The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "Is It Something That I Am Missing, That I Have Lost... And All My Trust, Has Been Wasted Out At Sea...")

by Brad Roberts

It's going to be a week that requires a great amount of healing and reflection. The enormous sadness that has been forced upon us by a single act of madness can not be underestimated, but the stories of courage, potential self-sacrifice and amazing heroism coming out of this tragedy in Colorado can help to restore our belief in the goodness of the human animal.

The restorative power of music can be put to the test this week as there's so much inspiring and nurturing music out there, like so much salve to an open wound. Bands who wear their hearts on their sleeve are prevalent in my recommendations here, beginning with Everest, whose heartfelt and truly human emotions are so forcefully realized in all their music, putting them on par with Brooklyn's Alberta Cross (at left), with whom they are paired for a show at The Troubadour on Tuesday night.

Another show that's very special would be Paula Fraser at The Echo on Thursday night with the contribution of Aaron Embry, whose music is like a warm blanket that wraps you up in it's comfort. Whether he's playing at The Greek or the Silver Lake Lounge, it's the same effect. Fort King is also on the bill, and the way that band has been sounding lately, they're onto something big.

Much more of this is inside. We're going to be alright.

Monday, July 23

- "School Night!" w/ St. Lucia, Pony Boy, Sonnymoon @ Bardot

- The xx, Jacques Greene @ The Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre

- Dear Left Brain, Fierce Creatures, Conveyor, Bearcat, Lovers Drugs @ Silver Lake Lounge

- Animal Raps and more @ Los Globos upstairs

- Foxygen @ Origami Vinyl

- Alberta Cross @ Amoeba Music

- SuperSoul Monday w/ Jason Joseph & The Spectacular w/ special guests, Kelli Scarr, Lily Elise,
Wilderlands @ Hotel Cafe

- Harry and the Potters, The Potters Puppet Pals @ The Troubadour

- The Milky Way, Ozy Reigns, Eagle Nebula @ The Central

- Whiskey Shivers, RT N' the 44s, Walter Spencer @ Echo Country Outpost

- Conveyer @ Silver Lake Lounge

- American Royalty, Calvin Love, The New Division, Writer @ The Echo

- Daedelus, Touché, Galapagoose @ The Del Monte Speakeasy at Townhouse

- Ingenue, Interstellar, The Vim Dicta @ Redwood Bar

- JMSN, Special Guest, Alekesam, He Met Her @ Bootleg Bar

- Pam Shaffer, Evan Vidar, Jenny Long @ Lot 1

- Terraplane Sun, Yellow Alex and the Feelings, Das Tapes, Tijuana Tears @ The Satellite

- Sean Carnage presents Kiddo Black, Young Lovers, The Littlest Viking & TBA @ Pehrspace

DECISION:

How many shows can you fit into one night? This is ridiculous. And for a Monday. Among the many free shows are the evening set at Amoeba Music with Alberta Cross (at right). Since I am going to see Everest at The Troubadour on Tuesday, and Alberta Cross are the headliner, I thought I should go get their album, Songs of Patience, which is a really amazing album after just listening to it once, so here's your first chance to catch them this week. This is glorious, sweeping, all-encompassing rock and roll.

All the July residencies wrap up tonight for Pam Shaffer at Lot 1, Terraplane Sun at The Satellite, American Royalty at The Echo, JMSN at Bootleg Bar and Animal Raps at Los Globos.  

Tuesday, July 24

- ACE Outpost Jamboree w/ My Fitness and My Friends, Run Downhill, Nate LaPointe/Ivan Johnson duet, Follies @ Echo Country Outpost

- Alberta Cross, Everest, Aaron Lee Tasjan @ The Troubadour

- Kelly Paige. Mark Lane, d'Artagnan @ Bootleg Bar

- Black Breath, Aeges, Mountain of Teeth, Nomads @ The Down and Out

- Blondfire, In The Valley Below, Omniflux, Mystery Skulls, Freshair  @ The Central

- Johnny Madcap & The Distractions, The Muertones, The Withers @ Redwood Bar

- St. Lucia, Mr. Little Jeans, Beat Club @ The Echo

- Sue Scrofa record release party, The Far West, SeanShan @ The Satellite

DECISION:

I begin a four night run of shows tonight and I'm greatly looking forward to every one of them. It's going to be thrilling and stimulating. By the end of it the management may have to peel me off the ceiling of The Troubadour on Friday night. I bought the new Everest album when I saw they had a show getting close at The Troubadour and I knew that if I missed it and then heard Ownerless, I would have gone, "Jesus! What's wrong with me for not knowing that the new material by Everest (shown above) would be as great as all their other albums!!" And, indeed it is. Ownerless will be one of the top albums of the year, and I can't wait to hear it live. Headliner, Alberta Cross, I only just learned about, but I think I am already a raving fan. 

The Satellite also has an interesting show with Sue Scrofa's record release party featuring strong support from wonderful bands, The Far West and SeanShan.

Wednesday, July 25

- The Handsome Family, The Oak Creek Band, Jamestown Revival @ Hotel Cafe

- Aretha Franklin @ Nokia Theatre

- "Desert Nights" w/ Eric Harvey, Marnie Herald, Daniel Hart @ The Standard

- The Family Crest, Sweetwater and the Satisfaction, Two Ton Folk @ Bootleg Bar

- Voxhaul Broadcast, Mini Mansions, LA Font @ The Troubadour

- Ava Luna, Bobby Birdman, Moon Pearl @ The Echo

- The Dig, Max and The Moon, Act as If, Andy and Joey Acoustic @ Silver Lake Lounge

- The Dø, Boom Chick, Thurlow @ The Satellite

- Jeff Lynn Band, Jonny Polonsky @ 3 of Clubs

DECISION:

Tonight I'd like to take in Mini Mansions and LA Font at The Troubadour, opening for Voxhaul Broadcast, but I'm spending so much time at The Troubadour this week already, I think I'd go to the Silver Lake Lounge to hear Andy and Joey Siara (at right) at the show headlined by The Dig.

A true legend, Aretha Franklin, begins a two-night run at Nokia Theatre.

Thursday, July 26

- Aretha Franklin @ Nokia Theatre

- "Spaceland Under the Stars" w/ Kind Hearts and Coronets @ Pershing Square

- GSOL, Futra @ Los Globos

- Jackie Greene @ Santa Monica Pier

- Nosaj Thing @ Levitt Pavilion at MacArthur Park

- The Heavy Guilt @ Origami Vinyl

- The Young Evils, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, The Melismatics, All Spots To Black,
Passenger & Pilot @ Hotel Cafe

- Teenage Bottlerocket, The Dopamines, Elway, Margate @ The Troubadour

- Spoek Mathambo, Gothic Tropic, Pegasus, Warning @ Echoplex

- Guantanamo Baywatch, White Murder, Cochinas, Bombon @ Redwood Bar

- Noah and the Megafauna, Timur & The Dime Museum, Marcus Very Ordinary @ Bootleg Bar

- Paula Frazer, Aaron Embry, Aaron Robinson, Fort King @ The Echo

- The Intelligence, Neverever, Wet Illustrated @ The Satellite

DECISION:

I think one of the week's best shows is the Paula Frazer (at right) show at The Echo that has assembled the enviable line up of Aaron Embry and Fort King and Aaron Robinson all on the same stage. There's also the free outdoor performances of Kind Hearts and Coronets at Pershing Square at 7 PM and Nosaj Thing at Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park, also at 7.

Friday, July 27

- Lady Danville @ California Plaza

- Cary Brothers, Harper Blynn & Madi Diaz, Mind The Gap, Among Savages @ Hotel Cafe

- Sister Sparrow, The Dirty Birds @ Levitt Pavilion, Pasadena

- Highlands @ Origami Vinyl

- mewithoutYou, Kevin Devine, Buried Beds @ The Troubadour

- The Farewell Drifters @ McCabe's

- The Shrine record release, FIDLAR @ Blue Star

- Corima, Upsilon Acrux, Cory Flanigan, Van Exel @ The Smell

- King Tuff, Jaill, The Coathangers @ The Echo

- NoCanDo, Subtitle, Pistol McFly, DJ Nobody, Taurus Scott, Falcons @ Bootleg Bar

- The Psychic Paramount, Life Coach, Lantvrn @ The Satellite

- The Splinz, The Atolls, Dead Reverand + 2 Bands @ Mr. T's Bowl

- Two Man Gentleman Band, Dustbowl Revival, The Whiskermen @ Redwood Bar

- XBXRX, No Babies, Heller Keller, NASA Space Universe @ Home Room

DECISION:

Tonight I go see a band that is one of my favorites, who also happen to be the one bands that no one I know seems to even know about. And the fans of the band mewithoutYou (at right) seen to fly somewhere under the radar, because I never see these people at any of the other shows I go to. Yet it's a rabid, fanatical following and I'm proud to call myself a willing participant. I've seen mewithoutYou about five times, but never in a theatre as small as The Troubadour, so the opportunity to see Aaron Weiss (second from left above) spewing out his poetry up close is highly anticipated by me. It's not only the quantity of this man's writing that is so awe inspiring, but the consistent high quality. I have four of their albums now, and each one has the density of a good book. And he is surrounded by a band that is every bit his equal, making the whole experience electrifying every time. When I first listened to his music five years ago, with all its post-junkie/redemption themes, I think I mistook him for a JewforJesus, but was relieved to discover the underlying agnosticism in his religiosity.  It's so difficult to decipher what is auto-biographical and what is fiction in his storytelling, which just adds to the enigma.

Saturday, July 27

- Downtown Summer Party w/ Prima Donna, Zander Schloss, The Wallburds, Johny Two Bags, The Hangmen, Pam Schaffer, The Breakups, Kind Hearts and Coronets and many, many more @ The Down and Out Bar and Coronados Restaurant

- Family Music! w/ Earthworm Ensemble, Gwendolyn & The Goodtime Gang @ HM 157

- "Saturdays Off The 405" w/ Nick Waterhouse @ The Getty Center

- Arabian Prince, Egyptian Lover, Javelin, Frosty (DJ set) @ Levitt Pavilion at MacArthur Park

- Mariee Sioux @ Origami Vinyl

- Wax, A House For Lions w/Soft Swells & Warships, Wages A Hotel Cafe

- Dirty Projectors, Wye Oak @ The Wiltern

- Hearts of Fire @ Silver Lake Lounge

- Peg Leg Love, Spaceships, The Burning of Rome @ Lot 1

- Spindrift, The Meek, Cosmonauts, Highlands @ Think Tank Gallery

- String Theory, Strange & Elkegant, Lorelei (short film), Spider Goat @ Bootleg Bar

- The Handsome Family @ McCabe's

- The David Liebe Hart Band, The Mormons, Sassafras, The Kid of Widney High, Fuckass & The Grease Patrol @ The Blue Star

- Brannigan's Law, Heller Keller, Seacats, Michael Nhat @ The Smell

- Crazy Squeeze, Dirty Eyes, King Cheetah @ Redwood Bar

- Jail Weddings, The Abigails, Claire McKeown @ Echo Country Outpost

- Sun Araw, Computer Jay, House Shoes, CRIMEKILLZ, Farmer Dave, ESMK, FD & The Funk Machine @ Echoplex

- The Ettes, Psychic Friend @ The Satellite

- Escalator Hill, The Far West @ Casey's Bar

DECISION:

There's a real nice Summer Party Downtown that starts at 3 with some terrific entertainment being provided by Pam Shaffer, The Breakups, Kind Hearts and Coronets and a lot more at two venues, The Down and Out Bar and Coronados Restaurant. Echo Country Outpost hosts a comfy show with Claire McKeown (solo) and Jail Weddings and Escalator Hill end their phenomenal July Casey's residency with the equally wonderful, The Far West (at right).

Sunday, July 29

- Ashley Rogers @ Silver Lake Lounge

- Grand Ole Echo w/ The Vacquetones, Steven Casper & Cowboy Angst, Leslie Stevens, Porch Girls @ The Echo (5 PM)

- Dead Dawn, Funeral Club, LA Witch @ Bootleg Bar

- Doug Paisley plus special guest Mariee Sioux @ McCabe's

- Fiona Apple @ Hollywood Palladium

- Julia Price Record Release Show, Sami Freeman, Tongue & Groove @ Hotel Cafe

- The Memorials, Cityzen, Bethpage Black, Sixstep, Mission Bells @ The Troubadour

- Abe Vigoda, Javelin, Pregnant @ The Smell

- Crystal Stilts, The Mantles, Sea Lions @ The Echo (9 PM)

DECISION:

Lots of shows for a Sunday. Leslie Stevens plays the Grand Old Echo this afternoon and Dead Dawn and Funeral Club are at Bootleg Bar.

I can't go without a word about the upcoming late summer/early fall concert schedule. I've gone wild buying tickets for a bunch of shows including Andrew Bird (at right) The Greek on August 12, based on the strength of his fantastic new album, Break It Yourself. Three Mile Pilot combine elements from two of my all time favorite bands, Pinback's Zach Smith and The Black Heart Procession musicians, Paul Jenkins and Tobias Nathaniel, and they have a new EP, Maps (released Tuesday, July 24), from which I've heard an incredible song called "Long Way Up" and in their first L.A. show in over two years, they play The Echo on August 17. Then there's Amanda Palmer at The Fonda on September 25, Menomena on Sept. 27 at El Rey, Grizzly Bear at The Greek on October 10th and Calexico, touring a new album, on Oct. 24th at The Fonda. Busy times.

Comments

[RFSL Pinto]

MONDAY--> TONIGHT
CONVEYOR (from NYC) plays the Silverlake Lounge. They played a hot sweaty set this weekend at Origami Vinyl, worth braving the 'known issues' of the Silverlake Lounge to catch these guys.

Also, CALVIN LOVE (of Red Cortez, Just an Animal), who's been doing some bedroom projects from a remote Canadian outpost of late, is on the bill at the Echo Monday.

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