Acoustic goodness with an ocean breeze

Hey all,

So Nick, Julie, and I played a stripped down show last night at a cool club in Hermosa Beach last night. It was late notice and supposed to be singer/songwritery so we took it as a chance to play around with some old and new material in a laid back setting. Before the Honorary Conley Band had us rockin’ until the sun came up over Santa Monica Boulevard, Nick and I used to play acoustic sets all the time. Last night had us thinking back to those days, so we busted out some super oldies.

Set list:
1. How the Juggler Stole My Heart
2. Roar
3. Falling Over You
4. Lee Shore (CSNY cover)
5. Traffic
6. Christian’s Room
7. Naked As We Came (Iron & Wine cover)
8. Living Blue
9. Hyper-Ballad (Bjork)
10. Diminished
11. Simply Irresistible (Robert Palmer)
12. Windowsills
13. Lights Across the Canyon
14. Movement On Both Sides
–encore (whoa…yeah…killer)
15. Grow Me A Man

Seriously, if people weren’t sick of us after all that I have no idea where their minds went. We had a great time! “Lee Shore” is a song I used to play when I took guitar lessons in high school and Julie threw it out one day not knowing I knew it, so I started playing it and it was resurrected.

Last night was also the performance debut of a new original, “Living Blue.” We’ve been tossing that one around the band a little and I think the official version will end up being closer to what we did last night than a full on production. Sometimes sad songs just need to be simple.

We also dusted off Nick’s genius cover of “Simply Irresistible” as well as a brand new cover (and debut) of Iron & Wine’s “Naked As We Came.” It’s such a pretty song, but also pretty sad. I think when we were brainstorming the set winter was starting to get to us because we filled it with songs about: feeling numb, ripping your heart out, spreading your lover’s ashes, depression, throwing yourself off a cliff, and death. But we ended it with one about throwing random stuff in a hole to grow the perfect mate, so it was optimistic overall, don’t you think? 😉

Lots of great friends came out to support, and my Mom even signed a couple CDs for people (which as Mom is her prerogative and adorable). Guitar string bracelets proved to be a big hit too–people buying for Christmas gifts perhaps?–sounds like a great idea to me.

We can’t wait to play more South Bay shows! ❤ & ::hugs:: to all who came out!
❤

Rockin’ & Roarin’

Hey so for those of you who didn’t make it out to the valley last week to the Paladino’s gig, here’s the top 5 reasons that show rocked:
5. Paladino’s has a big stage w/lots of room for dancing (and rocking)
4. Melodica, cowbell, and Bjork…’nuf said. (But not all at once.)
3. Did you see our effin’ amazing posters/flyers for this show? Well they are badass and were plastered all over the venue.
2. Paladino’s has great sound, acoustics, and a great sound guy (Phil)
1. Frank’s mom brought a sinfully delicious chocolate cake from Viktor Benes!

Seriously right? Makes it hard to beat. And honestly I think we love playing the valley, or at least Paladino’s. We made new friends, met up with long lost old friends, and again had a bang-up time playing! If we’ve got anything to say about it we’re gonna do it again. More shows=Happy band. That’s a real equation proven by real scientists. No seriously, would I lie to you?

Set list:
1. A Song from Christian’s Room
2. How the Juggler Stole My Heart
3. Grow Me A Man
4. Roar
5. Hyper-Ballad (Bjork cover)
6. Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric cover)
7. Racin’ the Sun
8. Falling Over You
9. Windowsills
10. Movement on Both Sides

That was a lot of rock & roar. Can’t wait for some more.

xo
The Conleys

Current song recommendations:
-The New Pornographers: Adventures in Solitude
-Best Coast: Fist City (cover on iTunes Session)