Kristen’s 2012 Mix – Track 7 – We Are The Ocean

I spend all year going to shows and collecting songs and pictures and stories. I’ve spent the last month or so compiling some of my top musical memories into a music mix with accompanying booklet (my favorite little crafting project). So, here I share with you my top tracks of 2012.

Enjoy!!

We Are The Ocean

UK’s We Are The Ocean is one of my greatest discoveries of 2012. My most exciting We Are The Ocean moment was when they unexpectedly opened for Dead Sara at the 98.7 Penthouse. After the show, the band was *this close* to convincing me to ditch work the next day for my second helping of Warped Tour in San Diego. Not going may be my biggest regret of the year.

https://soundcloud.com/hassle-records/we-are-the-ocean-what-it-feels

~ Kristen

Kristen’s 2012 Mix – Track 6 – Twin Atlantic

I spend all year going to shows and collecting songs and pictures and stories. I’ve spent the last month or so compiling some of my top musical memories into a music mix with accompanying booklet (my favorite little crafting project). So, here I share with you my top tracks of 2012.

Enjoy!!

Twin Atlantic

Twin Atlantic spent some time in the US at the beginning of the year. I also saw just about every set they did at SXSW. Not only do I love this band’s music, but they have excellent musical taste going on tours with both We are The Ocean and Dead Sara. Dream lineup! This song comes from a special EP released this year. If you don’t know, I have a weakness for rock bands going acoustic.

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 6/18-6/24

I posted my Bonnaroo pictures today (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.348607241875512.75890.192625794140325&type=1)!  I can’t believe it’s been a week. I’m still recovering…and ignoring the coughing and sniffling and fact that my voice is going. Probably wasn’t the best idea to follow up five days of no sleep with five days of early mornings and late nights, but I can’t imagine doing anything else. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the big Phantom Planet reunion show. Then there was the Backstage Artist Lounge party where I discovered several great new bands including Cody Jasper who I just had to see play again the next day at The Roxy before he ventured back to Austin.

This week, the great shows continue. Glen Hansard (The Frames/The Swell Season) is in town to promote his new record, LMN Band Love, Crash Kings are making a somewhat rare appearance at The Troubadour, there are some solid line-ups at The Viper Room, and summer-staple, The Warped Tour is rolling through SoCal with stops this week in Pomona and Ventura.

I think, however, my show pick of the week would have to go to the ladies playing The Hotel Cafe Thursday night. Jasmine Ash, Kate Voegele, and Mariah McManus.

So many great musical options in LA this week. Here are the rest of my recommendations:

 

Monday: Glen Hansard FREE at Amoeba Records (6:30)
ALSO: The Rocket Boys at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Spring Standards and Rhett Miller & The Serial Lady Killers at The Troubadour (9, 10)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: Keaton Simons at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: Beware Of Darkness, Bullet and Snow, Jamar Rogers, and Vicci Martinez at The Viper Room (8pm)
ALSO: Kate Miller Heidke at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Lisa Hannigan & Joe Henry at The El Rey Theatre (8pm)

 

Weds: Matthew Mayfield at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Glen Hansard at The Wiltern (7pm)

 

Thursday: Jasmine Ash, Mariah McManus and Kate Voegele at The Hotel Cafe (9, 10)
ALSO: Vanaprasta and Crash Kings at The Troubadour (9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: The Bolts, The Rambles, and Taylor Locke & The Roughs at The Viper Room (9, 10, 11)

 

Friday: The Avett Brothers at Nokia LA Live (8pm)
ALSO: Connie Lim, King Washington, The Janks at WitZend (9,10,11)
ALSO: Matt Skiba & The Sekrets at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Warped Tour Pomona featuring Bayside, Dead Sara, Mayday Parade, New Found Glory, We Are the Ocean, We The Kings, Yellowcard, You Me at Six, etc. (11am)

 

Saturday: The Elizabeth Kill at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Milo Greene at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Stonefeather at The Viper Room (9pm)
ALSO: Lemon Sun at Bootleg Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Oedipus at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Mind the Gap at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: The Cult with Against Me! at Hollywood Palladium (7:30)

 

Sunday: Warped Tour Ventura featuring Bayside, Dead Sara, Mayday Parade, New Found Glory, We Are the Ocean, We The Kings, Yellowcard, You Me at Six, etc. (11am)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
June 25th: Graffiti6 at The Troubadour
June 29th: Fiona Apple at Hollywood Palladium
July 1st: Laura Marling at John Anson Ford Amphitheatre
July 1st: Harper Blynn and Madi Diaz at The Troubadour
July 14th: Saint Motel at The El Rey
August 3rd: Cory Chisel at The El Rey
August 10th: Jack White at Shrine Auditorium
August 13th: The Kills at The El Rey
August 14th: The Dunwells at The Hotel Cafe
September 4th: Gotye at The Greek Theatre
October 1st: Ed Sheeran at The Wiltern
October 11th: Awolnation and Imagine Dragons at Club Nokia
October 19th: Tony Lucca at The Roxy

~ Kristen

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Kristen’s SXSW ’12 Mix – Part 6

One of the things I love most about SXSW is the opportunity it provides every year to discover great new artists. The following mix reflects some of the bands and musicians I’ve added to my “watch list” as a result of SXSW 2012. Enjoy!

 

20. Said The Whale – “Heavy Ceiling”

Vancouver’s Said The Whale may not have won me over with their name, but every time this songs comes up, I find myself doing the head bob and wondering who the band is.

 

 21. The Balconies – “Kill Count”

If only every time I punched or kicked something, it would turn to glitter…would save on so many stubbed toes…

 

22. We Are The Ocean – “The Waiting Room”

I first heard of We Are the Ocean from the SXSW band list. Then I saw them open for Twin Atlantic and You Me at Six…twice. Their CD, Go Now and Live, lived in my car stereo for a while. I can sing along to every song. I love this band. They were supposed to be at SXSW, but I’m not sure that they made it…regardless, I could not leave them off this list.  

 

23. Hope Atlantic – “Lost at Sea”

Another Canadian band makes my list. I think Canada takes a close second to the UK for countries supplying my SXSW-fueled new musical inspirations.

 

Listen! Learn! Love!

 

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 2/13-2/19

If you haven’t noticed, Amanda’s been a busy bee making some changes to the look and function of our site. I hope you like it. I think there might be more to come. I hope you’ve also noticed the Valentine’s Cycle of Love posts put together for Local Music Nation by Amanda and Marissa. I must say, great song choices ladies!

Speaking of choices, there are way too many difficult ones to be made in LA this week. I might need some help, especially for Monday night so please let me know if you’re planning on any of these shows. Here are my options:

Monday: Milo Greene and Maniac FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring Walk the Moon, Lady Danville, Liam Bailey, and Butterfly Boucher…FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/
ALSO: Nightmare and the Cat and Incan Abraham FREE at Bootleg (10:30, 11:30)
ALSO: Butterfly Boucher, Paris Carney, and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (7pm)
ALSO: Haim FREE at The Echo (8:30)
ALSO: Some Hear Explosions at The Viper Room (11:15)
ALSO: NO at Origami Vinyl (7pm)…Vinyl release party

Tuesday: We are The Ocean, Twin Atlantic, The Swellers, and You Me at Six at The Troubadour (7pm)
ALSO: Saint Motel at The Belasco Theater (9pm)
ALSO: Red Circle Underground and Audra Mae FREE at The Satellite (10pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Valentine Party featuring George Stanford, Truth & Salvage Co., and so many more at The Piano Bar (8pm)
ALSO: Makepeace Brothers at WitZend (9pm)
ALSO: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour at The Echoplex (10pm)

Weds: The Other Side of Morning Record Release with Shawn Hook and Toy at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Tyler Hilton at the Troubadour (9pm)
ALSO: Millow and Meiko at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)

Thursday: Erin McLaughlin, Harper Blynn, Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (7,9,10)
ALSO: Queen Caveat at Andaz (8pm)
ALSO: Howlin’ Rain at The Echo (10pm)

Friday: Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes and Andy Clockwise at The Hotel Cafe (10,11)
ALSO: Abbot Kinney at On the Rox (10pm)
ALSO: Viza at The Troubadour (11:30)
ALSO: Ryan Adams at The Hollywood Bowl

Saturday: Youngblood Hawke, Eastern Conference Champions, Finish Ticket, and Jesse Kivel at The Central (9pm)
ALSO: The Fling at Bootleg Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Mayday Parade at The El Rey (7pm)

Sunday: Foxy Shazam and The Darkness at The House of Blues Sunset (7:30)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
Feb. 20th: Milo Greene at The Satellite
Feb. 22nd: Will Dailey and Mariah McManus at The Hotel Café
Feb. 22nd: Imagine Dragons at The Viper Room
Feb. 27th: Dead Sara at The Viper Room
March 5th: Scars on 45 at The Troubadour
March 5th-6th: Dan Wilson and Rachel Yamagata at The Hotel Cafe
March 8th: Crash Kings at The Troubadour
March 9th: Vanaprasta at The Bootleg Bar
March 9th: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubadour
March 10th: Nico Vega at The Roxy
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)
March 14th: The Pretty Reckless at The HOB Sunset
March 18th: Dia Frampton at The Troubadour
March 20th: Needtobreathe and Ben Rector at Club Nokia
March 20th: War on Drugs at Avalon
March 22nd: The Lumineers at The Hotel Café
March 23rd: Truth & Salvage Co. at The Troubadour
March 24th: Ani DiFranco at The Orpheum Theater
March 24th and 25th: Allen Stone at The Troubadour
March 31st: Tyrone Wells at The Roxy
April 1st: Charlotte Martin at The Bootleg Bar
April 11th: Mike Doughty at Bootleg Theater
April 12th: Joseph Arthur at The Largo
April 13th-15th AND 20th– 22nd: Coachella
April 25th: Ben Kweller at The El Rey
April 27th: Ingrid Michaelson at The Troubadour
May 8th: Snow Patrol at The Hollywood Palladium
June 13th and 14th: Phantom Planet at The Troubadour

 

~ Kristen

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