Jay Nash

Have you been to Saint Rocke?

Posted on by Kristen

It’s not in LA proper so it’s taken me awhile to get there, but Saint Rocke is now on the fast track to becoming one of my new favorite places to see live music. Located on the PCH in Hermosa Beach, it really isn’t that far away (especially when the traffic is light). It’s got all the charm of The Hotel Cafe but with more space, more seating, and free parking! Plus, if you order food during their happy hour (starts at 5pm M-F) nearly the entire menu is $5. I opted for the kobe beef sliders with sweet potato fries and they were delicious…I have it on good authority that the tacos and the pizzas are also excellent options.

I didn’t just decide to check out a new venue on a whim. I was drawn to Hermosa Beach because it was a stop on the Joe Firstman/Jay Nash tour. The line up played The Hotel Cafe last Thursday but I could not make it as I was at The Roxy enjoying Alex Band (more on that from Amanda).

For the record, this duo is NOT to be missed. I’ve been following Joe around the country for over five years now and never have I seen the same set twice…he even changes up his own songs to keep things fresh. Already, songs from his most recent release, El Porto, have gotten new versions.  I will enjoy just about anything coming from this guy but Sunday night’s set was one of the most enjoyable I’ve seen him do in years. A great mix of old (one of my all-time favorite CDs is his debut The War of Women), new, and newly revised. His next record, Joe Firstman Live at The Treehouse, comes out next month and I cannot wait to hear it all. For a taste, go to his website and download a free track!  

Jay Nash has been a more recent addition to my list of favorite singer-songwriters. His recent collaborations with some of my favorite artists like Caitlin Crosby and Matt Duke brought him to my attention. He is also the founder and frequent participant in my favorite Monday night activity, Songwriters in the Round at Room 5. Unfortunately just as I start going to more of his shows, he decided to up and move to Vermont. The fact that he has returned to LA so soon is encouraging however and I hope that more tours like this one will continue to bring him back to his former home.

Both Joe and Jay are the kind of artist that need to be seen live to truly be appreciated for the amazingly gifted musicians they are. And when they get on the stage together, the energy is kicked up an additional notch as they feed off each other to create the kind of performance that could never be captured or repeated…moments that make you realize how incredibly fortunate you are to be in that exact place at that exact time…moments that keep you going to show after show…the kind of stuff to live for and the reason I love artists like Joe Firstman and Jay Nash and venues like Saint Rocke that can bring out these kinds of magical moments.

If you want to check out a show at Saint Rocke, here’s a link to their calendar . Might I suggest Pat McGee this Sunday…or if you read this in time 100 Monkeys tonight (Tuesday July 20th).

If you want to see more of Joe Firstman and Jay Nash their tour together is almost over, but they both have dates up on their websites and they will both be at Hotel Carolina at the end of August.

~ Kristen

p.s. this is a repost, but here’s a recording a took of the song Jay wrote about leaving California…I think it may be my new favorite.

Golden State Goodnight– Jay Nash

Amanda’s Very Late Show Calendar 6/13-6/18

Posted on by Amanda

The title says it all. Sorry we missed Monday but from what I can tell, there wasn’t really anything that was missed. I know how you are San Diego. You don’t really like to get going until Thursday, Wednesday if we are lucky. I mean, just look at Tuesday!

Anyways, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes here at LMN. If you saw Kristen’s post you will see what I mean. I’m up in LA (again) until Thursday so be sure to enjoy the shows until I return and even after I return…

Tuesday: ???

Wednesday: Alex Band (of The Calling) @ Anthology @7:30 $16
AND: Jay Nash and Joe Firstman @ Lestats @8 $?
AND: Antibalas @ The Casbah @9 $14 adv/$16 day of
AND: Long Live Logos @ U-31

Thursday: The Guggenheim Grotto @ Lestats @8 $15
AND: 91X Loudspeaker feat. Dead Feather Moon, The Pheromones, and Italian Japanese @ The Belly Up @9 $8 ($1 goes to SD Music Foundation)

Friday: Dirty Sweet @ The Casbah
AND: Get Back Loretta @ Bar Pink @ 10 FREE
AND: Thrice @ House of Blues San Diego @7 $20 adv/$23 day of
AND: Inspired Flight @ Kava Lounge @9

Saturday: The Silent Comedy @ The Casbah
AND: Sight and Sound @ Queen Bees @7:30

Sunday: Tony Lucca @ Anthology @7:30 $10 value tix/$14 regular tix
AND: Jamie Cullum @ Humphreys by the Bay

Keep in Mind:

July 19th- The Dead Weather @ House of Blues San Diego
July 21st- Shawn Mullins @ Birch Aquarium @ Scripps
July 30th- Transfer @ The Casbah
July 31st- Wendy Bailey @ Bar Pink
August 6th- Endoxi @ Epicentre
August 7th- Silversun Pickups @ Soma
August 8th- Tokyo Police Club @ The Casbah
August 10th- Vans Warped Tour- San Diego
August 18th- Steve Poltz @ Birch Aquarium
August 21st- Wolfmother @ House of Blues San Diego
September 18th- Paramore @ Viejas Arena
September 22nd- Muse @ Viejas Arena
September 25th- The Black Keys @ Soma

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 7/12-7/18

Posted on by Kristen

Well, Amanda and I certainly had quite the busy weekend getting sneak previews of some very exciting projects coming out soon. Slash-approved British rockers, Gods and Men, are in the process of recording their first album for Pacific Records. Remember the name…it will come up again soon, I’m sure. Also, San Diego’s own Endoxi just finished their first full-length CD, Earthbound. The record is coming out August 3rd and the release party will be August 6th at Epicentre in SD. I’m very excited about Endoxi, and feel that they are poised to become the next big band out of San Diego.

But if you need a good show before August 6th, this week will definitely satisfy. Two of my very favorite bands are playing the Troubadour, The Silent Comedy on Tuesday (opening for Andy Clockwise) and Nico Vega on Weds (opening for Sweethead). You know you’ve been meaning to check out these bands I’m always blathering on about…well, here’s your chance so don’t miss it! 

As for everything else (it’s quite a fantastic week for music):

Monday: Matt Morris at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Mississippi Man FREE at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: The Shakers at Les Deux (10pm)
ALSO: Abbot Kinney at Molly Malone’s (8pm)
ALSO: Kings of Leon at Hollywood Bowl (7:30)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm) 

Tuesday: The Silent Comedy and Andy Clockwise at The Troubadour (8:30)
ALSO: Imagine Dragons FREE at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Matthew Jordan at Cafe Was (7pm)
ALSO: Austin Hartley-Leonard at The Hotel Cafe (8pm) 

Weds: Nico Vega at The Troubadour (9:15)…what else do you need? 

Thursday: KT Tunstall, Garrison Starr, Jay Nash, Joe Firstman at The Hotel Cafe (7-11)
ALSO: Killola at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Wakey Wakey at Bootleg (10pm)
ALSO: Alex Band at The Roxy (8:30)
ALSO: Fitz & the Tantrums at the Hammer museum (7pm)
ALSO: Alternate Routes at Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena (8pm)
ALSO: Nico Vega at Velvet Jones in Santa Barbara (7pm) 

Friday: Tyrone Wells at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Victoria Clemmons, Kris Karlsson, Alex Rhodes at Genghis Cohen (8,9,10)
ALSO: Lovers Drugs at Rusty’s Surf Ranch in Santa Monica (9pm)
ALSO: Juke Kartel at The Viper Room (11:15)
ALSO: MGMT at The Greek Theater (7:30) 

Saturday: Thrice at Fox Theater in Pomona (6:30)
ALSO: Leerone and Laura Jensen at The Hotel Cafe (8, 10)  
ALSO: The Silent Comedy at The Casbah (SD) 

Sunday: The Swell Season and Bird and the Bee at Hollywood Bowl (7:30)
ALSO: Joe Firstman and Jay Nash at Saint Rocke (7pm) 

To Keep in Mind:
July 21st: Gaslight Anthem at The Wiltern
July 23rd: Tony Lucca album release at The Mint
July 28th: Bang the Gong Tour featuring Civil Twilight, Paper Tongues, and Neon Trees at The Glass House
July 29th: Queen Caveat EP Release at The Viper Room
July 29th: Civil Twlight at The Hotel Cafe
July 30th: Dirty Sweet at The Viper Room  
July 30-31st: Morcheeba at Hollywood Bowl
August 6th: Endoxi CD release at Epicentre (SD)
August 12th: Semi Precious Weapons at Staples Center
August 21st and 22nd: Sunset Junction
September 4th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center 

~ Kristen

Still plenty of room at Hotel Carolina…

Posted on by Kristen

Hotel Carolina: From what I hear, it’s like going camping on the beach…but you know that guy/gal who’s always strumming the guitar around the campfire?…well multiply that by about 20 and make them all your very favorite singer-songwriters.

Friday August 27th music lovers will descend upon Isle of Palms, South Carolina and make our way to the legendary Windjammer where we will spend a weekend being serenaded by the likes of Joe Firstman and Matt Duke, going to BBQs, hanging out on the beach, and participating in several artist vs. fan sporting events (flip cup anyone?).

Need any more temptation? Well, okay! Amazon.com is giving away a FREE sampler featuring the artists who will be participating in this year’s event.

Go to The Hotel Carolina website  to learn even more about the event and the featured artists.

This year’s line-up is particularly exciting to me and includes several of my favorites. Looks like this:

Todd Carey
The Bridges
Curtis Peoples
Joe Firstman
Josh Hoge
Sequoyah Prep School
Tony Lucca

Jim Bianco
Jay Nash
Sun Domingo
Matt Duke
Keaton Simons
Benjy Davis Project
Ernie Halter

Convinced? Go here to get your tickets!

Even if you can’t make it to the event, you should still check out these amazing artists!

Listen! Learn! LOVE!

~ Kristen

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 6/7-6/13

Posted on by Kristen

This week I write to you from San Diego. Tonight I have a ticket to go see The Silent Comedy open for Mumford & Sons. Needless to say, there is a great deal of excitement involved. Friday night The Silent Comedy played at The Royal Dive in Oceanside so I decided to make a weekend of it in San Diego. Not that it’s been all fun and games…actually it’s mostly been paper-writing, but the change of location was good I suppose. And I get to see one of my favorite bands twice!  And speaking of the marvelous The Silent Comedy, they are coming back up to LA June 17th. Playing a NEW VENUE called Speakeasy over in the Silverlake area. Also playing that night: Queen Caveat! It’s gonna be a good one, so mark your calendar!

But if you want to know what to put on your calendar this week, here’s what I’ve got on mine:

Monday: Paris Carney, Songwriters in the Round (featuring Kathryn Ostenberg, Joel Eckels, Buddy, and Brother Sal), Jay Nash at Room 5 (8, 9, 10:30)…are you seeing this line-up!?! A good night to check out my favorite place to hang Monday nights
ALSO:  it’s a school night at Bardot featuring Super Secret Act (10pm)…I semi-recall them saying something about Hot Hot Heat, but no matter who it is, it will be a fun night, but don’t forget to RSVP (http://itsaschoolnight.com/)
ALSO: Thao and Mirah with The Most of All at Bootleg (10pm)
ALSO: The Delta Spirit FREE at Amobea (7pm)
ALSO: Abbot Kinney at Molly Malone’s (9pm)…Jared from Abbot Kinney starts his month long residency at Molly Malone’s…AKA Abbot Kinney’s Summer of Exploding Hearts

 Tuesday: The Shakers EP Release FREE at The Viper Room also featuring Automatique and New Liberty (Philly band alert!) (11, 12,8)
ALSO: Alice Wallace at The Mint (8pm)
ALSO: Greg Holden at Room 5 (9pm) 

Weds: Allen Stone and Dave Barnes at The Roxy (9pm)
ALSO: Alex Lambert (yes, the one from American Idol) at The Mint (7pm)
ALSO: Ashes Divide at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Crash Test Dummies at The Hotel Café (7pm)…yes you read that right…I recommend getting advanced tickets
ALSO: Hot Hot Heat at Bootleg (11:15) 

Thursday:  BONNAROO BEGINS! Let’s take this moment to lament the fact that I am not there…silly classes having everything due this week
ALSO: Ian Axel, Amber Rubarth, Holly Conlan, TD Lind, and No Country at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)…just go for Ian and stay til the end…seriously good night of music
ALSO: Chantal Kreviazuk at The Mint (9pm)
ALSO: Fitz and the Tantrums at Spaceland (10pm)
ALSO: Amber Pacific at Whiskey a Go-Go (7pm) 

Friday: Iglu and Hartly at The Roxy (9pm)
ALSO: Helen Stellar at Spaceland (10pm) 

Saturday: Greg Laswell, Brian Wright, and SO & So at The Hotel Cafe (8, 9, 10)…The Greg Laswell/Brian Wright portion of the evening seems to be Sold out, but go see So & So…
ALSO: Mayer Hawthorne at The Ghetty (6pm) 

Sunday: Greg Laswell, Brian Wright, and Austin Hartley Leonard  at The Hotel Cafe (7, 8, 9)…this one, not sold out last I checked
ALSO: Beth Hart and Garrison Starr at The Echoplex (8pm)
ALSO: Taproot at Whiskey a Go Go (8pm) 

To Keep in Mind:
June 17th: The Other Side of Morning at The House of Blues
June 17th: Queen Caveat and The Silent Comedy at Speakeasy 
June 25th: Warped Tour in LA
June 25th: The Rescues CD Release at The Troubadour
June 21st: Carney at The Troubadour
June 21st: Gaslight Anthem at El Rey
July 7th: Carbon Leaf at The Troubadour
July 8th: Michelle Branch at Greek Theater
July 10th: Lilith Fair
July 18th: The Swell Season and Bird and the Bee at Hollywood Bowl
July 30-31st: Morceeba at Hollywood Bowl
August 12th: Semi Precious Weapons at Staples Center (with Lady GaGa)
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center

~ Kristen

An Emotional Evening at Room 5

Posted on by Kristen

I don’t know was it was, but Monday night at Room 5 I kept finding myself fighting that feeling of wanting to cry (the good kind of crying…mostly). It could have been the fact that I was so burnt out and therefore emotionally vulnerable, or maybe it was listening to LA’s beloved Jay Nash sing one last song, his dedication to California, before saying goodbye to the state as well as the institution he started (Songwriters in the Round at Room 5). It could have just been the outstanding talent of this week’s round of songwriters that bored straight into my heart and touched it so deeply.

This week’s group featured Joel Eckels, Sally Jaye, Kenneth Pattengale, and the man who very well may end up my favorite act of the year, Joey Ryan. How I go from Nico Vega one year to Joey Ryan the next is a puzzle even to myself….but I digress.

I must say that I’m finding the combination of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan to be endlessly entertaining. Someone suggested they were like Simon and Garfunkel and Joey immediately balked at the idea, relegating Kenneth to the role of Garfunkel. To me, this would be a complement of the highest order. As much as I enjoy both Joey and Kenneth, I think I’m started to like them even better when they play together! They keep performing as a duo for “practice” for an upcoming series of shows billed as An Evening with Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale (and not, sadly, Ryan Pattengale). This includes a stop at McCabe’s in Santa Monica on April 24th. Someone should really record this show and make a CD (especially since I will be out of town).

I will again say that this Songwriters in the Round event is my new favorite way to listen to some great artists. It’s like ice cream. It’s always the first few bits of ice cream that are the best…but after you’re about half way through the carton, you keep eating more out of habit…or a memory of what those first few bites tasted like. But if you combine different flavors of ice cream in the same bowl, the immense high from those first couple bites is prolonged as you go from one variety to the next, the contrasts reminding you just how amazing each individual flavor is. 

But seriously, I feel that going from artist to artist really helps to keep the emotional intensity at its peak. The only downside is that the evening is over and it really feels like it has just begun.

Until next week…

~ Kristen

p.s. the recording I took of Jay Nash’s  Golden State Goodnight