The Kin

Most Exciting News!

Posted on by Amanda

It’s official. One of my favorite venues…ever…is re-opening. The Grape Room (formally Grape Street Pub) is back in its original location on Grape Street in Manayunk, PA (outside Philadelphia). I’ve been hearing about this for awhile now, but it was just officially announced today on local Philly radio station, WMMR 93.3, by Jaxon and one of my very fave local Philly bands, Automatic Fire.

Grape Street was my favorite venue to see all my local bands when I lived around Philly.  Every Thursday, Jaxon used to host his Local Shots, an evening of fantastic local music. This is also the place where I discovered so many amazing bands including The Kin, Alright Junior, Mr. North, and Ludo

Too many amazing memories to even begin to recount!

I believe the place opens up April 1st, but the inaugural show on April 6th is NOT to be missed and features three of the best bands this town has every produced; IKE, Automatic Fire, and Jealousy Curve. If you’re anywhere near the area, you need to go and please report back.

And if you’re ever passing through Philadelphia on your travels, stop by The Grape Room and see some amazing music.

Sorry…no time for links and such (just google it)…busy weekend of music…I’m just so excited I needed to get this out immediately! Such a great thing for local music!!

~ Kristen

I don’t know how I feel about this trend…

Posted on by Amanda

Being on mailing lists for my favorite bands is somewhat of a double edged sword for me. I love keeping up with what is going on in their lives, but I absolutely hate missing out on so many good shows. Every time they play and I can’t be there…it just kills me. This is why I like local bands…

This past week, I received an email from one of my favorite bands, The Kin. It was detailing this show they are going to be doing in New York City next Weds (March 10th) at Webster Hall. It’s a special charity show through FM Charities whose goal is “to increase awareness of common, treatable illness among all populations.” Great cause, great band…only problem is I live in LA and can’t be there…or can I?

In the email they announced that the show is going to be viewable via webcast. So, if I choose I can sit at home that night and watch one of my favorite bands put on an amazing show…via the internet. I guess this is a good thing. I mean, I LOVE The Kin. I’d love to see them every single time they play. I’ll know what songs they play, if they break out any new tunes, if Shakerleg makes an appearance. I’ll be able to hear any in between song banter, stories from the road or from their most recent annual trip to Australia (where they are from).

But, really, it won’t be the same. It won’t feel the same. I won’t be moved by the pulsating beats from the overblown speakers or sense the energy of the audience as they fall in love with every note. I won’t be able to join in the sea of voices as the songs hit that familiar chorus or turn to that stranger next to me and smile when Thorry and Isaac nail that whistle at the end of “Romeo” or begin to introduce “Abraham” as that song about two brothers…come to think of it, it might be MORE painful to watch the spectacle in this detached mode then to not see it at all.

But this seems to be the way things are going. I watched a couple songs from a Joe Firstman set the other day streaming live from some place or another. In a few minutes, I’ll turn on the live stream from a local Philly radio state (Radio104.5) to hear IKE play a couple of tunes live…I guess streaming entire shows is just the next logical step.

So, I think everyone should check out the stream from The Kin’s show next Weds. And let me know how it goes…’cause I’ll be out at The Troubadour that night having a Manchester Orchestra experience.

http://www.thekin.com/

http://www.fmworldcharities.org/events.html

~ Kristen

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

Posted on by Kristen

Happy Labor Day Weekend (whatever that means to you)! I hope you are all able to get out and enjoy the weekend. As for me, I haven’t seen much of the sun in the last couple of days. I’m trying to get some work done in order to clear my schedule for important events happening over the next few weeks.  Fortunately, my writing companion is Biffy Clyro’s Revolutions: Live at Wembley DVD which helps keep me focused…sometimes.
I did see the blue moon Friday night and I celebrated by going to The Hotel Cafe see one of my favorite bands, Truth & Salvage Co. play a secret show under their former name, The Denim Family Band. This filled me with nostalgia as it was the year I moved to LA that I discovered this band and saw them at The Hotel Cafe numerous times. Ah, memories…

More potential musical memories up for grabs this week at the following shows. Obviously, my pick of the week is The Silent Comedy who open for The Heavy at The El Rey on Friday, but here are all my musical recommendations:

Monday: Kitten FREE at Bootleg Bar (10:30)
ALSO: The Lonely Wild FREE at The Satellite (11pm)

 

Tuesday: Voxhaul Broadcast at The Viper Room (9:15)
ALSO: The Muddy Reds at The Central (10pm)
ALSO: My Satellite FREE at Hemingways
ALSO: post-labor day carousal at The Piano Bar featuring Lowlight, Dave Green, Jesse Cole, and Foster Timms (9pm)
ALSO: Gaby Moreno at Largo (8:30)
ALSO: Gotye at The Greek Theatre (7pm)

 

Weds: David & Devine and Armada at The Hotel Cafe (9,10)…Armada’s Record Release Show
ALSO: Makepeace Brothers at WitZend (8pm)

 

Thursday: NO FREE at The Santa Monica Pier (7pm)
ALSO: The Material at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Sweet Talk Radio at The Hotel Cafe (9pm)…Record Release Show
ALSO: The Dollyrots at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: John C Reilly & Friends at Largo (9pm)

 

Friday: The Silent Comedy and The Heavy at The El Rey (8pm)
ALSO: Belmont Lights and SO & SO at The House of Blues (8pm)…Belmont Lights Record Release
ALSO: Holly Conlan, The Young Romans, Madi Diaz at The Hotel Cafe (8,9,10)
ALSO: Crosby, Stills & Nash at The Greek Theatre (7:30)

 

Saturday: Garrison Starr, Adrianne, Maia Sharp at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: The Elizabeth Kill at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Lady Sinatra at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: The Honda Civic Tour at The Home Depot Center featuring MUTEMATH, Incubus, and Linkin Park (5:30)

 

Sunday: The Ataris at The Roxy (10pm)
ALSO: Pink Martini at The Greek Theatre (7:30)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
September 12th: Allen Stone at Hollywood Bowl
September 14th: Teitur at The Hotel Cafe
September 14th: The Hives at The Wiltern
September 19th: Band of Skulls at The Fonda Theatre
September 20th: Howie Day at The Hotel Cafe
September 22nd: Epicenter at Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre
September 22nd: Sondre Lerche at The Troubadour
September 27th: Mary Chapin Carpenter and Sara Watkins at Club Nokia
October 1st: Ed Sheeran at The Wiltern
October 1st: Safety Suit at The Roxy
October 2nd: Garbage at The Hollywood Palladium
October 2nd: The Lumineers at The Fonda Theatre
October 4th: The Milk Carton Kids at The Largo
October 4th-7th: Culture Collide Festival
October 6th: Ben Howard at The Fonda Theatre
October 9th: The Wallflowers and Everest at The Fonda Theatre
October 11th: Awolnation and Imagine Dragons at Club Nokia
October 13th: Marcus Foster at The Roxy
October 16th: First Aid Kit at The Fonda Theatre
October 19th: Tony Lucca at The Roxy
October 19th: Frightened Rabbit at The Troubadour
October 19th: Allen Stone at The Music Box
October 20th: Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers at Saint Rocke
October 23rd: Shiny Toy Guns at The Echoplex
October 24th: The Darkness at Club Nokia
October 25th: Bayside at Club Nokia
October 27th: Queen Caveat at The Roxy
November 2nd: NEEDTOBREATHE at Fox Theater Pomona
November 3rd: All American Rejects at The Wiltern
November 6th: Jens Lekman at Fonda Theatre
November 8th: The Kin at The Roxy
November 16th: Joshua Radin and A Fine Frenzy at The Wiltern
November 20th: The Postelles and Mayday Parade at House of Blues
November 20th: Rachel Yamagata at The El Rey

~ Kristen

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Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 7/26-8/1

Posted on by Kristen

Still struggling with coherency issues so I’m going to keep this short. This week, like last, is jam packed with musical goodness. I’m especially excited about the return of a couple of my favorite bands to LA. Truth & Salvage Co. on Friday at The House of Blues and The Kin on Sunday at Zanzibar in Santa Monica. But really, that’s just the beginning of all the awesomeness going on next week…check it out:
Monday: Soul Puppet at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: Aiden Moore and Abbot Kinney at Molly Malone’s (10,11)…last chance to catch Aiden before he goes off to NYC
ALSO: Mississippi Man FREE at The Echoplex (10pm)
ALSO: Paris Carney and Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (8,9) 

Tuesday: National Rifle at El Cid (?)…Philly band alert!
ALSO: Moving Picture Show FREE at The Viper Room (10pm)
ALSO: Adam Lambert at Pacific Amphitheater (7:30) 

Weds: Bang the Gong Tour featuring Civil Twilight, Paper Tongues, and Neon Trees at The Glass House in Pomona (7pm)
ALSO: Adam Lambert at Pacific Amphitheater (8pm)
ALSO: Purple Melon and Meiko at Pershing Square (8pm)
ALSO: Guggenheim Grotto at The Hotel Café (8pm)
ALSO: Beachwood Rockers Society at Crane’s 

Thursday: Queen Caveat EP Release and Transfer at The Viper Room (10,11)
ALSO: Garrison Starr and Civil Twilight at The Hotel Cafe (8,9) 

Friday: Truth & Salvage Co. at The House of Blues-Sunset (9pm)
ALSO: Dirty Sweet at The Viper Room (10:40)
ALSO: Army of Me and Tyrone Wells at The Hotel Cafe (7,9)
ALSO: Morcheeba at The Hollywood Bowl (8:30) 

Saturday: The Nervous Wreckhords at The Viper Room (9pm)
ALSO: Viza at The Troubadour (11pm)
ALSO: Morcheeba at The Hollywood Bowl (8:30) 

Sunday: Amber Rubarth and The Kin at Zanzibar in Santa Monica (9pm)
ALSO: Terra Naomi at The Hotel Cafe (9pm) 

To Keep in Mind:
August 6th: Endoxi CD release at Epicentre (SD)
August 12th: Semi Precious Weapons at Staples Center
August 21st and 22nd: Sunset Junction
September 4th: After Midnight Project at The Key Club
September 25th: Band of Horses at Greek Theater
September 25th: Muse at Staples Center
October 1st: Brandi Carlile and The Avett Brothers at Nokia Theater LA Live
October 13th: Frightened Rabbit at The Mayan Theater
December 11th: The Black Crowes and Truth & Salvage Co. at Hollywood Palladium

~ Kristen

Kristen’s Concert Calendar: 4/19-4/25

Posted on by Kristen

Due to the demands of Coachella, this week’s concer calendar is a bit…underdeveloped…  I was going to try to post a more complete version, but I realized that by the time I flushed it all out, it would be the end of the week already. And that’s just not acceptable. Especially considering the Nico Vega/Semi Precious Weapons face-melting that will occur Weds night at The Roxy…highly recommend advanced tickets for this one folks!
Here’s my brief list (and certainly enough to keep anyone busy and sleep deprived).

Monday: Juke Kartel at The Hotel Cafe
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm) 

Tuesday: Taylor Locke and the Roughs at The Viper Room

Weds: Nico Vega and Semi Precious Weapons at The Roxy with after party at The Viper Room…NOT to be missed!
ALSO: Foxy Shazam at The Troubadour
ALSO: Glee Tour at the Gibson Amphitheater 

Thursday: Wartapes at Silverlake Lounge
ALSO: Shelby Lynn at The Roxy
ALSO: Glee Tour at the Gibson Amphitheater
ALSO: Honeyhoney at The Hotel Cafe 

Friday: Killola and Sick of Sarah at The Roxy

Saturday: Get Back Loretta at The Roxy (On the Rox)
ALSO: The Elizabeth Kill at Libertine
ALSO: Jennifer Knapp at The Mint 

Sunday: Jason Castro at The Troubadour

To Keep in Mind:

May 2nd: The Kin at The Hotel Cafe
May 4th: Greg Laswell at The Troubadour
May 15th: Carney at The El Rey   
May 15th: 30 Seconds to Mars at The Greek Theater
May 20th: Queen Caveat at The Viper Room
May 28th: The Silent Comedy and Dirty Sweet at North Park Theater (in SD)
June 6th: Mumford & Sons with The Silent Comedy at BellyUp (in SD)
June 10-13th: BONNAROO (in Tennessee)
July 10th: Lilith Fair

~ Kristen