Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 2/25-3/3

Happy Oscar Day! Are you watching? Do you have any favorites? My favorite movie of the year (although not nominated) is Perks of Being a Wallflower so in honor of a day where we celebrate the movies of the past year, I’m watching Perks. I’m watching it with commentary from the author/director which I find both informative and inspiring.

Also on the Oscar note, I had the pleasure of meeting a hobbit last night in the form of Billy Boyd who fronts a great band called Beecake.

The other notable show I saw last week was twenty one pilots at The Troubadour. I live for those moments of seeing my new favorite band for the first time and last week, I got one. It was life-affirming.

As for this week, It’s the last week in February, so it’s your last chance to see all the great residencies this month. Don’t miss out!

Here are my musical suggestions:

 

Monday: Wires in the Walls with Sandbox, Tall Tales and the Silver Linings, The Ross Sea Party and Owls FREE at Silverlake Lounge (8:30)
ALSO: The Mowgli’s with The Diamond Light, Zak Waters, and Lisa Donnelly FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: A House for Lions with Max and The Moon, The Peach Kings, and The Cery Brothers FREE at The Echoplex (9pm)
ALSO: Skye (of Morcheeba) with Madi Diaz at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Mind the Gap FREE at Central SAPC (9pm)
ALSO: The Art at House of Blues Sunset (9:30)
ALSO: It’s A School Night FREE at Bardot featuring Warships and Angela McCluskey (9pm)
ALSO: Monday Monday FREE at Room 5 featuring Jessie Payo, David and Devine, Jackie Does Joel, and more! (8pm)

 

Tuesday: Skye (of Morcheeba) with Javier Dunn at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Anberlin with Paper Route at House of Blues Sunset (7pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Tuesdays FREE at The Piano Bar (8pm)

 

Weds: Sir Sly FREE at The Echo (11pm)
ALSO: The Gallery at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)…record release show
ALSO: Deluka and The Royalty at The Satellite (10pm)
ALSO: Willy Moon at Bootleg Bar (8pm)
ALSO: Barnaby Saints at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)
ALSO: The Brian Buckley Band at The Viper Room (9pm)

 

Thursday: Jukebox the Ghost with Matt Pond and The Lighthouse & The Whaler at The Echoplex (7pm)
ALSO: The Watkins Family Hour at Largo (8:30)
ALSO: Royal Teeth, A Silent Film, and Gold Fields at The Troubadour (8:30, 9:20, 10:25)
ALSO: Rumours: The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Amie Miriello at WItZend (9pm)

 

Friday: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Free Energy at Bootleg Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Irontom at O’Brien’s (9pm)
ALSO: Ari Hest at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)

 

Saturday: The Ranch Party music festival (2pm) http://theranchparty.com/index.cfm
ALSO: Kitten at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Korey Dane at Room 5 (8pm)

 

Sunday: Morgan Karr at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
March 5th: Marcus Foster at The Troubadour
March 5th: Mother Mother at The Viper Room
March 7th: Youngblood Hawke at The Troubadour
March 7th: Said The Whale and Frank Turner at The Hotel Cafe
March 7,8,9: Buckcherry at The Viper Room
March 8th: Boy at The Troubadour
March 9th: Nightlands at The Echo
March 9th: Andy Clockwise and Irontom at The Satellite
March 11th: Lucy Rose at The Hotel Cafe
March 12th: CHVRCHES at The Echo
March 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Music Box
March 14th: Belmont Lights at The Roxy
March 15th: Anais Mitchell at McCabe’s
March 19th: Ivan & Alyosha at The Echo
March 19th: Everything Everything at The Roxy
March 19th: Foxes at Bootleg Bar
March 20th: Nico Vega, Atlas Genius, and Imagine Dragons at The Wiltern
March 20th: Charlotte Church at The Troubadour
March 24th: Janis Ian at McCabe’s
March 25th: Dinner and a Suit at The Hotel Cafe
March 27th: Mika at The El Rey
March 27th: Milk Carton Kids at Largo
April 3rd: William Beckett at The Hotel Café
April 4th: NO at The Troubadour
April 9th: Andrew Ripp at The Hotel Cafe
April 20th: Tyrone Wells and Wakey!Wakey! at The Troubadour
April 23rd: The Revival Tour at The El Rey
May 8th/9th: Milk Carton Kids at Largo
May 18-19th: Overture Con at The Mint
May 29th: Imagine Dragons at Hollywood Palladium
June 1st: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Wiltern
June 5th: Jewel at Saban Theatre
August 19th/20th: Ed Sheeran at The Staples Center

~ Kristen

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New Music Tuesday 12/18/12 featuring Matt Duke

Matt Duke has new music out today. This is quite notable. The EP, Love on A Major Scale, has been on heavy rotation on my music player and I fall more in love with each listen. It’s been a few years since this Philly singer-songwriter has released an acoustic album and this effort does not disappoint. You can preview the entire EP here. Or just buy it from iTunes.

 

Other CDs out in the last few weeks that I’m still trying to check out (you may notice a trend…ha!):

 

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 2/20-2/26

Today a homeless man insisted on giving me money. I’m not sure what this means, but it can’t be good if someone who has so little thinks that you have less. Did I really look that frazzled? I was in the midst of planning my week when he interrupted me so I’m sure my brow was quite furrowed.

Speaking of my week, the ideal plan would be to simply live at The Hotel Cafe and see a host of amazing artists that have packed the schedule at my favorite venue.  Highlights include a couple CD releases (Jasmine Ash, Rob Giles), some out of town faves (Harper Blynn, Will Dailey, Ari Hest), a few local treasures (Mariah McManus, Infantree, Andy Clockwise), and an American Idol contestant (Paul McDonald). I certainly intend to retain my Foresquare mayorship of The Hotel Café this week…

As for the complete list of my recommendations:

Monday: Haim and Milo Greene FREE at The Satellite (8,11)
ALSO: Wires in the Walls FREE at The Silverlake Lounge (9:30)
ALSO: Adam Bones at The Viper Room (8:15)
ALSO: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring Hey Rosetta! FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/ (9pm)
ALSO: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (8,9)

 

Tuesday: Jasmine Ash (Record Release), Ben Sollee, Anya Marina, and Paul McDonald at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Rocker’s featuring Daniel Ellsworth and Lyndsay Rae Spurlock FREE at The Piano Bar (8pm)
ALSO: Makepeace Brothers Presents- Acoustic Nights at WitZend (8:30)

 

Weds: Millow, Mariah McManus, Will Dailey, Infantree at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Terraplane Sun, Imagine Dragons, and Queen Caveat at The Viper Room (8,9,10)
ALSO: The Watkins Family Hour at Largo (8:30)

 

Thursday: Ari Hest, Harper Blynn, Kyler England at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Rock is a Girl’s Best Friend Presents: LA for LA Charity Event featuring Little Red Lung, Wires in the Walls, and Telstar (9, 10, 11)
ALSO: The Drama Club at The Viper Room featuring Art Alexakis (Everclear), Max Collins (Eve 6), and Chris Taylor Brown (Trapt) (10:30)
ALSO: Cursive FREE at Amoeba Records (7pm)
ALSO: Mat Kearney at The Mayan (8pm)

 

Friday: Javier Dunn, Rob Giles & All New People (Record Release), Michelle Featherstone, Andy Clockwise at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: The Howls at Bootleg Bar (9pm)
ALSO: Down Down Down at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Ume and Cursive at The Troubadour (9:15, 10)
ALSO: The Brian Travis Band at The Chocolate and Art Show at The Monk Space (9pm)

 

Saturday: Electric Touch, Cady Groves, and Hot Chelle Rae at The Roxy (6pm)

 

Sunday: The Oscars!! Bootleg Bar is doing a FREE livestream of the event if you’re looking for a place to go watch and people to watch with…

 

To Keep in Mind:
Feb. 27th: Dead Sara at The Viper Room
March 5th: Scars on 45 at The Troubadour
March 5th-6th: Dan Wilson and Rachel Yamagata at The Hotel Cafe
March 8th: Crash Kings at The Troubadour
March 9th: Vanaprasta at The Bootleg Bar
March 9th: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubadour
March 10th: Nico Vega at The Roxy
March 10th: Twin Atlantic at The Viper Room
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)
March 14th: The Pretty Reckless at The HOB Sunset
March 16th: Guster at Largo
March 18th: Dia Frampton at The Troubadour
March 20th: Needtobreathe and Ben Rector at Club Nokia
March 20th: War on Drugs at Avalon
March 22nd: The Lumineers at The Hotel Café
March 23rd: Truth & Salvage Co. at The Troubadour
March 24th: Ani DiFranco at The Orpheum Theater
March 24th and 25th: Allen Stone at The Troubadour
March 31st: Tyrone Wells at The Roxy
April 1st: Charlotte Martin at The Bootleg Bar
April 11th: Mike Doughty at Bootleg Theater
April 12th: Joseph Arthur at The Largo
April 19th: Foxy Shazam at The Roxy
April 13th-15th AND 20th– 22nd: Coachella
April 25th: Ben Kweller at The El Rey
April 27th: Ingrid Michaelson at The Troubadour
May 2nd: Cage the Elephant at The Mayan
May 8th: Snow Patrol at The Hollywood Palladium
May 11th: Imagine Dragons at The Troubadour
June 3rd: Deas Vail at The Troubadour
June 13th and 14th: Phantom Planet at The Troubadour

 

~ Kristen

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

http://twitter.com/#%21/_localmusicnat

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 3/28-4/3

Just got back from Saint Rocke where we experienced a most excellent evening of music. Justin Hopkins lead a mildly chaotic yet thoroughly enjoyable songwriters in the round featuring several artists (whose names I’ve sadly mostly forgotten). Justin himself played only a few songs, although I wish he could have done more. At one point, he brought up a 10-year-old girl who was an incredibly talented guitar player and songwriter. Keaton Simons also made an appearance and took part in several impromptu jam sessions after singing a few of his own tunes including a brand new one he claimed he just wrote yesterday.

 

The headliner of the evening was the incredibly entertaining Wakey!Wakey! Between the fun tunes and the funny banter, my cheeks still hurt from all the smiling and laughing. Seriously, if you’ve never been in a “conversation” with Wakey!Wakey! frontman, Mike Grubbs, you cannot fully appreciate the full spectrum of his talent. And speaking of talent, I should mention the violinist whose accompaniment elevated each song to a level of mesmerizing despite the fact that she had a cut on her finger.

 

It was a fantastic way to begin the week. Hopefully the rest of my schedule this week will be equally or more enjoyable. Check out my list:

 

Monday: Honeyhoney at Bootleg Theater (10:30)
ALSO: Sabrosa Purr at The Viper Room (10:15)
ALSO: Chris Robinson Brotherhood at The Echoplex (8:30)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: Brian Wright at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)…record release show…and after what I heard at SXSW this would be my top pick of the week!
ALSO: The Canyons and Satellite at Molly Malone’s (8,9)
ALSO: Stop Motion Poetry at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Weds: Queen Caveat and Imagine Dragons at The Viper Room (8,9)
ALSO: Semi Precious Weapons at On the Rox (10pm)…the last of their Empire residency shows before they head off to re-join Lady Gaga
ALSO: Laura Jansen at The Hotel Cafe (10:30)

 

Thursday: Ringside at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Ari Hest at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)

 

Friday: Bird by Bird at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Viza at The Troubadour (11:30)
ALSO: Brendan James and Matt White at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)
ALSO: J. Scott Bergman at Molly Malone’s (8pm)

 

Saturday: Tyler Hilton at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Northstar Session at Molly Malone’s (10pm)…album release

 

Sunday: day of restuntil something inevitably comes along…

 

To Keep in Mind:
April 6th: Andy Clockwise and The Silent Comedy at The Troubadour
April 10th: Milk Carton Kids at The Hotel Cafe
April 11th: Chris Robinson Brotherhood at The Echoplex
April 15th: Scarlet Grey at The Roxy
April 16th: Matt Wertz and Ben Rector at The Troubadour
April 20th: Ellie Goulding at The Music Box
April 22nd: Purple Melon at The Roxy
April 25th: Airborne Toxic Event at The Satellite
April 25th: The Head & The Heart at The Troubadour
May 4th: The Pipettes at The Satellite
May 7th: The Silent Comedy at The Roxy
May 15th: Eisley at The Troubadour
May 27th: The Script at Club Nokia
June 2nd: Manchester Orchestra at The Music Box
June 9-12: Bonnaroo!!!
June 13th: Florence and The Machine at The Greek Theater
September 22-24: Hotel Carolina
June 29th: Brooke Fraser at The Music Box

~ Kristen

 

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

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

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 LA weekly concert calendar: 3/1-3/7

Alright folks, it’s finally happened! Thanks to my musical partner in crime, Amanda, I have a blog! Amanda and I are working on it together (AKA she is doing most of the work…and I’m just posting my musical musings). The blog is entitled Local Music Nation. The goal of this project of ours is to eventually morph the blog into a full blown website where people can post about their favorite local bands based on region (this is how I’ve always classified bands).  And then other people can easily find good shows to go to when they travel (something I always struggle with) or just discover great new bands before they get too big. For now, we’re just covering LA and SD…and whatever other places and groups we happen to be inspired by.  

We’re still messing around with formats and such and learning the basics of how to be a blogger. We are leaning towards using Tumblr (you can post mp3s on it for free) vs. WordPress (a bit easier on the eyes and, in my opinion, more flexible), but for now have both running.

So, please check out our sites and let us know what you think. Any comments, suggestions, helpful tips would be much appreciated. From now on, this email will be posted on our blog (but don’t worry, I still plan on sending it to your inbox as well). But if you want more up to date information, concert reviews, info on bands I’m obsessing over or songs that are inspiring me…you should check out the blog on a more regular basis! Also, if you ever find yourselves journeying down to San Diego, Amanda will have all your musical needs covered.

So, check this out: http://localmusicnation.tumblr.com/

And/or this: http://thelocalmusicla.wordpress.com/

And onto the events of this week. Here’s what I’ve got planned:

Monday: Paris Carney at Room 5 (8pm)

ALSO: Aimee Miriello at Molly Malone’s  (10pm)

ALSO: Ari Hest at The Hotel Café (8pm)

Tuesday: Lucy Woodward at The Hotel Café (9pm)

ALSO: The Hounds Below and Miranda Lee Richards at Spaceland (10pm)

Weds: Vienne at Molly Malone’s (8:30)

ALSO: Austin Hartley-Leonard and Amber Rubarth at The Hotel Café (9,10)

ALSO: Keaton Simons at Room 5 (9:30)

ALSO: Pawnshop Kings at The Roxy (8pm)

ALSO: Beachwood Rocker’s Society at Crane’s

Thursday: Joey Ryan, Jim Bianco, and Honeyhoney at The Hotel Café (8,9,10)

ALSO: Purple Melon at The Mint (10pm)

ALSO: Mike Doughty at The Troubadour (9pm)

Friday: Bell X1 and Truth & Salvage Co. at The Hotel Café (9,10)

ALSO: Adam H. Stephens (from Two Gallants) at The Troubadour (8pm)

ALSO: The Bird & the Bee at The El Rey (8pm)

Saturday: Curtis Peoples at The Mint (9pm)

ALSO: Killswitch Engage at The Wiltern (8pm)

ALSO: Paris Carney at Molly Malone’s (9pm)

ALSO: Opus Dai and Visa at The Troubadour (10pm)

ALSO: Joe Henry at Largo at The Coronet (8pm)

ALSO: Benefit show at The Echoplex featuring The Submarines and Thao Nguyen (noon)

Sunday:  The Academy Awards!!

To Keep in Mind:

March 9th and 10th: Manchester Orchestra at The Troubadour

March 11th and 12th: The Silent Comedy and Transfer at The Casbah

March 11th: Joey Ryan and Melissa Ferrick at The Hotel Café

March 27th: San Diego Indie Fest featuring Metric

March 27th/28th: Bamboozled Left featuring Something Corporate and AFI

April 9th: Lights and Owl City at Club Nokia

April 16th: George Stanford CD release at The Hotel Café

April 16th-19th: Coachella

June 10-13th: BONNAROO

Mp3s

  • “Eve, the Apple of My Eye”- Bell X1
  • “I Just Want The Girl In The Blue Dress to Keep on Dancing” – Mike Doughty  

 

~ Kristen

p.s. if you still haven’t checked this out, please do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOkKufaZ84s  (and look for me!)