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SXSW Day 3: Recap

Posted on by Kristen

Sorry for the delay in posting…it’s been crazy. I wrote this as a recap of Friday’s events:

I’m sitting down at the end of the day thinking about all that I just accomplished in the previous 24 hours and I’m simply floored. I refuse to believe that it was this morning that I ventured into the British Music Embassay for some breakfast (egg buttys and chips) and tunes, yet I don’t recall a breakfast I’ve had since, so it must have been! Today was particularly special because it was my birthday (YAY!) and honestly I can’t think of a better way to have spent it. Here are some highlights

* the aforementioned breakfast (seriously the food here in Austin has been amazing)

* the aforementioned British bands (ie The Good Natured)

* meeting Bob Geldof on a random park bench

* Dancing for every single band on the amazing lineup at The Force launch party at Red Eye Fly (included Little Red Radio, My Cousin The Emperor, Purple Melon, The Silent Comedy, Taylor Locke & The Roughs, Viva City, Hugo, and Deluka among others…I mean seriously I have never danced that hard for that long)

* dancing on stage with The Silent Comedy

* FINALLY seeing SINAI (jaw on the ground)

* discovering another band from Philly that blew my mind (Meriwether)

* Keaton Simons (who just makes any day a much better one)

* finally getting to see Liam Finn

* again, all the really cool and interesting people met out on the street or at the venues

* fried pickles

 

Amanda’s typing up the Day 4 recap as I post this…coming soon!

 

~ Kristen

New Band Alert: The PreZcotts

Posted on by Kristen

Looking for the next young pop stars? Check out The PreZcotts! Covering the likes of Heart and Metallica, these singing sisters (aged 11-16) seem to have something special. Check out the video they just released for their cover of “Nothing Else Matters” featuring the 10 year old Japanese guitar phenom, Yuto Miyazawa…wow!

 

~ Kristen

Shiny Toy Guns: Carah’s Back!!

Posted on by Kristen

For those of you who have been a fan of Shiny Toy Guns since We Are Pilots, this should be very exciting news. Carah Faye, the female vocalist on that album, is returning to the band as they gear up to record and release album number 3. Also joining Chad Petree, Jeremy Dawson, and Mikey Martin is Daniel Johannson, Carah’s husband and bandmate from the Swedish group, Versant.

I have nothing against their second album, Season of Poison. In fact, I LOVE it. However, when the band replaced Carah with Sisely Treasure, I felt something was lost in their live performance (what made me fall in love with them in the first place). I’m looking forward to this third album, but I’m really looking forward to seeing them play again.

In honor of their forthcoming album, the band is giving away a FREE download of their new song, “The Sun”.

 

Go to their website to see the dramatic video re-introducing the band…it’s fairly epic

http://shinytoyguns.com/

 

And, if you don’t know who Shiny Toy Guns are, here are some tunes from their first CD, We Are Pilots.

 

 

~ Kristen

Biffy Clyro’s “Machines”

Posted on by Kristen

Just got back from seeing Biffy Clyro at The Troubadour. I find it difficult to express just how much I love this band. So, I’m going to use some BC lyrics instead…from their song “Machines” off their album Puzzle…


“I’ve started falling apart. I’m not savoring life. I’ve forgotten how good it can be to feel alive. (take the pieces and build them skywards)”

 

This is the song that is playing on repeat in my head.

 

I’m even more excited to say I’ll be seeing Biffy Clyro again tonight!

 

~ Kristen

 

Kristen’ LA Concert Calendar: 2/28-3/6

Posted on by Kristen

Just go home from an Oscar party. I won a prize for successfully predicting the most award winners. If anyone wants their toast to wish them a good morning…well, I’ve got you covered! For the most part, I enjoyed the ceremony. The only thing I’m slightly irritated about (well, more than slightly) is the absence of Dido singing the song that she co-wrote for 127 Hours. Now, I love Florence from Florence and The Machine, but Dido is one of my all-time faves and I was really looking forward to seeing her sing.

But I’ll try to focus on the positive. Which brings me to this forthcoming week. Let’s christen it “Biffy week” in honor of the fact that I will be seeing my current band obsession, Biffy Clyro, twice this week. The Scottsmen will be performing on Tuesday at The Troubadour. Then on Weds, they are sitting down at Bootleg Theater with Mark Z Danielewski, author of the book Only Revolutions, upon which Biffy Clyro’s 2009 release of the same title is based. Saying that I’m giddy about these events is an understatement.

Filling out the week, we have more highly anticipated shows by the likes of Everest, Semi Precious Weapons, Moving Picture Show, and After Midnight Project (another band obsession of mine). And if you didn’t get a ticket to the sold out Biffy Clyro show on Tuesday, I’d highly HIGHLY recommend jetting down to Hermosa Beach for some The Silent Comedy/Queen Caveat action at Saint Rocke. You will not be disappointed.

My complete list of shows I’d love to go to as follows:

 

Monday: Everest and Red Cortez FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Armada at The Viper Room (9:15)
ALSO: War Tapes FREE at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)
ALSO: J. Tillman (of Fleet Foxes) FREE at Bootleg Theater (9pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

Tuesday: Biffy Clyro at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: The Silent Comedy and Queen Caveat at Saint Rocke (9,10)
ALSO: George Stanford at The Piano Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Jukebox the Ghost at The Echo (8pm)
ALSO: Jonathan Clarke and Satellite at Molly Malone’s (8,9)
ALSO: Joseph Arthur at Bootleg Theater (9:45)

 

Weds: Liner Notes with Biffy Clyro and author Mark Z Danielewski at Bootleg Theater (7pm)
ALSO: Semi Precious Weapons FREE at On The Rox (10pm)
ALSO: Lovers Drugs and Beatnik Jr. at 3 Clubs (10pm)
ALSO: Anna Nalick at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Zoe Keating at Largo at the Coronet (8pm)
ALSO: Infantree at The Satellite (8:30)

 

Thursday: Moving Picture Show, Sabrosa Purr, and Great Northern at Bootleg Theater (8:30,9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: Civil Twilight at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Stephen Kellogg and Austin Hartley Leonard at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)
ALSO: The Entrance Band at The Satellite (10pm)

 

Friday: After Midnight Project at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Wild Nothing and Abe Vigoda at The Natural History Museum for First Fridays (5pm)

 

Saturday: Winchester Rebels FREE at On The Rox 11:15)
ALSO: Love and a .38 and The Binges at The Viper Room (10,11)
ALSO: Alexi Murdoch at Bootleg Theater (11pm)

 

Sunday: Morcheeba at The Music Box (8pm)
ALSO: Joseph Tobin Tribute Concert featuring Joey Ryan, Jay Nash, Chris Pierce, Austin Hartley Leonard, etc. at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Songwriters Round at Room 5 featuring Paris Carney (9pm)

 

To Keep in Mind:
March 8th: Vertical Horizon at The Roxy
March 8th: Queen Caveat, Dead Sara, Little Red Radio at The Mint
March 9th: Jay Nash at Saint Rocke
March 11th: Fair to Midland at Whiskey a Go Go
March 17th: Alkaline Trio and Dead Country at The Mayan
March 22nd: War on Drugs at The Troubadour
March 26th: Lady Danville at The Troubadour
March 28th: Chris Robinson Brotherhood at The Echoplex
March 30th: Imagine Dragons at The Viper Room
April 11th: Chris Robinson Brotherhood at The Echoplex
April 16th: Matt Wertz and Ben Rector at The Troubadour
April 25th: Airborne Toxic Event at The Satellite
May 27th: The Script at Club Nokia
June 9-12: Bonnaroo!!
June 13th: Florence and The Machine at The Greek Theater
September 22-24: Hotel Carolina
~ Kristen

 

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 2/21-2/27

Posted on by Kristen

Just got back from a crazy evening of awesomeness and feeling grateful for so many things: My friends for kicking me out the door and keeping me company all night, The Viper Room simply for being there, Duke’s for having some fairly amazing cuisine, my new friends for sharing some fun stories and being crazy cool, and most importantly, Dead Sara, my new band love that blew my MIND. At this very moment I am grateful for simply existing. See…this is how I get when I’m on a music high. I need to go to bed!

But first, this week’s choice music selections:

Monday: Joe Firstman at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Tony Lucca at Saint Rocke (9pm)
ALSO: Automatique at The Viper Room (10:15)
ALSO: Everest at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

Tuesday: Dead Sara and Sick of Sarah at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Satellite and Jonathan Clark at Molly Malone’s (8pm)
ALSO: Shawn Hlookoff at The Central in Santa Monica (9pm)
ALSO: Tom Petty Tribute night at Room 5 featuring Chris Pierce, Joel Eckels, John Elliot, Justine Bennett, Shane Alexander, Brother Sal, etc. (8pm)
ALSO: Joseph Arthur at Bootleg (9:45)

Weds: Semi Precious Weapons at On The Rox (10pm)
ALSO: Anna Nalick at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Armada at The Viper Room (8:50)
ALSO: Watkins Family Hour at Largo (8:30)
ALSO: Linkin Park at The Staples Center (7pm)
ALSO: Satellite at The Central (9pm)

Thursday: Purple Melon at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Holly Conlan at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Best Coast at The Music Box (8pm)

Friday:  The 88 and Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (9:30,10:30)
ALSO: Warner Drive at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Lovers Drugs at The Good Hurt (midnight)

Saturday: We Barbarians, Kitten, and Young the Giant at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Alexi Murdoch at The Bootleg Theater (10pm)
ALSO: The Shakers at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: David & Devine at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Stone Temple Pilots at Fox Theater (7pm)
ALSO: Local Natives at Walt Disney Music Hall (8pm)
ALSO: Josh Ritter and Scott Hutchinson (Frightened Rabbit) at The Music Box (8pm)

Sunday: Jordan Cook at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: The Shakers at O’Briens (9pm)

To Keep in Mind:
March 1st: Biffy Clyro at The Troubadour
March 1st: Queen Caveat and The Silent Comedy at Saint Rocke
March 3rd: Civil Twilight at The Troubadour
March 4th: After Midnight Project at The Roxy
March 7th: The Silent Comedy at The Echo
March 8th: Vertical Horizon at The Roxy
March 8th: Queen Caveat at The Mint
March 9th: Jay Nash at Saint Rocke
March 17th: Alkaline Trio and Dead Country at The Mayan
March 21st: Joe Firstman at The Hotel Cafe
March 22nd: War on Drugs at The Troubadour
March 26th: Lady Danville at The Troubadour
May 27th: The Script at Club Nokia
September 22-24: Hotel Carolina

~ Kristen

New Band Loves: Maniac and Atomic Tom

Posted on by Kristen

I can’t believe I almost didn’t go out last night. I was tired and still recovering from the whole Foo Fighters shindig on Tuesday. I had been meaning to see the band Maniac while they were playing LA, so I forced myself out the door. I had heard good things from various sources about Maniac, a group fronted by Shawn Harris (The Matches) and Jake Grigg (Something with Numbers) and they certainly didn’t disappoint. Maniac is a band that needs to be seen live. Their energy combined with their unique stage presence and catchy tunes will draw you in. The love they have for one another and for the music emanates from the stage and before you know it you realize that you feel better just for standing in front of them for a little while. Plus, they are just so much fun!!

To listen to songs off their Extended Play EP: http://maniacmania.com/extendedplay/

After Maniac’s set, I was convinced it couldn’t get any better, but I decided to stick around anyway to check out Atomic Tom, a band I’d never heard of from New York City. They started playing and I was immediately captivated. By the end of their second song I was in love. They had me dancing, singing, swaying, and drifting closer and closer to the stage with each opportunity.  They remind me a bit of Franz Ferdinand…if FF also rocked the ballads.

By the time they did their encore of “This Is How We Like to End”, I was smiling uncontrollably from ear to ear. These guys recently signed to a label and are getting more attention (deservedly so) so go see them now while you have a change to get them in a more intimate venue. They are also really nice gentleman, eager to meet and talk to every one of their fans.

Tour dates: http://www.facebook.com/atomictomband?v=app_10442206389

I’m seriously considering dropping my current plans and heading down to San Diego Saturday to catch them and Maniac again at The House of Blues. This is how I know I am hooked.

Have a listen and be sure to go catch them live if they come to a town near you!

You know the night is good when even the opener is a solid act. Playing before Maniac and Atomic Tom were LA locals, LoversDrugs. I’ve seen these guys before and they always put on a good show and I’d be remiss not to mention the role they played in my fantastic evening. LoversDrugs released an EP and are making a series of music videos for each of the songs. Here’s my favorite:

~ Kristen