Live Music & Visual Art Event

September 20, 2008
Rodent Records Warehouse
590 Minnesota St., San Francisco
Doors 7pm / Music 8pm
$10 suggested donation
http://www.rodentrecords.com
http://www.myspace.com/thekirbygrips

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It was the mid-nineties in the Mission. Behind a backdrop of the the dot com bubble another scene was in play.  There was a basement recording studio. There were bands. There were artists. There were rock operas and warehouses and secret alleyway shows.

A label was born that embodied this tenacious spirit of the defiant artistic underground, Rodent Records. Since these humble beginnings, Rodent Records has released more than 40 recordings of the finest in SF psychedelic indie quirk rock from bands including The Clap Band, The Pirate Band, Chantigs, Knittles, The Kirby Grips and The Burners to name just a few. From its basement genesis, the Rodent Records/Global American recording studio is now a state of the art digital/analog multimedia production facility and art gallery.

To celebrate this history, and a very special birthday for Rodent’s founder and cult-like visionary, Elton Ridge, the Rodent Records warehouse is hosting an unparalleled Rodent Records reunion of music and art.

Music
(in order of appearance)
Xeena   (http://www.myspace.com/40734086)
Cubby Creatures   (http://www.cubby.net)
Liesl’s Wet Dress   (http://www.myspace.com/lieslswetdress)
Knittles    (http://www.myspace.com/knittles)
The Kirby Grips    (http://www.myspace.com/thekirbygrips)
Dying Echo    (http://www.myspace.com/dyingecho)
Chantigs    (http://www.myspace.com/chantigs)
Kung Fu USA     (http://www.starcleaner.com/kungfuusa.htm)

Art by
China Tamblyn (http://chinatamblyn.com)
Greg Turner
James Lovekin (http://www.jameslovekin.com)
Jenny Hynes
Zach Houston (http://synthesize.us/Zach_Houston)

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THE KIRBY GRIPS RETURN:
Ah, the evolution of the girl group. Just when you resign yourself to the fact that it’s all been done again and again, something comes along to give you hope. The Kirby Grips (Sympathy For The Record Industry) possess musical hints of dreamy 60’s girl groups, straight to the heart country standards and the melodic punk of the late 70’s. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area they began bringing their unique brand of garage-pop to scene in 1995. China Tamblyn (guitar/vocals), Liz Byrne (bass/vocals) and Michele Kappel (drums/vocals) have been called The Buzzcocks meet The Supremes and have made their mark on stage at The Noise Pop Festival, CMJ Music Fest and numerous venues up and down the West Coast.

Mysteriously the trio took flight in 2003 and disappeared into the ether.  While rumors circulated they were brunching every other Sunday with Amelia Earhart, a note on the web site made claims to intergalactic travel. Other sources claimed that they were branching off into new artistic territories: One to delve back into the art world creating epic mixed-media sculptures and paintings, one to pick up a ukulele and hit the boards near and far with a fresh take on old-timey tunes and one to infiltrate the underground punk scene with her intellectual moxie and ardent cultural pulse.

Announcing the return!
The Kirby Grips have selected September 20th, 2008 as the date to reignite the fire.
Stay tuned for the next chapter...

“Unifying gleaming and bright melodies of '60s pop with the energy and intensity of styles like punk rock, funk, and other modern sound composites, The Kirby Grips create original and artsy tunes....Their themes presented not only a catchy sound compound, but also straight-to-the-edge keen lyrics, disclosing the trio's unique spirit, going beyond a simple donation of melodies....swiftly conquering its own space around San Francisco's alternative arena.”
Mario Mesquita Borges, All Music Guide

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