Enemy Planes
LISTEN TO 'BETA LOWDOWN' HERE
Comprised of former members of Solid Gold, GAYNGS, and Pictures of Then, the music of Minneapolis based ENEMY PLANES drifts effortlessly between melancholy and menace, hypnotic and hysteric, heartache and euphoria. A stirring blend of haunting vocals, dense instrumentation, and driving beats yield a "tripnotic" sound that is distinctly their own. Conceived in 2012 somewhere between Minneapolis, MN and Lexington, KY, ENEMY PLANES came out hard and hasn’t looked back since, maintaining an ambitious recording and touring schedule.
“We started something based on a pretty simple idea: create music that we all truly love. If people end up being into it, that’s a bonus.” (Casey Call)
ENEMY PLANES’ debut album, Beta Lowdown, is no small feat. The songs are deep, rich and intricate, twisting through a vast trove of knowledge and innovation to create a monolith on the contemporary aural landscape. The band’s passion and versatility are obvious as the record melts into existence with the opening track “Automatic Catatonic,” which gives way to the pulse-pounding urgency of “Bare Your Teeth” before passing through the haunting melodies of “We Want Blood” and “Stranger Danger.” Lead singer Casey Call’s evocative and soaring vocals convey subtly dark, yet thought-provoking lyrics that only add to the trip-notic sonic fusion of an almost indiscernible electronic and acoustic arsenal. All adjectives aside, it’s not hard to figure out why their growing base of loyal fans tend to fall into an almost sensual trance-like state when the band takes stage.
Beta Lowdown, co-produced by Duane Lundy (ShangriLa Studios) and Casey Call (Enemy Planes), is an experiment in juxtaposition. Lundy, known largely for his work with artists such as Jim James, Vandaveer, Sturgill Simpson, and Joe Pug, might not seem like the obvious choice for a band that operates pretty far from the folk/americana side of the spectrum. Casey puts it like this: “No matter how finished we think an idea may be, we’re always looking for a way we can fuck it up and turn it into something else.” There’s no doubt that ENEMY PLANES has found a soulmate in Lundy and that this unlikely melding of musical souls is primed for breathing fresh air into a genre that is desperately searching for something unheard.
Although this is their debut album, ENEMY PLANES has come a long way in a short while, sharing the stage with such acts as Kings of Leon, Cold War Kids, Lenny Kravitz and Avicii. All six members come from vastly different musical backgrounds, but this synthesis of perspectives has allowed them the breadth to forge a repertoire that’s well suited for washing over the masses. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever played or been a part of before;” says Kristine Stresman (synths/vocals), “every show is an adventure and Beta Lowdown commands a rooms notice anywhere we go.”
The band spent much of 2013 and 2014 on the road supporting legendary underground act the Meat Puppets, while beginning the process of recording Beta Lowdown, as well as two additional albums worth of unreleased material. In 2015 the band found themselves beating out 13,000 other bands worldwide in the Hard Rock Rising Global Band Competition, which took them to Barcelona, Spain for the finals. Their first place win set in motion a whirlwind of opportunities and show offers they’re still fielding today.
While writing and recording Beta Lowdown, ENEMY PLANES also created a series of music videos, including a trippy animated video for “Bare Your Teeth,” directed by the band’s Casey Call, and "We Want Blood", directed by Tobias Stretch, who is known for his work on Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes.”
With a handful of successes and a stockpile of new material under their belts, the stage has finally been set for ENEMY PLANES to release their long awaited and much buzzed about debut album, "Beta Lowdown”, available worldwide 03/25/16 on Rock the Cause Records http://irockthecause.org/enemy-planes-beta-lowdown.
Bebe Zahara Benet & The Blue Blood Band
Equal parts bold, beautiful, brassy, and business-minded, female illusionist, international recording artist, and spokesmodel Bebe Zahara Benet breaks the drag mold.
Born and raised in the Western African country of Cameroon, Bebe moved to Minneapolis nearly 15 years ago to complete her college studies and be closer to her family.
Bebe’s first introduction to the drag art form was at a Paris fashion show, where she was asked to put on a costume to walk the runway as a female at the last second when another model failed to show up. Bebe got her start as a full-on drag entertainer not long after moving to Minneapolis, inspired by the budding drag scene there. Bebe’s first major performance was alongside pop diva Cyndi Lauper in a performance of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” during LGBT Pride. Soon, Bebe was wowing audiences with her international flavor and regal stage presence. After the third attempt to recruit her, Bebe was convinced to join the inaugural season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Bebe was the last woman standing, and got right to work churning out hit music and unforgettable live shows.
Bebe’s latest smash is the braggadocios dance anthem and ode to beauty, “Face” produced by rising Canadian singer-songwriter Dakarai. But it’s not Bebe’s first foray into the music world; rather, it follows a string of commercial and critical hits for BeBe. Her debut single “I’m the Shit” went viral and is considered a fan-favorite throughout the country, while her follow-up “Cameroon” recently went viral in East Asia as a line-dancing sensation. “Dirty Drums” was a big seller on iTunes and “Give That Body to the Music,” a free download exclusive, became popular among many DJs around the country. BeBe has collaborated on original music with reputable producers in the dance music scene. Namely, BeBe has maintained a long-term relationship with the acclaimed producer/DJ Mark Picchiotti, who’s worked with the Kylie Minogue, and remixed for Madonna and Rihanna. BeBe has also worked with Ralphi Rosario, Felix Baumgartner and DJ Naughty Boyy. Moreover, BeBe partnered with renowned producer Beto Sutter for her sell-out show “Vanity,” who also produced Vanity’s hit predecessor and off Broadway spectacle Creature.
BeBe has impacted countless fans and supporters with her many talents and appearances. In her music, style and performances BeBe has managed to fuse glamour and high fashion with tribal sensibilities and a punk rock edge, bringing an international flare to pop culture.
Inspired by the sophistication and class of Diana Ross, the edge and boldness of Grace Jones, the sass and fierceness of Beyoncé and her own trademark “savage beauty,” BeBe is poised to once again take over the world. 2015 is shaping up to be a banner year for Bebe and she has new music, new live shows, and number of exciting business and television ventures in the works. It seems as if everything’s coming up Bebe, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.