The L.A. Show Low Down (Or: "Don't Look The Other Way, You're Gonna Have Your Say, Why Wouldn't You Want To Make It Really Count...")

by Brad Roberts

Here comes Thanksgiving 2010, just like I said it would. Halloween came and went and I said "before you know it, it will be Thanksgiving and here we are. Next comes December and the onslaught of ten best lists. I think there's a lot of good material to go over for this year, so I'd better get to work. It still manages to be a pretty good show week as well, in spite of the Thursday lull, with next weekend particularly strong.

I've been extremely impressed with the two shows by Michigan transplants, Lord Huron, that I've seen this week and they'll do it again Monday night at The Tar Pit. (That's the cover art for one of their EP's above) They quickly won over the audience at Avi Buffalo's Friday show at Echoplex and I just got back from running over to Origami to see the Sunday evening 7" release set. Those were only their eleventh and twelfth performances ever and I'm already a die-hard fan. See them now because they could rocket off into the stratosphere. Gorgeous music with tribal/Reggae beats beneath air-tight vocal harmonies on top of shimmering guitars for a combustible mix. It twinkles and glows. Appears to be a remarkable bunch of musicians.

Friday offers some wonderful cloices for the day after the holiday. After gorging on food, you could have gone out and gorged yourself on the full banquet of glorious sounds that is Shadow Shadow Shade at Redwoood Bar, except Claire McKeown just let me know that show is not happening. But, they have a show on December 20th for free at The Echo with Fool's Gold and a residency in February at whatchamacallit, The Satellite. By the way: Did you see Joe's praise for their new album here? Anyway go out Earlier that evening Birds & Batteries are playing a free show at Origami Vinyl at 5. And everything from Weezer at Gibson Amphitheatre to Dawes at El Rey.

And of course, Radio Free Silver Lake will be presenting The Californian on the fourth night of their Tuesday residency at LaBrie's with the able support of Obi Best and our good friends, The Sweet Hurt.

Monday, November 22

- Physical Forms @ Origami Vinyl

- Chasing Kings, All Wrong And The Plans Change, The Smiles, John Isaac Watters, Satellite Sky @ Silver Lake Lounge

- Dirt Dress, Them Hills, Zig Zags, Wonder Wheel @ Spaceland

- Lord Huron @ The Tar Pit

- Dar Williams w/ Julie Peel, Alana Sweetwater, Jesse Cole @ Hotel Cafe

- Halloween Swim Team, Luna Is Honey, Dreamgoatz, Religious Girls, Lingonberries @ Pehrspace

- The Black Apples, Exploding Flowers, Young Hunting, Dream Tapes @ The Echo

- The Naked and Famous @ Bardot

DECISION:

I've gone to a show every day for the the last five days and I won't stop till Wednesday because All Wrong And The Plans Change are playing with Chasing Kings for their residency night at Silver Lake Lounge and I'm a sucker for their dreamy/hypnotic music. Also tonight are Young Hunting with The Black Apples at The Echo and Halloween Swim Team with Luna Is Honey at Pehrspace. Lord Huron are a new obsession of mine, as stated above, since last Friday and they play the third of three local shows tonight at The Tar Pit.

Tuesday, November 23

- Diamond Rings @ Origami Vinyl

- The Californian, Obi Best, The Sweet Hurt @ LaBrie's

- Barrio Tiger, Symbol 6, Action 45 @ Redwood Bar

- Midnight Juggernauts, The Naked and Famous, Diamond Rings, Doorly, Franki Chan, Paparazzi @ Echoplex

- Rriiccee @ El Rey

- Kitten, Dizzy Stilettos, A House For Lions @ The Echo

- Rajas CD release, Sing Orpheus, William and William Inc. @ Silver Lake Lounge

- Unsane, 400 Blows, 16, AD @ Spaceland

- Belleruche, Pollyn @ Bootleg Theatre

DECISION:

We have a great line up at LaBrie's for the fourth weekly installment of Radio Free Silver Lake's Free Tuesdays where headliners The Californian will be welcoming Obi Best and The Sweet Hurt. Pollyn impressed me greatly when I saw them at Sunset Junction last summer and they are playing with Belleruche at Bootleg Theatre tonight at 9:30.

Wednesday, November 24

- The Black Angels, Black Mountain @ El Rey

- Mr. Gnome, Cue The Moon, The Red Red River, Dona Nicha @ Silver Lake Lounge

- Lonesome Shack @ Redwood Bar

- Phathom, Allura, Lysolgang, Steam Train Mary, Safety Toy, Deathrow Romeo @ The Troubadour

DECISION:

Big show tonight at El Rey with The Black Angels and Black Mountain, whereas, locally, Mr. Gnome and Cue the Moon rock the Silver Lake Lounge on this night before Thanksgiving.

Thursday, November 25

DECISION:

EAT TURKEY

 

Friday, November 26

- Birds & Batteries @ Origami Vinyl (5PM)

- Dawes, The Moondoggies, Romany Rye @ El Rey

- Bonobo, Tokimonsta, Inspired Flight @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre

- The Queers, Kepi Ghoulie, The Riptides, The Perverts @ The Troubadour

- Weezer @ Gibson Amphitheatre

- The Bixby Knolls, Slang Chickens, Tricky Sizzler @ Spaceland

- Gestapo Khazi, Tijuana Panthers, FIDLAR, The Hindu Pirates @ The Smell

DECISION:

I have been looking forward to Birds & Batteries for a while now, since I'm so fond of their CD, Panorama, and love their down home Americana/folk, and today they're playing at Origami Vinyl at 5PM and since I don't have to work this day I can get over there easy. Then follows a few shows with something for everyone: Weezer, Dawes, The Bixby Knolls, Tijuana Panthers. 

Saturday, November 27

- Fiction Company @ Origami Vinyl

- Joe Gil, Judson & Mary, Jason Diaz, Drew Broadrick, Julie Neumark @ Hotel Cafe

- Doghouse Lords, Sassafrass, Brainspoon, Lightnin Woodcock @ Redwood Bar

- Lucero, Drag the River @ The Troubadour

- Weezer @ Gibson Amphitheatre

- Ok Go, A Fine Frenzy, Summer Darling @ Club Nokia

- Eden Train, Richard Ross, Stephen Sigl @ Taix Lounge

- The Flower Machine, Jack Fris Radio Choir, Small Star @ Spaceland

- Green Screen Door, Animal Eye, Trapsps @ Pehrspace

DECISION:

Ok Go (at right) are a band that, in spite of their love of gimmicky videos, are a really tight, solid, professional musical entity. I've seen them a number of times and their live shows combine a passion for performance and the technical ability to provide an electrifying set. Tonight they play the Club Nokia, proving their unyielding popularity is still growing. But I'll be at the Hotel Cafe to see Judson and Mary.

Sunday, November 28

- The Like, Sea Lions, Honey Dos @ The Echo

- International Tennis Champions, Paulie Pesh, Farspeaker @ Bootleg Theatre

- The Secret Handshake, A Cursive Memory, The Narrative, Speak @ The Troubadour

- Blue Shadows, RumbleKing @ Redwood Bar

- "Songwriter's Sunday" @ Hotel Cafe

DECISION:

This last Sunday of the month offers a couple of good shows, like, The Like whose sturdy playing and pop songwriting skills belies their age, at The Echo. Also well worth your time is the International Tennis Champions gig at the Bootleg.

What have I missed: RFSLshowlistings@gmail.com

 

Comments

[malcolm sosa]

I like birds and batteries.