Radio Free Silver Lake

Interview: Torches (In Trees)

By Jed

Please be reminded that L.A. psychedelic rockers Torches (formerly Torches in Trees -- this will be explained later) will be playing a RFSL presented show on Sunday, September 4 at the Bootleg Theatre, supported by Seasons, Summer Twins and Naive Thieves.  The purpose of this show is to premiere their new (and very first) music video for "Dirt & Tears", the audio of which you can stream here.  All three members of Torches spoke to me recently via email about where this band came from, where it is heading, and its plans to film a sequel to Huckleberry Finn on the Los Angeles River:

Radio Free Silver Lake: What can you tell us about your “Dirt and Tears” video premiering on Sunday (without giving away too many spoilers)?

Azad Cheikosman: We sort of wanted to approach our first music video much, much differently than your typical "hey, we're a band, let's have a video with us playing our instruments etc."  I'd say prepare to be surprised or maybe even not surprised, if you know us.

Eric Fabbro: Hell man, I'm just so anxious to show everyone. It's definitely a pretty awesome story, you'll take a look at it and be like, "whoah, I'm so overwhelmed by the imagery here, what does it mean???"

Bridgette Moody: It's an illusion!!

Video Free Silver Lake: Pizza!, Judson, Eastern Conference Champions, Moral Vacation, FYF Fest, Motion Boys

By Jed

1) While never a fan of Iraq's Sadaam Hussein, like many others, I was made very uncomfortable by his trial, imprisonment and execution. Geoff Geis (of Pizza!)'s new video for "Mother of All" tells the story of Sadaam Hussein, while visually mashing up Sadaam footage with the Beastie Boys' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (to Party)." It's worth watching. The last few seconds are NSFW.

Show Spotlight: Escalator Hill at Villians Tonight 8/30/11

By Kathryn Pinto

Escalator Hill plays a free album release show tonight at Villains Tavern in downtown LA. I first saw Escalator Hill they played  on the bill with with the The Lonely Wild at the one of the Radio Free Silver Lake April residency shows at Labrie’s. We were very impressed with their live show and the way they drew in everyone in the crowd into their musical circle.

The band, a rollicking joy ride of Americana influenced by the Melvins, Neil Young and the Allman Brothers was formed from former members of You Me and Iowa who joined with Nancy Kuo and Andrew Schneider. You can read more about the formation of the band  and the making of their new album Poplar Avenue in Joe Fielder's interview with band. See you at tonight's  show, it will be unforgettable.

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Escalator Hill plays an album release show for Poplar Hill tonight August 30 at Villains, 1356 Palmetto Street, Los Angeles, CA 21+ free

 

The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "Told You All So Many Times, That I Just Don't Know, Just Don't Know What It Is, And It's Freaking Me Out...")

by Brad Roberts

We've just come through a weird and strange trip of a week...the festival's on...no, it's off, maybe on again, definitely off. Sunset Junction came to a clumsy conclusion last Wednesday with the refusal of the city to issue a permit for the event, resulting in a cancelled weekend, with the acknowledgement that if we ever see this festival again, it will be a very different animal. We may have seen just how different as locals flooded into the void offering shows at many of the city's smaller clubs, and backyards were opened for mini-festivals, generally open to the public, if you could find them. The one on Edgecliffe, just off the Junction site, was a blast!

This week offers some great nights of local music, two of them that I'm involved with, naturally come highly recommended. But first, there's a wonderful "School Night!" at Bardot on Monday with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, The Submarines and Thenewno2. The Judson McKinney residency comes to a conclusion at The Central with Matthew Teardrop doing a solo gig this Tuesday, the same night as Duniven is part of "Hear Unplugged # 2" at Lot 1. Next Sunday, Radio Free Silver Lake presents the Torches In Trees video release party (poster above) at Bootleg Bar and I'm really excited about that. Any opportunity to see this band live should be noted because they are a band at the height of their performing powers. They nail it every time. And on Saturday, my own Feed Your Head begins a monthly showcase at Lot 1 starring Death To Anders, Dirt Bird, Judson McKinney and Omar Velasco for the first edition.  

Interview: One AM Radio

by Joe Fielder

We interviewed Hrishikesh Hirway from LA electronic pop act One AM Radio a few years ago about how the band first got its start. Since then, they've since made one of our favorite albums of the year -- Heaven Is Attached by a Slender Thread on Dangerbird -- and have been touring in support of it with Jimmy (Dntel) Tamborello and Geotic (the side-project of Will Wiesenfeld of Baths).

This Saturday night is the last night of the tour at The Echoplex.

Here's a recent interview w/ Hrishikesh about both the album and the tour:

Gotta say Heaven Is Attached by a Slender Thread is one of my favorite albums out this year. There's a lot of variety on the album. I like every track. Each one seems like it could be a single. I'm guessing you really put in a lot of sweat over it.

When did you start working on it? Who did you work with?

The first stirrings of what became our new album happened in 2008. Most of that ended up changing a lot by the time the record was done, in 2010. My bandmates Scott and Fontaine joined in that time, and Tony Hoffer came on to help oversee my production work (as 'executive producer'), with the idea from pretty early on that he would mix the album when I finished recording it. So a lot changed in those two years. I'd never really had people involved so closely in making an entire album. Besides the three of them, there was Dangerbird, too. I'd made the last One AM Radio album before I signed with them; we just put it out. But this time, I sent them songs, got feedback, and it was at the Dangerbird office that Tony heard the original demos and got interested in working with me.

What have some of the highlights been of the tour?

The tour so far has been fantastic. It probably goes without saying that we love Geotic and Dntel's music, but Jimmy and Will are also fun, easy people to hang out with, and the five of us have had a great time travelling together in our little One AM Radio minivan.

Life in the minivan could have proven tedious, but so far we've spent a lot of time just joking, listening to podcasts and music, and playing games...it's actually been one of the highlights of the tour, despite being stuck in a such a small, tightly-packed space for 10 hours at a time.

Our show in Portland was at a really lovely venue called Mississippi Studios. Everyone there was courteous and helpful, the sound was great, they fed us well, and we had a good mix of friends and new and old fans.

The most fun non-show thing we had happen was last night in Toronto. We really felt like dancing, but without knowing anyone or anywhere to go, we took a shot in the dark and drove off towards an area that seemed like it had potential. We ended up finding a closing party for some theater festival and crashed it. We danced with all the other party-goers for over an hour. It was spontaneous and ridiculous and perfect.

 What's next for you?

After we come back from this August tour, we have a few festivals we're playing in the fall, and we're doing some tour dates around both of those.

That's it. Thanks for your time.

Thanks a lot!

 

Sunset Junction Bands: Where Are They Now? (Updated)

By Kathryn Pinto
Photo of The Californian from blahblahblahscience.com

(Updated 8:30 pm August 25)
Usually about this time RFSL would be posting our picks for the Sunset Junction Festival. With the festival cancelled and the bands dispersed to play throughout Silver Lake and surrounding neighborhoods, we're  going to try to help map out where the rescheduled shows are and where to find our recommended bands. The bands hurt most by the festival's implosion are the bands from Silver Lake who don't have access to the kind of PR machine as the headliners so we'll start with them first. A more complete listing can be found at Buzzbands.la. RFSL has been in contact with Sunset Junction picks Marvelous Toy, Manhattan Murder Mystery, The Californian, Shadow Shadow Shade and The Damselles and TC4 over the past twenty-four hours, here is what they have to say about their new weekend plans.

Marvelous Toy: Playing at the R-Bar Saturday at 9pm (FREE show), and possibly a day show at a venue and time TBA
Says front man Jordan Hudock, "In memoriam of the collapse of sunset junction, MT will be playing a free show saturday night at the R bar in koreatown... last time we played that place we were mildly tipsy and dressed like alvin and the chipmunks.  who knows what will happen this time.  we're on at 9pm.  it's free so bring everyone you know and let's get nuts."

Shadow Shadow Shade: Nothing scheduled yet, but shows possible

Manhattan Murder Mystery: Playing Sunday at Origami Vinyl
Matthew Teardrop reports that MMM is trying to nail down the exact details.

The Californian: Playing at the Satellite Friday with Cinderella Motel and Chasing Kings. Doors open at 8:30pm, FREE show. (Updated)
John Graney--not only an extremely talented musician, but also one of the most organized and conscientious bandleaders I've met--was in the room at City Hall for the Sunset Junction permit hearings. Says  Graney of the festival, echoing the sentiments of many others in the music community, "I don't personally need a carnival ride, a beer garden, a wristband, and a bunch of cops to remind me how awesome the Silverlake Community can be when it's allowed to.  Everyone has been let down - and in many cases royally screwed (we fit into that category).  We have not yet lined up a Plan B - but for those bands who have - those shows in those venues and those backyards are going to be MUCH more of a celebration of the Silverlake Community than this years Sunset Junction would have been."

The Damselles & the TC4: Friday night at Bardot (Hollywood) with The Mo-Odds!, more gigs TBA
"Obviously we're all disappointed that Sunset Junction has been cancelled. But, we are really encouraged by the support, effort, and camaraderie that other bands, promoters, and friends have shown in scrambling to set up shows for all the performers who were looking forward to playing this year. We're definitely playing every show we get offered this weekend!  But if you're itching for your Damselles & The TC4 fix, you can always bring your dance shoes down to Saint Rocke on Sept 2nd. Or to the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Fest on Sept 17th. Or to Roman Holiday on Sept 28th. Or to the Canoga Park Chili Cook Off w/ Beer Garden on October 2nd. Cause there ain't no Junction gonna stop this Dam soul train." - The Damselles & The TC4

 

We Don't Need No Stinking Festival: Marvelous Toy, Manhattan Murder Mystery Announce Weekend Shows

By Kathryn Pinto

(Updated 9:20 PM August 24)
Hitting back like a firm booty pinched one too many times at a rum-soaked Christmas party, Marvelous Toy, and Manhattan Murder Mystery announce rescheduled weekend shows. The Damselles are rescheduling, but have not confirmed a venue or time. The three bands were on the bill for the Sunset Junction Festival cancelled this morning when permits were denied by the City of Los Angeles.

Marvelous Toy is playing the R-Bar Saturday night at 9pm along with the Broken Numbers Band (Password for the R-Bar is Hello. I'm Johnny Cash.) for Boozapaloozacon. Origami Vinyl in Echo Park confirmed via their twitter feed that Manhattan Murder Mystery will play at the shop Sunday (and Barrio Tiger plays Saturday). Details about the shows and refunds for advance Sunset Junction tickets purchased at Origami Vinyl are coming soon.

Sunset Junction Festival Cancelled. Permit Denied.

By Kathryn Pinto

The Sunset Junction Festival scheduled for this weekend has been cancelled. The L.A. City Board of Public Works denied the festival's request for a permit in a unanimous vote.  Festival organizers failed to allay concerns of Silver Lake neighborhood groups or pay fees for city services in a timely manner, attempting an eleventh-hour maneuver with public requests for donations and a loan of funds from mega promoter Live Nation. For a more detailed explanation of this week's events see the Sunset Junction coverage at buzzbands.la.

As of this posting several excellent acts covered by this site are available to play this weekend, including Marvelous Toy, The Californian, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Shadow Shadow Shade, The Damselles, Olin and the Moon, among other more widely-known acts. According to buzzbands, promoters have been working to schedule makeup dates for the musical acts booked for the festival. Radio Free Silver Lake will keep you posted with these developments as we learn more.

Video Free Silver Lake: Guest Column by Shadow Shadow Shade

By Claire McKeown of Shadow Shadow Shade

Friends: This week Video Free Silver Lake is lucky enough to have Claire McKeown, singstress from one of our favorite L.A. bands, to take on curatorial responsibilities, thus giving our regular contributor "Jed" a much needed break.  In addition to occasionally contributing to RFSL and SSS, Claire is also one of the two vocalists in L.A.'s Dirt Bird.  As of "press time", the Sunset Junction Street Fair is "cancelled" due to over $400,000 in allegedly unpaid fees, despite SSS having been scheduled to play there (on Saturday, August 27th at 5pm on the Edgecliffe Stage). Should the festival become uncancelled (stay tuned to the 24 hour news cycle/facebook/twitter -- there is supposedly a hearing scheduled today which may lead to a reconsideration of the decision to cancel) for updates, be sure to see them perform there. Dirt Bird plays at the Hotel Cafe on Sunday August 28th, at 9pm.  Click here to watch SSS's recent video for "Say Yes", and here for SSS's "White Horse" trilogy, recently screened in the 7th annual Hollyshorts! festival, and starring Jason Ritter and Anna Wilson.

[Update, 11:19 a.m.: Sunset Junction appears to be back on schedule.]

Hello all. Claire McKeown from SSS and Dirt Bird here.  Thought I would share some of my music videos and live performance obesession. I wanted to also include some of my favorite uses of music in movies but then this post would be mammoth. Maybe an other time.

1. This first post is Klaus Nomi and David Bowie's live taping on SNL in 1979. I put Nomi first because I think he totally upstaged Bowie. I hear that Bowie never talked to him again after this performance. It is by far my favorite version of this song.

David Bowie & Klaus Nomi - The Man Who Sold The World from André Goldvasser on Vimeo.

Show Spotlight: Auditorium, College Kids, Kevin Earnest, Sanglorians at the Bootleg

By Kathryn Pinto

Radio Free Silver Lake sweethearts College Kids come to the Bootleg Theater for a FREE show tonight along with Auditorium, Kevin Earnest and Sanglorians. College Kids, the love child of Rademacher's Malcolm Sosa and Kim Haden of Yellow Alex and formerly of Light FM, are much-loved over here at RFSL HQ. We're also pretty excited to see Auditorium, bedroom dream glam pop from Spencer Berger, a guy who cut his teeth singing at the Metropolitan Opera. Try to wrap your head around that.

As a way of introduction to tonight's show Malcolm Sosa proposed an interview discussion with music people who had played together in New York and are now based in Los Angeles.