City Cat Collective is a hub where musicians from all over the world, come together and support one another in our quest to get our music heard! With members in different regions and continents, the strength of CCC is our reach. Every one of our members is an ambassador to our mission.
Our mission is simple: "Work together and to support one another. To seek out talent and find other likeminded artists" - City Cat Collective
It's going down tonight at the Knockout in SF!!! Tess Posner, Joyce Lee, Kate Ramsey and Sophia Prise will be hitting the stage and bringing their dark alternative / rock n roll tunes!!!
Doors at 9pm. Bring beer money and a good vibe.
Links provided for the artist's. Get aquainted and I will see you there:)
Tess Posner | Instagram
Kate Ramsey | Instagram
Joyce Lee | Instagram
Sophia Prise | Instagram
When we began City Cat Collective, I knew I wanted to reach out to Nene's Butler Presents for an interview. Navigating the seas of self-promotion, one starts to get a sense of who's friendly, who isn't. The quality of the blog also becomes exposed. All of a sudden, submitting or avoiding certain blogs becomes routine. Being added to Nene's Butler Presents blog with an Everything But The Everything submission is something I always look forward to.
With further ado… Ladies and gentlemen, it's our interview with Nene's Butler Presents!!!
CCC - How did you get started and when was the moment you went all in on being a music blogger?
NB - I started to discover platforms like groover, muso, or submithub around 2020. As an artist, I often got rejected by “good song, BUT …” on these platforms. I wondered why they were all so fixated on one sound, one genre, etc. Why didn’t bloggers enjoy all the great indie music out there? This was the reason I decided to develop my own music blog, which was/is not based on specific genres, and which expressed my love for music. I wanted to give unheard musicians a chance to be heard.
CCC - Do you have a music background? If so, tell us about it.
NB - NenesButler presents is the name of my blog and Nene’s Butler is my artist name. The music I create is a mixture of minimalistic electro with touches of 80s/90s house and the early days of techno, and a breeze of electro body music. I am definitely influenced by Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Front 242, but I also love to listen to Cure, Duran Duran, Oasis, Blur, Joy Division, The Prodigy, Everything but the Everything :) , … I love all the post-punk stuff, punk itself, Britpop was amazing, UK garage, indie pop, indie rock, … and do not forget my all-time favorite The Beatles (my first musical love) … and so on.
CCC - I noticed your website says to submit to your blog via Groover, why is that your go to and what do you think about the other services like Submithub, Musosoup?
NB - We find Groover to be the most effective for us. We have a dashboard with many music submissions that want to be on the blog. Muso is also good, but it takes a lot of time. It requires us to write an offer to the artists and then wait. I used to use Muso a lot in the past. Now, I use it to find new music and if I enjoy it, I put it on our playlists. We are also trying out mysphera and droptrack at the moment. Sometimes, we receive something from sharetoPro. Submithub rejected us :).
CCC - How do you feel about paying for PR from an artist perspective?
NB - As an artist, I have seen this side as well. I also invest in Groover, Muso, and in earlier days, Submithub. I think all the platforms offer a great opportunity to get your music heard. In my opinion, it’s part of the business to invest some time and money in PR. I always say 50-100 bucks per single are enough for my style of music. I would not want to spend more money, but this is a personal decision that every artist has to make for themselves.
CCC - What advice would you give to a young band who wants to get started?
NB - From The Blog view - Please do not contact us or any other blogger like this: This is our/my new single, it’s a banger! Nothing more or less (we sometimes get this). Or sending a “mass-mail”. The best chance to get featured on NenesButler presents is to include a short bio, something about the song, and all social media channels + streaming channel/link + 2 pictures (good resolution) (simply an EPK). The sound quality does not have to be 100% perfect, because this is, in my opinion, a question of money. But if you invest some time by yourself in mixing and mastering, it should fit for the first releases.
CCC - What do you do for fun (snowboarding, bicycling, beanie baby collecting, etc...)?
NB - I have a five-year-old daughter, that's fun enough :)
CCC - If someone gave you $10,000 to go on a vacation or go splurge at the fanciest restaurant in your closest major city, which would you choose?
NB - I would invest in music, rather than going on vacation or to a restaurant. I am playing with the idea of creating a Tape Label in the future to release a Sampler every quarter with the best Indie Artists of "NenesButler presents".
CCC - What's on the horizon for Nene's Butler Presents?
NB - On the horizon of the blog, there is definitely another playlist (currently, we have our "Best of", "electro", "singer/songwriter", "heavy guitars", "postpunk + indie rock", "femArtists"). Maybe we will add instrumental/chill or darkwave/gothic, let’s see. We will also invest more in ads to bring all the featured artists to the forefront.
Follow Nene's Butler Presents on all platforms!!
I'm sure I've stated this a few times, I made a list of artists/people/groups to highlight on City Cat Collective that participate in the music world. Today we check off another name from that list and highlight James Beastly. James is a seasoned music veteran who I'm assuming has played music most of his life. Not an assumption I want to throw out like Oprah Winfrey does cars, but his approach and execution to music exudes experience. Making the jump from band member to music producer, James adds 'Ghost Species' to his stellar collection as a solo artist.
Social media is a peculiar thing. With millions of people mingling around, there's no telling where a new connection might come from. At some point, I crossed paths with London artist and all-around music hustler, Sparkayly. I believe we both follow Toronto's Melotika and that's how the mighty algorithm did its thing. Through her posts I saw an artist that is making it happen on all fronts. As she toils on various music projects (songwriter, magazine producer, graphic artist, artist promotion), I wanted to highlight her digital imprint, Surge FX Magazine.
Crazy to think that there's musicians playing their hearts out in successful projects who don't love the music they play. Such was the case with the members of this yet to be formed band. They all knew each other from playing their local scene in Brighton UK. Two of them are cousins. One day, they collectively decided to make music they loved. That day Knife Bride was born. Since day one the group has been on a tear, playing coveted British venues and festivals. Keeping the momentum going Knife Bride has released 'smother (make me suffer)', the lead single with a corresponding music video from their upcoming EP.
There is a lot going on with this single. A controlled chaos of sorts. The drum patterns are spectacular. They feel spontaneous yet are as detailed and unique as any instrument played on the track. How the song opens up in the chorus makes me feel like I'm standing in the eye of a hurricane, enjoying a moment of serenity before getting ripped to shreds. Adding to this feeling of impending doom are the vocals, hypnotizing us like a siren's song luring us to our own demise.
This song is an absolute banger. Samples, massive guitar riffs, crisp double bass drums all ooze Nu-Metal but Knife Bride's injection of emo goth sexual elements create something all their own. They refer to their music as "Nu-Gothika" and I am officially, 100% on board.
The Hot Takes continue to ascend with their killer stage show and solid music releases. Their latest single ‘Up All Night’ is pure rock roll played from the heart. The song has a nostalgic feel and borrows from the best from the early 80's. How we are greeted by the drums and then the catch the buzz of that electric guitar is reminiscent of ‘Love Stinks’ by The J. Geils Band. A bit of ‘I Love Rock N Roll’ by Joan Jett and The Black Hearts pokes through as well. The magic is always in the songwriting and vocal delivery which is why I get a sense of ‘Summer Of 69’ by Bryan Adams.
When a singer is in a zone, you can hear the belief in their voice. In this zone a singer can transcend themselves into whatever place they want to take their listeners to. Jared locks in and takes us to rock n roll euphoria.
Catch ‘Up All Night’ with us now and keep up with The Hot Takes on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify!!!
In March of 2022, Oakland Ghosts began to roll out two singles at a time. A dual double single release if you will. Their newest release titled 'IV' has three singles. We'll be highlighting 'Under The Needle' and have included it for your convenience. See how nice we are...
Oakland's very own Randy Thomas and the Insecures are back with a new song and music video. Their new track ‘Need This’ is a bright gritty distortion laden raucous rock n roll excursion! The tracks energy makes us feel like we're at their live show, hanging in the green room and then off to the after party!!
You'll have to see the video and hear the track!!!
Skating by the Rockridge Bart station is a nice nod to the town.
Keep up with and follow Randy Thomas & the Insecures
In this modern world of branding and constant self-promotion, a quick visit to someone's social media is a direct window into their world. With one click, we can learn about a person's passions, projects, aspirations and endeavors. I met Stefanos via Muso soup. I began to follow him on Instagram where we now frequently cross paths. Upon these Insta run ins, I noticed he plays guitar for Haneke Twins. There's a link to the bands website which I followed. Haneke Twins is based out of Switzerland. They rock! Their brand of post punk accompanied with a baritone singer immediately reminded me of Interpol. In 2018 the band debuted their self-titled EP, follow by 2020's Astronaut extended EP. Most recently the band released a new single and corresponding music video 'Lights Off' part 2.
>>>>>>>
We wanted to thank Dear Banshee for taking time to answer our questions. We love their music and will be supporting them any way we can!!!
As much as I love to complain about FB, FB always seems to remind me of upcoming events I would otherwise completely miss. I need to stop my FB whining… Last Thursday evening, I got a reminder about the Thursday night residency at the Make Out Room in SF that Everyone Is Dirty is hosting. I didn't really read the details and it didn't matter; I was going. It wasn't until my drive over that I started to wonder about the details. Was this a listening party for new music? Were there other bands playing? What was I going to walk into…
Upon my arrival, there was a band on stage. I would describe their music as Primus meets the Dillinger Escape Plan's Option Paralysis LP. A little unorthodox but very creative and super tight. The drummer would go from soft delicate jazz style drumming to heavy zero to 180 mph like a stolen Hellcat evading police. They had a couple of really great groove driven tracks that the crowd soaked up. The name of the band is Gumby's Junk, if you get a chance to check em out, do so.
Everyone Is Dirty hit the stage immediately after the opener and the show they put on was phenomenal!!! There's so much to describe and I tried to take in as much as I could. Before we get into the specifics, I just wanted to say that being a true headliner takes a combination of quality of songs, stage presence, individual member performance execution and that “it” factor that you either got or you don't. Everyone Is Dirty is a true headliner, 100%.
Starting with the bass player. I'm convinced, he's a machine. He can't be human. If you told me Skynet sent back a terminator to kill Sarah Conor and also sent back a terminator to murder basslines, I would say, he's got to be that terminator. He murdered basslines. I don't think I heard one mistake. Big, round, complex basslines played with feel and dynamics, I was in awe. He used three fingers too, like an indie rock Robert Trujillo. Same for the drummer. Everything was on point, nothing was overplayed. Power was delivered when prescribed and that nuanced touch with delicate hands was showcased as well. The pair make for an unbelievable rhythm section.
The pair that are the face of the group, the lead singer and the guitarist have some real chemistry. While the lead singer clearly led the charge, the way the backup vocals bolstered the music's overall effect was truly memorable. The lead singer sang her heart out, there was no holding back. My biggest surprise was her violin performance and the array of sounds she covered. Through the weave of sounds, at times I would wonder “where is this amazing sound coming from?” and it was always the violin. Certain settings on her pedal board would at times deliver a huge lead guitar type solo sound, one might suspect they snuck a BC Rich on stage. Other times the violin's sound was so soft and gentle. I started to wonder if she also plays with the San Francisco Symphony when she's not fronting Everyone Is Dirty.
The band is going to be at the Make Out Room every Thursday for June. Make it down if you can and witness a true headliner work their magic. Like me you'll be a new fan, I'm certain of it.
Keep up with Everyone Is Dirty on Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook!!!
Check out their single “Hand On Lunch” with us, song kindly provided:)
I've known Moses Redwood for some time. We've always been into house music. Even though my focus has become rock music, I still hold house music close to my heart. Moses sent me a link to some of his tunes. The music is indie electronic, and his sample/sound selections are eclectic. ‘Chu Papa’ is the track the featured track and your link is kindly provided:)
Moses Redwood doesn't follow; he leads his own way.
Check out ‘Chu Papa’ on Soundcloud!!!
Fake Your Own Death recently released a new four song EP, Bad Gods. The band has a great discography, and this new release adds another solid installment. Fans will be sure to enjoy the new tunes which always bridge high energy rock and roll and thought-provoking lyrics. Time to get caught up with the new tunes and go to their next show!!!
Keep up with Fake Your Own Death!!!
When I got an early listen of “Fantasy” by Venus In Arms, I played the track over and over. Now that her new single is out everywhere, I can play it on repeat without having to refresh my Dropbox. “Fantasy” by Venus In Arms is an absolute gem of indie shoegaze. As I listened to the single, I wondered about how it came together and that's what our interview focuses on.
We geek out with Oliva over the details of her new track. I hope you enjoy!!
Keep up and follow Venus In Arms on Instagram, Spotify and of course venusinarms.net !!!
In our second edition of our Bloggers Chronicles we are highlighting an event at Bottom Of The Hill, SF. The Hot Takes and Strange Cities are bands we've covered here on City Cat so today's focus will be Treasures from SF who will be opening up the night. Lets go over the bill.
Headlining:
The Hot Takes - Having a successful night at headlining a bill at any venue for a local band is a big deal. The energetic Devo-ish band will certainly bring it this night just like they do every time they hit the stage. Go see them!!!
Main Support :
Strange Cities - The guys just came back from a short tour in England and have been firing on all cylinders for some time. It will be great to see them perform back at home on their home turf at BOTH.
Opening:
Treasures - I been following this band on social media for some time. They've been on my list of bands to go check out and now comes the perfect opportunity. They describe themselves as contemporary Rock N Roll. Great rock N roll bands from the past come to mind open my first listen. I pick up hints of the song's from the 70's (The Who), 80's (Thin Lizzy) and 90's (Blind Melon) in their music. This Thursay, we'll see them perform their brand of rock as they open up the night.
Just my luck… I had the night off work and noticed The Spyrals were playing at Bottom Of The Hill. I hadn't seen Jeff from the Spyrals in years, so I went to the show. When I arrived, the opening band was about mid set. I grabbed a beer and found a spot to watch. This three-piece band had the crowd completely hypnotized. I too fell hard into hypnosis. Who is this band? My curiosity grew by the second. I asked the bartender who they were and she pointed to a name on a flier. The band was Niveles.
The next day I was still in awe of what I witnessed, replaying my memories of their set. What struck me the most was how every note carried so much weight, so much emotion. When I got word of their new eight song S/T EP, I wondered if it would evoke those same feelings I felt at Bottom Of The Hill. The answer is a hard yes.
First on my list of tracks to highlight from their new EP is “Hard Bill”. This song builds and builds until we reach the heavens and beyond. A key element to this single is the guitar parts which guide us on this journey. A sparsely strummed guitar, coily greets us before revealing its true colors. Those colors are revealed at the 1:33 mark when the distortion kicks on, punctuating the one and two count. Then they dig. At the 2:18 mark, an arpeggiated guitar arrives, hovering overhead like a flying saucer. With all systems go at the 2:38 mark, the lead guitar slams the throttle, propelling our rocket past earth's gravitational pull and into outer space. Can you hear me Major Tom!!!
With a comparable formula but different experience is the very next track "Party At BG's Haus". A big difference is how the bassline controls the feel of the song instead of the guitars. That bass tone is everything. The guitar flutters in the wings as it awaits its moment in the spotlight. When the distorted guitars arrive, the tenor changes and the song morphs like an Altered Beast on Sega Genesis. Controlled chaos ensues, I love the mayhem.
I found the final track to be the most memorable. "House Of Mirrors" wastes no time getting down to business. Delivering a haunting mystic are the delayed guitar notes in the verses. Those delayed guitar notes bait us. They position us to the place where the band's incoming wall of sound's impact will hit us like a tsunami. Big chords rain down over the sonorous rhythm section. We're thrown around in the wash like a surfer who's spilled at Mavericks. The force is real.
Again, I'm happy to report that how Niveles performs live is on par with how they're captured on tape. Each song's weight is felt through and through. As far as tones and vibe, their sound reminds me a little bit of Tool's "Sober". Their hypnotic, dark, menacing brand of music is undeniable. The way Niveles locks into a groove over minor chords, delayed guitars and perfectly placed samples is next level. I feel extraordinarily lucky to have stumbled upon their music and even luckier to be able to deliver this exclusive music premiere.
Keep up with and follow Niveles on Instagram and Bandcamp but for now, peep “Hard Bill”, kindly included for your listening pleasure:)
I've known the name for years but for whatever reason, never took a moment to listen to Everyone Is Dirty. When I saw that my friends from Fake Your Own Death were playing at the Kilowatt with Everyone Is Dirty, I knew the time had come. As part of CCC's Bloggers Chronicles Nightcap/Recap, I wanted to use the platform to highlight shows. Today we debut Bloggers Chronicles: GO TO THIS SHOW!!! #001
I was introduced to Achilles Tenderloin via an Indiebandguru.com assignment. Soon after I began to follow him on the gram. I love the hustle, the dedication but most importantly his music. For City Cat, I have a list of songs and artists who I want to highlight. Achilles Tenderloin was on that list. With his 10-song full length release Tincture For Trouble, I knew I had to get to work.
With the final touches being placed on the music video for "Fantasy" by Venus In Arms, we patiently await its official debut. Following Venus In Arms aka Olivia Barchard on social media has told me that her new music video will have a "mini movie" feel to it. Exciting!
I've been privileged to an early listen, and I can tell you the song has a ballad feel. The bassline propels the track like an outboard engine pushes a skiff. The minimalist approach to the single allows the open guitar chords to truly resonate and the synth notes to land on open terrain. Olivia's vocals are the focus, but the lyrics are what it's all about. When Oliva sings the chorus line "you're just a fantasy", the emotional weight tips the scale over like a triple beam being maxed out in middle school science class. Reality hits the heart, I'm alone and you're just a fantasy. Riveting indeed.
Dear Banshee describe their music as traditional, electronic and experimental. Their new single "Rehoboam" most definitely aligns with that statement. Things get serious right away as the opening vocal's sound off like war trumpets signaling the impending start of warfare. Hip hop edged drums with boisterously booming bass drum kicks amplify the war cry,
I came across Ferguson's Daughter on Instagram a few months ago and immediately became a fan. Her three song EP, Blissed Out Blues made quite the impression on me. I wrote a small review on the spot. Since then, Lindsey has been busy releasing a 20-song full length album Being A Girl and most recently her new single "One Of Those Moments."
Upon diving through her new LP, it's clear she is a creative force. The melodies, the approach, the songwriting all vary from song to song and are stamped with her signature. Case in point is the single "Silk and Satin" with its Alice In Wonderland feel. The single is fun, vibrant and unlike anything I've heard recently. The word "clever" doesn't justify the song, "brilliant" would be the proper term.
The fun vibe that "Silk and Satin" bring to the table, beautifully set up the somber tone of "Bad Coffee". She sings with power. The way she harnesses the power of her vocal's and unleashes its force with total control at a moment's notice is magnificent. I was trying to think of who I could compare Lindsey to for the sake of conversation and Alaniss Morrissette with a touch of Amy Winehouse is my response.
Being A Girl just rolls, song after song, showcasing her talent. "Let's Play Pretend" is another standout single. Its flowing grace has a nostalgic feel, almost 50's like. The guitar line plucked in the back end of the song also comes across from that era. Grand piano keys play into our hearts as she sings the chorus line boldly and fearlessly.
Keeping us on our toes is the very next song “N.y.c.” where Americana borrows from the summer of love. Lindsey's marvelous songwriting knows no bounds. An acoustic guitar and a microphone are all she needs to create magic. The fact that she can add backing vocals to her creations thanks to studio production only enhance our experience. Excellent!
I could stay here all day dissecting every song, but sadly I have to end this a little early. I will add that "Eloise" is also amazing. There are too many great songs. You'll just have to follow her, tune in and become a fan.
Listen to Ferguson's Daughter on Spotify and follow her on Instagram!!!
We've included “Let's Play Pretend” for your instant listening pleasure. You're welcome!!!
For some, "pop music" is like a dirty word never uttered amongst certain company. I'm not afraid to say it, I love pop music. I bring this up because when I hear Weekend Youth, that's exactly what I hear, modern day pop music. They stack up musically to some of the giants of today. Foster The People, Real Estate, Ra Ra Riot, Electric Guest, Neon Indian and even Coldplay all check certain boxes that we as listeners expect to be checked when we hear their music. The songwriting and execution Weekend Youth lays down checks those same boxes.
Let's go down the list...
Box 1 - Powerful vocals that contain a sense of vulnerability. A softness to their hue makes them feel familiar like slipping into your favorite pair of shoes.
Box 2 - Production is top notch. The levels, the mix, the tones, the volumes the entire package is first class.
Box 3 - Modern songwriting and the creativity that it breeds elevate their music into the next level. By refusing to be boxed in by writing styles of yesterdays, a spontaneity charm exists in every bar, every measure of their music.
Box 4 - It sounds incredible. Just like looking out the window to see if it's raining, when you play Weekend Youth's music, you'll hear what I'm talking about.
Go to their Spotify page, play the first song play and let it ride. Zoom in on a sound and then zoom out and listen to the track as a whole, any track and I think you'll agree, it's incredible delicatessen pop music.
"Superman" and "Gotta Be Me" are two songs that I really enjoyed. Both are completely different stylistically from one another but that's the magic, their all good.
Follow Weekend Youth immediately on Spotify, Instagram and Facebook !!!
And of course, for your City Cat Collective sponsored introduction, we have "Vacation" for your listening pleasure. Enjoy.
