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www.stephaniebettman.com

To the high-class culture hounds of OC, the Soka Performing Arts center is typically synonymous with suit-wearing symphonies, renowned jazz giants and cultural dance troupes. But duo Stephanie Bettman and Luke Halpin don't fall under any of those categories. In fact, their folk/Americana sound and spirit already make them an anomaly of the venue's concert schedule when they hit the stage on on April 11. But trust us when we tell you that their show will allow even the stuffiest classical buffs to walk away accepting the fiddle and mandolin as instruments of fine art.

Known by their fans as simply Bettman and Halpin, the two had a  vision to utilize their long list of musical talents to create a solid, historical sound throughout the years. On paper, Battman and Halpin are the quintessential opposites: Stephanie is classically trained in opera, violin and voice, and studied at the Oberlin Conservatory. She's also a former aerialist. Luke is self-taught - at the age of 8, his dad handed him a mandolin and a Mel Bay book and said "learn how to play, you're in my band." Despite their differences, once they met they became inseparable.

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Shannon Nehls / OC Weekly

Beneath The Buried

OC Music Awards Showcase: Night 3

The Slide Bar Rock-N-Roll Cafe
January 22, 2013

The OC Music Awards Showcase continued it's excursion on the quest to find OC's best live band for night three at the Slidebar Rock-N-Roll Cafe in downtown Fullerton. To test the nominated bands originality, stage presence, crowd participation and overall appeal where a few of the elite members of the OC Music Awards Academy which is comprised of music journalists, radio personalities, booking agents and industry professionals who help support our local music scene. Starting at 8 p.m., the showcase featured and interesting array of bands including Anna Vexa, Snakebit Drifters, Fiction Reform, Beneath the Buried and Death Hymn Number 9 who all brought their own eclectic crowds and energy to the Slide Bar stage.

See Also:

*OC Music Awards: Night 2 Puts Singer-Songwriters On a Frosty Pedestal
*OC Music Awards Showcase: Night 1-Detroit Bar-January 8, 2013
*Coachella "Leaks," Confirmations and Rumors

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Since the drop of his EP Chipper Jones Vol. 1 this past summer, Long Beach rapper Joey Fatts has been quickly spreading his strain of hybridized street-hop across the Internet and from his roots on our YG & TDE loving West Coast to the Action Bronson and ASAP obsessed East Coast. He's also a part of a local hip-hop crew known as the Cutthroat Boyz, which places him alongside Los Angeles spitter Vince Staples and Lakewood representative Aston Matthews as a trio of rising rappers who are as talented as they are diverse. They make good music to listen to at any time of the day, whether you're frustrated in traffic or at home with headphones, and they have an undeniable ability to mix and match trends and techniques from different corners of hip-hop, whether it's some sound from the back of a Cadillac trunk stationed in mid 90's Texas or humid, murky drug-rap pouring out of someone's Pandora.
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David Ascencio

Because an iPod would be waaaay too convenient

Ethen Jimenez may be just 19 years old, but the Costa Mesa-based rapper known as Sage One already feels wise beyond his years. "I guess you could say I'm an old soul. I wanted something that speaks of wisdom," Jimenez says, reflecting on his hip-hop alias. "When I think of a sage, I think of that random old guy in the woods who just has all this knowledge and who will let you know how things are with no bullshit."

Embodying that truth-telling ideal in the form of rapping is something Jimenez began to take seriously as a 14-year-old in Garden Grove. "I keep it really truthful," he says. "I'll spit about events that have happened in my life that are straight heartbreaking, the things that I've been through that have made me stronger today because of them."

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Bryson Nelson

Ethan Hulse--See tonight at Indie Nights at La Cave

Recently, our Best Of OC issue highlighted Sweet Relief president and local music mover and shaker Bill Bennett for his commitment to OC music culture. Between running a national musician's charity, wrangling band lineups and offering his sage wisdom to any band wise enough to take it, the guy pretty much never rests. That includes kicking his latest venture as a show promoter with his company Secret Chief into high gear this year. Co-operated by fellow promoter Josh Couture, the brand is branching out into multiple venues and band circles across OC and doing some pretty neat stuff. Case in point: their new indie night at La Cave every Thursday.

See Also:
*BLOK to Headline an Extra-Spooke Edition of Plugged Into Local at Alex's Bar, Oct. 24
*The Five Best Shows in OC This Week: Big Business, Major Lazer
*Top Five Long Beach Dive Bars
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The Shrills

We all need a wake-up call on Monday morning. We've definitely got a weird one for you, courtesy of Locals Only alumni the Shrills. Few things compliment the awakening aroma of fresh brewed coffee like werewolf howling, woozy garage beats and bursts of psychotic doo-wop. Last month, we mentioned that the Orange County quintet made their sonic pilgrimage to the Distillery in Costa Mesa to hammer out a new album. Under the guidance of eccentric engineer Mike McHugh, the band is busy honing a sound that pays tribute to a horde of old-school names like the Leaves and the Shirelles with an extra helping of A.D.D. and  Misfits-style story-telling for good measure. Things appear to be going well. The band, fronted by head-splitting vocalist/guitarist Dan Simmons and guitarist/vocalist Zack Grimm, dosed us with an exclusive cut from their unreleased, as-of-yet untitled album.

Without question, a song like "Home Alone" offers a haunted, groovy peek in to the Shrills twisted psyche from the opening chords. Lyrically, there's no telling what the song is really about at first listen--aside from,uh, being a homebody. But aesthetically, it feels like staying indoors with this band could be quite an adventure, one that will leave you a bit scarred but still smiling at the end. Check out the song after the jump.

See Also:
* The Shrills Produce Psych-Punk That Bleeds With Insanity
*Top 25 Greatest Orange County Bands of All Time: 25-15
*BLOK to Headline an Extra Spooky Edition of Plugged Into Local at Alex's Bar, Oct. 24

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Marcos Godoy Godchaux

If Lookout! Records still existed, Orange County foursome the Hoagies would be the ideal group for the label. Take one part three-chord punk a la the Queers and one part '70s rock a la the Donnas and you've got the Hoagies.

However, there's more to the Hoagies than just a fascination with '90s Bay Area punk. You see, the Hoagies like sandwiches. A lot. So much in fact that the foursome (singer King Hoagie, guitarist Tony "No" Bologna, drummer/keyboardist Sloppy Joe and bassist Rye Bread) are about to release a 12-song record titled Cold Cuts that includes songs such as "Rye or Die," "I Wanna Grinder" and "I'm Gonna Put It In Your Pita."

Joke and/or themed bands almost always suck, but don't go dismissing the Hoagies as the punchline to a joke no one ever told because the songs are actually really good. In fact, Cold Cuts is so rockingly catchy that I, a vegan, not only enjoy the record, I'm thinking about getting a pastrami on sourdough right this second.

OK, that's a lie, but I did like the songs enough to devote an entire six minutes coming up with questions to email the band. Here, in not even remotely close to their entirety, are their pickled answers. 
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