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Joey Ryan Residency

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 4^th: 8pm- Hotel Cafe (also with Jim Bianco and Honeyhoney)

March 11^th: 10pm (with Jim Bianco, Melissa Ferrick, and Caitlin Crosby and Jay Nash)

March 25^th: 8pm- Hotel Cafe

Sadly ,he will be at SXSW for one Thursday in between (the 18^th) which happens to be my birthday…

http://www.myspace.com/joeyryanband

song: “Broken Headlights” (from Kenter Canyon)

~ Kristen

New Music Tuesday: Kill The Alarm, Hugo, Manchester Orchestra

Posted on 7 Hours Ago by Kristen

It’s new music Tuesday! Anything you’ve been looking forward to? The return of The Cars? Or perhaps, the much buzzed about Christina Perri…or maybe SNL spawned The Lonely Island? Gleeks out there might be interested to check out Matthew Morrison’s new album. While you’re in the music-buying mood, might I suggest some CDs I’ve been looking forward to that officially come out today:

Against The Grain– Kill The Alarm

I’ve been a big fan of anything by Garen Gueyikian for quite some time. He hasn’t put out much in the way of new original music in ages, so I’m most excited about the release of this EP, Against The Grain, from his band, Kill The Alarm. I can’t wait to give it a proper listen (here).

Here’s an acoustic performance of the first single, “Don’t Run Away”

[youtube YJdBTxqTg3A]

Old Tyme Religion– Hugo

I first came across the bluesy-rock of NYC-based Hugo at SXSW. I’ve been jamming out to Old Tyme Religion for a couple weeks now, but it’s official release is today. To learn more about Hugo, read this recent interview. To go straight to the downloading bit, here’s the itunes link.

You might be familiar with Hugo’s take on Jay-Z’s “99 Problems”, but I’m really digging this track:

[youtube hWM65cV4ZHA]

Simple Math– Manchester Orchestra

The “I’ve Got Friends” hitmakers have a new CD out today. I haven’t heard any of Simple Math yet, but I don’t need to to know that I will need this album in my collection. This band puts on one of the best live shows and I will need to be familiar with all their new tunes to more fully enjoy their June 2nd show at The Music Box.

The band stopped by the studio for my favorite radio station in December. Here’s an acoustic version of the title track off their new album.

[youtube V8NKUJIGk4w]

~ Kristen

Truth & Salvage Co.- Residency and CD release

Posted on 7 Hours Ago by Amanda

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 12^th. 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:

~ Kristen

Song of the Day: “Mother Mother” by Tracy Bonham

Posted on 7 Hours Ago by Kristen

Since its release, I’ve been listening to a lot of Hugo’s Old Tyme Religion. It’s a great CD and I’ve been enjoying it…but driving into work the other day, my roommate and I made the decision that the general tone of the album was just too positive for our current state. Posing questions like “what in the world were you born to do” was just too much…
I needed to find a song that more accurately reflected my current outlook on life. I flipped through my Ipod until I landed on this song. Tracy Bonham’s “Mother Mother” fit so perfectly I put it on repeat. Tracy may scream “everything’s fine” but we all know what she really means. Plus, it’s highly cathartic to join in.

[youtube 2Xi8NvSetZc]

I’ve seen The Veronicas do a version of this song live. Jess does a fine job with the screaming…

[youtube qD2thoGVTt4]

~ Kristen

Nico Vega

Posted on 7 Hours Ago by Amanda

So tonight is a really fantastic show at The Casbah and while I can’t go, you should go and enjoy it for me! My other music half is driving down from LA just for the night for this show!! Nico Vega always puts on an impressive show (I remember Kristen telling me that after the show was done, Rich the guitarist threw an amp on his guitar!) and Aja has a beautiful voice to boot. Now, while you think I might just be saying that, let me remind you that I was an extra in the music video shoot for Gravity and we got a free show of sorts and her voice is better live than on the recording. If you have no idea what video I’m talking about go here.
When you fall in love with them like I have you can find them on their official website that has all sorts of goodies and will connect you to their Facebook and Myspace pages (or you can just click the links I gave you). Go and enjoy the show for me and I’ll pretend that I’m not stuck here at school until 10:30 tonight.

Amanda’s SD Concert Calendar 4/8-4/14

Posted on 7 Hours Ago by Amanda

What a gloomy Monday it is in San Diego today. At least it waited until after my weekend of fun. “April showers bring May flowers” as they say, although it’s not really raining here. It’s just gloomy and drizzly which makes me want to nap. Thankfully I have a ticket for the acoustic Silent Comedy show tonight which will kick the gloom and get me out of the house. As for the rest of the week…

Monday: The Silent Comedy Acoustic Show @ El Dorado at 9pm
AND: Secondhand Serenade, Juliet Simms, Veronica Ballestrini, Belmont Lights @ Soda Bar at 8pm
AND: Neighbors to the North @ Casbah at 9pm

Tuesday: Lillian LeFranc @ Ruby Room at 9pm
AND: The New Kinetics @ Griffin at 8:30pm

Wednesday: Kip Moore, The Wild Feathers, Courtney Cole @ House of Blues at 8pm
AND: Barbarian, The Lonely Wild, Warships @ Griffin at 8:30pm

Thursday: One I Red, The Tilt @ Casbah at 9pm
AND: Ben Howard @ Belly Up at 9pm

Friday: The Material @ Soda Bar
AND: Mister Loveless, The Dead Ships, The Steelwells, The Stupid Daikini @ Griffin at 8:30pm
AND: The Expendables @ House of Blues at 7pm
AND: Lexington Field @ Tin Can Alehouse at 9:30pm
AND: The Darrows @ The Whistlestop at 8:30pm
AND: Jason Manns @ Lestats at 8:30pm
AND: Coachella

Saturday: The Beautiful View @ Soda Bar at 8:30pm
AND: Coachella

Sunday: Lucero and Langhorne Slim @ Belly Up at 9pm
AND: Gayle Skidmore @ Lestats at 8:30pm
AND: Coachella

Keep in Mind:
April 15th- The Neighbourhood @ Porter’s Pub
April 15th- Franz Ferdinand @ Humphrey’s By The Bay
April 16th- Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds @ Balboa Theater
April 16th- Alt- J @ Belly Up
April 17th- Alex Clare @ House of Blues
April 19th-21st- Coachella
April 22nd- The Gaslight Anthem @ Belly Up
April 23rd- Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ House of Blues
April 24th- Chappo @ Soda Bar
April 26th- Transfer, Dead Feather Moon, Grand Tarantula @ Belly Up
April 26th- Alkaline Trio @ House of Blues
May 1st- The Killers @ Honda Center
May 4th- Crash Kings, Chris Wilson and Planet Earth @ Griffin
May 10th/11th- Mayday Parade, You Me At Six @ Soma
May 12th- The Milk Carton Kids @ Belly Up
May 17th- X-Fest feat: 30 Seconds to Mars, Jimmy Eat World, Silversun Pickups, Fitz and the Tantrums, Atlas Genius, Capital Cities, New Politics
May 22nd- Bloc Party @ House of Blues
May 25th- Cold War Kids @ Belly Up
May 27th- Cold War Kids @ Belly Up
May 29th- !!! @ Casbah
June 1st- Imagine Dragons @ SDSU Open Air Theater
June 3rd- Mumford and Sons @ Sleep Train Amphitheater
June 16th- They Might Be Giants @ Belly Up
June 21st- She and Him @ SDSU Open Air Theater
September 6th- Dave Matthews Band @ Cricket Wireless
September 22nd- Depeche Mode @ Sleep Train Amiptheatre
September 22nd- Fall Out Boy @ Valley View Casino Center

Pepper’s Ghost Countdown: 6 Weeks!

Posted on 7 Hours Ago by Kristen

I first heard Pepper’s Ghost when they came to play a show on my college campus. It was love at first note…during the soundcheck even. They were the first local band I “discovered” thus opening the portol to the world of live local music and beyond. Seriously, had I not stumbled upon this band, my life would probably not be what it is today.
This is one of the many reasons why I am so excited to see them play once again January 22nd at The Grape Room.

Pepper’s Ghost also offered me the opportunity to participate in my first concert shoot at The Trocadero the summer of 2006. Here’s one of the songs we recorded that night…

[youtube MFaWDg4lZJI]

~ Kristen