by Brad Roberts
It's only the first week of May and the summer is already shaping up to look like a non-stop concert adventure. A bunch of really attractive shows at the Hollywood Bowl with some Bowl first timers, Grizzly Bear opening for Phoenix and The Swell Season Bowl debut highlighting a schedule that also includes She and Him and Yeasayer. Then there's Pavement and Sonic Youth for nostalgic oldsters, and Vampire Weekend and Beach House for the kids. The Greek, on the other hand, has a really bland line up, with nearly nothing for the indie fan.
But venues like El Rey, The Orpheum, The Fonda, The Wiltern take up the slack with shows like Broken Bells (5/19 Fonda), Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros (5/20 Royce Hall), Massive Attack for three nights (5/18, 19, 20 The Wiltern), OK GO (5/21 Fonda), The National (5/21 and 22 The Wiltern), mewithoutYou (6/12 El Rey), Blitzen Trapper (6/29 El Rey), The New Pornographers (7/19 and 20 Fonda), Pinback (7/24 El Rey) and Joanna Newsom (7/31 The Orpheum). I don't even know who's coming in August yet. The number of local bands getting a shot at opening gigs on major stages includes Leslie and The Badgers playing with Roky Erickson and Okkervil River at The Mayan on May 18 and Everest opening for Minus the Bear at the same venue on the 20th. And this week The Henry Clay People hit the Avalon stage on Friday, while on a Western U.S. tour opening for Drive-By Truckers.
And last week was such an appallingly good week of shows I've barely touched Earth all week. Don't worry, I'll get to this week sometime soon. Last Monday, I got to see Helen Stellar for the first time and I was so bowled over by them that they immediately jumped on my short list of 150 Favorite Bands. Seriously, this is one major band. Nothing but great songs, superb live sound and one of the most beautiful light shows I've ever seen, turned Spaceland into a dream-state of mind for about 40 minutes. The fantastic photo above is by Laurie Scavo. I understand they've been on hiatus for about three years, I'm glad they're back. Then Rob Danson took me to the Dr. Dog show on Tuesday at The Fonda, which was even better than I expected, with the bonus of hanging out with Red Cortez, who we ran into there. Thursday was the Rogue Wave concert at El Rey which was another unexpectedly fine show. I'll be reviewing that one here this week. Oh...and the Avi Buffalo CD release show/family reunion at The Troubadour on Saturday was incredible.
This ridiculously long introduction continues below the fold...
Broken Social Scene and The Hold Steady are both doing a couple of shows in L.A. this week. Broken Social Scene at The Fonda is sold out Monday night, but then they do a free in-store at Amoeba the next day at 6PM. The Hold Steady are on a really long touring schedule, but stop by for a set at the Grammy Museum on Monday, before their big El Rey show on Wednesday.
Really looking forward to the chance to see Whispering Pines at Hotel Cafe on Wednesday. And then there's this Feed Your Head Second Anniversary thing at Pehrspace on Friday night.
Monday, May 3
- Benefit Concert For: MusiCares & The Grammy Foundation w/ The Droogs, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Valora @ The Troubadour
- Broken Social Scene, Julie Doiran @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre
- The Hold Steady @ The Grammy Museum
- Molly Jenson, The Kin, Magnolia Memoir, Chris Gelbuda @ Hotel Cafe
- Two Door Cinema Club @ Bardot
- Cockwind, Daniel Francis Doyle, Dwyer’s Corneas, The Shondes @ Pehrspace
- Square On Square, Cue The Moon @ The Echo
- Sweethead, The Damn Sons @ Spaceland
- War Tapes, Jack Ladder, Dimmer, Future Ghost @ Silver Lake Lounge
DECISION:
Broken Social Scene (above) are on tour promoting a new album, and this show at The Fonda sold out so fast I couldn't even come close to securing a ticket. This band is so entertaining live it should be a great show. The Hold Steady are in town for a couple of shows, at Grammy Museum tonight and at El Rey on Wednesday.
Monday residencies start up with Sweethead at Spaceland and War Tapes at the Silver Lake Lounge.
Tuesday, May 4
- Broken Social Scene @ Amoeba Music
- The Moog, The Sequel, The Photo Atlas, Useless Keys @ The Viper Room
- Ruby Friedman, Kelly Dalton, Justine Bennett, Huck, TJ McFarland @ Hotel Cafe
- Greg Laswell, Brian Wright @ The Troubadour
- Manhattan Murder Mystery @ The Echo
- Alex Kemp, Henry Wolfe, El May, Butterfly Child @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Daniel Francis Doyle, I.E., Rare Grooves @ The Smell
- Stephen Brower The Silent Majority @ Bootleg Theatre
DECISION:
Broken Social Scene sold out The Fonda last night, so now's the chance to catch them in a free show at Amoeba, early at 6.
Wednesday, May 5
- The Hold Steady, The Donkeys, A Decent Animal @ El Rey
- Fantastica Bastidas, Juan The Mannequin, TRON, Hello My Name Is Red @ The Smell
- Eluvium, Bell Gardens, Benoit Piolard, Whale Fall @ Bootleg Theatre
- Dosh, White Hinterland, Baths @ The Echo
- Two Door Cinema Club, Funeral Party @ The Troubadour
- The Shondes, EZ Tiger, Tasneem @ The Strange
- Widows Gone Wild, I Am Astronaut @ Silver Lake Lounge
- Stacy Clark, Act As If, Waterlaso, Gayle Skidmore @ The Mint
- Blackboard Jungle, Rattlesnake Shake, The Zeros @ The Viper Room
- The Daylights, Jake Newton, Carla Werner, Brendan James, Whispering Pines @ Hotel Cafe
DECISION:
Dosh is a phenomenally gifted performer in his own right, and, though usually seen as one of Andrew Bird's band members, tonight he steps out front at The Echo and I've seen him before and his music is cinematic and sweeping, and very original.
Tonight is my opportunity to go see Whispering Pines, (seen at right) who have really come out of nowhere to gain sudden attention due to their wonderful CD, Family Tree. They have a set time of 11 PM at Hotel Cafe, and if I'm real good and get all my writing done, I can run a few blocks over to Cahuenga to catch it . They also have a show coming up on May 28, with The Parson Red Heads at Spaceland.
Thursday, May 6
- Here We GRO Again Tour: Green River Ordinance, Matt Hires, Angel Taylor @ The Troubadour
- Carlos Varela @ Echoplex
- "Indie On The Westside" presents TSOL, Symbol Six, Knocked Out Cold, Informal Society, License To Kill @ Air Conditioned Supper Club
- Links, Vanaprasta @ Space 15 Twenty
- Spirit Vine, Hocus Pocus, My Pet Saddle, Roughed Up Folk @ Spaceland
- The Atlantic Line, The Hectors, The Lyon Crowns @ Silver Lake Lounge
- "The Rumble L.A." w/ Mississippi Man, Ferocious Few, Dirt Dress @ 3 of Clubs
- Ingrid Michaelson, Austin Hartley-Leonard, Ry Cuming, Aijia Lise @ Hotel Cafe
- Nick Campbell and the Blue Fields, Kicking Wet Possums, Slackjaw Jezebel, John Reyes, plus 1 band @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Nicole Simone, Paige Stark @ Bootleg Theatre
- Spindrift, Nurses, Magic Mirror @ The Echo
DECISION:
Silver Lake Lounge has a strong show with The Atlantic Line, The Hectors (above) and The Lyon Crowns, and the line up at Spaceland includes Spirit Vine and My Pet Saddle.
Friday, May 7
- "First Fridays" w/ The Tallest Man On Earth, Gamble House @ Natural History Museum
- Peter Gabriel @ Hollywood Bowl
- Drive-By Truckers, The Henry Clay People @ Avalon
- Feed Your Head Second Anniversary Show w/ Seasons, Downtown/Union, George Glass, Radars To the Sky (acoustic) @ Pehrspace
- Chris Pierce, Joey Ryan, Kenneth Pattengale, Brother Sal, Kirsten Price, Billy The Kid, Jesse Thomas @ Hotel Cafe
- Hurricane Bells @ The Echo
- Mono, Twilight Sad @ El Rey
- Analog Rebellion, Mansions @ Bootleg Theatre
- I See Hawks in L.A. @ Cinema Bar
- Shitting Glitter, Chachi, Revenge Club, Rough Duchess, Angela Peterson Band @ Mr. T's Bowl
- The Janks, Veil Era, Fim, Woolen @ Spaceland
- VOICEsVOICEs, Acockalipz, PROTECTME @ The Smell
DECISION:
The second Anniversary of my blog, Feed Your Head is tonight at Pehrspace, and I'm proud to present Seasons, George Glass, Radars To the Sky, Downtown/Union and a surprise addition of Harley from Red Cortez to perform a few songs. What can I say except that, while blogging has become it's own reward, it's the people I've met that has had the most profound life-altering effect. Come and celebrate.
If it weren't for that, I'd be at Avalon to welcome to The Henry Clay People to that house as they tour with Drive-By Truckers. VOICEsVOICEs did a great job opening for Avi Buffalo at The Troubadour last weekend, and tonight they're at The Smell.
Saturday, May 8
- Les Savy Fav @ The Getty Center
- Bonnie "Prince" Billy, The Cairo Gang @ McCabe's
- Gwendolyn and The Good Time Gang @ Echoplex
- Hoobastank, Elliott Yamin, Esthero, Daniel Bedingfield, Lukas Rossi, Ferras, Lou Dawson, Creed Bratton @ Hotel Cafe
- Ane Brun, Ólöf Arnalds @ Largo at the Coronet
- Angel City Outcasts - CD Release Show, The Royal Highness, Dirty Filthy Mugs @ The Troubadour
- Los Campesinos!, Signals @ El Rey
- Freddie Gibbs, Pollyn, Davinci, Hanni El Khatib @ Spaceland
- 60-Watt Kid, The Fritz, Centipede Eest, French Ship @ Echo Curio
- Dante Vs. Zombies, WESTERN HYMN, Horse Thieves, Hepa-Titus @ The Smell
- Judson & Mary with full band, Rock Paper Scissors, Parents, Hillbilly Prophet, The Reveal, Big Bad @ Mr. T's Bowl
- Manhattan Murder Mystery, M31, Batwings Catwings @ McWorld
- Red Sparowes, Fang Island, Jesus Makes the Shotgun Sound @ Echoplex
- Warpaint, Priestbird @ Bootleg Theatre
DECISION:
Les Savy Fav are another band doing a twofer in town with tonight's show at The Getty and tomorrow at Echoplex. Local brats, Signals (seen at right) will burn up the stage of the El Rey, opening for Los Campesinos!. Manhattan Murder Mystery at someplace called McWorld, Warpaint at the Bootleg...good bands all over the place.
Sunday, May 9
- Dave Gleason & The Golden Cadillacs, Mojo Monkeys, The Coals @ The Echo (5 PM)
- Alexisonfire, Trash Talk, La Dispute, Therefore I Am @ The Troubadour
- Bonfire Madigan @ Bootleg Theatre
- Les Savy Fav, We Barbarians, LA Ghost @ Echoplex
- Collisions, Verbs, Kid Infinity @ Echo Curio
DECISION:
Good shows at both the Echoplex, with Les Savy Fav, We Barbarians and LA Ghost, and Echo Curio has experimental psyche-rock band Collisions. All worth checking out.
Let me know what's missing at: [email protected]
Comments