NYS Music 20​16

Tag: JImkata

  • Jimkata Brings ‘In Motion’ to Buffalo Iron Works

    Ithaca based jamtronic/indie rock trio Jimkata is currently touring in support of their latest fan funded release In Motion.  The trio will roll into Buffalo Iron Works on Saturday March 26th.

    Aaron Gorsch, Evan Friedell & Packy Lunn- Jimkata- Copyright Pat Tellier

    After taking a brief hiatus that took the band off the road for the majority of the fall and winter, Jimkata hit the road for the first time as a trio this February. Frontman Evan Friedell told NYS Music that touring as a three piece has helped strengthen the bands dynamic.

    “I think having just the three of us on stage has simplified the dynamic a little bit in that its easier to communicate and improvise as musicians.  It also has led us to focus specifically on each sound and make everything sound bigger.  We’re also starting to get a good sense of set flow, like what songs pair well with each other, and are continually getting better at making good sets every night.”

    After the departure of longtime bassist David Rossi in late 2014, Stephen Learson (The Endobox) jumped on the road with the band for the majority of 2015.  The band made the decision while on hiatus to tour with only the band’s orginial three members: Friedell, Packy Lunn (drums)  and Aaron Gorsch (guitar/snyths).

    And in Friedell’s opinion, the gamble has paid off.  “Packy and Aaron have stepped up to the plate big time in terms of covering multiple parts.  When we first started rehearsing as a three piece I had some apprehension that maybe we would be missing something.  But, honestly, it feels like the exact opposite, that we’ve gained even more sonically especially with adding all the new songs to our sets.”

    Friedell also noted that the bands long awaited return to the Queen City is met with excitement by not just the fans but the band as well. “We’ve been playing Buffalo for quite a while so our relationship with the city runs deep.  Its starting to feel like a home base for us, especially since we’ve been rehearsing there a lot lately and Packy is now living there.  I’ve found the Buffalo crowd to be a little rowdier than other places we play which is fun.  Something about that goes along well with our upstate New York attitude and upbringing.”

    Tickets for this Saturday’s show are available online through Ticketfly.  Buffalo based band Lazlo Hollyfeld will open.  Doors open at 8pm;Music starts at 9pm.

  • Jimkata Goes Panda in New Music Video

    Ithaca-based band Jimkata got the Nerdist nod this week. The band used the website to release its first music video, for the single “Wild Ride,” from their latest album In Motion. The video features the members of Jimkata dressed in panda costumes, riding on scooters, and partaking in an animal dance party.

    Aaron Gorsch, Evan Friedell & Packy Lunn- Jimkata- Copyright Pat Tellier

    The video is currently exclusively only available through the Nerdist wesbite.

    After a brief hiatus this past fall, the three piece of Evan Friedell, Aaron Gorsch and Packy Lunn returned with the release of their second fan-funded album. The band is currently touring in support of the record.

    Jimkata returns to the Aura Music Festival this weekend before jumping back on the road. Their current tour is making several stops in New York state including Buffalo, Rochester, New York City and the band’s hometown of Ithaca.

    JIMKATA TOUR DATES

    Mar 03 — Live Oak, FL — Aura Music Festival
    Mar 05 — Savannah, GA — Barrelhouse South
    Mar 17 — Washington, DC — Gypsy Sallys
    Mar 18 — Asbury Park, NJ — The Saint
    Mar 19 — Hamden, CT — The Outer Space
    Mar 24 — Pittsburgh, PA — Club Cafe
    Mar 25 — Harrisburg, PA — Abbey Bar
    Mar 26 — Buffalo, NY — Iron Works
    Apr 01 — Rochester, NY — Flour City Station
    Apr 02 — Oneonta, NY — Oneonta Theatre
    Apr 07 — Boston, MA — Middle East Upstairs
    Apr 08 — Ithaca, NY — The Haunt
    Apr 09 — Brooklyn, NY — Rough Trade
    Apr 13 — Cleveland, OH — Beachland Tavern
    Apr 14 — Columbus, OH — Woodlands Tavern
    Apr 15 — Kalamazoo, MI — Shakespeare’s
    Apr 16 — Chicago, IL — Tonic Room
    Apr 21 — Fort Collins, CO — Hodi’s Half Note
    Apr 22 — Denver, CO — Larimer Lounge
    Apr 23 — Boulder, CO — The Lazy Dog
    Apr 25 — Lawrence, KS — The Bottleneck
    Apr 27 — Iowa City, IA — Yacht Club
    Apr 28 — Grand Rapids, MI — Founders
    Apr 29 — Lansing, MI — The Loft
    Apr 30 — Erie, PA — Kings Rook Club

  • Hearing Aide: Jimkata ‘In Motion’

    After a short hiatus that took the band off the road and included a change in the band’s line-up, Ithaca based jamtronica/indie rock band Jimkata is back with their much anticipated release In Motion. The album marks the band’s second fan funded album and is packed full of mellow grooves, driving beats and captivating lyrics.

    Simply stated: Welcome to Jimkata 2.0.

    Jimkata In Motion

    If Jimkata lives by its own musical mantra’s, In Motion is best described by a single line from the band’s 2012 release Die Digital –“All the best things seem to surface after the worst times.” The group’s latest release is a revealing composition that celebrates living in the moment and the gripping realities of love, life and loss.

    Musically, In Motion is a varied departure from Jimkata’s signature driving, dance beats and swirling, glaring guitar. There’s a warmer, more peaceful groove infused throughout the entire album, different from some of the band’s harder and edgier releases. But what the band does successfully is create songs that you can lose yourself in. In Motion is full of inviting, listener friendly ear worms; songs that you want to hear constantly on repeat.

    There is a world of musical discovery to this album – like a musical onion. Almost undetectable layers to the band’s sounds that present themselves differently every time you listen to a song. Technically, it may be Jimkata’s most successful album to date. You are forced to listen to the album’s production value, because that’s what the album really is about. Yet, In Motion succeeds at sounding sleek but never over-produced.

    What’s missing from In Motion is the musical push and pull that has become synonymous with previous Jimkata releases. At times, the album teeters into more ambient territory, but despite less edge, the album never borders on sleepy. There is always something to keep your ear listening. And although the album isn’t full of mind altering guitar solos or face melting jams, In Motion showcases a completely different side to the band.

    In a time where bands are incorporating the glory of 80s snyth and new wave technology, Jimkata is exploring it. Whereas the band’s last few releases simply infused the era driven sounds into their mix of catchy guitar riffs and hooky lyrical mantras, In Motion delves deeper into that already established aspect of the band’s sound.

    The album’s first single “In the Moment” captures the essence of Jimkata past and present. It is the one single that feels like it could have fit on albums past, yet In Motion would somehow be incomplete without it. Perfectly timed drums from Packy Lunn create a mellow yet focused disco beat while layers of snyth and keys cascade around vocalist/guitarist Evan Friedell’s comforting vocal style.

    The true gem of In Motion is the album’s lyrical experience.   Friedell creates a haunting familiarity that is personal and connective. In several songs, like “Wild Ride” and “In the Moment,” it feels that he is singing directly to the listener. And it’s that quality that makes this album so special. It takes a confident and self-aware lyricist to create the kind of moments that feel connected and relatable. At times, the album feels like a movie soundtrack without a movie. If you listen close enough, the story is perfectly laid out for the listener to discover.

    As the band launches a late winter tour in support of the album, it will be interesting to see how these songs will fit into the live, high energy performances that Jimkata is known for. Of the albums nine tracks, “Innocence” has the most intriguing live performance potential. “Ride the Wave” and “Build Me Up” have already seen stage time during the last year and fit neatly into the Jimkata live show.

    In Motion drops on February 12, but is still available for pre-sale through the band’s Pledgemusic campaign. Jimkata kicks off their In Motion Release tour on Feb 19 in Burlington, Vermont.

    Key Tracks: Ride the Wave, In the Moment, Wild Ride