I’m about to head out the door to get to The Hotel Cafe to check out acoustic duo, Penny & Sparrow. I’ve been listening to their album, Struggle Pretty, and I’ve high hopes for this live experience. There are several artists in town this week whose records I’ve been obsessed with, but who I’ve never seen live. On the top of that list is British singer-songwriter, James Bay playing twice this week at Bardot and The Hotel Cafe. We also have Seattle’s HARPS and Levi Weaver whose album, Your Ghost Keeps Finding Me is one of my favorite releases this year.

And that’s just the beginning! This is truly a great week for music discovery so get out there and fall in love with something new. Here are the rest of my recommendations:

Monday: It’s A School Night at Bardot featuring James Bay
ALSO: Lime Cordiale at The Viper Room (8pm)
ALSO: Maudlin Strangers, Wild Ones, Until The Ribbon Breaks, MYPET FREE at Bootleg HiFi (8pm)
ALSO: French Style Furs FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: Zero 1 at Dragonfly (8pm)

 

Tuesday: James Bay at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Scott Kinnebrew (Truth & Salvage Co) and Patrick Park at The Fold (9, 10)
ALSO: Jack White with Cold War Kids at The Fonda (8:30)
ALSO: Joseph Arthur at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: George Stanford FREE at The Piano Bar (10pm)

 

Weds: The Rocketboys FREE at Fifty Seven (10pm)
ALSO: Broken Arrow, Ben Lee at The Hotel Cafe (9, 10)
ALSO: Jack White with Cold War Kids at The Mayan (7pm)
ALSO: Bob Schneider and Hayes Carll at The Troubadour (9pm)

 

Thursday: HARPS at Silverlake Lounge (11:30)

ALSO: Memoir FREE at The Spare Room at The Roosevelt Hotel (10pm)
ALSO: Old Man Canyon at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Scarlett Rabe and Songwriters in the Round f. Clare Means, Joy Autumn, Stephen Lowll at Room 5 (7, 9)
ALSO: Hayes Carll and Bob Schneider at The Troubadour (9pm)

 

Friday: Irontom at The Roxy (8:15)
ALSO: Patrick Joseph and Cassi Nichols at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: 8MM, Kiven at The Viper Room (8pm)
ALSO: Judith Owen at The Mint (8pm)

 

Saturday: Levi Weaver at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Nightmare & The Cat and Neon Trees at The Wiltern
ALSO: The Both at El Rey Theatre (9pm)
ALSO: Ages and Ages with Phoebe Bridgers at Bootleg HiFi (8pm)
ALSO: Fire in The Hamptons at El Cid (11pm)
ALSO: The Fray with Oh Honey and Barcelona at The Greek Theatre (7:30)

 

Sunday:

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
June 16^th: Ed Sheeran at The Hollywood Bowl
June 17^th: Crash Kings at Bootleg HiFi
June 18^th: Matt Nathanson at Greek Theatre
June 18^th: High Voltage show at The Silverlake Lounge
June 19^th: Dan Wilson at Largo
June 21^st: The Milk Carton Kids at Japan America Theatre
July 10^th: Prides at The Troubadour
July 22^nd: OK Go at The Troubadour
July 23^rd: OK Go at The Echo
July 24^th: The Neighbourhood at Greek Theatre
July 31^st: Foxy Shazam at The El Rey
August 1^st: The Griswolds at The Echo
August 2^nd: Saint Motel at The Troubadour
August 2^nd: Red Wanting Blue at Bootleg Theater
August 5^th: Emerson Hart and Tony Lucca at The Hotel Cafe
August 10^th: Iron and Wine and Glen Hansard at Hollywood Bowl
August 13^th: Reignwolf at The Troubadour
August 23^rd-24^th: FYF
August 23^rd: Lake Street Dive at The Wiltern
August 25^th: Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden at Hollywood Bowl
August 26^th: Youngblood Hawke at Greek Theatre
September 30^th: Sam Smith at Greek Theatre
October 2^nd: The War on Drugs at Fonda Theatre
October 3^rd: Ben Kweller at The Roxy
October 6^th: Carbon Leaf at The Roxy
October 8^th: twenty one pilots at Hollywood Palladium
October 10^th: The Pretty Reckless at The Wiltern
October 16^th: Hozier with James Bay at Cathedral Sanctuary at Immanuel Presbyterian
October 18^th: Kodaline at The Fonda Theatre
October 27^th: Rachael Yamagata at The Troubadour

~ Kristen

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat

http://www.facebook.com/localmusicnation

I’ve been doing a lot of “career” work this week, bulking up the Linkedin, going on job sites to see what’s available, making lists of my skills, etc. I go back and forth between being excited and panicked, thinking I’ve accomplished a lot and wondering what I’ve done with my life. I actually got a headache this week which is a rare thing for me…it’s hard to stare into the future when it’s so fuzzy!

At least I have my short term music plan worked out. This week brings some exciting shows at The Hotel Cafe (Max Collins, Curtis Peoples, Penny & Sparrow, etc.). I’m also looking forward to seeing Chicago rockers Empires Monday night at Bardot.

Here are the rest of my musical selections:

 

Monday: French Style Furs FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Until The Ribbon Breaks FREE at Bootleg HiFi (10:30)
ALSO: It’s A School Night at Bardot f. Empires and The Preatures (8:30)
ALSO: Sean Watkins w/ Erin McLaughlin and Tournament of Hearts at The Hotel Cafe (7, 11)
ALSO: Hugh Laurie at The Fonda Theatre (8pm)
ALSO: Hunnypot Radio Live FREE at The Mint (7pm)
ALSO: Monday Monday FREE at Room 5 (8pm)

 

Tuesday: Johnnyswim at The El Rey (8pm)

 

Weds: Max Collins at The Hotel Cafe (10:30)
ALSO: American Pyramids at Bootleg HiFi (9pm)
ALSO: MO at The Troubadour (10pm)

 

Thursday: MAX with Alexz Johnson at The Troubadour (7pm)

ALSO: OneRepublic and The Script at Hollywood Bowl (7pm)
ALSO: Brothers Zmed and LA River Bend at The Hotel Cafe (10, 11)
ALSO: Xander Smith and Run Run Run at The Viper Room (9pm)
ALSO: tUnE-yArDs at The Fonda Theatre (9pm)
ALSO: Hunnypot Summer Party at Bardot (8pm)

 

Friday: Queen Caveat at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: Brian Wright and Joe Purdy at Bootleg HiFi (8pm)
ALSO: The Echo and The Sound at Los Globos (8pm)
ALSO: Little Hurricane at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Aoife O’Donovan at McCabe’s (8pm)
ALSO: A Prairie Home Companion at The Greek Theater f. Heart (7:30)
 

Saturday: Curtis Peoples at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Black Hi-Lighter at El Cid (11pm)
ALSO: James Taylor at The Hollywood Bowl (8pm)
ALSO: Make Music Pasadena FREE downtown Pasadena f. Tennis, Saint Motel, Sylvan Esso, Finish Ticket, Moses Sumney, Run River North, The Record Company, Max and The Moon, etc. (noon)

 

Sunday: Penny & Sparrow at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Grand Ole Echo at The Echo FREE featuring Ivory DeVille, All Sports to Black (6pm)
ALSO: James Taylor at The Hollywood Bowl (7:30)

 

To Keep in Mind:
June 10^th: James Bay at The Hotel Cafe
June 10^th: Jack White at The Fonda Theatre
June 11^th: Jack White at The Mayan
June 14^th: The Both at El Rey Theatre
June 14^th: Levi Weaver at The Hotel Cafe
June 16^th: Ed Sheeran at The Hollywood Bowl
June 17^th: Crash Kings at Bootleg HiFi
June 18^th: Matt Nathanson at Greek Theatre
June 18^th: High Voltage show at The Silverlake Lounge
June 19^th: Dan Wilson at Largo
June 21^st: The Milk Carton Kids at Japan America Theatre
July 10^th: Prides at The Troubadour
July 22^nd: OK Go at The Troubadour
July 23^rd: OK Go at The Echo
July 24^th: The Neighbourhood at Greek Theatre
July 31^st: Foxy Shazam at The El Rey
August 1^st: The Griswolds at The Echo
August 2^nd: Saint Motel at The Troubadour
August 2^nd: Red Wanting Blue at Bootleg Theater
August 5^th: Emerson Hart and Tony Lucca at The Hotel Cafe
August 10^th: Iron and Wine and Glen Hansard at Hollywood Bowl
August 13^th: Reignwolf at The Troubadour
August 23^rd-24^th: FYF
August 23^rd: Lake Street Dive at The Wiltern
August 25^th: Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden at Hollywood Bowl
August 26^th: Youngblood Hawke at Greek Theatre
September 30^th: Sam Smith at Greek Theatre
October 2^nd: The War on Drugs at Fonda Theatre
October 3^rd: Ben Kweller at The Roxy
October 6^th: Carbon Leaf at The Roxy
October 8^th: twenty one pilots at Hollywood Palladium
October 10^th: The Pretty Reckless at The Wiltern
October 16^th: Hozier with James Bay at Cathedral Sanctuary at Immanuel Presbyterian
October 18^th: Kodaline at The Fonda Theatre
October 27^th: Rachael Yamagata at The Troubadour

~ Kristen

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat

http://www.facebook.com/localmusicnation

Music and memories often go hand in hand. I have certain artists that I associate with particular traumas in my life because they were playing at the time of the incident. For example, Sheryl Crow goes with that time I got run off the highway in rural PA and Fall Out Boy is paired with the time someone smashed into my car in South Carolina (completely his fault, but of course my car was totaled). I added a new one to the list this week. James Blunt will now forever be associated with that time I fainted at a show. Before anyone asks, I am okay. At least I feel okay now. It’s just kind of sad that I’ll never be able to listen to Back to Bedlam again without feeling a little woozy.

 

So, last week didn’t go exactly as anticipated, but here’s to hoping this week doesn’t have any similar surprises. There are several great show options this week, especially on Wednesday, but show pick of the week must go to Irontom who are playing along with The Janks Tuesday night at Townhouse & The Del Monte in Venice.

 

Here are the rest of my picks. Happy Memorial Day!

 

Monday: In the Valley Below with Omniflux and Will Love FREE at The Echo (9pm)

 

Tuesday: The Janks and Irontom at Townhouse & The Del Monte in Venice (9,10)
ALSO: Brian Marquis at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Billy Joel at The Hollywood Bowl (8pm)
ALSO: George Stanford FREE at The Piano Bar (10pm)

 

Weds: Max Collins and Sad Robot FREE at Hemingway’s (10pm)
ALSO: Mosco Rosco and The New Electric Sound FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: The Bolts at The Viper Room (9pm)
ALSO: Thomas Dybdahl and Broken Arrow at The Hotel Cafe (8, 9)
ALSO: Elbow at The Wiltern (8pm)
ALSO: First Aid Kit at The El Rey (9pm)
ALSO: Jamestown Revival at The Grammy Museum (8pm)

 

Thursday: Kris Orlowski, The Wind + The Wave, Jamestown Revival at The Troubadour (8pm)
ALSO: The Wellspring at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Terra Naomi and Our Lady J at WitZend (7, 10)

 

Friday: Priscilla Ahn at The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery (9pm)
ALSO: The Record Company (acoustic) at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Brody Dalle at The Troubadour (9pm)

 

Saturday: Ron Pope at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Caught a Ghost at Bootleg HiFi (9pm)
ALSO: The Watkins Family Hour at Largo (9pm)
ALSO: The Mowgli’s at Hollister House in Santa Monica (7pm)…FREE with RSVP
ALSO: Chris Pierce at Genghis Cohen (10pm)
ALSO: KROQ Weenie Roast at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater f. Beck, Fall Out Boy, The Neighbourhood, Bastille, Fitz & The Tantrums, The 1975, Phantogram, American Authors, Bleachers, etc.

 

Sunday: Madi Diaz FREE at Bootleg HiFi (8pm)

 

To Keep in Mind:
June 5^th: OneRepublic and The Script at Hollywood Bowl
June 7^th: Make Music Pasadena
June 8^th: Penny & Sparrow at The Hotel Cafe
June 10^th: James Bay at The Hotel Cafe
June 10^th: Jack White at The Fonda Theatre
June 11^th: Jack White at The Mayan
June 14^th: The Both at El Rey Theatre
June 14^th: Levi Weaver at The Hotel Cafe
June 16^th: Ed Sheeran at The Hollywood Bowl
June 17^th: Crash Kings at Bootleg HiFi
June 18^th: Matt Nathanson at Greek Theatre
June 18^th: High Voltage show at The Silverlake Lounge
June 19^th: Dan Wilson at Largo
June 21^st: The Milk Carton Kids at Japan America Theatre
July 10^th: Prides at The Troubadour
July 22^nd: OK Go at The Troubadour
July 23^rd: OK Go at The Echo
July 24^th: The Neighbourhood at Greek Theatre
July 31^st: Foxy Shazam at The El Rey
August 1^st: The Griswolds at The Echo
August 2^nd: Saint Motel at The Troubadour
August 2^nd: Red Wanting Blue at Bootleg Theater
August 5^th: Emerson Hart and Tony Lucca at The Hotel Cafe
August 10^th: Iron and Wine and Glen Hansard at Hollywood Bowl
August 13^th: Reignwolf at The Troubadour
August 23^rd: Lake Street Dive at The Wiltern
August 25^th: Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden at Hollywood Bowl
August 26^th: Youngblood Hawke at Greek Theatre
October 2^nd: The War on Drugs at Fonda Theatre
October 3^rd: Ben Kweller at The Roxy
October 6^th: Carbon Leaf at The Roxy
October 8^th: twenty one pilots at Hollywood Palladium
October 10^th: The Pretty Reckless at The Wiltern
October 16^th: Hozier with James Bay at Cathedral Sanctuary at Immanuel Presbyterian
October 18^th: Kodaline at The Fonda Theatre
October 27^th: Rachael Yamagata at The Troubadour

~ Kristen

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat

http://www.facebook.com/localmusicnation

I crossed “bonfire at the beach” off my LA bucket list this weekend. There were s’mores! It took me back to my Girl Scout days. I also hadn’t been to the beach in a really long time so it was nice to be reminded that I do indeed live near the ocean.

There are a couple really special shows happening this week. The Nickel Creek tour hits the Wiltern on Wednesday. It seems like several lifetimes ago when I stumbled upon this folk trio in Keystone, Colorado and I couldn’t be more excited about their return to the music scene after a seven year absence. Also Tuesday night my (thus far) favorite musical discovery of 2014, Hozier, will be at The Troubadour.  That show is sold out, but if you ever get the opportunity to hear this Irish bard sing, do it!

As for the rest of my musical recommendations:

Monday: it’s a school night at Bardot featuring Wild Party…FREE with RSVP http://itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/
ALSO: In The Valley Below FREE at The Echo (11pm)
ALSO: Badass Bands Blog Presents at The Viper Room f. The Crazy Brave, The Pocket Rockets, The Brothers Zmed (9pm)
ALSO: Oh Honey and James Blunt at The Belasco Theatre (8pm)
ALSO: Coldplay at Royce Hall (8pm)
ALSO: Monday Monday FREE at Room 5 featuring Jesse Thomas, Casey Abrams, Joel Eckels, Michael Doman, etc. (8pm)
ALSO: Hunnypot Radio FREE at The Mint featuring Palaye Royale and more (7pm)

 

Tuesday: Hozier at The Troubadour (9:30)
ALSO: Trapdoor Social, King Washington, Timmy Sean and the Celebrities at The Viper Room (8pm)
ALSO: The Basement Sessions FREE at Hemingway’s f. Scarlett Rabe
ALSO: Roses & Revolutions at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: George Stanford FREE at The Piano Bar (10pm)

 

Weds: Nickel Creek at The Wiltern (7pm)
ALSO: Dead Sara with Rival Tides and Giver at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Thomas Dybdahl and Alex Dezen with Jay Blynn & friends at The Hotel Cafe (8, 9)
ALSO: Band of Skulls at The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever (9pm)

 

Thursday: The Unlikely Candidates and The New Electric Sound at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Wild Party at The Troubadour (8pm)
ALSO: Nathaniel Ratliff at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: decoded at Loaded (10pm)
ALSO: Fauntella Crow at WitZend (8pm)
ALSO: 22 Kings at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Billy Joel with Gavin DeGraw at Hollywood Bowl (8pm)

 

Friday: Howlin’ Rain at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Matt Pond PA with The Lighthouse And The Whaler at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: The Raskins with Betty Moon and The Gallery at The Viper Room (9pm)

 

Saturday: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Against Me! at The Roxy (7:30)
ALSO: Nina Storey at WitZend (9pm)
ALSO: State Line Syndicate and The Brave Ones at The Viper Room (9pm)
ALSO: Ari Hest and Suzanne Vega at The El Rey (9pm)
ALSO: Joan Osborne at McCabe’s (8pm and 10pm)

 

Sunday: Against Me! at The Roxy (7:30)
ALSO: Kevin Earnest at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
May 28^th: First Aid Kit at El Rey Theatre
May 30^th: Priscilla Ahn at The Masonic Lodge
May 31^st: Ron Pope at The Roxy
June 5^th: OneRepublic and The Script at Hollywood Bowl
June 7^th: Make Music Pasadena
June 14^th: The Both at El Rey Theatre
June 16^th: Ed Sheeran at The Hollywood Bowl
June 17^th: Crash Kings at Bootleg HiFi
June 18^th: Matt Nathanson at Greek Theatre
June 19^th: Dan Wilson at Largo
June 21^st: The Milk Carton Kids at Japan America Theatre
July 10^th: Prides at The Troubadour
July 22^nd: OK Go at The Troubadour
July 23^rd: OK Go at The Echo
July 24^th: The Neighbourhood at Greek Theatre
August 10^th: Iron and Wine and Glen Hansard at Hollywood Bowl
August 23^rd: Lake Street Dive at The Wiltern
August 25^th: Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden at Hollywood Bowl
August 26^th: Youngblood Hawke at Greek Theatre
October 2^nd: The War on Drugs at Fonda Theatre
October 3^rd: Ben Kweller at The Roxy
October 6^th: Carbon Leaf at The Roxy
October 8^th: twenty one pilots at Hollywood Palladium
October 18^th: Kodaline at The Fonda Theatre

~ Kristen

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat

http://www.facebook.com/localmusicnation