Matthew Jordan

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 8/9-8/15

Posted on by Kristen

I must say, there are a LOT of festivals going on this week. Thursday is the Sunset Strip Block Party celebrating the fact that there will no longer be construction holding up traffic along the strip (YAY!). Saturday is the Venice Beach music festival featuring Keaton Simons . Then both Saturday and Sunday at the Echoplex is the Free for All music festival sponsored by When You Awake and featuring Langhorne Silm on Sunday.  And let’s not forget about Warped Tour  on Weds in Pomona featuring many fantastic bands including my new favorite, After Midnight Project. We could also throw in the North Park Music Thing down in San Diego which I’ll be attending over the weekend.

But really these festivals are just prepping everyone for next week’s Sunset Junction  and the, of course, Sunset Strip Music Festival at the end of the month.

As for what else is going on:

Monday: Of Verona and Soul Puppet FREE at The Troubadour (9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: Matthew Jordan at Saint Rocke (8:30)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm) 

Tuesday: Jake Newton at Molly Malone’s (9pm)
ALSO: Holly Conlan at The Hotel Cafe (9pm) 

Weds: Keaton Simons at Cinespace (8pm)
ALSO: Warped Tour in Pomona
ALSO: Semi Precious Weapons at The Staples Center (8pm) 

Thursday: Soraia at Good Hurt (11:30)…Philly band alert!
ALSO: The Shakers at The Cat Club (10pm)…part of Sunset Strip Block Party (http://thesunsetstrip.com/blockparty)
ALSO: Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal at Club Nokia (9pm)
ALSO: My Morning Jacket and Avi Buffalo at The Greek Theater (8pm)
ALSO: Semi Precious Weapons at The Staples Center (8pm)
ALSO: Wartapes at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: The Northstar Session at Molly Malone’s (9:30)
ALSO: Freelance Whales at El Rey opening for Tokyo Police Club (8:30) 

Friday: Natalie Merchant at Orpheum (8pm)
ALSO: Soraia at Canter’s Kibitz Room (10pm)
ALSO: American Idols 2010 Live at The Staples Center (7:30) 

Saturday: Venice Beach Music Fest f. Keaton Simons (1:30pm)
ALSO: Rasputina at The Troubadour (10:15) 

Sunday: Langhorne Slim at The Echoplex (4pm)
ALSO: Mississippi Man at The Troubadour (8:30)
ALSO: Levon Helm and Jenny Lewis at The Greek Theater (8pm) 

 

To Keep in Mind:
August 21st and 22nd: Sunset Junction
August 27-28th: Sunset Strip Music Festival
August 28th: Something Corporate at Club Nokia
September 4th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
September 18th: Heart at Gibson Amphitheater
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 8/2-8/8

Posted on by Kristen

I’m about to head off to the first of three evenings this week featuring The Kin, so this will be short.  I’m especially excited about Monday night’s Songwriters in the Round. But that’s just the start of a great week of music as detailed below:

Monday: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 featuring Isaac and Thorry Koren (The Kin), Joey Ryan, Kenneth Pattengale, and Joel Eckels (9pm)
ALSO: John Elliot at Genghis Cohen (7pm) 

Tuesday: FREE Lovers Drugs at The Viper Room (9pm)
ALSO: Matthew Jordan at Café Was (two sets, 7 and 8:30)
ALSO: William Fitzsimmons at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Circa Survive at Bootleg (9:50) 

Weds: The Kin at The Cactus Room at The Standard (7pm)
ALSO: The Hereafter at West LA Concert Series at West LA Civic Center (9pm)
ALSO: Andy Clockwise at Spaceland (10pm)
ALSO: Meiko at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: So & So at Molly Malone’s (11pm)
ALSO: Juke Kartel at The Viper Room (8pm) 

Thursday: The Janks at The Echoplex (10:30)
ALSO: Everest at Bootleg (11:30)
ALSO: The Binges at The Viper Room (11pm) 

Friday: Lights at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: 100 Monkeys at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: We Are Scientists at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Silversun Pickups and Against Me at The Greek Theater (7:30) 

Saturday: The Janks FREE at Pershing Square (7:30)
ALSO: 100 Monkeys at The Viper Room (midnight) 

Sunday: I’m sure something will come up 

 

To Keep in Mind:
August 12th: Semi Precious Weapons at Staples Center
August 21st and 22nd: Sunset Junction
August 27-28th: Sunset Strip Music Festival
August 28th: Something Corporate at Club Nokia
September 4th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
September 18th: Heart at Gibson Amphitheater
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium

~ Kristen

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

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 5/31-6/6

Posted on by Kristen

Honestly I still feel like it should be March. The last two months were so incredibly busy, they just flew right by. And now, all of a sudden, I’m facing end of quarter deadlines and am freaking out juuuust a tad. And looking at my June calendar it seems that this month won’t be any less busy. We’ve actually got some very exciting things coming up for the website, so stay tuned for that. But in the meantime, let’s get this month started off right with a great line-up of music.

Here are my suggestions:

 Monday: War Tapes at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: The Like FREE at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: School Night at Bardot in Hollywood featuring Sonos, Madi Diaz, and Miike Snow DJ Set…FREE but rsvp only (http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/rsvp1.html)

 Tuesday: Samantha Crain and First Aid Kit at Bootleg (9:30)
ALSO: Honeyhoney at Spaceland (9pm) 
ALSO: Matthew Jordan at Ivan Kane’s Cafe Was (two sets starting at 7pm and 8:30)

Weds: Ashes Divide at The Viper Room (11pm)…the beginning of an exciting month-long residency
ALSO: Hot Hot Heat at Bootleg (10:30)…another residency…seems likes Weds is the busy day this month… 

Thursday: Hear NoHo (8pm)… http://www.hearnoho.com/
ALSO: Mumford & Sons at The Music Box (8pm)
ALSO: Curtis Peoples at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Watkins Family Hour at Largo at the Coronet (8:30)
ALSO: Lex Land at Bootleg (10pm)
ALSO: Fitz and the Tantrums at Spaceland (10pm) 

Friday: Mumford & Sons at The Music Box (8pm)
ALSO: Don McCloskey at The Hotel Cafe (11pm) 

Saturday: Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Balloon and Wine Festival in Temecula featuring music by Keaton Simons, The Gin Blossoms and Vertical Horizon (3:30, 5, 7) 

Sunday: Mumford & Sons and The Silent Comedy at Belly Up (SD)

To Keep in Mind:

June 10-13th: BONNAROO (in Tennessee)
June 13th: Beth Hart and Garrison Starr at The Echoplex
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

New Band Love: Civil Twilight

Posted on by Kristen

Just got back from The Hotel Cafe. Went to go see Matthew Jordan, a fantastic piano-playing singer-songwriter who was especially brillant tonight when he busted out this amazing arrangment of “Smooth Criminal“. After Matthew, I stuck around to see Civil Twilight and completely fell in love. I had known about these guys for awhile thanks to an ITunes free download, but their self-titled debut CD was only very recently released in the states. The trio is actually from South Africa which makes this just another in a string of bands I’ve fallen for recently that are based overseas…I’m wondering if this is some sort of sign…or perhaps a cruel joke?

Anyway, I just had to share. They took the entire audience at The Hotel Cafe to another place this evening  and I cannot wait to go on that journey with them again. Fortunately, they are playing again Saturday at Voyeur in West Hollywood then on Sunday down near San Diego at The Loft at UCSD. Then they are off on a mini tour of the south (check their website for exact places and dates). Don’t miss out!

Listen and Love!: 04 Letters From The Sky 1

~ Kristen

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 4/26-5/2

Posted on by Kristen

This week’s email is brought to you from the lovely town of  Horseheads, NY where I have been spending the weekend…well part of the weekend. I also journeyed down to the Philadelphia area to see one of my favorite bands  (Jealousy Curve) play…twice.  Despite the lack of sleep it was a fantastic weekend! The biggest problem with predominantly local bands is that when you move away, it’s quite difficult to see them. I have to fly across the country! Which I will be doing again May 22nd for Jealousy Curve’s big CD release.

Fortunately all the great shows listed below don’t require much travel outside the LA area:  

Monday: Helen Stellar FREE at Spaceland (11pm)
ALSO: Aqualung at Bootleg (10pm)
ALSO: Chris Thile at Largo at the Coronet (9pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

Tuesday: Dr. Dog at The Music Box (8pm)
ALSO: Lady Danville at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Whispertown 2000 at Silverlake Lounge (9pm) 

Weds: Matthew Jordan and Civil Twilight at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)
ALSO: Beachwood Rocker’s Society at Crane’s 

Thursday: Lemon Sun at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Apes of Wrath at Spaceland (8:30)
ALSO: Honeyhoney at The Hotel Cafe (10pm) 

Friday: Tyler Hilton at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Soul Puppet at Molly Malone’s (9:30)
ALSO: Ernie Halter and Chris Pierce at The Hotel Cafe (9,11) 

Saturday: The Silent Comedy at The Roxy (on the Rox) (10pm)
ALSO: Needtobreathe at El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Holly Conlan at The Hotel Cafe (9pm) 

Sunday: White Buffalo at Saint Rocke (6pm)

To Keep in Mind:

May 3rd: The Kin at The Hotel Cafe
May 4th: Greg Laswell at The Troubadour
May 13th: Crash Kings at The Roxy
May 15th: Carney at The El Rey   
May 15th: 30 Seconds to Mars at The Greek Theater
May 19th: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room
May 28th: The Silent Comedy and Dirty Sweet at North Park Theater (in SD)
June1st: First Aid Kit at Bootleg
June 6th: Mumford & Sons with The Silent Comedy at BellyUp (in SD)
June 10-13th: BONNAROO (in Tennessee)
June 25th: Warped Tour in LA (well, Carson)
July 10th: Lilith Fair

 ~ Kristen

Today’s Listen: Jamie Cullum

Posted on by Amanda

Today, I started listening to Jamie Cullum’s new CD, The Pursuit. Every since his song “Twentysomething” spoke to my very soul, I’ve been a fan. Plus, you really can’t go wrong in my book with piano-based songs.  I was a little concerned because people were saying this was Jamie’s attempt to get away from his jazzy piano style that made him so popular. One look at the cover (a piano that is being blown to smithereens) would also indicate this was his intent. Fortunately, for me, this is not true. Granted he gives us songs like “Music is Through” that sound more like…well everything else that I don’t really listen to…but even through the maze of synthesized beats, he still can’t resist busting out the snazzy piano solo.
People seem to like his cover of Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” which is great, and gives me a whole new appreciation of that song.  But as far as covers go, I tend to gravitate more towards his version of “Not While I’m Around”…a classic from my childhood which means a lot more to me than Rihanna’s booty shaker. Listening to this new CD actually made me crave one of Jamie’s older offerings, Pointless Nostalgic, which also showed us his great diversity of tastes as he covers several of my fave tunes including Gershwins’ “Ain’t Necessarily So” and Radiohead’s “High and Dry.”  

All in all, I feel it is another great addition to the Jamie Cullum library, meant to be pulled out on rainy days and lazy afternoons.

http://www.jamiecullum.com/

Enjoy Cullum’s take on “High and Dry”!

~ Kristen

p.s. Jamie Cullum is playing The Avalon this Thursday, but unfortunately, it’s sold out. If you still want to see some piano playing genius, go to Cafe Was that night at 9:30 to check out Matthew Jordan…do it!