Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 11/21-11/27

Since I got back from my east coast trip, I feel like I have been running full speed ahead non-stop. I can’t believe it’s already Sunday eve and despite working most of the weekend, my to do list barely has a scratch. I didn’t get out to too many shows last week, but the ones I saw were phenomenal. The Hours and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds at Royce Hall and Milo Greene and The Civil Wars at The Wiltern were both top notch musical experiences. And let’s not forget LMN’s show tonight featuring Wires in the Walls, Holy Rolling Empire, and Sunken Ships…an excellent night of music!
Despite it being a holiday week, there are still a few promising shows. I’m basically going to have to take it on an hour by hour basis, but those of you fortunate enough to be able to plan ahead, here’s what I’d recommend:

 

Monday: Vanaprasta FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: Rachel Cantu, The Janks, Little Hurricane FREE at Bootleg Bar (8:30, 9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: The Maine at The Roxy (7pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: The Mowglis and Maniac at Three of Clubs (9, midnight)
ALSO: Golden State and Kemble Walters and the Blank Faces at The Viper Room (10,12)
ALSO: Ari Shine, Kevin Martin, Just an Animal at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Terraplane Sun at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)

 

Weds: Korey Dane at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Brian Wright at The Foundry on Melrose (8pm)
ALSO: Red Circle Underground at Bootleg Bar (11pm)

 

Thursday: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

Friday: Trapt at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Jamestown Revival at The Central (8:30)

 

Saturday/Sunday: everyone will probably be out of town, but maybe something will come up by the weekend…

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
November 29th: Rachel Yamagata at The Troubadour
December 2nd: Fair to Midland at The Troubadour
December 2nd: Allen Stone at The Echo
December 2nd: Priscilla Ahn at The El Rey
December 2nd: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
December 6th: The Postelles and Maniac at Bootleg Theater
December 9th: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
December 14th: Deas Vail at The Roxy
December 16th: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
December 16th: Oh Land at The El Rey
December 16th: Hotel Café Christmas Party night 1
December 17th: Hotel Café Christmas Party night 2
December 23rd: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
Feb. 2nd: Mutemath at Club Nokia
March 9th: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)

~ Kristen

 

 

 

 

http://www.localmusicnation.net

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

Warped Tour Pomona

About a week ago, Amanda and I ventured to Pomona for Warped Tour #2. I’m so glad I went, mostly because it was another excuse to rock out with After Midnight Project, who, by the way, are coming home to LA to play the Key Club September 4th (get your tickets now!).
One of the best parts of Warped Tour Pomona, was the fact that After Midnight Project was able to do an acoustic set. The following video isn’t from Pomona, but AMP have been doing several acoustic sets, including one at the KIA tent that was captured and showcased here. I love it when rock bands break it down acoustically, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a band do it as well as After Midnight Project…

Other highlights for me included actually being able to see Mayday Parade, hearing some of You Me At Six’s  new songs, and being able to sample several new bands. Amanda was a big fan of Dicso Curtis who gave me a new appreciation for Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and certainly put forth the happiest performance of the day (seriously, try to watch the band play and not smile).

Personally, I was enraptured by the Arkansas-based Deas Vail, whose soaring vocals, subtle harmonies, and piano base drew me in like a moth to a flame. I was literally walking past their stage to go elsewhere when I heard the music and HAD to stop. I kept trying to leave, but I just couldn’t…it was too beautiful to look away.

I recognized the name of the band, not because they were openers for the Owl City/Lights tour that I really wanted to see, but because I had at one point told myself NOT to like the band as they won a competition to get their video on MTVU, beating my beloved Carney. Funny how these things work sometimes…

Here’s that video:

And here’s the song that hooked me: Birds

~ Kristen

p.s. pictures to come…

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 7/26-8/1

Still struggling with coherency issues so I’m going to keep this short. This week, like last, is jam packed with musical goodness. I’m especially excited about the return of a couple of my favorite bands to LA. Truth & Salvage Co. on Friday at The House of Blues and The Kin on Sunday at Zanzibar in Santa Monica. But really, that’s just the beginning of all the awesomeness going on next week…check it out:
Monday: Soul Puppet at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Aiden Moore and Abbot Kinney at Molly Malone’s (10,11)…last chance to catch Aiden before he goes off to NYC
ALSO: Mississippi Man FREE at The Echoplex (10pm)
ALSO: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (8,9) 

Tuesday: National Rifle at El Cid (?)…Philly band alert!
ALSO: Moving Picture Show FREE at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Adam Lambert at Pacific Amphitheater (7:30) 

Weds: Bang the Gong Tour featuring Civil Twilight, Paper Tongues, and Neon Trees at The Glass House in Pomona (7pm)
ALSO: Adam Lambert at Pacific Amphitheater (8pm)
ALSO: Purple Melon and Meiko at Pershing Square (8pm)
ALSO: Guggenheim Grotto at The Hotel Café (8pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Rockers Society at Crane’s 

Thursday: Queen Caveat EP Release and Transfer at The Viper Room (10,11)
ALSO: Garrison Starr and Civil Twilight at The Hotel Cafe (8,9) 

Friday: Truth & Salvage Co. at The House of Blues-Sunset (9pm)
ALSO: Dirty Sweet at The Viper Room (10:40)
ALSO: Army of Me and Tyrone Wells at The Hotel Cafe (7,9)
ALSO: Morcheeba at The Hollywood Bowl (8:30) 

Saturday: The Nervous Wreckhords at The Viper Room (9pm)
ALSO: Viza at The Troubadour (11pm)
ALSO: Morcheeba at The Hollywood Bowl (8:30) 

Sunday: Amber Rubarth and The Kin at Zanzibar in Santa Monica (9pm)
ALSO: Terra Naomi at The Hotel Cafe (9pm) 

To Keep in Mind:
August 6th: Endoxi CD release at Epicentre (SD)
August 12th: Semi Precious Weapons at Staples Center
August 21st and 22nd: Sunset Junction
September 4th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 7/19-7/25

Sometimes I feel that there is a correlation between how much I’m enjoying the music and how much money I spend on music-related items. This past week could go down as one of the best of the year music-wise. With two helpings of The Silent Comedy, a much anticipated Nico Vega experience, finally seeing Alex Band, being introduced to a fantastic new group (Imagine Dragons), and capping it all off by being serenaded with a couple of my favorite singer-songwriters (Joe Firstman and Jay Nash)…well, it will be a difficult week to top.
This week will also go down as one in which I spent a LOT of money for the music. I do go to quite a few shows in a given year, but I really don’t go to very many major ones. I see venues like The Hollywood Palladium and The Wiltern only a handful of times a year and places like the Staples Center and the Hollywood Bowl, I may not even see at all. But in the past week I purchased tickets to four major upcoming shows (The Dead Weather, The Black Crowes/Truth & Salvage Co., and Brandi Carlile/The Avett Brothers, Frightened Rabbit). I really feel that my inspiration to secure my place at these events stemmed from the state of complete musical bliss that kept me in somewhat of a drug-induced trance all week long. And let’s not even get into the merch purchases, Best Buy runs, and upcoming concert festival preparations that also contributed to my numerous trips to the ATM.

But I must admit that the thrill of seeing my inbox full of order confirmations really only adds to the general giddiness that has permeated the week and I honestly wouldn’t mind every week being so hard on my wallet as long as it is equally uplifting for my heart.

Will this next week measure up? Here’s the blueprint:

Monday: Victoria Clemmons, Abbot Kinney, Hellen Stellar at Molly Malone’s (7:30, 9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: Christopher Dallman and Brooke White at The Hotel Cafe (8, 10)
ALSO: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round featuring Jay Nash and Amber Rubarth at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: Mississippi Man FREE at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Train at The Grammy Museum (8pm) 

Tuesday: Charlie Mars and Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)
ALSO: Run Devil Run at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Ben Taylor and Katie Herzig at Largo at Coronet (8pm) 

Weds: Dead Weather at The Hollywood Palladium (7:30)
ALSO: Gaslight Anthem at The Wiltern (7pm)
ALSO: The Guggenheim Grotto at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Visqueen at The Mint (8pm)
ALSO: Edie Carey at Genghis Cohen (8pm)
ALSO: Keane at The Greek Theater (7pm) 

Thursday: The Other Side of Morning at The Cat Club (10pm)
ALSO: Garrison Star, Jake Newton, Lelia Broussard, and Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale at The Hotel Cafe (8-midnight) 

Friday: Tyrone Wells at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Tony Lucca Album Release at The Mint (11pm)
ALSO: Vienne at Room 5 (11pm)
ALSO: Purple Melon at The Viper Room (10:30)
ALSO: Robyn FREE at Amoeba (7pm) 

Saturday: Pat McGee at The Mint (10:30)
ALSO: Pinback at El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Miniature Tigers at Spaceland (10pm) 

Sunday:  Terra Naomi and Dead Sara at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)
ALSO: Pat McGee at Saint Rocke (9pm)
ALSO: Bang the Gong Tour featuring Neon Trees, Paper Tongues, and Civil Twilight (SD) 

To Keep in Mind:
July 29th: Queen Caveat EP Release at The Viper Room
July 29th: Civil Twlight at The Hotel Cafe
July 30th: Dirty Sweet at The Viper Room  
July 30-31st: Morcheeba at Hollywood Bowl
August 6th: Endoxi CD release at Epicentre (SD)
August 12th: Semi Precious Weapons at Staples Center
August 21st and 22nd: Sunset Junction
September 4th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium

~ Kristen

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 6/21-6/27

So, I finally get to the point when I can actually take more nights off and have my weekends back and I was so excited about the prospect of being able to catch more of the shows I long to see every week and then…I go and get myself sick. Bleck! But just because I’ll probably have to take it easy this week doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from all the great shows going on.
Here’s my dream list:

Monday: Carney at the Troubadour opening for Athlete (9pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: Abbot Kinney at Molly Malone’s (8pm) 

Tuesday: Adam Arcuragi at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)…PHILLY artist alert!!
ALSO: Automatique and The Shakers at Whiskey a Go Go (9pm)
ALSO: The Open Sea featuring Ari Hest at Room 5 (7pm) 

Weds: Abandoned Pools and Ashes Divide at The Viper Room (10,11)
ALSO: Lucy Woodward at The Hotel Cafe (10:30)…record release
ALSO: Josh Ritter at The Music Box (8pm)
ALSO: Hot Hot Heat and Links at Bootleg (8:30) 

Thursday: Kate Miller-Heidke at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)  
ALSO: Jonathan Clark at House of Blues acoustic lounge (9:30)
ALSO: Rick Cornette at Cafe Was (??)…plays keys for The Other Side of Morning…also has a solo project. Curious? So am I!
ALSO: Fitz and the Tantrums at Spaceland (10pm) 

Friday: The Rescues at The Troubadour (9pm)…Record Release show
ALSO: Andy Clockwise at The Hotel Cafe (10:30) 

Saturday: The Silent Comedy and Jonathan Foreman (of Switchfoot) at the BellyUp in Solano Beach

Sunday: The Webb Sisters at The Hotel Cafe (8:30)
ALSO: The Shakers at O’Brien’s (10pm)
ALSO: Austin Hartley Leonard at The Foundry on Melrose
ALSO: Warped Tour in Ventura 

To Keep in Mind:
July 7th: Carbon Leaf at The Troubadour
July 8th: Michelle Branch at Greek Theater
July 10th: Lilith Fair
July 13th: The Silent Comedy and Andy Clockwise at The Troubadour
July 14th: Nico Vega at The Troubadour
July 18th: The Swell Season and Bird and the Bee at Hollywood Bowl
July 30-31st: Morcheeba at Hollywood Bowl
August 12th: Semi Precious Weapons at Staples Center (with Lady GaGa)
August 21st and 22nd: Sunset Junction
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center

~ Kristen

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 4/19-4/25

Due to the demands of Coachella, this week’s concer calendar is a bit…underdeveloped…  I was going to try to post a more complete version, but I realized that by the time I flushed it all out, it would be the end of the week already. And that’s just not acceptable. Especially considering the Nico Vega/Semi Precious Weapons face-melting that will occur Weds night at The Roxy…highly recommend advanced tickets for this one folks!
Here’s my brief list (and certainly enough to keep anyone busy and sleep deprived).

Monday: Juke Kartel at The Hotel Cafe
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm) 

Tuesday: Taylor Locke and the Roughs at The Viper Room

Weds: Nico Vega and Semi Precious Weapons at The Roxy with after party at The Viper Room…NOT to be missed!
ALSO: Foxy Shazam at The Troubadour
ALSO: Glee Tour at the Gibson Amphitheater 

Thursday: Wartapes at Silverlake Lounge
ALSO: Shelby Lynn at The Roxy
ALSO: Glee Tour at the Gibson Amphitheater
ALSO: Honeyhoney at The Hotel Cafe 

Friday: Killola and Sick of Sarah at The Roxy

Saturday: Get Back Loretta at The Roxy (On the Rox)
ALSO: The Elizabeth Kill at Libertine
ALSO: Jennifer Knapp at The Mint 

Sunday: Jason Castro at The Troubadour

To Keep in Mind:

May 2nd: The Kin at The Hotel Cafe
May 4th: Greg Laswell at The Troubadour
May 15th: Carney at The El Rey   
May 15th: 30 Seconds to Mars at The Greek Theater
May 20th: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room
May 28th: The Silent Comedy and Dirty Sweet at North Park Theater (in SD)
June 6th: Mumford & Sons with The Silent Comedy at BellyUp (in SD)
June 10-13th: BONNAROO (in Tennessee)
July 10th: Lilith Fair

~ Kristen

Kristen’s SXSW ’10 Mix- Part 1

It took a bit longer than I’d hoped…and wasn’t quite as exhaustive as last year (mostly due to the lack of free mp3s on the SXSW site), BUT here it is…some of my fave “new” acts discovered from SXSW 2010…okay some of these acts I already knew and loved, but I just don’t feel that you are quite there with me yet so I decided to include them.
Also, I’ve decided to spread the love and broke my list down into several, more digestable posts full of exciting videos and music.  Enjoy!

  1. “You’ve Been Warned” – Dirty Sweet 

 Have loved this San Diego band since I saw them (multiple times) on their tour with Nico Vega and Gringo Star. They recently released their second full length album, American Spiritual. I felt this track, from that album, was the perfect way to start off this mix

             2. “Around the Bend” – The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

The obligatory “so that’s who sings that song” track. I must say Apple has good taste in music…

                 3. “We Sing In TimeThe Lonely Forest

This is one of those tracks I fell in love with before the chorus even hit…probably the first track I knew was going to be on this mix. The Lonely Forest is at the top of my list of bands I need to investigate further…and see perform!  The video below is an acoustic version of “We Sing In Time”…it really showcases what a gorgeous song this is.

              4. “If You Care” – Doll & The Kicks

The slow song from their fantastic self titled CD. I had the pleasure of falling in love with this band when they went on tour with The Silent Comedy and Links. Just another band to add to my faves from across the pond list.

Part 2 of my SXSW ’10 Mix coming soon…

~ Kristen