The Academy Is…

Valentine’s Day Playlist: Honorable Mentions- Part 2

Posted on by Amanda

As promised, my honorable mentions list.

Honorable Mentions: Amanda

Loneliness: Medicate- AFI

Let’s see, a song about medicating, being numb, and someone who doesn’t even know your name. Yep, that’s pretty sad.

Tease: Dare Me- Pointer Sisters

I grew up listening to the likes of The Pointer Sisters, The Coasters, and other such oldies. I have to say, I like it when a lady dares a guy because she knows she can take him on. The real question is, can he handle her?

Sexy: Mr. Sinister- Scarlet Grey

One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite LA bands and while it isn’t ‘sexy’ in terms of being a song about sex, it feels sexy to me. Maybe it’s the guitar. Maybe it’s about someone sinister. It might just be the lyric, ‘he’ll help you take off your dress, insist there’s more to confess.’ Is that a promise?

Puppy Love: The Way It Is- Th’ Moonlight Sexy

Sadly, Th’ Moonlight Sexy no longer exists and neither does this song on the interwebs. I can however, link you to their old Myspace and you can listen to their other tunes. I know it’s a cop out but I got nothing….

http://www.myspace.com/springfieldrock

Sprung: Dirty Little Secret- The All American Rejects

You want me but you don’t want to tell anyone about me? Well sir, it sounds like you just want me for my body and all it’s capable of doing. I might be ok with that.

Creepy Love: I Will Follow Him- Peggy March

This might be more a song about devotion and true love but in today’s day and age, a song about following a guy no matter what reads ‘stalker.’

Unrequited Love: About A Girl- The Academy Is…

So wait, this song isn’t about a girl you’re secretly in love with? Oh wait, you just don’t want to admit it. Keep telling yourself you aren’t in love. Let’s see how long that lasts. P.S. I totally relate

Proclamation: There She Goes- Carney

Something about Carney just oozes sex. So when they start telling you they secretly love you, how could you not go weak at the knees for this? Sigh.

In Love: The Brute and The Beast- Fierce Creatures

I remember the day when Fierce Creatures came knocking on my little blog door and said ‘hey, check us out.’ It’s been love since then much like this velvety soft song.

Tragic Love: Daisy- The Silent Comedy

Sadly this song doesn’t get a lot of playtime but it’s always been a favorite of mine. Hey Daisy, just add some salt to the wound. It makes for a good song.

Post Break Up: Miserable At Best- Mayday Parade

Love sucks. Love hurts. Sometimes the best you can be is miserable. Mayday Parade understands your pain.

It’s Just Another Day: Haight St.- Anberlin

‘Let’s you and me, make a night of this. Old enough to know but too young to care.’ Hark, I hear my lost adolescence calling me! I suppose that’s why this song has a sweet spot with me.

 

And now we end all talk of Valentine’s Day! Until next year…

Valentine’s Day: Cycles of Love: Post Break Up

Posted on by MarissaMortati

I think if someone complied all the songs ever written and categorized them by topic, an overwhelming number of them would be written about the wake that follows after a tragic break up.  This is why Amanda and myself had to separate our lists just to accommodate the number of songs written on topic.  Just lean on our shoulders and cry a while why you listen to these bummer numbers or if you’re the angry type, we will help you destroy all their things too.

 

Post Break Up

Amanda’s Picks:

Local Music – Breakin The Chains of Love- Fitz and The Tantrums

Love can be a drag. It can wear you down and make you forget about who you were because you were too busy trying to be who the other person thought you should be (not healthy, by the way). It’s time to break those chains and move on. Sing it Fitz!

Top 40 – Raise Your Glass- Pink

This song isn’t really about break ups per say but the message is still clear, ‘no matter our flaws, faults, and otherwise messed up selves, we still rock.’ If that isn’t an anthem for picking yourself up and getting a move on from that stupid person who dumped you or the stupid person you got involved with, I don’t know what is. This song may be pop but it makes you get up and dance (and feel empowered) which is really what you need after a break up.

Alternative Radio – Gives You Hell- The All American Rejects

I’m fairly certain we all need some kind of retaliation against the one who hurt us. Or at least the knowledge that we are doing better than they are after the break up. The All American Rejects know what I’m talking about. I hope you see me and realize what an idiot you are and how much better I’m doing with out you. I hope you suffer! Muah ha ha ha.

Soundtrack – Breaking Up Is Hard To Do- Neil Sedaka

The name says it all. Breaking up is hard to do. It’s shitty and it sucks but at least you know you are not alone.

Misc – The Test- The Academy Is…

This song was on standby after my breakup when I just wanted the knowledge that the other person didn’t care and that I was losing it. Sometimes the best feeling in the world is surrendering to the loss and acknowledge being broken. It really takes the pressure off. Perhaps my favorite line is the chorus (which gave me my validation or maybe vindication) is, ‘if this is a test, I’m losing my shit would it kill you to care as much as I did?’ Honestly, would it kill them to care?

Marissa’s Picks:

Local Music – Shifty Eyes – The Howls

A Howl: to utter a loud, prolonged, mournful cry. The Howls do exactly that as John Cooper sings about the woman who ripped his heart apart.  A cry of both anger and sadness, it was my first pick for a post break up song.

Top 40 – Fuck You – Cee Lo Green

Sometimes you just got get real and just say “Fuck You.”

Alternative Radio – Hate It Here – Wilco

Being in love is like being addicted to a person.  They invade every part of your life and when they leave there is this massive dis-function that is left behind.  You have to relearn how to live and Jeff Tweedy, an addict of many things, knows that sometimes mowing the lawn is all that keep you afloat without the one you love.

Soundtrack – Both Sides Now – Love Actually

Joni Mitchell’s song “Both Sides Now” paints a bleak picture of love, but none so bleak as paired with Emma Thompson’s beautiful performance in the movie Love Actually after she finds out her husband may be unfaithful.

Misc – You Turn Clear In The Sun – Telekinesis

Michael Benjamin Lerner is Telekinesis and I think he has one or two bad girlfriends in his past.  “I never loved you, I’ve never love anyone.” It’s his want of erasing the memories, the bad, the good, the everything that pings home with me.  Needless to say, if MBL ever needs consoling, I’m his girl.

Still trying to get over it? Me too, but tomorrow is another day…

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 10/3-10/9

Posted on by Kristen

This week brings us Filter Magazine’s Culture Collide Festival. This multi-cultural festival, primarily taking place in Silverlake, combines live music, film screenings and food from around the world. For more information, check out the website (http://culturecollide.com/). Festival tickets can be purchased for $20 and there is a free block party at the end of the week. I’m not overly familiar with many of the bands, but I’m looking forward to discovering some new international artists. All of my recommended musical events associated with the festival will be marked with a CCF.

It’s a very rich music-wise. Here’s what I’m most excited about:

 

Monday: Nightmare & The Cat and Youngblood Hawke FREE at The Satellite (10,11)…starting a not to miss October residency with Youngblood Hawke
ALSO: Fat City Reprise and Red Circle Underground at The Viper Room (11:15, 12:15)…the beginning of Fat City Reprise’s October Residency
ALSO: Indians FREE at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)…yet another October residency (Monday’s in October are PACKED!)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 featuring Liam Gerner, Scott Goldbaum, and Stephen Wrabel (9pm)
ALSO: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring Elizaveta, The Kopecky Family Band, and Hanni El Khatib (9pm)…free with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/

 

Tuesday: Joe Purdy at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Transfer at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Viza at The Viper Room (10:15)
ALSO: Wires in The Walls, Escalator Hill, and Oak and Gorski at The Central (9,10,11)
ALSO: Locksley at The Bootleg (10pm)
ALSO: Johnny Moezzi at The Foundry (8pm)
ALSO: Liam Gerner at The Mint (10:30)

 

Weds: Nico Vega and Blondie at Club Nokia (8pm)
ALSO: Terra Naomi and Ari Shrine at The Silverlake Lounge (8:30, 9:30)
ALSO: Ivan & Alyosha at The Echo (8pm)
ALSO: Bethpage Black at Rolling Stone LA at Hollywood and Highland (11pm)
ALSO: Robbie Robertson at The Grammy Museum (8pm)
ALSO: Kopecky Famiy Band at The House of Blues Sunset (8:30)
ALSO: CCF- Liam Finn at Whole Foods in West Hollywood

 

Thursday: Garrison Starr and All New People at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Liam Gerner, The Americans, Patrick Park, and Maxim Ludwig at The Bootleg (8:30)…wow a great night of music all the way through!
ALSO: CCF- Liam Finn at The Echo (11:30
ALSO: CCF- The Black Box Revelation at Swinghouse (8pm)

 

Friday: Incubus at The Hollywood Bowl (7:30)
ALSO: CCF- The Asteroids Galaxy Tour at The Echoplex (11pm)
ALSO: CCF- WIM, He’s My Brothers/She’s My Sister, The Postelles, Avi Buffalo at ReFORM (8:30)
ALSO: CCF- Laura Jansen at Echo Park United Methodist Church (9:30)

 

Saturday: Rachel Platten, Keaton Simons and Michael Tolcher at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Chamberlin at Bootleg Theater (11pm)
ALSO: Abigail Washburn at McCabe’s Guitar Shop (8pm)
ALSO: CCF- Carina Round at Echo Park United Methodist Church (8:30)

 

Sunday: Michael Tolcher, Rachel Platten, Keaton Simons at Saint Rocke (7,8,9)
ALSO: Tyrone Wells at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: CCF Block Party featuring Avi Buffalo, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, The Tender Box, etc. (2pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
October 10th: The Silent Comedy at Bardot
October 11th: Rival Sons and Evanescence at Hollywood Palladium
October 11th: Switchfoot and Anberlin at The Wiltern
October 14th: Butterfly Boucher at Bootleg Theater
October 17th: Youngblood Hawke and Imagine Dragons at The Satellite
October 18th: Portishead at The Shrine
October 19th: Melissa Ferrick and Harper Blynn at The Hotel Cafe
October 22nd: The War on Drugs at The Satellite
November 3rd: Twin Atlantic and Awolnation at The Music Box
November 4th: Mike Doughty at The El Rey
November 7th: Lights at The El Rey
November 8th: Thrice at The Mayan Theater
November 8th: First Aid Kit at The Troubadour
November 11th: Jack’s Mannequin and The Academ Is… at The El Rey
November 12th: Feist at The WIltern
November 13th: Milk Carton Kids at The El Rey
November 17th: Marketa Irglova at The Troubadour
November 19th: Milo Greene, The Belle Brigade, and The Civil Wars at The Wiltern
November 29th: Rachel Yamagata at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)

~ Kristen

http://twitter.com/#!/_localmusicnat

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 9/26-10/2

Posted on by Kristen

So, it has begun. The ten weeks of the fall quarter in which my time for musical outings is greatly reduced. The joys of being a teaching assistant. Anyway, need to keep this brief. I’ve got work to do. Let me know how great all the shows are…

What I’d love to do this week:

Monday: Big Black Delta at FREE The Satellite (11pm)…last night of the residency
ALSO: Red Circle Underground FREE at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: it’s a school night featuring Ben Folds at Bardot (10pm)

 

Tuesday: Beverly McClellan and Mariah McManus at The Hotel Cafe (7, 9)
ALSO: George Stanford at The Foundry (8pm)
ALSO: Brett Hite at The W Hotel (8pm)
ALSO: Queen Caveat at The Mint (9:45)
ALSO: Rival Sons at Fingerprints in Long Beach (7pm)
ALSO: J Scott Bergman at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: Lisa Hannigan at The El Rey (10pm)
ALSO: Happy Hour with Ari Shrine at Saint Rocke (6pm)

 

Weds: Jens Lekman at the Masonic Lodge in The Hollywood Forever Cemetery (8pm)
ALSO: The Muddy Reds at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: Jamestown Revival at X Bar Patio Lounge The Century Plaza (8:30)
ALSO: Puddle of Mudd at The Viper Room (11:20)
ALSO: Joe Purdy at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: An Evening in the Round with Garrison Starr, Dawn Thomas, Adrianne, and Maia Sharp at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Thursday: Dead Sara at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Inverse, Purple Melon, and Love and a .38 at The Key Club (8pm)
ALSO: Terraplane Sun and Ry Cuming at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)
ALSO: Jimmy Eat World at The Wiltern (7pm)

 

Friday: Jake Newton and Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (10,11)…Jake Newton’s Record Release show
ALSO: The Elizabeth Kill at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Hugh Laurie at The Mint (9pm)
ALSO: Juke Kartel at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Esperanza Spalding at The Orpheum Theatre (8pm)

 

Saturday: Kozmonaut, Queen Caveat, and Halos at The Viper Room (10,11,12)
ALSO: David and Devine at Molly Malone’s (9pm)
ALSO: Assemble the Skyline and Kyle Nicolaides at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Portugal, The Man at Avalon (7pm)

 

Sunday: Zero 1 at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Steve Poltz at The Satellite (10pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
October 5-9th: Culture Collide Festival
October 8th: Michael Tolcher at The Hotel Cafe
October 9th: Michael Tolcher at Saint Rocke
October 10th: The Silent Comedy at Bardot
October 11th: Rival Sons and Evanescence at Hollywood Palladium
October 11th: Switchfoot and Anberlin at The Wiltern
October 14th: Butterfly Boucher at Bootleg Theater
October 17th: Youngblood Hawke and Imagine Dragons at The Satellite
October 18th: Portishead at The Shrine
October 19th: Melissa Ferrick and Harper Blynn at The Hotel Cafe
October 22nd: The War on Drugs at The Satellite
November 3rd: Twin Atlantic and Awolnation at The Music Box
November 4th: Mike Doughty at The El Rey
November 7th: Lights at The El Rey
November 8th: Thrice at The Mayan Theater
November 8th: First Aid Kit at The Troubadour
November 11th: Jack’s Mannequin and The Academ Is… at The El Rey
November 12th: Feist at The WIltern
November 13th: Milk Carton Kids at The El Rey
November 17th: Marketa Irglova at The Troubadour
November 19th: Milo Greene, The Belle Brigade, and The Civil Wars at The Wiltern
November 29th: Rachel Yamagata at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)

~ Kristen

http://twitter.com/#!/_localmusicnat

 

Kristen’s ’10 Mix – Track 14 – The Academy Is…

Posted on by Kristen

14. “After the Last Midtown Show” – The Academy Is…

A list of songs detailing the highlights of my year would be incomplete without a song representing the trip Amanda and I took to Chicago in February to see The Academy Is… play a special show. That trip was by far one of the best of the year. We discovered several great local Chicago venues (Double Door, The Metro, Maryters), got to see one of my fave Chicago based bands,  Bottle of Justus, and discovered a new Chicago band, Surrender Dorothy. Plus, of course, The Academy Is… put on a fantastic show followed by a very entertaining afterparty at Angels and Kings.

http://www.theacademyis.com/

~ Kristen

track 13: Alright, Junior
track 15: Egyptian

Countdown to Epicenter Twenty Ten: 3 days!

Posted on by Kristen

Amanda and I have traveled the country to see her fave band, The Academy Is…. Seeing that we’ve flown to Chicago and NYC, driving an hour to Fontana for Epicenter Twenty Ten, is kind of a no brainer. The band is currently on tour with Kiss (yeah, I questioned that one too) and both acts make a stop at the festival this weekend.

Word on the steet is that TAI is working on some new stuff for a forthcoming album. Personally, my fingers are crossed that they’ll want to test out some of their new material when they play on Sunday. If not, I’ll be happy enough to hear all my old favorites, like the tunes featured below…

~ Kristen

(Note From Amanda: I’m so stoked to see them! I was due for some TAI love. I’m personally a fan of this song.)  

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 9/20-9/26

Posted on by Kristen

I’m doing my best to ignore the emails and updates about shows tonight. The fact that Jake Newton is now playing with Austin Hartley Leonard at The Foundry…I’m not listening. I need a night in! Not that I’m complaining. This past week has been fantastic. The number of new bands I was able to check out and enjoy for the first time include Everest, The Daylights, Jennifer Knapp, Assemble the Skyline, Electric Touch, Deluka, Taylor Locke and the Roughs, and Heavy Young Heathens. Plus, I saw the most bizarre combination of acts I could possible imagine in one evening: Trace Adkins and Primus. All in all, not a bad week for music.

And this next week is shaping up to be just as good! Weds night I would especially recommend coming to On The Rox to check out the fantastic night of music featuring another band I’ve been meaning to check out, Lakes.

Then the week will cap off with the Epicenter Twenty Ten festival out in Fontana, CA. I’ll be counting down to the event all week with posts about some of the artists I’m most looking forward to check out over the weekend.

I just have to get through the week first. To help me get through, I have the following events on my radar:

Monday: Dead Sara at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Andy Clockwise FREE at Spaceland (10pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: it’s a school night at Bardot featuring Curt Smith (10pm) 

Tuesday: Northstar Session and Anna Nalick at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)
ALSO: Rhett Miller at Largo at the Coronet (8:30) 

Weds: ATN Management Presents On the Rox featuring Time You Exist, Parade of Lights, The Howls, Lakes, and That Noise (7:30)
ALSO: Cloud Cult at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Stars Go Dim at Whiskey a Go Go (10pm)
ALSO: Airborne Toxic Event at Ford Amphitheater (8pm) 

Thursday: Hinder at House of Blues Anaheim (8pm) 

Friday: Ry Cuming at The Hotel Cafe (11pm) 

Saturday: Epicenter Twenty Ten featuring Crash Kings, Papa Roach, Eminem, etc. (noon)
ALSO: Darker My Love and Band of Horses at Greek Theater (7:30)
ALSO: Muse at The Staples Center (7:30)
ALSO: So & SO at The Hotel Cafe (10pm) 

Sunday: Epicenter Twenty Ten featuring Biffy Clyro, The Academy Is…, Against Me!, Thirty Seconds to Mars, etc. (noon)
ALSO: Sick of Sarah at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Muse at The Staples Center (7:30)
ALSO: Mini Mansions at The Viper Room (9:30)
ALSO: Vampire Weekend at The Hollywood Bowl (7:30) 

To Keep in Mind:  

September 27th: Semi Precious Weapons at El Rey
September 28th: Guster at The Troubadour
September 30th: Queen Caveat at Silverlake Lounge
September 30th: BIFFY CLYRO at The Bootleg Theater
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 2nd: Truth & Salvage Co. at The Troubadour
October 8th: Crash Kings, Civil Twilight, and Anberin at The House of Blues
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
October 17th: Joe Firstman at The Hotel Café
October 18th: Mumford & Sons at The Hollywood Palladium
November 4th: Five for Fighting at The Brixton
November 5th: Bayside at The Toubadour
November 17th: Tyler Hilton at The Roxy
December 4th: Joe Firstman at Saint Rocke
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium  

~ Kristen

https://twitter.com/_localmusicnat