The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "This Love Of Life Makes Me Weak At My Knees...")

by Brad Roberts

The fall concert season is in full swing and there's a real glut of great shows this week, every night offering tough choices. Ray Davies (above) is stopping by the Orpheum Theatre to perform his recently recorded choral versions of songs from The Kinks' catalog of memorable material on Saturday. I would attend but for the ticket I had already purchased to see Pinback at El Rey that night and I don't miss Pinback under any circumstances. The way their live act came together after touring extensively last year, on the strength of Autumn of the Seraphs, they have really hit their stride as a live band.

I try not to miss The Mountain Goats whenever they come to town, either, but I can't afford to see everything. I had to pass on their show at the Henry Fonda which will, no doubt, heavily feature the new CD The Life of the World To Come, and should be well worth checking out. Band of Horses continue their uphill climb with a show at Club Nokia. I saw The Raveonettes a couple of years ago at the Pasadena Street Festival and they put on a really terrific show, so I recommend their Henry Fonda gig this week. Exene Cervenka will give an intimate concert at Largo at the Coronet, showcasing her new solo album. This should also not be missed.

 
Great line up at the Hollywood Brewfest with highlights including Great Northern and Castledoor at the Henry Fonda (see flyer above), unfortunately on Saturday, when the competition is stiff and I'm already committed. Without a doubt, one of the most intriguing, and oddly appropriate pairings is of the wonderful Fort Worth band Telegraph Canyon with quirky local folk heroes Tommy Santee Klaws on Elaine Layabout's bill at Gallery 2023 on Thursday night. More inside...

Show Review: LA Weekly's LA 101

by Brad Roberts

 

My attendance at the LA Weekly's LA 101 at Gibson Amphitheatre on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 was a complete surprise, provided to me by The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra. Hunter Costeau (at right w/ Sara Radle, photo by Jeff Koga) contacted me Monday and said there was a spot on their guest list up for grabs. I grabbed. I was able to get the afternoon off of work so I could be there by 3 PM to see the whole show.

This was more of a festival than a concert, with seven bands playing on two stages. Silversun Pickups, The Dandy Warhols, Matt and Kim and Dengue Fever took the Gibson stage at 7 PM, in a paying, seated environment, while outside on the lawn there was a free showcase for "Locals Only" bands beginning at 3:15, with The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra, followed by Aushua and ending with Funeral Party.

Perfect weather provided the backdrop as The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra opened the show on a nice shady lawn. I've always been impressed with this band but this was one of their best sets yet. Sara Radle has blended herself into the band beautifully and her duets with Hunter were high points of the entire evening's entertainment. The sound mix was excellent; clear and powerful, with each instrument and each vocal easily distinguishable.

Review & Photos: Le Loup at the Echo 10/28/09

by Seamus Simpson (text) & Laurie Scavo  (photos)

I became vaguely familiar with the bedroom recording project known as Le Loup through their first album The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations' Millennium General Assembly, a record full of lush melodies and haunting lyrics. Seeing they were swinging by the Echo last Tuesday I figured I would check out a delightful show by this group of lads from Washington, D.C.

Video Free Silver Lake: Seasons, Edward Sharpe, Devo, Pixies, No Age

By Jed

While Brad seems to be relieved that Halloween 2009 has finally run its course, I'm not sure I agree. The holiday season in LA is typically frustrating insofar as I tend to have a bit more time to actually go out and SEE shows (rather than just announce their existence) but so many of the venues seem to slow down tremendously during for Christmas and the surrounding days off. That being said, the holiday lull in live music has by no means begun -- there is a lot going on this week. 

1) New video for the singe "The Weight" from the Seasons' Summer EP.  Despite the roomful of people in the video that look just like the sort of someone I might know, no one looks at all familiar. What does this mean???? I suppose the fact that they all vanish by the end serves them right.

Seasons - "The Weight" Music Video from Thrillhouse Productions on Vimeo.

Directed by Ryan Maples.

The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "I Know You've Seen This Before, And Now Enough Is Too Much, You Don't Wanna Be Set Back When The Substitution Comes...")

by Brad Roberts

Is Halloween finally over? Are we there yet? What seemed like the longest Halloween in the history of the holiday came to an end Saturday night...or not. Dia de los Muertos is officially celebrated Monday (not technically Halloween, but...) with a "Debauchery" at Echoplex.

Hometown heroes, Silversun Pickups, come blazing back through town for two shows before they jet off to Europe for a couple of months of touring. (photo at right by Timothy Norris) First the LA Weekly's "LA 101" show at Gibson Amphitheatre on Tuesday with The Dandy Warhols and more. The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra are featured with others on the "Locals Only" stage. Then they play the "Kidrockers" show at The Echo on Sunday afternoon with The Henry Clay People, which makes it a show with two of the best bands in the world.

Death Cab For Cutie are playing at a premiere party on Sunday for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, with a local band, also featured on the soundtrack, Sea Wolf. Almost without exception, every new and local band I love cites The Pixies as a major influence. They will be showing why when they play three nights at the Hollywood Palladium beginning Wednesday. Devo have resurrected themselves and play two nights at Henry Fonda and Flute-rock-god, Ian Anderson, is at The WIltern on Friday.

Everybody's thrilled that one of the town's nicest bands, The Happy Hollows , have been signed by Autumn Tree Records and they'll be five straight Mondays of celebration at Spaceland during November. Sub Pop's Avi Buffalo turns 19 at The Echo on Thursday.

Video Free Silver Lake: Special Pity Party Halloween Cupcake Edition

By Jed

I don't know about you, but I can't wait for the cupcake fad to end. True, the cupcake is a delicious muffin alternative, provides most of the necessary food coloring nutrition to get through the day, and are typically topped with a pleasant dollop of frosting that can be added to one's coffee. But for four dollars? I don't think so, no matter how organic the ingredients. The Pity Party's new Halloweenish themed video for "Stop, Stand Up, Be Quiet, Be Still" further supports my belief that the tyranny of the cupcake must end. See here below, and Happy Halloween!

The video premiered yesterday on Paper Magazine's blog and was directed by Ariana Natale. I particularly enjoy the "Rocky Horror Picture Show"esque opening title.

Interview: The French Semester

by Joe Fielder

LA's The French Semester produce charming shoegaze pop that's really worth your attention. They have a new EP in the works that's joining a pretty solid library of music -- so we spoke with their lead Riaz early last Sunday morning to learn more about it.

Here's the lightlly-edited IM transcript, along with a brand new MP3 off the forthcoming release.

frenchsemester (10:04:54 AM): Good morning, sir. Riaz here...

RFSL (10:05:19 AM): Morning!

RFSL (10:05:27 AM):Sorry I'm a little late.

RFSL (10:05:32 AM): Just grabbing coffee and donuts.

frenchsemester (10:05:48 AM): No problem You're still several hours ahead of me.

RFSL (10:05:51 AM): How are you doing today?

RFSL (10:05:59 AM): Yeah, this is early for me.

RFSL (10:06:43 AM): Or are you still up from last night?

frenchsemester (10:08:13 AM): Nah, previous night was a pretty good blowout over at Echo Curio. Last night was pretty quiet. Been tons of good local shows as I'm sure youre aware. How is the RFSL telecommute treating you?

RFSL (10:08:59 AM): It's going pretty well. I'm sneaking out often and a lot of LA bands have been playing here lately. (Happy Hollows, Henry Clay, Princeton...)

frenchsemester (10:10:28 AM): Nice. Good people, all of them. And I'm sure the idea of actual seasons is appealing to all expats.

RFSL (10:11:22 AM): Yeah, the walk to the donut shop a few minutes ago was frankly kind of stunning. All the bright oranges and yellows and leaves being blown across the street.

RFSL (10:11:29 AM): So, what's new with you guys?

frenchsemester (10:12:53 AM): Where to begin?

Show Review: The Bands Are Possessed!

by Brad Roberts

 

Tuesday, October 27, 2009, was the perfect alchemy of events that leads to great Halloween parties. The wind whipped up as dusk approached, around five o'clock, sometimes gusting up to a rumored 70 mph. It was almost as though people and cars were airborne and you had to duck. Just getting home from work was fraught with danger. By nightfall the air had calmed, giving revellers a chance to get to The Echo with their costumes intact.

 

This was the event that atmospherics had turned upside down. I mean, The Monolators playing at 10 o'clock and not midnight (or one?) had patrons confused and disoriented. And four local bands possessed by the spirit of four legendary classic rockers? How could you not be shocked and scared when you walk in and there's Marc Bolan on stage with T-Rex, looking well, for someone dead over 30 years.

 

Video Free Silver Lake: Shonen Knife, Antlers, Warpaint, Alice Cooper and More

by Jed

Since Halloween is approaching, I offer you the following: werewolves, candy apples and razor blades, the haunting of Milwaukee by Black Star, and a classic Carpenters song. Scary, right? I'm scared. 

1) I can't believe that Japanese girl band Shonen Knife is still alive and kicking. When I was but a high school student, a friend of mine (perhaps as a result of listening too regularly to Rodney on the Roq) used to idolize them. I never got it. I didn't think it was funny. I didn't find it cute. I might have been wrong. I did like their cover of the Carpenter's "Top of the World". They're playing on November 2 at the Echo. If it weren't so early in the week, I might have even been inclined to check it out, just to see who might come out of the wood work for this:

Ticket Giveaway: Le Loup at the Echo October 28...yes, that is tomorrow!!

By Joel Robinson

Yes, faithful Radio Free Silver Lake readers, that is October 28 as in TOMORROW. Thanks to friends over at The Echo, we are able to offer free entry for two RFSL readers and guests to what should be an outstanding show featuring Le Loup (pictured at right) as joined by Nurses and Random Patterns.