flyer by JM Designs The New Up San Francisco five-piece The New Up has a sound that's described as "smoldering, post-punk-brushed dance-rock" (Isthmus), "trippy new wave with fetishisized guitar play [and] irresistible [vocals]" (Chicago Reader) and "hip modern pop with a strong psychedelic streak" (Good Times). Featuring a powerhouse frontwoman whose intoxicatingly liquid voice earned her a designation as "the bastard love child of Siouxsie Sioux and Karen O" (Sacramento News & Review), guitars, bass, drums, flute and automation, the band delivers captivating live performances that combine uniquely catchy songs with polished chops and inspired musicianship. The New Up's new EP Better Off (S/R 8/18/09) is the second in a series of three EPs and features five of 15 songs the band wrote and recorded in 2008 and early 2009. As with Broken Machine (S/R 8/26/08), the first EP in the series, and the band's 2007 full-length Palace of Industrial Hope, Better Off was recorded at San Francisco's infamous Hyde Street Studios, co-produced by The New Up and Jaimeson Durr (Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, Handsome Boy Modeling School), and mastered by the legendary John Cuniberti. Broken Machine debuted and spent several weeks on the CMJ Top 200 charts, and received praise from numerous critics, including Performer Magazine which called the EP "an artful sonic balance that's miles beyond the typical indie-rock release." For more information on The New Up, please visit thenewup.com.

Memorial Day Weekend Bash! THE BLUE UP BALL Blue Turtle Seduction :: The New Up Blue Rabbit :: Jack Frost spins b/t sets Saturday, May 23, 2009 The Independent 628 Divisadero Street San Francisco, CA 94117 415.771.1422 theindependentsf.com Doors 8:30PM / Show: 9:00PM Ages 21+ Tickets $12 adv/$14 door Advance tickets available at The Independent Box Office and online via TicketWeb.com Buy tickets with no service fees through Friday, May 22 at The Independent Box Office Wear your most festive BLUE attire! Tahoe's Blue Turtle Seduction and San Francisco rock/pop bands The New Up and Blue Rabbit are joining forces for The Blue Up Ball on Saturday, May 23 at The Independent in San Francisco. Jack Frost (Antarctica/Blackcrack NYC) will spin between sets at this Memorial Day Weekend event, a party of epic proportions that's sure to create great memories of an already celebrated weekend. The Blue Up Ball is Blue Turtle Seduction's sole San Francisco summer show as the band continues on an extensive U.S. tour, and the local release party for The New Up's new independently released EP Better Off (due for national release on August 18, 2009). Put on your dancing shoes, wear your most festive blue attire and join the fun! Advance tickets are recommended. Tickets are available online at TicketWeb.com, and tickets can be purchased with no service fees at The Independent Box Office through Friday, May 22. Blue Turtle Seduction Hailing from South Lake Tahoe, Blue Turtle Seduction has been zig-zagging across the country in early 2009, playing night after night, building huge momentum and impeccable stage timing. By the time the band unpacks in San Francisco, fans can expect awesome interpretations of the acclaimed, recent digital release of 13 Floors. The band emanates dance vibes with intelligence through their bluegrass meets rock, gypsy folk meets hip-hop, raucous and fresh sound. Blue Turtle Seduction is well known on the live music circuit for putting on an entertaining show through their multi-faceted performance, featuring guitar, harmonica, pan flute, violin, mandolin, bass, drums and vocals. Expressing influences from Manu Chao to The String Cheese Incident to The Clash, the five-piece prides themselves on eclecticism and variation, which has afforded them the luxury of sharing the bill with a ranging cast of bands and performers across the nation. JamBase said Blue Turtle Seduction is "positively possessed with imparting an enjoyable experience," while a live review in the Reno Passport called the band's show simply "a night of killer music." For more information on Blue Turtle Seduction, please visit blueturtlemusic.com. Blue Rabbit San Francisco's Blue Rabbit is a seven-piece multi-instrumental and vocal ensemble that fuses alternative indie pop with baroque elements, modern rhythms, and a hint of cabaret. Fronted by a close-harmony singing trio, grounded by intricate drum and cello grooves, and adorned with the syncopated pulsing of a Celtic harp, Blue Rabbit has been described as "The Andrews Sisters playing with Portishead," or "Nick Cave songs with a touch of The Supremes." The band won Artist of the Month on The Deli SF in December 2008, and was ranked third most popular indie-pop band in the Bay Area, alongside local darlings Rogue Wave, Loquat and Mini-Pop. The Bay Bridged says, "you can't help but be completely immersed in their music." For more information on Blue Rabbit, please visit myspace.com/bluerabbitmusic.