Amanda’s SD Concert Calendar 10/10-10/16

It’s Monday? Really? Where did the weekend go? It was such a blur but a pretty awesome weekend nonetheless. My weekend was punctuated with some sadness when my favorite band The Academy Is… announced they were breaking up. It made me doubly sad because I was planning to catch them on the west coast leg of Jack’s Mannequin tour but alas, no such luck. Thankfully, that was remedied by a music video shoot with The Silent Comedy yesterday.

But anyway, let’s look at the calendar for this week!

 

Monday: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Hotel St. George @ Belly Up @8 $6
AND: Megafaun @ Casbah @9 $12

Tuesday: Fountains of Wayne @ Anthology @7 $10-$24
AND: Boy and Bear, Matthew and The Arrogant Sea, and The Howls @ Soda Bar @9 $10
AND: Mattson 2 and Patrick Norton @ El Dorado @9
AND: Dropkick Murphys and The Silent Comedy @ House of Blues SD @7 $28.50-$43.50

Wednesday: Dropkick Murphys and The Silent Comedy @ House of Blues SD @7 $28.50-$43.50
AND: Katie Herzig and Butterfly Boucher @ Casbah @9 $10 adv/$12 day of
AND: Mister Loveless @ Soda Bar @9 $5

Thursday: Steve Poltz acoustic @ Belly Up @8 $16 adv/$18 day of
AND: Amber Rubarth and Chris Holmes @ Lestats @8

Friday: The Head and the Heart @ House of Blues @7 $17.50 adv/$20 day of
AND: Maren Parusel and Sundrop Electric @ Whistleshop @10
AND: Gregory Page @ Lestats @8

Saturday: Hoodang Festival feat. Louis XIV, Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects, Endoxi, and more @ Santa Ysabel Casino @11am $30
AND: Vonda Shepard Trio @ Anthology @730 $10-$42
AND: Chris Pierce @ Anthology @930 $11-$27
AND: Josh Damigo @ Lestats @8
AND: The Drums and IO Echo @ Casbah @9  $12 adv/$14 day of

Sunday: The Naked and Famous @ Belly Up @9 $15
AND: Hillcrest Hoedown with Heavy Guilt @ Ruby Room @2

 

Keep in Mind:

October 17th- AWOLNATION (reschedule) @ Belly Up @9
October 17th- Foo Fighters w/ Cage the Elephant @ Viejas Arena
October 19th- Foster the People @ Soma @7 $25
October 21st- Blackout Party, Grand Tarantula, and Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels @ Casbah @9 $10
October 23rd- Anna Nalick @ Anthology @7 $10-$26
October 24th- David Cook and Gavin DeGraw @ Humphrey’s By The Bay
October 26th- Manchester Orchestra @ House of Blues SD
October 28th- The Donkeys, Cuckoo Chaos, and Bully @ Casbah @9 $8 adv/$10 day of
October 30th- Matt Nathanson @ House of Blues SD $23-$40
November 2nd- Minus the Bear and The Lonely Forest @ Soma @730 $25
November 3rd- Mayday Parade @ House of Blues SD
November 5th- The Parlotones @ Casbah $12
November 7th- Purple Melon and Kevin Martin @ Casbah $8
November 9th- Ra Ra Riot @ Belly Up
November 11th- Thrice @ House of Blues SD
November 16th- The Dirty Heads with Gym Class Heroes @ House of Blues SD
November 17th- The Sounds @ Soma @7
November 20th- Newfound Glory @ House of Blues
November 22nd- Jason Mewes Kevin Smith @ Belly Up
December 3rd- Little Hurricane @ Casbah $14
December 10th- The Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ Belly Up
December 19th- Pinback @ Belly Up

New Band Love: The Lumineers

At points, last night at the Hotel Cafe seemed akin to a raucous hoedown with all the enthusiastic clapping, group dancing, interactive sing-alongs, and people that just couldn’t stop smiling. The packed crowd seemed wholly transformed by what was going on around them. Even the usual chit chat in the back of the room was silenced.  The cause of such a scene was a band identified by the kick drum resting on the edge of the stage that read “The Lumineers.”

The Lumineers are a Denver-based folk rock band composed primarily of Wesley (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Jeremiah (drums), and Neyla (cello, piano, vocals, etc.). They are in the same vein as other LMN favorites like Aunt Martha, The Head and The Heart, and Mumford & Sons.  Prior to last night, I had not heard of The Lumineers save a friend’s mention on facebook, but that was enough to get me to go early to The Hotel Cafe and check them out. I got increasingly interested during the band’s set up as more and more instruments were piling onto the stage…mandolin, extra kick drum, cello, etc. etc. I was even more intrigued as the buzz of anticipation around me became palpable. So many excited fans itching to see one of their favorite bands perform. It’s not often I see this level of excitement anywhere in Los Angeles. I started to buzz as well.

The band began to play and about two songs into their somewhat lengthy set, as the musicians were hopping about the stage instrument-swapping, I completely understood what all the fuss was about.  I immersed myself into the sea of hand clapping/foot stomping revelry.  The Lumineers not only delivered on the tunes, both memorable and fun, but they also had the kind of lyrics that really stick with you, simple yet thought-provoking. Their messages ranged from the fun/ny (classy girls are not the ones you’ll be kissing in a bar) to the more serious (the opposite of love is indifference) and the music rang with such truth and sincerity, it would be difficult not to connect to it in some way.

My favorite moment of the set might have been when the entire band got off the stage and went into the audience, busker-style, to incite a massive sing-along for the song “Ho Hey.” Although, I was also quite moved by the song “Slow It Down” which is one of those tunes with lyrical depth that also has some movement, staring slow and then building up to a head nodding climax.

There was a moment of sadness in the set when we were told about the band’s recent misfortune of having some instruments and gear stolen out of their van. But aside from giving the audience extra incentive to buy some merch, the band wanted to make a point to express their joy and gratitude towards all the great people who were able to loan them equipment and instruments on such short notice (they were even able to play the night that the event happened). You could tell they were still a bit freshly scarred, but the spirits were not down and they played on with perhaps even more gusto. The band was even granted a rare and greatly deserved encore opportunity.

For more information on The Lumineers, please check out their webpage. You can get tour dates (they’re currently on a west coast tour, but will be hitting up the east coast in October), links to their social media sites, and information on their stolen instruments (spread the word!) as well as a place where you can leave a donation. This is such a great band, I really hope that they can fully recover from this incident and continue spreading the music love. They certainly have my heart.

Website: http://www.thelumineers.com/index.htm

 

 

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 8/29-9/4

I’m still sad about the cancellation of Sunset Junction. While I enjoyed the psudeo-Sunset Junction party in the backyard of Dangerbird Records yesterday (I’m definitely getting the new Butch Walker record out this week), I was really looking forward to the Belle Brigade/Rooney/Hanson line-up today. I guess it’s all for the best. Now I have some time to catch up on work! Yay.

Other highlights from last week include my feat of epic proportions, finally seeing Brett Hite (such an amazing voice), the intimate Hotel Cafe performance from Needtobreathe (I was a puddle on the floor after that one) and seeing Michelle Branch again after six years (brought back so many happy memories).

What I’m really looking forward to this week is the recently scheduled TFDI performance at Room 5 Monday night. Here I was thinking I was going to miss all of their Southern California stops. And playing with Garrison Starr! I expect nothing short of amazing.

Here’s what else I have on the agenda:

 

Monday: Garrison Starr and TFDI at Room 5 (8,9)
ALSO: Chamberlin and Carbon Leaf at Saint Rocke (8,9)

 

Tuesday: The Howls, Pawn Shop Kings, and Fiction Family at Bootleg (8:30)
ALSO: Amber Rubarth, Allie Moss, Ian Axel, and Bess Rogers at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Moderne Man at The Roxy (7:30)
ALSO: Beachwood Rockers FREE at The Piano Bar featuring John Pringle (8pm)

 

Weds: Andrienne Pierce, George Stanford, and Johnny Moezzi at Silverlake Lounge (9,10,11)
ALSO: Queen Caveat at The Shore in Hermosa Beach (10pm)
ALSO: Anna Nalick at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Didi Benami at Room 5 (10pm)

 

Thursday: Fierce Creatures at The Hotel Cafe (11pm)

 

Friday: Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (10pm)
ALSO: Terraplane Sun at The Echo (9pm)

 

Saturday: FYF Featuring The Head and The Heart, Avi Buffalo, Cold War Kids, The Weakerthans, Broken Social Scene, etc. (noon) http://fyffest.com/fyf-schedule/
ALSO: The Cordovas at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Sick of Sarah at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Jamestown Revival at Room 5 (10pm)
ALSO: Patrick Stump at Saint Rocke (9pm)

 

Sunday: The Cordovas at Cafe Boogaloo in Hermonsa Beach
ALSO: Dead Sara at The Slidebar in Fullerton
ALSO: Of Verona at The Viper Room (10pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
September 8th Dead Sara at The Viper Room
September 9-10: San Diego Music Thing
September 10th: Blue October at House of Blues Sunset Strip
September 10th: The Kills at The Wiltern
September 11th: Our Lady Peace at The Viper Room
September 12th: Dan Wilson at Bardot
September 16th: Lobster Fest with Andy Clockwise and more
September 17th: We Barbarians at The Satllite
September 20th: Howie Day at The Hotel Cafe
September 22-24: Hotel Carolina (South Carolina)
September 22nd: Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights at The Viper Room
September 23rd: Inara George at Bootleg Bar
September 23rd/24th: Lee Dewyze at The Hotel Cafe
September 24th: The Script at Hollywood Palladium
September 24th and 25th: William Elliot Whitmore at Bootleg Theater
September 25th: The Lonely Forest at The Wiltern
September 28th: Puddle of Mudd at The Viper Room
October 11th: Rival Sons and Evanescence at Hollywood Palladium
October 14th: Butterfly Boucher at Bootleg Theater
October 22nd: The War on Drugs at The Satellite
November 7th: Lights at The El Rey
November 12th: Feist at The WIltern
November 19th: Milo Greene, The Belle Brigade, and The Civil Wars at The Wiltern
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)

~ Kristen

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

New Band Alert: Milo Greene

 

Their first show was in March, and they’ve already played to a packed crowd for the Hammer Museum’s “I Also Like to Rock” series. Last night was the first time I was able to see Milo Greene at The Bootleg Theater opening for Races. I was mesmerized by all the beautiful voices…especially when they started working together to create gorgeous harmonies or counter melodies. I was also excited to see a couple familiar faces up on stage, former members of the sadly defunct LINKS. If you want a comparison, they remind me a bit of Seattle’s The Head and The Heart (an LMN fave). But really, you should check them out for yourselves. Their next posted gig seems to be at Sunset Junction. In the meantime, get to know the band! Here follows the appropriate links…

 

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

http://www.facebook.com/MiloGreene?sk=info

http://milogreene.bandcamp.com/

 

UPDATE: Milo Greene announce tour with The Civil Wars. Touring all over. Check out the dates here and get your tickets before they sell out: http://milogreene.com/live.html

 

Listen and Love!

~ 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

 

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

 

Amanda’s SD Show Calendar 4/18-4/24

Well well well. I see you. Yeah you. All of you dragging your butts because it’s Monday. You might even be dragging because you spent your weekend at Coachella. I wish you a happy recovery. Despite you lagging there is a fresh batch of shows this week so pick yourselves up and get yourselves out the door. And I say that with love 🙂

 

Monday: The Daylights and Andrew Ripp @ Casbah @9 $10
AND: White Arrows and Those Darlins @ Soda Bar @9 $10

Tuesday: The New Regime and Tender Box @ Casbah @9 $7
AND: Local Brews and Local Grooves @ House of Blues SD

Wednesday: Plan B @ U-31 @9 $FREE
AND: Fake Problems @ Casbah @9 $10
AND: Madhouse w/Inspired Flight @ Belly Up @8 $10 adv/$12 day of

Thursday: Lady Dottie and the Diamonds @ Eleven @9 $8

Friday: Gregory Page @ Lestats @9
AND: Vokab Kompany @ Belly Up @9 $13 adv/$15 day of

Saturday: Kellen Malloy @ Lestats @9

Sunday: The Head and the Heart @ Casbah @9 $12
AND: Gregory Allen Isakov @ Lestats @9

 

Keep in Mind:

April 28th- Joe Purdy and Milk Carton Kids @ Belly Up @ 8 $15/adv/$17 day of
April 28th- Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ Casbah
April 28th- Greg Laswell @ Anthology @930 $10-28
April 29th- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ Anthology
May 2nd- TV on the Radio @ 4th & B
May 3rd- James Blunt @ Humphreys
May 6th- Ghostland Observatory @ 4th & B
May 6th- Chris Cornell @ Humphreys
May 6th- Fleet Foxes @ Spreckles Theater
May 7th- The Raveonettes @ Belly Up
May 11th- Bayside and Silverstein @ Soma @6 $18
May 12th- Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ Casbah
May 13th- Pinback @ Belly Up
May 16th- Black Angels @ Belly Up
May 21st- System of a Down @ Cricket Wireless Ampitheatre
June 1st- Cage the Elephant and Manchester Orchestra @ Soma @ 630 $20
June 8th- Adele @ Humphrey’s
June 11th- Airborne Toxic Event @ House of Blues
June 11th- Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae @ Del Mar Fair
June 17th- Switchfoot @ Del Mar Fair
June 19th- Panic! at the Disco @ House of Blues
June 22nd- Neon Trees @ Del Mar Fair
July 5th- Eddie Vedder @ Copley Symphony Hall
July 27th- Indigo Girls @ Humphrey’s
August 9th- Vans Warped Tour