Local Music Nation

twenty one pilots at The Troubadour (2/20/13)

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Kristen

I saw twenty one pilots last night at The Troubadour. Today, Amanda asked me today how the evening went. I kind of exploded the following reply. She suggested I stick it up here as a show review. I don’t have time to gussy it up, but here it is; my initial and somewhat effusive gut reaction to the seeing twenty one pilots at The Troubadour:

OMG, last night. Last night. Sigh. It was amazing. Twenty one pilots is my new favorite. They put on the most thrilling live show. Plus, I am obsessed with their music. I can’t wait to see them again at SXSW. They are my top pick right now of bands to see.

Anyway, The plan was to catch 1.5 of the openers at The Troubadour, then run over to The Roxy to see Zookeeper’s Palace (my new friends from Philly), then come back to The Troub and catch the end of twenty one pilots set. However, I got to the Troubadour and I got a great spot right up front. The first act, Echosmith was very impressive for their youth. The second band, New Politics, was from Denmark and they were fantastic. The singer did some breakdancing. They had a ton of energy and great songs. Another band we’ll be seeing at SXSW. 🙂 I would have said they were the best band I’ve seen in awhile, until twenty one pilots blew them out of the water. But I was enjoying New Politics so much I couldn’t leave and I had such a sweet spot up front…I decided somewhat regrettably not to dash off to The Roxy.

It was the right decision. Twenty one pilots came out with a BLAM! It’s just two guys, but they both come out onto a fog-filled stage wearing these skeleton suits. It’s kinda creepy. Then drummer starts his beating and the singer gets on top of a piano (a real piano, not some keyboard or pseudo-piano). Suddenly BOOM! the singer leaps off the piano and starts into this massive pounding rap. Then 30seconds later, he’s at the piano playing a kind of skippy ballad. The skeleton suits only lasted a song, but the drama was enough to pull anyone in. The rest of the set kept up the energy. The guys were all over the place. The drummer did an awesome backflip off the piano. The singer scaled the walls and somehow ended up in the balcony. Of course, there was a drumming circle thing. They also put on these facemasks for one of the more mellow song. They created this atmosphere that was so fitting for their music which is really all about a struggle to overcome something and how everyone is miserable and such but we have to celebrate life…definitely fit my mood. But the best thing about twenty one pilots and their music is the versatility. You know how I love the unexpected in music and it doesn’t get more unexpected then their music. They go from rap to piano to keytar to synths to ukulele…sometimes all in the course of one song. The singer sounds like Eminem, but he also sounds like Marcus Mumford. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect show and I am now craving more.

I took some pictures that I posted up on LMN’s facebook page.

Needless to say, twenty one pilots are my new band love. I highly recommend checking them out, especially if they are playing a show near you.

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 2/18-2/24

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Kristen

When I’m sick, I try to do the “right thing” and not go out at night. It’s hard. Then, when I can’t get my music fix live, I reach out in other ways. Let’s just say this weekend, I spent way too much money on CDs and concert tickets. The combination of delirium and withdrawal is simply not good for my wallet.

Hopefully this flu will be gone by Monday so we can get this week off to a good start. Monday night, High Voltage Magazine is co-sponsoring the A House For Lions Show at The Echoplex so if you’re planning on checking this band out one of these Mondays (and you should), this would be the Monday I’d suggest. Also, one of my impulse buys on Friday was the twenty one pilots record. Now I’m even more excited about this band’s gig Wednesday night at The Troubadour.

Here are the rest of my picks:

Monday: High Voltage and Us vs Them presents A House for Lions FREE at The Echoplex also featuring Wake Up Lucid, Rainbow Jackson, and Daniel Ahearn & The Jones (9pm)
ALSO: The Mowgli’s FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: Wires in the Walls FREE at Silverlake Lounge (10:45)
ALSO: Tic Tic Boom! FREE at Los Globos (11pm)
ALSO: It’s a School Night FREE at Bardot featuring K.Flay (11:30)
ALSO: Monday Monday FREE at Room 5 featuring Kris & Alex Angelis, Scott Mellis, and Jackie Does Joel (8pm)

Tuesday: Basement Sessions FREE at Hemingways featuring Family Wagon and Diamond Light (9pm)
ALSO: So, What’s Your Story with Xander Smith and friend at Genghis Cohen (8pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Tuesdays FREE at The Piano Bar featuring The Janks, Clare Means, and more (8pm)

Weds: twenty one pilots with Echosmith and New Politics at The Troubadour (7:30)
ALSO: Sir Sly FREE at The Echo featuring Frank + Derol and more (9pm)
ALSO: Zookeeper’s Palace, The Red Paintings, The Revivalists at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Death of a Star at On the Rox (8pm)
ALSO: Lisa Loeb at Bootleg Theater (7:30)
ALSO: Sutton Foster at Rockwell: Table & Stage (8pm)

Thursday: The Shakers at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: The Wellspring at The Hotel Cafe (8:30)
ALSO: Raheem Cohen and The Ten Thousand at The Lyric Theatre (8pm)
ALSO: Wildcat! Wildcat! and Zola Jesus at The Echoplex (10pm)…only $3 if you get there before 10pm
ALSO: Drug Cabin FREE at SIlverlake Lounge (10pm)

Friday: Heathers at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: The White Buffalo at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: The Dead Ships at Central SAPC (11pm)
ALSO: Vanattica at Amplyfi (8:45)
ALSO: Viza at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Victor Wooten at The El Rey (8pm)

Saturday: Deadly Birds and We Were Indians at Casey’s Irish Bar Downtown (10:30, 11:30)
ALSO: Golden State at El Cid (10pm)
ALSO: Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters) at First Unitarian Church (8pm)

Sunday: Lee Dewyze at Saint Rocke (9pm)
ALSO: The Dead Ships FREE at The Satellite (10pm)

To Keep in Mind:
Feb. 26^th: Anberlin at The House of Blues Sunset
Feb. 28^th: Matthew Perryman Jones at Bootleg Bar
Feb. 28^th: Jukebox the Ghost at The Echo
Feb. 28^th: Rumors at The Roxy
March 1^st: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room
March 1^st: Free Energy at Bootleg Bar
March 2^nd: The Ranch music festival
March 5^th: Marcus Foster at The Troubadour
March 5^th: Mother Mother at The Viper Room
March 7^th: Youngblood Hawke at The Troubadour
March 7,8,9: Buckcherry at The Viper Room
March 8^th: Boy at The Troubadour
March 11^th: Lucy Rose at The Hotel Cafe
March 12^th: CHVRCHES at The Echo
March 13^th: Frightened Rabbit at The Music Box
March 15^th: Anais Mitchell at McCabe’s
March 19^th: Ivan & Alyosha at The Echo
March 19^th: Everything Everything at The Roxy
March 19^th: Foxes at Bootleg Bar
March 20^th: Nico Vega, Atlas Genius, and Imagine Dragons at The Wiltern
March 20^th: Charlotte Church at The Troubadour
March 24^th: Janis Ian at McCabe’s
April 3^rd: William Beckett at The Hotel Cafe
April 20^th: Tyrone Wells and Wakey!Wakey! at The Troubadour
April 23^rd: The Revival Tour at The El Rey
May 8^th/9^th: Milk Carton Kids at Largo
May 18-19^th: Overture Con at The Mint
June 1^st: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Wiltern
August 19^th/20^th: Ed Sheeran at The Staples Center

~ Kristen

New Music Tuesday 2/12/13 Featuring The Stone Foxes

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Kristen

The Stone Foxes – Small Fires

All hail The Stone Foxes, a fearsome foursome from SF whose album, Small Fires, comes out today. If you’re a fan of bluesy rock with a hint of face-melting guitar, this album is for you. If you favor songs that simmer for a bit before coming to boil, this album is for you. If you don’t like movin’ and groovin’ (or at least foot tappin’), then maybe you shouldn’t bother with this album as its tunes are the type that infect. The infection can be slow, but before you know it you WILL be bobbing you head and you will get odd looks from your co-workers (okay, maybe that last one is just me).

For a taste, here’s the video for the first single off Small Fires, “Everybody Knows”

More Top Picks from Recent Releases:

I’m behind on my music acquiring/listening, but that doesn’t mean you need to be…

Frightened Rabbit – Pedestrian Verse

I haven’t heard this album in its entirety, but I love this band so I’m sure it will be a must-have for my collection.

The Shadowboxers– Red Room

I recently discovered this Atlanta-based band, but I liked them so much their track “Sidewalk” made it on my 2012 Mix B-Sides. A couple weeks ago, they released an album, Red Room. I still need to dig into the album, but it’s near the top of my queue.

Other recent releases to look into:

Matt Costa- Matt Costa http://mattcosta.com/
The Bolts – Wait Til We’re Young http://www.theboltsmusic.com/The_Bolts/Home.html
Various Artists – Bombshell: The New Marilyn Musical from Smash
Josh Groban – All That Echoes http://www.joshgroban.com/allthatechoes
Nightlands – Oak Island http://www.theshadowboxers.com/
He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister – Nobody Dances in This Town http://www.hesmybrothershesmysister.com/
Blue Sky Riders – Finally Home http://blueskyridersband.com/

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 2/11-2/17

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Kristen

Debating whether to watch the Grammy’s tonight. I’ve only marginally paid attention to the nominations, but I do know there are a couple I’m rooting for. Ed Sheeran, The Lumineers, Halestorm, and Mumford & Sons being at the top of my list.

This weekend didn’t exactly go as planned so now I’m watching my favorite Hitchcock film and eating cookie dough wrapped in my Pepper’s Ghost hoodie. I miss films that make you think; think about film-making, think about the human condition, think about murder (any guesses as to the film I’m watching?).

Thinking about next week, there are many good shows, but if I could only go to one it would be Dear Boy Wednesday night at The Troubadour. Did you see this? http://www.localmusicnation.net/2013/02/01/new-band-alert-dear-boy/

As for the rest:

Monday: A House for Lions with Soft Swells, The New Limb, and Blonde Summer FREE at The Echoplex (9pm)
ALSO: The Mowgli’s with Terraplane Sun FREE at The Satellite (10pm)
ALSO: Wires in the Walls FREE at Silverlake Lounge (10:30)
ALSO: Foy Vance and You Me & Apollo at The Hotel Cafe (7,8)
ALSO: Professor Possessor FREE at The Bootleg Bar (8:30)
ALSO: Skylar Grey at The Key Club FREE with RSVP http://www.eventbrite.com/event/4827046827 (7pm)
ALSO: Monday Monday FREE at Room 5 featuring Adrianne, Garrison Starr, Jackie Does Joel, etc (8pm)

Tuesday: Beachwood Tuesdays FREE at The Piano Bar (8pm)
ALSO: Ellie Goulding at Hollywood Palladium (8pm)

Weds: Dear Boy at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Escondido with Wild Cub at The Standard Downtown
ALSO: Sir Sly with Tapioca and The Flea and Frank + Derol FREE at The Echo (9pm)…it’s free, but if you RSVP, you’re more likely to get it (there was a line out the door last week) http://do213.net/event/2013/02/13/sir-sly
ALSO: Western Scene at The Spare Room (9:30)…video release party
ALSO: Papa Roach and Stone Sour at Club Nokia (7:30)

Thursday: James David and Mariah McManus at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Terra Naomi at WitZend (8pm)

Friday: Harper Blynn covers set FREE at The Hotel Cafe (11pm)
ALSO: Soundgarden at The Wiltern (7pm)

Saturday: The Elizabeth Kill at Molly Malone’s (8pm)
ALSO: We Were Indians at Casey’s Irish Bar Downtown (11pm)
ALSO: The Record Company at The Satellite (10pm)
ALSO: K. Flay and Icona Pop at The Troubadour (9,10)
ALSO: Sweetwater & The Satisfaction, Mike Cooley (Drive By Truckers), and D Henry Fenton at The Hotel Cafe (8, 9:30, 12)
ALSO: Pink with The Hives at The Staples Center (8pm)
ALSO: Local Music Stage at Year of the Snake Lunar New Year Festival in Chinatown (outdoor stage) FREE featuring Western Scene, Mind the Gap, Eastern Conference Champions (noon – 8:30)
ALSO: Shawn Mullins at McCabe’s (8pm)
ALSO: Soundgarden at The Wiltern (7pm)

Sunday: Local Music Stage at Year of the Snake Lunar New Year Festival in Chinatown (outdoor stage) FREE featuring Drive He Said and Y LUV (noon – 5)
ALSO: Mike Cooley (Drive-By Truckers) at McCabe’s (9:30)
ALSO: Ed Sheeran at Nokia Theatre LA Live (8pm)
ALSO: Soundgarden at The Wiltern (7pm)

To Keep in Mind:
Feb. 20^st: twenty one pilots at The Troubadour
Feb. 21^st: The Shakers at The Roxy
Feb. 26^th: Anberlin at The House of Blues Sunset
Feb. 28^th: Matthew Perryman Jones at Bootleg Bar
Feb. 28^th: Jukebox the Ghost at The Echo
Feb. 28^th: Rumors at The Roxy
March 1^st: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room
March 1^st: Free Energy at Bootleg Bar
March 2^nd: The Ranch music festival
March 5^th: Marcus Foster at The Troubadour
March 5^th: Mother Mother at The Viper Room
March 7^th: Youngblood Hawke at The Troubadour
March 7,8,9: Buckcherry at The Viper Room
March 8^th: Boy at The Troubadour
March 12^th: CHVRCHES at The Echo
March 13^th: Frightened Rabbit at The Music Box
March 15^th: Anais Mitchell at McCabe’s
March 19^th: Ivan & Alyosha at The Echo
March 19^th: Everything Everything at The Roxy
March 19^th: Foxes at Bootleg Bar
March 20^th: Nico Vega, Atlas Genius, and Imagine Dragons at The Wiltern
March 20^th: Charlotte Church at The Troubadour
March 24^th: Janis Ian at McCabe’s
April 20^th: Tyrone Wells and Wakey!Wakey! at The Troubadour
April 23^rd: The Revival Tour at The El Rey
May 18-19^th: Overture Con at The Mint
June 1^st: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Wiltern
August 19^th/20^th: Ed Sheeran at The Staples Center

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 2/4-2/10

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Kristen

Happy Super Bowl Sunday! If you know me, you may find it odd that I am recognizing the event because I quite dislike football. Not just in the casual way, but I find myself getting inexplicably, and perhaps irrationally angry when I am in a room with people sitting around watching football (don’t ask, because honestly I don’t know why). But Super Bowl Sunday is great because while everyone else seems to be pressing pause on their lives, I keep going and actually feel like I’m getting ahead for once instead of barely keeping up.

One of my action items today is to plan out my February. As far as shows go, it’s going to be tricky because my oh my February is a busy month for must see residencies. On Mondays we’ve got A House for Lions, The Mowgli’s, AND Wires in the Walls all playing free shows at The Echoplex, The Satellite, and Silverlake Louge respectively. Then on Wednesdays we have Sir Sly at The Echo and Warner Drive at The Viper Room and each Saturday you can find We Were Indians (formally Indians) downtown at Casey’s Irish Bar and Sweetwater & The Satisfaction at The Hotel Cafe. I need to decide what week I’m going to go to what venue now so that I can be sure I see everyone and not become paralyzed with options. It’s so easy to say “oh, I’ll catch them next week” when it comes to these residencies…

Whatever you end up doing today and for the rest of the week, I hope you’re having a blast. To help you in that endeavor, here are my musical recommendations:

Monday: The Young Roman’s at Central SAPC (8pm)
ALSO: The Mowgli’s and Of Verona FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: A House for Lions with Olin and The Moon and The Steelwells FREE at The Echoplex (9pm)
ALSO: Wires in the Walls FREE at Silverlake Lounge (10:30)
ALSO: It’s A School Night at Bardot featuring Lewis Watson and Matt Costa (8pm)…FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/
ALSO: Deadly Birds at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Judy Collins in Conversation with Stephen Stills at The Saban Theatre (7:30)
ALSO: Monday Monday FREE at Room 5 (8pm)

Tuesday: Kris Allen and Jake Newton at The Hotel Cafe (8, 9:30)
ALSO: Chi McClean and Brendan Hines at Room 5 (9, 10)
ALSO: Solwave at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Tuesdays at The Piano Bar featuring Escondido (9pm)

Weds: Queen Caveat FREE at The Studio (10pm)
ALSO: Sir Sly and Kitten FREE at The Echo (9pm)
ALSO: Warner Drive and Deluka at The Viper Room (10, ?)
ALSO: Kris Allen at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)

Thursday: Parade of Lights at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Holly Conlan and Hey Ocean! At Bootleg Bar (10,11)
ALSO: The Grammy Foundation’s Play It Forward Event at The Saban Theatre featuring Ed Sheeran, LP, Leann Rimes, Emmylou Harris, etc. (7:30)

Friday: Jesse Thomas at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: The Stone Foxes at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Slim Cessnar’s Auto Club at The Viper Room (11pm)

Saturday: We Were Indians at Casey’s Irish Bar Downtown (11:30)
ALSO: The Stone Foxes at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: The Other Side of Morning at Universal Bar and Grill (7:30)
ALSO: Nonpoint at The Roxy (8:15)
ALSO: Sweetwater & The Satisfaction at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Ed Sheeran at Hollywood Palladium (6pm)
ALSO: Ellie Goulding at The Wiltern (8pm)

Sunday: The Ragged Jubilee at The Viper Room (8pm)

To Keep in Mind:
Feb. 12^th: Ellie Goulding at Hollywood Palladium
Feb. 13^th: Papa Roach at Club Nokia
Feb. 13^th: Dear Boy at The Troubadour
Feb. 16^th: Pink with The Hives at The Staples Center
Feb. 17^th: Ed Sheeran at Nokia Theatre LA Live
Feb. 20^st: twenty one pilots at The Troubadour
Feb. 21^st: The Shakers at The Roxy
Feb. 26^th: Anberlin at The House of Blues Sunset
Feb. 28^th: Matthew Perryman Jones at Bootleg Bar
Feb. 28^th: Jukebox the Ghost at The Echo
March 5^th: Marcus Foster at The Troubadour
March 5^th: Mother Mother at The Viper Room
March 7^th: Youngblood Hawke at The Troubadour
March 7,8,9: Buckcherry at The Viper Room
March 8^th: Boy at The Troubadour
March 12^th: CHVRCHES at The Echo
March 13^th: Frightened Rabbit at The Music Box
March 15^th: Anais Mitchell at McCabe’s
March 19^th: Ivan & Alyosha at The Echo
March 19^th: Everything Everything at The Roxy
March 20^th: Nico Vega, Atlas Genius, and Imagine Dragons at The Wiltern
March 20^th: Charlotte Church at The Troubadour
March 24^th: Janis Ian at McCabe’s
April 20^th: Tyrone Wells and Wakey!Wakey! at The Troubadour
April 23^rd: The Revival Tour at The El Rey
May 18-19^th: Overture Con at The Mint
June 1^st: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Wiltern
August 19^th/20^th: Ed Sheeran at The Staples Center

~ Kristen