hoarder Of Love” and “Copy” establishes a difference from their peers. The twangy goodness of “Human Again” is the perfect entry point to an engaging straight-ahead rock endeavor. - The Owl Mag

Three weeks ago, Caliber highlighted local bands Virgin Hymns, Hot Flash Heat Wave, Caldecott, and Warm Soda after their performance UC Berkeley’s own Thorsen house. Following their impressive show here on campus, Hot Flash Heat Wave and Caldecott performed at Awaken Café last Friday, this time accompanied by bands Meat Market and Repeater Pan.

If you aren’t already familiar, Awaken Café is a coffee shop that specializes in not only lattes, but also has beer on tap and delicious foods for you to enjoy during their in-house shows. This welcoming and relaxed atmosphere made for some very happy concert goers and drink seekers as the night kicked off.


Hot Flash Heat Wave
As soon as the people began filling the place, Hot Flash Heat Wave took the stage by storm. Many fellow students of the band members came to support their very talented friends. Songs such as Dirty Dreamer and Rum Runner got people dancing, which was only intensified when Repeater Pan took stage. A slight shift in atmosphere could be felt as this next band stepped up. With their punk inspired set and powerful vocals, Repeater Pan left the audience wanting more – a challenge Caldecott was willing to take.


Repeater Pan
Just like their performance at Sigma Phi, Caldecott melted the inhibitions of the crowd and got everyone on their feet. It’s no surprise that this group will be soon be making an appearance at South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival in Austin, TX. Although one would never know based off of the night’s tremendous turnout, Caldecott’s manager/founder of Pass Go Management, Martin Hirshland is relatively new to the management scene. When asked about sending Caldecott to SXSW, Hirshland said,

“It’s a dream come true for me, honestly… I wanted to go to SXSW this year not only as an attendee, but as a contributor to the festival itself. I wanted to set up an event to showcase all the good music in Oakland, and call it ‘Oakland Showcase at SXSW’. Unfortunately, due to legal copyrights, I can’t use those terms. The event is now a ‘California DIY Fest’ and will feature bands from LA and the Bay Area. Caldecott, Meat Market, Religious Girls and more.”

The event was brought to an end with final band, Meat Market of Oakland, CA, who, just as with Caldecott, is made up of several UC Santa Cruz alumni. It was clear that the band was very engaged with the audience, each feeding off of each other’s energy and craving the sound. What might have gone unnoticed though was the familiar face leading Meat Market in vocals and guitar. Previously on stage as bassist for Repeater Pan, Jeff Cheung was again before us, this time showing a bit more of his versatile abilities as a musician.

Hirshland did not leave the audience with any time to waste. Between sets were performances by Cal Slam, a bit of stand-up comedy, and one cannot forget Melvis – “Mexican Elvis” as the King of Rock and Roll impersonator called himself.

In reflection of such a successful show, Hirshland gave me this statement,

“Music matters. Just beyond your doorstep, there is an entire world of top class and accessible live music. Go to shows, see local bands, support the scene and tell your friends. Be an active part of the collective shared experience. Listen to KALX.”

You heard the man! - Caliber Magazine

Here in Berkeley, all sorts of cultures, beliefs, and interests surround us. From such diversity, comes a range of music that very few places can compete with. But with so much to offer, it is often easy for talent to get overlooked or go unheard. Fortunately, a few brothers of Sigma Phi have taken the initiative to give upcoming artists an opportunity to showcase their work to the public.

Last semester, the Thorsen House (a.k.a Sigma Phi house) put on a few shows in their historically famous home, highlighting local bands such as Spanish Cannons (San Francisco), Lessons (Oakland), Meat Market (Oakland), Casey Chisholm (Berkeley), Mean Streets (Oakland), and many more. Last Saturday, the fraternity revved up the new semester with four new bands, each of which are promisingly making their way into and beyond the Bay Area music scene.


A landmark of Berkeley as of 1975, CA, the Thorsen house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the California Historic Register.
Thorsen Events has held several events similar to the one which occurred last Saturday in the Sigma Phi garden, and now has aspirations of working with other fraternities, sororities, coops, restaurants, and just about any other type of space to further expand its efforts in bringing all corners of music culture to life. Max Pujals, coordinator of Thorsen Events, described his desire to create such an opportunity for students and bands alike as such:

The Bay Area is playing a large part in the music playing across the world and we’re at a potentially interesting moment to spur that creativity on.

In an ideal city, students wouldn’t have to travel far to hear a whole range of music that appeals to their young tastes. The venues and news exists but feel at a distance. It should be easy for the average student to find music he can see week in week out- and also to find music that is not directed as respectable by the media.

Also-whereas Superb and their excellent managers organize great music for students, it feels like they’re not involved in the most exciting part of the process yet, which is seeing a band work for it’s notoriety. It’s a challenge to track how they become something. There’s an opportunity to play a role in that process and enjoy being frustrated by any and every stick in the road.

That reminds me, coming from Miami Beach I couldn’t help being inspired by Poplife. In some part they essentially started bringing diverse music to Miami out of nowhere in a way that was interesting. What I liked was how they appealed to all the types of Miami life and people. It showed. And that was something I wanted to see happening in Berkeley.


Virgin Hymns


Saturday’s show was themed after Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums”, which was overwhelmingly apparent due to the amount of red beanies to be seen. After grabbing a drink and finding a place to kick back with friends, guests were invited to give Oakland’s very own Virgin Hymns a listen. Vocalist and guitarist Jared told us that they gather inspiration from other local bands, as well as other musician friends of theirs (specifically though, not the Beatles).


Hot Flash Heat Wave


Virgin Hymns’ garage surf sound set the tone for the night, which was then followed by Hot Flash Heat Wave. Although originally from Davis, CA, HFHW now resides in Berkeley, with members enrolled here at Cal! HFHW rocked the grass stage with their Strokes-like sound and fluid collaboration of instruments. Fellow students and friends of the band came out to support the winners of the Cal Music Spotlight competition (put on by KALX last fall), and could be seen dancing right there next to the musicians. Drummer Clayton Sodergren told us that the band has plans for an LP release within the next couple of months, and looks forward to more shows like the one put on by Thorsen Events.


Caldecott


Playing alongside Hot Flash Heat Wave for a free show at Awaken Café next Friday, February 8th, will be Caldecott, an indie rock/ surf group from Oakland, CA who happened to follow them in Saturday night’s line up (during which the boys of Sigma Phi had a barbecue going for the hungry fans). With their debut album released little over a month ago, Caldecott is currently promoting their work and are in the midst of a line up of shows in both the East and West bay area.


Warm Soda


The final band to hit the stage, Warm Soda (Oakland, CA), presented a whole new atmosphere to the event. Having moved inside to the house’s basement, the term “underground music” took on a very literal meaning. With inspiration stemming from the Undertones and Gary Glitter, the band gave listeners a glamorous new spin on the surf/ punk scene. As they began playing, the fans wasted no time before dancing, jumping, and grooving to the tunes that many had come to hear.

“Great audience, great energy” said Warm Soda’s newest member and drummer Ian McBrayer while catching his breath after their energetic performance. There seems to be something missing from that statement to accurately describe the event though, and that would have to be great music. - Caliber Magazine

Caldecott is the self-titled debut full length from this Oakland based rock band. The twelve tracks are a retro filled cross between modern garage and surf genre's. Lo-fi production, a distinct Bay area vibe and catchy songs define this album. This is a worthy debut and signals a band that has potential to build to something special. Only time will tell. Stream and buy Caldecott at the link below. - Floorshime Zipper Boots

Oakland-based band Caldecott will be bringing some East Bay pride over to San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall this Saturday night.



Even before debuting their EP Rock Bottom in April of 2011, Caldecott was already performing around the Bay Area, but this Saturday marks their first time headlining at GAMH. With their Oakland-centric lyrics and themes, Caldecott promises to get the dance floor going with a nostalgic love of all things East Bay.

Caldecott – Nomads
Haven’t heard them yet? Get acquainted with some of their tracks before checking them out this weekend. Caldecott is Greg Rijavec (vocals/guitar), Mike Noda (guitar/bass), Jason Eisenberg (guitar/bass), and Matthew Rostica (drums). Want to know more? Check out the band’s official website here.



Caldecott plays Saturday, January 14 at Great American Music Hall with support from Space Monkey Gangstas, Oola Rocksteady, Speed Goat, and DJ Flip. Doors are at 8:00pm and tickets are $14.


Baily Hopkins is the Music Content Editor for SF Station. Also a lover of craft beer, the independent movie scene in SF, and olives. More info at www.bailyhopkins.com. - SF Station

Oakland-based band Caldecott will be bringing some East Bay pride over to San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall this Saturday night.



Even before debuting their EP Rock Bottom in April of 2011, Caldecott was already performing around the Bay Area, but this Saturday marks their first time headlining at GAMH. With their Oakland-centric lyrics and themes, Caldecott promises to get the dance floor going with a nostalgic love of all things East Bay.

Caldecott – Nomads
Haven’t heard them yet? Get acquainted with some of their tracks before checking them out this weekend. Caldecott is Greg Rijavec (vocals/guitar), Mike Noda (guitar/bass), Jason Eisenberg (guitar/bass), and Matthew Rostica (drums). Want to know more? Check out the band’s official website here.



Caldecott plays Saturday, January 14 at Great American Music Hall with support from Space Monkey Gangstas, Oola Rocksteady, Speed Goat, and DJ Flip. Doors are at 8:00pm and tickets are $14.


Baily Hopkins is the Music Content Editor for SF Station. Also a lover of craft beer, the independent movie scene in SF, and olives. More info at www.bailyhopkins.com. - SF Station

Like pretty much every other suburban refugee who eventually makes it out to the big city, the members of Caldecott are newly enamored of Oakland. So much so, in fact, that they get that little-school-girl flush of first love when talking about it. When prompted, frontman Greg Rijavec emailed a list of his favorite city attributes, in no particular order: sense of community, Linden Street Brewery, bars, food, nightlife, diversity ("I know that's lame and general, but true," he wrote), bicycles, Lake Merritt, tattoo artist Freddy Corbin, and finally, "It's where my grandparents came when they arrived from Europe." Coincidentally, he said, they lived in the same apartment that now houses Caldecott bassist Mike Noda.

But the band's name foregrounds its homeland. Singer Rijavec, drummer Matthew Rostica, and bassist Noda (who actually switches off with guitarist Jason Eisenberg), all grew up east of the Caldecott Tunnel, attended Campolindo High School, played in school band, sang in choir, smoked weed from each other's bongs, skateboarded together, and created the kind of bromosphere that begets a successful rock act. As Rostica explained: "Oh, you guys play guitar? Well I play drums. We should take as many bong hits as humanly possible, and all play some music together." He continued, proudly: "We massacred Arcade Fire worse than they could themselves."

And in the interim, they became a respectable band. Eisenberg is the only transplant; he met Rijavec at UC Santa Cruz and moved up to Oakland after graduation at the singer's behest — which meant he had to live out of his car for a few weeks and sponge bathe in the sink at Posh Bagel. Eventually, they all got jobs — mostly in restaurants, though Eisenberg is a sports journalist for the Piedmont Post. They've built a pretty rabid fanbase, as one Express gadfly reported after seeing the band at Vitus in November. ("There were about forty of them, maybe. Knew all the words. Didn't stop dancing.") And they produced enough material to fill two EPs (only one was released) with well-crafted, sometimes angst-ridden melodic rock.

Lady is a Feline by Caldecott

The band members offered a little live curation while their EP, Nomad, played over the sound system at Linden Street Brewery in West Oakland. (The owner, Adam Lamoreaux, is a good friend.) It starts off with a reverent ode to the East Bay capital, which name-checks Linden Street in the first line, and later mentions other local features (Blue Sky Coffee Shop, BART, Grand Avenue). The hook, which Rijavec sings in a throaty, croaky yowl, is remarkably sincere: You should have seen the look on my heart's face/When we found this space.


It turns out the romance of Oakland is their favorite muse, though the band members also dwell on the occasional wretchedness of working in the service industry. Two of their other songs are called "Day Off" and "Weekend" — the first is pretty literal, the second uses "weekend" as a metaphor for alienation. (I'm living in a weekend ... Get away from the crowd.) There's also a sweet little upbeat tune about a trip to Thailand, which, in its own way, is also about isolation. The band's best tune is a slow blues number called "Lady Is a Feline," which is about learning how to woo a woman.

In short, Caldecott espouses common-man themes — "common," that is, to young, college-educated adults who came up during an economic downturn, and may have been surprised to find themselves living out of their cars or waiting tables for a living. There's a current of anxiety running through Nomad, despite the overall sunniness of its tunes. And the band members say that sentiment comes from a heartfelt place.

Asked individually what they're concerned about, the band members all pretty much said the same thing.

"Waking up in the morning," said Noda.

"The future," Rijavec chimed in.

Eisenberg folded his hands and looked contemplative. "What I'm doing at age 24," he said. "I don't know how everyone else is, but when I was being raised, I was told to own a house at 25, go to grad school, be one of those guys. And I am far from that."

That might explain why they're also looking for a sense of rootedness in their new town. The band's blues ballad about Oscar Grant details the 2009 BART shooting with which we're all now familiar. But in some ways, it's also a song about the members of Caldecott, as they call upon their own ennui to make sense of the event. I got little to hold onto, Rijavec sings in the first verse, before describing the event from an observer's perspective. Ostensibly, he's singing about a BART shooting. Really, he's just trying to process it. - East Bay Express