The Damnwells

Kristen’s ’11 Mix – Bonus 2 – Harper Blynn

Posted on by Kristen

Bonus 2. “Halo” (Beyonce/Dirty Projectors Cover) – Harper Blynn

 

I spent a lot of time this year hanging out at The Mint. I had friends who worked there so…this often translated to free music and food. And it was good music and food (garlic fries, mac n cheese, taquitos, yum!). Some memorable nights at The Mint included any High Voltage night (Marti Gras, Dead Sara, Queen Caveat), Andrew Belle and Schuyler Fisk, Liam Gerner, Empire (a fantastic new band), etc. Harper Blynn is one of those bands I discovered at The Mint. They absolutely blew me away. I was transfixed by their energy and their songs. I love their album, Loneliest Generation, but it’s this cover of Beyonce’s “Halo” that I felt needed a spot on this mix as it became my wake up and get out of bed tune of the year. These Brooklyn boys spend a couple of months in LA doing a residency at The Hotel Cafe and brought out other fantastic artists like The Damnwells, Cary Brothers, Todd Carey, and Laura Jansen. They also did a couple amazing shows at Bardot. It was a great year for me and Harper Blynn.

 

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 11/7-11/13

Posted on by Kristen

I’m still recovering from the awesomeness that was last Thursday night. Between Twin Atlantic at The Music Box and all the music, dancing, and friends at the High Voltage Magazine release party at On the Rox, I’m still beat. Could be because I’m still recovering from my bout of ill health. This cold weather isn’t helping. But I suppose I need to get used to it as I’m jetting to the east coast at the end of the week.

Friday night in Philadelphia I’ll be at The TLA with IKE, Stargazer Lily, The Shakers, Zelazowa, John & Brittany, and Placid Admiral (featuring members of one of my all-time faves, Jealousy Curve). If you’re on that side of the country, please come out and say hi!

We’ve also got some great shows in LA this week. Vanaprasta starts their Monday night November residency at The Satellite accompanied this week by Rocco DeLuca and Beatnik Jr, Kill the Alarm is in town at Room 5 on Friday, and my beloved Milk Carton Kids are back opening for Over the Rhine at The El Rey Saturday night.

 

Here’s the whole list:

Monday: Vanaprasta, Rocco DeLuca, Beatnik Jr. FREE at The Satellite (9pm)…first night of Vanaprasta’s November residency
ALSO: Moderne Man and Roman Candle Wars at The Viper Room (8:15, 12:15)
ALSO: Maxim Ludwig, Little Hurricane and Fierce Creatures FREE at Bootleg Theater (8:30, 10:30, 11:30)
ALSO: Lights at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: Thrice at The Mayan Theater (10pm)
ALSO: First Aid Kit at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Hey Rosetta! At The Echo (9pm)

 

Weds: Harper Blynn and The Damnwells at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)
ALSO: Lovers Drugs at The Mint (11pm)

 

Thursday: Irontom at Bootleg Theater (10pm)
ALSO: Lady Sinatra at The Viper (11pm)

 

Friday: Kill the Alarm at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: Queen Caveat and Unwritten Law at Saint Rocke (9, 11)
ALSO: Jack’s Mannequin and Guster at The El Rey (7pm)
ALSO: Liam Gerner and Jim Bianco at The Hotel Cafe (7,10)
ALSO: Brett Detar and Olin and the Moon at The Mint (9,10)
ALSO: The Sheepdogs at The Echoplex (10pm)
ALSO: Toy at The Roxy (6:30)

 

Saturday: Experience No Ho Arts Festival featuring Taylor Locke and The Roughs, Maxim Ludwig, The Nervous Wreckords, and many more FREE at The Federal Bar (12-8pm)…for more info about the festival http://nohoartsdistrict.com/experience-noho/
ALSO: Purple Melon at The Central (11pm)
ALSO: Feist at The Wiltern (8pm)

 

Sunday: Honeyhoney at The Troubadour (10:30)
ALSO: Milk Carton Kids and Over the Rhine at The El Rey (7pm)
ALSO: Empire at TRiP Santa Monica (7:30)
ALSO: Elliot Yamin at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Kyle Nicolaides at Room 5 (10pm)

 

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
November 14th: The Silent Comedy at Bootleg
November 15th: Augustana at The Hotel Cafe
November 16th: The Stone Foxes at The Viper Room
November 17th: Marketa Irglova at The Troubadour
November 19th: Milo Greene, The Belle Brigade, and The Civil Wars at The Wiltern
November 19th: Semi Precious Weapons at The Roxy
November 29th: Rachel Yamagata at The Troubadour
December 2nd: Fair to Midland at The Troubadour
December 2nd: Allen Stone at The Echo
December 2nd: Priscilla Ahn at The El Rey
December 2nd: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
December 9th: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
December 14th: Deas Vail at The Roxy
December 16th: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
December 16th: Oh Land at The El Rey
December 23rd: Camp Freddy at The Roxy
Feb. 2nd: Mutemath at Club Nokia
March 9th: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)

 

~ Kristen

 

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

New Band Love: Harper Blynn

Posted on by Kristen

The best band discoveries are always the ones that come unexpectedly. You’re sitting in the back at the bar talking to some friends when this band you’ve never even heard of takes the stage. They may not look like much (or they may look bat shit crazy) and you kind of cock your head in mild amusement, surveying the musicians on stage and their particular set up for anything of note.  You’re just about to dismiss them as another one in a loooong line of mediocre bands when they start to play. By the end of the first song, your attention is rapt.  A couple songs in and you note the goosebumps on your arms. Then, before you know it, you’ve gravitated to the front of the room and you’re dancing, swaying, fist pumping, hand clapping, throwing gang signs, or whatever the style of music necessitates. You have this question swimming around your head; “Where has this music been all my life?!?” The excitement is palpable. You might even find yourself at the merch booth before the set is over to make sure that you get a copy of what is soon to be your new favorite CD.

At least…that’s how it happens for me…

Friday night I met up with friends at The Mint. We wanted to see The Damnwells/Alex Denzen, a band from New York City that we had enjoyed for several years. We got there in time to catch one of their openers, another NYC –based band called Harper Blynn. I think it was about two songs into Harper Blynn’s set and we were already discussing the possibility of driving down to San Diego the next day to see them play again. I’m not sure what exactly hooked me. Perhaps it was some combination of rock intensity mixed with catchy melodies interlaced with intricate harmonies and fun guitar solos (although if I had to categorize the group I might go with folk pop). The energy jumping from the stage was easily picked up by the audience who packed the venue (tables had to be moved!). I had goosebumps and an overwhelming urge to make a beeline to the merch booth.  I had fallen in love.

 

Since Friday, Harper Blynn’s 2010 release, Loneliest Generation, has gotten a lot of play in my car and in the office. I found myself wishing that I had had this CD a few years ago when I was going through my quarter-life crisis. Lyrically, the tunes speak to my mid-twenties self, floating on that line between youthful idealism and realizations about harsher realities. Right now, my favorite songs are the more upbeat “This Is It” and the perfectly titled “25 Years” but the slow melodic beauty of songs like “The Doubt” and the building anthemic quality of “All Pretenders” showcase the band’s ability strike a deeper emotional chord and highlight the reasons why I love their music. Harper Blynn also have a self titled EP released this year.

 

Monday night, I headed out once again to see The Damnwells as well as the always enchanting Cary Brothers at Bardot in Hollywood. I enjoyed the sets from The Damnwells and Cary Brothers (both backed the members of Harper Blynn), but I was especially ecstatic when Cary announced that he was ending his set a couple songs early in order to let “the hardest working band in show-biz” (or at least that evening) take the stage and perform a couple of their songs. The place exploded when Harper Blynn did one of their tunes and then followed it up by their fun cover of Beyonce’s “Halo” (could that song be more catchy?!?). The DJ who played after the band did not have a difficult transition to make as the entire place was dancing.

 

If you want to learn more about Harper Blynn, here are some useful links. This fall they are out on the road again with The Damnwells, hitting up cities in the midwest and east coast. Check their website for the specifics (sadly no west coast dates…).

http://www.harperblynn.com/Home.html

http://www.facebook.com/harperblynn?sk=app_178091127385

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

~ Kristen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 8/1-8/7

Posted on by Kristen

Enjoying a lovely Sunday afternoon catching up with friends via email or phone and listening to George Stanford from the comfort of my home. Maybe this live stream thing isn’t such a bad thing after all. Join George next Sunday 3pm PST (http://www.livestream.com/georgestanford) and listen to him sing (yes he takes requests) and ramble on about…anything. It’s cool because there are people from all over the country gathering together listening to music…I wish we could do this kind of thing more often.

 

But for those of you in Los Angeles, so many live shows you can go to this week. Here are my suggestion:

 

Monday: It’s a school night at Bardot featuring Cary Brothers and The Damnwells (10pm)…FREE with RSVP (http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/)
ALSO: The Belle Brigade at The Grammy Museum (7:30)
ALSO: The Californian at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Taylor Locke and Robert Francis FREE at Bootleg Bar (9,11)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: Justin Jones, Raining Jane, Bushwalla at The Hotel Cafe (7,9,10)…Raining Jane record release
ALSO: Toy FREE at Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood (9pm)
ALSO: Youngblood Hawke at The Satellite (10pm)
ALSO: Stop Motion Poetry at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: The Naked & Famous at The Music Box

 

Weds: The Alternate Routes at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Anna Nalick at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Moderne Man at The Viper Room (10:50)

 

Thursday: Brian Wright at The Foundry on Melrose (9pm)
ALSO: Terra Naomi at The Hotel Cafe as part of YouTube Songwriters in the Round (8pm)

 

Friday: Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)…beginning of the Keaton residency
ALSO: Abandoned Pools at The Viper Room (10:45)
ALSO: Harris Grade at Amplyfi (10:15)

 

Saturday: The Janks at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Fat City Reprise at O’Briens (10pm)
ALSO: Brian Wright at Saint Rocke (9pm)

 

Sunday: something always comes up by Sunday…

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
August 10th: Sia at The Wiltern
August 11th: Toy and Lifehouse at Ventura County Fair
August 11th: Ellie Goulding at The Wiltern
August 12-14th: Outside Lands in San Francisco
August 12th: Andrew Belle at The Mint
August 13th: Milk Carton Kids CD Release at McCabe’s
August 13th: Nico Vega at Saint Rocke
August 16th: Mutemath at The Troubadour
August 18th: Nico Vega at The Roxy
August 18th and 25th: The Veronicas at The Viper Room
August 18th: TDIF at The Hotel Cafe
August 19th: Buckcherry at The Roxy
August 18-20th: SSMF
August 22nd: Ben Rector at The Hotel Cafe
August 27-28th: Sunset Junction
September 3rd: FYF
September 22-24: Hotel Carolina (South Carolina)
September 22nd: Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights at The Viper Room
September 24th: William Elliot Whitmore at Bootleg Theater
September 25th: The Lonely Forest at The Wiltern
October 14th: Butterfly Boucher at Bootleg Theater
March 13-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)

~ Kristen

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

Amanda’s SD Show Calendar 7/25-7/31

Posted on by Amanda

Well it’s officially the last week of July and summer is still as hot as ever. Where did all the time go? It’s been such a fantastic summer so far and the last thing I want is for it to end. I just spent the last 4 days at Comic Con here in San Diego and had the most wonderful time! This week, I’m gearing up to see The Silent Comedy and Saint Motel for their residency at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. It promises to be an unforgettable time! Should you feel the need for some crazy fun, you should cruise out to Vegas for the residency which runs from the 27th to the 30th.

But San Diego has some fantastic shows for this week! This is one of those times I wish there were at least two of me… Get out and enjoy them for me as I will be out of town 🙂

 

Monday: Langhorne Slim and Henry Wolfe @ Soda Bar @9 $10
AND: Star and Micey @ Tin Can Alehouse @10 $4

Tuesday: Cold Cave and Austra @ Casbah @9 $12 adv/$14 day of
AND: The Melismatics, The Slpwlkrs, Misspent Warhead Premise @ Soda Bar @9 $5
AND: A Perfect Circle @ SDSU Open Air Theater

Wednesday: Kevin Martin CD Release w/Gayle Skidmore @ Bar Pink @10
AND: Ben Sollee @ Belly Up @8 $14 adv/$16 day of
AND: The Merry Way and Trevor Davis @ Lestats @8
AND: Indigo Girls @ Humphrey’s

Thursday: Dynamite Walls @ Casbah @930 $8
AND: Olin & The Moon and The Darrows @ Soda Bar @9 $7
AND: Ryan Cabrera @ Ramona Mainstage

Friday: Yuck @ Casbah @9 $12 adv/$14 day of
AND: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Del Mar Thoroughbred Club @8
AND: Indians @ Tin Can Alehouse @10 $6
AND: Thunder Power @ Lestats @8

Saturday: The Damnwells, Harper Blynn, and Josh Fletcher @ Soda Bar @9 $12 adv/$14 day of
AND: Mr. Big @ 4th and B @ 8 $20-$30
AND: LA Rising w/ Rage Against the Macheine, Muse, Rise Against, and more @ Los Angeles Memorial Colliseum

Sunday: Gin Blossoms @ Belly Up $25 adv/$27 day of
AND: Dredg and Fair to Midland @ Soma @630 $15 adv

 

Keep in Mind:

August 2nd- FM 94/9 About the Music Show w/Belle Brigade $6
August 4th- Transfer, Dead Feather Moon, and Bully @ Belly Up $15
August 5th- The Bravery @ Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
August 6th- Weezer @ Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
August 8th- SDMA Awards @ Humphrey’s By the Bay $30
August 9th- Vans Warped Tour
August 9th- Avi Buffalo @ Casbah @9 $10
August 10th- Alberta Cross @ Casbah
August 11th- Milk Carton Kids @ Anthology $10-$15
August 12th- Jimmy Eat World @ Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
August 16th- Death Cab for Cutie @ RIMAC Arena
August 18th-20th- Sunset Strip Music Festival
August 18th- Adele SDSU Open Air Theater
August 19th- Imagine Dragons @ Casbah $10
August 34th- Company of Thieves @ Belly Up $12 adv/$14 day of
August 26th- Airborne Toxic Event @ Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
September 2nd- Fitz and the Tantrums @ Del Mar Racetrack
September 2nd- Daughtry @ Pechanga Resort and Casino $45-$80
September 11th- Diana Ross @ Pechanga Resort and Casino $85-$120
September 23rd- Ladytron @ House of Blues SD $25
September 4th- Kings of Leon with Band of Horses @ Cricket Wireless
September 11th- The Kills @ House of Blues SD
September 13th- Ray Lamontagne and The Pariah Dogs @ Copley Symphony Hall
September 14th- The Vaccines, Tennis, & Young Buffalo @ Casbah $15 adv/$17 day of
September 24th- Arctic Monkeys w/ TV on the Radio @ SDSU Open Air Theater
Septembr 24th- Two Door Cinema Club @ House of Blues SD
October 1st- Crocodiles @ Casbah $14
October 5th- The Naked and Famous @ Belly Up
October 11th- Dropkick Murphys @ House of Blues
October 12th- Dropkick Murphys @ House of Blues
Octiber 14th- The Head and the Heart @ House of Blues
October 15th- Honda Civic Tour w/ Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, and Matt and Kim @ Cricket Wireless
October 16th- The Naked and Famous @ Belly Up @9 $15
October 17th- Foo Fighters w/ Cage the Elephant @ Viejas Arena
October 19th- Foster the People @ Soma $25
October 30th- Matt Nathanson @ House of Blues SD $23-$40

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar 7/25-7/31

Posted on by Kristen

What an awesome and exhausting week! Finished this two week crazy intense neuroimaging training program. Meet some truly amazing people from around the world and Friday night I was excited to take some of them out and show them a bit of my other life. We ventured to The Viper Room for Indian’s CD Release show. Everyone fell in love with opening band, Maniac. Then Indians put on their trademark powerhouse of a set. I was happy to be able to finally take home some of their songs! We caught a bit of the craziness that is Har Mar Superstar and rounded out the night with some Little Red Radio dancing.

The whole evening made me wish people would visit me more often…

This week, things (hopefully) return to a more normal pace. Great shows every night. I’m especially looking forward to Langhorne Slim on Tuesday! Here’s what else I have on my calendar:

 

Monday: Races FREE at The Bootleg Theater (10:30)
ALSO: Andy Clockwise FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: The Mulhollands at The Viper Room (12:15)
ALSO: Battles FREE at Amoeba Records (6pm)
ALSO: Gavin DeGraw, Maroon 5, and Train at The Hollywood Bowl (7pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: Langhorne Slim at The Echoplex (10pm)
ALSO: The Indigo Girls at The Troubadour (9pm)
ALSO: Halos at The Viper Room (8pm)
ALSO: Toy Bombs at The Central in Santa Monica (9pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Night FREE at Piano Bar (8-??)

 

Weds: Holly Conlan, So & So, Angel Taylor at The Hotel Cafe (8,9,10)…So & So record release show
ALSO: Meiko at Saint Rocke (9pm)

 

Thursday: A Perfect Circle at Gibson Auditorium (8:15)
ALSO: Ben Sollee at Bootleg Theater (10:30)
ALSO: The Co, Holly Winter, and Jen Hirsh at The Hotel Cafe (7,8,9)
ALSO: Kurt Vile and the Violators at The Troubadour (9:15)
ALSO: The Henry Clay People and Lady Danville FREE at The Hammer Museum (7pm)
ALSO: Kina Grannis at Largo at the Coronet (8:30)
ALSO: The Gin Blossoms at Brixton South Bay in Redondo Beach (8pm)

 

Friday: Fat City Reprise at On the Rox (10pm)
ALSO: Ludo at The Roxy (7pm)
ALSO: The Damnwells at The Mint (8:45)
ALSO: The Features at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Kurt Vile at The Troubadour (10:15)

 

Saturday: 10,000 Maniacs at Pershing Square (8pm)…part of the outdoor summer concert series downtown
ALSO: Inverse at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Ernie Halter at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: LA Rising at the LA Coliseum featuring Rage Against the Machine, Muse, Lauryn Hill and Rise Against (3pm)

 

Sunday: Filter at The Key Club (9pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
August 10th: Sia at The Wiltern
August 11th: Toy and Lifehouse at Ventura County Fair
August 11th: Ellie Goulding at The Wiltern
August 12-14th: Outside Lands in San Francisco
August 13th: Milk Carton Kids CD Release at McCabe’s
August 13th: Nico Vega at Saint Rocke
August 16th: Mutemath at The Troubadour
August 18th: Nico Vega at The Roxy
August 18th and 25th: The Veronicas at The Viper Room
August 18th: TDIF at The Hotel Cafe
August 19th: Buckcherry at The Roxy
August 18-20th: SSMF
August 27-28th: Sunset Junction
September 3rd: FYF
September 22-24: Hotel Carolina (South Carolina)
September 22nd: Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights at The Viper Room

~ Kristen

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