by Brad Roberts
Two bands, Mew and Nine Inch Nails, are using L.A. as their own personal playgrounds this week, both playing multiple gigs at a variety of theatres, sometimes together, sometimes not. Trent Reznor's legendary industrial-rock outfit, Nine Inch Nails (above) are tearing through town, playing most of the medium/large venues here, in a series of suddenly announced, 'farewell tour' (??) shows. Beginning with the Hollywood Palladium on Wednesday (SOLD OUT) they move to The Fonda Thursday (SOLD OUT), both shows with Mew. Then, after a break on Friday, they play The Wiltern and The Echoplex on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, with Health opening.
Mew (at right) are back in America from their home in Denmark supporting the Mewseum Art Project over at the Zune Gallery It's a photo and cinematic installation including many of the extraordinary videos that have been created for this band and shots from the band's history. The exhibit opened on Saturday, August 29, and runs to September 3. In addition to the 'invite only' event Monday at the Zune on Beverly, the band has a headlining show at The Troubadour on Tuesday with Luke Top. Then the shows with Nine Inch Nails noted above.
On a somewhat smaller scale, Local Natives finish up their smashingly successful Monday residency at Spaceland and head right on over to The Troubadour to open for Heartless Bastards on Wednesday. The melodramatic theatrics of Bat For Lashes has sold out the Fonda for their second show here this year. Patti Smith is at Santa Monica Pier to reprise her successful show earlier this summer at the same location as a perfect 'end of season' send off.
Radio Free Silver Lake is offering three pairs of free tickets, here, for Division Day, who are beginning a tour in support of their beautiful new CD, Visitation for CLUB NME on Wednesday at Spaceland. I'm looking forward to this show as it's been a long time since they've played, otherwise I would be at Elaine Layabout's great night of music with Tommy Santee Klaws, Manhattan Murder Mystery and Big Whup at Silver Factory Studios. Saturday is the all day F Yeah Fest presents Save Our State Parks downtown, with a billing you gotta see to believe.
Monday, August 31
- Bat For Lashes, Other Lives @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre
- Dredg, RX Bandits, As Tall As Lions @ El Rey
- Billy Corgan and Spirits in The Sky @ Hotel Cafe
- Mew @ Zune Gallery
- Donovan Leitch: "The Dark Root of The Musical" @ Largo at the Coronet
- Black Joe Lewis and The Honey Bears, Extra Golden @ The Troubadour
- Local Natives, The Henry Clay People, Aushua, Fun @ Spaceland
- The Growlers, My Pet Saddle, Grand Elegance, The Moon Upstairs @ The Echo
- Lower Heaven, The Meek, Ojos Rojos, Jason Simon @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
Bat For Lashes (at right) writes haunting tribal music that is truly hypnotic live, according to those who I know who have seen Natasha Khan and, coupled with a flair for the theatrical, their shows consistently sell out. This is their second L.A. show this year, tonight at the Fonda. Local Natives complete a residency that saw them packing Spaceland Monday after Monday, and tonight is another spectacular lineup with The Henry Clay People and Aushua. And beginning their run through L.A., Mew performs an intimate invitation only set at the Zune Gallery to celebrate the Mewseum installation.
Tuesday, September 1
- Mew, Luke Top @ The Troubadour
- Gary Jules, The Northstar Session, Benjamin Winter & The Make Believe, Ben Mallot @ Hotel Cafe
- John Legend, India.Arie, Vaughn Anthony @ The Greek
- The Duke Spirit, Band of Skulls @ El Rey
- Davila 666, Mannequin Men, Mika Miko, Le Face @ The Echo
- The 88, Daniel Brummel @ Spaceland
- The Capshuns, Pulse Out, Bixby Knolls, Karabal Nightlife @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
Mew have their headlining show tonight at The Troubadour. This doesn't seem like a band that, at first guess, would be an obvious choice for me to like. When I first heard them, I feared their tendencies to indulgence would overwhelm them, but they always manage to flirt with pretension with out tipping over into the pretentious, to go toward bombast but always harbor a restraint that keeps it beautiful. They write majestic music that translates into a spectacular live show This is all based on the last three times I've seen them and their last CD. I look forward to the new CD, No More Stories Are Told Today..., which was released last Tuesday.
Wednesday, September 2
- Club NME: Division Day, Bad Veins, Lovelikefire @ Spaceland
- John Legend, India.Arie, Vaughn Anthony @ The Greek
- Nine Inch Nails, Mew @ Hollywood Palladium
- Matthew Mayfield, The Lost Fingers, Oak & Gorski, One Silver Astronaut, J.D. King @ Hotel Cafe
- Big Whup, Tommy Santee Klaws, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Drew Grows @ Silver Factory Studios
- Luluc, El May, Miranda Lee Richards, Lantvrn @ The Bordello
- New Radiant Storm King, Funeral Party @ The Echo
- Cue The Moon, The Fall Trees @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Heartless Bastards, Local Natives @ The Troubadour
- RaMak and The Space Pirates, Strip Mall Saizures, didimau, Guns N Broses @ The Smell
- Richie Spice, Spanner Banner @ Echoplex
DECISION:
Division Day (above photo by Justin Harris) play the second night of their cross country tour promoting Visitation tonight at Spaceland, and I can't wait to hear the new material live. It's powerful on record, so I expect a pretty thrilling set. Three pairs of free tickets here. Local Natives advance, on the strength of their residency, over to TheTroubadour to open for Heartless Bastards tonight. Big Whup Tommy Santee Klaws Manhattan Murder Mystery play an Elaine Layabout shindig at Silver Factory Studios. This sounds like an incredible show, and I wish I could attend. Had to include her classy poster below. Nine Inch Nails the Hollywood Palladium with Mew.
Thursday, September 3
- Patti Smith and Her Band @ Santa Monica Pier
- Lily & The Ladies @ The Echo
- Nine Inch Nails, Mew @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre
- Ian Ball & Buddy, Frank Orrall, Annaliese, Mia Maestro, & A. Robinson @ Hotel Cafe
- Gun Outfit, Milk Music, Mr. Highway, Francis Harold and The Holograms @ The Smell
- See Spot, The Ifficials, The Soulutionaries @ The Troubadour
- The Pretenders, Cat Power, Juliette Lewis @ The Greek
- He's My Brother She's My Sister, Spirit Vine, Crooked Cowboy & The Freshwater Indians, Fort Wife @ Spaceland
- Colin Hay record release @ Largo at the Coronet
- Mississippi Man, Last American Buffalo, The Outline, Get Back Loretta @ Bootleg Theatre
- Old Believers, Red River, Pearl Starbird, Doug Wamble @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Tim Easton, Wake Up Lucid, The Faraway Places @ Redwood Bar
Names from the past show up around town tonight. Patti Smith (right) gave such a great show at Santa Monica Pier earlier this summer, that she's been asked back to close out the series. Colin Hay, of Men At Work, has a record release party at Largo at the Coronet. The Pretenders are on tour with Cat Power, and Nine Inch Nails bring Mew to the Fonda.
Friday, September 4
- The Happy Hollows, The Pity Party, The Boxing Lesson, The Health Club @ Spaceland
- Brother Sal's (Record Release Show), Brian Wright, Ernie Halter, Foster Timms, Sally Jaye, Kathryn Ostenberg @ Hotel Cafe
- Blueskyreality, The Harm, Amy Kuney @ The Troubadour
- Idyllists, Cosio, Judson McKinney @ Bootleg Theatre
- Jon Brion @ Largo at the Coronet
- Thriller, Demonora, Gypsy River Haunts, Spring Queen @ Pehrspace
- Whispetown 2000, The Belle Brigade @ The Echo
DECISION:
The 'the' festival tonight with The Happy Hollows' Spells album release party (Sara Negahdari above by Benjamin Hoste), featuring sets by The Pity Party, The Boxing Lesson and The Heath Club at Spaceland. That is one smashing line up of 'The' bands, and should not be missed. Radio Free Silver Lake is offering two pairs of free tickets to this event. Check the site Tuesday for details.
Saturday, September 5
- F Yeah Fest presents: "Save Our State Parks" @ Los Angeles State Historic Park
- Bob Weir and Ratdog, Jackie Greene @ The Greek
- Tandemoro, The Voyeurs, The Break Ups @ Spaceland
- Nine Inch Nails, Health @ The Wiltern
- Eli Rise presents "Creepshow 4", Alex & Sam, My Imaginary Friends, Clare Means @ Hotel Cafe
- Still Phantom, Pile, Stereofix, The Morakestra, Joe and The Jungle @ The Troubadour
- Chelsea Wolfe, The Denouement, J. Irvin Daily @ Pehrspace
- The Rhone Occupation, One Trick Pony, The Surrender @ Echo Curio
DECISION:
How can you argue with a line up like this. The F Yeah Fest presents Save Our State Parks at Los Angeles State Historic Park. The flyer above pretty much shows why everyone will be there. But if you want something a little more intimate and civilized, get to the Echo Curio for The Rhone Occupation, One Trick Pony and The Surrender. You will witness some terrific songwriting. And now there's a show at Spaceland with Tandemoro. Jeeesh, what are you gonna do?
Sunday, September 6
- Nine Inch Nails, Health @ Echoplex
- George Stanford, Tall Tales, John Pringle, Jesse Cole, TBA @ Hotel Cafe
- Nebula @ Spaceland
- Refrigerator, WCKR SPGT, Adam Lippman, Neal Morgan @ Echo Curio
DECISION:
? I got nothing for tonight. Any help?
Let me know if we missed anything: RFSLshowlistings@gmail.com
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