el rey

Friday Night

Posted on by Amanda

Last night was Nico Vega at the El Ray and there really aren’t enough words to some up what an amazing experience it was. It was the last show of the tour (edit: I stand corrected. They are off to SF next which is the last spot of the tour) so of course it was extra special and extra fun. The only problem I have with seeing Nico Vega is that they never seem to play long enough. It was a great show with old songs and new as well as some great intros into our favorite tunes.

I think on of the highlights of the night was a closing song done with The Soundtrack Of Our Lives. Nico Vega ended up on stage playing maracas and tambourines as rowdy and as loud as possible with Aja and Rich ending up on the floor a few times. I’d love to post some pictures but as Kristen already posted pictures from the other show and my camera battery is dead, such exploits will have to wait for Kristen to go through her photos from the night.

For all you SD folks, I wish I know of some shows going on down there. Offhand, I know that Moving Units is playing at the Casbah and I have yet to see a bad show there. If all else, check the Reader and Citybeat for some cues as to what to see. I promise next week to have something better for you.

~Amanda

“…your voice is echoing again through catacombs inside my mind…” – Breathless by Dan Wilson

Posted on by Amanda

Dan Wilson just blows my mind every time. The man is a genius.  Tonight at The Hotel Café he mostly played new songs which is great on the one hand because I was able to hear new brilliance for the first time, but on the other hand, so much goes unplayed.  He did manage to squeeze in my two faves “Breathless” and “Free Life” plus a good one from his Semisonic days (“Singing in my Sleep”) so I was left feeling completely satisfied.

The entire evening was full of amazing music. Jim Bianco is always such a treat to watch. He has this new song from his forthcoming CD that I think takes his music to a whole new level. But, of course, he sings that one right before a song that calls for strippers…

Joey Ryan is one of my new faves and deserves a blurb all to himself (forthcoming).

And my intuition about Scars on 45 was spot on! I have a very good feeling about this group that was just signed to Chop Shop Records and are working on recording their debut album…next stop for them: SXSW. Definitely keep your eyes and ears open for these guys…

Next up: Nico Vega at El Rey…NOT to be missed!

~ Kristen

Local LA Shows For The Week

Posted on by Amanda

Nico Vega’s new music video for their song “Gravity” is FINALLY out! I was fortunate enough to be a part of it and so proud of how it turned out. We might as well call this Nico Vega week. Starts with a fantastic music video and ends on Friday with their show at the El Rey opening for The Soundtrack of Our Lives. And if you’re really crazy (like me), you might consider a midweek journey to San Diego to catch them at The Casbah…seriously…

I can’t get enough of this band and if you haven’t already, please check them out!

Gravity- Nico Vega

As for the rest of the week (and can we talk about Tues. and how unfair it is for everyone to be playing that evening):

Monday: Joey Ryan at Room 5 (9pm)

Tuesday: Aiden Moore CD release at Molly Malone’s (10pm)

ALSO: Butch Walker CD release at The Hotel Café (10:30)…need a ticket for this one

ALSO: Until June at The Viper Room (8pm)

ALSO: Haim at The Echo (9pm)

ALSO: Tayler Locke and the Roughs at Cinespace (10pm)…found out this Rooney lad has started his own group…my sources tell me to check it out…

ALSO: Lelia Broussard at Room 5 (9pm)

Weds: Nico Vega at The Casbah in San Diego (9pm)

ALSO: The Rescues at The Troubadour (9:45)

ALSO: Beachwood Rocker’s Society at Crane’s

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

ALSO: Visqueen at Spaceland (10pm)

ALSO: my good friend Patrick is singing with Pancho and Sancho at The Troubadour (8pm)…there may or may not be a pirate costume…J

ALSO: Audra Mae at Bootleg (10pm)

Friday: Nico Vega at The El Rey (8pm)

ALSO: Truth & Salvage Co. at The Hotel Café (11:30)

ALSO: Still Waters Run Deep at Molly Malone’s (10pm)

Saturday: Lemon Sun at Bootleg (midnight)

ALSO: Kina Grannis at The Dakota Music Lounge (8pm)

ALSO: Mississippi Man at L’Keg Gallery (8pm)

Sunday:  nothing comes to me…sorry

 

 

To Keep in Mind:

March 4th: Mike Doughty at The Troubadour

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

March 11th: 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

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:

  • “Million Years”- Nico Vega
  • “Vaxxine” – Visqueen
  • “Free Life” – Dan Wilson…have I mentioned that this guy writes some of my very favorite lyrics?

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar 4/5-4/11

Posted on by Amanda

Spent my day celebrating Easter with my LA family and then out at the movies (go see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!) so once again, this week’s concert installment may be missing a few things. All these options are making my head spin anyway…all you really need is one…or maybe two.
So here’s what I hope to be doing this week:

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

ALSO: Jakob Dylan at The Grammy Museum (8pm)

Tuesday: Paper Tongues at The Troubadour (8pm)

ALSO: Joey Ryan, Laura Jansen, and Jay Nash at Saint Rocke (8pm)

ALSO: Gin Wigmore at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)…another from my SXSW ’10 list

ALSO: Five for Fighting at The Wiltern (7pm)

Weds: Lelia Broussard at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)

ALSO: A Fine Frenzy at Largo at the Coronet (8:30)

ALSO: Beachwood Rockers’ Society at Crane’s

Thursday: The Janks at Molly Malone’s (11pm)

ALSO: Austin Hartley-Leonard, Rocco Deluca, and Honeyhoney at the Hotel Cafe (8,9,10)

Friday: Cary Brothers, Joey Ryan, and Truth & Salvage Co. at The Hotel Cafe (9-midnight)…my mind is blown at the greatness of this evening’s selection…also this is Cary Brothers CD release, so get your tickets in advance.

ALSO: Abbot Kinney at Molly Malone’s (10pm)

ALSO: Owl City and Lights at Club Nokia (7pm)

ALSO: Nikka Costa at The Roxy (8pm)

ALSO: The Janks at Bootleg (11:30)

Saturday: Saint Motel and Mississippi Man at The Echoplex (8:30)

ALSO: Truth & Salvage Co. and Rocco Deluca at Saint Rocke (8pm)

ALSO: The Elizabeth Kill at The Loft (9pm)

ALSO: Olin & the Moon at Bootleg (10:30)

ALSO: Ben Gibbard at Largo at the Coronet (8:30)

Sunday: ??

To Keep in Mind:

April 12th: Butch Walker at El Rey

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

April 17th: Fair to Midland at The Troubadour

April 16th-19th: Coachella

April 21st and 22nd: The Glee Tour at Gibson

April 21st: Semi Precious Weapons at The Roxy

May 4th: Greg Laswell at The Troubadour

May 15th: Carney at The El Rey   

May 15th: 30 Seconds to Mars at The Greek Theater

May 22nd: Frightened Rabbit at The Casbah (in SD)

May 28th: The Silent Comedy and Dirty Sweet at North Park Theater (in SD)

June 6th: Mumford & Sons with The Silent Comedy at BellyUp (in SD)

June 10-13th: BONNAROO (in Tennessee)

July 10th: Lilith Fair

 

Mp3s

  • “Too Late for Lovers” – Gin Wigmore
  • “Ride”- Cary Brothers

 

~ Kristen