The Silent Comedy

Kristen’s Top 10 Bands to See SXSW 2012

Posted on by Kristen

We started the morning in Wilcox, Arizona. Drove 12 hours to get to Austin and immediately went to the Pure Volume House for its Late Night show featuring LMN faves Dead Sara and Foxy Shazam. What a fantastic way to begin SXSW 2012! Tomorrow officially begins the madness, so I thought I’d share with you my top 10 picks for the week:

  1. Twin Atlantic- if there is one band I try to see every time they play in Austin it will be Scottish rockers, Twin Atlantic. No matter that I’ve seen them three times in the past month. Their CD, Free, has a problem leaving my car stereo. Catch them at The British Embassy (512 San Jacinto) Friday night at 11pm.

2. Queen Caveat– This dynamic rock quartet from LA just released a new EP, Slap on the Wrist, and I cannot wait to see them turn heads and make even more new fans with their energetic live performance. Check them out at The ATN Showcase at The Bayou Lounge (500 E 6th St) Friday night at 10pm

3. The Silent Comedy– There is no greater joy than dancing with friends at a The Silent Comedy show. Some of my best memories from SXSW 2011 surround this folk-rocking band from San Diego. Only makes sense that 2012 will be a repeat. See them play the rooftop at Whole Foods Friday at 5:15.

4. The Milk Carton Kids- missing a Milk Carton Kids show is simply not acceptable in my book. This duo sing songs so beautiful my heart melts every time. They are only playing one show, The Hotel Café showcase at St. David’s (301 E 8th St.) Friday night. The line-up at this show also boasts other LMN faves such as Meiko, The Lumineers, LP, and Rachel Yamagata. The Milk Carton Kids play at 9pm.

 

5. We Are Augustines- I’ve been meaning to see this NYC-based band for some time now. I am MOST excited to finally get the opportunity in Austin. Their first show is 10pm Tuesday night at Antone’s (213 W 5th St). Seems like a great way to start the week to me…

6. Tournament of Hearts– Tournament of Hearts is my pick for best unknown band to check out. That’s what SXSW is all about, right? These rockers from LA are in Austin to show the industry that they are a band to watch. Watch them at The Bayou Lounge Thursday at noon (500 E 6th St)

7. Glen Hansard- The Swell Season puts on one of the best shows I have ever seen. It’s something about the way Glen can convey such emotion in his songs. I’m looking forward to seeing him solo Thursday 3:30 at Antone’s (213 W 5th St.)

8. Maverick Sabre- Two years ago Maverick Sabre captivated me with his song “I Need”. This past year this Englishman finally released his full length album which I looove.  I saw he was playing sxsw this year an instantly blocked out my schedule. Catch him at The British Embassy Saturday night at 11pm.

9. Marcus Foster– Marcus Foster has already sold out two shows at The Hotel Café later this month. I failed to get a ticket so I must catch him at SXSW. I’m aiming for 9pm Weds night at Maggie Mae’s Rooftop (323 E 6th St).

 

10. Dead Sara- Dead Sara has been one of my favorites for some time now. Their debut album comes out in April and they are already getting so much buzz they can no longer play smaller venues in LA. SXSW may be the last time I get to see them up close in awhile. Can’t miss that! Catch them play alongside some other fantastic LA bands at the Buzzbands showcase at Freehouse (700 W 6th St.) 1:30 Weds afternoon.

 

 

As for tomorrow, some anticipated highlights include We Are Augustines (10pm) and Band of Skulls (11pm) at Antone’s (213 W 5th St) and fiN at The British Music Emassy (Latitude 30- 512 San Jacinto)

 

Ok, now time for my 3 hour “nap”

 

~ Kristen

The Silent Comedy on Dead Feather Moon

Posted on by Amanda

It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t ask The Silent Comedy about their thoughts on Dead Feather Moon. This comes just in time for their show (also featuring The Howls) at the Belly Up this Thursday 3/8. Tickets are still available and you should get one. Now.

Also, you know it’s going to be big when The Silent Comedy brings the horns and strings

LMN: Band on Band- The Silent Comedy on Dead Feather Moon

Multiple Choice:

What would be Dead Feather Moon’s breakfast of choice: coffee, breakfast burrito, fruit platter, whiskey, never up early enough to eat breakfast

Definitely whiskey! Whiskey in a plastic bottle to be precise. They introduced us to it.

Which band has the nicest hair: The Silent Comedy, The Howls, Dead Feather Moon

It has to be DFM. They have more variety. They’ve got long hair, short, and even the sexy bald look… I wish it was us, but I have to be honest.

Show Drink: Whiskey, PBR, Fruity Girly Drink, Aged Scotch, Water

Whiskey and PBR definitely. Fruity Girly Drink will never be found on a DFM stage.

Fill in the Blank:
Suppose Dead Feather Moon landed in the world of The Wizard of Oz. Who would be who? (You can have multiples of the same character)

I totally don’t know those guys well enough to answer that…

• Dorothy:

• Scarecrow:

• Tin Man:

• Cowardly Lion:

• Wicked Witch:

• Glenda the Good Witch:

• Wizard of Oz:

• Toto:

The tv show or cartoon that Dead Feather Moon should make a cameo in would be.

Scooby Doo

Something we would like to steal from Dead Feather Moon is:

Badass Rock n Roll songs

Essay: (Pick 1 to answer)

What are you most looking forward to about Dead Feather Moon’s set at The Belly Up?

They did their song “Everything I Haven’t Said” acoustically for our Homestead Sessions recently, and I am really looking forward to seeing the full band version. (edit: you can watch that video here)

Amanda’s SD Concert Calendar 3/5-3/11

Posted on by Amanda

I can’t believe next Sunday Kristen and I depart for SXSW! Since the festival is fast approaching, so many SXSW artists are coming through San Diego on their way to Austin. Lots of local San Diego bands are gearing up for the drive as well. Favorites like Ivan and Aloysha are playing Soda Bar tomorrow night, The Silent Comedy, Dead Feather Moon, and The Howls at The Belly Up on Thursday, Stone Foxes at The Casbah on Friday and let’s not forget Fierce Creatures on Sunday at Tin Can Alehouse! That doesn’t even begin to cover the half of it! Whew.

Monday: The Twilight Sad @ Casbah @9 $10
AND: The Broken Column @ Soda Bar @9 $5

Tuesday: Ivan and Alyosha @ Soda Bar @9 $5
AND: A Scribe Amidst The Lions @ Eleven @9 $5
AND: Flogging Molly @ House of Blues @7 $35/$45

Wednesday: Republic of Letters, The Henry Clay People, and Weatherbox @ Casbah @9 $8
AND: John Heart Jackie @ Soda Bar @830 $5
AND: River City @ Riviera Supper Club @9

Thursday: The Silent Comedy, Dead Feather Moon, and The Howls @ Belly Up @9 $15
AND: William Fitzsimmons @ Anthology @7
AND: Maren Parusel, Italian Japanese, and Low Volts @ Casbah @9 $8
AND: Old Tiger @ Riviera Supper Club @9

Friday: The Stone Foxes @ Casbah @9 $10/$12
AND: Saul Williams @ Soda Bar @830 $15

Saturday: The Gallery @ Spring Forward Festival @2
AND: The Heavy Guilt and The Beautiful View @ Casbah @9 $10/$12
AND: Puddle of Mudd @ Sycuan @8 $35/$45
AND: Josh Damigo @ Lestats @8

Sunday: Crocodiles @ Casbah @9 $12
AND: Fierce Creatures @ Tin Can Alehouse @10 $5
Keep in Mind:
March 13th-18th- SXSW!
March 16th- For The Sender @ Lestats
March 17th- Tyler Hilton @ Lestats
March 18th- Puscifer @ California Center for the Arts Escondido
March 19th- Kaiser Chiefs @ Belly Up @9
March 20th- Ani DeFranco @ House of Blues
March 21st- Cults @ Belly Up @9
March 21st- Lumineers @ Casbah
March 22nd- Cartel @ Soma
March 23rd- The Ting Tings @ House of Blues
March 26th- Imagine Dragons @ 710 Beach Club
March 30th- Into It Over It @ Soma
March 31st- Henry Rollins @ SD Women’s Club $27.50
April 4th0- Hunter Hayes @ House of Blues
April 7th- Transfer and The Blackout Party @ Belly Up
April 13th- Coachella Weekend 1
April 15th- Rise Against @ Viejas Arena
April 16th- Elvis Costello @ Humphreys
April 17th- The Hives @ Belly Up
April 20th- Coachella Weekend 2
May 2nd- Say Anything @ House of Blues
May 4th- Thrice @ House of Blues
May 5th- Portugal. The Man @ 4th and B
May 12th- Delta Spirit @ Belly Up
June 3rd- Mogwai @ Belly Up

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 3/5-3/11

Posted on by Kristen

Last week, my evenings were largely devoted to SXSW prep. I’d like to say the same for this week, but there are just too many good shows. Dan Wilson (my fave songwriter) is playing three shows at The Hotel Cafe along with Rachel Yamagata, Queen Caveat has their EP release show Thursday, and Friday night The Strip delivers the powerful one, two punch of Twin Atlantic at The Viper Room and Nico Vega with Street Drum Corps at The Roxy. And honestly, that’s just the beginning of the great shows this week in LA. Here are the rest of my suggestions:

Monday: Dan Wilson and Rachel Yamagata at The Hotel Cafe (two shows 7 & 10:30)
ALSO: Ivan and Alyosha and NO FREE at The Echo (9pm)…start of a March residency for NO
ALSO: It’s a School Night at Bardot featuring Madi Diaz, Robert Francis, Peach Kings (9pm)…FREE with RSVP http://www.itsaschoolnight.com/losangeles/
ALSO: Scars on 45 at The Troubadour (10pm)
ALSO: Maniac FREE at Harvard & Stone (10:30)
ALSO: The Janks FREE at Bootleg Bar (10pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Tuesday: The Silent Comedy and Daniel Bedingfield at The Hard Rock Cafe (8:30)…SXSW kickoff party
ALSO: Dan Wilson and Rachel Yamagata at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)

 

Weds: Leah Siegel of Firehorse, Adrianne (record release show), and Infantree at The Hotel Cafe (8,9,10)

 

Thursday: The Dollyrots and Queen Caveat (EP release) at The Viper Room (9, 11)
ALSO: The Active Set, Bethpage Black, Crash Kings at The Troubadour (8pm)
ALSO: Harper Blynn, Rocco Deluca (record release), and The Gallery at The Hotel Cafe (9, 10, 11)
ALSO: Chris Wilson and Filligar at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: So & So at WitZend (9pm)

 

Friday: William Fitzsimmons at The Troubaour (10pm)
ALSO: Vanaprasta at The Bootleg Bar (11pm)
ALSO: Harris Grade at Amplyfi
ALSO: Javier Dunn at Room 5 (10pm)
ALSO: Justin Hopkins at WitZend (10pm)

 

Saturday: Twin Atlantic at The Viper Room (9:30)
ALSO: Nico Vega and Street Drum Corps at The Roxy (10:30)
ALSO: The Material at Amplyfi (10:30)
ALSO: Rosie and Me at The Hotel Cafe (7pm)
ALSO: Punch Brothers at The El Rey (8pm)

 

Sunday: The Aussie BBQ at The Echo featuring Austrailian music and free BBQ (12:30pm)… http://www.attheecho.com/2012/02/02/sunday-03-11-12-aussie-bbq-echo/

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)
March 14th: The Pretty Reckless at The HOB Sunset
March 16th: Guster at Largo
March 18th: Dia Frampton at The Troubadour
March 20th: Needtobreathe and Ben Rector at Club Nokia
March 20th: War on Drugs at Avalon
March 21st: Boyce Avenue and Tournament of Hearts at Avalon
March 22nd: The Lumineers at The Hotel Café
March 23rd: Truth & Salvage Co. at The Troubadour
March 24th: Ani DiFranco at The Orpheum Theater
March 24th and 25th: Allen Stone at The Troubadour
March 30th: All American Rejects at The Troubadour
March 31st: Tyrone Wells at The Roxy
April 1st: Charlotte Martin at The Bootleg Bar
April 10th: Neon Trees at The Troubadour
April 11th: Mike Doughty at Bootleg Theater
April 12th: Joseph Arthur at The Largo
April 19th: Foxy Shazam at The Roxy
April 13th-15th AND 20th– 22nd: Coachella
April 25th: Ben Kweller at The El Rey
April 27th: Ingrid Michaelson at The Troubadour
May 2nd: Cage the Elephant at The Mayan
May 8th: Snow Patrol at The Hollywood Palladium
May 10th: Jay Nash at The Hotel Cafe
May 11th: Imagine Dragons at The Troubadour
June 3rd: Deas Vail at The Troubadour
June 5th: Ben Howard at The Troubadour
June 13th and 14th: Phantom Planet at The Troubadour
June 16th: Thrice at Club Nokia

 

~ Kristen

http://www.localmusicnation.net/

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

Dead Feather Moon on The Howls

Posted on by Amanda

As mentioned in a previous post, The Silent Comedy, Dead Feather Moon, and The Howls are gearing up to blow the roof off The Belly Up Tavern. I’m super stoked to see Dead Feather Moon in the lineup. They get better and better every time I see them. I’m not sure if it’s the slide guitar or the overall tone of the band that I enjoy so much. Either way, Dead Feather Moon is one enchanting band to watch. We asked their thoughts on The Howls. Below are the answers!

LMN: Band on Band- Dead Feather Moon on The Howls

Multiple Choice:

What would be The Howls breakfast of choice: coffee, breakfast burrito, fruit platter, whiskey, never up early enough to eat breakfast?

They never get up early enough to eat breakfast. All the dudes are really laid back, down-to-earth cats. I see them sleeping in, possibly recovering from the night before and starting the day with lunch.

Which band has the nicest hair: The Silent Comedy, The Howls, Dead Feather Moon?

I have to go with The Silent Comedy on this one. I feel like if I went with either of the other bands, I would have to deal with ten pounds of angry hair and one huge pissed-off moustache. That’s just frightening…

Show Drink: Whiskey, PBR, Fruity Girly Drink, Aged Scotch, Water

I feel like I’ve seen John drinking a PBR. Either that or I just had so many PBR’s myself that I imagined him holding one.

Fill in the Blank:

Suppose The Howls landed in the world of The Wizard of Oz. Who would be who? (You can have multiples of the same character)

Dude, I haven’t seen this movie since I was a child. And I don’t really feel comfortable referring to another dude as a witch or a coward. 

The tv show or cartoon that The Howls should make a cameo in would be ____________________.

Jersey Shore. Why? Because sometimes I watch Jersey Shore and I want to see The Howls GTL for a day.

Something we would like to steal from The Howls is: ___________________________.

Their keyboard with the cool boombox speakers on it.

Essay: (Pick 1 to answer)

Best prank to pull on The Howls?

I can’t give that away. They’ll have to wait and find out!

LMN: Band on Band: The Howls on The Silent Comedy

Posted on by Amanda

Not loo long ago, this ‘little’ San Diego band called The Howls just sold out The Casbah for their cd release show. Also prone to selling out The Casbah is a ‘not so little anymore’ band called The Silent Comedy. On March 8th, these two amazing bands will be joining forces along with Dead Feather Moon at… The Belly Up! Get your tickets here!

We are super pumped for this show! And knowing how close all the bands are, thought it would be a fun idea to have the bands answer some questions about each other before the show gets underway. We decided to have The Howls answer some questions about The Silent Comedy. Below is their answers.

LMN: Band on Band- The Howls on The Silent Comedy

Multiple Choice:

What would be The Silent Comedy’s breakfast of choice: coffee, breakfast burrito, fruit platter, whiskey, never up early enough to eat breakfast

Ne’er up early

Which band has the nicest hair: The Silent Comedy, The Howls, Dead Feather Moon

I’m gonna have to go with us (no offense none taken). Myself excluded, our guys have their act together up top. I’m jealous of them all. Honorable mention goes to Justen of dead feather, he’s been looking real classy as of late.

Show Drink: Whiskey, PBR, Fruity Girly Drink, Aged Scotch, Water

We’re all whisky and PBR men.

 

Fill in the Blank:

Suppose The Silent Comedy landed in the world of The Wizard of Oz. Who would be who? (You can have multiples of the same character)

Dorothy:

Wizard

Scarecrow:

Of

Tin Man:

Oz

Cowardly Lion:

Scared

Wicked Witch:

Me

Glenda the Good Witch:

As

Wizard of Oz:

A

Toto:

Child

The tv show or cartoon that The Silent Comedy should make a cameo in would be?

Scooby Doo

Something we would like to steal from The Silent Comedy is:

Endless energy

 

Essay: (Pick 1 to answer)

What are you most looking forward to about The Silent Comedy’s set at The Belly Up?

The part where we unplug everything mid set and watch them make magic regardless.

Best prank to pull on The Silent Comedy?

See answer above

 

Valentine’s Day Playlist: Honorable Mentions- Part 2

Posted on by Amanda

As promised, my honorable mentions list.

Honorable Mentions: Amanda

Loneliness: Medicate- AFI

Let’s see, a song about medicating, being numb, and someone who doesn’t even know your name. Yep, that’s pretty sad.

Tease: Dare Me- Pointer Sisters

I grew up listening to the likes of The Pointer Sisters, The Coasters, and other such oldies. I have to say, I like it when a lady dares a guy because she knows she can take him on. The real question is, can he handle her?

Sexy: Mr. Sinister- Scarlet Grey

One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite LA bands and while it isn’t ‘sexy’ in terms of being a song about sex, it feels sexy to me. Maybe it’s the guitar. Maybe it’s about someone sinister. It might just be the lyric, ‘he’ll help you take off your dress, insist there’s more to confess.’ Is that a promise?

Puppy Love: The Way It Is- Th’ Moonlight Sexy

Sadly, Th’ Moonlight Sexy no longer exists and neither does this song on the interwebs. I can however, link you to their old Myspace and you can listen to their other tunes. I know it’s a cop out but I got nothing….

http://www.myspace.com/springfieldrock

Sprung: Dirty Little Secret- The All American Rejects

You want me but you don’t want to tell anyone about me? Well sir, it sounds like you just want me for my body and all it’s capable of doing. I might be ok with that.

Creepy Love: I Will Follow Him- Peggy March

This might be more a song about devotion and true love but in today’s day and age, a song about following a guy no matter what reads ‘stalker.’

Unrequited Love: About A Girl- The Academy Is…

So wait, this song isn’t about a girl you’re secretly in love with? Oh wait, you just don’t want to admit it. Keep telling yourself you aren’t in love. Let’s see how long that lasts. P.S. I totally relate

Proclamation: There She Goes- Carney

Something about Carney just oozes sex. So when they start telling you they secretly love you, how could you not go weak at the knees for this? Sigh.

In Love: The Brute and The Beast- Fierce Creatures

I remember the day when Fierce Creatures came knocking on my little blog door and said ‘hey, check us out.’ It’s been love since then much like this velvety soft song.

Tragic Love: Daisy- The Silent Comedy

Sadly this song doesn’t get a lot of playtime but it’s always been a favorite of mine. Hey Daisy, just add some salt to the wound. It makes for a good song.

Post Break Up: Miserable At Best- Mayday Parade

Love sucks. Love hurts. Sometimes the best you can be is miserable. Mayday Parade understands your pain.

It’s Just Another Day: Haight St.- Anberlin

‘Let’s you and me, make a night of this. Old enough to know but too young to care.’ Hark, I hear my lost adolescence calling me! I suppose that’s why this song has a sweet spot with me.

 

And now we end all talk of Valentine’s Day! Until next year…