by Brad Roberts
I enjoyed a series of terrific shows last week, four shows in four days, in order to counteract the effects of spending eight days on Jury Duty, which ended on Wednesday. Were it not for the good humor and lively intelligence of my fellow jurors, we might have succumbed to boredom. Of immeasurable help were the gorgeous show by Low at El Rey on Tuesday night and the first L.A. performance of Zack (Pinback) Smith's side project, Systems Officer on Thursday at The Echo, which offered a supreme opportunity to watch this guy's fingers work the bass in his astonishing manner.
This coming weekend presents The Eagle Rock Music Festival 2011 and it's always one of the year's highlights. This year is featuring such bands as Shadow Shadow Shade, Gangi, Mia Doi Todd, Allah Las and Little Red Lung (see Joe's interview with them, here), representing some of the established and emerging acts currently in our fair city. Being Southern California, the weather is usually October-perfect for this affair...sunny, and not too hot, and not too cool. I have to miss this year's festival because I have long been in possession of a ticket for the Elbow and DeVotchKa show at The Greek that night and I can't miss the opportunity to see two of the best live bands I've ever seen together on one bill. This will be one of the best shows of the year...guaranteed.
A few weeks ago I went to the release show for Release The Sunbird's album, Come Back To Us at the Hotel Cafe. As a longtime fan of Rogue Wave, I was happy to hear how good this new project is from Zach Rogue. They appear Wednesday on Morning Becomes Eclectic on KCRW, and now that I know the music, I look forward to a second exposure this week on Thursday, again at Hotel Cafe. Then Release The Sunbird has a spot on the sold out Peter, Bjorn and John show Saturday at The Troubadour and in October they open for Death Cab For Cutie at the Fox Theatre in Pomona. Headed for the big time, I'd say.
Monday, September 26
- "School Night!" w/ Ben Folds, Charlie Winston, Chad Valley @ Bardot
- Drew Landry @ Redwood Bar
- Big Black Delta, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, Death Kit, Echoes De Luxe @ The Satellite
- Hanni El Khatib, Kissing Cousins, Feeding People @ The Echo
- Big Moves, Light FM, Cassorla, Monte Mar @ Bootleg Bar
- Britton EP release party, Ultramunx, Aloha Radio @ The Central
- Red Circle Underground, Cardboard Lamb, Franco Near Death, Spero @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Tic Tic Boom!, Sugarplum, The Neighborhood @ Lot 1 Cafe
DECISION:
It's been a while since I've seen Letting Up Despite Great Faults (at right) so I don't want this opportunity to hear their hypnotic, droney indie-pop slip by. They're playing the Big Black Delta residency at The Satellite tonight. Light FM are playing The Bootleg for the Big Moves residency. And Hanni El Khatib plays with Kissing Cousins at The Echo. I had fun at last week's "School Night!" at Bardot and this week is another strong show that features Ben Folds.
Tuesday, September 27
- Dum Dum Girls @ Amoeba Music
- Mariah McManus record release, Beverly McClellan, Jack Littman, Stephen Wrabel @ Hotel Cafe
- Sleeper Agent, Wake Up Lucid @ Bootleg Bar
- Duran Duran, Neon Trees @ Nokia Theatre
- Lisa Hannigan, John Smith @ El Rey
- The Dead Ships 7" record release show, The Ross Sea Party, Gentle Hands, The Post War Quartet @ The Central
- MC Chris, MC Lars, Mega Ran, Adam WarRock @ The Troubadour
- Michael Davis, Gun Runner, Tod Wisenbaker, J. Todd Bergman @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Thurston Moore, White Magic @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
- Kings Go Forth, The Damselles & The TC4 @ The Echo
- Soft Pipes, Oh Darling, Adventure Gallery @ The Satellite
- Alana Amram and the Rough Gems, Jim Campilongo @ Bootleg Bar
- Sinner Sinners, Black Beverly Heels, The Vice Five @ Redwood Bar
- "Hear Unplugged #3" (Folk/Rock/Acoustic) @ Lot 1
DECISION:
The Dead Ships cap off their residency at The Central with a 7" release party, supported by The Ross Sea Party. Thurston Moore plays by the graveyard at Hollywood Forever Cemetery's Masonic Lodge and The Damselles and The TC4 get dressed up to make beautiful music over at The Echo. Still around, still alive and back to performing are Duran Duran at Club Nokia, for those with nostalgia for the early eighties.
Wednesday, September 28
- "Desert Nights" w/ Ruthann Friedman, Susan James, Michelle Vidal @ The Standard
- Boogie Monster @ Origami Vinyl
- Joe Purdy, Javier Dunn, Mike Burke @ Hotel Cafe
- AM & Shawn Lee CD release show, Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn, Zak Waters @ The Troubadour
- Daniel Ahearn and The Jones, Lunar Sway, Drew Landry @ The Mint
- Lost Marauders @ Taix Lounge
- Jens Lekmen, Geoffrey O'Connor @ Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
- Justin Townes Earle & Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, Caitlin Rose @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre
- Twin Owl, Strange Markings, Shannon Curtis, The Muddy Reds @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Y Luv, Francisco the Man, Tic Tic Boom! @ The Central
- JJAMZ, E.S.P. @ 3 of Clubs
- Nurses, Dominant Legs, Harlan @ The Echo
- Neon Indian, Com Truise @ Bootleg Bar
DECISION:
Some interesting shows tonight, like "Desert Nights" at The Standard with singer/songwriter Ruthann Friedman, Jens Lekmen is at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever, I enjoy the music of both AM and Shawn Lee and they have a CD release show at The Troubadour. JJAMZ, comprised of members of Rilo Kiley, Maroon 5, and The Like, are at 3 of Clubs. Those are pretty good references.
Thursday, September 29
- OohLaLA Festival w/ Nouvelle Vague, Hugh Coltman @ El Rey
- Release The Sunbird, Ry Cuming, Terraplane Sun, Aaron Lee @ Hotel Cafe
- Tinariwen @ Amoeba Music
- Authentic Sound of Silverlake, AK & Her Kalishnikovs @ Taix Lounge
- Dead Sara, Plague Vendor, Red Museum, Them Howling Bones, The Bixby Knolls, Beta State @ The Viper Room
- Fool's Gold, Tijuana Panthers, Allah Las @ The Troubadour
- Gillian Welch @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre
- Jon Brion & Friends @ Largo at the Coronet
- Ravi Shankar Anoushka Shankar With Ravi Shankar and Los Angeles Philharmonic @ Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Stephen Brower & The Silent Majority record release, Trevor Menear, Parents @ Silver Lake Lounge
- A.A. Bondy, Nik Freitas @ Bootleg Bar
- Braids, Pepper Rabbit, Painted Palms @ The Echo
- High Castle, I.E., Roses Jade Camellia, this @ The Smell
DECISION:
The OohLaLA Festival starts up today with Nouvelle Vague at El Rey, along with a free preview performance by Tinariwen at Amoeba Music as a prelude to their own OohLaLA show tomorrow night at El Rey. Indie rock is spotted in West Hollywood with Fool's Gold at The Troubadour with Allah Las, and The Bixby Knolls and Them Howling Bones at The Viper Room. I'm choosing between two of my favorites, either Pepper Rabbit at The Echo or the new project by Zach Rogue of Rogue Wave called Release The Sunbird (above), who also have a terrific new CD, at Hotel Cafe and a date at The Troubadour on Saturday.
Friday, September 30
- Jake Newton, Keaton Simons, Joe Giil, Jamie Drake, Halle & The Jilt @ Hotel Cafe
- OohLaLA Festival w/ Tinariwen, Hindi Zahra, GlobeSonic @ El Rey
- The Dead Ships @ Origami Vinyl
- Jon Brion & Friends @ Largo at the Coronet
- Love Me Not, The Checkers, LA Ghost @ Redwood Bar
- Neon Indian, Com Truise, Purity Ring @ The Troubadour
- Jasper Dixon Quartet, Nice Guy Eddie @ Taix Lounge
- Ollabelle @ MCabe's
- The Nocturnes, El Elle, Psychic Friend, Pageants @ The Central
- The OddFaces, The Paper Hearts, The 64 Hours, The Issue @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Active Child, Chad Valley, Jonti @ The Echo
- Rebirth Brass Band, The Dustbowl Revival, DJ Danny Holloway @ Echoplex
- Young Persons Health & Fitness Seminar @The Satellite
- Big Sir, Sea of Cortez, Greenhorse @ Bootleg Bar
- Gothic Tropic, Truman Peyote, Body Parts, Masxs @ Lot 1
DECISION:
Kind of light picking for a Friday night, maybe because of the all day Eagle Rock Music Festival tomorrow, but still there's Gothic Tropic finishing up a residency at Lot 1 tonight, and The Dead Ships play a free show over at Origami Vinyl at 7.
Saturday, October 1
- Eagle Rock Music Festival 2011 @ Colorado Blvd. Eagle Rock
- Elbow, DeVotchKa @ The Greek
- Santana, George Lopez @ Hollywood Bowl
- The Daylights, Jesse Macht, Tyler Conti, Kari Kimmel, Scott Mellis @ Hotel Cafe
- Paul Inman, Fort King @ Taix Lounge
- Halos, Queen Caveat, Kozmonaut, Tack, Bad Suns @ The Viper Room
- Matt The Electrician @ McCabe's
- Manhattan Murder Mystery, Gibbons and The Sluts, Palm Reader, Stanislaus @ The Smell
- Sin Alley, 7 Dirty Words, Bastard Winos, Electric Sister @ Redwood Bar
- The Thrilling Adventure Hour @ Largo at the Coronet
- Infected Mushroom @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre
- M.O.R.E., Octavio Red, Dos Zero Uno and La Theoria, Azukar Smash @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Revolver, Chateau Marmont @ The Satellite
- The Finches, Moses Campbell, KIT, Keychain @ Pehrspace
- The Peach Kings, Emily Greene @ Bootleg Bar
- Peter, Bjorn and John, Rogue Wave, Release The Sunbird @ The Troubadour
- Jolie Holland @ McCabe's
DECISION:
I was first introduced to Elbow back in April, 2006 when I was following Earlimart around and found out they were opening for an English band called Elbow at Avalon. (The photo at right by Scott Dudelson is from their set at Coachella this year) After listening to samples of their music on myspace, I went out and bought Leaders Of The Free World which comes with a DVD of music videos, became an immediate fan, and got a ticket for the show. They are one of the best live bands and frontman, Guy Garvey performs with such a genuine spirit that the audience gets wrapped up in the warmth of both his voice and his presence along with the beautifully crafted music. DeVotchKa,on the other hand, just get up on stage and throw the audience into a celebratory mood with their lively "Oom-Pah-Pah" sound and Eastern-European influences. The variety of instruments is astounding, with most of the percussion being provided by a trombone. This will be the fourth time for each, that I have been lucky enough to be present at their shows. Two glorious bands play The Greek tonight.
This is causing me to miss The Eagle Rock Music Festival, which is always a highlight of the year and offers music, food, and family-friendly (and not-so-family-friendly) revelry on a grand scale along Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock. I've always enjoyed the chance to get out of the inner city to the wide open boulevard in Eagle Rock, so I'll be a bit sorry to miss it this year. Also tonight, Manhattan Murder Mystery take a trip to The Smell and Moses Campbell is at Pehrspace, and, oh yeah, Santana is at Hollywood Bowl. There's a great sold out show at The Troubadour with Peter, Bjorn and John, Rogue Wave and Mr. Rogue's other band, Release The Sunbird.
Sunday, October 2
- Nikki Leonti, Kris & Alix, One Hundred Paces, HUCK @ Hotel Cafe
- The Chapin Sisters with special guest Jen Chapin @ McCabe's
- Steve Poltz, Billy Harvey, Daniel Ahearn and the Jones @ The Satellite
- Colleagues, The Finches, Primary Structures, Rats @ The Smell
- Marnie Stern, Dunes, Wet & Reckless, Cinderella Motel @ Bootleg Bar
- Kindest Lines, Violet Tremors, Jewels of the Nile @ The Echo
DECISION:
Tonight provides a good come down to end the weekend listening to some terrific female singers. With the lilting vocal harmonies of The Chapin Sisters at McCabe's, or the sweet, but bruised music of Wet & Reckless (at right) on a bill with chanteuse, Marnie Stern at Bootleg Bar, there's much variety to choose from.
Tell me more at RFSLshowlistings@gmail.com
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