Author: Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 11/15-11/21

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Just got done grading a seemingly infinite number of exams…plus a few quizzes. Aside from two musical interludes, that’s all I’ve been up to all weekend. As for the interludes, tonight was The Elizabeth Kill at The Mint and Saturday was Philadelphia goes LA, hanging out with other Philly area natives and checking out some bands with Philly roots (Terrible Things at The El Rey and The Shakers at The Cat Club). All in all, I just can’t believe the weekend is coming to a close!

But as one week ends, another begins. And what a fantastic line-up of shows this week. Greatness, in the form of SD band The Silent Comedy, returns to LA this week Thursday at The Echo. I’m also really excited about The Lonely Forrest, a band that made my SXSW ’10 mix but that I’ve never seen. Plus Queen Caveat, Fitz and the Tantrums, Freelance Whales, Dynamite Walls…I’m exhausted already! Some tough choices will have to be made this week.

Maybe you can help. Here’s what I’m contemplating…

Monday: Chasing Kings FREE at The Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (8,9) 

Tuesday: The Lonely Forest at Spaceland (8:30)
ALSO: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room (11:15)
ALSO: Val Emmich at The Hotel Café(8pm) 

Weds: AWOLNATION and Fitz and The Tantrums at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Mayday Parade at The House of Blues Sunset (10pm)           
ALSO: Tyler Hilton at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Kate Miller Heidke and Terra Naomi at The Hotel Cafe (7,8)
ALSO: Natasha Bedingfield at The Troubadour (7pm) 

Thursday: The Silent Comedy at The Echo (8:30)
ALSO: Miniature Tigers and Freelance Whales at The Troubadour (9,10)
ALSO: Jack’s Mannequin/Something Corporate and Matt Nathanson at The El Rey (7pm)
ALSO: Joshua Radin at The Music Box (10pm) 

Friday: Dynamite Walls at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Chris Pierce at The Hotel Cafe (11pm)
ALSO: Avi Buffalo at The Echo (10pm) 

Saturday: Lelia Broussard RECORD RELEASE at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Teddy Geiger at Spaceland (10pm)
ALSO: Abbot Kinney at The Mint (9pm) 

Sunday: Dar Williams at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Eisley at The El Rey (10pm) 

To Keep in Mind: 
November 21st and 22nd: Dar Williams at The Hotel Café
December 1st: Eve 6 at The Troubadour
December 2nd: Scarlet Grey at The Troubadour
December 4th: Joe Firstman at Saint Rocke
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium
January 22nd: Guster at The Music Box 

~ Kristen

Truth & Salvage Co. Has a New Video!

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Truth & Salvage Co. is one of my fave LA-based bands…although they’ve been on the road more in this last year or so then they’ve been home. Their new video for “Pure Mountain Angel” reflects this time they’ve spent journeying around the country and the world. This is one of my very favorite songs to see/hear performed live…from any band. If you haven’t been to a T&S Co. show, I will tell you it is an unforgettable experience. Just wait ’til the very end when they play this song and the whole room is filled with people chanting the chorus…the perfect release after their typically high energy, dance-party inducing, soul-stirring sets.

Enjoy!

~ Kristen

Song in My Head: “Lost and Found”

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“sleeping with the television and all the lights on. One of us is leaving soon, but we’re both already gone…”

“Lost and Found” by Adrienne Pierce is on one of my very favorite soundtracks from the TV show Veronica Mars. The song randomly came up on my IPod the other day and ever since it has been making regular appearances on that soundtrack in my head that plays when all else is quite. This morning, I literally got out of bed singing it…took me a minute to figure out what I was singing, but when I did, I felt inspired to share.

Turns out Adrienne, a Vancouver native, has released a new CD this year entitled Oh Deer. The cover art alone makes me want to go out and get a copy. Which I should be able to do Monday November 22nd at Genghis Cohen where Adrienne will play at 9pm!

Excellent!

~ Kristen

Allen Stone and Lenka at The Hotel Cafe

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Taking a wee break from grading exams, I ventured to The Hotel Cafe to check out Allen Stone. This guy has quite the impressive voice, teeming with a lot more soul than expected from a guy from Seattle.  It was the perfect hand clapping, head bobbing, feeting tapping time and I will definately keep Allen on my list of artists to go see…I’d suggest you do the same!

For a taste, check out some songs on his myspace (including a terrific cover of “Bare Necessities”)

Here’s an amusing video of the song he ended his set with

Also playing at The Hotel Cafe was Lenka. If you don’t know the name, I’m sure you’d recognize a song or two. The Austrialian artist has an array of catchy tunes that become even cuter as she performs them on a stage with her band in front of colorful cardboard shapes. I really like some of her new tunes and am looking forward to her forthcoming album…but the hightlight of her set for me was when she brought out a trumpet and, along with another member of the band, engaged in some lovely harmonizing trumpet action.

Can’t find any videos of new tunes, but here’s an old one you may recognize…

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 11/8-11/14

Posted on by Kristen

I Love Nico Vega!! It must be said. Again. Saturday night I impulsively drove up to Santa Barbara to see them play the New Noise Music Festival. I had just gotten through a horrid week…so bad towards the end it was almost funny how many things were going wrong. Then, just in time, Saturday night was one of those evenings that made me once again realize that life is worth living. Danced and sang into the wee hours with some of my favorite people, heard amazing music from a local Santa Barbara band, Verna Beware, as well as an LA fave, Killola. And then, of course, there was Nico Vega. I don’t know if I felt like it was one of Nico Vega’s best performances because it was or because I so desperately needed it…but does it really matter?

Here’s to hoping that this next week won’t be so dreadful and that I’ll be able to get out and see some music! Here are my preferred options (some really good ones this week!!):

Monday: Makepeace Brothers at Aviator Nation in Venice (9pm)
ALSO: Chasing Kings FREE at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: Florence and The Machine at The Wiltern (7:30)
ALSO: A Perfect Circle at Avalon (7:30)
ALSO: Street Sweeper Social Club at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (8,9) 

Tuesday: Allen Stone and Lenka at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)
ALSO: Brian Wright at Bootleg Theater (10pm)
ALSO: Ari Hest at Room 5 (8pm)
ALSO: A Perfect Circle at Avalon (7:30) 

Weds: ANT Management Presents On The Rox featuring Kyle Nicolaides, The Right Coast, Lakes, and Pan America (8pm)
ALSO: A Perfect Circle at Avalon (7:30)
ALSO: Elle King at Bootleg Theater (8:30) 

Thursday: Austin Hartley Leonard (CD RELEASE!) and Alex Dezen at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)
ALSO: Sabrosa Purr at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: KT Tunstall at the Music Box (8pm)
ALSO: Volcano Dolls at The Viper Room (midnight)
ALSO: Kurt Vile and the Violators at The Echoplex (8:30) 

Friday: Teitur at Bootleg Theater (10pm)
ALSO: Over the Rhine at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Nonpoint at The Whiskey (10pm) 

Saturday: Terrible Things and Mae at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Darren Criss and Charlene Kaye at The Mint (2:45, 4pm)
ALSO: Tyrone Wells at The Hotel Cafe TWO shows (8,11)
ALSO: The Shakers and Fat City Reprise FREE at The Cat Club 

Sunday: The Elizabeth Kill at The Mint (8pm)
ALSO: Joey Ryan and Meg & Dia at Saint Rocke (8:20,9:10) 

To Keep in Mind:
November 16th: The Lonely Forest at Spaceland
November 17th: Tyler Hilton at The Roxy
November 18th: The Silent Comedy at The Echo
November 18th: Freelance Whales at The Troubadour
November 21st and 22nd: Dar Williams at The Hotel Café
December 1st: Eve 6 at The Troubadour
December 2nd: Scarlet Grey at The Troubadour
December 4th: Joe Firstman at Saint Rocke
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium
January 22nd: Guster at The Music Box 

~ Kristen