Author: Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 1/30-2/5

Posted on by Kristen

It’s been a crazy busy weekend. Friday night went from hanging out at Bedrock studios and running into some great bands like The Chevin and Vanaprasta to hanging out at Room 5 and being introduced to a fantastic San Francisco musician, Chi McClean, and finally ending up at The Viper Room to rock out with Queen Caveat. Saturday I actually saw the ocean *gasp*. Something I rarely do, even living so close. Sunday’s evening adventures include a bday party and a stop at The Hotel Cafe to catch up with Lovers Drugs.

Also, the new issue of High Voltage Magazine is out! I have a feature in it on one of my favorite bands, Imagine Dragons. You should check it out (subscribe here: http://www.iamhighvoltage.com/subscribe.html

Well, I’ve got to get going, so we’ll get to the point. Another week of excellent shows. Here are my picks:

Monday: Chasing Kings, Shadow Shadow Shade, Francisco the Man, and Eyes Lips Eyes FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: NO and Princeton FREE at Bootleg Bar (9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: YoYa FREE at The Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: Terraplane Sun at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: The Kin at The Museum of Musical Instruments in Venice (10:30)
ALSO: Atomic Tom at Bootleg Bar (11pm)

ALSO: Jessie Baylin at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: NO at The Echo (9pm)

 

Weds: Jamestown Revival at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)

 

Thursday: Ed Sheeran and Antonio Beliveau at The Hotel Cafe (7, 10)
ALSO: Mutemath at Club Nokia (9pm)
ALSO: The Features at Bootleg Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Gotye at The El Rey (10pm)

 

Friday: Forrest Day at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Javier Dunn, Goodnight Texas, Rocco Deluca, David and Devine at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Madi Diaz and Jarrod Gorbel at Bootleg Bar (9pm)

 

Saturday: Haim at Bootleg Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Alice Smith, Tyler Hilton, Chris Pierce at The Hotel Cafe (9, 10:30, 11:30)

 

Sunday: Where’s The Band at The Troubadour (7pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
Feb. 8th: Marketa Irglova at The Hotel Café
Feb. 9th: Joss Stone at The Troubadour
Feb. 9th: Harper Blynn at The Hotel Cafe
Feb. 14th: Twin Atlantic and You Me at Six at The Troubadour
Feb. 17th: Ryan Adams at The Hollywood Bowl
Feb. 19th: The Darkness at House of Blues Sunset
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
March 5th: Scars on 45 at The Troubadour
March 9th: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)
March 18th: Dia Frampton at The Troubadour
March 20th: Needtobreathe and Ben Rector at Club Nokia
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 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: Phantom Planet at The Troubadour

 

~ Kristen

 

http://twitter.com/#%21/_localmusicnat

New Music Tuesday 1/24 Featuring Ingrid Michaelson, Foxy Shazam, Graffiti6, etc.

Posted on by Kristen

I know it’s been awhile since I was able to do one of these, but there are so many wonderful CDs coming out today and I felt it necessary to invest some time into pointing them out. I hope you, in turn, will invest some time into listening! Click on the artist’s name for more info on them and how to get their new CD.

Human Again – Ingrid Michaelson

I first heard this CD about a month ago and I have been counting down the days for its release. I’m a huge fan of Ingrid Michaelson and she takes this record to darker places both musically and lyrically and I love it! My full review of the album will be printed in the winter issue of High Voltage Magazine, but suffice it to say, fan or not, I think you should check out this record.

 

The Church of Rock and Roll – Foxy Shazam

When I first heard this group (sight unseen) I thought they were being led by a powerful black woman. Imagine my surprise when I found out their lead singer was a diminutive white guy. The surprises are never ending with Foxy Shazam and their newest record, The Church of Rock and Roll, definitely pushes the boundaries of what is expected from a rock band from Ohio. Check them out if you want something refreshing for your ears. And when they come to your town, do NOT miss the opportunity to see them live.

 

Colours– Graffiti6

I had the pleasure of discovering these Brits at The El Rey last week when they opened for Augustana. They play the kind of music that makes it easy to smile and sway along. I got the CD that night and have been listening to it on repeat. My favorite song is “Free”. I hope it can make you smile as well…

 

Others I hope to look into:

 

Listen, Learn, Love!

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 1/23-1/29

Posted on by Kristen

Last week was a phenomenal week of shows. I believe I was out every night save the weekend (I much prefer staying in on the weekends anyway). My weekend was also fairly “epic” but in another sense. I made my third batch of 2011 mix CDs while watching the third Lord of the Rings movie (Return of The King) and I started re-reading the third book in the Inheritance cycle. I rather enjoy retreating into worlds full of elves and dragons where epic battles are won and heroes come from the unlikeliest of sources. And as I listen to Annie Lennox sing “Into the West” I am disheartened at the thought of returning to my somewhat less glorious real life.

Life does have a few treats in store for me this week, however. Bonnaroo highlight (and ’11 mix artist) Cory Chisel will be in town Tuesday night at The Echo, San Diego faves, Endoxi, will be rockin’ The Roxy Thursday, and LA love Queen Caveat is back in action with their first show of the new year Friday night at The Viper Room. But that is only the tip of the show iceberg this week. Here’s a full list of my recommendations:

 

Monday: Chasing Kings, Chevin, The Californian, Nightmare the Cat FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring The Good Natured…FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/ (9pm)
ALSO: Kusewera Benefit Show at The Hotel Café featuring Lindsey Ray, Javier Dunn, Cary Brothers, etc. (7pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, Olin & The Moon, and Maxim Ludwig FREE at The Echo (9pm)
ALSO: The Belle Brigade at The Central in Santa Monica (11:30)
ALSO: Rumer at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Dana Williams at Genghis Cohen (8pm)
ALSO: Tuesday’s Beachwood Carousal FREE at The Piano Bar (8pm)

 

Weds: The Watkins Family Hour at Largo (8:30)
ALSO: Alice Smith, Raining Jane, and Jamestown Revival at The Hotel Cafe  (7, 9, 10)
ALSO: Josh Damigo, Ruby Summer, and George Stanford at WitZend (8,9,10)

 

Thursday: Endoxi at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: George Stanford at The Foundry on Melrose (8pm)
ALSO: Vicci Matinez at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: The Wood Brothers at The Largo (8pm)

 

Friday: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Jack & White, Neon Hymns, Rocco Deluca at The Hotel Cafe (9,10,11)
ALSO: SO & SO at Molly Malone’s (9pm)
ALSO: Taylor Locke and The Roughs, Bleu, and Mike Viola at Bootleg Bar (9pm)
ALSO: Vicky Cryer at The Troubadour (10pm)

 

Saturday: Anna Nalick and Nina Storey at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)
ALSO: The Shakers, Ice Cream Fire, The Young Rapscallions at The Roxy (7:30)
ALSO: Matt Skiba at The Troubadour (9pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 featuring Adrienne Pierce, Liz Foster, Meagan Walsh, and MaryEllen Owens (7:30)

 

Sunday: Tyrone Wells, Mariah McManus, and Jack and White at Saint Rocke (6:30)
ALSO: Lovers Drugs at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)

 

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
January 31st: Atomic Tom at Bootleg Bar
Feb. 2nd: Mutemath at Club Nokia
Feb. 2nd: Dead Sara at Bootleg Bar
Feb. 8th: Marketa Irglova at The Hotel Café
Feb. 9th: Joss Stone at The Troubadour
Feb. 9th: Harper Blynn at The Hotel Cafe
Feb. 14th: Twin Atlantic and You Me at Six at The Troubadour
Feb. 17th: Ryan Adams at The Hollywood Bowl
Feb. 19th: The Darkness at House of Blues Sunset
Feb. 20th: Milo Greene at The Satellite
Feb. 21st: Scars on 45 at The Troubadour
Feb. 22nd: Will Dailey and Mariah McManus at The Hotel Cafe
March 9th: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)
March 18th: Dia Frampton at The Troubadour
March 20th: Needtobreathe and Ben Rector at Club Nokia
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 13th-15th AND 20th– 22nd: Coachella
April 25th: Ben Kweller at The El Rey
May 8th: Snow Patrol at The Hollywood Palladium

 

~ Kristen

 

http://twitter.com/#%21/_localmusicnat

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

Friday the 13th’s Creepshow at The Hotel Cafe

Posted on by Kristen

One of my favorite musical events is the semi-annual Creepshow. Pianist extraordinaire, Ely Rise or Ely the Creep as he is affectionately known, gathers together his very talented musician friends for a night of drinking and music at The Hotel Cafe. Ely knows good music and The Creepshow is always an opportunity to discover amazing talent. Over the last couple of years, I have been introduced to artists like Alisan Porter, Elle King, Sarah Hudson, and Esthero and gotten to see favorite acts like Hoobastank, Daniel Bedingfield, and Ferras.  What I love most about the event is that it is a celebration of music. Everyone there is so happy to be on the stage sharing what the love with an audience eager to hear what they have to offer.

The 10th Creepshow took place last Friday (the 13th) and living up to the standard, was an evening full of discovering new artists, seeing a couple of favorites, and generally being blown away by the talent that took the stage. Highlights for me included hearing some new songs from Ferras (especially his duet with Sarah Hudson) and sampling promising new voices like Dana Williams, Nikki Leonti (of Nikki & Rich), and southern sounding rocker Josh Bartholomew. Plus, it wouldn’t be a Creepshow without at least one surprise guest and having Josh Hoge take the stage might have been the most pleasant surprise of them all!

Below are some pictures. Scroll over the pics to get more stories from the fantastic evening of music.

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 1/16-1/22

Posted on by Kristen

Currently watching The Golden Globes and I have come to the conclusion that I really don’t know much about contemporary popular culture. I’m incredibly frustrated because all the commercials for interesting new TV shows give their premiere date based on something called “the super bowl”. Okay, I know what The Super Bowl is (unfortunately), but I have no clue when it is. Can you please give me an actual date associated with these shows? Not that I’ll time to watch them…

Listening to all the nominees for the best films and TV shows of the year, I realize how out of tune I am with these things. I think I’ve seen all of two movies that were mentioned the entire evening and I had no clue Matt LeBlanc or Kelsey Grammar were doing TV again.  Also, when did my favorite movie stars like Julianne Moore and Kate Winslet get so old?

Sorry for the extracurricular rant. I might know more about these things if I didn’t spend my every spare moment going to shows, listening to music, writing about music, and hanging out with people talking about music, etc. But honestly, I love my life and wouldn’t have it any other way…

And now that I’ve brought us back around to the point of this email, here are my musical recommendations in LA this week. (I’d especially take note of The Silent Comedy’s return to LA on Tuesday):

 

Monday: The Elizabeth Kill at The Viper Room (12:15)
ALSO: Chasing Kings FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: NO, Zane Carney, and The Pierces at Bardot (10pm)…FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/
ALSO: Kevin Earnest at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: Races, Taylor Locke and The Roughs, and The Silent Comedy at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Finish Ticket at The Viper Room (9:30)
ALSO: Olin & The Moon and Maxim Ludwig FREE at The Echo (9pm)

 

Weds: Adam Arguarci at Bootleg Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Augustana at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Marcus Very Ordinary and Forrest Day at Molly Malone’s (9,10)
ALSO: Jamestown Revival at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)

 

Thursday: Zane Carney at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Forrest Day at The Satellite (10pm)
ALSO: Civil Twilight at Bootleg Bar (8pm)
ALSO: Terra Naomi and La Vie at WitZend (9, 10)

 

Friday: The Good Natured at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Holly Conlan, Rob Giles and All New People, and Rocco Deluca at The Hotel Cafe (8, 9, 11)
ALSO: Wires in the Walls at O’Briens in Santa Monica (10pm)
ALSO: PK at The Mint (10pm)
ALSO: Shane Alexander and Chris Pierce at WitZend (10,11)

 

Saturday: Finish Ticket at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)

 

Sunday: rest…yay!

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
January 26th: Endoxi at The Roxy
January 29th: Tyrone Wells at Saint Rocke
January 31st: Atomic Tom at Bootleg Bar
Feb. 2nd: Mutemath at Club Nokia
Feb. 2nd: Dead Sara at Bootleg Bar
Feb. 8th: Marketa Irglova at The Hotel Café
Feb. 9th: Joss Stone at The Troubadour
Feb. 9th: Harper Blynn at The Hotel Cafe
Feb. 14th: Twin Atlantic and You Me at Six at The Troubadour
Feb. 17th: Ryan Adams at The Hollywood Bowl
Feb. 19th: The Darkness at House of Blues Sunset
Feb. 20th: Milo Greene at The Satellite
Feb. 21st: Scars on 45 at The Troubadour
Feb. 22nd: Will Dailey and Mariah McManus at The Hotel Cafe
March 9th: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)
March 18th: Dia Frampton at The Troubadour
March 20th: Needtobreathe and Ben Rector at Club Nokia
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 13th-15th AND 20th– 22nd: Coachella
April 25th: Ben Kweller at The El Rey
May 8th: Snow Patrol at The Hollywood Palladium

 

~ Kristen

 

http://twitter.com/#%21/_localmusicnat

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

Local Musicians Giving Back to the Community

Posted on by Kristen

Holidays are a time of year where there is a huge emphasis on giving to the less fortunate. You don’t always put together local music and giving to the local community. At least I didn’t.  Well, about a dozen local SoCal bands did just that.  Hi.  My name is Ashley and Kristen and Amanda are letting me hijack their blog for this one post.  I work for a nonprofit agency called Child and Family Guidance Center in Palmdale.  We give all of our clients and their siblings (low income at risk youth) gifts for the holidays.  I got the bright idea to ask local bands to donate their merchandise and music to the teens as a unique and totally awesome gift.  I got so many more positive responses than I was expecting.  I was able to collect enough items to give 60 totally awesome gifts to the clients.  I was so moved that I asked Kristen if I could post a big THANK YOU (!) to all the bands.  It made my heart swell with happiness and warmth to know that they cared enough to donate their hard work.  Plus the clients really enjoyed getting the special gifts.

As an added bonus-Oh No Not Stereo gave me money to be able to run a music group for the teens.  Talk about my heart filling with even more gushy happiness.

Here is a list of the bands and their websites.  Check them out cause they rock.

Oh No Not Stereo: http://ohnonotstereo.com/blog/

Andy Frasco and the UN: http://andyfrasco.com/

Virtual Boy: http://wearevirtualboy.com/

Oedipus: http://oedipusband.com/

Blonde Summer: http://www.facebook.com/blondesummer

Saint Motel : http://saintmotel.com/

Dead Country: http://deadcountry.net/

Runner Runner: http://www.runnerrunnermusic.com/

Taylor Locke and The Roughs: http://www.tlatr.com/

Maniac: http://maniacmania.com/sonsofsummer.html

Some Hear Explosions: http://www.somehearexplosions.com/

The Silent Comedy: http://www.thesilentcomedy.com/

Fitz and the Tantrums: http://fitzandthetantrums.com/

 

~ Ashley (awebb@childguidance.org)

Kristen’s Top 5 Reasons To Attend Coachella 2012

Posted on by Kristen

Yesterday the Coachella line-up was announced. I want to go. Especially on Saturday. If you haven’t heard, Coachella is two weekends this year, April 13-15 and April 20-22 with the same lineup each weekend. For the entire list of performers, tickets, and other like information, go to the website.

I don’t know all the performers announced, but after a quick scan of the list, here are the ones that give me most reason to buy that ticket:

 

1. St. Vincent

I’ve been a St. Vincent fan for several years now, but last year I got the unexpected opportunity to see the explosive Annie Clark live and she vaulted to another level in my estimation. Strange Mercy is one of my favorite albums that came out in 2011 and I cannot WAIT to see her again.

 

2. The Big Pink

After recently reviewing the forthcoming album, Future This, I am very much looking forward to the return of The Big Pink to the States. With new offerings like the catchy fist pumping “Hit The Ground (Superman)”, I am more than ready to party it up in The Big Pink tent!

 

3. The Head and The Heart 

I’ve seen them at just about every major festival I’ve attended in the past year and they always put on one of the most enjoyable sets of the event. I expect The Head and The Heart at Coachella to be no different. They are the perfect festival band.

 

4. Laura Marling/We Are Augustines

Festivals are great for checking out all those bands that you’ve been enjoying but just haven’t gotten around to seeing live. Laura Marling and We Are Augustines are both at the top of that list for me. Thank you Coachella for giving me this opportunity to see them!

[vimeo 29334190]

5. Radiohead

umm…I believe this one is self-explanatory.

 

And 5 more for good measure:

  • The Shins – another one I’d love to see but just never have
  • Gotye– that song is just so damned catchy…must.see.live
  • Fitz and The Tantrums– they put on the best dance party in town and Coachella is all about the dance parties
  • Band of Skulls– their face-melting new record will be out by then. I’m always down for a good face-melting
  • Arctic Monkeys – so I can dance electro-pop like a robot from 1984!

 

~ Kristen