Thurs., 4/30/26
Otoliths, Inner Ear Brigade, Phantom Images
8:00pm, $12 adv., $15 door
OTOLITHS (record release show)
Otoliths is a post-punk band from Oakland-based and Chicago-raised musician, Tom Smith. Smith has been a member of Smokin' Ziggurats, Office, Mazes, Social Studies, Silverware, and a sideman in Abracadabra. For fans of Sic Alps, Cairo Gang, and Cleaners from Venus, Otoliths "Lithos" attempts to meet the absurdity of the moment with indelible melody and hook-laden guitar.
INNER EAR BRIGADE
Inner Ear Brigade is creatively unfiltered: a mix of progressive rock, jazz, and experimental pop delivered through intricately detailed compositions and arrangements."(East Bay Express) Inner Ear Brigade (IEB) has toured around the US and played several festivals. They have released three full length albums, Perkunas, Dromology, and Rainbro. "Inner Ear Brigade creates its own compelling universe, full of unexpected twists and turns, bursts of ear-bending virtuosity"(Fred Frith) Steeped with a vintage analog sensibility, effects processing, and synthesizers, IEB draws inspiration for their sounds from “RIO elements (Rock In Opposition), Canterbury Sound, Magma Zeuhl, and Frank Zappa”. IEB is led by Bay Area guitarist and composer Bill Wolter. Band members of IEB have played / worked with the Secret Chiefs 3, Cheer Accident, Fantastic Negrito, and members of the Grateful Dead.
PHANTOM IMAGES
Phantom Images weave jagged guitars, hypnotic rhythms, and ethereal vocals into an unexpected cinematic journey. Composed of veterans of the Bay Area rock, jazz, and creative improv scenes (Saki Miniamoto, Nathan Clevenger, Joe Kuta, Safa Shokrai, Aaron Levin), Phantom Images channel their influences to fuse ambitious songwriting with fearless improvisation and experimentation. A single song might throw afrobeat rhythms against no wave guitars, while vocals skillfully navigate their way through the intricate composition before launching into a group improv to explore the edges of the sonic space summoned.
