by Brad Roberts
Due to computer illiteracy, this column is a little late and rather hastily composed as I had to begin the whole thing from scratch for the second time at 8PM on Sunday night.
Well, thanks to Kevin Bronson and Buzzbands, New Year's Eve 2012 will not be soon forgotten. The Henry Clay People returned to the stage of The Satellite Saturday night, after taking last year off, in a blaze of glory. Festively decorated for the occasion, the club was filled with new and old friends, all anxious to party. LA Font opened the night with a nice rambunctious set that established the mood. The power pop stylings and dynamic vocals of Races were next, followed by a raucous, celebratory set by The Henry Clay People, who tore through favorites from throughout their career, with a few covers and guest artists thrown in. They played for a couple of hours...I think. But who can be sure.
The major houses are dark this week, but the local scene more than picks up the slack. The Monday residencies are strong this month with Seasons at The Echo, Vinnie Ferra at Silver Lake Lounge, Princeton at Bootleg Bar and Chasing Kings at The Satellite. We're also offering a ticket giveaway for the Bikos show at The Bootleg on Tuesday night, here. Tenlons Fort has a couple of shows this week, Friday at Pehrspace and Saturday at the Lot 1 Feed Your Head show.
- Seasons EP release, One Trick Pony, Count Fleet, Torches @ The Echo
- Princeton, Lesands, Red Pony Clock @ Bootleg Bar
- Manhattan Murder Mystery, I.E., Nicole Kidman, Philip Seymour Hoffman @ Pehrspace
- Chasing Kings, Toy Bombs, Cassorla, Brendan Hines @ The Satellite
- Vinnie Ferra, Leerone, Brandon Mayer & The Hidden Powers, Them Howling Bones @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
The week gets off to a smashing start with the Seasons release party for their new EP, Autumn, which will be available at the show at The Echo. How do you compete with a line up that includes three more of the hottest bands in town: Torches, One Trick Pony and Count Fleet? Princeton, Lesands and Red Pony Clock at Bootleg Bar are one way. Manhattan Murder Mystery at Pehrspace are another.
Tuesday, January 3
- Bikos, Lovers Drugs, Son Ark @ Bootleg Bar
- Touché, Evan Voytas, Gothic Tropic, Masxs@ The Central
- Olin & The Moon, Maxim Ludwig, Willoughby, Jeff Crosby on the patio @ The Echo
- Catwalk, WEED, The Lovely Bad Things, LA Font @ The Smell
- Lo-Fi Sugar, ...Music Video?, Laco$te @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
The wonderful Bikos are headlining a show with Lovers Drugs and Son Ark at Bootleg Bar and we've offered a ticket giveaway. Touché, another pet project of Alex Lilly (of Obi Best), is sure to be another showcase for her remarkable talents, and with Gothic Tropic and Evan Voytas on the bill, a trip to The Central on the West Side would be worthwhile. And Olin and the Moon and Willoughby make a good fit at The Echo.
Wednesday, January 4
- One High Five, Adam Bones, Phlying Saucer, The Knitts @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Hepa/Titus w/ Virginia Reed, Dead Dawn, Kill Kill Kill @ The Echo
- Key Losers, The Finches, French Quarter @ The Smell
- Hi Fashion, Professor Possessor, Actually, Waterlaso @ Bootleg Bar
- Brooke Northdrop, Ariana Hall + more @ Hotel Cafe
DECISION:
Curiously titled show called Hepa/Titus at The Echo stands out on a rather quiet night.
Thursday, January 5
- Stonefeather, King Devil, Bad Lamps @ Bootleg Bar
- Baywood, The Broken Numbers Band, The Far West @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Summer Darling, Birds & Batteries, The Hunting Accident, Baron Von Luxxury @ The Echo
- Rumspringa, Harlan, Noah and the Megafauna @ The Satellite
- Vintage Trouble, Marv Mark for Soulside @ The Troubadour
DECISION:
Birds and Batteries (at right) are a band I first learned about through their wonderful CD, Panorama, last year. When they came through town and played a set at Origami Vinyl a year ago last November I was impressed with their live performance. They don't venture down from the Bay Area often enough, so I want to catch their show with Summer Darling at The Echo to see a full set.
Friday, January 6
- "First Fridays" w/ Mariachi El Bronx, El Haru Kuroi @ L.A. County Natural History Museum
- The Lumineers @ Hotel Cafe
- Black Flamingo, NO, Crooked Cowboy, Batwings Catwings @ Echoplex
- Chuck Dukowski Sextet, Voodoo Merchant, & more @ Lot 1
- Ernest Troost, Shaun Cromwell @ McCabe's
- Kelley James, Ernie Halter, Dylan Chambers @ The Troubadour
- Monte Mar, Light FM, The Alternates, Younglight @ The Satellite
- Jacuzzi Boys, Hanni El Khatib, Marcus Very Ordinary @ Bootleg Bar
- Kate Earl, Patrick Park, Ema and Her Lady Parts, Tenlons Fort @ Pehrspace
- The Smell 14th Anniversary w/ No Age, Heller Keller, Palm Reader, Traps PS, Peter Pants, You Me & Us @ The Smell
- Tall Tales, Cave Country @ Taix Lounge
DECISION:
Busy night with this week's first appearance by Tenlons Fort at Pehrspace, along with Kate Earl, Patrick Park and Ema and Her Lady Parts. Cave Country play with Tall Tales at Taix Lounge and Light FM are at The Satellite. The Smell has an all star line up for their 14th Anniversary show tonight featuring No Age.
Saturday, January 7
- Feed Your Head presents Tenlons Fort, The Wildbunch, Avi (of Avi Buffalo), Will Courtney @ Lot 1
- The Smell 14th Anniversary w/ Best Coast, Abe Vigoda, Dunes, Lucky Dreams, Ezra Buchla, eather Bath @ The Smell
- Nicholas Howard @ Hotel Cafe
- Doug MacLeod, Lawrence Lebo @ McCabe's
- Dream Homes, Foot Foot, Pek Pek, Dali's Rose @ Pehrspace
- Salon Music Night w/ members of Shadow Shadow Shade, The Henry Clay People, Jail Weddings, Square on Square, Just an Animal @ Bootleg Gallery
- Venrez, CJL, Shaw Paul Gordon, Jelly Woo, Kate Torralba, JaeNine @ The Troubadour
- The Black Apples, Whispering Pines, Last In Class, Brainstorm @ The Satellite
DECISION:
Too damned many great bands tonight. I'll begin with my Feed Your Head show at Lot 1 with Tenlons Fort and Avi of Avi Buffalo, but the Salon Music Night at Bootleg Gallery is super tempting with chamber performances by members of Shadow Shadow Shade, Just an Animal and The Henry Clay People to name a few. Whispering Pines are on the bill with The Black Apples at The Satellite. Night two of The Smell 14th Anniversary has another all star line up featuring Best Coast.
Sunday, January 8
- L'Ocelle Mare, Devin Hoff, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Greenspon @ The Smell
- Mary McCaslin & Rick Shea @ McCabe's
- Coyol, Molly Mariette, The Mowgli's @ Bootleg Bar
- Big Moves, Tennis System @ The Satellite
DECISION:
I'd opt for Big Moves and Tennis System at The Satellite.
What's missing? RFSLshowlistings@gmail.com
"They played for a couple of hours...I think. But who can be sure"
You'll hear proof of that soon enough...
Posted by: Recording LA | January 03, 2012 at 03:50 PM
You forgot the So Many Wizards show on Friday, January 6 at the Home Room.
Posted by: Kenneth Scalir | January 04, 2012 at 05:12 PM