Universal Trap
Murrieta, California, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Written by PT Rothschild
Thursday, 11 February 2010 19:46
SB INDIE ROCK WEEKEND A SOLID GAME
Temecula, CA – For a social butterfly like me, the pre-game lead-up activities to the Super Bowl are as important as the game itself, for they set the mood and sometimes the pace. This year The Vault provided the Friday and Saturday starting points, and climaxed with a local band’s last performance ever! We’re not talking about a ‘Space Man Jack’ here. Normally you don’t get such range from indie/alternative rock shows.
Perhaps it was the weather or maybe the feeling that a black cat has crossed the path of Ivan Promotions, but the Friday night show started with semi-locals Misc Aliments, presenting their usual fine stage show for their fans. An out-of-town band called The Howls, out of San Diego, next took the ‘UFO’ back-dropped stage. TH has been causing a stir in the SD scene with their blend of ‘West Coast Americana’ that combines shades of Dylan crunched with some punk and pebbles of The Stones thrown in for good measure. It was a good second act and you, Dear Reader, can get a free copy of their debut EP “Crime” here. I got mine.
Ian - Unversal Trap
Ian - Universal Trap
Surprise! Surprise. The third band, Universal Trap, seemed to raise a faint bell of ‘where have I heard that name before?’ As I was scratching my head mentally, I spotted a familiar figure that dialed it in for me. It was Tim from, well, you guessed it, Space Man Jack (see archives). Then I remembered that both Ian and Tim played in a new band called Universal Trap, a band Peter Puffington had told me about months ago around the time of the Purple Haze Fest. No wonder I didn’t remember it (Hahah!). But as if to remind me, who popped into the picture next but Peter P. himself. UT rocked it for the fans there. I caught up with Ian and got a nifty poster advertising The Vault venue date.
The night’s buzz though belonged to The Silent Comedy, a six piece band from SD/North County. The first member I met was the fiddle player, the one member that wasn’t on the band photo business card. The band, like the appearance of the CD cover art, showed elegance in performance. Corie, an animated band fan, remarked that she had seen the band live at a SD night spot and became an instant devotee. TSC didn’t disappoint. The show was lively and the front guitar row filled the stage with folksy riffs and lyrics. My fiddling buddy was not intimidated by the wall of guitar Americana sound and found his way atop a drum monitor for exposure in the ‘hoedown’ rocking the band live exudes. After the set I could certainly understand Corie’s passion.
Me & The City rounded out the Friday night and the band size doubled from the last time I saw, well, the one piece band. I knew there were more members. It just seems that only a few make the trip to the Vault for shows. The free demo also had an extra song from the original demo handed out previously and the production quality also improved quite noticeably. The additional song is a cover nicely done.
Saturday night continued the indie rock weekend prior to Super Bowl, and the ‘familiar faces’ parade continued. The first band, Shut Up & Deal, hailed all the way from Connecticut. Unfortunately the band was hoping for a little Southern California weather and the weekend wasn’t yielding on the rain or the cold. Hopefully the time spent that Sunday maybe showed them how blue So Cali skies could be from between those white puffy clouds that were left over. - Full Value Review
Discography
We recorded a 7 song ep in 2007 that can be purchased and streamed on most of our online networks.
Photos
Bio
Universal Trap began as a dream of our guitar player, Greg Lopez. In it, he saw a panoramic vista, hills shrouded in mist. And on this land a simple house. A man lived here with his wife, and his coyote. Grazing near the house, a two-headed horse, with large two -headed dragonflies buzzing about the misty air. Upon approaching the man, he held his hands up in front of him, palms facing outward, exposing eyes in his hands...and in those eyes, he beheld all that is, and isn't.........................
That dream provided all the inspiration needed to create new, original music ,with the central idea being to embrace each other's differences,universally. We feel anyone can take something away from the message of our music.
But the music speaks for it self. It is honest, endearing, passionate, and will move you in some way , musically, or lyrically. the music is neo-classic rock. Tones of The Doors, The Black Crowes,Pink Floyd and Neil Young are present.
Members of Universal Trap have toured internationally,and performed with headlining artists including Unwritten Law,and Marcy Playground,Dread Zeppelin, and The Silent Comedy;performed at Star Wars Celebration 3 in Indianapolis;recorded professionally with the Wu- Tang Clan, Tower of Power members Carmen Grillo,and Greg Adams, Jazz pianist Llew Mathews,noted Jazz vocalist Carmen Bradford,vocalist Shezwae Powell ,actor/musician Jay La'gaia, and Saxophonist Steve Torok.
Universal Trap's music is passionate, and real. From local bars, to festivals, Universal Trap has no problem captivating,and winning over new fans anywhere they perform.
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