by Brad Roberts
Can we get back to normal now? The tension release on Wednesday after the election was palpable and actually very uplifting. Now that we've stepped back from the abyss, (I felt like I awakened from a nightmare) I can focus on music again. It's now the season to start compiling lists of the best of the year. I have so many favorites I can just rattle off the top of my head that I'm afraid when I begin to dig a little deeper the list of possibilities becomes unwieldy.
It's a week with some buried treasures and a few big shows. Jack Gibson (at right and Happy Birthday) is back in town which means a whole new set of shows by Tenlons Fort is in our future. This week we will catch up with them at Casey's Bar on Friday night when they play The Health Club residency, along with the extraordinarily promising new band, Peg. This is probably THE buried treasure of the week.
Real happy for Family of the Year, who get the chance to play The Fonda Theatre on Friday when they open for Walk The Moon, who have taken them out on tour with them. Mumford and Son fulfill their two night committment to Hollywood Bowl on Monday night. On Wednesday, Ben Gibbard is solo at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and a rock legend whose work I have always respected, Stevie Winwood ends this year's Greek season on Friday.
Monday, November 12
- The Record Company, The Nervous Wreckords, The Dustbowl Revival, Trapper Schoepp & The Shades @ The Satellite
- The Abigails, Wet Ilustrated, The Tyde, Apple Brains @ The Echo
- Go Chic, Night Control, Lessnesses, Bachsung, Banana Head @ Pehrspace
- "School Night!" w/ Sky Ferriera, DWNTWN, The Rebel Light @ Bardot
- In The Valley Below, Parade Of Lights, James Supercave, Crown Plaza @ Bootleg Bar
- Dream Panther, Adam Weiss, Young Satan, Jack Littman @ Echoplex
- Mumford & Sons, Dirty Projectors, The Apache Relay @ Hollywood Bowl
- Jack's Mannequin, Matt Thiessen @ El Rey
- Drive He Said, The Withers, Wardel, Jackson Tanner @ Silver Lake Lounge
- SuperSoul Monday w/ Jason Joseph & The Spectacular w/ special guests, Haley Reinhart, The
Roamies, Kris & Alix @ Hotel Cafe
DECISION:
Super-popular Mumford and Sons are back at Hollywood Bowl with Dawes for a second show after playing last Saturday night. As for the residencies, The Record Company (at right) bring The Dustbowl Revival to the stage of The Satellite, The Abigails have The Tyde on their bill this week at The Echo, while In The Valley Below are supported by Parade Of Lights at Bootleg Bar.
Tuesday, November 13
- Harper Blynn, Satellite, Holly Conlan, The Boom Booms, Markus Nordenstreng @ Hotel Cafe
- BuzzbandsLA presents The Wellspring, John Isaac Watters, Nocturnal Youth @ Lot 1
- Gary Clark Jr., Into Weather @ The Troubadour
- Gavin Turek, Zak Waters, The Ross Sea Party @ The Central
- Vs Color, Kandy Hearts, Fairbanks, Joseph King @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Richie Sambora. David Ryan Harris @ The Fonda Theatre
- Signals, The Rangdangs, Wide Streets, iliolo, Aujuna Genome @ The Smell
- Talkdemonic, Extra Classic, Calvin Love @ The Echo
- The Wooden Sky, Western Lows, Chief @ Bootleg Bar
DECISION:
BuzzbandsLA has their monthly Second Tuesday event at Lot 1 which consistently introduces fresh new talent to the scene. Tonight it's The Wellspring, John Isaac Watters and Nocturnal Youth. Longtime player with The Weather Underground, Red Cortez and Just An Animal, Calvin Love has a solo act which plays The Echo, opening for Talkdemonic.
Wednesday, November 14
- The Horde & The Harum, Sarah Blasco, Trapdoor Social EP release show, Hargo @ Hotel Cafe
- "Desert Nights" w/ Tom Freund & Victoria Williams, Song Preservation Society, Susan James @ The Standard
- A Night to Celebrate The Music of Tom Petty Fest West w/ The Cabin Down Below Band @ El Rey
- Ben Gibbard, Damien Jurado @ Wilshire Ebell Theatre
- Gary Clark Jr., Timothy Bloom @ The Troubadour
- Susanna Hoffs @ Largo at the Coronet
- The Sunset Drifters, The Brixtons, Sunken Ships The Sexy Librarians @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Dave Gleason, Dan Janisch, Miguel Garcia & The Vaquetones @ The Satellite
- Generationals, Races, Francisco The Man @ The Echo
- The Mynabirds, HOTT MT, Goldenboy @ Bootleg Bar
DECISION:
Terrific show at The Echo with Generationals, Races and Francisco The Man. Ben Gibbard is on a solo tour and lands at Wilshire Ebell. The Cabin Down Below Band, made up of members of The Black Keys, Eagles of Death Metal and the likes of Jenny O, AA Bondy and many many more perform The Music of Tom Petty in tribute called Petty Fest West as a benefit for Sweet Relief Music Fund & The Musicians Cancer Fund. This event takes place tonight and tomorrow night at El Rey.
Thursday, November 15
- Kate Earl, White Dove, Chelsea Williams EP release show, Sofia Talvik @ Hotel Cafe
- "Twin Peaks: The Beginning" w/ new live soundtrack by Silent Drape Runners @ Echo Country Outpost
- Gary Clark Jr., ZZ Ward @ The Troubadour
- A Night to Celebrate The Music of Tom Petty Fest West w/ The Cabin Down Below Band @ El Rey
- Mojo Stone, Major Large, Hills Like Elephants @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Andrew Jackson Jihad, Future of the Left, Jeff Rosenstock, Merry Christmas @ Echoplex
- Battle Tapes, Dekades, The Spreewells, Birds Of A Black Feather @ Bootleg Bar
- El Ten Eleven, Michna, Yourself And The Air @ The Echo
- Hobart W. Fink, The Janks, Fort King, Backwards Beasts @ Lot 1
- Yacht Rock Revue @ The Satellite
- Strange Parade, Georgia Sand @ Harvard & Stone
- Baron Von Luxxury @ The Spare Room
DECISION:
A whole lot of great shows tonight, with one of the best being at Lot 1 when Fort King (at right), The Janks and Hobart W. Fink join forces. Also El Ten Eleven at The Echo, Battle Tapes at Bootleg and the final night of Petty Fest West at El Rey.
Fascinated by the thought of the original first episode of Twin Peaks being re-scored live by Silent Drape Runners at Echo Country Outpost.
Friday, November 16
- Zig Zags @ Origami Vinyl
- Stevie Winwood, The Wood Brothers @ The Greek
- Louise Goffin, Irina Bjorklund, Amber Rubarth w/ Dave Eggar, Famous In Iowa, Eddie Wakes @ Hotel Cafe
- Veterans of Future Wars, Kevin Greenspon @ ForYourArt
- Christian Lee Hutson EP release party, Evan ApRoberts, Gwyneth & Monko @ Echo Country Outpost
- Jennifer Warnes @ McCabe's
- Jon Brion @ Largo at the Coronet
- Joshua Radin, A Fine Frenzy, Lucy Schwartz @ The Wiltern
- Lianne La Havas @ The Roxy
- Tame Impala, The Amazing @ El Rey
- The Mummy Jamboree w/ Glowbird, Franklin's Key, + TBA @ Lot 1
- The Twelves, Penguin Prison @ Lure
- Crushed Out, Jail Weddings, J. Thoven @ The Satellite
- Hana Kim, Simone White, Your Future Lovers record release, Nomi Abadi @ Bootleg Bar
- Roomrunner, Corners, Wild Pack of Canaries, Froth @ The Smell
- Typhoon, Laura Gibson, Lost Lander @ The Echo
- The Health Club, Tenlons Fort, Peg @ Casey's Bar
- Walk The Moon, Family of the Year @ The Fonda Theatre
DECISION:
Probably the best night of the week offers a chance to see Long Beach's Peg, the newest band with Sheridan Riley which is causing quite a stir playing a bill with the newly returned to town, Tenlons Fort, and the always festive, The Health Club downtown at Casey's Bar. That's a great bill! I always look forward to seeing who Jack has in Tenlons Fort each go round.
Local upstarts, Family of the Year, are moving toward the big time on tour with Walk The Moon at The Fonda tonight. From Australia, Tame Impala have reached superstar status with two sold out shows, tonight at El Rey and tomorrow at The Fonda. Genuine superstar, Stevie Winwood closes out this season of shows at The Greek. I saw some great shows there this year.
Christian Lee Hutson is having an EP release party with Evan ApRoberts at the Echo Country Outpost and there are plenty of other buried treasures out there tonight.
Saturday, November 17
- Cold Specks @ The Getty Center
- Lee Dewyze w/ Scott Kay, The Beatles by AG & friends, Nina Storey, Bobby Field @ Hotel Cafe
- Tes Elations @ Origami Vinyl
- Drop the Lime, The Captain, Tamara Sky, CC Sheffield, Bones @ The Central
- The World Record, Magic Mirror, Charlie Limousine @ El Cid
- Grouplove, Papa, Superhumanoids @ The Wiltern
- Jennifer Warnes @ McCabe's
- K'NAAN, City Of The Sun @ The Troubadour
- Milo Greene, Bahamas @ El Rey
- Go Chic, Pharoahs, Kim Free, Sister Mantos, Allen Bleyle's Hard Cider @ The Smell
- Lydia, Sweet Talker @ Bootleg Bar
- Manhattan Murder Mystery, Barry Johnson, Merry Christmas, Brown and Blue @ Pehrspace
- Tame Impala, The Amazing @ The Fonda Theatre
DECISION:
Could run over to the intimate Pehrspace to catch Manhattan Murder Mystery or go big and see Milo Greene at El Rey or Grouplove at The Wiltern.
Sunday, November 18
- Tongue & Groove @ Hotel Cafe
- The Pharmacy, The Abigails @ Origami Vinyl
- The Faint, Trust, Casket Girls @ The Fonda Theatre
- Bago, ERAS, NoCanDo @ Bootleg Bar
- Everclear, Eve 6, Namesake @ El Rey
- Sondre Lerche @ Largo at the Coronet
- The Rezillos, The Stitches, Gestapo Khazi @ The Echo
- Ana Tijoux, Kamasi Washington, Chicano Batman, DJ Ethos @ Echoplex
DECISION:
Fairly quiet night around town with most of the activity being at the bigger venues like The Faint at The Fonda and Everclear at El Rey. I took this shot inside El Rey last Saturday at the Sea Wolf and Hey Marsailles show.
Comments