Ki

By Mike Amanuel

Don’t let the thin history fool you, this local San Diego Band is on a Meteoric Rise! As best I can determine, they have only been around since last December and in this brief time they have;

1. Won the Battle of the Bands to earn a spot performing at the 1st Annual KAABOO Music Festival

2. Been nominated for Best New Band and will perform at Humphrey’s for 2015 San Diego Music Awards

3. Made the rock Flute and rock Uke cool again (not since Jethro Tull!)

The energetic and charismatic front woman, Kiley, prances like Gwen and has solid chops on vocals, flute and Ukulele. The rest of the bad is rock solid and seem like they’ve been playing together for years. The original song list is diverse and catchy at first listen…no bad songs. At this time it appears the they are self producing their CDs and self promoting the band.

A lot of meteors crash and burn, but I don’t see a flame-out in their future. - Sound Image

“She Knows” is one of those singles that evoke strong emotional reactions. - 50thirdand3rd Music Blog

“She Knows” comes at you full force with a strong beat and singing that starts out as if a whisper. The drums just keep building until that strong emotion hits. Lead singer and songwriter, Kiley Halpern, has a voice that is almost taunting you, - 50thirdand3rd Music Blog

“KI delivers a great range of voice, backed up with strong instrumentals, powerful lyrics and a spirited tempo. Keep the music coming!” –Kettle Brand Chips (Stan Madrid, Senior Director of Marketing)

“Love the new song [‘She Knows’]! Have been listening on repeat all morning!” – A.Wilde Co (social media specialist)

“…this [‘She Knows’] sounds pro, top notch. The vocal performance is great; sounds huge. Production and the song arrangement is spot on. All the songs have great energy, keep up the good work.” –Alan Sanderson (Recording Engineer/Producer, Pacific Beats Studio)

“…[KI] is killing it out there!!” – Pacific SD Magazine

“Ki came out of nowhere and hit the ground running. I have never seen a group rise to the top of everyone's radar as fast as this group has. And, it is completely deserved. "She Knows" is a great example of Kiley's smooth delivery and vocal range - all carried by a band with an impressively controlled edge. The consistent punch of the chords hit you in the chest, the drums drive all the way to the end, and the slick guitar licks are tastefully arranged throughout the track. Rrrreal Good!” -Josh Jose, Owner of The Acoustic Spot

"She Knows is a great example of what Ki is all about, with tons of energy coming through in both the recording and the live performance. But there's something extra happening here that feels mysterious and perhaps even sinister. Or am I crazy? Listen and decide yourself." – Andy Altman, Owner/CEO of GigTown music app

“It's like a cup of audible coffee, compliments of Ki :) Keep an eye (and ear) on these guys”.- GigTown Music app

“I LOVE KI's new song, it gave me the chills, in a good way, before I knew it I wanted to get up and dance. Radness. How is that song not a hit on the radio right now??” -Kristen Leanne Style (YouTube Vlogger) - Press Quotes

By Alex Matthews

KAABOO is a name that many San Diego music fans first heard this year, but may already know very well.

The inaugural summer music festival heading to Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds on September 18-20 promises to be one of the largest and most diverse concert events of the year. With a lineup spanning three days, seven stages, and 100+ acts, this fledgling festival is aiming high and should fill a long-lingering void in San Diego’s festival scene.

Live Review & Photos: KAABOO Discovery Tour at the Quartyard, August 9, 2015

Owl & Bear Music Blog by Alex Matthews
http://www.owlandbear.com/2015/08/18/live-review-photos-kaaboo-discovery-tour-at-the-quartyard-august-9-2015/

Many fans of course fondly remember the Street Scene experience in Downtown, but after that festival crumbled in 2009, there hasn’t been a big music fest of its type to please San Diego’s fan base. Promising an array of big-name national acts, comedians, food, wine, VIP experiences, and even some local artists, KAABOO seems like a great summer bet.

As part of a warmup series of shows leading up to the large fest, KAABOO (in cooperation with GigTown.com) has held “Discovery Tours” to find local music artists to highlight at the festival. The audience at each show votes to determine a winner.

On Sunday, August 9, the last of these KAABOO Discovery Tour shows was held at the Quartyard in downtown’s East Village. There, four amazing local acts took to the stage to vie for a coveted festival slot. The bands for the evening included multi-instrumentalist Jonny Tarr, So-Cal rockers Jet West, the rock-reggae vibe of Stranger Band, and the spunky uptempo flavor of KI.

Hailing from Cardiff, Wales, Jonny Tarr is a San Diego transplant who brings a stunningly diverse array of talent to his performance. Simultaneously singing and playing guitar, sax, and keyboards with the help of looping samples, Tarr was a fantastic opener for the evening. Accompanied by a fierce percussionist, he showed an unrivaled musical ability and the enviable skill of seemingly building songs out of thin air.

Jet West are a quintessential So-Cal band with enough surf, rock, and reggae influence to transport you straight to the beach. They had a huge fan base come out for the show and really lit up the crowd with their solid performance. Singer Scott Floquet clearly felt the vibe as he led the crowd through the group’s reggae jams. Comparisons to bands like Sublime, Pepper, and Slightly Stoopid abounded.

With a formula that skewed a bit more heavily towards reggae than rock, the large outfit Stranger Band are a unique and talented group. Headed by singer David Ornelas, the band played through an enjoyable set of clearly multicultural and multi-genre-influenced jams. The horn section of Don Carter and Aaron Hudson was a standout with its infectious energy and dancing beaming throughout the venue. Stirring the crowd into a frenzy, this large group seemed poised to reach bigger venues soon.

Closing the night’s contest, and eventually winning the battle of the bands, were local favorites KI. Led by human ball of fire Kiley Halpern, this five-piece rock band sounded much bigger than the stage setup would indicate. As all the members rocked out and flailed across the stage, Halpern strutted across the whole bandstand, commanding the audience in the most authoritative way of the evening.

KI’s sound was a mix of alternative, classic rock, and… flute music. Interesting to say the least. This outfit is clearly skilled and fantastic live, so it was no surprise that the downtown audience voted to send them straight to KAABOO. Be sure to check out KI at the Emerging Artist stage at the KAABOO Festival in just one month.

For more info on KAABOO’s lineup, tickets and more visit the festival’s website. (www.kaaboodelmar.com) - Owl & Bear Music Blog

Ki was the last band to perform; a high energy Indie Rock band from San Diego. Influenced by the Beatles, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, and full of entertaining antics including their drummer adorned in a bunny hoodie.
Check them out on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/getkimusic

After a day filled with great music and good vibes, Ki was crowned the winner and moved on to the next round for a chance at performing at Kaaboo in Del Mar, CA on September 17th – September 20th. Congrats to them for this opportunity. - Stage Media