Assemble the Skyline

Amanda’s Top 10 Discoveries of ’10- Part 1

Posted on by Amanda

It’s now 2011. Which means, it’s time to reflect on all the things that happened in 2010 and all the things we want to accomplish in 2011. I for one, had a wonderful time discovering and rediscovering music that I love. This particular post is part one of a list I made of my top 10 favorite musical discoveries of 2010!

10. Assemble the Skyline-

Here’s the thing about Assemble the Skyline… they picked up Kristen and I on the Sunset Strip after a Scarlet Grey show. Normally, I don’t pay much mind to bands throwing cds at me but they did more than just plug the show and give us a free cd. They took the time to engage us about our night and were so darn adorable that it was hard for us to walk away. Once we played their song and heard the phrase, “you’re such a bitch and it thrills me” we were definitely curious and decided to go to the show.

While they aren’t the typical kind of music I like, they are so fun to see that its hard not to make space in your heart for them. Actually, they are a band that would be fantastic on Warped Tour. I’d love to see that and I will keep enjoying my guilty pleasure band.

9. The Howls-

I first saw The Howls open for my favorite San Diego band, The Silent Comedy. I wasn’t really sure what to think at first but I was intrigued. The more I’ve seen them play, the better they seem to get. They are currently in the middle of recording a new record but I can’t wait to hear what they come up with. You can download some tunes like the one below for free at their website. Do it!

The Howls- Revival

8. Mumford and Sons-

If you aren’t familiar with Mumford and Sons, you must be living under a rock. It’s ok though. There is still time to discover how amazing they are. Mumford hails from West London and “have shared a common purpose: to make music that matters, without taking themselves too seriously.” I never thought I would be afforded the opportunity to see them as they sell out venues so fast. However, I got lucky when aforementioned band, The Silent Comedy, opened for them at The Belly Up! I wasn’t overly familiar with their music but fell head over heels for them. When I was able to see them once again in LA, my love was cemented.

7. Landon Pigg-

Landon brings back such great memories! I was familiar with him insofar as I knew his song from the mobile carrier commercials but I wasn’t really familiar with his music as a whole. Kristen on the other hand, was familiar and one day, saw a post about his upcoming west coast tour and a need for fans to merch. Kristen, knowing my deep seeded desire to merch for bands and hit the road told me about this wonderful opportunity. I replied to the request and we were able to work the show in San Juan Capistrano! The venue was great, the music was great, and the people were awesome. We made some serious buck for Landon and we hope to do it again soon.

By the way, this video totally melts me.

6. Fierce Creatures

Fierce Creatures came out of nowhere and hit me upside the head like a bag of bricks when I saw them (in the best way possible). You can check out a previous post I did on them here but I have to say, I was not prepared at all for their hurricane-like force. There was this crazy supernatural energy they emitted. Maybe it was all the banging on cans or the dancing in the crowd but I’m seriously hooked. They lived up to all the hype I heard and while I’m bummed they are up north, I can’t wait to see them play again!

Stay tuned for my top 5 discoveries!

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 12/6-12/12

Posted on by Kristen

Tonight marked the final performance of LMN mainstays, Mississippi Man. I first saw this band play with Get Back Loretta at The Bootleg. I thought they were good. The thing about Mississippi Man, however, is that every time I’ve seen them since, they’ve gotten better and better. They came back from a tour with The Silent Comedy in particularly good form. I’m sure that tonight, their final performance, was their absolute best. But I am sad that I will not get the opportunity to continue to watch them grow and improve. If you haven’t already, you should check out their most recent record, A-OK. Mississippi Man will be missed.

Let’s focus on the flip side of seeing a great band’s last performance; seeing your new favorite band play for the first time. In remembrance of Mississippi Man, let’s make it a point this week to discover some new amazing music. If you need some guidance, might I suggest the following (and there are PLENTY of options this week):

Monday: IO Echo and Haim FREE at The Echo (9pm)
ALSO: The Rescues and Raining Jane at The Hotel Cafe…week two of The Rescues’ winter residency (9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: Jonathan Clark at Molly Malone’s (9pm)
ALSO: Whispering Pines FREE at Spaceland (9pm)
ALSO: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring Grouplove and The 88…RSVP at http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/ 

Tuesday: Eastern Conference Champions Record Release at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Rob Crow (of Pinback) at Spaceland (10pm)
ALSO: Kitten at The Echo (9pm)
ALSO: Edie Cary at Genghis Cohen (8pm)
ALSO: Street Drum Corps at The Roxy (10pm) 

Weds: So & So at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Assemble the Skyline at The Mint (10pm)
ALSO: Maren Parusel at The Silverlake Lounge (9pm)
ALSO: Natalie Cole at Walt Disney Concert Hall (8pm) 

Thursday: Scars on 45, Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, Taylor Locke & The Roughs at The Hotel Café (8,9,11)
ALSO: The Janks at Bootleg Theater (11pm)
ALSO: Aimee Mann’s Christmas show at Largo (8pm) 

Friday: Sabrosa Purr, Darling Stilettos, and Camp Freddy at The Roxy (9pm)
ALSO: Mike Doughty at Bootleg Theater (10pm)
ALSO: Kina Grannis at The El Rey
ALSO: NEEDTOBREATHE and The Daylights at The Musicbox
ALSO: The Dandy Warhols at Club Nokia
ALSO: Warpaint at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: A Silent Film at The Viper Room (10:30)
ALSO: Aimee Mann’s Christmas show at Largo (8pm) 

Saturday: Truth and Salvage Co. and The Black Crowes at Hollywood Palladium…The Black Crowes FINAL LA show
ALSO: Rockdrive 2010 featuring Aqualung, Cary Brothers, Rocco Delucca, Lady Danville, Joey and Kenneth, Chris Pierce, Terra Naomi, Raining Jane, etc. at The Troubadour (7pm)
ALSO: The Other Side of Morning at The Loft (midnight)
ALSO: Roses Pawn Shop at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Los Sindicate at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Aimee Mann’s Christmas show at Largo (8pm)                    

Sunday: Marie Digby at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Warpaint at The Troubadour
ALSO: Aimee Mann’s Christmas show at Largo (8pm)                                                                                        

To Keep in Mind:
December 14th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
December 17th-19th: The Hotel Cafe Christmas Party
December 18th: Fat City Reprise, The Shakers, and Red Circle Underground at The Viper Room
January 22nd: Guster at The Music Box
Feb 9th: Tina Dico at The Troubadour
Feb 16th: Nicole Atkins at The Troubadour
March 1st: Biffy Clyro at The Troubadour 

~ Kristen

Scarlet Grey “The Sky & I” Video

Posted on by Kristen

It’s done! The video Amanda and I had the pleasure of working on with Scarlet Grey was released today! I am so proud to have been involved in this project. I think the final product looks amazing! Major props to it’s director (and editor), Baley Wynn, and everyone else involved.

Come celebrate with us Thursday night at The Troubadour. Music provided by Your Arsenal, Assemble the Skyline, Killola, and, of course, Scarlet Grey!  

Watch, enjoy, and especially appreciate the shot a little over a minute and a half in of the slowly sinking sugar cube…not easy folks, not.easy.

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 10/18-10/24

Posted on by Kristen

That blank white page really is filling me with rage this week. My favorite Mumford & Sons tune will have to be performed without me in the audience tomorrow (Monday Oct. 18th) at The Palladium as I will be proctoring an exam that evening. It was quite painful to give away my ticket (purchased during the pre-sale mind you). But, as they say, life goes on…as does the music. With Joe Firstman tonight at the Hotel Cafe and a host of promising acts to fill the week, I’m sure I’ll get by ;).

Here are my musical suggestions this week:

Monday: Mumford & Sons at The Hollywood Palladium (7pm)
ALSO: Griffin House at The Troubadour (9:30)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm) 

Tuesday: The Diamond Light at Bootleg (10:30)
ALSO: Keaton Simons at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Northstar Session at The Hotel Cafe (9pm) 

Weds: Flyleaf and Story of the Year at House of Blues (7:45)
ALSO: BellX1 at The Hotel Café (9pm)
ALSO: Matt White at The Viper Room (7:45) 

Thursday: Griffin House at Saint Rocke (10pm)
ALSO: Dead Country at Silverlake Lounge (9pm)
ALSO: Alex Dezen at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Assemble the Skyline FREE at Hot Topic on Hollywood and Highland (6:30)
ALSO: The Shakers at The Kibitz Room at Canter’s Deli (10:30) 

Friday: Prohibition Rose at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Buckcherry at The Honda Center in Anaheim (8pm) 

Saturday: Sufjan Stevens at The Wiltern (7pm) 

Sunday: Joan Osborne at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: The White Buffalo at Saint Rocke (9:30) 

To Keep in Mind:
October 28th: Foxy Shazam and Free Energy at The Troubadour
October 29th: Nico Vega at The Roxy
November 2nd: Ingrid Michaelson at The Troubadour
November 4th: Five for Fighting at The Brixton
November 5th: Bayside at The Toubadour
November 6th-7th: Florence + The Machine at The Wiltern
November 8th-10th: A Perfect Circle at Avalon
November 13th: Terrible Things and Mae at The El Rey
November 17th: Tyler Hilton at The Roxy
November 18th: Freelance Whales at The Troubadour
November 21st and 22nd: Dar Williams at The Hotel Café
December 4th: Joe Firstman at Saint Rocke
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium 

~ Kristen
https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 9/20-9/26

Posted on by Kristen

I’m doing my best to ignore the emails and updates about shows tonight. The fact that Jake Newton is now playing with Austin Hartley Leonard at The Foundry…I’m not listening. I need a night in! Not that I’m complaining. This past week has been fantastic. The number of new bands I was able to check out and enjoy for the first time include Everest, The Daylights, Jennifer Knapp, Assemble the Skyline, Electric Touch, Deluka, Taylor Locke and the Roughs, and Heavy Young Heathens. Plus, I saw the most bizarre combination of acts I could possible imagine in one evening: Trace Adkins and Primus. All in all, not a bad week for music.

And this next week is shaping up to be just as good! Weds night I would especially recommend coming to On The Rox to check out the fantastic night of music featuring another band I’ve been meaning to check out, Lakes.

Then the week will cap off with the Epicenter Twenty Ten festival out in Fontana, CA. I’ll be counting down to the event all week with posts about some of the artists I’m most looking forward to check out over the weekend.

I just have to get through the week first. To help me get through, I have the following events on my radar:

Monday: Dead Sara at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Andy Clockwise FREE at Spaceland (10pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: it’s a school night at Bardot featuring Curt Smith (10pm) 

Tuesday: Northstar Session and Anna Nalick at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)
ALSO: Rhett Miller at Largo at the Coronet (8:30) 

Weds: ATN Management Presents On the Rox featuring Time You Exist, Parade of Lights, The Howls, Lakes, and That Noise (7:30)
ALSO: Cloud Cult at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Stars Go Dim at Whiskey a Go Go (10pm)
ALSO: Airborne Toxic Event at Ford Amphitheater (8pm) 

Thursday: Hinder at House of Blues Anaheim (8pm) 

Friday: Ry Cuming at The Hotel Cafe (11pm) 

Saturday: Epicenter Twenty Ten featuring Crash Kings, Papa Roach, Eminem, etc. (noon)
ALSO: Darker My Love and Band of Horses at Greek Theater (7:30)
ALSO: Muse at The Staples Center (7:30)
ALSO: So & SO at The Hotel Cafe (10pm) 

Sunday: Epicenter Twenty Ten featuring Biffy Clyro, The Academy Is…, Against Me!, Thirty Seconds to Mars, etc. (noon)
ALSO: Sick of Sarah at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Muse at The Staples Center (7:30)
ALSO: Mini Mansions at The Viper Room (9:30)
ALSO: Vampire Weekend at The Hollywood Bowl (7:30) 

To Keep in Mind:  

September 27th: Semi Precious Weapons at El Rey
September 28th: Guster at The Troubadour
September 30th: Queen Caveat at Silverlake Lounge
September 30th: BIFFY CLYRO at The Bootleg Theater
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 2nd: Truth & Salvage Co. at The Troubadour
October 8th: Crash Kings, Civil Twilight, and Anberin at The House of Blues
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
October 17th: Joe Firstman at The Hotel Café
October 18th: Mumford & Sons at The Hollywood Palladium
November 4th: Five for Fighting at The Brixton
November 5th: Bayside at The Toubadour
November 17th: Tyler Hilton at The Roxy
December 4th: Joe Firstman at Saint Rocke
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium  

~ Kristen

https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat

Assemble The Skyline at The Roxy

Posted on by Kristen

Just got back from seeing Assemble the Skyline at The Roxy. They make me smile. I mean, just listen to this song: Thrill Me (Such a Bitch) 

Are you smiling yet?

okay, watch this:

I like their sense of humor. And alligators attacking my head aside, they put on a decent live show. Amanda was especially enthralled by drummer Nick who she convinced me bears a striking resemblance (in both appearance and energy) to 30 Seconds to Mars’ Jared Leto…especially in his current bleach blonde stage.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a fun new band to see, go check out Assemble The Skyline!

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 9/13-9/19

Posted on by Kristen

About to head out to the San Diego Music Awards. It’s going to be a fantastic evening of music…

As for next week:

Monday: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (8,9)

Tuesday: Terra Naomi at The Hotel Café (8pm)

Weds: Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale at The Hotel Café (8pm)
ALSO: Chasing Kings at Bootleg (10pm)
ALSO: The Mulhollands at Boardner’s (10pm) 

Thursday: So and So at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Jennifer Knapp at The Mint (10pm)
ALSO: Audra Mae and Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers at The Troubadour (8:45, 9:45)
ALSO: Blue October at The House of Blues (8pm) 

Friday: Assemble the Skyline at The Roxy(9:30)                                                                                                                                                      
ALSO: 8mm and Andy Clockwise at The Hotel Café (10,11)
ALSO: Scarlet Grey at Saint Rocke (10pm)
ALSO: Jake Newton and Keaton Simons at The Mint (8:30, 9:30)
ALSO: Hanson at The House of Blues (8pm) 

Saturday: Taylor Locke & the Roughs and Heavy Young Heathens at The Mint (10,11)
ALSO: Allen Stone and Alex Rhodes at The Hotel Café (8,11)
ALSO: The Binges and Dirty Sweet at Bootleg (10:30, 11:30)
ALSO: Heart at Gibson Amphitheater (8pm) 

Sunday: Tegan and Sara and Paramore at The Honda Center in Anaheim (8pm)

To Keep in Mind:
September 22nd: ATN event at On the Rox featuring LAKES
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center
September 25th and 26th: Epicenter in Fontana, CA featuring Biffy Clyro, 30 Seconds to Mars, The Academy Is…, Crash Kings, etc.
September 27th: Semi Precious Weapons at El Rey
September 28th: Guster at The Troubadour
September 30th: Queen Caveat at Silverlake Lounge
September 30th: BIFFY CLYRO at The Bootleg Theater
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 2nd: Truth & Salvage Co. at The Troubadour
October 8th: Crash Kings, Civil Twilight, and Anberin at The House of Blues
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
October 17th: Joe Firstman at The Hotel Café
October 18th: Mumford & Sons at The Hollywood Palladium
November 4th: Five for Fighting at The Brixton
November 5th: Bayside at The Toubadour
November 17th: Tyler Hilton at The Roxy
December 4th: Joe Firstman at Saint Rocke
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium 

~ Kristen

https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat