Author: Kristen

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

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 1/9-1/15

Posted on by Kristen

With my end of year mix published (debating on whether or not to reveal my B-Sides), it’s on to listening to artists for my next mix…for SXSW! I can’t believe how quickly March approaches…

But focusing on shows this week, The Satellite is having Satellite Nights. Free shows all week and a great opportunity to discover new bands like Chasing Kings, NO, and Roman Candle Wars. If you haven’t been to The Satellite, here’s an excellent opportunity to head over to Silverlake and check it out.

As for the rest of the show opportunities, here’s what I’d recommend:

 

Monday: Chasing Kings FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: The Silent Comedy FREE at The Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa (10pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: PK and Terraplane Sun at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)

 

Tuesday: Dead Sara and Little Hurricane at The Troubadour (10,11)
ALSO: Holly Conlan at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Rocco DeLuca and Infantree FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Olin & The Moon and Maxim Ludwig at The Echo (9pm)

 

Weds: Nico Vega at The Roxy (9pm)
ALSO: Paris Carney and Zane Carney at Molly Malone’s (8:30)
ALSO: George Stanford at WitZend in Venice (10pm)
ALSO: NO and Voxhaul Broadcast FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Jamestown Revival at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)…part of the band’s Winter Residency
ALSO: Jack’s Mannequin at The Viper Room (8pm)

 

Thursday: The Milk Carton Kids at The Largo (8pm)
ALSO: Robert Schwartzman FREE at The Satellite (10pm)
ALSO: Orlando Napier at WitZend (9:45)
ALSO: Maroon 5, Velvet Revolver, Sheryl Crow, Tom Morello, Chantal Kreviazuk, etc. at The House of Blues Sunset (8pm)

 

Friday: Eli Creepshow with Ferras, Alison Porter, etc. at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Roman Candle Wars at FREE The Satellite (midnight)
ALSO: Todd Carey and Sister Hazel at The House of Blues Sunset (8:30)

 

Saturday: Anna Nalick and So & So at The Hotel Cafe (9,11)

 

Sunday: rest

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
January 17th: The Silent Comedy at The Roxy
January 18th: Augustana at The El Rey
January 19th: Civil Twilight at Bootleg Bar
January 19th: Zane Carney at The Hotel Café
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. 8th: Marketa Irglova at The Hotel Café
Feb. 9th: Joss Stone at The Troubadour
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. 21st: 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 24th: Ani DiFranco at The Orpheum Theater
March 24th: Allen Stone at The Troubadour

~ Kristen

 

http://twitter.com/#!/_localmusicnat

Kristen’s ’11 Mix – Bonus 2 – Harper Blynn

Posted on by Kristen

Bonus 2. “Halo” (Beyonce/Dirty Projectors Cover) – Harper Blynn

 

I spent a lot of time this year hanging out at The Mint. I had friends who worked there so…this often translated to free music and food. And it was good music and food (garlic fries, mac n cheese, taquitos, yum!). Some memorable nights at The Mint included any High Voltage night (Marti Gras, Dead Sara, Queen Caveat), Andrew Belle and Schuyler Fisk, Liam Gerner, Empire (a fantastic new band), etc. Harper Blynn is one of those bands I discovered at The Mint. They absolutely blew me away. I was transfixed by their energy and their songs. I love their album, Loneliest Generation, but it’s this cover of Beyonce’s “Halo” that I felt needed a spot on this mix as it became my wake up and get out of bed tune of the year. These Brooklyn boys spend a couple of months in LA doing a residency at The Hotel Cafe and brought out other fantastic artists like The Damnwells, Cary Brothers, Todd Carey, and Laura Jansen. They also did a couple amazing shows at Bardot. It was a great year for me and Harper Blynn.

 

~ Kristen

Kristen’s ’11 Mix – Bonus 1 – Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons

Posted on by Kristen

Bonus 1. “Never Meant to Love You” – Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons 

LMN made the trek to Bonnaroo this summer. This is my favorite festival. From early morning yoga to the late night dance parties, I treasured every moment of my Bonnaroo ’11 experience. I discovered so many great bands (Aunt Martha, The Black Box Revelation, The Kopecky Family Band, Fences, JEFF The Brotherhood), saw several favorites for the first time (Scissor Sisters, Amos Lee, Neon Trees, Freelance Whales, Black Angels, Alberta Cross, Robert Plant), and enjoyed beloved bands like The Decemberists, Emimen, Deas Vail, Mumford & Sons, Nicole Atkins, The Head & The Heart, Band of Skulls, The Black Keys, etc.  Going into the event Corey Chisel and the Wandering Sons were on the top of my list of bands to check out. I ended up seeing them three times. “I Never Meant To Love You” is one of my favorite songs. I couldn’t locate a recorded version, but I tracked this bootleg. Check out the bands album, Death Won’t Send a Letter.

~ Kristen

Kristen’s ’11 Mix – Track 18 – Needtobreathe

Posted on by Kristen

18. “The Outsiders” – Needtobreathe

Needtobreathe is a band I’d been meaning to see since 2009 when they released The Outsiders featuring this, its titular tune. I’d just about given up hope as they started playing venues too big for my liking and opening for major acts I didn’t really want to pay to see.  But these gentlemen from South Carolina did something amazing this year. They did a little tour almost on the DL across the country in tiny venues like LA’s The Hotel Cafe. The packed house was treated to an extended set that spanned the band’s catalogue and included many new tunes from their newest release, The Reckoning. Their show was another one for the books!

~ Kristen

Kristen’s ’11 Mix – Track 17 – The Civil Wars

Posted on by Kristen

17. “Poison & Wine” – The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars are the most jaw dropping act I saw this year. I knew they were going to be good, but I wasn’t expecting the level brilliance they achieved. It’s absolutely astounding how just two people and a guitar can be powerful enough to bring a venue like The Wiltern to its knees.  There is a reason why the duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White are getting Grammy nominations and selling out venues across the country. Of course I love their break out hit “Barton Hallow”, but songs like “Poison and Wine” really showcase how something so simple can be so powerful in its quite beauty.

~ Kristen