by Brad Roberts
Sorry, local music fans, but the Hollywood Bowl is stealing most of the thunder (or is that fireworks?) this week. Of course, the Bowl has a three day Fourth of July extravaganza beginning on Thursday night and continuing through Saturday, the fourth. This year's guest star, John Fogerty, doesn't appear to have ever stopped singing in his long, forty-plus year career. And as one pop icon passes into history, a couple of other fairly significant rock and roll idols who are still with us, Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood play the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday. Then on Sunday, July 5th, Death Cab For Cutie perform with The Los Angeles Philharmonic, which should be pretty beautiful. Opening bands are Tegan and Sara, who I've longed to see forever, and The New Pornographers, who are actually the whole reason I'm going to this show.
In a week of ever-decreasing choices, Monday looks like the strongest night of the week. Bands like Castledoor, John Vanderslice, Seasons, Radars To the Sky (haven't seen in forever) and Ed Harcourt are scattered throughout town. Leslie and The Badgers lead a strong line up for their CD release party on Tuesday, which is also a night strong with local talent.
We here at Radio Free Silver Lake are happy to be able to offer two pairs of free tickets to the Eulogies, Bad Veins, Avi Buffalo, A Decent Animal show at The Echo on Wednesday night. Check back (here) on Tuesday for details. There are also CD's in the offer.
O.K. Check below the fold for what's out there this week.
Monday, June 29
- Castledoor and special guests, including Seasons @ Spaceland
- Oliver Future, Casxio, Radars To the Sky, All Wrong and the Plans Change @ The Echo
- Vienna Teng, Katie Herzig, Sally Jaye, Jesse Harris, Della Valle @ Hotel Cafe
- Ed Harcourt, The Langley Sisters, Nicole Simone @ The Bordello
- Ani DiFranco, Todd Sickafoose's Tiny Resistors @ The Orpheum Theatre
- John Vanderslice, The Tallest Man on Earth @ The Troubadour
- Diako Diakov, Fort King, Mia Maestro, Stepfather @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Mika Miko, The Strange Boys, Cerebral Balzy, P R O T E C T M E @ The Smell
- White Hinterland, Prince Rama of Ayodhya + guests @ Echo Curio
- Zombelle, Lily Marlene, Dalmacio Diamond, Double Dagger, The Choke @ Women
DECISION:
This is a Monday night that's turning out to be one for the ages Every show has much to recommend it, with Ani DiFranco dropping into the Orpheum Theatre on her tour, or songwriter/storyteller John Vanderslice weaving his complex, reflective tales at The Troubadour. Last chance to catch the residencies of Castledoor, joined by Seasons, at Spaceland or Oliver Future with Casxio and Radars To the Sky at The Echo. I may go see Ed Harcourt, who's headlining at The Bordello. Or I could try to club hop and see Fort King at Silver Lake Lounge and run up Sunset Blvd. to catch Radars To the Sky, if their set times permit.Tough night.
Tuesday, June 30
- Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood @ Hollywood Bowl
- Leslie and the Badgers (record release), The Chapin Sisters, Olin and the Moon, Eagle Winged Palace @ Spaceland
- Bleu, Rooney, Annaliese, Nathan Gaunt, Price @ Hotel Cafe
- The Strange Boys, Shirley Rolls, The Growlers @ The Echo
- Alex and Sam, Cassorla, Angie Mattson @ Bootleg Theatre
- Best Coast, Mothfight, Soft Black, Werewolves @ Echo Curio
- Lusterko, Amie Brobruk, Liz Pappademas, Tommy Santee Klaws @ Hyperion Tavern
- Bengal Lancer, The Links, Papa @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
Old legends are rolled back into town in the persons of Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood at the Hollywood Bowl and I'm sure it will be a night of solid music. Though both have succumbed to producing occasional schlock, both have also had some amazing creative peaks during their long careers and I'm sure it will be a thrilling, if expensive, night. Leslie and The Badgers CD Release (pictured at right) with Olin and the Moon should be a hell of a lot of fun at Spaceland. I keep hearing great things about Shirley Rolls, who plays tonight at The Echo and my buddies, Tommy Santee Klaws, play Hyperion Tavern again.
Wednesday, July 1
- Bill Callahan, Bachelorette @ The Troubadour
- Eulogies, Bad Veins, Avi Buffalo, A Decent Animal @ The Echo
- Tony Lucca, Lelia Broussard, Orlando Napier, Stereofox, Nick Rallis Band @ Hotel Cafe
- Club NME: Fitz and the Tantrums, Jenny O. @ Spaceland
- Go West Young Man, Jared Mees & the Grown Children, Marvelous Toy, The French Semester @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Watts Ensemble, Corey Fogel @ Bootleg Theatre
- Young/Lost Ones @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Brandon McCulloch and The Deadbirds, Tandemoro, Nikos Eliot @ 3 of Clubs
DECISION:
Radio Free Silver Lake has two pairs of free tickets for Eulogies at the The Echo (check here Tuesday) and the lucky winners get a copy of their excellent new Dangerbird release, Here Anonymous. Cincinnati's Bad Veins, Avi Buffalo and A Decent Animal fill out this excellent bill of really fine music.
Bill Callahan (above photo by Bojan Bojko) no longer seems to go by the moniker Smog anymore, but no matter what the name, his fascinating, intricate, deeply personal music, delivered in his perfect '60's troubadour voice is perfect for The Troubadour. A big band with a captivating big sound, Go West Young Man bring together the folk rock Americana of Marvelous Toy and the surfy '60's sound of The French Semester at Silver Lake Lounge for a superb line up that also includes the trippy rock of a band I don't know yet, Jared Mees and the Grown Children. Just found out, old friends, Tandemoro are at 3 of Clubs.
Thursday, July 2 - Amazing Baby, Band of Skulls, Dazzler @ UCLA Hammer Museum - "The Rumble" w. Dios (Dios Malos), Audra Mae, The Nights @ 3 of Clubs
- Oak and Gorski, Paper Bird, Chasing Kings, Matt Taylor and His Laurels, Joe Thalman, Holly Conlan @ Hotel Cafe
- "Benefit for Jennifer Tefft" w/ She Wants Revenge, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The L.A. Ladies Choir, Great Northern, Moving Units DJ set @ Echoplex
- July 4th Fireworks Spectacular w/ special guest Fohn Fogerty @ Hollywood Bowl
- Citay, Black Math Horseman, The Dry Spells @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Whitman, Splinter Cake, Nora Keyes, Nicole Kidman @ The Smell
DECISION:
Fourth of July festivities kick off early with John Fogerty guesting at the Hollywood Bowl A benefit for Jennifer Tefft called "Kick Out the Clots" at the Echoplex starring She Wants Revenge, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Great Northern and more will surely pack the place. LATE NOTE: Dios or Dios Malos (depending on who you talk to) have joined "The Rumble" at 3 of Clubs.
Friday, July 3
- Killsonic, Beatnik Jr, Max & Sam, Later Days, Angels and Demons, Private Wasabi @ The Troubadour
- July 4th Fireworks Spectacular w/ special guest John Fogerty @ Hollywood Bowl
- Bacteria Cult, Andorkappen, XDUGEF, Kawaiietly Please @ The Smell
- Midnite Theory, MC Homeless & Liz Aeby, Open Mike Eagle, Cadilack Ron @ Pehrspace
- One Trick Pony, Ema and The Ghosts, The Sleeping Bags, VOICEsVOICEs @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Terry and The Lovemen (XTC Tribute Band) @ Bootleg Theatre
DECISION:
No question, the show to see is One Trick Pony, Ema and The Ghosts and VOICEsVOICEs at Mr.T's Bowl. I don't know The Sleeping Bags. The pickings are getting slim as the looming holiday monopolizes everyone's time.
Saturday, July 4
- July 4th Fireworks Spectacular w/ special guest John Fogerty @ Hollywood Bowl
- "Second Annual Riot Girl Carnival": benefit for The Downtown Women's Center w/ A Pretty Mess, Las Sangronas Y El Cabron, Mermaid, Anus Kings, Kitchen, The Potential Lunatics @ The Smell
- Deer Tick, Dawes, Moondoggies @ Spaceland
- Emile Simon, Penelope Fortier, Joel Virgil @ Bootleg Theatre
DECISION:
The holiday hits the town hard with only a few shows going on. The Hollywood Bowl hosts their annual fireworks display as John Fogerty closes out a three night run here. The Smell is featuring a second annual benefit for The Downtown's Women's Center and Rhode Island rock and rollers, Deer Tick, play Spaceland.
Sunday, July 5
- Death Cab For Cutie w/ The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Tegan and Sara, The New Pornographers @ Hollywood Bowl
- The Five Deadly Venoms @ Amoeba Music - Emilie Simon, Penelope Fortier, Joel Virgil @ Bootleg Theatre - Jail Weddings, The Coathangers, Bipolar Bear, Goldiggers @ The Smell - Part Time Punks presents Crocodiles, The Meek, Lower Heaven @ The Echo - Avi Buffalo, Aushua, The Shade, Shiloe @ Silver Factory Studios
DECISION:
Actually this is the show I've been looking forward to all week. I've seen Death Cab For Cutie (above)only once before, when they were on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, which tapes right out my kitchen window. One night, over three years ago, I'm fixing dinner when I heard 'Soul Meets Body" wafting over the Hollywood High School football field and into my window. I dropped everything and went up to the fence behind Hollywood Boulevard where the Kimmel stage is and they performed two songs for the show and then five more songs after taping was completed, in kind of a super mini concert. Tonight they perform with The Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl with a dazzlng line of Tegan and Sara and The New Pornographers. I've been panting to see The New Pornographers (at right) ever since I first saw them two years ago at The Fonda in an astonishing show that made me a lifetime fan forever, and now's my chance. If that's out of your price range, there's the rangy, jangly psychedelics of Lower Heaven at The Echo, who are a band definitely worth checking out.
I'm done, I'm outta here. I thought the week was going to be lightweight, but writing it up, it doesn't seem too slight. It's going to be hot this week, so go outdoors for a show. And if we missed anything, let us know: RFSLshowlistings@gmail.com
Comments