Last week we brought you the favorite albums, EP’s and songs from our favorite Los Angeles bands, and today we return with bands’ picks of their top live shows of the past year. Here’s the word from Light FM, The Californian, Geoff Geis, George Glass, Death to Anders, Seasons, Wendy Wang and WALK. (Photo: Le Switch Final Show at the Satellite, courtesy of Aaron Kyle)
Josiah Mazzaschi - Light FM
The Kills - Emo's, Austin, TX SXSW
So much energy for a duo! Great guitar sounds.
Shadow Shadow Shade - Lobsterfest, San Pedro, CA
Claire is my vocal instructor and I finally got to see her in action. They sounded so good!!
Rademacher - Fulton 55, Fresno, CA
I feel like these guys always put on a good show no matter what. They definitely vibe off their hometown people! Really great show!
Fancy Space People, The Smashing Pumpkins at the 9:30 Club, Washington D.C.
The sound was really good and everybody was having fun. SP totally rocked that night too.
Wild Flag at the Troubadour West Hollywood, CA
One of those moments where something magical happened. The spontaneity of their performance was truly inspiring.
Sabrosa Purr at the Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles, CA
Huge wall of sound. These guys and gals are totally under looked.
The Flaming Lips at the Performing "Dark Side of the Moon" Hollywood Forever Cemetery
A total spectacle visually and a great place to see a show. I didn't realize they were throwing out balloons filled with money!!
Asobi Seksu at the SXSW, Austin, TX
They played a great set and sounded really full and loud. It was impressive.
John Graney - The Californian
The Belle Brigade - Hotel San Jose, SXSW
I'll not waste time singing this band's praises to the moon. I've no doubt the moon is already perfectly aware. This show was an amazing display of their massive badassery (and Mike G's stellar ass shaking capabilities). The PA died in the middle of the second to last song so they jumped off stage and performed their single "loser" acoustic in the middle of the crowd. It was fucking legendary.
The Goodbye Le Switch show – The Satellite
I don't mean to sound like a downer, but do you guys remember that huge live music scene that used to thrive around here? It was really golden and incredible for some time - and Le Switch was such a fixture in that moment. It's such a cool band and everyone in it is such a monster. The goodbye show was amazing - not too emotional and bullshit - it was an appropriate wave goodbye to a different time. (It was also a loud obnoxious drunken ruckus thank god) Le Switch - I love you guys - thanks for everything.
Geoff Geis – Geoff Geis
Yoko Ono at the Hollywood Bowl
This summer's Yellow Magic Orchestra concert at the Hollywood Bowl was so incredibly boring that we almost left before Yoko took the stage for five minutes of incredible, primal scream blues. I'm so glad that we didn't miss the most commanding stage presence I've ever seen.
LA's Got Talent at Sancho Gallery, LA
For about a month, Sean Carnage and associates took over Sancho Gallery for a massive celebration of the weird and underground in LA.
FMLY Ride with Kid Infinity
We waited for like two hours under an overpass downtown, but it was so worth it when the bikers rolled up and the party started.
Desert Independence Festival
We drove out to somewhere near Palmdale, down a dirt road, until we saw a faint blue glow stick hanging in a tree and turned offload. Eventually, we got to a stage and watched under-starlight performances from So Many Wizards, Kid Infinity, Batwings Catwings, Voice on Tape, and more.
Home Room opening
Home Room is LA's newest DIY venue, opened in Koreatown by Walt Gorecki and Shaddy Zeineddine. They put so much love into creating a community art space that is set up to have longevity.
Nathan Kondor - George Glass
Prince at the LA Forum
I saw two of his shows there this year, and I was blown away. He's one of the best live performers I've ever seen, both as a showman and as a musical technician.
Girls at The Music Box
This was one of my favorites for sure. Solid, flawless and passionately expressive. All of those dudes are fantastic musicians.
Austra at The Echo
Really creative show. And fun. Their album Feel it Break is also one of my favorites of this year.
Rob Danson - Death to Anders
The Damselles at Casey’s, Performed Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety
I didn't know they were gonna do it. They played "Speak to Me" and I was floored. They then played "Breath in the Air" and I realized something extraordinary was going on.... holy shit.... they were covering all of Dark Side of the Moon. What impressed me the most was their acute attention to detail. Every David Gilmore note, bend, and slide was mimicked. Every electronic subtlety covered. "On the Run" and "time" was by far my favorite. They melded the two with audience participation by having everyone set their alarm clocks ten minutes after the set started. Miraculously, the Damselles planned this out so well that all the alarm clocks went off right as the clocks on the album would chime.
Manhattan Murder Mystery at the Edgecliff Hog Roast (Anti-Sunset Junction party).
Give me the name of any person who hated this show and I'll kick their ass...plain and simple. Look online and you'll see video footage of this show.... video footage which appears once in a music scene's lifetime. This was it. The pinnacle of what so many people have been missing in Silverlake. Manhattan Murder Mystery are at the top of their game when it comes to live music, period.
Manhattan Murder Mystery
Well, I went to about a million great shows this year, but I think this is probably the best thing I saw:
Watch it here.
Rob Poynter & Angela Correa - Correatown
The Californian's residency shows at The Satellite
Such a great band, really tight live; their residency shows were full of energy & memorable
Leslie Stevens singing Sofie solo at the new Echo Park Country Outpost
Leslie's voice pretty much breaks my heart every time she opens her mouth to sing, but this new song she performed solo this Fall made me wish I had written it myself, so good!
Dorian Wood's Hellfire Tears live at La Cita in March
One of the most talented performers in LA, Dorian Wood is so fucking gifted it makes me upset the world at large isn't obsessed with his genius.
The Damselles record release show at The Echo
One of the most fun and memorable performances by a band with so much joy & talent... Jillinda, Brittany & Maria brings sass and singing to new levels and the band was super tight... Amazing!
Penelope Fortier at The Bootleg in December
Her voice is the most sweet and lilting gift, wonderful little between song asides and when she sings in French prepare to swoon hard.
Le Switch Farewell show with The World Record at The Satellite
Such a grand night of music, great songs, good people, drinks & fond farewells... And what a line-up- The World Record is also one of our favorite local bands... Andy's voice is timeless.
Return of Murder Ballads presented by LA Record & organized by Daiana F
One of the best evenings of collective song we've played in memory, the stage was awash in bramble and twigs. So many great interpretations of traditional murder ballads and Daiana did a pretty stellar job organizing so many bands
*Bonus pick - Hi Ho Silver Oh live at The Bootleg in September
This band blows my mind, Kasey Trela's voice is stunning and melodious, the arrangement of their songs have so many dynamics... I can't wait to see where they go.
Wendy Wang – The Sweet Hurt
Touche at The Echo (Active Child Residency)
I was jetlagged and sleep-deprived, but they still had me dancing through a 40-minute set. Such a great band. This was also the first time I saw them play with drummer Aaron Redfield. Such a great team.
St Vincent at The Music Box Oct 18, 2011
She and her band are effortless. The light displays were haunting. That night I got lost in the eyes of music.
WALK (Tim Jordan and Dan)
Typhoon at the Satelite
I got into Typhoon in a big way this year. Their album Hunger and Thirst and their EP A New Kind of House became fast favorites of mine and seeing them play at The Satellite was the closest I've ever gotten to a religious experience (Dan)
The Dodos at the Autry Museum
I also really liked The Dodos' No Color and went to see them at the Autry museum, which is such a cool setting in which to see a band (Dan)
Wild Flag at the Troubadour
My girlfriend's kind of obsessed with Carrie Brownstein, so we went to see Wild Flag at The Troubadour, which was an awesome show. Their self-titled album kicks ass, too. Janet Weiss is one of my drumming idols, so I always jump at the chance to see her play. (Dan)
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