by Brad Roberts
The music of J. Tillman is difficult to categorize. Not strictly a freak folk singer/musician, he comes from the strong songwriting tradition of the Pacific Northwest and writes complex melodies that are fragile yet sturdy with haunting orchestrations of auto harps, mandolins and assorted musical embellishments that sometimes sweep the songs into rich audio soundscapes. Nature is a strong theme in the compositions, which are deeply personal explorations of life's mysteries half-revealed as J.'s hushed and moving vocals impart their keen wisdom and insight. This is music that will stand the test of time. The lyrics haunt me and possess me... and I can barely understand them. Some may take years to comprehend. I've always been a fan of the elusive lyric, hell, I'm still trying to figure out some of the lyrics from the sixties.
J. Tillman has been touring extensively this year on the strength of two releases, Vacilando Territory Blues and Year In the Kingdom, both of which belong on any top ten list of the year's best releases. I saw his show at The Echo last August and, just as with Fleet Foxes, for whom he plays drums, the live performance is surprisingly more muscular than the recorded music. To watch him dancing around the stage with his tambourine was an expression of pure joy I haven't been able to forget. (Thanks to Joe McQuillen of Kill The Microphone for evocative photo from that set) Since that performance, Year In the Kingdom was released and I'm looking forward to hearing those songs now that I'm familiar with them. This is also not just a solo artist, but a full band. Joshua Tillman has surrounded himself with a group of accomplished artists who play as seamlessly as it they've been together for years. J. Tillman performs Wednesday at The Troubadour, but get there early because openers, Pearly Gates Music, another Northwest band, show tremendous promise.
"West Coast Left Coast", the unprecedented festival that's been going on for the last couple of weeks at the Walt Disney Concert Hall celebrating "the unique spirit of California's creative renegades" for it's final week features a staggering variety of artists from The Airborne Toxic Event and Kronos Quartet to the music of Frank Zappa and my favorite film composer, Jerry Goldsmith. Check out the listings for Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for details.
And a whole host of wonderful local bands are playing throughout the week including Seasons, The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra, Avi Buffalo, Dios, Castledoor, Marvelous Toy and more. They're all among the picks of the week.
Monday, November 30
- "Buddyhead Presents" Dios, Olin and The Moon, Imaad Wasif, Mini Mansions, Tiny Television @ Hotel Cafe
- The Growlers @ Origami Vinyl
- Batwings Catwings, The Choke, Aristides, Trudgers @ Pehrspace
- The Happy Hollows, The Pity Party, Twilight Sleep, Traps PS @ Spaceland
- Seasons, Downtown/Union, Jack Wilson, Jr., Regrets and Brunettes @ The Echo
- Dashboard Confessional (Solo Acoustic), New Found Glory @ The Troubadour
- Franklin Bruno, Wckr Spgt, Phil Yates @ Echo Curio
- Mississippi Man, Last American Buffalo, What Laura Says, Slipping Into Darkness @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
Buddyhead" is hosting a great lineup at Hotel Cafe beginning with new music from '60's psychedelia expert, Imaad Wasif (seen at right), solid alt country by Olin and The Moon, Dios also will be playing new material that is some of their best yet. The always great Seasons headline a super line up at The Echo with Downtown/Union and Jack Wilson Jr. sharing the bill. The Happy Hollows conclude their rambunctious triumph of a residency at Spaceland tonight. Go early or you won't get in.
Tuesday, December 1
- Furcast, Bear Face @ Bootleg Theatre
- Bobby Long with Emma Ejwertz, Patrick Park, Gregory Alan Isakov @ Hotel Cafe
- Ten Out of Tennessee @ The Troubadour
- The Vic Chesnutt Band, Warpaint @ Regent Theatre
- "West Coast Left Coast" LA Phil New Music Group - Green Umbrella, John Adams and Kronos Quartet; selections from Marshall, Partch and Zappa @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Swords of Fatima, New Rome Quartet, Lightnin Woodcock @ The Echo
- The Section Quartet @ Largo at the Coronet
- Vise Virsa, London To Tokyo, AM VS FM @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
The "West Coast Left Coast" program tonight at Walt Disney Concert Hall features Kronos Quartet performing a program of avant-garde compositions including selections from Frank Zappa 's last recording, The Yellow Shark.
Wednesday, December 2
- "Spaceland on Ice" w/ Salt Petal @ Pershing Square
- J. Tillman, Pearly Gate Music @ The Troubadour
- Corinne Bailey Rae, Kenneth Pattengale, Sydney Wayser, Emma Ejwertz @ Hotel Cafe
- Club NME: Useless Keys, Samuel Stewart, Twin Fight, Wrong Way Driver @ Spaceland
- Gamble House, The February Fifths, The Sounds of Wyoming @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Jubilee, Seaspin, Woah Hunx, Little Girls @ The Bordello
- Mo-Odds, The Shakers, High Life Cavalier @ Echo Curio
- The Sonus Quartet @ Bootleg Theatre - Helen Stellar, KAV, Square on Square, Nightmare Air @ The Echo
- Warpaint, Local Natives, The Growlers @ The Standard Hotel
DECISION:
J. Tillman is at The Troubadour tonight and I don't think I left anything unsaid above, except to say I'll be there. There's also a great show hosted by Buzzbands at The Echo featuring Helen Stellar and the pretty Chinese pop of Square on Square, among other strong acts.
Thursday, December 3
- Andy Clockwise, Trixie Whitley, Marvelous Toy, Globes on Remote @ Spaceland
- "West Coast Left Coast" Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Slatkin and Kronos Quartet play film composers Jerry Goldsmith, Mason Bates, Franz Waxman and Thomas Newman @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Chris Cornell, Jim Bianco, Austin Hartley Leonard @ Hotel Cafe
- Baroness, Earthless, Iron Age @ The Troubadour
- Dramarama, I Will Never Be the Same @ Pershing Square
- Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Dirt Dress, Spirit Vine, Allah Las @ The Echo
- Balerina Black, Full Frontal, Bestial Mouths, Wreck 'n Slender @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Julie Cain, Liz Pappademas and the Level, Cricket and the 2:19 @ Hyperion Tavern
- Rose’s Pawn Shop, Cosio @ Redwood Bar
- See Green, Cue the Moon, Ben de la Cour @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Skygreen Leopards, Warm Climate, Rats @ Echo Curio
DECISION:
Andy Clockwise brings his internationally flavored indie pop to Spaceland tonight, along with Marvelous Toy for a potent bill. Liz Pappademas goes acoustic at Hyperion Tavern, also worth checking out.
"West Coast Left Coast" covers film music tonight, including music by Jerry Goldsmith, who may not yet be considered the greatest film composer of all time, but who I feel will receive that distinction eventually. Among his scores that have been a part of my life since I was a young teenager are, from the sixties, A Patch of Blue and The Sand Pebbles (Steve McQueen in scene at right); Patton, The Wind and The Lion and Damien: Omen II from the seventies; up through the nineties with The Mummy. I'm so glad this festival is acknowledging his contribution to American film music.
Friday, December 4
- Cinematic Sunrise featuring Craig Owens, Jonny Craig, Mark Rose, Tommy Simms, Sleeping with Sirens @ The Troubadour
- Marcus Foster with Blue Roses, Randy Coleman, Shane Alexander, Brian Buckley Band, Jim Hanft @ Hotel Cafe
- Big Whup, Watercolor Paintings, So Many Wizards, Cobra Lilies @ Echo Curio
- "West Coast Left Coast" Los Angeles Philharmonic, Leonard Slatkin and Kronos Quartet play film composers Jerry Goldsmith, Mason Bates, Franz Waxman and Thomas Newman @ Walt Disney Concert Hall (11AM)
- Bobb Bruno, Subtle Selves, Los Fantasmas Carmesi, Cardio Pulmonary @ The Smell
- Cold Cave, Abe Vigoda, Former Ghost @ Eagle Rock Center for the Arts
- Tommy Santee Klaws, Freaky Mountain @ Robin's Sculpture Garden, Santa Monica
- Little Dragon @ El Rey
- Slang Chickens, Nite Jewel, Pocahaunted, Weave!, L'eau Life @ Gallery 1018
- "West Coast Best Coast": The Airborne Toxic Event, The Calder Quartet @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Fink @ Spaceland
- EFFT, Common Eider, King Eider, Missincinatti, Build @ Pehrspace
- Jon Brion @ Largo at the Coronet
- Peg Leg Love, The Crystelles, Megalosaurus, Fantastica Bastidas @ L'Keg
- The New Limb, Dead Feather Moon, Megasapien, Good Friday @ Mr. T's Bowl
- The Shys, Castledoor, Black Hollies @ The Echo
- Villains, Robot Love, Ben Oprstu, Scorpion Breath, DJDT @ Echoplex
DECISION:
Huge night of choices: The Troubadour has Cinematic Sunrise, Echo Curio presents Big Whup and Cobra Lilies and Gallery 1018 will host Slang Chickens and Pocahaunted. "West Coast Left Coast" at Walt Disney Concert Hall presents local giants The Airborne Toxic Event as perfect representatives of the local scene gone successful and The Echo showcases The Shys and Castledoor, RFSL ticket givaway here. Just added: Tommy Santee Klaws and Freaky Mountain at Robin's Sculpture Garden in Santa Monica.
Saturday, December 5
- "Kidrockers" w/ The 88, The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra @ The Echo
- Rockdrive 2009 @ Hotel Cafe
- Girls, The Morning Benders, Tamaryn @ The Troubadour
- Stellastarr, Transfer @ Spaceland
- "West Coast Left Coast" Los Angeles Philharmonic, Adams and Josefowicz; selections from Paul Dresher, William Kraft, Leonard Rosenman and John Adams @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Amps for Christ, Avi Buffalo, Foot Foot, Big Death @ Pehrspace
- PROTECTME, David Scott Stone, Tearist, Mike Vidal @ The Smell
- The Lost Patrol, Hans David Rearick, Bumtech, The Pristines, Push To Transmit @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Tom Brosseau @ Largo at the Coronet
DECISION:
Daytime: Grab a kid, go see The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra at "Kidrockers" at The Echo, then head on over to Pehrspace that night for Amps For Christ, who definitely seem like a band I want to know, and all hail Avi Buffalo.
"West Coast Left Coast" features a variety of composers tonight, but Leonard Rosenman is of special interest to me as film composer of East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause, and grandfather of our own Jesse Davis of The Karabal Nighlife. The program includes a suite from Rebel Without a Cause (still frame below).
Sunday, December 6
- Tamaryn, Mack Winston & the Reflections @ Bootleg Theatre
- Cold Cave, Nite Jewel @ The Echo
- "West Coast Left Coast" Los Angeles Philharmonic, Adams and Josefowicz; selections from Paul Dresher, William Kraft, Leonard Rosenman and John Adams @ Walt Disney Concert Hall (2PM)
- A Benefit for Against The Stream with Sharon Temple, Siva Noir, Julie The Band, Puppies and Kitties @ Spaceland
- Brian Wilson, Dave Alvin, The Living Sisters, Harper Simon @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Skyler Stonestreet, Alaskan Summer, Jo Krasevich, Lynhurst @ Hotel Cafe
DECISION:
Cold Cave caught my attention earlier in the week by playing the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts. Tonight is a chance to catch their late '70's/early '80's new wave electronica aesthetic at The Echo. They bring a freshness to the genre. Try not to dance.
Let me know what's missing: RFSLshowlistings@gmail.com
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