Active Child/Chad Valley 7th Street Entry Minneapolis (09/17/11)

Tour Dates 09/19/11 Denver, CO Hi-Dive* 09/20/11 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge* 09/21/11 Boise, ID Neurolux Lounge* 09/23/11 Seatle, WA The Crocodile* 09/24/11 Vancouver, BC The Electric Bowl* 09/25/11 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge* 09/28/11 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill 09/30/11 Los Angeles The Echo 10/13/11 Reykjavik, Iceland Iceland Airwaves 10/13/11 Bergen, Norway Perfect Sounds Festival 10/16/11 London, England Binnacle Festival 10/16/11 London, England Binnacle Festival 10/16/11 London, England St. Pancras Church 10/30/11 Asheville, NC Moogfest * w/ Chad Valley

Man/Miracle

Now I didn’t even know who Man/Miracle were before the show. Nor did I know they were playing before Chad Valley, but this energetic trio from Oakland, CA surprised me that night. Maybe it was their somewhat western, somewhat math rock sound. Or was it that they seemed to stick out like a sore thumb on a night full of synth, mechanical drums, and vocoded vocals? No matter what the case was, in the end I really enjoyed hearing their bouncy, fun and spaztic bass and guitar riffs.  Dylan rips it up on the guitar and his buddy play the baritone guitar like a madman.

Chad Valley

Chad Valley is the solo effort of Hugo Manuel. UK producer and front-man of the group Jonquil. For Chad Valley Hugo takes his beautiful vocals and surrounds them with Balearic beats infused with funk and soul. I had not really heard much of Chad Valley prior to a week ago, so I didn’t recognize many of the songs except “Fast Challenges” and “Now That I’m Real (How does it feel?)” So I just let myself get lost in his set. The way his voice dances with the beats really does transport you. In my case I was transported to a party in a tropical oasis where everyone is moving in slow motion while the setting sun drenches the oasis in it’s soft pink light.

Whoever set up this gig, knows that Chad Valley’s Balearic, soul-funk synergies well with Active Child’s lush and dreamy experimental R&B. Active Child is the solo project of L.A.’s Pat Grossi. Pat sang for the Philadelphia's Boys Choir when he was younger and in that choir he fine tuned a set of vocal chords, so beautiful he could woo the angels. Live, Pat enlists a drummer to play his mechanized drum beats, and a bassist/synth player while he mans the harp, synth and vocals. When he came on stage he opened up with my favorite track from his newest album, “Hanging On.” And with that he set a ethereal tone for the rest of his set. Pat’s live performance is so enchanting that his last albums indecisiveness can be forgiven. His beautiful warm, but grieving vocals tug at your heart strings, while his beats mesmerize you and elevate you to another level. From what I heard it’s pretty self evident that his strongest points are when he goes with his experimental R&B tracks. If you get a chance to see these two guys live, don’t hesitate.

Active Child at 7th Street, Minneapolis (09/17/11)

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