The Slightlys | Twilight Concert | Santa Monica Pier | 7/31/14 [PHOTOS & REVIEW]

CLICK HERE to check out other acts performing a Twilight Concert at the Santa Monica Pier!

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Opening for De Lux and Omar Souleyman was a local band named The Slightlys. Performing in a local “battle of the bands” contest, they won their right to play the pier after weeks of competition.

This preteen band (the oldest member of the band is only 18) took the stage and put on a very impressive show. Their sound was clean and their stage presence was impressive. If they had jitters, it wasn’t noticeable. I was particularly impressed with the catchy hooks of several of their songs. Their music reminded me a little bit of mix of Fall Out Boy and Jellyfish.

Whoever picked them as the winner of the competition picked well. Only time will tell if this band will stick together to record and play more music, after all, it’s tough to keep a band together especially when college is around the corned. Hopefully, they keep making music and developing their sound.

Follow The Slightlys on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

I had a couple chances to take some actions shots, but I was woefully unprepared as I think I set my aperture too wide and parts of the action in the pics were too blurry. Oh well, you live and you learn.

 

CLICK HERE to check out other acts performing a Twilight Concert at the Santa Monica Pier!

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Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier

Free Concert Alert | Jagwar Ma & Fascinator at the Santa Monica Pier | 8/7/14 [Preview]

CLICK HERE to check out the other acts I plan on checking out this Summer at the Twilight Concert Series at the Santa Monica Pier!

Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier

On Thursday, July 31st the fifth concert of Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Concert Series features Jagwar Ma;  an Australian psychedelic/dance band from in Sydney. I first saw this band perform live at Coachella this year. Their debut album “Howlin'”, with their neo-psychedlic, dance out, received high praise, and they are currently working on their sophomore album.

Their music reminds me of the Stone Roses, and I really, really dig their sound. I snapped a few decent pics of them at Coachella this year, but I’m hoping to do better this time around.

Follow Jagwar Ma on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Also performing on the pier, opening for Jagwar Ma, is the New York based band Fascinator. I’m not too familiar with this band, but they’ve seem to got the same vibe as Jagwar Ma, so it should be a full evening to trippy music to enjoy at the pier.

Follow Fascinator on Facebook by clicking HERE.

To see the full list of acts performing at the Santa Monica Pier as part of the 20th Annual Twilight Concert series, CLICK HERE.

CLICK HERE to check out the other acts I plan on checking out this Summer at the Twilight Concert Series at the Santa Monica Pier!

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Your Weekly Weekend Music Mix | 8/1/14 [MUSIC NEWS]

MONSTER MASH UP: WHITE STRIPES AND EURYTHMICS

This mash up of the Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams” and the White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” is pretty bad ass.

MUSIC INSTA-BABE: ST. VINCENT

Quirky and cute, I think St. Vincent is a babe. She hardly posts any “selfies” on her Instagram (which is a good things, but research shows that people who posts tons of selfies tend to have tons of personal issues), but you should add her and check out the photos her fans tag of her. Follow this beauty on Instagram: @St_Vincent

FEATURED LIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

I’m pretty pumped to be seeing Reignwolf live at the Troubadour on August 13th. I’m still trying to get approved for a photo pass for the show, but it won’t stop me from rocking my ass off. I’m so pumped, I had to share this live performance he did for KEXP in Seattle. So bad-ass

PAYING TRIBUTE WITH ART

How better to honor The Beastie Boys than to put up a mural at the site of the original “Paul’s Boutique”. A very cool gesture.

IF YOU LOVE JEFF BUCKLEY AS MUCH AS I DO…

You need to CLICK THIS LINK and listen to the episode of KCRW’s “Unfictional” titled “The Grace of Jeff Buckley”. I’m still yearning for more music from him, even though I know there never will be.

MUSIC NEWS/STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

Lorde is curing the sound track to Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1. I think it’ll be interesting to see whether her taste in music is as good as her own music.

Consquence of Sound summarized A GQ Magazine feature titled “The 21 Albums from the 21st Century Every Man Should Hear”. It’s a great list with a some interesting opinions from some popular recording artists.

The Foo Fighters announced that their next LP will be released in November. Butch Vig (the legendary rock producer) call it “Epic”. Anxious doesn’t even begin to describe what I’m feeling.

If you go to a Jack White concert, DON’T PISS HIM OFF!!!!

I know a lot of shady people in the music business, but this story takes the cake. Conning investors out of $600K for a compilation album featuring Arcade Fire, Pearl Jam, etc.? How’d this think he’d never get caught?

THE YOUTUBE MUSIC VAULT

I was never that big of a Grateful Dead fan, but I love “Sugar Magnolia”. Plus, my college a cappella group covered it.

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Free Concert Alert | Nikki Lane & Wynonna and the Big Noise | KCRW’s “Country In The City” Concert Series | 8/2/14 [Preview]

CLICK HERE To Check Out The Blog Entries Of The Other Acts Performing At KCRW’s “Country In the City” Concert Series

Photo courtesy of KCRW and shot by Jeremiah Garcia
Photo courtesy of KCRW and shot by Jeremiah Garcia

KCRW returns to Century Park in Century City this summer for FREE all-ages outdoor concerts inspired by theAnnenberg Space for Photography’s newest exhibit,“Country: Portraits of an American Sound,“ which will be on display through September 28th, 2014.

You can RSVP for the shows on the KCRW website. CLICK HERE to get redirected to the website.

On Saturday, July 26th, KRCW welcomes “the greatest female country singer since Patsy Clin”, 5 time grammy award winning recording artist Wynonna Judd. To have her grace the stage in Century Park will be a can’t miss treat for all southern California country fans.

Follow Wynonna on Facebook by CLICKING HERE to get redirected to her fan page.

Also performing on the pier, opening for Wynonna, is singer songwriter, Nikki Lane. With her sophomore album “All Or Nothin” produced by The Black Keys’ frontman Dan Auerbach,  her sound is a throwback to the nostalgic sounds of country music. I’ve only had a little sampling of her music, but from what I’ve sampled, it’s a fun romp through country music.

Follow Nikki Lane on Facebook by CLICKING HERE

CLICK HERE To Check Out The Blog Entries Of The Other Acts Performing At KCRW’s “Country In the City” Concert Series

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Lecrae | BET Experience: Music Matters | 6/29/14 [PHOTOS]

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE OTHER PERFORMANCES THAT I CAUGHT DURING THE BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE

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On the second day of the BET Experience at L.A. Live, I decided to watch the various acts performing on the main stage of the convention center. Each of the acts performed short sets to give the audience a sampling of what their music was all about.

The last act I was able to catch at the BET Experience music festival was Lecrae; a Christian rapper who has amassed quite a loyal fan base through his crunk beats and his verses on Christ.

With a new album scheduled for release on September 9th, his 7th album titled “Anomoly”, there little doubt that he will soon be charting on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart before the year’s end.

Check out Lecrae’s Facebook page to keep up with her music. CLICK HERE to get redirected to Facebook.

CLICK HERE to check out a collection of Instagram videos of most, if not all, of the songs Lecrae performed at this concert.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE OTHER PERFORMANCES THAT I CAUGHT DURING THE BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE

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Elle Varner | BET Experience: Music Matters | 6/29/14 [PHOTOS]

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE OTHER PERFORMANCES THAT I CAUGHT DURING THE BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE

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On the second day of the BET Experience at L.A. Live, I decided to watch the various acts performing on the main stage of the convention center. Each of the acts performed short sets to give the audience a sampling of what their music was all about.

The fifth act I was able to catch was Elle Varner; an R&B artist who emerged during the early 2010s, whose single “Refill” charted in March 2012. Her debut album, “Perfectly Imperfect”, was one of the only female R&B albums that I purchased that year.

Currently working on her sophomore album, she recently released a single titled “Don’t Wanna Dance” featuring A$AP Ferg. If her follow up is anything like her debut, I’ll be sure to pick up a copy of it to add it to my collection.

Check out Elle’s Facebook page to keep up with her music. CLICK HERE to get redirected to Facebook.

CLICK HERE to check out a collection of Instagram videos of most, if not all, of the songs Elle Varner performed at this concert.

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE OTHER PERFORMANCES THAT I CAUGHT DURING THE BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE

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Shelby Lynne | KCRW’s “Country In The City” | 7/26/14 [PHOTOS & REVIEW]

CLICK HERE To Check Out The Blog Entries Of The Other Acts Performing At KCRW’s “Country In the City” Concert Series

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Headlining the second concert of the County In The City concert series, inspired by The Annenberg Space for Photography’s newest exhibit, “Country: Portraits of an American Sound,” was Grammy Award winning, country recording artist Shelby Lynne.

I found out about her and her music when she gave her now legendary Grammy Award acceptance speech in 1999 for Best New Artist. “13 years, and 6 albums to get here,” she said. It still gets me everytime.

A prolific recording artist, she has recorded 13 studio albums, and a handful of EPs, her latest effort being a 5 track EP released on December 10, 2013 through her own independent record label Everso Records. With so much music under her belt, her set consisted of music covering her entire career.

Opening her set with the heart-wringer “Your Lies”, then performing the first song she ever wrote, “Leaving”, covering a tune by Dusty Springfield, to performing “Life Is Bad” and “Where I’m From” (off her seminal album “I Am Shelby Lynne”), it was a concert filled with her “greatest hits”, and the crowd ate it up.

Perhaps the most poignant moments of her performance was when she sang songs for the heartbroken. The emotion espoused through her impassioned  lyrics, sung with her seemingly delicate contralto voice, left the audience moved. It may have been the lighting, but I could swear I could even see her eyes well up during several of the songs.

As an added treat, Shelby was able to get Jonathan and Zach of Jamestown Revival to come onstage to join her for the last song of her set (a cover of Neil Young’s “Are You Ready for the Country”). Reading lyrics from an iPhone, it was a light and carefree performance that brought the stellar acts of the evening onto the stage to bid the crowd goodnight.

Set List

  1. Your Lies
  2. Leaving
  3. Life is bad
  4. Easier
  5. I Only Want to Be With You
  6. Gotta Get Back
  7. Why Can’t You
  8. Look’n Up
  9. She Knows
  10. Should’ve Been
  11. Dreamsome
  12. Black Light Blue
  13. Wind
  14. Where I’m From
  15. Call me up
  16. This Road
  17. Walking
  18. Are You Ready for the Country — Neil Young cover with Jamestown Revival

It was a joy being in the pit shooting Shelby. I hope you like the the pics that I snapped. I sure like ’em.

 

CLICK HERE To Check Out The Blog Entries Of The Other Acts Performing At KCRW’s “Country In the City” Concert Series

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Jamestown Revival | KCRW’s “Country In The City” | 7/26/14 [PHOTOS & REVIEW]

CLICK HERE To Check Out The Blog Entries Of The Other Acts Performing At KCRW’s “Country In the City” Concert Series

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Opening for Shelby Lynne at the second concert of the County In The City concert series, inspired by The Annenberg Space for Photography’s newest exhibit,“Country: Portraits of an American Sound,” was Jamestown Revival.

Founded by Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance (best friends since the age of 15), Jamestown Revival is a band whose music blends tight harmonies with west coast melodies and a southern twang.

Their most recent album, “Utah” (which was, in fact, recorded in Utah!) is a solid debut album, with tracks that are skillfully written and reveal their heady grasp of a vast array of musical genres. Country. Folk. Rock… the 11 tracks on their album suggest that they have what it takes to break into the mainstream. Their live show proved it.

Backed with full band, Jonathan and Zach dazzled the audience with their upbeat music, and their grateful personalities.  In between songs, reaching for the beers at their feet, they seemed to revel in being able to perform in front of a large audience, and for being given a chance to be a part of the KCRW family.

“I remember when our manager called and told us we’d be on morning become eclectic,” Jonathan said shaking his head side-to-side as if he was still in disbelief, “Zach and I have dreamed about doing this since we were 15.” The crowd’s cheers brought him back to reality.

Before the last song of their set, Jonathan told the audience that though he and Zach are from Texas, California had become a second home to them. In a fitting end, as the sun set in the west, they started into their song inspired by their life in the Golden State with “California (Cast Iron Soul)”. It really couldn’t have been more perfect. Hopefully, they don’t go home too soon, though (<-you should pay attention to lyrics!) I want to see them play more shows in Los Angeles.

Set List:

  1. Fur Coat Blues
  2. Revival
  3. Medicine
  4. Golden Age
  5. Wandering Man
  6. Heavy Heart
  7. Trouble Is
  8. Born on the Bayou (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)
  9. California (Cast Iron Soul)

CLICK HERE To Check Out The Blog Entries Of The Other Acts Performing At KCRW’s “Country In the City” Concert Series

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Nina Diaz | Alex’s Bar | 7/25/14 [PHOTOS]

One of my favorite female rock vocalists is Nina Diaz. Usually the front woman for the punk rock band Girl In A Coma, she’s decided to take a little hiatus from the band to record some music solo. The results are a set of music that is wrought with emotional expressions of melody that act as confessional. Continue reading →

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Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier

Free Concert Alert | Omar Souleyman & De Lux at the Santa Monica Pier | 7/31/14 [Preview]

CLICK HERE to check out the other acts I plan on checking out this Summer at the Twilight Concert Series at the Santa Monica Pier!

Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier

On Thursday, July 31st the fourth concert of Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Concert Series features Omar Souleyman is a musician from the northeastern region of Syria. His music, traditional Middle Eastern songs in Kurdish and Arabic, incorporates various musical styles like dabke, folk and electronica.

I wanted to check out his set at FYF Fest in 2013, but as his set time was delayed, I missed his performance in order to check out some other bands. A close friend of mine who stayed until he took the stage told me the next day that Omar’s set was incredible, and that I was a fool for missing it. Oi … <sound of heart breaking> ….

Needless to say, I am beyond thrilled that I will be in the audience for his performance at the pier. For those of you with an eclectic taste in music, I highly recommend emerging yourself in the seductive and rhythmic sounds of the middle east with Omar this coming Thursday.

Also performing on the pier, opening for Omar Souleyman, is the Los Angeles based “post-disco dance-punk” DIY duo De Lux. Having been compared to bands like The Talking Heads and LCD Soundsystem, I’m looking forward to hearing this band for the first time to see what they have to offer.

Follow De Lux on Facebook by clicking HERE.

To see the full list of acts performing at the Santa Monica Pier as part of the 20th Annual Twilight Concert series, CLICK HERE.

CLICK HERE to check out the other acts I plan on checking out this Summer at the Twilight Concert Series at the Santa Monica Pier!

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