by Brad Roberts
This is a really good week for very strong shows. The biggest of which is, for me, An Evening with Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman on Monday, performing a free-form concert experience at Wilshire Ebell Theatre that appears will be a mostly unscripted review-style offering of songs from Palmer and spoken word musings from author Neil Gaiman. This is how I get to spend Halloween night.
One of the best shows of the week is over at Pehrspace on Friday night with the new hot band, Little Red Lung, appearing with two of our best, George Glass and One Trick Pony, in what will undoubtedly be one of the hottest local tickets of the week. Hosted by Missouri's Special Passenger Records.
The Monolators, now a three-piece, have a show on Tuesday at The Echo where they open for Shonen Knife. I have my own show on Saturday night highlighting two bands that have some of the nicest members I know (among so many!) Both Downtown/Union and Torches have been on my list of favorite local bands for some time now so I'm thrilled to have them co-headlining my Feed Your Head night at Lot 1. When you throw in Aaron Kyle's Geronimo Getty and Steve Sigl's Schoenberg Knife Fight Ensemble it ends up being more like an evening with friends.
There's a lot more good shows inside...
Monday, October 31
- An Evening with Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer @ Wilshire Ebell Theatre
- Danzig, Corrosion of Conformity @ Gibson Amphitheatre
- Schoenberg Knife Fight Ensemble, LeMay, Barbarian Overlords @ Trip Bar
- Zola Jesus, LA Vampires, Xanopticon @ Echoplex
- Warm Weather, Yeah Way, Max Goldblatt, Sebastian Posso, Ezra Woods @ The Central
- Minus the Bear, The Lonely Forest @ The Satellite
- Indians, Dead Birds, Tiktaalik, The Pocket Rockets @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Captain Ahab, Guns 'N Broses, Cristopher Sea, Barfth, Greenlander @ Pehrspace
- Mind the Gap, DJ Sleeper, Weapons of Audio, Black Crystal Wolf Kids @ Bootleg Bar
- Buddyhead presents, The Icarus Line, Stab City, The Sister Ruby Band, The Wunderstation, DJ's Travis and Joe Cardemone @ The Echo
- The Field, Air France (DJ Set), Abe Vigoda, GODDOLLARS, David Scott Stone @ Eagle Rock Center for the Arts
- Lovers Drugs, The Laxingtons, Animal Motherboard @ Lot 1
DECISION:
This is one of he loooongest Halloweens I've ever seen and tonight and instead of a traditional Halloween party, I'll be spending an Evening with Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer. Tonight the married couple kick off a brief West Coast tour at old, historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre promising an evening of unusual and diverse entertainment. Being a big fan of the uniquely talented Ms. Palmer, I look forward to the promise of a different style of review, featuring ukulele, piano and her powerful bray, interspersed with stories and poems provided by Neil Gaiman. Sounds to me like the perfect Halloween trick and treat.
Among the other Halloween-themed shows I recommend, one is over in Santa Monica at the Trip Bar where Schoenberg Knife Fight Ensemble will be playing their dark and celebratory rock and roll highlighted by the defiant swagger of their lead singer, John Rickel. Buddyhead is presenting a strong line up at The Echo with The Icarus Line and The Sister Ruby Band for starters.
Tuesday, November 1
- Deana Carter, Jesse Payo, Julia Price, Erin McLaughlin @ Hotel Cafe
- Kiev, Rimpau, Jim Hanft and Samantha Yonack, Monsters Calling Home, Nacosta @ The Central
- Mastodon, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Red Fang @ The Wiltern
- Minus the Bear, The Lonely Forest @ The Troubadour
- Ballerina Black, Morose, VCR Monster, Exit Music @ The Satellite
- Bell X1, Favourite Sons @ Bootleg Bar
- Deer Tick, Guards, Bleeding Knees Club @ Echoplex
- Barrio Tiger, Help, Sirhan, Sirhan, Sideshow Tragedy @ Redwood Bar
- Delfonic Love, Tapioca and the Flea, The New Room @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Shonen Knife, Shannon & the Clams, The Monolators @ The Echo
DECISION:
As if last night wasn't enough, there's still plenty to get you out on a Tuesday night tonight and I'll be heading over to The Echo to see The Monolators tear up the place for headliners Shonen Knife (at right). Minus the Bear have been in town for a couple of shows at clubs like The Satellite last night and The Troubadour tonight. Deer Tick are playing the Echoplex for a chance to see them in a less-than-huge venue.
Wednesday, November 2
- LA Ghost, Bird Mad Girl, TRC (thee rain cats), So Wrong @ The Satellite
- Elizabeth & The Catapult & Harper Blynn w/ friends, The Barr Brothers, Nicole Eva Emery @ Hotel Cafe
- Hacienda, Youth Lagoon @ Origami Vinyl
- Architecture in Helsinki, Dom and The Sandwiitches @ El Rey
- Filter, Menew @ The Viper Room
- tUnE-YarDs, Cut Chemist, Pat Jordache @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre
- We Are/She Is, Jack Littman, Robert Patrick, and guest @ The Central
- Wild Flag, Drew Grow ant the Pastors' Wives @ The Troubadour
- Youth Lagoon, Young Magic, The Driftwood Singers @ The Echo
- Lydia Loveless, Olentangy John, Last American Buffalo @ Bootleg Bar
- Mr. Gnome, Ertel, Imaginary Thieves, Simon Says No! @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Neon Line, Viva La Vox @ Redwood Bar
- So-Cal Tennis Club, Italian Japanese @ 3 of Clubs
DECISION:
Eclectic mix of shows tonight with big time acts like Architecture in Helsinki (at right) at El Rey, and Olentangy John and Last American Buffalo opening for Lydia Loveless over at Bootleg Bar. The Driftwood Singers are doing a couple of shows in town tonight at The Echo playing for Youth Lagoon and tomorrow night at The Standard for "Desert Nights".
Thursday, November 3
- Jamie Drake, Fay Wolf record release, Daniela Brooker, Jes Hudak, The Family Bones @ Hotel Cafe
- Tennis System @ Origami Vinyl
- "Desert Nights" w/ The Driftwood Singers, Michael Runion, Alex Rhodes @ The Standard
- City And Colour @ Orpheum Theatre
- Colbie Caillat @ The Grammy Museum
- Wild Flag, Drew Grow ant the Pastors' Wives @ The Troubadour
- Dead Dawn, Virginia Reed, Spirit Vine, Hepa/Titus @ The Echo
- ACTUALLY, Big Digits, Essay, G.E.D @ The Smell
- Amy Kuney, Kraak & Smaak (DJ set) @ The Mint
- Aziatix, Nylon Pink @ Bootleg Bar
- Big Moves, In One Wind, Masxs, Gothic Tropic @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Dustbowl Revival & James Apollo @ Redwood Bar
- Marie Moreshead, Adam @ Taix Lounge
DECISION:
The Driftwood Singers (above) are a good bet at "Desert Nights" over on the Strip at The Standard or there's Gothic Tropic at Silver Lake Lounge or go see Spirit Vine at The Echo.
Friday, November 4
- Little Red Lung, George Glass, One Trick Pony, Mama's Joy @ Pehrspace
- The Parlotones, Scattered Trees, Your Very Own, The Tender Box @ The Roxy
- Abe Vigoda, High Places, Stephen/Steven, White Dog, Earn, C.R.A.S.H. @ The Smell
- Oak & Gorski, David Choi Record Release Show w/ Special Guests, Curtis Peoples, Arrows to Athens @ Hotel Cafe
- United Ghosts @ Origami Vinyl
- Cyndi Lauper @ Club Nokia
- Hot Rod Circuit, No Motiv, Helen Earth Band, Ladylike @ The Troubadour
- Mike Doughty and His Band Fantastic, Moon Hooch @ El Rey
- Phantogram, Reptar @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre
- PK, Hello Vegas, The Lexingtons, Lovers Drugs, DJ Mario Noir @ The Central
- Willy Porter @ McCabe's
- Afterhours with very special guests Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan, Majakovich @ Echoplex
- Queen of Afro Fusion Wunmi, Jeremy Sole @ The Satellite
- Lakookala, DJ Ethos featuring Kiran Gandhi on Percussion, Diet Thrills Foreman @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Rubblebucket, Superhumanoids, Big Tree @ Bootleg Bar
- See-I, Said the Whale, We Are The City, Priory @ The Mint
- Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Gauntlet Hair, The Young Rapscallions, So Many Wizards @ The Echo
- Ovideo @ Casey's Bar
- Neptune Recovery, James Apollo Taix Lounge
DECISION:
Wow! What a great bunch of shows tonight, but I know what I'm going for. The Pehrspace show with Little Red Lung (at right), George Glass, One Trick Pony and Mama's Joy. Four wonderful bands make this the show of the night for me. This is being hosted by the small record label, Special Passenger Records, from Missouri who are putting together a documentary about some of the potent music scenes across the country. They will be filming at this show...so look sharp.
Saturday, November 5
- Fruit Bats, The Parson Red Heads, El May @ The Troubadour
- Feed Your Head presents Downtown/Union CD release, Torches, Geronimo Getty, Shoenberg Knife Fight Ensemble @ Lot 1
- Graham Parker @ McCabe's
- Brothers From Another Mother West Coast Tour w/ Darren Fisher, Charlie Overbey, John Neilson @ The Echo
- Doran Danoff, Audio Absinthe presents Stephen Wrabel, Mike Weiss, Shannon Haley, Melly Francis & The Distilled Spirits, The Whiskey Saints @ Hotel Cafe
- Gun Outfit, Dunes, Total Abuse, John Wiese, Thee Urxed, Infinite Body, Tearist @ The Smell
- VUM @ Origami Vinyl
- Kate Voegele, Parachute, Conor Flynn @ El Rey
- Lovers and Poets, Paul Larsen (of The Minor Canon) @ Taix Lounge
- The Thrilling Adventure Hour @ Largo at the Coronet
- Typhoon, Wild Ones, Youth @ The Satellite
- Lovelybones, DJ Beatz91 (Chris Moreno), + 2 Bands @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Pisces, Miniature Soap Record Release, Missincinatti, Bright Beast @ Pehrspace
- The Beach Life Kings, SUMMRDJ, Coby (Say Anything), DJ Drum set, Brett Miller @ The Central
- Still Corners, Ganglians, Tour De France CD release w/ special guest performances by Rufus and Martha Wainwright @ Bootleg Bar
DECISION:
I love the popular new album, Tripper, by Fruit Bats so much I wish I could go to their show at The Troubadour tonight, especially since The Parson Red Heads are on tour with them. I've seen Fruit Bats a number of time already and even seen Eric D. Johnson performing with other bands like Vetiver and The Shins, so I know this will be a great show. I'm having my third Feed Your Head Night at Lot 1 so I have my obligations, but I don't mind that much because it's the CD release celebration for Downtown/Union and I'm real proud to be presenting that. That's Bo Bory above. Also have one of my favorites on the bill with Torches co-headlining. Throw in Geronimo Getty and Schoenberg Knife Fight Ensemble and you have the makings of another good night of music. Also, don't want to forget, there''s a show with Sarah Negahdari's other project, Pisces (see interview here) on a bill with Kelli Anne Noftle's music project, Miniature Soap at Pehrspace. Wish I could go to that one, too.
Sunday, November 6
- Slow Club, Neverever, The Spires @ The Echo
- Broken Numbers, Pebs, The Ragged Jubilee, Kindlewood @ Hotel Cafe
- John Wesley Harding & The King Charles Trio, The Minus Five @ McCabe's
- No Age, Eric Copeland, Kit, Bleached, David Scott Stone, SFV Acid @ The Smell
- After, Black Vinyl, Halfwy Decent, Mike Dawson, Rooftop Revolutionaries, The Shotgun Break @ The Troubadour
- Daniel Ahearn and the Jones, Right the Stars, Liz Clark @ The Satellite
- Pink Mountaintops, Strangers Family Band @ The Bordello
- Sic Alps, Sun Araw, Bleeding Knees Club @ Bootleg Bar
DECISION:
Radio Free Silver Lake favorites, The Spires (at right) are back and on the bill with Slow Club and Neverever at The Echo tonight. Bleeding Knees Club are on an interesting Bootleg Bar line up with Sun Araw and Sic Alps. Daniel Ahearn and the Jones are the attraction at The Satellite making this a pretty good Sunday night.
Is there more? RFSLshowlistings@gmail.com
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