Tag: Bay Area Music
New Music Friday: Saweetie – “Closer” (feat. H.E.R.)
Finish Ticket Heads East on National Tour
Finish Ticket Strikes a Chord in the Music Scene
BAY AREA MUSIC: Almost Honest EP Preview
Take a listen to a preview of Almost Honest’s upcoming debut EP!
Track listing 
1. âWhoâs Thatâ
2. âI Canât Stand Itâ
3. âHere We Go Againâ
4. âWeight of the Worldâ
5. âBecause of Youâ
6. âFallingâ
For more info on Almost Honest, check them out at their Website, Facebook, and Twitter!
Almost Honest Debuts New Song,”How Long”
Last night I was out at Santana Row to see Almost Honest perform,
 and as always  it was a fun night listening to some great music!
The highlight of the night for me was when the band premiered a new song called, “How Long.”
Check out their performance below!
What do y’all think? I like it! I’m all for the pop-rock vibe.
Aaaaaand as a bonus, here’s the band’s cover of *NSYNC’s hit song, “Gone”!
As always, support local Bay Area music & check out the links below!
Jackie Gage Covers Neon Trees During Recent Recording Party
Last Friday, I attended singer-songwriter Jackie Gage’s recording party for her upcoming live jazz album at SLG Art Boutiki & Gallery in Downtown San Jose.
I first learned about Jackie this past June at the Left Coast Live 365 event, where she performed with her jazz/rock band, Distant Dice. I was very much impressed with the band’s sound, as well as Jackie’s vocal ability. When I found out about her recording party, I figured it would be a great opportunity to check out Jackie’s solo jazz endeavor.
I had such a great time, and Jackie’s live album is going to be incredible! One of the highlights of her set was a very jazzed up rendition of Neon Trees’ hit song, “Animal.” Take a listen below!
Cool cover, right? I think it’s just fantastic!
I also have to give props to the Mark Arroyo Trio, who kicked off that night’s show. They were fantastic! If you’re in the Bay Area, you definitely should check them out at Left Coast Live on October 8!
Support local Bay Area music & check out the links below!
Jackie Gage: Website, Twitter, Facebook
Mark Arroyo Trio: Facebook
Almost Honest & Distant Dice Perform at Left Coast Live 365
This past Thursday, Left Coast Live 365 kicked off at the Theatre on San Pedro Square in Downtown San Jose with bands Almost Honest and Distant Dice.
Distant Dice kicked off the night, and they were just fantastic. I had checked out some of their music prior to the show that night and was only further intrigued to catch their performance at LCL 365.
Check out their performance of “Firewater” below!
Almost Honest closed the show that night, and I was super stoked to finally get the chance to hear what their vibe was like with a full band. It was great to hear songs off the band’s upcoming EP, and it sounds like people will be in for some awesome music when it’s released!
Check out their performance of “Because of You” below!
For those who were unable to come out, you missed a great show from both Almost Honest and Distant Dice. I strongly encourage y’all to check out the bands at their upcoming shows!
Get more info on Almost Honest and Distant Dice:
Almost Honest: Website/Like Them/Follow Them
Distant Dice: Website/Like Them/Follow Them
And if you haven’t already, check out my exclusive interview with Almost Honest’s Drew Orepeza here.
Q & A with Almost Honest’s Drew Orepeza
San Jose native Drew Orepeza, lead singer of Almost Honest, didnât always know that music would be his chosen path.
âI always liked to sing. I sang in high school (Pioneer). I didnât do anything formal, but I would sing at parties,â he said. âI sang at a rally once for fun.â
Even though both of his parents are musically inclined, it wasnât until after Orepeza graduated from San Jose State University, where he received a degree in Business, that he felt like music was perhaps the right direction for him.
âI was at one of those points in my life where I wanted to do something different. I was a personal trainer, and I wasnât really happy with what I was doing,â he explained. âSo, I decided to drop everything and move to LA when I was 20. So, I started music when I was 20-21. I was a late bloomer, a late starter.â
It was also around this time that Orepeza was introduced to his Almost Honest band-mate, Justin Florence.
â[Justinâs] brother was a radio DJ, and I had cut a demo. I gave it to [him] to listen to; I wanted his critique. It wasnât very good at that point. He thought there was promise, and he said, âMy brother is a guitarist. He just got out of a project and heâs looking for something different.â So he introduced us, and we met at his house one night, and we just jammed. It just kind of clicked.â
Flash-forward to the present, Almost Honest is currently gearing up to release their debut record this early this summer.
This past April, in between flying back and forth to LA to put the finishing touches on Almost Honestâs record, Orepeza and I had an opportunity to sit down one night in Downtown San Jose to talk music, the band, and what to expect from their first record, which Orepeza said, âsounds nothing like what youâve heard that weâve done before.â
What artists had an influence on your music?
Growing up, I listened to a lot of 70âs rock. James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, and a lot of classic rock. I think for me, what kind of got me into music was more of the indie scene stuff. An artist named Ernie Halter, Tony Lucca, and some LA guys. I started listening to them around the time I started writing. They kind of inspired me to pick up a guitar and start writing. So, it was more of the indie-folk kind of rock stuff that really got me to where I am with my writing.
How long had you and Justin been playing together before you started playing shows?
After about two months of just trying to throw some songs together, we had a song or two, and we played covers. We had a 6-song set. We played a coffee shop probably like two months after we had met. It was like 12 people. It was like a little coffee shop, but it was fun. Iâll never forget it.
We were really green, but people were like if you guys stick with it, you guys have something special.
Wait...WHAT? 