We’re happy to announce that we’ve got two great shows in August.
First, we’ll be performing with our studiomates An Isotope and touring bands Mystery School and Dry Season at Kimo’s this Thursday (yes, THIS Thursday, 8/18). Click here to add this event on Facebook.
Then, we’ll be moving up the sttreet on Sunday 8/28 to the posh Red Devil Lounge to perform with Calling Morocco, TPR and Allen De La Rossa. Click here to add this event on Facebook.
The best part? Both shows are only $6! Come to both shows and we’ll give you a free Festizio band shirt!
Thanks to everyone who came out to Hotel Utah last week! It was so great seeing the place packed with so many supportive people. Above, we’ve posted a video of us performing “Keep,” taken from one of our audience members.
Our next show is on June 1 at Café Du Nord! Setlist
1. Turn Out the Lights
2. Hot City
3. Dolores
4. Keep
5. Black Rain
6. Moving On
7. Questions (You Should Never Ask)
8. Always Reminds Me
9. Run
FESTIZIO’S NEW STUDIO RELEASE, HOT CITY (ARTICLE BY ROBBIE FRASER)
In the opening minute of their title track “Hot City” you get a good feel for what Festizio’s music really is. The initial crescendo of electronica draws you in before giving way to accompanying guitar riffs. The synth element in the music is always there to compliment, but never totally overtake, as it often does with the growing number of bands now incorporating a more electronic element to their sound. After getting the chance to interview Keane Li, the lead singer and guitarist of Festizio, I realized that the reserved, yet effective balance I heard on the CD is part of what makes Festizio who they are. His attitude seemed to confirm the same calculated, yet melodic vibe the CD projects.
“When it comes down to it, we’re a pretty tame rock band according to the traditional image of rock musicians.” Li says. “We all have professions and we’re all down-to-earth. We’ve never fought and we work (thankfully) well together. We love music and work hard at creating something beautiful to share with others.”
According to Li, the band has plenty of the influences you might expect. Muse popped into my mind early while listening to “Hot City,” and Li confirmed as much, along with mentioning bands like Radiohead and Massive Attack. But they also draw inspiration from a wide array of old and new alternative bands, as well as modern hip-hop. They have a varied appreciation that is indicative of a band that genuinely enjoys and studies the chosen medium for their art.
When asked why he was drawn to music over poetry or other art forms, Li says “Music envelops you, surrounds you in a way that other forms of art can’t necessarily do. It’s like having a soundtrack for your life.”
If that’s Li’s goal, “Hot City” seems like something he and fellow band members Ryan Scott and Nicholas Mitrousis can be proud of.
It’s a goal that they make great strides in achieving by allowing the lyrics to do much of the work. With Festizio, you’re not likely to spend too much time thinking, “what did those guys just say?” If anything, they enunciate too well. While it might detract from the rock of their music, it lets the sometimes poetic nature of the lyrics shine. They are lyrics that portray an image of love and loss with a uniquely San Francisco backdrop.
However, ultimately, Li seems to illuminate the band’s goal best when he says “It’s really all about the experience of listening, I think, and we want to make it meaningful for people.”
He manages to sum up the noble aspiration of a multitude of aspiring artists. And with the release of “Hot City,” Festizio is that much closer.
The new Hot City CDs are officially here (or, maybe you snagged one at the CD preview or La Pena shows?). While it’s not available online yet, you can pick one up at any of our future shows. However, there have been a few people who have had trouble importing the album into iTunes. If this is you, let us know – we have a freshly pressed batch that should fix the problem!
Our official release date is coming up. It’ll be on iTunes, Amazon and all your favorite places. Stay tuned!
Mix together Radiohead and Muse, add a dash of the SF music scene, and ice it with the smooth vocals of Keane Li, and what do you get?
Festizio.
This San Francisco band has been around and kicking for quite a while. Those in the know have been enjoying songs such as the slow, soulfully driven “Beautiful” and peppier live favorite “Get Up” at venues such as Slim’s and Grant and Green in SF. Fans get into the groove while watching four accomplished young musicians come together to create a new type of “San Francisco sound.”
In short: Festizio has been a well-kept musical secret for those in the Bay Area for several years.
Now, with the 2009 release of the band’s first studio album (self-titled), Festizio positioned themselves firmly to launch beyond the Bay and onto the national scene.
For a first album, the self-funded, self-produced Festizio (by Festizio) has super-impressive production qualities. It sounds as if the band had been sojourning in Paris with Nigel Godrich or on the road with Rich Costey… It is that professionally and expertly produced.
(I love alliteration.)
To be honest, I haven’t liked a local band this much since the year 2000 when I spent many a night down in LaLa watching Common Rotation (who were at that time known as 28 Orange Street) perform for packed bar crowds…
Listening to Festizio — live or on CD — takes me back to some sort of youthful musical bliss place that inspires me to write poetry or learn how to play the piano. (Or, maybe ukulele… you know, because I’m quirky.)
All in all it’s good stuff. And for $5.99 on CD Baby, it’s a great buy and great way to support indie artists in their quest for musical loveliness.
Seriously: Check out Festizio if you haven’t already — you will be glad you did.
