by Brad Roberts
This weekend (Friday, February 26, actually) marked the fourth anniversary of Radio Free Silver Lake. That was when Joe Fielder first launched this site adding a unique voice to the soon to be rapidly accelerating proliferation of local music blogs. I look forward to his upcoming column on this. His was the first music blog I read and certainly was directly responsible for my own Feed Your Head.
Because I was a big fan and follower of Great Northern I decided to attend an event on September 26, 2006 at a place called Boardner's in Hollywood. Billed as Radio Free Silver Lake presents "Let's Independent!" 'A night of the Best in Local Independent Music', this was the first night of a series that went on for over two years, that introduced me to some of my favorite bands. Before that show, I looked up the presenter on the internet and stumbled onto a vital resource for my burgeoning taste in local music. Joe talked about and interviewed so many bands I loved or at least had an interest in, he became indispensible.
That night I saw Great Northern, but also got to see The Movies (seen in photo at left from that night) and The Western States Motel, both for the first time, and observed what a close knit group of people seemed to be clustered around the local music scene and how everyone seemed to know everyone else. I felt a little envious. At that point I had a nice "hi, how are you"-friendship with Rachel and Solon and Davey of Great Northern, but they were probably the only people I spoke to that night. Watching Joe act as MC from the stage, I was too new and shy to introduce myself. The venue itself completely seduced me, those big candles in the middle of that enclosed pond in the center of the courtyard setting. I went back, over and over again, and, though not that long ago, that period of shows has a strong nostalgic pull on my emotions already. I am proud to say that I began following his blog when it was only 7 months old and now, I am here writing this, and next week, I will have been doing this column for a solid year. Life can be quite remarkable sometimes. Happy Fourth Anniversary, Joe!
Tenlons Fort (resting at right) has his official record release show Wednesday night at Synchronicity on Melrose. Having only heard the wonderful Shelters live only as an acoustic set, I'm excited to hear it with the band Jack's assembled. It's also fitting that I first saw this band at one of Joe's "Let's Independent!" nights.
My tribute to the site took all my front page space, so you'll have to look inside to see what the week's offerings bring...
Monday, March 1
- Juiceboxxx, Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk, Cup O Noodles, DJ Douggpound @ Pehrspace
- White Arrows, Spirit Animal, Superhumanoids @ Spaceland
- Ethan Bortnick @ El Rey
- "Buddyhead" presents Thousand Dozen Gloves (featuring Tamara), Brandon Intelligator and the Sheriffs (members of Slang Chicken), The Dirty Mac (members of Dios), Sean Y Zander (members of Circle Jerks and Throwrag), Paige Stark; Ari Hest, TD Lin @ Hotel Cafe
- Seaspin, Ultra Violent Lights, Corridor, Yours Till Death @ Silver Lake lounge
- The Delta Mirror, Nalepa, Healamonster & Tarsier, Full Frontal @ The Echo
- Zaimph, Stellar Om Force, Pacific City Nightlife Vision Band @ Echo Curio
DECISION:
"Buddyhead" has an event at Hotel Cafe with a mixed bunch of acts that are made up of pieces of familiar bands like members of Slang Chickens as Brandon Intelligator and the Sheriffs or members of Dios as The Dirty Mac along with Paige Stark as Paige Stark. And a couple of new residencies start up tonight, with the psychedelic prog shoegaze sounds of Seaspin at Silver Lake Lounge, and I really like the dreamy reverb-laden atmospherics of The Delta Mirror (seen where they recorded Machines That Listen above) at The Echo.
Tuesday, March 2
- The Magnetic Fields, Mark Eitzel @ Wilshire Ebell Theatre
- Lucy Woodward, Gaby Moreno, Jesse Macht, Jen Waters, Heather Lauren Donavon @ Hotel Cafe
- George Thorogood & the Destroyers @ House of Blues
- Scary Kids Scaring Kids, The Sleeping, Harley Knox @ The Troubadour
- Nice Nice, We Break Cameras, Bullied By Strings @ The Echo
- The Hounds Below, Miranda Lee Richards, Rachel Dean and War Children @ Spaceland
- Backyard Tire Fire, Old Californio @ The Mint
- Peace, Loving, Horaflora, Headlight, Lola Loshkey @ Echo Curio
- Rachael Cantu, Family of the Year, Vivek Shraya, Gold Motel, Michael Runion @ Bootleg Theatre
- Signals, Juiceboxxx, I.E. @ The Smell
- Sing Orpheus, Cinderella Motel @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
Signals blew me away at The Troubadour a couple of weeks ago. The former Mae Shi members performed a blistering set at the Dios record release that night and you have to check them out. But this is the night I have a ticket to see The Magnetic Fields (above) at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, who I have longed to see forever and come with high expectations that I'm sure will be fulfilled, and then some. There's just a shit load of great shows tonight, everywhere you look.
Wednesday, March 3
- Midlake, Matthew and the Arrogant Sea @ El Rey
- Austin Hartley-Leonard, Amber Rubarth, Andrew Belle and Allen Stone, The Whiskey and The Devil Chaplain @ Hotel Cafe
- El Perro Del Mar, Taken By Trees @ The Troubadour
- Tenlons Fort record release, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Will Courtney, Downtown/Union @ Synchronicity
- Shrinebuilder, A Storm of Light @ The Echo
- ISGOODMUSIC and Club NME: The Capshuns record release, Bixby Knolls, Vanaprasta @ Spaceland
- Yellow Alex, Bullet & Snowfox, Baron Von Luxxury, The Half Hearted @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
I've been looking forward to the Tenlons Fort record release show ever since I first heard Shelters a few months ago. Really anxious to hear the songs live with a band. Sharing the bill at Synchronicity are Manhattan Murder Mystery and Downtown/Union. I've seen Texas band, Midlake at The Troubadour, but tonight they've moved up to El Rey, promoting their well received latest album, The Courage of Others. They're a terrific band live and I'm sure I'll regret missing this. The Capshuns also have a record release show tonight at Spaceland presented by our friends at Club NME and ISGOODMUSIC.
Thursday, March 4
- The Holloys @ Amoeba Music
- Jim Bianco, Honeyhoney, Joey Ryan, Jake Newton, Chasing Kings @ Hotel Cafe
- Bon Jovi, Dashboard Confessional @ Staples Center
- Mike Doughty, Christina Courtin @ The Troubadour
- The Rumble: Los Angeles presents Rumspringa, Twin Tigers, Beaters @ 3 of Clubs
- Shrinebuilder, A Storm of Light, Night Horse @ The Echo
- Tommie Sunshine, Louisahhh!!! of Staccato, Steven Bloodbath, Audrey Napoleon, Short Circuit @ Spaceland
- Eliza Rickman, The Wilson Heights Gang w/ Bikini Carwash Company, The Sonnets @ Hyperion Tavern
- Gift Horse @ Bootleg Theatre
- Hypnogaja, Babel @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Leslie & the Ly's, Christopher The Conquered, The Monolators @ Echoplex
- Phantogram, Love Grenades @ The Bordello
DECISION:
Somehow it seems appropriate that The Monolators are playing an opening slot for the bizarre hip hop satire of Leslie and the Ly's at Echoplex. Holloys have a free show at Amoeba at 7, following up on their show at The Echo last week. The remarkable singer, Eliza Rickman (pictured above) will be performing an acoustic set at Hyperion Tavern tonight as well.
Friday, March 5
- The Bird and the Bee, Juliette Commagere @ El Rey
- "First Fridays" w/ Dear Tick, Everest @ Natural History Museum
- Blue Jungle @ Origami Vinyl
- Shadow Shadow Shade, The Bixby Knolls, The Rhone Occupation @ The Echo
- Truth & Salvage Co. and Friends, Bell X1, Lindsay Mac with Natalia Zukerman @ Hotel Cafe
- Rocky Votolato, Adam H. Stephens @ The Troubadour
- Black Apples, Socorro!, S. Pineda @ Pehrspace
- Glassell Park 3, Dalmacio von Diamond & The Enochian Keys, Woman, Fim The Pocket Rockets @ The Smell
- Mike Watt + the missing men, Lite, The Mormons @ Bootleg Theatre
- The Appleseed Cast, Dreamend @ Echoplex
- The Clientele, Wooden Birds, Spain @ Spaceland
- The Idyllists, Lisa D'Amato & Band, Elephant Wave, Hollabacks, Cassidy Haley @ Mr. T's Bowl
DECISION:
Tough night for music fans tonight. Shadow Shadow Shade perform another show under their new name, this evening at The Echo, and I'm happy to say, they really seem to bring in the crowds these days. Also on the bill, The Bixby Knolls and The Rhone Occupation were recently added to the lineup, making it one hot show. On a big American tour, The Clientele are here from London to spread their hypnotic trance music for two nights at Spaceland with The Wooden Birds, who tonight have the new version of '90's band, Spain on the bill. The Bird and the Bee will most certainly enchant a full crowd at El Rey, and what a perfect venue for them. Inara George and Greg Kurstin are playing a CD release show for their new CD, Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Darryl Hall and John Oates (cover above), and will be covering said material. It's also Inara's last concert before the birth of her baby in April and we wish her well.
Saturday, March 6
- 826LA's "Chicken in Love" Mini Music Festival w/ Cold War Kids, The Submarines, The Happy Hollows, Summer Darling, The Growlers @ Echoplex
- The Clientele, Wooden Birds, Devon Williams @ Spaceland
- LACC COMPOSERS CLUB BENEFIT SHOW w/ Homesick Elephant, Bunnies & Kitties, Missincinatti, Moses Campbell, Voice on Tape @ Echo Curio
- Tearist, Sister Crayon, The Nocturnes, Back @ Pehrspace
- The Hotel Cafe All Star Gospel Review w/ Klugman sings Diamond; Jim Hanft, Tiff Randol, Irina Bjorklund, Jen Foster @ Hotel Cafe
- Jarrod Gorbel, Orenda Fink @ Bootleg Theatre
- Visa, Opus Dai, Valleycircle, The Kepler Mission, The Nukes @ The Troubadour
- KXLU 88.9fm and How To Fight Records present…How To Fight Night #1 w/ Meho Plaza, SISU, No Paws (No Lions), Back To The Future The Ride @ The Smell
- Monogroove, Silver Phial, Patsy deKline & The Rolling Blackouts, Stacy Evans, The Inoculators @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Odd Modern, Black Charro, Twin Falcons, KNYFEPRTY, El Profe @ Señor Fish
DECISION:
Origami Vinyl presents a one-day all-ages event called "Chicken in Love " Festival featuring superb talents like Cold War Kids, The Submarines and The Happy Hollows that begins at noon at Echoplex. The Clientele continue their two night stand at Spaceland featuring The Wooden Birds, tonight with Devon Williams on the bill.
Echo Curio is hosting a most fascinating afternoon and evening of entertainment for the LACC Composer Club Benefit Show featuring pieces by J. S. Bach, Bartok and Debussy, performed by a chamber ensemble during the afternoon. The evening brings the likes of pure American folksters like Homesick Elephant, and Moses Campbell, plus a video installation by Heather Woodbury.
Sunday, March 7
- L'Orchidee d'Hawaii, Bella Novela, Manicorn, George Glass @ Echo Curio
- Tig Notaro @ Largo at ther Coronet
- Audacity, Fim @ Spaceland
- Jail Weddings, The Like, VOICEsVOICEs, Manhattan Murder Mystery @ Eagle Rock All Star Lanes
DECISION:
I keep trying to see George Glass and keep on missing them for one reason or another so tonight I'm committed to the show at the Echo Curio, with the twangy guitar extravagance of L'Orchidee d'Hawaii. (the photo at right so well expresses how I feel about this place, I can't add any words to it) Whoops, I forgot, I have a committment at the Kodak Theatre this night.
Let me know what I missed at: RFSLshowlistings@gmail.com
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