A new year and a new decade are just around the corner, and Lady Brain Collective members are already working hard to bring you fun live events throughout San Diego. Mark your calendars and go support womxn creators in your community! 

Thursday, January 9 - Plunderbund at Amplified Backstage Beer Lounge in Pacific Beach
Join Lady Brain Collective member Lisa Brackmann and her Plunderbund bandmates for free live music and the freshest craft beer inches away from the Pacific Ocean! 7-9pm. More info 

Friday, January 10 - Naiomi Sounds Co-Hosts Open Mic at Bad Ass Coffee in Rancho Penasquitos
A few Lady Brain Collective members will be heading out to the Bad Ass Coffee open mic, which is held every other Friday and co-hosted by member Naiomi Sounds. Sign-ups at 6pm, event runs from 6:30-8:30pm. More info

Thursday, January 23 - Golden Howl at Music Box in Little Italy
Golden Howl hits the Music Box stage with a stellar line up of local bands: Aviator Stash, MDRN HSTRY, The Frets, and Coral Bells. Doors at 6:30pm, 21+. Claim as many free tickets as you want via email, or DM on social media.

Happy holiday season to all our friends and readers! If you're looking to fill up your seasonal social calendar with amazing art, music, education, and creativity, the Lady Brain Collective has you covered for fun things to do in San Diego in the coming weeks:

Sunday, December 8 - Lady Brain Presents: Home is Where the Art is Holiday Party at The Holding Company in Ocean Beach
Lady Brain Presents will host its first annual holiday party and winter clothing drive titled “Home is Where the Art is,” with performances by Chloe Lou and The Liddells (retro rock/soul), Julia Sage and The Bad Hombres (South Americana), Miki Vale, (hip-hop) and special guests including emcee Tori Roze. In addition to musical performances, the event will feature a raffle, a collaborative art activity for all attendees, and a winter clothing drive to benefit North County Lifeline’s LifeSpring Program, which offers transitional housing for former foster youth and youth experiencing homelessness. Guests are encouraged to bring (preferably new) beanies, gloves, scarves, socks, blankets. Free, 4-8pm, 21+. More info

Tuesday, December 10 - Acceptance: A soulsong.life Transformative Songwriting Workshop with Astra Kelly at The Lotus Room in Hillcrest
Experience growth, healing, and connection through music by tapping into the creative source. As a group, we will explore the theme of “acceptance" in depth and write a song together that reflects our shared perceptions and experiences. No musical skills necessary! 6-9pm, $60 (Special holiday rate to make it easier to give yourself this gift!) Advance registration required. More info/Register

Friday, December 20 - Tori Roze and The Hot Mess SPECIAL Xmas Show at Bar Pink in North Park
This funky jazzy neo-soul brings you a SPECIAL Xmas version of themselves, including soulful holiday mashups and funky non-denominational tunes to put a smile on your face through the New Year. There will also be a limited edition EP available for purchase by Tori Roze and Johnny Alexander called “Classy Xmas” to stuff those stockings at home! Free, 7-10pm, 21+. More info

Sunday, December 22 - Carissa's Birthday Show ft. Golden Howl at Sycamore Den in Normal Heights
This Lady Brain-laden event will be headlined by Golden Howl (featuring collective members Marlo Smith, Rachel Riba, and Jules Stewart). Birthday girl Carissa Schroeder will open the evening with a solo set of original music on the beautiful (albeit slightly out of tune) piano at Sycamore Den.  Situated nicely between Carissa's birthday (12/20) and the end of year holidays, CS invites you to celebrate with an evening of goddess-y, all-the-feels music, perfect cocktails, delivery ramen, and skeeball.  It's a win-win-win-win. Free, 8-10pm. More info

Shout out to Heather Marie for hosting the March meet-up in her lovely home! This month, we talked about working with audio techs to capture the best sound at live events. (Thanks to John Mcconnell for taking our questions and to Heather for presenting his answers to the group.) We also received a stellar presentation from Lady Brain member Sharisse Coulter. We learned so much! It's so wonderful to see this group growing. Thanks to all who attended!

Welcome to Boss Ladies, a blog series dedicated entirely toward featuring and promoting our talented Lady Brian Members and their creative work. Keeping with our mission of collaboration and service, each article in this series is written by a member about a member. We encourage you to discover and support not only the subject of each review, but also the writer! This week, Jules Stewart reviews Blue Space, the latest EP from Golden Howl (featuring Lady Brain members Marlo Smith and Rachel Riba).

​It’s often difficult to appreciate the depth of another person’s experience, to empathize with the extent of either their joy or sorrow. But Golden Howl’s latest EP Blue Space envelops listeners in a whirlwind of emotion, from awe to heartbreak, rolling out an invitation into the band’s heart. The second project from the band in the three years since they formed, Blue Space is a collection of richly-crafted soundscapes that raises an already high bar set by the band’s first EP, Mighty Mighty.

Blue Space starts triumphantly with “CO,” a song that pays just enough homage to the bluegrass and country music Colorado is known for with guitarist Dimitry Zingerman’s ascending riffs and thrumming low end from bassist Jeff Johnson. The band tips its hat to the wild west, never losing touch with the gilded layers of harmony and percussion that define the band’s sound. Horn swells provided by Andy “AG” Geib (Wise Monkey Orchestra, Slightly Stoopid) impart the elation that comes with discovering an unknown place with an expanding heart. When vocalist/guitar player Christopher Balcom admits “you left me thinking about a different life, far from the city lights,” it evokes the surprise of falling in love with a landscape and the compelling need to return felt even before leaving. 

Before the first words are heard, heartache is apparent in “Hold Tight.” Here, again, the lyrics and instrumentation communicate a single message, as the song gains solid footing only after vocalist and drummer Marlo Smith strongly ties hope to struggle with a convincing promise that “the cold is where you’ll find your soul.” The complex and soaring harmonies are at once stirring and melancholy, evoking a cathartic palette of sorrow, expectation, and optimism. The refrain “memories that we once had, they turn to sand” relay the almost universal pain of dissolution at the end of a relationship, but assurances of healing are so intertwined with adversity that the listener ends the song feeling restored and hopeful.

Rachel Riba’s percussion carries the momentum of “Waterfall” with a rhythmic nod to the flow of water in the band’s interpretation of a poem by Stephen O’Shea. The glassy, high-motion keys from Shannon O'Shea help create the glistening tapestry that turns the poem into an auditory monument. At the song’s peak, the band harnesses space and simplicity to ramp up the emotional impact to a level rarely achieved, particularly in a studio recording.

Throughout Blue Space Golden Howl imparts energy, authenticity, and emotion that refuse to be ignored. The brilliant musicality and production (by Jeff Berkeley of Berkley Sound) work in tandem with the lyrics to create a nearly endless array of points of connection and empathy from the listener. Blue Space sits comfortably as a spectacular second chapter in Golden Howl’s story. 

Find Blue Space:
iTunes - Amazon - Spotify

Meet the Writer: Jules Stewart
Our Lady Brain blog writers work on a volunteer basis in support of their fellow members. If you enjoyed this article, please consider making a small donation to Jules via Venmo, which will help support her creative endeavors.