Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 10/24-10/31

Does anyone else sink into a depression when deprived of live music for over a week? This past week has just been brutal. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities for redemption this week…including the event I’ve been looking forward to alllll month, Nico Vega headlining at The Roxy with Saint Motel, Imagine Dragons, and Queen Caveat. You best be there in your witchy wear!

But that’s not all. Plenty of great shows this week to get me out of this funk. Here’s what I’ve got going:

Monday: Amy Correia at House of Blues Sunset (8pm)
ALSO: John Meeks at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Jessie Baylin at Bootleg (10:30)
ALSO: Aqualung at Bardot for it’s a school night FREE with RSVP (http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm) 

Tuesday: Curtis Peoples and Josh Hoge at Molly Malone’s (9:30)
ALSO: Jonathan Clark at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Lights at The El Rey (9pm) 

Weds: The Nervous Wreckords at Bordello (11pm)
ALSO:  Steel Train and fun at The Music Box (8pm) 

Thursday: Free Energy and Foxy Shazam at The Troubadour (9:15, 10:15)
ALSO: Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale and Meiko at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)
ALSO: Kate Nash at The Music Box (8pm)
ALSO: Moving Picture Show and The Nervous Wreckords at The Viper Room (10,12) 

Friday: Nico Vega, Saint Motel, Imagine Dragons, and Queen Caveat at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Electric Touch at The Viper Room (11:50)
ALSO: Maxim Ludwig and the Santa Fe Seven at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Stone Temple Pilots at Nokia Live (8pm)
ALSO: Rock N Roll Circus Halloween at The Echo featuring Andy Clockwise, Henry Clay People, Etc. (7pm) 

Saturday: last minute Halloween costume shopping….

Sunday: Purple Melon at The Viper Room (10:30)

To Keep in Mind:
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 12th: Teitur at Bootleg Theater
November 13th: Terrible Things and Mae at The El Rey
November 16th: The Lonely Forest at Spaceland
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 1st: Eve 6 at The Troubadour
December 2nd: Scarlet Grey at The Troubadour
December 4th: Joe Firstman at Saint Rocke
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium 

~ Kristen
https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat

“Oh No” More Queen Caveat

I would never complain about more music from my newest fave LA band, Queen Caveat. They recently did an acoustic version of their tune “Oh No” for Beta Records. I love this band!

If you don’t have their EP, Emptor, you should check it out!

Also, come see them play live October 28th at The Roxy as part of Nico Vega’s Halloween Witch Hunt. Also featuring Saint Motel and Imagine Dragons.  

~ Kristen

A Nico Vega Halloween!

What are your plans for the holiday? Might I suggest:

Can you imagine a better line-up? Nico Vega, Saint Motel, Imagine Dragons, and Queen Caveat!! October 29th at The Roxy…I’ll see you there!

To put you in the mood, Nico Vega recently released a video for one of my favorite songs, Million Years.

For the rest of Nico Vega’s headlining fall tour, go here.

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar 8/16-8/22

I’m still flying high over all the glorious weekend I had in San Diego at The North Park Music Thing…either that or this feeling is caused by the combination of acute sleep deprivation and abnormally high levels of caffeine necessary to accomplish everything that needs to be done for Monday.

Anyway, North Park Music Thing (NPMT) is like a mini SXSW that takes place in San Diego every year. During the day it’s a conference with booths, demo listening sessions, and panels on topics ranging from music licensing and touring on a budget to the current state of radio and music and technology. At night it’s a veritable smorgasbord of music with all the local clubs and bars playing host to a variety of showcases featuring mostly local music acts. I love conferences as places for learning and inspiration and I love concert festivals for the discovery and enjoyment factors. The combination of the two was quite heavenly.

Briefly, some highlights of my weekend included a highly entertaining keynote speech by Kim Fowley, seeing Endoxi again, the near mosh-pit that took place at The Silent Comedy set, and meeting and talking to some new music-loving friends. Also, the absolute MAGIC that occurred Saturday night as we venue hopped, listening to and discovering band after amazing band. This included several LA-based bands; faves like Lady Danville and The Rescues as well as some new fantastic groups like The Makepeace Brothers and Shaimus. Seriously, I was floating…

And in my attempt to remain up in the air, there is plenty of good stuff I’m looking forward to this week. And the list goes as follows:

Monday: Truth & Salvage Co. at Jimmy Kimmel (6pm)…it’s sold out but if you keep checking at 1iota.com, you could probably score a discarded ticket
ALSO: Dead Sara at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Alice Russell at Bootleg Theater(10:30)
ALSO: Amos Lee at Largo at the Coronet (7:30, 9:30)
ALSO: The Diamond Light at Saint Rocke (10pm)
ALSO: Crocodiles at The Echo (9pm)…just because I’m curious as to what the hype is all about
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 featuring John Elliot (9pm) 

Tuesday: Rachel Yamagata at The Hotel Café (10pm)
ALSO: Brandon Flowers at The Troubadour (9pm)
ALSO: Matthew Jordan at Café Was (8pm)
ALSO: Jake Newton at Molly Malone’s (9:30)
ALSO: Adam Haworth Stephens (of Two Gallants) at Spaceland (9pm) 

Weds: The White Buffalo at The Mint (10:30) 

Thursday: Jonah Matranga at The Hotel Café (7pm)
ALSO: Mat Kearney at Saint Rocke (10pm) 

Friday: Graydon at The Hotel Café (11pm)
ALSO: Rufus Wainwright at The Greek Theater (7:30) 

Saturday: Sunset Junction featuring Andy Clockwise, Everest, White Apple Tree, Saint Motel, Chris Pierce, Dawes, etc.
ALSO: Cary Brothers at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Killola at The Roxy 

Sunday: Sunset Junction featuring The Janks, Gringo Star, Fitz & The Tantrums, etc.
ALSO: Haim at The Troubadour
ALSO: Agent Ribbons at Bootleg Theater (11pm)
ALSO: Austin Hartley Leonard at The Foundry on Melrose 

To Keep in Mind:
August 26th-28th Sunset Strip Music Festival featuring The Silent Comedy, Nico Vega, Queen Caveat, Semi Precious Weapons, Neon trees,  etc.
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
September 30th: BIFFY CLYRO at The Bootleg Theater
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
October 18th: Mumford & Sons at Hollywood Palladium
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium

~ Kristen

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 6/28-7/4

Just got back from Warped Tour in Ventura with Amanda. Will hopefully get around to writing something about it and posting some of my pictures. It was by far the most pleasant (weather-wise) Warped  I’ve ever been to…but I still managed to get a lovely burn on the shoulders. Fortunately this week’s planned activities are largely indoors.

And if you want to go out at all this week, might I suggest Thursday heading to one of the places participating in The Gulf Coast Benefit. (http://gulfcoastbenefit.com/#about) On this day, select venues around the country will be donating money from ticket sales to organizations aiding those impacted by the oil spill. Several LA establishments (including my picks at The Roxy and The Mint) are participating. If you’re not in LA, check the website to see if a venue near you is involved. Enjoy some great live music AND play a part in helping our country deal with its current economic and ecological crisis. You’ve seen the pictures…you know you want to do something…this sounds like a perfect opportunity to me!

As for everything else:

Monday: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (8,9)
ALSO: Victoria Clemmons and Abbot Kinney at Molly Malone’s (9,10) 

Tuesday: Vienne at Saint Rocke (9:30)
ALSO: The Daylights at The Roxy (8pm) 

Weds: The Smashing Pumpkins at The Viper Room (?)…no, that is not a misprint.
ALSO: The Shakers at Kibitz Room (11:30)…last night of their Kibitz residency!
ALSO: Hot Hot Heat at Bootleg (10pm)
ALSO: Joel Eckels and The Paper Sun at The Foundry on Melrose (?) 

Thursday: Danielia Cotton at Levitt Pavilion in Pasadena (7pm)…is she worth driving to Pasadena for? Why yes, yes she is!
ALSO: Saint Motel at the Hammer Museum (7pm)
ALSO: The Gulf Coast Benefit at The Mint featuring Kaki King  and Ben Lee (8pm)
ALSO: The Gulf Coast Benefit at The Viper Room featuring Wicker (9pm)
ALSO: Garrison Starr at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Year Long Disaster at Spaceland (8:30) 

Friday: Army of Me at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)…from Washington DC!!
ALSO: The Other Side of Morning at The Park Bar in Burbank (10pm)
ALSO: CocoRosie at Orphium (9pm)
ALSO: Cinder Cone at Vacation Vinyl (7pm)…record release at a record store
ALSO: The Shakers at Gallagher’s Pub in Huntington Beach (11pm)
ALSO: Paris Carney at Molly Malone’s (8:30)
ALSO: Automatique at The Viper Room (10) 

Saturday: The Janks at The Hotel Cafe (11pm)

Sunday: Happy 4th of July! I’m sure there are some lovely parties with some great music…I just haven’t found one yet…

To Keep in Mind:
July 7th: Carbon Leaf at The Troubadour
July 8th: Michelle Branch at Greek Theater
July 10th: Lilith Fair
July 13th: The Silent Comedy and Andy Clockwise at The Troubadour
July 14th: Nico Vega at The Troubadour
July 18th: The Swell Season and Bird and the Bee at Hollywood Bowl
July 30-31st: Morcheeba at Hollywood Bowl
August 12th: Semi Precious Weapons at Staples Center (with Lady GaGa)
August 21st and 22nd: Sunset Junction
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center

~ Kristen

Kristen’s SXSW ’10 Mix- Part 5

                   18. “New Improved Formula” – Spring Tigers

You may think that this is yet another British band on the list but actually these guys are from Athens, Georgia. Doesn’t mean I still don’t love this song…

                  19. “Butch” – Saint Motel

Last year, I discovered LA bands Nico Vega and Crash Kings and they are now staples in my life and my music calendar. I wonder if this will be the year for another LA band, Saint Motel?

                 20. “Jane Doe”- Never Shout Never

I saw Christopher Drew Ingel (AKA Never Shout Never) at Bamboozled and he definitely stuck out, but I’m not sure if it was in the best way. Then I came across his CD What Is Love? on sale and decided to give it a go. For some reason, I’m now loving it!

               21. “Oh Lord” – Foxy Shazam

Oh to see this performed live…I can only imagine. The perfect way to end any mix.

the end…or is it…?

~ Kristen