by Brad Roberts
A good crop of shows this week with The Happy Hollows headlining show at The Troubadour, along with the incredible New Zealand via London band, The Veils, being my big recommendation. Big ticket giveaway through Radio Free Silver Lake now available. The last year has been an incredible one for The Happy Hollows, between touring to the other coast and getting signed to Autumn Tone Records, not to forget their residency and a series of great local shows, now they're on their way to SXSW, and here's our chance to wish them well.
The Veils are a band I have loved for a long time and am flabbergasted that they're not more well known. Finn Andrews possesses one of the best, most soulful voices in all of the indie genre. I first saw them in 2007, in their video for "Advice For Young Mothers To Be", with those babies floating up into the air, and was intrigued by what looked like Quakers doing rock and roll. Upon purchasing Nux Vomica, I was bowled over by the range of styles this band covered and took advantage of the opportunity of a two night engagement at Hotel Cafe in August '07, to see them twice. As incredible as they were on record, it didn't prepare me for how electrifying they were live. Relieved to see the "Quaker-thing" was just a fashion statement, this band can rock hard and break your heart all in the same song. They are also headed to SXSW.
Unfortunately this show is on the same night as the birthday show for Mouse, of Classical Geek Theatre (as well as a Radio Free Silver Lake contributor) at Pehrspace which I will be sorry to miss because Jack Wilson Jr. is scheduled to perform as well as Downtown/Union and Stoned at Heart.
Lots of bands are stopping by L.A. on their way to Austin, Texas, like Wild Yaks, and local bands about to set out for the festival, like The Watson Twins play last minute shows before taking off. I'm really happy that his Orchestra, responsible for my favorite album last year, have a date at Silver Lake Lounge, opening for Red Tide.
Can't believe I'm ending my first year of Show Low Downs, but it's been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined and I look forward to the next year...which begins inside.
Monday, March 8
- Seaspin, Wild Yaks, Repeater, The Romany Rye @ Silver Lake Lounge
- The Delta Mirror, Alexandra Hope, Sister Crayon, Corridor @ The Echo
- Thee Vicars, Night Beats, Cobalt Cranes, Wailin' Yeahs, Los Sweepers, Strangers Family Band @ Redwood Bar
- Year Long Disaster, National Dust, Bigbang, Normandie @ The Troubadour
- David Scott Stone, The Urxed, Mirror to Mirror @ Echo Curio
- Kyoka, Bambara, Summer of Glaciers + TBA @ Pehrspace
- Moonrat, Aska, Adanowsky, Soko @ Spaceland
DECISION:
Monday residencies dominate with Mooonrats bringing Soko, the distinctive songwriter who describes herself as half folky/half punky, to Spaceland, The Delta Mirror has Corridor at The Echo, while Seaspin (in above photo by Robin Laananen) have invited Wild Yaks to the stage of Silver Lake Lounge.
Tuesday, March 9
- ISGOODMUSIC and Dramaturgy presents Meredith Meyer, Haroula Rose, Brandon McCulloch & The Deadbirds, Dudley Saunders @ The Viper Room
- Sheila Nicholls, Lauren Tarantino, Kristen Toedtman, Aijia Lise @ Hotel Cafe
- The Big Pink, A Place To Bury Strangers, Active Child @ El Rey
- Manchester Orchestra, The Features, Biffy Clyro, O'Brother @ The Troubadour
- Red Tide, Superhumanoids, Random Patterns, his Orchestra @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Laura Veirs & Hall of Flames, Old Believers, Cataldo @ Spaceland
- Pocahaunted, Infinite Body, Tracy Trance, Taterbug @ Echo Curio
- Planets, Totally Serious, LA Fog, Secondary @ The Smell
DECISION:
Superb showmanship is a hallmark of his Orchestra (above photo by Juliet Piper), and they are on the bill at Silver Lake Lounge with Red Tide. And there's an ISGOODMUSIC and Dramaturgy night at The Viper Room featuring terrific local songwriters including Meredith Meyer and Dudley Saunders
Manchester Orchestra subscribe to a classic rock and roll sound from Atlanta and begin a two night stand at The Troubadour as part of an extensive U.S. tour. The trance psychedelics of Pocahaunted, impressed me when I saw them at a Haiti Benefit earlier this year, and tonight they're at Echo Curio
Wednesday, March 10
- Manchester Orchestra, The Features, Biffy Clyro, O'Brother @ The Troubadour
- Club NME: Olin and the Moon, Correatown, Finn Riggins, Jared Mees and the Grown Children @ Spaceland
- Abe Vigoda, Lovvers, The Black Apples @ The Echo
- Little Boots, Dragonette, Class Actress @ El Rey
- Cary Brothers, Meiko, Shane Walsh, Mighty Kate, Girl Problems @ Hotel Cafe
- Agent Ribbons, Wet & Reckless, Kissing Cousins @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Delta Spirit, We Barbarians, Jonny Corndawg @ Bootleg Theatre
- Learning Music, Cassorla, Boy Eats Drum Machine, Dylan Trees @ Echo Curio
DECISION
Club NME has a strong bill at Spaceland with Olin and the Moon and Correatown. I'm curious about the new band, Learning Music who are playing tonight at Echo Curio and have been added to the Field Music show coming up at Bootleg Theatre on March 27.
Thursday, March 11
- Jim Bianco, Joey Ryan, Melissa Ferrick w/ special guests, Crosby, Skills and Nash (Jay Nash & Caitlin Crosby) @ Hotel Cafe
- The Watson Twins @ Largo at the Coronet
- Miles Kurosky @ Amoeba Music
- Hells Belles Berlesque, Open Hand @ Rainbow Bar
- Kevin Earnest, Alex Kemp @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Dawes, Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, Jason Boesel @ The Troubadour
- Amanda Jo Williams, Ora Cogan, Fort King, Beliss @ Echo Curio
- Son Ark, Franklin Music School, The Dust Bowl Cavaliers @ Hyperion Tavern
- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Whigs @ Echoplex
- Cue the Moon, Marjorie Fair, Seswoo, Nopal, It's Gonna Crash @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Slow Club @ Spaceland
- So Cow, Battlehooch, Christmas Island, Judgement Day @ The Smell
- The Cave Singers, The Dutchess & The Duke, The Moondoggies @ The Echo
DECISION:
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club begin three nights at Echoplex tonight, continuing tomorrow and Sunday night. Echo Curio is featuring a wonderful line up I intend to attend, including one of my favorites, Fort King (seen at right), who highly recommends Ora Cogan. Both are opening for Amanda Jo Williams. The Watson Twins play at Largo at the Coronet before embarking for Texas and SXWS.
Friday, March 12
- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Amoeba Music
- 'Classical Geek Theatre' Mouse's birthday party: Stoned at Heart, Jack Wilson Jr., Downtown/Union @ Pehrspace
- Truth & Salvage Co., The Parsons Red Heads, Brother Sal, Basia Bulat, Suzie Brown @ Hotel Cafe
- Quasi, Explode Into Colors, The French Semester @ Spaceland
- The Happy Hollows, The Veils, Twilight Sleep @ The Troubadour
- Amps For Christ, Cabeza de Vaca Arkestra, Parallax @ Echo Curio
- Anna Oxygen, Broken Water, Happy Prescriptions, Dunes @ The Smell
- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Whigs @ Echoplex
- Megasapian, The Gasoline Angels, The Diamond Light @ The Unknown Theatre
- Sleepy Sun, Slang Chickens @ The Echo
- Holly Miranda @ Bootleg Theatre
DECISION:
Two extraordinary bands together, The Happy Hollows and The Veils at The Troubadour is a show I've been looking forward to for a long time. Everyone in these parts knows about The Happy Hollows, but The Veils deserve a larger audience. I've been lucky enough to see them four times before and each show was special. Finn Andrews (seen at right at Spaceland last July) is such a commanding lead singer the audience hangs on his every word. I can't recommend this more highly.
There are two shows by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club today, first at Amoeba at 6 and an Echoplex show that begins around 9.
Stoned at Heart, Jack Wilson Jr., and Downtown/Union are playing for Mouse's birthday bash at Pehrspace. Bound to be a heavy turnout of Classical Geek Theatre's fans and friends And The Parson Red Heads are playing Hotel Cafe again.
Saturday, March 13
- The Franks @ Origami Vinyl
- The Living Sisters @ The Getty Center
- A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Pollyn @ The Mint
- Lucy Kaplansky @ McCabe's
- Saint Motel, Tijuana Panthers, Seven Saturdays @ The Strange
- Vinicio Capossela, Sara Lov @ El Rey
- Matthew Good, Automatic Loveletter @ The Troubadour
- The Fresh and Onlys, Wounded Lion, Surf City, Pivot @ Spaceland
- You Say Party We Say Die, White Arrows @ Echoplex
- Death Sentence: PANDA!, Auto Da Fe, David Scott Stone, The Urxed @ The Smell
- Extra Life, Jesus Makes the Shotgun Sound, Halloween Swim Team @ Echo Curio
- Karin Jancuk artist's reception w/ La Ghost, The Health Club, Cosmonauts, Black Elephant @ Pehrspace
- The Lincoln Bedroom, The Hereafter @ Molly Malone's
- Choir of Young Believers, Great Northern @ Bootleg Theatre
DECISION:
Gigantic night of choices. I don't know what to recommend because I don't have any idea where I'll end up myself. I've wanted to check out Danish band, Choir of Young Believers, and to be offered on a bill with Great Northern makes Bootleg Theatre a possible destination. The Living Sisters have a series of shows in anticipation of their forthcoming album, Love To Live, including some SXSW dates, and tonight at The Getty Center, all before expectant Inara George's due date.
Sunday, March 14
- Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang @ McCabe's
- The Watson Twins, Choir of Young Believers @ Echoplex (1 - 2:30 PM)
- Henry Wagons, Pets With Pets, Sherlock’s Daughter, Cassette Kids, Washington, Dappled Cities, Oh Mercy, Paul Dempsey, Children Collide, Goons Of Doom, City Riots, The Chevelles @ The Echo
- Real Vocal String Quartet @ Bootleg Theatre
- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thousand Dozen Gloves @ Echoplex
- Broken Bells @ The Troubadour
- Beaches, Love Of Diagrams, Sun Araw @ The Smell
- Gun Outfit, Dunes, Residual Echoes, So Many Wizards @ Echo Curio
- Planet Asia @ The Airliner
- Sabertooth Tiger, Memory, Tremellow @ Spaceland
- Part Time Punks w/ Blessure Grave, Twin Crystals, Random Cuts @ The Echo
DECISION:
I can't talk about getting frozen out of the Broken Bells (photo at right) show tonight at The Troubadour without getting upset so I'll move on... There's other great shows tonight on...(the god damned show sold out in like 3 minutes...shit...moving on...) perhaps the busiest Sunday night I've seen in my year at this post. Kidrockers has The Watson Twins and Choir of Young Believers at The Echo and most every other show in town has something to recommend it.
Let me know if I've missed anything (besides the Broken Bells show) at: [email protected]
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