100Monkeys

Hello Jackson, and 100 Monkey fans. Once again, Tuesday found a crowd of zealous and boisterous fans milling outside the door of 24K when I arrived at 8:30 pm. I consider this noteworthy, because the doors don’t open until 10:30pm. However, fans will not allow time constraints. My hat is off to you brave souls.

...Forty minutes and several wonderful songs later, 100 Monkeys took the stage. Jackson had to return to his shooting schedule following “Fat Tuesday” and another excellent performance at The Mint, so the rest of the band filed out on stage. Ben G started on bass, Jerad on lead guitar, Uncle Larry on bongos, Shan on keyboards, and Ben J being the drum master he is. They began the evening with “Smoke“, Ben J covering the lyrics
as he did the last time Jackson was away. I was again wowed by how great Ben sounds on the mic. Uncle Larry blended his flute into “Smoke” which brought such beauty and warmth to the song.

They next played the new song I informed readers of several weeks ago, after I was notified by Jerad that they would be playing it soon. The song is called “Little Black Dog” and it was written about Jerad’s new half-poodle/half-terrier mix, oddly named “Weenie”. Jerad originally wished to name the pup Napoleon, but decided it wasn’t an appropriate name for her. The song has a deep and plucky sound to it, due in large part to Jerad’s bass playing. Ben took the lyrics while he loomed over the keyboards. Seasoning was added by Uncle Larry’s bongo accompaniment, and Ben J spiced it up with some wild and animated rhythms.
Consulting Jerad’s unfortunate iPod (listen to the Vamp Radio interview for more information on this.) for the evenings set list, the guys next played “Sweet Face.” This song is giving “Smoke” a run for its money, as my favorite song. Uncle Larry stepped out from behind the bongos and flavored things with some wonderful bass playing. Jerad handled lead guitar while Shan took Uncle Larry’s usual place on bongos.
At one point Jerad attempted to play the guitar with a crescent tambourine. I’m sorry to report that despite his many talents, his willingness was more impressive than the final effect. We love you best when you’re filing down pics, Jerad.
Since Ben was already on the mic, they next moved into “Wing On Fire.” The level of Ben’s amusement with the lyrics of this song becomes obvious in the strength he sings it with. It always gets the audience in a really reciprocating mood. Everyone returned to their usual places; Ben G on bass, Uncle Larry on bongos and Shan on keyboards for “Ugly Girl“. Uncle Larry got so into it that he nearly knocked his mic into the audience.
Their sixth song was also a new one, named after another dog. The band seems to be experiencing a canine fascination lately. This dog belongs to Scotty, the sound engineer extraordinaire, who keeps the perfect sound up, and the feedback silent. His dog is “Gus” who is a sweet, kind and gentle beast, does some very unlikely things in this song. Still, since its sort of a jazzy latin-ish song (honestly, it reminds me a little of “The Girl from Ipanema”), it has a fantastic sound. If the deteriorated level of my of hearing ability can be considered an honest judge, the song was very popular with the fans.
They ended the evening with Jerad switching to bass, and Shan taking lead guitar. Ben moved to the keyboards and handled vocals on “Wasteland.” At the end of the set, they mentioned another show in San Francisco which will include The Sandman and The Absolute which has now been listed on the 100 Monkey’s Myspace Page. If you’re in the area, be sure to set aside the time on Friday, March 20th.
- Lidia Riley ( Jackson Rathbone Fan page)

So I heard about the band from my best friend who is obsessed with a couple of people in the band and so I looked them up on myspace and first I was kinda confused by the music. Its not something I would normally listen to, but that's what kept making me want to listen to the music even more! It unique fun and defiantly different from what is heard on main stream radios ( finally!!!) a lot of there songs just make me want to bop my head back and forth. :) I had fun listening to Monster De Lux. (Itunes)

- iTunes

Afew short years ago, Paramore got their start on Bamboozle's small 'Boozle stage. This year, Hayley Williams and Co. headlined the New Jersey festival alongside Weezer, MGMT and Drake (check out our full coverage of day one and day two's biggest sets). After two days of nonstop rock in the Meadowlands parking lot, Rolling Stone picked out five up-and-coming acts who broke out of the pack in 2010:

The Pretty Reckless: Fronted by Taylor Momsen, a.k.a wannabe-popular-girl-turned-fashion-designer Jenny Humphrey from the CW's Gossip Girl, the pop-grunge outfit turned out a Saturday afternoon set full of sass and grit. Sixteen-year-old Momsen pranced around in a pair of itty-bitty jean shorts, a midriff-bearing black corset and platform patent-leather lace-up boots, growling like a cross between vintage Courtney Love and the Dead Weather's Alison Mosshart. Hear first single "Make Me Wanna Die" on the Kick-Ass soundtrack now, and look for the Pretty Reckless' debut album this summer while the band performs on Warped Tour.

100 Monkeys: This eccentric Cali act have a built-in buzz magnet — bandmember Jackson Rathbone, also known as one of Twilight's famous vampires. Their spazzy, energetic Saturday set blended tribal sounds with vocals recalling Jim Morrison's baritone croon. The "can-this-be-real?" factor ran high thanks to song titles like "The Monkey Song," lyrics like "free, free, free the beast" and five guys in bandanas jumping around and playing hand drums, trumpet and flute. The band's latest release, Grape, is out now.

The Maine: With a radio-friendly pop sound reminiscent of the All-American Rejects and Boys Like Girls, this Arizona-based quintet rocked a packed crowd as the sun set on Saturday. Their sugary hooks and driving guitars inspired perky sing-alongs to songs like "Everything I Ask For." The Maine will release their second LP and head out on their first headlining tour this summer.

Fun.: This quirky power-pop collective is currently playing to its largest crowds opening for Paramore, but its three core members — Nate Ruess from the Format, Jack Antonoff of Steel Train and Andrew Dost of Anathallo — are no strangers to big audiences, having opened for Brand New, the All-American Rejects and Tegan & Sara. Fun.'s performances are just that: light-hearted, jubilant and full of boy-girl harmonies. The band's debut, Aim and Ignite, is out now.

Good Old War: Two-thirds of this folk-pop outfit (guitarist Keith Goodwin and drummer Tim Arnold) were originally part of the Fueled By Ramen-signed band Days Away. After joining up with guitarist Dan Schwartz, the trio started writing songs filled with tight harmonies, jangly guitars and memorable, country-tinged melodies. Their mid-day Sunday set was a welcome change of pace, and the band is currently touring the country preparing to release its self-titled second disc on June 1st.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/;kw=[13193,141762] - Erica Futterman for Rolling Stone

Welcome to the Jungle: 100 Monkeys Live is a Riotous Musical Adventure (Jackson Rathbone, Ben Graupner, Jerad Anderson, Ben Johnson)
June 22, 2009 · 1 Comment

As I stood outside Hill Country in NYC I wasn’t sure what to expect: standing in front of me were approximately 150 young ladies, age 18-22, waiting to see 100 Monkeys. I was probably one of the oldest members in the crowd that night and I am not old. But there was an air of excitement on the sidewalk that could only be generated by young women awaiting their version of The Beatles. As the crowd paced, awaiting the show to begin, I could tell this wasn’t going to be your run of the mill live rock show.

Let me get this out of the way, a certain member of 100 Monkeys happens to be in the Twilight movies (Jackson Rathbone plays Jasper Hale) and I assumed these ladies were Twilight obsessed fans trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite heart-throb. I was wrong. Just before show started I asked the band’s manager for a set list. Imagine my surprise when he said he didn’t have one because the band determines the set list minutes prior to hitting the stage. In fact, much of the band’s set was improvised, which gave fans the pleasure of witnessing a lively jam session at the end of the set. But later for that…

I’d done my preparation prior to the show, researched the band, listened to their music on MySpace, and couldn’t really pinpoint their style. Was it rock? Funk? Psychobilly (their term not mine)? I prefer going to see a band without any expectations because it allows for the element of surprise.



First off, this band is BANANAS and I mean this in a good way. Their stage presence is super high energy, fun, and so alive that you can’t help but bop your head to the music. Four young men that are easy on the eyes is never something tough to look at during a show, especially when they are dressed in a hip uniform of black suits with skinny ties. Jay had elected to wear that evening a cowboy hat and mustache which channeled Juan Valdez. I loved it!

The band opened with a, get this, improvised song called Magic Carpet. Nothing shows off your musical chops like an improvised song, so immediately I was impressed. The band’s sound is definitely rock, but there’s a heavy flavor of alternative, funk, honky tonk, and soul. This was evident in the standout Wasteland, a gritty, New Orleans style song which sounded more like a fiery and bleeding heart melody sung by a man with a hard past as opposed to a young, handsome blond far young to have experienced pain. Resembling a young Cab Calloway, an impassioned and poetic Ben Graupner sang his heart out when he performed this masterpiece. The Monkey Song by Spencer Bell, gave me the impression of an alternative edge with a Nirvana-like riff buzzing about sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Spencer Bell deeply inspires the band and it’s evident in their musical tributes. Bell was a close friend and fellow band mate who passed way far too early at 20-years-old from adrenal cancer. Bell and the members of 100 Monkeys at the Interlochen Arts Academy, but was kindly asked to leave after letting his grades slip. A school administrator decided that Spencer and his friends were “lost boys,” so soon after they got tattoos that read, “I’m Lost…” And yes, I saw the tattoo. Spencer’s music influences the band and his former band mate from the The Stevedores, Ben Johnson, is now a Monkey.

Enthusiasm dominated their faces as they stepped off the stage since this was their second show in NYC and largest to date. Talking with the band I quickly found them to be charming, lively, and playful. Jay Rathbone has a mega-watt smile and a slight southern drawl in which his charm is evident (he hails from TX): he’s still on a high from a great show and ready to talk Monkeys with an engaging intensity; Ben Graupner is a black man trapped in a white mans body with a soulful voice: who would believe he picked up the trumpet only days ago; Jered Anderson had his vest ripped off during the show and a female fan tried to stick money down his pants: he seems humbled by the relentless fan attention ; Ben Johnson is the quietest of the bunch, the strong silent type: he has an intense focus on his music.



They all live together in 1 house, which gives them ample time to eat, sleep, and breathe music together. One of the most impressive things about the group is they all play multiple instruments as evidenced in their “switcheroo,” where band-mates swap instruments. At one point a trumpet even came out, which made me think I was at a Mardi Gras celebration. You never know what might happen at a 100 Monkeys show is the way they roll. I told them the “switcheroo” reminded me of Dave Grohl, one of my favorite musicians who played drums in Nirvana and now plays guitar and is the lead singer of the Foo Fighters. They take that same approach to their style of music by often changing it up by experimenting with new styles and sounds. When I asked them how they would categorize their music they said their musical sound is meant to be all over the place, and they prefer to play what they feel and have fun instead of being pigeon holed into one genre. The end result, whether it is rock, punk, funk, is a reflection of their diversity hailing from all over the U.S. In fact, their musical mentor is someone they refer to as “Uncle”, a soulful, jazz musician who hails from New Orleans.



One thing that’s certain is that the guys love their loyal fans, who follow them all over the country and know the words to every song. The energy they receive from their fans radiates back in their stage presence. They finished the show with a 10-minute jam session, a strong ending to a fun night which included the opening band and what appeared to be an on-stage mosh pit. Sometimes you’re in the mood to see a band who sings of sorrow causing you to cry in your beer, but 100 Monkeys made me want to pour a beer over my head and dance around. I write about things that are fun, light, and exciting, but when not writing I am glued to the news to keep tabs on all the terrifying events occurring around the world. Writing about the things that bring joy to me is my outlet, like playing music that’s fun and people can dance to is theirs. Boisterous and entertaining, the bands energy is contagious, which makes their shows fun to attend and lively to watch. Have fun and live life could be their motto and I couldn’t agree more.

So what did they do while in NYC? Eat pizza. When I asked them if I’d be seeing them again in NYC they assured me that they plan to return to the East Coast for more shows and more good times. Last weekend, 100 Monkeys played two gigs in upstate New York before moving west to continue touring and making music. I’ll be certain to attend the next NYC show, this time not in stiletto heels, for a fun and free night where I can let loose and enjoy good music.

Until we meet again Monkeys…

http://www.100monkeysmusic.com/ - FameSpy.com