Samvega

Genre: Rock
Secondary Genre: Alternative St.Helena, California USA Contact

"...If Samvega were a woman, picture the hottest babe in town, when she undresses, she has a full back tatoo, of burning prairie, running buffalo and over it all, flying birds, flying in unison like underwater dances..."

Print Version

Artist Information

Biography


SOUNDS LIKE.....an eclectic melange of progressive rock, dark circus, gypsy, jam. Madly driven by polyrhythmic drums and slaphappy bass, Samvega aims to manifest mood and provoke thought through vocals, visuals, and performance...music that cradles an audience from dancing to dreaming.

ABOUT

PAT FEISTEL....trained by a classical jazz drummer, retains the finesse of his background while adding thunderous overtones in the tribal vein of Danny Carey.

TIP O"NEIL on bass, is rightfully influenced by Les Claypool. He can slap, pop, and walk down the neck of his four-string, six-string, or fretless bass, often times creating the lead melody of the song.

VOCALS are contributed by all members of the band, ranging in style and approach, from whispery poetic Tom Waits...cabaret roars of Jim Morrison...airy Tom York electronica...and on into odd Captain Beefheart social commentary. Sisters Melissa and Mercedes Baker create the body of the vocals. Although both were classically trained, their styles are unorthodox and ever evolving.

Melissa Baker's vocals are low cabaret rusted melodies, and sultry sounds of old. Melissa's guitar reflects spanish, arabic, and gypsy tones. The electric mandolin in covert with the wah wah and the slide soars, accenting the vocals and bass creating a David Gilmore effect that lies over the chaos and gives the mind a place to rest.

Merceds Baker's vocals are ethereal and haunting harmonies reflecting an instrument at times, while at others it's cabaret lyrical commentary. Additionally, Mercedes provides accenting percussion.

Samvega's diverse ability makes for an unusual show, as they bounce between genres and alternate between poetic vocal arrangements and wild dance crazed instrumentals, they aim to inspire the audience and reinvigorate peoples love and need for original live music.



Instrumentation

Melissa Baker: vocals, electric mandolin, guitar, melodica
Mercedes Baker: vocals, percussion
Tip O'Neil: bass, guitar
Pat Feistel: drums, vocals
Pablo Reyes: guitar

Discography

2009 Brain Sugar Blue
Wishmill Records
St. Helena, CA USA
2005 Self-titled Album
Wishmill Records
St.Helena CA USA
2004 WRST 90.3
Live Stuio play and recording
Oshkosh, WI USA

Official Website

http://www.myspace.com/musicsamvega

Links

Audio

Video

Now It Starts

Photo Gallery

  • Samvega

  • Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco

  • Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco

  • Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco

  • Hotel Utah, San Francisco

  • Hotel Utah, San Francisco

  • Hop Monk, Sebastopol, CA

  • El Corazon, Sante Fe

  • The Sail Inn, Phoenix

  • Lion's Liar, Denver

Press

Setlist

Samvega constructs dynamic sets.
Example:
1. Back and Forth (5:52) Prog Rock/Funk
2. Arabic (6:19) World
3. Corner (4:22) Ballad
4. Espanol (4:09) Latin
5. Now it Starts (5:50) Cabaret/Punk
6. Busy Bees (4:32) Cabaret/ Prog Rock
7. Berkely (4:11) Psychadelic Rock
8. Bourbon Windows (5:08) World/Tribal

The lenght of the sets depend on the venue's specifications.

Samvega has four hours of Original Music.

Samvega will play an occassional cover which include selections from artists...Hank Williams Sr, The Pixies, The Velvet Underground, and The Doors.

Basic Requirements


Calendar

There are no upcoming dates at this time.