Local Music Nation

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 10/22-10/28

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Kristen

Last night I went to Saint Rocke to see Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers on their HI-ATE-US tour. The idea being that the band is going on this indefinite hiatus, pursuing other projects, yada yada. This kind of thing always upsets me. I see bands akin to any serious relationship. You have a connection, so you start hanging out writing songs. You put out an EP and start touring, well you’re definitely dating. You get signed to a label do that big national tour, headlining venues, well my friends, you are married! All marriages have their problems and some are not as successful as others, but that doesn’t mean you give up on them! I don’t care if you’re a young marriage and your parents (ie your label) suddenly stop supporting you. I don’t care if you’ve been at it for years and are just “tired” of one another.

What hurts the most is “the other woman” syndrome. Just because something shiny and new catches your eye, doesn’t make it okay to leave your current relationship. You made a commitment and you should be faithful! I know there are many sides to these stories, but as a fan, I can only see it one way: a betrayal (I could equate the fan to God in this scenario, but that may be taking the analogy too far). I applaud SK and The Sixers for their clever title to their tour for at least they recognize what they are doing (not that any fan could ever hate a band they loved). It was an amazing show, but it still hurts.

On the other end of the spectrum, and giving me hope for all bands currently in the “indefinite hiatus” limbo, rock-outfit Silvertide (one of my favorites from back in the day when I was living in Philadlephia) have been making rumblings about something happening in that camp. On a quieter note, last night outside Harrisburg PA, members of Jealousy Curve took to the stage to deliver a few of their tunes. They only played a few songs, but it is amazing how something so seemingly insignificant can fill me with so much hope, not just for a Jealousy Curve reunion, but for life in general.

Ok, sorry for the rant. I’ll get to the point now. Here’s my music schedule for this week. As for my top picks, I’m looking forward to finally seeing Belmont Lights who play Thursday at Molly Malone’s. I’m also, of course, excited about Queen Caveat’s return to LA Saturday at the Roxy (that is, of course, if they can get their van problems worked out: http://www.facebook.com/events/481540455213679/?fref=ts).

The rest of my musical suggestions:

Monday: Sad Robot FREE at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)
ALSO: Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Mika at Fonda Theatre (9pm)
ALSO: It’s a School Night featuring Erin McCarley at Bardot (9pm)…FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/

Tuesday: Campfire OK, Erin McCarley, and Harper Blynn at The Hotel Cafe (7, 9, 10)
ALSO: PK and Y LUV at Silverlake Lounge (9,10)
ALSO: Family Wagon at Hemingways (?)
ALSO: Of Verona and Shiny Toy Guns at The Echoplex (8:30)
ALSO: Beth Orton at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Taking Back Sunday (acoustic) at The Troubadour (9:50)

Weds: The Dig at Bootleg Bar (9:30)
ALSO: Jesse Thomas and The Young Romans at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: The Darkness at Club Nokia (8:30)

Thursday: Belmont Lights at Molly Malone’s (8pm)
ALSO: Paper Route at Bootleg Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Bayside and Taking Back Sunday at Club Nokia (8pm)

Friday: War Tapes at Bootleg Bar (10:15)
ALSO: Picture Atlantic at 3 Clubs (9pm)

Saturday: Queen Caveat at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Harper Blynn FREE Halloween show at The Hotel Cafe (11pm)
ALSO: Build.Create.Kenya Rockin’ Launge Party featuring Fortress Social Club, Leerone, and more! (1-8pm)…RSVP: http://www.buildcreatekenya.org/launchparty/

Sunday: Anya Marina at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Transfer at Bootleg Bar (10:30)
ALSO: Arkells and Lights at The Fonda Theatre (7pm)

To Keep in Mind:
November 2^nd: Tonic at The Hotel Cafe
November 2^nd: Matt Wertz at Largo
November 2nd: NEEDTOBREATHE at Fox Theater Pomona
November 3^rd: All American Rejects at The Wiltern
November 5^th: LP at The Troubadour
November 6th: Jens Lekman at Fonda Theatre
November 7^th: Joe Firstman at The Hotel Cafe
November 8^th: The Kin at The Roxy
November 9^th: Brandi Carlile at Orpheum Theater
November 10^th: Mumford & Sons at The Hollywood Bowl
November 10^th: Marc Broussard at The Hotel Café
November 10^th: Saint Motel at Saint Rocke
November 11^th and 12^th: Jack’s Mannequin at The El Rey
November 13^th-15^th: Gary Clark Jr. at The Troubadour
November 14^th: Dan Wilson at Room 5
November 15^th: Blue October at House of Blues
November 16^th: Joshua Radin and A Fine Frenzy at The Wiltern
November 17^th: Milo Greene at The El Rey
November 20^th: The Postelles and Mayday Parade at House of Blues
November 20^th: Rachel Yamagata at The El Rey
November 28^th: Youngblood Hawke at The Roxy
December 6^th: Imagine Dragons and Garbage at San Manuel Casino
December 8^th: Boyce Avenue at Club Nokia
December 11^th: Atlas Genius at The Troubadour
December 20^th-22^nd: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
January 23^rd and 24^th: Muse at The Staples Center
Feb. 9^th: Ed Sheeran at Hollywood Palladium
Feb. 17^th: Ed Sheeran at Nokia Theatre LA Live

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 10/8-10/14

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Kristen

I’m nearly done with the Culture Collide madness that has consumed the last several days. Today’s block party marks the end of this glorious event which, I must say, is the most fun I’ve had at a festival since SXSW…I think it’s the people. Everyone I’ve met and chatted with has been lovely and the vibe is friendly and music-centric. The festival also gives me a chance to see international acts I might not be exposed to otherwise. My favorites thus far have been the Danish band, terminal, Toronto’s The Balconies, Ewert and The Two Dragons from Estonia, and Scotland’s Admiral Fallow who is, I believe, the first band I’ve encountered that uses my favorite instrument, the clarinet, in their live performance.

Moving on to next week, here is my list of shows I’d love to attend. Top picks would have to go to Canada’s Reignwolf (Jordan Cook) who plays two shows this week and Leogun from London who plays a free show Wednesday at The Satellite. Oh, and if you managed to snag a ticket to the AWOLNATION/Imagine Dragons combo, well, that will be a good show too.

Monday: Reignwolf at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring Royal Teeth (9pm)
ALSO: Immanu El and Jordie Lane FREE at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Tegan and Sara and The Black Keys at The Honda Center (8pm)
ALSO: Florence and the Machine at The Hollywood Bowl (7pm)
ALSO: Monday in the Round featuring Ray Don, Trevor Menear, and Joel Eckels (9pm)

Tuesday: The Balconies at Bootleg Bar (9pm)
ALSO: Reignwolf at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Jared Lee and Taylor Locke & The Roughs at The Viper Room (10,11)
ALSO: Nathaniel Rateliff and Michael Kiwanuka at John Anson Ford Theater (7:45)
ALSO: The Wallflowers with Everest at The Fonda Theater (8pm)
ALSO: JEFF the Brotherhood at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Immanu El at Central SAPC (midnight)
ALSO: Half Moon Run and Metric at The Greek Theater (7:30)

Weds: Leogun FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: Bad Books at The Troubadour (9:40)
ALSO: The Young Romans and Milow at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)
ALSO: A House for Lions at Central SAPC (11pm)
ALSO: Rufus Wainwright at The Grammy Museum (8pm)

Thursday: AWOLNATION and Imagine Dragons at Club Nokia (8pm)
ALSO: George Stanford at the Spare Room of the Roosevelt Hotel (10:30)
ALSO: The Union Line and Northern Youth at Bootleg Bar (10,11)
ALSO: K.Flay at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Cage 9 and Black Belt Karate at The Viper Room (10,11)

Friday: The Shakers at Irish Times in Culver City (9pm)
ALSO: Amie Miriello at Molly Malone’s (9pm)
ALSO: Haley Reinhart at Room 5 (8pm)
ALSO: Western Scene at El Cid (10pm)
ALSO: Bell X1, Goodnight Texas, and Oak & Gorski at The Hotel Cafe (8,9,10)
ALSO: Gaelic Storm at The Troubadour (9pm)
ALSO: The XX at The Hollywood Palladium (8pm)

Saturday: Meiko with Bobby Long, Anna Nelson and Patrick Park at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: The Short Eyes at Westwood Brewing Co (8pm)
ALSO: Family Cave at The Good Hurt (11pm)
ALSO: Barnaby Saints at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Howlin Rain and Tea Leaf Green at The Troubadour (9:15, 10:30)
ALSO: London Cries and Unwritten Law at The Viper Room (10,11)
ALSO: David Byrne and St. Vincent at The Greek Theater (7:30)
ALSO: Aimee Mann at The Wilshire Ebell Theatre (7pm)

Sunday: Anberlin and The Smashing Pumpkins at Gibson Amphitheatre (7:45)

To Keep in Mind:
October 16^th: Ellie Goulding at The Troubadour
October 16^th: First Aid Kit at The Fonda Theatre
October 19th: Tony Lucca at The Roxy
October 19th: Frightened Rabbit at The Troubadour
October 19^th: Allen Stone at The Music Box
October 20th: Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers at Saint Rocke
October 23^rd: Shiny Toy Guns at The Echoplex
October 24^th: The Darkness at Club Nokia
October 25^th: Bayside at Club Nokia
October 27^th: Queen Caveat at The Roxy
November 2nd: NEEDTOBREATHE at Fox Theater Pomona
November 3^rd: All American Rejects at The Wiltern
November 5^th: LP at The Troubadour
November 6th: Jens Lekman at Fonda Theatre
November 8^th: The Kin at The Roxy
November 9^th: Brandi Carlile at Orpheum Theater
November 10^th: Mumford & Sons at The Hollywood Bowl
November 11^th and 12^th: Jack’s Mannequin at The El Rey
November 13^th-15^th: Gary Clark Jr. at The Troubadour
November 15^th: Blue October at House of Blues
November 16^th: Joshua Radin and A Fine Frenzy at The Wiltern
November 17^th: Milo Greene at The El Rey
November 20^th: The Postelles and Mayday Parade at House of Blues
November 20^th: Rachel Yamagata at The El Rey
December 8^th: Boyce Avenue at Club Nokia
Feb. 9^th: Ed Sheeran at Hollywood Palladium

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 10/1-10/7

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Kristen

Too much. There is just too much going on this week. I could live at The Wiltern and see Ed Sheeran, Foxy Shazam, The Head and The Heart and Jason Mraz all in one week! It’s also a good week to be on the East Side for one of the most fun (and most affordable) music festivals, Filter’s Culture Collide (http://culturecollide.com/). There are some out of country bands playing I’ve been wanting to see for years! And Let’s not forget the usual amount of greatness featured at The Hotel Cafe…the start of October residencies from Harper Blynn and The Young Romans, an intimate Laura Marling show. I could live at that venue as well. Even considering all of that, my show pick for the week would have to be The Milk Carton Kids Thursday night at Largo. If you’ve ever seen this captivating duo, you’d know why.

Now that I’m exhausted just thinking about what I’m going to do, I’ll let you look at my approved show list so you can start planning your picks. My top selections for The Culture Collide Festival will be noted (*). Remember, one ticket will get you into everything all week!

Monday: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring The Chevin and Chris Stills (9pm)…FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/
ALSO: Ed Sheeran at The Wiltern (6:30)
ALSO: Safety Suit at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: The Lumineers at The Fonda Theatre (9pm)
ALSO: The Trouble With Templeton FREE at Silverlake Lounge (8pm)
ALSO: John Elliot at WitZend (9pm)
ALSO: Monday in the Round at Room 5 featuring Josh Damigo, Pheobe Bridgers, Ariana Hall, and Joel Eckels (9pm)

Tuesday: The Spring Standards and Harper Blynn at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)
ALSO: The Lumineers at The Fonda Theatre (9pm)
ALSO: Yukon Blonde and The Jezabels at The Troubadour (9, 10)
ALSO: Garbage at The Hollywood Palladium (7pm)
ALSO: The Shins at Gibson Amphitheatre (7pm)

Weds: NO FREE at On the Rox (8pm)
ALSO: The Young Romans at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO:* Culture Collide Kick Off Party featuring The Chevin at Taix Champagne Room (10pm)…RSVP here http://filtermagazine.com/index.php/rsvp/entry/culture_collide_kick-off_2012
ALSO: Inara George, Great Northern, Daniel Lanois, Father John Misty at Bootleg Theater (9pm)
ALSO: Foxy Shazam and Slash at The Wiltern (7pm)
ALSO: Kimbra at The Fonda Theatre (9pm)

Thursday: The Milk Carton Kids at Largo (8pm)
ALSO: *The Balconies and American Royalty at The Echo (9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: *Of Verona and Tribes at Taix Champagne Room (9:30, 11:30)
ALSO: *Marit Larsen at The Church (8:30)
ALSO: Parker Ainsworth at WitZend (9:30)
ALSO: Patrick Wolf at Bootleg Theater (11pm)
ALSO: Coheed and Cambria at The Troubadour (9:15)
ALSO: Kimbra at Fonda Theater (9pm)

Friday: Head and The Heart at The Wiltern (8pm)
ALSO: *The Trouble with Templeton at Origami Vinyl (5pm)
ALSO: *The Trouble with Templeton, Patrick Wolf unplugged at The Church (7:30, 10:30)
ALSO: *Voxhaul Broadcast at Taix Champagne Room (8:30)
ALSO: *The Moog and The Balconies at Taix Front Lounge (12am)
ALSO: *Royal Teeth, The Big Pink at Echoplex (10, 12)
ALSO: *Ewert and The Two Dragons (10:30)
ALSO: Koffeehouse First Fridays featuring Andrew Ryan, Armada, and Red Circle Underground at Harvelle’s (9,10,11)
ALSO: Dead Sara, Neon Trees, and The Offspring at Hollywood Palladium (7:30)
ALSO: Peter Wolf and Broken Anchor at The Hotel Cafe (8, 10)
ALSO: Dr. Dog at John Anson Ford Ampitheatre (8pm)
ALSO: She Wants Revenge at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Jason Mraz at The Hollywood Bowl (7:30)
ALSO: Tegan and Sara and The Black Keys at Staples Center (8pm)

Saturday: Marcus Foster and Ben Howard at Fonda Theater (9pm)
ALSO: Adam Bones, The Paper Hearts, The Wellingtons at Redwood Bar (8:30)
ALSO: Tic Tic Boom!, Lovers Drugs, and Act As If at El Cid (10pm)
ALSO: *Admiral Fallow and Niki and The Dove at Taix Champagne Room (10:30, 11:30)
ALSO: *Ewert and The Two Dragons and of Montreal at Echoplex (9, 10, 12)
ALSO: *Young Buffalo, The Lighthouse and The Whaler at Taix Front Lounge (8pm)
ALSO: *Ewert and The Two Dragons at Origami Vinyl (7pm)
ALSO: Tegan and Sara and The Black Keys at The Staples Center (8pm)
ALSO: Jason Mraz at The Wiltern (7pm)
ALSO: She Wants Revenge at The Roxy (8pm)

Sunday: Laura Marling and The Lonely Wild at The Hotel Cafe (7, 9:30)
ALSO: *Culture Collide Party featuring The Royal Teeth, NIki and The Dove, of Montreal, The Wombats (5, 6:30, 8, 9)
ALSO: *Marit Larsen, terminal, Half Moon Run, Morning Parade at Taix Front Lounge (2, 8, 9, 11)
ALSO: *The Trouble with Templeton, Optic Yellow Felt, The Moog at Taix Champagne Room (2:30, 6:30, 7:30)
ALSO: Paul and The Kir at TRiP (10:15)
ALSO: Zero 1 at The Mint (7:30)
ALSO: Florence and the Machine at The Hollywood Bowl (6:30)

To Keep in Mind:
October 9^th: The Wallflowers and Everest at The Fonda Theatre
October 11th: Awolnation and Imagine Dragons at Club Nokia
October 11^th: K.Flay at The Echo
October 16^th: Ellie Goulding at The Troubadour
October 16^th: First Aid Kit at The Fonda Theatre
October 19th: Tony Lucca at The Roxy
October 19th: Frightened Rabbit at The Troubadour
October 19^th: Allen Stone at The Music Box
October 20th: Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers at Saint Rocke
October 23^rd: Shiny Toy Guns at The Echoplex
October 24^th: The Darkness at Club Nokia
October 25^th: Bayside at Club Nokia
October 27^th: Queen Caveat at The Roxy
November 2nd: NEEDTOBREATHE at Fox Theater Pomona
November 3^rd: All American Rejects at The Wiltern
November 5^th: LP at The Troubadour
November 6th: Jens Lekman at Fonda Theatre
November 8^th: The Kin at The Roxy
November 9^th: Brandi Carlile at Orpheum Theater
November 11^th and 12^th: Jack’s Mannequin at The El Rey
November 13^th-15^th: Gary Clark Jr. at The Troubadour
November 15^th: Blue October at House of Blues
November 16^th: Joshua Radin and A Fine Frenzy at The Wiltern
November 17^th: Milo Greene at The El Rey
November 20^th: The Postelles and Mayday Parade at House of Blues
November 20^th: Rachel Yamagata at The El Rey
December 8^th: Boyce Avenue at Club Nokia

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 9/17-9/23

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Kristen

This weekend I was down in San Diego for The San Diego Music Thing. SDMT is the half-way marker of the year for SXSW and in a sense it is a mini version of my favorite music conference. I love walking the streets of North Park hopping from venue to venue sampling artists both new (to me) as well as old favorites. Despite the ubiquitous sound issues and the frustrating scheduling conflicts, I’d call the weekend a success. I caught some of my favorite LA bands like Queen Caveat and NO, some great out of town bands including Austin’s Ume, Seattle’s Ben Union and San Francisco’s The Stone Foxes and, of course, fun SD bands such as Dr. Seahorse and The Howls. Good times!

Speaking of good times, plenty of opportunities for more this week. Here are my recommendations:

Monday: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring Youngblood Hawke and a secret headliner (9pm)…FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/
ALSO: Kitten FREE at Bootleg Bar (10:30)
ALSO: Pip Andrew, Lindsey Pavao, and Karla Davis at The Mint (8pm)
ALSO: The Lonely Wild FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: Airborne Toxic Event at The Troubadour (8pm)
ALSO: Monday in the Round at Room 5 featuring Jessie Payo, Dawn Thomas, Joel Eckels, and Derek Carter (9pm)

Tuesday: Great White Buffalo, Robinson, The Muddy Reds, and The Dead Ships at Central SAPC (8pm)
ALSO: Joe Firstman at 12 + Highland (8:30)
ALSO: Broken Anchor at Molly Malone’s (11pm)
ALSO: The Beach Boys at The Grammy Museum (8pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Piano Bar Sessions FREE at The Piano Bar (8pm)
ALSO: Western Scene FREE at The Federal Bar (9pm)

Weds: The Makepeace Brothers at WitZend (9pm)
ALSO: IO Echo and Band of Skulls at The Fonda Theatre (8:30)
ALSO: Buckcherry at House of Blues Anaheim (8pm)

Thursday: Keaton Simons and Jason Castro at The Roxy (8pm)
~~ALSO: Howie Day~~ and The Dahls at The Hotel Cafe (7, 9:30) Howie Day had to postpone his show due to illness
ALSO: Wires in the Walls at Silverlake Lounge (9pm)
ALSO: Irontom, The Burning of Rome, Franky Perez & The Truth at The Viper Room (8,9,11)

Friday: Joe Firstman at 12 + Highland (8pm)
ALSO: Jay Nash and Mindy Smith at McCabe’s (8pm)
ALSO: The Neighbourhood at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Forrest Day at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Wake Up Lucid and Infantree at Bootleg Bar (9:30, 10:15)
ALSO: Mind the Gap at The Hotel Cafe (11pm)
ALSO: King Washington at WitZend (10pm)

Saturday: Sondre Lerche at The Troubadour (8pm)
ALSO: Milo, White Buffalo, and Delta Rae at The El Rey (7pm)
ALSO: Bad Vic and the Good Intentions FREE at TRiP (9pm)
ALSO: Ben Gibbard at The Largo (8:30)
ALSO: Autumn Lights Festival in Pershing Square featuring Ruby Freidman Orchestra (6pm)
ALSO: TarFest at LaBrea Tar Pits featuring Makepeace Brothers and more (9pm)
ALSO: Epicenter at Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre featuring Beware the Darkness, Crash Kings, Dead Sara, Chevelle, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots and more (noon)

Sunday: Wicker, Versa Mesmer, Orgy and more at The Roxy (7:30)
ALSO: Grad Ole Echo featuring Brett Detar FREE at The Echo (5pm)

To Keep in Mind:
September 24th: Death of a Star, A House for Lions, Taylor Locke & The Roughs, and Orange Julius at Silverlake Lounge
September 26^th: Alanis Morissette at Fox Theater Pomona
September 26^th: The Killers at Fonda Theatre
September 27^th: Mary Chapin Carpenter and Sara Watkins at Club Nokia
September 28^th: William Elliot Whitmore at The Roxy
October 1st: Ed Sheeran at The Wiltern
October 1st: Safety Suit at The Roxy
October 2nd: Garbage at The Hollywood Palladium
October 2nd: The Lumineers at The Fonda Theatre
October 3^rd: Conor Oberst at Fox Theater Pomona
October 4th: The Milk Carton Kids at The Largo
October 4^th: Kimbra at Fonda Theatre
October 4^th-7^th: Culture Collide Festival
October 5^th: Dr. Dog at John Anson Ford Amphitheatre
October 5^th: The Head and The Heart at The Wiltern
October 6^th: Ben Howard at The Fonda Theatre
October 6^th: Jason Mraz at The Wiltern
October 9^th: The Wallflowers and Everest at The Fonda Theatre
October 11th: Awolnation and Imagine Dragons at Club Nokia
October 16^th: Ellie Goulding at The Troubadour
October 16^th: First Aid Kit at The Fonda Theatre
October 19th: Tony Lucca at The Roxy
October 19th: Frightened Rabbit at The Troubadour
October 19^th: Allen Stone at The Music Box
October 20th: Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers at Saint Rocke
October 23^rd: Shiny Toy Guns at The Echoplex
October 24^th: The Darkness at Club Nokia
October 25^th: Bayside at Club Nokia
October 27^th: Queen Caveat at The Roxy
November 2nd: NEEDTOBREATHE at Fox Theater Pomona
November 3^rd: All American Rejects at The Wiltern
November 6th: Jens Lekman at Fonda Theatre
November 8^th: The Kin at The Roxy
November 9^th: Brandi Carlile at Orpheum Theater
November 11^th: Jack’s Mannequin at The El Rey
November 15^th: Blue October at House of Blues
November 16^th: Joshua Radin and A Fine Frenzy at The Wiltern
November 17^th: Milo Greene at The El Rey
November 20^th: The Postelles and Mayday Parade at House of Blues
November 20^th: Rachel Yamagata at The El Rey
December 8^th: Boyce Avenue at Club Nokia

~ Kristen