But apparently AFI is playing a show at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre with Green Day tomorrow. I think AFI puts on an amazing live show its hard not to fall in love.
Speaking of live shows, look for another post from yours truly today about that subject.
~Amanda
~ Kristen
My Monday evenings will never be the same! I went to Room 5 to see Paris Carney. Unfortunately I was only able to catch the tail end of her set. BUT I stayed to see what was next and was in for SUCH a treat! Turns out Monday’s at Room 5 is Songwriters in the Round. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, it’s where several singer-songwriters (in this case four) will all sit up on stage and take turns singing their songs. What always blows me away in these situations is when one of the singers will be debuting a brand new song but by the end the rest of the musicians on stage will have filled in harmonies, piano, bass, drums, harmonica, etc. despite the fact they’d never heard it before. Reminds me of one of the reasons why I love music so much…it’s just so dynamic and so accessible.
Anyway, this particular Monday, the round consisted of a couple of my fave LA crooners, Lelia Broussard and Chris Pierce, as well as a newcomer to Room 5, Medi, and the guy who throws this whole shin dig every week Joel Eckels. They were all quite good, especially when they played with each other. I especially enjoyed hearing some new songs from Lelia and anything done by Chris Pierce, whom I think I appreciate a lot more when he plays in this format.
I also must comment on the venue itself as it was my first time there. The chairs rank as some of the most comfortable I’ve experienced at a music venue (next to that couch at Steel City Coffee House in Phoenixville, PA and those big chairs at Milkboy Coffee in Ardmore). Not only were they comfortable, they were fairly plentiful for most of the evening. For Paris’ set it was a bit crowded and this venue is not as pleasant when you don’t have a seat as there isn’t much excess room to stand.
Room 5 sits atop a restaurant (Amalfi Ristorante) and therefore has a full and delicious-looking menu. I was able to taste their caprese sandwich and it reminded me of Cosi (to the uninitiated, this is a very good thing). Their desserts also looked quite tasty and will definitely be my target for next time (they have crème brulee!!).
All in all, a perfect way to spend a Monday evening. Hopefully this was the first of many Monday Songwriters in the Round to come!!
~ Kristen
If it’s a Thursday in March than it must be a Joey Ryan day! Joey’s March residency at The Hotel Cafe continues this evening at 8pm. Joey Ryan is a fairly new discovery. Amanda and I both first saw him open for Carney last fall and he instantly went on my watch list. I have since seen him a couple times at The Hotel Cafe and every time I see him, I think I fall in love a little more. Especially since the release of his EP Kenter Canyon which is one of the best EPs I’ve heard in awhile (definitely so far this year). To endear him even more (to my heart at least), his website says that, at one point, he was planning on attending graduate school to study neuroscience!
If you get a chance, come out and see Joey Ryan at The Hotel Cafe. He’ll sing some songs about the weather and then offer to give you a hug. What more could you want!?! Here are his residency dates:
TONIGHT: March 4th: 8pm- Hotel Cafe (also with Jim Bianco and Honeyhoney)
March 11th: 10pm (with Jim Bianco, Melissa Ferrick, and Caitlin Crosby and Jay Nash)
March 25th: 8pm- Hotel Cafe
Sadly ,he will be at SXSW for one Thursday in between (the 18th) which happens to be my birthday…
http://www.myspace.com/joeyryanband
song: “Broken Headlights” (from Kenter Canyon)
~ Kristen
Most exciting news! One of my very fave LA bands just announced the release date for their first album. May 25 Truth & Salvage Co. will release their self-titled debut. This six piece group instantly drew me in with their energetic live performances and The Band-like qualities. I discovered them a couple years ago when they were known as The Family Band. I’ve had the immense pleasure of watching them grow, get signed by Chris Robinson’s label, Silver Arrow, and go out on tour with The Black Crowes where they were even able to play a date with one of my fave Philly bands, Pawnshop Roses. I was so happy when they returned to LA and started playing local gigs again. Right now, the band is in the middle of a residency at The Hotel Café…every Friday night through to March 12th. If you get an opportunity to see them, it will be an unforgettable evening of music and dancing…just be sure to get there early as they tend to pack the place and they will stop allowing people through the door.
For a preview of the album, the band recently recorded some songs through Daytrotter: http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/truth-and-salvage-co-concert/20030993-37382166.html
Be sure to see them now before they head out on tour again (this time with The Avett Brothers)
Or alternatively, if you’re not in the LA area, be sure to catch them with The Avett Brothers (another fantastic group). Dates posted so far:
April 17 | The Fox Theatre | Oakland, CA*
April 18 | Grand Sierra Theatre | Reno, NV*
April 20 & 21 | Boulder Theater | Boulder, CO*
April 23 | Rialto Theater | Tucson, AZ*
April 24 | Mesa Arts Center | Mesa, AZ*
April 27 | Crest Theater | Sacramento, CA*
April 29 | House Of Blues | San Diego, CA*
~ Kristen 
http://www.myspace.com/scarson45
They are called Scars on 45. I just heard them for the very first time a couple of hours ago. I am feeling inexplicably drawn to thier music…which is great because they are playing at The Hotel Cafe TONIGHT which was where I was planning on going anyway…now I just have to try to make it there by 6pm which is when This group goes on. Preliminary research suggests they are from The United Kingdom so come out tonight before they disappear across the pond!
Also playing tonight, a couple of my local faves Joey Ryan and Jim Bianco, as well as Dan Wilson who, in my opinion, writes some of the best lyrics ever to be put to song…NOT to be missed!
~ Kristen
Yeah, so I drove down to San Diego with my friend Trina to see Nico Vega last night. This morning was tremendously painful, but it was definitely worth it. Nico Vega always puts on such a stellar show in San Diego. The audience was amazing, the other bands (The Loons, Soundtrack of Our Lives) were fun, and who doesn’t LOVE The Casbah?!? The set included a mix of the band’s newer songs (“Taxi Cab”, “Fe Fi Fo”) as well as some older fare (“So So Fresh”, “Blood Machine”, “Underground”), but regrettably left off a couple of my personal favorites (“Million Years”, “Protest ..?”). But of course they played “Gravity” and ended with what has to be one of the best closings songs ever, “Beast” (tied with Carney’s “Testify” of course!). The set was SO good that the audience continued singing well after the band was offstage, a plea for an encore that, unfortunately, never came. Trina said knowing this band was kind of like being in a cult, and I tend to agree. Once you are introduced to them you can’t turn away. Your life is forever changed and your soul will forever belong to the power trio that is Nico Vega.
~ Kristen
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