Amanda’s SD Concert Calendar 5/13-5/19

It’s a scorcher outside! Whew! I’m glad I’m safely back inside with the air conditioning on because it’s kind of miserable out in the sun. Misery can easily be relieved if you chose to venture out to a show. With a cold drink in your hand and some tunes for your ears, you should be doing just fine. Unless the place you’re at decided not to turn on any air. I’ve been there. It’s not fun.
 

Monday: All Time Low @ House of Blues at 7pm

Tuesday: Go to the beach

Wednesday: Dead Feather Moon @ Griffin at 9pm
AND: Blacktop Royalty @ Casbah at 9pm

Thursday: Beer Fest featuring Oliver Trolley @ Belly Up at 7pm
AND: The Western Scene, Jackson Price @ El Dorado at 9pm
AND: Sons of Fathers, Deadly Birds @ Soda Bar at 9pm
AND: Bart Mendoza and True Stories @ Riviera Supper Club at 9pm
AND: Island Boy @ Griffin at 9pm
AND: Okapi Sun @ Casbah at 9pm

Friday: Jimmy Eat World, IAMDYNAMITE @ House of Blues at 7:30pm
AND: The Burning of Rome, Low Volts, New Kinetics @ Casbah at 9pm
AND: The Styletones @ Bar Pink at 9pm

Saturday: Wayward Sons @ Belly Up at 9pm
AND: A Mayfield Affair @ Lestats at 9pm
AND: Damien Jurado, John Meeks @ Soda Bar at 8:30pm

Sunday: The Appleseed Cast @ Casbah at 9pm
AND: The Black Angels @ Belly Up at 9pm
AND: Hands, Social Club, Super Water Sympathy @ Soda Bar at 8:30pm

 

Keep in Mind:
May 21st- JJAMZ, Hills Like Elephants @ Griffin
May 22nd- Bloc Party @ House of Blues
May 23rd- Jay Nash @ Soda Bar
May 23rd- The Neighbourhood @ House of Blues Side Stage
May 25th- Cold War Kids @ Belly Up
May 27th- Cold War Kids @ Belly Up
May 29th- !!! @ Casbah
May 30th- The Tilt @ Belly Up
May 31st- Little Hurricane, The Stone Foxes, The Hollerin @ Belly Up
May 31st- Tame Impala @ House of Blues
June 1st- Imagine Dragons @ SDSU Open Air Theater
June 2nd- CHVRCHES @ Belly Up
June 3rd- Mumford and Sons @ Sleep Train Amphitheater
June 4th- Scott Weiland @ House of Blues
June 7th- Newfound Glory @ House of Blues
June 8th- Neon Trees @ Vista Murrieta High School
June 8th- SPF 94/9 – Matt & Kim, Younblood Hawke, Capital Cities, Family of the Year, The Mowgli’s, The Palace Ballroom
June 16th- They Might Be Giants @ Belly Up
June 19th- Warped Tour @ Sleep Train Ampitheater
June 20th- Sea Wolf and Savior Adore @ Belly Up
June 21st- She and Him @ SDSU Open Air Theater
July 2nd- Summerland Tour feat: Everclear, Live, Filter, Sponge
July 10th- Portugal. The Man @ House of Blues
July 11th- Say Anything, Eisley, I the Mighty @ House of Blues
July 21st- The Postal Service @ SDSU Open Air Theater
July 24th- Matchbox Twenty and The Goo Goo Dolls @ Valley View Casino Center
July 28th- Peter Murphy @ Belly Up
September 6th- Dave Matthews Band @ Cricket Wireless
September 20th- X-Fest feat: Blink 182, 30 Seconds to Mars, The Offspring Silversun Pickups, Fitz and the Tantrums, Atlas Genius, Capital Cities, New Politics
September 20th- Young Dubliners @ Belly Up
September 22nd- Depeche Mode @ Sleep Train Amiptheatre
September 22nd- Fall Out Boy @ Valley View Casino Center
October 4th- Phillip Phillips @ Sleep Train Amiptheatre

Amanda’s SD Concert Calendar 5/13-5/19

It’s a scorcher outside! Whew! I’m glad I’m safely back inside with the air conditioning on because it’s kind of miserable out in the sun. Misery can easily be relieved if you chose to venture out to a show. With a cold drink in your hand and some tunes for your ears, you should be doing just fine. Unless the place you’re at decided not to turn on any air. I’ve been there. It’s not fun.

 

Monday: All Time Low @ House of Blues at 7pm

Tuesday: Go to the beach

Wednesday: Dead Feather Moon @ Griffin at 9pm
AND: Blacktop Royalty @ Casbah at 9pm

Thursday: Beer Fest featuring Oliver Trolley @ Belly Up at 7pm
AND: The Western Scene, Jackson Price @ El Dorado at 9pm
AND: Sons of Fathers, Deadly Birds @ Soda Bar at 9pm
AND: Bart Mendoza and True Stories @ Riviera Supper Club at 9pm
AND: Island Boy @ Griffin at 9pm
AND: Okapi Sun @ Casbah at 9pm

Friday: Jimmy Eat World, IAMDYNAMITE @ House of Blues at 7:30pm
AND: The Burning of Rome, Low Volts, New Kinetics @ Casbah at 9pm
AND: The Styletones @ Bar Pink at 9pm

Saturday: Wayward Sons @ Belly Up at 9pm
AND: A Mayfield Affair @ Lestats at 9pm
AND: Damien Jurado, John Meeks @ Soda Bar at 8:30pm

Sunday: The Appleseed Cast @ Casbah at 9pm
AND: The Black Angels @ Belly Up at 9pm
AND: Hands, Social Club, Super Water Sympathy @ Soda Bar at 8:30pm

 

Keep in Mind:
May 21st- JJAMZ, Hills Like Elephants @ Griffin
May 22nd- Bloc Party @ House of Blues
May 23rd- Jay Nash @ Soda Bar
May 23rd- The Neighbourhood @ House of Blues Side Stage
May 25th- Cold War Kids @ Belly Up
May 27th- Cold War Kids @ Belly Up
May 29th- !!! @ Casbah
May 30th- The Tilt @ Belly Up
May 31st- Little Hurricane, The Stone Foxes, The Hollerin @ Belly Up
May 31st- Tame Impala @ House of Blues
June 1st- Imagine Dragons @ SDSU Open Air Theater
June 2nd- CHVRCHES @ Belly Up
June 3rd- Mumford and Sons @ Sleep Train Amphitheater
June 4th- Scott Weiland @ House of Blues
June 7th- Newfound Glory @ House of Blues
June 8th- Neon Trees @ Vista Murrieta High School
June 8th- SPF 94/9 – Matt & Kim, Younblood Hawke, Capital Cities, Family of the Year, The Mowgli’s, The Palace Ballroom
June 16th- They Might Be Giants @ Belly Up
June 19th- Warped Tour @ Sleep Train Ampitheater
June 20th- Sea Wolf and Savior Adore @ Belly Up
June 21st- She and Him @ SDSU Open Air Theater
July 2nd- Summerland Tour feat: Everclear, Live, Filter, Sponge
July 10th- Portugal. The Man @ House of Blues
July 11th- Say Anything, Eisley, I the Mighty @ House of Blues
July 21st- The Postal Service @ SDSU Open Air Theater
July 24th- Matchbox Twenty and The Goo Goo Dolls @ Valley View Casino Center
July 28th- Peter Murphy @ Belly Up
September 6th- Dave Matthews Band @ Cricket Wireless
September 20th- X-Fest feat: Blink 182, 30 Seconds to Mars, The Offspring Silversun Pickups, Fitz and the Tantrums, Atlas Genius, Capital Cities, New Politics
September 20th- Young Dubliners @ Belly Up
September 22nd- Depeche Mode @ Sleep Train Amiptheatre
September 22nd- Fall Out Boy @ Valley View Casino Center
October 4th- Phillip Phillips @ Sleep Train Amiptheatre

Amanda’s SD Concert Calendar 4/16-4/22

Happy Monday! And what a happy Monday it is. Why you ask? Well, since Coachella decided to have it’s festival two weekends in a row, we get the benefit of Coachella bands needing something to do during the week between shows. Lucky for us, quite a few have made their way down to SD. All bands playing Coachella are marked with an *
Monday: M. Ward*, fIREHOSE* @ Belly Up (Sold Out)
AND: Elvis Costello @ Humphreys (Sold Out)
AND: Not Machines @ Soda Bar @830 $5
AND: Thomas Dolby  @ Anthology @7 $10-$23

Tuesday: Yuck*, La Sera, and The Makeup Sex @ Casbah @9 $13/$15
AND: The Hives @ Belly Up (Sold Out)
AND: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds* @ Balboa Theater @8 $40-$90
AND: Twerps @ Soda Bar @830 $5

Wednesday: Band of Skulls* and We Are Augustines* @ Griffin
AND: The Big Pink*, Cold Showers, and Polaris at Noon @ Casbah @9 $16
AND: The Buzzcocks* @ Belly Up @830 $20/$22
AND: tUnE-yArDs*, St. Vincent*, Keep Shelly in Athens* @ House of Blues @730 $22/$25
AND: Frankie Rose @ Soda Bar @830 $10

Thursday: The Horrors*, The Black Angels* @ Belly Up @830 $20
AND: James* @ House of Blues @8 $20-$35
AND: We Were Promised Jetpacks*, Chasing Kings, and Tristen @ Casbah @9 $14/$16
AND: The Heavy Glow @ Tin Can Alehouse @930 $5

Friday: Coachella
AND: Country Mice @ Soda Bar @830 $7
AND: The Styletones @ Bar Pink @9
AND: Black Sands @ Ruby Room @8 $7

Saturday: Coachella
AND: Josh Damigo @ Lestats @8

Sunday: Coachella
AND: Cedarwell @ Soda Bar @830 $5
Keep in Mind:
April 24th- Mattson 2 @ Casbah
April 25th- Girl in a Coma @ Casbah
April 26th- Joe Pug @ Casbah
April 28th- Little Hurricane, River City, Maxim Ludwig and the Santa Fe Seven @ Casbah
May 2nd- Say Anything @ House of Blues
May 2nd- Sara Watkins @ Anthology
May 3rd- Middle Class Rut with Grand Tarantula @ House of Blues
May 4th- Thrice @ House of Blues
May 4th- Deer Tick @ Casbah
May 5th- Portugal. The Man @ 4th and B
May 8th- Jay Nash @ Anthology/
May 11th- Augustana @ House of Blues @730
May 12th- Delta Spirit @ Belly Up
May 15th- The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus @ Soma @630
May 18th- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Casbah
May 22nd- Hugh Laurie @ Belly Up
May 24th- Toad and the Wet Sprocket @ Anthology
May 25th- The Cult with Against Me! @ Humphreys
May 25th- The Beach Boys with Foster the People @ Cricket Wireless
May 30th- Horse Feathers @ Casbah @9 $12/$14
June 3rd- Mogwai @ Belly Up
June 13th- The Temper Trap wtih The Crocodiles @ House of Blues
June 27th- Warped Tour @ Cricket Wireless
July 29th- Tenacious D @ SDSU Open Air Theater

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 4/16-4/23

So many great artists coming through LA this week. Could it be because we are in between Coachella weekends? I’ve been attempting to write these past couple of days and I’ve been using the Coachella live feed as my inspiration playlist (http://www.youtube.com/coachella). Hopefully next weekend I’ll be at the actual event (hence the extra day in calendar below). To keep up with my Coachella happenings, follow LMN on twitter (@_localmusicnat). I’ll be tweeting ‘til my phone dies!

And in the meantime, let’s get out to some shows (*indicates a 2012 Coachella artist)!

 

Monday: Band of Skulls*, We Are Augustines*, The Sheepdogs* at The El Rey (7:30)
ALSO: It’s A School Night at Bardot featuring Kimbra and Mini Mansions (9pm)…free with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/
ALSO: Manchester Orchestra* at The Music Box/Henry Fonda Theater (7pm)
ALSO: Eric Hutchinson with Holly Conlan and Jessie Payo at The Hotel Cafe (7, 9:30)
ALSO:  A House for Lions FREE at Bootleg Bar (8pm)
ALSO Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: The Other Side of Morning (acoustic) at The W Hotel (9pm)
ALSO: Lovers Dugs at Dagonfly Bar (9pm)
ALSO: The Big Pink* and Miike Snow* at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Italian Japanese at The Satellite (8:30)
ALSO: Oh Darling at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: LP and Kimbra at The Troubadour (9:15, 10:30)
ALSO: David and Devine at WitZend (10pm)
ALSO: Kasabian* at The Fonda Theater (8pm)
ALSO: We Were Promised Jetpacks*, Chasing Kings, and Tristen at The Echo (8:30)

 

Weds: Maniac and Foxy Shazam at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: The Revival Tour 2012 at The Troubadour featuring Chuck Ragan, Cory Branan, Tommy Gabel, Nathaniel Rateliff at The Troubadour (8pm)
ALSO: Dar Williams Record Release Show at The Largo (8pm)
ALSO: The Black Angels* at The Fonda Theater (8pm)

 

Thursday: Nico Vega, Standing Shadows, A House for Lions at The Roxy (7pm)
ALSO: The Big Pink* and IO Echo at The Echo (8:30)
ALSO: First Aid Kit* and Wild Flag* at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Missy Higgins and Gotye* at Nokia Theate LA Live (8pm)
ALSO: John Elliot and The Hereafter at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: 0x0 and Blake Lewis at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Buddy at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)

 

Friday: Brendan James, Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, and Dawn McCoy at The Hotel Cafe (7, 9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: Lakes at M Bar (?)
ALSO: Sonia Rao and Connie Lim at WitZend (9:30, 10:30)
ALSO: Telstar at Flying Saucers Café in Santa Monica (9pm)
ALSO: Coachella featuring The Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, honeyhoney, etc.

 

Saturday: Coachella featuring Radiohead, The Shins, Kaiser Chiefs, AWOLNATION, We Are Augustines, St. Vincent, Laura Marling, The Big Pink, etc.

 

Sunday: Coachella featuring Fitz and the Tantrums, Band of Skulls, Florence + the Machine, Lissie, Gotye, First Aid Kit, etc.

 

Monday (April 23rd): It’s A School Night at Bardot featuring LP and We Are Augustines* (9pm)…free with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
April 24th: The Milk Carton Kids at The Largo
April 24th: Eve 6 at The Grammy Museum
April 25th: Ben Kweller at The El Rey
April 25th: Dead Sara at Club Nokia
April 26th: Jasmine Ash at The Roxy
April 26th: Zoe Keating at The Largo
April 27th: Ingrid Michaelson at The Troubadour
May 2nd: Cage the Elephant at The Mayan
May 3rd: James Morrison at The Avalon
May 6th: Middle Class Rut at The Troubadour
May 8th: Snow Patrol at The Hollywood Palladium
May 10th: Jay Nash at The Hotel Cafe
May 11th: Imagine Dragons at The Troubadour
May 12th: Augustana at The El Rey
May 19th: Eric Hutchinson and Graffiti6 at The Troubadour
May 30th: Eve 6 at The Troubadour
May 31st: Greg Laswell at The El Rey
June 3rd: Deas Vail at The Troubadour
June 5th and 6th: Ben Howard at The Troubadour
June 6th: The Cordovas at Saint Rocke
June 7-10th: Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN
June 13th and 14th: Phantom Planet at The Troubadour
June 16th: Thrice at Club Nokia
June 23rd: Milo Greene at The Troubadour
June 25th: Graffiti6 at The Troubadour

 

~ Kristen

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

http://twitter.com/#%21/_localmusicnat

http://www.facebook.com/localmusicnation

Top 5 Acts of Bonnaroo 2011

1. The Decemberists at What Stage

The Decemberists have been on my list of bands to see ever since I first heard “Engine Driver” playing on a speaker system at my local Borders bookstore back in 2005. Finally seeing Colin Meloy and Co. play through some of my favorite tunes like “We Both Go Down Together” and “16 Military Wives” was a dream come true and the band delivered on every note. For an extra bonus, Sara Watkins was playing with them (filling in for Jenny Conlee). Her version of “Won’t Want for Love” (off 2009’s Hazards of Love) gave me chills!  The band seemed as happy to be there as the audience was to have them and the playful and easy interaction created a joy that rippled out over the crowd of thousands relaxing in the grass. Thinking back to all the sets we saw, The Decemberists at What Stage is the one that sticks out most clearly in my mind, representing the epitome of my Bonnaroo 2011.      ~ Kristen

Another one of my favorite Decemberist songs:

 

2. Eminem at The What Stage

Truth be told, Eminem was probably the artist I was most looking forward to seeing at Bonnaroo. When Kristen and I first saw Eminem at Epicentre in Fontana last year, we were skeptical with an attitude of, “let’s watch him just to say we saw him.” We were subsequently blown away with his performance. I was hoping for a repeat and got so much more. Eminem’s show features a car crash backdrop and an LED screen alerting the audience that we are witness to his “Recovery.” After the powerful opening of “Won’t Back Down” he took us on a ride through his extensive discography playing hits like, “Airplanes Pt. II”, “Love the Way You Lie”, “So Bad”, and “Till I Collapse”. He also brought out Royce da 5’9″ and they rapped a few songs from their new project Bad Meets Evil. And unlike some artists who only play new and current songs, Eminem took us back to his very beginnings by doing a mashup of, “My Name Is”, “The Real Slim Shady”, and “Without Me”. Perhaps the best part was his consistant chatter with the audience and dedications to the fans coupled with his intense focus on stage. It gave the feeling that he was there in the crowd with you rapping instead of up on stage in front of thousands of people. With an encore of “Lose Yourself” and endless gratitude to the audience at the close, Eminem was definitely a top act of Bonnaroo 2011.    ~Amanda

 

3. The Head and the Heart at The Other Tent

I’m not really sure what to say about The Head and the Heart. It’s hard to define what exactly it is about them that makes them special. It could be that this Seattle based six piece offers a folksy soulful outlook on life or their unique sound filled with shakers, piano, and violin in addition to the standard guitar, drums, and bass. It’s definitely not something I can easily put words to but seeing them again re-affirmed my love for this band. The first time I encountered them was at SXSW where they were playing a small stage in a bike shop. I was unfamiliar with the band and how largely popular they are. The Head and the Heart had no problems filling up the tent and they handled the larger stage with such ease, it seemed almost second nature. They are currently set to join Death Cab for Cutie in Germany and the UK and then tour with The Decemberists while attending festivals such as Calgary Folk Festival and Austin City Limits. If given the opportunity, this band should be at the top of your “to check out” list. After all, they made it to #3 on our Top 5 Acts of Bonnaroo.    ~Amanda

 

4. Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons at The Ford Focus Lounge

I had high hopes for Wisconsin’s Cory Chisel before the festival even began. Fortunately, Cory and his Wandering Sons did not disappoint. Cory crafts my favorite type of soulful folk tunes and accompanied by delicate harmonies provided by Adriel Harris, it’s impossible not to fall in love. I enjoyed Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons so much that I ended up seeing them three times. The first set at The Solar Stage cemented my love and introduced me to his songs including the crowd pleaser and highly appropriate “Tennessee.” The second, nighttime set at The On Tap Lounge really got the crowd going and featured a guest appearance by Brendan Benson as well as a more rockin’ version of “Born Again.”  But it is the third set at The Ford Focus Lounge that I enjoyed the most.  It felt the most intimate. It was a stripped down set, featuring only Cory and Adriel. This made songs like “Never Meant to Love You but It’s Too Late Now” all the more powerful.  It was also more interactive with Cory taking audience requests and singing songs that I could, by now, sing along to. My enhanced enjoyment could also have something to do with the location, an air-conditioned and carpeted lounge where we could sit on plush seats with handkerchiefs full of ice. The set ended with Cory doing a cover of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.” I don’t think I could have had a better introduction to a new favorite band than seeing Cory Chisel at Bonnaroo.    ~ Kristen

 

5. Neon Trees at This Tent

I was super excited at the prospect of being able to actually see Neon Trees on stage at Bonnaroo. The last time I ‘saw’ them was at SXSW and I was relegated to the back of the pack for my lack of being there early with nary a visual. This time around, was a whole different story. I had managed to sneak in the side of the tent (which was a might bit too small for them in my opinion), and work my way to a comfortable spot in the shade. This was one of my most memorable shows at Bonnaroo. At one point in time durin their set, the sound went out and they kept playing their song. As soon as the sound came back, they did a reprise of the song so everyone could hear it at full volume. At one point in time, singer Tyler Glenn discussed the difference between love and lust and also admitted to having a crush on a girl but was a coward so he wrote a song instead. Perhaps the most memorable moment was when Glenn took off his pants, revealing his American flag boxer briefs and danced around the stage, telling everyone it was ok to be a freak. Either way, it was a show I will not forget.     ~Amanda

 

Amanda’s Honorable Mention: Kopecky Family Band at The Ford Focus Lounge

I was just hanging in the Ford Focus Lounge, trying to cool of and get some energy back when I heard people talking about this upcoming band and how awesome they were. I was at that point in the day for me when I didn’t really care much about who was playing, I just wanted to cool off and relax. This rather unassuming band came up and caught my attention. They reminded me of Fresno’s Fierce Creatures with a less ethereal and more jam band sound, but still with a captivating presence. The people around me were not wrong about the Kopecky Family Band I hope they come out to California soon because I would love the opportunity to see them again, in a less heated environment.

 

Kristen’s Honorable Mention: The Black Angels at The Ford Focus Lounge


It could have something to do with the intimate setting…or perhaps how the set started with the band announcing they didn’t have paper for setlists so they made some t-shirts with a list of songs they wanted to play and handed them out for people in the audience to wear. It could even have something to do with the fact that the guitarist broke a string (supposedly for the first time ever on stage) and the band had to improvise while he tracked down a replacement. For some reason, The Black Angels at The Ford Focus Lounge was the most fun I had at any set all weekend.  ~ Kristen

 

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 5/9-5/15

This week, electro dance pop group, Viva City, are in town all the way from the UK. These boys played an important role in my SXSW experience in Austin this year and even made my list of top sets. I’m quite excited to have them back in my life for a week. If you’re in the mood for some dancing, come to The Viper Room on Monday, Saint Rocke on Tuesday, and The Silverlake Lounge on Thursday. Added bonus, Monday and Tuesday my friend Eli James will be joining Viva City performing his unique set behind his one-of-a-kind light-up drum kit. The makings for a great dance party indeed!

 

Lots of good shows this week. Here’s my list:

 

Monday: Eli James, Viva City, That Noise at The Viper Room (8pm)
ALSO: Taylor Locke and The Roughs FREE at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: KT Tunstall with Charlie Mars and Meiko at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Dom Liberati at Bar Lubitsch (8pm)
ALSO: Ivan & Alyosha at The Autry (7pm)
ALSO: Cage 9 FREE at The Troubadour (10:45)
ALSO: Chris Robinson Brotherhood at The Echoplex (8:30)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: Viva City and Eli James at Saint Rocke (8:30, 9:30)
ALSO: Alberta Cross at The Satellite (10pm)
ALSO: Pinback at The El Rey (9pm)
ALSO: Red Circle Underground at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)

 

Weds: Semi Precious Weapons at On the Rox (10pm)…FREE with RSVP (rsvp@semipreciousweapons.com)
ALSO: Beatnik Jr. FREE at 3 Clubs (10pm)
ALSO: Leighton Meester and Kevin Devine at The Hotel Cafe (7,9:30)
ALSO: Agent Ribbons and Le Butcherettes at Bootleg Theater (9,11)
ALSO: The Greenhornes at The Echo (10pm)
ALSO: Colin Hay at Largo at The Coronet (8pm)

 

Thursday: Viva City at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)
ALSO: Brian Wright at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Hayes Carll at The Troubadour (10pm)

 

Friday: The Creepshow at The Hotel Cafe featuring Ferras, Daniel Bedingfield, Shawn Hlookoff, etc. (10pm)
ALSO: Love and a .38 at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: The Kills at The Music Box (8pm)

 

Saturday: The Other Side of Morning CD release at The Loft (9pm)
ALSO: Andrew Ripp and The Daylights at The Hotel Cafe (11:30)
ALSO: Peter Bjorn and John TWO sets at The El Rey (8,11)

 

Sunday: Jake Newton and Schuyler Fisk at Saint Rocke (9pm)
ALSO: The Black Angels at The El Rey (9pm)
ALSO: Eisley at The Troubadour (10:15)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:

May 20th: Curtis Peoples at The Hotel Cafe
May 21st: Saint Motel at The Roxy
May 27th: The Script at Club Nokia
May 27th-29th: Sasquatch Music Festival (Washington)
June 2nd: Manchester Orchestra at The Music Box
June 6th and 7th: Band of Skulls at Bootleg Theater
June 7th: Death Cab for Cutie and The Lonely Forest at The El Rey
June 9th: Adele at Hollywood Palladium
June 9-12: Bonnaroo (TN)
June 13th: Florence and The Machine at The Greek Theater
June 15th: Augustana at The House of Blues Sunset
June 17th: Nico Vega at The House of Blues Anaheim
June 29th: Brooke Fraser at The Music Box
July 11th: The Head and The Heart at The Hotel Cafe
July 26th: The Indigo Girls at The Troubadour
July 28th: A Perfect Circle at Gibson Auditorium
August 12-14th: Outside Lands in San Francisco
August 18-20th: SSMF
September 22-24: Hotel Carolina (South Carolina)

 

~ Kristen

 

Top 5 Acts of Bonnaroo 2011

1. The Decemberists at What Stage
The Decemberists have been on my list of bands to see ever since I first heard “Engine Driver” playing on a speaker system at my local Borders bookstore back in 2005. Finally seeing Colin Meloy and Co. play through some of my favorite tunes like “We Both Go Down Together” and “16 Military Wives” was a dream come true and the band delivered on every note. For an extra bonus, Sara Watkins was playing with them (filling in for Jenny Conlee). Her version of “Won’t Want for Love” (off 2009’s Hazards of Love) gave me chills!  The band seemed as happy to be there as the audience was to have them and the playful and easy interaction created a joy that rippled out over the crowd of thousands relaxing in the grass. Thinking back to all the sets we saw, The Decemberists at What Stage is the one that sticks out most clearly in my mind, representing the epitome of my Bonnaroo 2011.      ~ Kristen

Another one of my favorite Decemberist songs:

 

2. Eminem at The What Stage

Truth be told, Eminem was probably the artist I was most looking forward to seeing at Bonnaroo. When Kristen and I first saw Eminem at Epicentre in Fontana last year, we were skeptical with an attitude of, “let’s watch him just to say we saw him.” We were subsequently blown away with his performance. I was hoping for a repeat and got so much more. Eminem’s show features a car crash backdrop and an LED screen alerting the audience that we are witness to his “Recovery.” After the powerful opening of “Won’t Back Down” he took us on a ride through his extensive discography playing hits like, “Airplanes Pt. II”, “Love the Way You Lie”, “So Bad”, and “Till I Collapse”. He also brought out Royce da 5’9″ and they rapped a few songs from their new project Bad Meets Evil. And unlike some artists who only play new and current songs, Eminem took us back to his very beginnings by doing a mashup of, “My Name Is”, “The Real Slim Shady”, and “Without Me”. Perhaps the best part was his consistant chatter with the audience and dedications to the fans coupled with his intense focus on stage. It gave the feeling that he was there in the crowd with you rapping instead of up on stage in front of thousands of people. With an encore of “Lose Yourself” and endless gratitude to the audience at the close, Eminem was definitely a top act of Bonnaroo 2011.    ~Amanda

 

3. The Head and the Heart at The Other Tent

I’m not really sure what to say about The Head and the Heart. It’s hard to define what exactly it is about them that makes them special. It could be that this Seattle based six piece offers a folksy soulful outlook on life or their unique sound filled with shakers, piano, and violin in addition to the standard guitar, drums, and bass. It’s definitely not something I can easily put words to but seeing them again re-affirmed my love for this band. The first time I encountered them was at SXSW where they were playing a small stage in a bike shop. I was unfamiliar with the band and how largely popular they are. The Head and the Heart had no problems filling up the tent and they handled the larger stage with such ease, it seemed almost second nature. They are currently set to join Death Cab for Cutie in Germany and the UK and then tour with The Decemberists while attending festivals such as Calgary Folk Festival and Austin City Limits. If given the opportunity, this band should be at the top of your “to check out” list. After all, they made it to #3 on our Top 5 Acts of Bonnaroo.    ~Amanda

 

4. Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons at The Ford Focus Lounge

I had high hopes for Wisconsin’s Cory Chisel before the festival even began. Fortunately, Cory and his Wandering Sons did not disappoint. Cory crafts my favorite type of soulful folk tunes and accompanied by delicate harmonies provided by Adriel Harris, it’s impossible not to fall in love. I enjoyed Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons so much that I ended up seeing them three times. The first set at The Solar Stage cemented my love and introduced me to his songs including the crowd pleaser and highly appropriate “Tennessee.” The second, nighttime set at The On Tap Lounge really got the crowd going and featured a guest appearance by Brendan Benson as well as a more rockin’ version of “Born Again.”  But it is the third set at The Ford Focus Lounge that I enjoyed the most.  It felt the most intimate. It was a stripped down set, featuring only Cory and Adriel. This made songs like “Never Meant to Love You but It’s Too Late Now” all the more powerful.  It was also more interactive with Cory taking audience requests and singing songs that I could, by now, sing along to. My enhanced enjoyment could also have something to do with the location, an air-conditioned and carpeted lounge where we could sit on plush seats with handkerchiefs full of ice. The set ended with Cory doing a cover of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.” I don’t think I could have had a better introduction to a new favorite band than seeing Cory Chisel at Bonnaroo.    ~ Kristen

 

5. Neon Trees at This Tent

I was super excited at the prospect of being able to actually see Neon Trees on stage at Bonnaroo. The last time I ‘saw’ them was at SXSW and I was relegated to the back of the pack for my lack of being there early with nary a visual. This time around, was a whole different story. I had managed to sneak in the side of the tent (which was a might bit too small for them in my opinion), and work my way to a comfortable spot in the shade. This was one of my most memorable shows at Bonnaroo. At one point in time durin their set, the sound went out and they kept playing their song. As soon as the sound came back, they did a reprise of the song so everyone could hear it at full volume. At one point in time, singer Tyler Glenn discussed the difference between love and lust and also admitted to having a crush on a girl but was a coward so he wrote a song instead. Perhaps the most memorable moment was when Glenn took off his pants, revealing his American flag boxer briefs and danced around the stage, telling everyone it was ok to be a freak. Either way, it was a show I will not forget.     ~Amanda

 

Amanda’s Honorable Mention: Kopecky Family Band at The Ford Focus Lounge

I was just hanging in the Ford Focus Lounge, trying to cool of and get some energy back when I heard people talking about this upcoming band and how awesome they were. I was at that point in the day for me when I didn’t really care much about who was playing, I just wanted to cool off and relax. This rather unassuming band came up and caught my attention. They reminded me of Fresno’s Fierce Creatures with a less ethereal and more jam band sound, but still with a captivating presence. The people around me were not wrong about the Kopecky Family Band I hope they come out to California soon because I would love the opportunity to see them again, in a less heated environment.

 

Kristen’s Honorable Mention: The Black Angels at The Ford Focus Lounge


It could have something to do with the intimate setting…or perhaps how the set started with the band announcing they didn’t have paper for setlists so they made some t-shirts with a list of songs they wanted to play and handed them out for people in the audience to wear. It could even have something to do with the fact that the guitarist broke a string (supposedly for the first time ever on stage) and the band had to improvise while he tracked down a replacement. For some reason, The Black Angels at The Ford Focus Lounge was the most fun I had at any set all weekend.  ~ Kristen