The Hotel Cafe

Bleecker Street: 3/12/10

Posted on by Amanda

What an amazing night for music! Marti Heil  always gathers a fantastic collection of musicians…If you haven’t yet gone to Hear NoHo  the first Thursday of every month, you should check it out! Anyway, tonight’s fare featured Matthew Jordan who killed it on the keyboard and reminded me why I love piano-driven music. He was followed by the instrumental trio, Trio Non Grata, and Kenneth Pattengale who sang a collection of beautiful but sad songs with his James Taylor-esque voice.  The star of the show was the amazing Miss Paris Carney  who wrangled a crack team of musicians and special guests to perform some of her own songs (which are fantastic) as well as a couple select covers, including one of my personal favorite songs, The Band’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” featuring Kris Karlsson on lead vocals. And just when I thought things couldn’t get any better (seriously, how can you top a The Band cover?!?), Reeve Carney came on stage to do a little impromptu set. For those of you who don’t know me…at all…the band Reeve sings in, Carney, was the first local LA band I discovered (at Bonnaroo ’07) and was able to follow around (Molly Malone’s residency) and is still one of my very favorite LA bands.

I love Marti’s events because they always end with me putting even more artists on my watch list. Here are some upcoming shows I learned about tonight that are immediately going onto my calendar:

  • Matthew Jordan:
    • March 25th at Cafe Was (FREE)
    • April 28th at The Hotel Cafe
  • Paris Carney:
    • March 15th: Room 5
    • March 22nd: Room 5
  • Carney: May 15th at The El Rey

~ Kristen

Kristen's LA Concert List 3/8-3/14

Posted on by Amanda

It’s Oscar night! So I’m going to make this brief. There are so many good shows this week, I’m a bit overwhelmed with the choices…and I didn’t even do an exhaustive search.  All I know is that I’m not going to be sleeping much…and I wish I had a double (someone needs to go to these shows I can’t go to and report back!).

Here’s what I’ve got cooking:

Monday: Aimee Miriello at Molly Malone’s (10pm)

ALSO: Barcelona at Saint Rocke (8pm)

Tuesday: Big Pink and IO Echo at El Rey (7pm)

ALSO: Manchester Orchestra at The Troubadour (9pm)

ALSO: The Rescues and Honeyhoney at Saint Rocke (8pm)

ALSO: Laura Veirs at Spaceland (8:30)

Weds: Manchester Orchestra at The Troubadour (9pm)

ALSO: Cary Brothers and Meiko at The Hotel Cafe (8,10)

ALSO: Delta Spirit at Bootleg (11pm)

ALSO: Olin and The Moon at Spaceland (8:30)

ALSO: Agent Ribbon at The Silverlake Lounge (11pm)

ALSO: The Silent Comedy and Transfer at The Casbah in San Diego (8:30)

ALSO: Beachwood Rocker’s Society at Crane’s

Thursday: Melissa Ferrick, Jim Bianco, Joey Ryan, and Caitlin Crosby and Jay Nash at The Hotel Cafe (7,9,10,11)…so much great music all night long!

ALSO: The Silent Comedy and Transfer at The Casbah in San Diego (8:30)… I’m driving down if anyone wants to carpool…

ALSO: Purple Melon at Molly Malone’s (10pm)

ALSO: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Echoplex (8:30)

Friday: Bleecker Street featuring Paris Carney and Matthew Jordan at Molly Malone’s (8pm)

ALSO: Basia Bulat, Brother Sal, and Truth & Salvage Co. with The Parsons Red Heads at The Hotel Cafe (8,9,10)…last week was insane…don’t miss out!

ALSO: Brandi Carlile at House of Blues Anaheim (8pm)

ALSO: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Echoplex (8:30)

Saturday: Great Northern at Bootleg (10:30)

ALSO: The Hereafter at Molly Malone’s (9pm)

ALSO: Until June and Lady Danville at Saint Rocke (8pm)

ALSO: The Other Side of Morning at The Loft (10pm)

ALSO: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Echoplex (8:30)

Sunday: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The House of Blues Anaheim (8pm)

To Keep in Mind:

March 26th: Nico Vega and Metric at Hollywood Palladium

March 27th: San Diego Indie Fest featuring Metric

March 27th/28th: Bamboozled Left featuring Something Corporate and AFI

April 6th: Paper Tongues at The Troubadour

April 9th: Lights and Owl City at Club Nokia

April 12th: Butch Walker at El Rey

April 16th: George Stanford CD release at The Hotel Café

April 16th-19th: Coachella

Sometime in May: CARNEY at El Rey…just block out the entire month in anticipation…  

June 10-13th: BONNAROO

~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert List 3/8-3/14

Posted on by Amanda

It’s Oscar night! So I’m going to make this brief. There are so many good shows this week, I’m a bit overwhelmed with the choices…and I didn’t even do an exhaustive search.  All I know is that I’m not going to be sleeping much…and I wish I had a double (someone needs to go to these shows I can’t go to and report back!).
Here’s what I’ve got cooking:

Monday: Aimee Miriello at Molly Malone’s (10pm)

ALSO: Barcelona at Saint Rocke (8pm)

Tuesday: Big Pink and IO Echo at El Rey (7pm)

ALSO: Manchester Orchestra at The Troubadour (9pm)

ALSO: The Rescues and Honeyhoney at Saint Rocke (8pm)

ALSO: Laura Veirs at Spaceland (8:30)

Weds: Manchester Orchestra at The Troubadour (9pm)

ALSO: Cary Brothers and Meiko at The Hotel Cafe (8,10)

ALSO: Delta Spirit at Bootleg (11pm)

ALSO: Olin and The Moon at Spaceland (8:30)

ALSO: Agent Ribbon at The Silverlake Lounge (11pm)

ALSO: The Silent Comedy and Transfer at The Casbah in San Diego (8:30)

ALSO: Beachwood Rocker’s Society at Crane’s

Thursday: Melissa Ferrick, Jim Bianco, Joey Ryan, and Caitlin Crosby and Jay Nash at The Hotel Cafe (7,9,10,11)…so much great music all night long!

ALSO: The Silent Comedy and Transfer at The Casbah in San Diego (8:30)… I’m driving down if anyone wants to carpool…

ALSO: Purple Melon at Molly Malone’s (10pm)

ALSO: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Echoplex (8:30)

Friday: Bleecker Street featuring Paris Carney and Matthew Jordan at Molly Malone’s (8pm)

ALSO: Basia Bulat, Brother Sal, and Truth & Salvage Co. with The Parsons Red Heads at The Hotel Cafe (8,9,10)…last week was insane…don’t miss out!

ALSO: Brandi Carlile at House of Blues Anaheim (8pm)

ALSO: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Echoplex (8:30)

Saturday: Great Northern at Bootleg (10:30)

ALSO: The Hereafter at Molly Malone’s (9pm)

ALSO: Until June and Lady Danville at Saint Rocke (8pm)

ALSO: The Other Side of Morning at The Loft (10pm)

ALSO: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The Echoplex (8:30)

Sunday: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at The House of Blues Anaheim (8pm)

To Keep in Mind:

March 26th: Nico Vega and Metric at Hollywood Palladium

March 27th: San Diego Indie Fest featuring Metric

March 27th/28th: Bamboozled Left featuring Something Corporate and AFI

April 6th: Paper Tongues at The Troubadour

April 9th: Lights and Owl City at Club Nokia

April 12th: Butch Walker at El Rey

April 16th: George Stanford CD release at The Hotel Café

April 16th-19th: Coachella

Sometime in May: CARNEY at El Rey…just block out the entire month in anticipation…  

June 10-13th: BONNAROO

~ Kristen

T&S Co. at The Hotel Cafe- Residency Night 3

Posted on by Amanda

It’s just really hard to find the words to express how much fun I have whenever I get the opportunity to see these guys. Nights like this remind me why Truth & Salvage Co. is one of my fave LA bands…and there isn’t a better place to see them play than the Hotel Cafe.  Their energy seemed kicked up a notch further last night, perhaps due to the fact that it was Walker’s birthday. They played several of my faves, both old and new, starting with “Hail, Hail” and ending with an encore of “Pure Mountain Angel” (the way it should always be). They also did a fantastic cover of The Band’s “Shape I’m In.”  The typical crowd was there dancing and singing along. They were accompanied by their usual rowdy antics, which this time included a cupcake fight—seriously, icing everywhere! The only thing I’m craving now more than a cupcake is more T&S Co. Fortunately this whole thing will happen again next Friday, the 4th night of the band’s residency at The Hotel Cafe. I hope to see you there!

~ Kristen

T&S Co. at The Hotel Cafe- Residency Night 3

Posted on by Amanda

It’s just really hard to find the words to express how much fun I have whenever I get the opportunity to see these guys. Nights like this remind me why Truth & Salvage Co. is one of my fave LA bands…and there isn’t a better place to see them play than the Hotel Cafe.  Their energy seemed kicked up a notch further last night, perhaps due to the fact that it was Walker’s birthday. They played several of my faves, both old and new, starting with “Hail, Hail” and ending with an encore of “Pure Mountain Angel” (the way it should always be). They also did a fantastic cover of The Band’s “Shape I’m In.”  The typical crowd was there dancing and singing along. They were accompanied by their usual rowdy antics, which this time included a cupcake fight—seriously, icing everywhere! The only thing I’m craving now more than a cupcake is more T&S Co. Fortunately this whole thing will happen again next Friday, the 4th night of the band’s residency at The Hotel Cafe. I hope to see you there!
~ Kristen

Random Musings- Venue Trends

Posted on by Amanda

http://www.mollymalonesla.com/

I’ve been going to Molly Malone’s lately…quite a bit it seems. I was just there last night to see the fantastic Vienne (http://www.myspace.com/vienne ). And incidentally also discovered a compelling new band called Clockwork (http://www.myspace.com/ilikeclockwork ) that will definitely be added to my watch list. I’ll be back at MM’s next Friday for another round of Bleaker Street artists including Matthew Jordan and the amazing Paris Carney.

What’s odd is that before this slew of MM’s shows, it had been a good six months or so since I’d set foot in that bar and a good year since I’d been there on a regular basis (think: Carney residency).

But that’s how things seem to go. Before this Molly Malone’s trend, it seemed as if I was at The Viper Room all the time…although it had taken me about a year before I even entered the doors of that legendary venue.

Aside from The Hotel Cafe where I try to go about once a week, other venues seem to come and go from my life like waves…anyone else ever notice this?

~ Kristen

Several Noteworthy Videos

Posted on by Amanda

So I’ve come across several videos of note this week. All of songs that I wish would be recorded already!

The first video is from my friends, The Elizabeth Kill, and is a great warm-up for the Alice in Wonderland movie coming out this weekend. It’s for a song called “The Great Escape” and features some bits from the movie…it’s going to be trippy!

The second video is from Nico Vega frontwoman, Aja Volkman. I swear this woman can do no wrong! This video is for a song called “Stick of Wax”, an incredibly haunting song sung by such a beautiful voice…a must listen!

Finally, one of my fave SD bands, Dirty Sweet, was supposed to come up to LA and play some acoustic gigs at The Hotel Café…these dates, sadly, seem to have been removed from their calendar in favor of time spent at SXSW followed by a European tour…as a result I’ve been mourning by watching some lovely acoustic Dirty Sweet videos! Here’s one of them, the title track of their forthcoming album (April 6th!!) “American Spiritual”. For more Dirty Sweet videos, check out their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/dirtysweetmusic

~ Kristen