​​CalAmity is a San Diego-based all-female band made up of local folk/Americana all-stars Cathryn Beeks (ukulele, vocals), Nisha Catron (guitar, harmonica, vocals), Marcia Claire (bass, vocals), Kristen Cusato (cajon), and Jules Whelpton (violin). One of the hardest working women in the San Diego music scene for over at least the last fifteen years, Beeks tapped into her finely tuned DIY skills to film, direct, and star alongside bandmates in the newest music video for their song “After All.” With her incredibly diverse skill set in hand and a talented band to boot, this visual homage to a lesser-known historical location is a lovely display of not just Beeks's ideas, but CalAmity’s pure heart and soul.

According to Beeks, “This song is about The Teten Farm House, an exhibit at the San Dieguito Heritage Museum. The home was built in 1892 by Olivenhain colonist, Fred Teten.” The scene opens with a charming black and white photo and the ominous sound of crows cawing, hinting at a rustic time and place that was once the everyday norm. Fast forward to the present day and you’re immediately transported to a gracefully cohesive narrative tying the two time periods together: same place, different time.

The song begins with violin, guitar, bass, cajon and a ukulele. A three-part vocal harmony reminiscent of The Dixie Chicks (but with way more rock-and-roll grit under their fingernails) carries the tune through the choruses, creating a solid wall of sound to tell this unique tale. Catron oscillates between acoustic guitar, harmonica,
and vocals, creating a lullaby-like calmness to the music that sounds as if we have entered into a proper Oh Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack. Now the mood is perfectly set. Welcome to the Teten Farm House at Heritage Ranch in Encinitas, CA.

The lighting is absolutely lovely: warm and cool sentiments signify when one is nostalgically recalling the past versus the present, while candlelight recalls those that are no longer here. It works seamlessly. Visually there is a ritualistic witchy-ness to it all – a discernible Stevie Nicks vibe that mysteriously and immediately draws you in.

After we have met our ranch care-takers, Mary Lou and John Binkinz (who are descendants of the original settlers), CalAmity suddenly appears – five strong women sitting ephemerally with their instruments. They are dream-like pillars of herstory representing the people who once lived in the house where they filmed. The video continually moves throughout the ranch dwelling with all five members of the band floating in and out of the scene. Quiet, secretive, and reverent – the detailed connectivity to feminine energy is honored in abundance.

Astoundingly thoughtful and intentional, Beek’s cinematography is meant to give you a warm hug, emanating the sense of being let into the band’s space of self-reflection. The “nurturers and care-takers” of the world are shown in pink lighting and white vintage lace. White gloves are strewn about the wooden dresser nestled alongside classical monochromatic family photos. There is a delicate continuity sewing together the fabric of this miniature film.

As CalAmity “comes and goes” from shot to shot, it signifies the impermanence of our own being and the prospect of someday no longer being able to tell our own stories. There is a bittersweet tug at the heart strings when one considers no longer physically, but spiritually inhabiting a space. The lyrics reinforce that disposition:

The Museum lights ain’t on tonight / It’s giving me such a fright
After all, after all, after all the folks are gone

Fred built this place in 1893 /I feel him here, same as you and me
After all, after all, after all it's still his home

Everything has memories / Each one tells a tale.
If you listen you will hear / If they want to tell

Walking ‘round this place at night / Singing ‘spirits go to the light
After all, after all, there's sanctuary in these walls

This song and video stand as CalAmity’s personal museum time capsule. And now it serves as a historical time-marker for both the band and Teten Farm House. Their vision is clear: everything has a story that should be
excavated, acknowledged, and celebrated. It inspires you to want to go and take a tour of the
Teten Farm House for yourself just to soak up its roots.

Since the video’s January release, CalAmity has been on a “studio tour," trading promo videos of San Diego studios/producers in exchange for a song – a system of creative exchange helping to truly build a solid local music community. “After All" was recorded by Marti Amadao of AmadoMusic, while other tunes were recorded with Jeff Berkley, Maria Connors, Josquin Despres, and Sven Erik Seaholm. The band plans on releasing a new song/video every six to eight weeks, so be on the lookout via YouTube and Soundcloud.

Don't miss the opportunity to see them live (in the space where the video was filmed!) on July 7 for the first annual Lady Brain Fest at Heritage Ranch - details coming soon!

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! Without further ado, check out our first Boss Ladies review featuring Corina Rose, written by Jules Stewart. 

Corina Rose’s unique upbringing as the child of two political activists is inherently apparent while listening to her album, Our Love Is Freedom. Her uncommon attention to the beauty in her surroundings and strong sense of spirituality inform each track while she encourages listeners to follow her as she explores the many facets of love. Our Love Is Freedom is an ambitious, confident evolution from her sophomore album, Love Is Everywhere, though the transparent and heartfelt optimism of Corina Rose’s music has stayed fiercely put. The album was released on January 4th, 2019 and was nominated for a San Diego Music Award in the category of Best Pop Album.

Pop seems too small a label, though, as Our Love is Freedom blends genres with unexpected fluidity. Reggae influences are peppered throughout the album and are especially prominent in “I Prayed for You” and “It Takes Love.” Latin rhythms carry “Sweet Potato,” and jazz influences become apparent in “Magick” as well as the album’s title track, “Our Love Is Freedom.” The instrumentation transcends genre, too, from the saxophone woven throughout “I Prayed For You” to the surprisingly fitting synths on “All the Love in the World.”

From the start, “I Prayed for You” sets both the conceptual and rhythmic tone of the album with stirring hand percussion and a hopeful declaration of fulfilled longing. “Magick” eases the listener into a picture of comfortable intimacy despite the fear that comes with trusting another, a message that’s carried by the tentative feel of jazz guitar juxtaposed against a relentless, relaxed groove. The transformative power of that intimacy is explored in the title track and celebrated in “Sweet Potato.” 

The album’s most laid-back moment, “Under the Stars,” uses melodic leads to tell a tender love story celebrating the small nuances that pull us toward each other. In what is perhaps the album’s most dramatic tonal shift, “All the Love in the World” makes use of a vast landscape of instrumentation to underscore the fullness love brings. Attention then shifts outward toward community, connection, and compassion as “It Takes Love” cleverly slows time to allow the listener to reflect on the importance of self-care and compassion.

The album closes with the bare-boned, emotional “Love Is Everywhere,” a picture of hard-won self-love that urges listeners to open their hearts to the beauty around them. Taken as a whole, Our Love is Freedom presents a complex vision of love beyond the physical realm and gives a relatable, first-person account of the transformative power of self-compassion and love.

Find Our Love Is Freedom:
Spotify - iTunes - Amazon Music

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.

Welcome to Brain Candy, our monthly-ish roundup of our wonderful members' projects and happenings going on around San Diego. The Lady Brain Collective is an ACTIVE bunch, so check back regularly for our recommendations on all the best woman/womxn-creations to check out in the coming weeks. Enjoy!

The Banduvloons Release New Single and Video, Will Open for Gina Chavez Feb 28
The Banduvloons just released a new single for “Enjoy the Moment" and a new video for “Midnight Sunshine." Listen, watch, like, share, and if you want to #getloony with them in person, go support them this week at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, where they will be supporting nine-time Austin Music Award Winner Gina Chavez. (February 28, 7:30pm, $20-35, 340 N. Escondido Blvd, Escondido CA)

Lindsay White - March 3 at Fallbrook Library
Check out singer songwriter Lindsay White in her natural habitat (a building full of books) at this free Sunday showcase. (March 3, 2-3pm, 124 S. Mission Rd, Fallbrook, CA)

Corina Rose, The Spiritual Motels, and Podunk Nowhere - March 9 @ The Backdrop
ALL of the acts on this bill feature Lady Brain Collective members, not to mention Chance at the Backdrop is an awesome supporter of local music, so you can bet your sweet lady brain it will be a great time. (March 9, 7pm, $10 Cover, 2611 Congress St. San Diego, CA)

Miki Vale - March 10 at the 2nd Annual March for Black Women San Diego
This all-ages event is for all Black Women/Comrades/Co-conspirators/Allies/Non-Black POCS/MEN/Non-Binary folks! The march will begin around 10am and Lady Brain member Miki Vale will take the stage around 11:30am (approximately, when the march ends). For more information, please visit the event page. If you are unable to attend, but still want to support, please donate here. (March 10, 10am, Euclid & Logan San Diego, CA 92114)

San Diego Music Award Week - March 6-11
Congratulations and good luck to all our Lady Brain Member nominees (Whitney Shay, MC Flow, Tori Roze & the Hot Mess, Corina Rose, Veronica May, Becca Jay Band). We are proud of you! Visit the SDMA website to check out all the events and live performances going on during awards week - you can catch the Becca Jay Band March 8 at Navajo Live, and Veronica May will be performing on March 11 at the House of Blues. (March 6-11, Various Locations)

Astra Kelly - March 17 at Orfila Winery
Forget the green beer on St. Pat's and sip wine in the vines at the award-winning Orfila Winery while listening to tunes by local songwriter and Lady Brain member Astra Kelly. (March 17, 4-6pm, 13455 San Pasqual Rd, Escondido, CA)

Welcome friends, to the first entry of the Lady Brain Blog. Please check back regularly for interviews, updates, and features on our members and their work. If you live in San Diego and are looking to add a bit more art, culture, and human connection to your life, we encourage you to get to know and support our members by engaging with them on social media, attending their live events, purchasing their work, and inviting your network of friends to join the fun.