By Tracy Dietlin
Jesika Von Rabbit, popular front woman and keyboard player for the alt rock band Gram Rabbit will appear at BAR twice in the next couple weeks.
The Joshua Tree-based Gram Rabbit has been together for about 10 years, have toured the country and graced the stage at Coachella Music Festival, but the first time I heard them perform live was last June at the AMFM Fest in Cathedral City and I immediately became a fan.
Ms. Rabbit’s sultry, mesmerizing, and powerful vocal range pulled me in, making me understand why Gram Rabbit won Best Band at the CV Weekly Music Awards last April. This time around she will be performing solo as JVR. She took a few minutes to chat with me regarding the direction she is headed and how excited she is about her solo project.
CVW: Can you tell me a little bit about the Art Bar show you have coming up at BAR on Jan. 6th?
JVR: I’m not really sure exactly what is going to happen. I was contacted by Reggie (Cameron) and he invited me to come out. I guess it’s going to be a multi-media art project where they’re going to be showing different pictures of me while my music is playing in the background. I’m still trying to grasp the whole concept about this. It’s like a little slice into me. They spotlight an artist from the community and make it about them.
CVW: It seems like this will be really cool for your fans to be able to just hang out with you as opposed to when you have a show and have to concentrate on your performance.
JVR: I know…..I’m just showing up and it really takes the stress off of me. I get to kick back and just mingle and have a cocktail. I’m really flattered and honored that they asked me to do this. It feels a bit narcissistic in a way (laughing).
CVW: So Marina Chavez (has photographed many celebrities for Rolling Stone) took the photos they will be showing? Is she going to be there as well?
JVR: She’s going to try to make it out. She’s in LA so we’ll see. She’s done a lot of pics of me so the majority of them will be hers.
CVW: So your show on Jan. 11 at BAR with War Drum you will be solo?
JVR: It’s just me, myself and I but I have a few dancers.
CVW: Is the band (Gram Rabbit) still together?
JVR: Ya…it’s just kind of on the back burner and everyone is doing their own thing and I’m doing this. It’s not that were not a band anymore but people are just experimenting with other projects right now. We’ve been together for 10 years and it’s just time for new energy but it doesn’t mean it’s the end of Gram Rabbit. Things just shift sometimes. Nobody’s in a fight or mad at each other in fact Todd (Rutherford) is helping me mix some of my new solo stuff. It’s a whole new chapter.
CVW: So tell me about the new music.
JVR: I’ve been writing and recording new music all summer and fall and I’ve just been really creative recently. It’s very electronic and poppy and clubby and it’s fun. I’ve played about 5 shows out in LA by myself and it’s been great and I’m going to continue on this adventure as far as it takes me.
CVW: So after this you have more shows lined up?
JVR: Yes I’m in LA the night before BAR and I’m in San Diego on the 23rd and at The Hood on the 30th and I’ll be booking more shows after that.
CVW: So any plans to record an album?
JVR: I’ve been working on the new album all summer. I’m actually talking to a record label right now but I’m not sure which way I want to go with it.
CVW: Who would be your dream collaboration?
JVR: One dream collaboration would be with the producer/artist/DJ Diplo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplo and another might be avant garde British artist Tim Love Lee http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Lee_(English_musician) and…..and maybe a writing session with Jack White!!
CVW: What is your most shining moment in your career?
JVR: There’s been a lot of medium sized shining moments… but one of the best has been when my song “Desperate Heart” played in the Fruit of the Loom commercial during the Olympics and in the series “Hit and Miss” with Chloe Sevigny. I love all my moments really. Just like coming out and playing all these solo shows. I was actually really terrified at first but now I’ve done it and it’s been well received and I’m pretty much shining about that right now because it can be pretty scary to come out and play by yourself. I didn’t want to necessarily go solo just to be solo… it just kind of went that way and so to be able to carry myself onstage alone is a good feeling.
CVW: What does your future look like?
JVR: I’m not really looking back right now. The past is the past and I’m looking towards the future. And I think bigger and better things are yet to come for me. Right now it’s about the future. I’m not basking in the glow of anything that’s happened in the past it’s about what’s current. So ya….just me having my own songs and doing it myself is my shining moment right now.
Jesika Von Rabbit (JVR) at Art Bar @ BAR in Palm Springs January 6 from 6-8:00pm
JVR solo with War Drum @ BAR in Palm Springs January 11 @ 9pm $5.00 cover
JVR solo at The Hood Bar in Palm Desert January 30
Follow her on facebook.com/JesikaVonRabbit
