INSTAGON #666

Instagon played it's 666th show this past weekend in Oakland,CA.   Oakland was determined the best place for a show of this magnitude of evil and so Oakland is where it happened...surprisingly, the venue IN Oakland was totally heavenly and nothing even remotely evil.  The LIFE CHANGING MINISTRY is probably our newest favorite place to play.  It is awesome there and we look forward to arranging many more shows in the future.. at least we hope so!!     Joining us for this show was LIVER CANCER, DELETIST, & NUX VOMICA(SF).   Vankmen was scheduled to play but was ill and not able to attend.  The Instagon session consisted of two parts, it was sort of a hybrid...starting with a Mixer Set.. and then evolving into a Live Band.. players for the Mixer portion were Lob, Alan Herrick (Nux Vomica), Sandy Sleeper (Demon Sleeper),  & Marc Schneider (Medicine Cabinet)..this was Sandy's first Instagon session.. and the first one that Marc had played in since April of 2008 when he was part of the "Scary City" session.  The live band players included Brandon Ameilo (Tao Tariki) on drums, Stephen A. Elliott on keyboards, Chad E. Williams on guitar (playing his 99th Instagon!), AND flying in from Philadelphia,PA JUST for this show.. Keith "Krash" Adams on Saxophone.  This was Keith's first Instagon show since Norcal Noisefest 2004!!

It was an amazing band, and from my personal point.. I wish we could have played longer.  The entire session , with both parts came in at around 45 mins..  The set was only a few songs.. and looks like it was right out of 2002. 

SET LIST:
Decent Into Thee Abyss>Invokation 666> Jazz for Satan, Space Walk, Thee Sickness, The Little Turtle

there is a dark video that was shot by Das of Big City Orchestra.  you can view there here:
http://vimeo.com/110115813

A 6 track ep is now posted at our bandcamp page and available for download.  A limited edition CD is planned and hopefully will be out before the end of the year.



A limited edition POSTER for this show was printed , numbered , and signed by Lob.  There are only 25 that were made.. and there are a few that remain available.   make contact if interested.

Instagon 666 STICKERS are also available .. see the bandcamp MERCH page..

Tshirts, bandanas, and other things can be found here on our spreadshirt pag

Instagon 579 at The Distillery, Sacramento,CA 8-27-2011

INSTAGON
Aug. 27, 2011
The Distillery, Sacramento,CA
session 579
http://www.archive.org/details/instagon2011-08-27.flac16

Megafauna are an awesome band from Austin,TX.  They came thru Sacramento last January and played a show with Garage Jazz Architects.  This time thru we set up a show with Instagon.  The show was really fun for those that were there..but the turnout was not as happy as anyone would have liked. ce la vie.. we still played a strong show.  The night started out with BUK BUK BIGUPS doing a ripping 20 minute solo set of really Dan Deacon inspired performance art... Instagon was next on the stage.. this time around it was all first time players.. with Kim Aparicio from The COMMON MEN on drums, Robert Kuhlmann from chikading! playing guitar for a change.. and Jasynte Harris from Set Theory916 holding down the keys.. Of all 3 of the new players, Kim was probably the most nervous at the start..but she did great and we had a blast!  The show started sorta slow..but quickly built up pace and was pretty hot with Joyride leading the way.. Buzzkill followed, it was not as upbeat as past versions, but still cool..there was a really fun version Orgone Collector ..and I pulled out a riff called "Peaches" from the band The Stranglers for the first time. (its Hugh Cornwell of the Stranglers birthday this weekend), and a long rocking version of "Sound of the Night" to close out the set. . Little Black Bats were supposed to play next.. but they did not show up at all for the gig for some still unknown reason.. so Megafauna took the stage and mopped up the night.. Dani's shredding guitar and dreamy vocals made for  great time .. thanks to everyone that DID make it out.  Click on the link above to hear this set from Instagon.

Instagon 579, photo by Kevin Ian

here is a link to a video clip of "Peaches"
http://youtu.be/TrxfiNI8xz0

here is a link to a video clip of "Sound of the Night"
http://youtu.be/Tr-VpiX3b5w

here is a 2nd clip from "Sound of the Night"
http://youtu.be/QHyv6JSSIzw

Set list - session 555 - Luna's Cafe - 1-10-11

Okay.. so I am gonna try to play catch up so we will be on target for next week.. here is the first post of a couple regarding stuff that has already happened this year..

INSTAGON 555

1-10-2011
Luna's Cafe

Sacramento, CA

Once again back at Luna's Cafe for the NEBRASKA MONDAY Series that is hosted and organized by Ross Hammond.  It had been nearly a years since we played this space last (session #527), & this was Instagon's 14th appearance at Luna's Cafe.
Playing the early spot was a trio called NICE RUG, that was made up of players that have all been part of Instagon in the past (Tony Passarell, Stefano Zeroli, Wayne Sheats). They played some really awesome free jazz with a really low and mellow vibe to it.   Instagon included Jon Bafus on drums, a horn section of Michael Otwell & D.Ray Grisham.. and we invited local guitar hero Victor Contreras from Nagul to hold down the six string duties for the first time.. we had a great time playing.  It was awesome having Victor out to enjoy the fun of garage jazz.

Instagon #555 - photo by Yvette Lucas

Instagon 555
1-10-2011
Luna's Cafe, Sacramento, CA
Nebraska Monday's Series

Invokation>
The Flux,
Brainwashed Love
Triple Nickel [special riff for this show only]
Sleepwalking
Trip 23
Undoing
Cosmic


Lob (lead bass)
Michael Otwell (sax/flute)
D.Ray Grisham (trumpet)
Jon Bafus (drums)
Victor Contreras (guitar)


also NICE RUG
=====================================================
video "Trip 23" from Instagon 555


video footage courtesy of Ross Hammond

Setlist - session 553 - 12-9-2010 - Live In Studio A, KDVS, Davis, CA

Instagon #553
December 9, 2010
KDVS, Davis, CA

KDVS is a radio station on frequency 90.3 FM originating from the basement floor of Freeborn Hall at University of California at Davis. (UCDavis) that also streams at www.kdvs.org.   It is a VERY independent radio station with a "free-form" format, it also has the largest indie FM transmitter on the west coast, making it pretty special. Every Thursday night at 11pm (PST) they invite a band into their studios to play live over the air for an hour from Studio A.  This show is called L.I.S.A. .. Live In Studio A.  Instagon has previously appeared on the L.I.S.A. show doing a noise set as part of promotions for past Norcal Noisefest events..but this was the first time that Instagon had played the weekly show as a band for the entire hour.. which is also pretty interesting due to the fact that we have recorded in this studio 2 times previously and have 4 releases that were from those sessions! 

For this session a quartet was assembled to play for an hour, live over the air.. the band consisted of Lob with John Keeling on guitar .. someone that has been playing consistently with Instagon throughout this year.. also Drew Walker on drums.. and Matt Conklin on keyboards..  all three of these guys have been doing shows with us this year.. (John, Drew, & Lob had previously appeared earlier this year as a trio (session 545)) For this set we tried to focus on staying in the groove and feeling of the new CD "Sleepwalking" as to try to promote this release (the Sleepwalking CD was recorded at KDVS in Nov.2009) An amazing version of the song "Sleepwalking" was part of this session, but there were some pretty smokin' jams as well like the band classic "Deamon's Tube" (see below video!).  There was a couple of short improv jams.. one of them was titled "Umbridge Study Hall" and can be heard as part of the Fresh Cuts series on Bandcamp.com  .. funny story..

As we were setting up our equipment for this live radio session at KDVS, a short blondeish woman, with obviously too much time on her hands, appeared out of nowhere to tell us we were NOT supposed to be here and that there was a "24 study group" happening upstairs and she was promised there would be NO live music from the Radio station to disturb the students.. she was very determined and name dropping the name of "UC Aggie Regents" like it would have some magickal powers over us.. but in the end it did not.. we ignored her and played a great set..but in response to her very Umbridge like character, we dedicated a song..






INSTAGON 553
12-9-2010
KDVS FM 90.3, ,Univ.of Calif., Davis,CA
(live on-air broadcast)

Invokation>
Dripfall,
Cosmic
Deamon's Tube,
Sleepwalking,
Procell*,
My Little Red Planet>
Umbridge Study Hall*,
Space Walk,
Trip 23,
Echophobic,
The Sickness,
Orgone Collector,
Forward
(60:00)

* new improv riffs, first time jams

LOB - lead bass
DREW WALKER - drums
JOHN KEELING - guitar
MATT CONKLIN - keyboards

-----------------------------------------------
INSTAGON 553 VIDEOS:
PART ONE - Introductions>Invokation>Dripfall

PART TWO - Deamon's Tube
VIDEO LINK for "Deamon's Tube" from session 553 by Instagon.


big thanks go out to KDVS for letting us come and play.. Fenris Wulf for another amazing job of engineering and capturing the deamon.. John, Drew, & Matt for playing.. and everyone else that listened.. this was a really special session for sure.

--------
Instagon group photo taken by Fenris Wulf

Setlist - session 552 - Dec 3, 2010 - Vega's Night Club, Old Sacramento, CA

flyer design by Lob, art by Dolo

Instagon 552
December 3, 2010
Vega's Nightclub & Bar
Old Sacramento, CA

photo by Bob Scott

Okay..so the last time this blog was updated was nearly 2 months ago..and well I am apologetic and feel bad, but I have been a little busy with various projects.. which I will NOW attempt to catch up on.. there were no shows in November.. but there were 2 new releases...and there have been 3 sessions in December already!  So the Instagon Deamonic Viral assault continues as we try to bring our grooves and good times to you and you .. and you too !  SO.. we will start with THIS show.. and then try to catch up with more blog entries as the weekend progresses.. its a cold rainy weekend here in Sacramento right now.. so lets hope that gives me more opportunity to catch up with you that might actually care.

DECEMBER 3rd was also a rainy night.. but not too rainy.. and it was wonderful for Rick Vega to invite us back to his club.  This was our first show back there since the spring time when we played with Greg Ginn & The Texas Currogators.  (session #531)
This time around a locals show was planned..but at the last moment a traveler was added to the mix.   So the show started with our new friend from Oklahoma named CHRISTOPHE playing a short set of songs.. mostly originals ..in the mood of early Social Distortion with that lonesome Johnny Cash angst.. he also did a cover of a Misfits tune.. it was fun.  next up was ODD MONIKER the solo project of local musician Matt Conklin .. I have seen Odd Moniker play previous to this, and he is really a strong songwriter with a great voice and catchy hooks.. good stuff.. unfortunately the CAPTAIN called me outside and i was pre-occupied there and missed 90% of Matt's set.  It's all good..I apologized, and Matt understands these things.   Next up was a local band that I had not seen before called LITTLE BLACK BATS..and they were pretty good...they had some really great guitar work and cool songs. .they have only been playing together for a short time & are nice guys and we hope to play with them some more in the future.  In the honey spot was our new friends STEP JAYNE who are awesome and steal the show every time I seem them.. for this show they added a new member on keyboards and odd metal percussion.. and off they went!  a GREAT set from Step Jayne.. look for more posts with them involved... more shows together are planned,.   closing out the night was INSTAGON..  

photo by Bob Scott

for this excursion we were happy to invite for his first time with us, KEVIN IAN from THE COMMON MEN..  and Kevin was on FIRE.. it was smokin' right from the launch..  the session also included Stephen Elliot from Karmada on Keyboards.. Dex from Chikading on drums, and Chad E. Williams holding down the solid guitar leads..  the set was shredding. .. I really enjoyed "Buzzkill"..but everything played was pretty solid.. 

photo by Bob Scott

INSTAGON 552
12-3-2010
Vega's Night Club
Old Sacramento, CA

Invokation>
Jazz for Satan, [video! click here]
Buzzkill,
Spider,  [video! click here]
Electric Funeral*
Deamon's Tube,
Little Turtle,
Cambodian Holiday**
Pink Panther***, [video! click here]
Shut Down
(52:00)

* Black Sabbath riff, dedicated to Ozzy on his 62nd Bday.
  last time played 9-28-03 (191 shows)
** Dead Kennedys' riff
*** classic Mancini, last time played 6-27-09 (45 shows)

LOB - lead bass/vocals
CHAD E. WILLIAMS - guitar
KEVIN IAN - guitar
DEX LOPAZ - drums
STEPHEN ELLIOT - keyboards

photo by Cynthia Jones

A recording of "The Pink Panther" from this session will appear on the Placenta Family Tree Volume 5 compilation from Placenta Records coming in early 2011.

INSTAGON 505 - 6-7-09 @ The Greens, Sacramento - Noise Trio

instagon noise trio

Instagon 505 was the 3rd outing for the newest face ov the deamon, the "Noise Trio". ..a conceptual jazz/noise idea that has been fun so far. This outing featured Math Lewis from Noisepsalm (who is also responsible for getting this video posted) and Bobby Almon from Liver Cancer & DOG. This performance featured 2 parts.. a long one and a short one. The long one was titled (after the fact) " Accidental Hanging Man in the Shaolin Closet ", and the short one "To The Point". This is the 2nd time the Noise Trio has done "To The Point". .This performance was part of the 1st NOISE @ THE GREENS show at the Cafe @ the Greens in Sacramento (where Norcal Noisefest is scheduled to happen this year) this show was a benefit event for NF09. Also appearing that evening were XOME, AUDIOEMETIC, AL QAEDA, LIVER CANCER, DISAPPEARANCE OF PLANET DWARF PLUTO, & TERMINAL CURL..