Watched soccer and baseball practice in the Puerto Rican hood.  DIscovered an incredible Church Cathedral : good for gasping, chest opening, & maybe even recording a Monarch song ;)  The acoustics were unreal.  Then, discovered the dog friendly bar, Duck Duck - it's a beautiful space and a perfect location for my dog-stalking past-time.  Finally, visited my home-boy at Main Drag music and found any electronic toy that i'd actually like to write songs with/use for sounds in beat production.  These kinds of toys normally scare me - and I feel like this was an Alice-and-Wonderland-sized minature door opening to me --- it coos and ushers: "producing beats and electronics aren't so scary Celeste... come... have a try"  ....   and i'm like HELL YES.

i guess these are just all steps in the growing process.  who knows what kinda projects might spawn from discoveries, toys, spaces, and collaborators.

nowww.... off to finish that chorus...

xx

C

The banging instrumental track for "Flip the Sound" is by Austin's own Reggie Coby.  If you dig, please share the music video with your friends!!!

Monarchs at SXSW Facebook Page.

*photo by Brandon T. Beasley and Styled by Charm School Vintage

I bought Fugees' album, "The Score," on CD in Brookwood Mall in Birmingham, Alabama when I was 12 years old.  I wasn't old enough to buy the "Parental Advisory" version - so I know the record backwards and forwards - but without cuss words.  I LOVE Lauryn's chorus and rap in this track:

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is probably my all time favorite record.  I was 14 when it came out and immediately fell in love with it.  That woman speaks from the heart and spirit.  "Ex Factor" is one of those tunes that just cuts me to the soul:

I freaking LOVE Beyoncé's song "Countdown" off of her recent record. Me and my boo, in my boo coup RIDIN':

Dude.  I get so pumped up when I watch her music videos (to the point that I can't sleep and start dancing around my bedroom).  She is the BEST dancer.  I want to do that!  I'm particularly partial to crumping:

xx, Celeste

If you haven't gotten Ft. Celeste - a Monarchs Mixtape.  The it's time you copped that ISH!!!  It's FREE for the taking and spreading!

Click here to automatically download ft. Celeste - a Monarchs Mixtape 

xx, Celeste

Click here to automatically download ft. Celeste - a Monarchs Mixtape 
Or, Listen to ft. Celeste on Bandcamp.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Who says gift giving ends at Christmas? Bah! Monarchs is bringing in the New Year with an absolutely FREE 6 SONG EP! I’m calling it  ft. Celeste – a Monarchs Mixtape because in true hip-hop fashion, I picked out 6 incredibly banging beats to sing, rap and even auto-tune over! What, what?! The tracks have been “borrowed” from underground hip-hop’s best and brightest producers: Clams Casino, Jake One, J-Dilla, Reggie Coby, Javelin, and MF Doom. 

Now plop on those headphones, twist that dial and nod your head! After that, starting sending this *link to everyone you know who loves free great music! 
 
Is this the end of violin-laced, Monarchs ballads you ask? No way! ft. Celeste is just me striking out artistically and staying vital by challenging myself and having fun. As a loyal fan, you get to just sit there and reap da’ booty from this voyage absolutely free. Hope you have as much fun listening as I did making it and in the eternal words of Dr. Dre, “keep your heads ringin’!”
 
xx,
Celeste

 --

*Share the automatic download link: http://bit.ly/yhdd6V
*Share the Bandcamp link: http://monarchsfamily.bandcamp.com/album/ft-celeste-a-monarchs-mixtape

Don't have Monarchs' album, The Rise and Fall, yet, get it here!

Link to full article here.  Below is the section on Monarchs:

Monarchs, The Rise And Fall
The Rise And Fall is such a singular statement of Austin life — from producer Mike McCarthy’s Spoon/Patti Griffin/Heartless Bastards pedigree to its odes to bike dates on the East Side — that it’s kind of shocking that frontwoman Celeste Griffin moved away shortly after the album’s release. Still, after putting out a record as strong as this, which slides effortlessly between soft, country-twinged ballads and a bouncy, indie-pop sounds, the now-Brooklyn based Monarchs probably belong to the world now. We’ll take a record that sounds every bit like what living a certain type of Austin lifestyle in 2011 was like, and hope that Griffin comes back to visit — with a full band in tow.

Alex and I took a stroll around the grounds of Greg and Solanges' 1880 home... I felt so moved and made up this tune on the spot.  This video captures the actual moment of inspiration for the diddy that I'm calling "Sweet Nothings"... Aw Suki Suki, xx, C

From North Carolina, we drove up to Virgina for 3 dates.  The drive was absolutley beautiful.  Perfect fall weather.  Wise old mountains.  Glorious sky.  Touring in late September/early October is really a score in terms of weather...

All of our Virgina shows were booked and promoted by Jeyon of Magnus Music (thanks Jeyon!).  Our first stop was in Harrisonburg at this really cool room called Blue Nile.  This show came with Ethiopian meal from the restaurant above the club (yum) .... Loved the wall painting behind the stage:

After this show, we drove through the night to Richmond, where the 5 of us shared a 10 x 10 floor with a couple sheets and 1 functioning air mattress.  We had to be at the Richmond CBS news at 8 in the morning.  Needless to say, we were soooo sleepy when we got to the studio to play the Richmond morning news.

Oh my lord.  I had a clip on mic and no DI or amp for my keyboard.  Blue background.  It looked so 70s.  Van was pissed afterwards because they had unplugged his guitar right before we started... this cracks me up... that tempo + my bed head: Watch Performance of Arm's Length.

Richmond was a pleasant surprise... it is such a cool city.  We were staying in the Museam District and I took the day just roaming around and exploring the adjacent neighborhoods and commercial pockets.  The housing is awesome: 2 or 3 story old brick buildings placed close to each other but with enough distance from the sidewalk to accommodate trees and other folliage.  Pretty ideal urban neighborhoods. I went to the Tobacco Project exhibit at the VMFA (this museam is amazing).  This picture does it no justice, but check out this tiger-skin rug made out of 500,000 cigarettes:

Played Balliceaux that night.

One more highlight of Richmond before I move on: Nasty Nate.  This cat is at least 20 lbs and the only cat I've ever met who actually enjoyed a belly rub:

Next stop: Charlottesville.  Played WNRN Radio -- a solid non-com station.  Normal studio shot with the host:

Not so normal studio shot.  (Taken behind WNRN)

We got to play a 2 hour set at our show that night and things got pretty creative, with Van playing a right-handed guitar upside down while playing drums and breaking glasses, me singing Amy Winehouse, don't have any pictures to do it justice.  One note: the sound guy at Rapture is amazing.  [Big ups to K. Trep and Cousin Evans for the love and housing]

And that's it for Virginia.  Next stop DC.  Hung out with my dear friend Melissa (a ridiculously gracious host).  Met her boo Adam... he loved my boots.

Our show at the Velvet Lounge on U Street was one of my favorites of the tour.  Good rock club.  Packed with lots of energy.

Then onto Philly we went.  Totally different room: World Cafe Live... had a showcase vibe.  Excellent sound.

Before driving to New York - our friend Ana gave us a tour of Philadelphia and took us to Jim's restaurant where we got some Philly Cheese steaks.  Van was pleased to learn that his favorite founding father, Benjamin Franklin, loves cheeze whiz on his steaks as well.

Last stop and a homecoming of sorts... NYC.  Here's the subway influenced shot

The show at Rockwood Music Hall on the Lower East Side was totally amazing.  Crammed with strangers and loved ones.  Felt like real rock and roll and the perfect way to begin my life as a New Yorker.

Thanks to Miss JoJo for taking pictures at the shows and workin' that merch:

more on the life i'm living / trying to figure out in NYC later... xx, C

1st.  I got to stay with my best friend Anne Garland in Atlanta.  We played Starbar and there was a great turn out (no thanks to the free keg of Miller High Life ;)  That is quite the hip venue.  Afterwards, we danced really hard to some old school Beatles... not your standard booty shaking jams... but we made it work. 

then.  We went back to my old stomping grounds--Athens, Ga. Started off by playing WUOG --- UGA's college radio. 

The Flagpole wrote a lovely article on Monarchs - it was printed in the big issue that is playing tribute to REM -- which made it that much more special... We played at Farm 255 - one of my favorite spots in town.  It was an intimate crowd sippin red wine --- this is definitely a tour of small victories.

next. We headed to North Carolina where we stayed with our dear friends / hosts, Luke and Zena in Las Casas Pintadas. (They leave for Antarctica tomorrow.)

We are now all in love with Carrboro -- such a happy place... talk about quality of life.  Our first night in NC - we played at this spot called The Cave in Chapel Hill.  Truly was a Cave.

When we got done with the show --- we walked outside and Van's childhood friend - Mike - a true magician - had magically placed a couch on the sidewalk.... and brought a perfect "party-winner" gift.  A Shoe In!

The next day.  Before headed to Winston Salem, Mike took us on a canoeing excursion in a like by Saxapahaw -- a lovely little town that has an amazing mixed-use redevelopment made out of an ole Mill -- there's a general store, coffee shop, venue, restaurant...  it was like the perfect example of the kind of development I would like to be involved in one day (/the reason I went to grad school)... check it: Rivermill Village. 

Look at those canoers.  So hard core: And that's the team:  Van, C, Joanna, Alex, Dave.

We all got in trouble at the vintage store across from The Garage - the real cool venue we played in Winston Salem.  (not pictured: my new black fringe suede jacket... vintage/made in Alburqueque... yes please).  Fall has officially arrived.  Came in this Friday night.  Feels amazing.

Before we played the Winston show --- Dave went to get cleaned up at the Barber Shop across the street:

... we discovered some amazing Ram / golden age of hip-hop inspired hair do's.  So good:

I honestly LOVE the front of this one:

I got to party with my Uncle Neil and Aunt Sole in Raleigh --- ate ridiculously good Asian-fusian food, had too much vin, then went and played a venue called Shakedown Street --- this spot is the older-hippie's dream... managed by a man named Uncle John, who has done stage management for the Grateful Dead and Rolling Stones.  It looked like Spencers in Brookwood Mall --- black lights, felt posters, you know the bit...

finally.  We left beautiful North Carolina this morning and made a gorgeous drive up through Virginia... drove through the blue ridge mountains.  It was really peaceful.  More later...

For now, i'll leave you with the weirdest/dorkiest band photo ever.  Inspired by our NC host, Luke McKay.

NERD ALERT!

*Compliments to Joanna Lynn H for the pretty pictures in this blog.