THOUGHTS:A singer-songwriter whose mellow sounds could serve one well in the bedroom. He performed in the Echo Park Methodist Church. The venue is not performance friendly. It was a warm day, and the church as muggy as all hell. I got to his set a little late, and there were already photographers there. I was about to start taking some photos, when one of the photographers said that he was “good to go” and that it was “okay to turn the lights back down.” Bummer for me, cause I couldn’t really take any decent shots once they dimmed the house light. Oh well … you snooze, you lose, I guess.
Members: Jeremy Earl, Jarvis Taveniere, Aaron Neveu, John Andrews
SOUNDS LIKE:
THOUGHTS:Solid, Psychadelic-folk rock. The whole time I watched them perform, I kept thinking to myself that I had heard of them before. When I got home, and searched the web, I was reminded that they released a highly acclaimed album back in 2009 titled “Songs of Shame.” Apparently, I had lost track of them. Thank god for social media, cause now I follow them on Facebook.
About a year ago, a buddy of mine forwarded me a soundcloud link of a band based out of Seattle named Reignwolf. Knowing that he had good taste in music, I opened the link and and this song played:
Whoa. I was like, “Where did this come from, and why don’t I know anything about them?” I quickly remedied that problem. I started following them on Facebook and found out that Reignwolf was Jordan Cook. I started watching videos of his live solo performances on Youtube, and I was hooked. I had missed out on his performance opening for Black Sabbath at the Hollywood Bowl due to a prior engagement, but when I found out he was headlining a show at the Troubadour, I logged on and bought tickets as soon as they went on sale. I’m glad I bought them when I did, since the tickets for the gig sold out.
Before Reignwolf took the stage, the anticipation was palpable. Accompanied by David T. Rapaport on bass and Joseph Braley on drums, Jordan took the stage to loud cheers. The music started and the rock had commenced.
It was as good a live show as I’ve ever seen. In fact, I’d say that is was the best club gig I’ve seen this year.
With Jordan bouncing around the stage, off the drum kit, and into the audience, the energy was frenetic. He kept the audience guessing as to what was coming next, taking control of the set by ripping out a jaw-dropping performance of “Electric Love” solo, playing the guitar and drums simultaneously, and by playing a song in the audience, using his logo emblazoned bass drum as a pedestal.
Midway through the set, I looked over to a friend I had invited to the show to see if she was doing all right. She didn’t have to say anything. Her mouth was agape, and her eyes were fixated on Jordan, with a “what’s the hell am I witnessing right now” look. Yeah, she was enjoying herself.
When Reignwolf came back to the stage for their encore, Jordan humbly expressed how lucky he was to be playing in the legendary venue. He mentioned how all of his music idols had once played at the Troubadour, and how he was sincerely appreciative of the chance to do the same. He then slyly looked around the room, pointed to the upstairs balcony area, and announced to the audience that though his sound guy wouldn’t appreciate it, he wanted to play up there.
Dragging his amp up to the rafters, he seated himself on the balcony railing, anchored by fans who made sure he wouldn’t fall. The crowds’ frenzy reached it pinnacle. At this point, even MY jaw was on the floor. It was definitely a first for me, and most likely a first for the Troubadour. I’ll not soon forget what I was witness to that evening at the Troubadour, because that show … seriously … was the stuff of legend.
As much as enjoyed the show, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t all that happy with the photos that I snapped. I think part of the problem was that I was moving to the music too much while snapping pics (most of my shots were blurry). Also, I honestly think that the music being so good, I was distracted and missed moments when lights saturated the room. What can I say? It really couldn’t be helped. I was just having too much god-damn fun with the music. Hopefully, I’ll get another chance to redeem myself at some point. Ya hear me, Reignwolf? I want to shoot you again!!!
Opening for Reignwolf at the Troubadour was an LA based rock band named the The Futures League. It was my first time catching them play, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I liked what I heard.
A mix of psychedelic and garage rock, with catchy riffs and a solid groove, it was a sound that definitely piqued my curiosity … so much so, that I started to record a video clip of them so I could remember what it was that interested me when I got home. I shut it down quickly though when a bouncer gave me the stare down and a hand gesture that indicated that I should shut it down asap. Needless to say, I liked them on Facebook. I’m interested to hear more of what the guys have to offer.
There’s nothing I love doing more on a beautiful summer’s eve than catching a show, any show, at the Hollywood Bowl.
As luck would have it, a dear friend of mine had an extra ticket for her box seat in the terrace for Iron & Wine, The Head and the Heart and Glen Hansard. It would be my first Hollywood Bowl show of 2014, and it couldn’t have been a more sublime soundtrack for a summer’s eve feast under a Super Moon.
Opening the concert was Sam Beam aka “Iron & Wine”. I last saw Iron & Wine perform Halloween at the Orpheum Theatre. For that concert, he was backed by a full band, and played a set that was over two hours long. This time, it was just him and his guitar.
He joked with the audience that he was “dinner entertainment” as everyone in the audience was busy unpacking their picnic baskets to dine. Though the audience may have been a little distracted consuming food, it was hard not be entranced by Sam’s beautiful folk melodies.
In between songs, when audience members up in the privileged pool and orchestra sections began yelling out song titles, he joked with the audience that, “you get one, I get one,” though I’m not sure he really took the suggestions yelled from the audience.
His performance was much more subdued than the performance I saw at the Orpheum, but it worked well to exhibit the nuances of his music, especially the tender, emotional sentiments phrased in his lyrics. So powerful was his music, that by the end of his short set, the rustling of paper bags, plastic dinnerware, and the idle dinner chatter, subsided, as the audience was moved, literally, to silence when he finished his set. You could hear a pin drop. Chills. Wonderful chills.
I first saw The Head and the Heart perform at Coachella a few years back. They caught my attention then, and I had a few songs that I was hoping to hear.
A Seattle based band, The Head and Heart’s folk revival is influenced by Americana, country-rock and pop. Their performance this time around seemed to be much looser and more self-assured from what I remembered at Coachella. They brought an energy to the Bowl that really got the crowd excited.
They expressed their sincere disbelief that they were sharing the Hollywood Bowl stage with Iron & Wine and Glen Hansard, when they closed with my favorite song of theirs “Rivers and Roads”.
I went to the restroom after The Head and the Heart finished their set, and on my in, I noticed a familiar face pass by me. It was Chris O’ Dowd, the actor who plays the police officer/romantic interest in “Bridesmaids”. Seeing him walk by me, I figured that there were a whole lot of Irish celebrities in the audience.
When Glen Hansard took the stage, he walked to center stage by himself, armed with just his acoustic guitar, and ripped into a phenomenal cover of Van Morrison’s “Astral Weeks.” When I say phenomenal, it’s no exaggeration. I was floored by his intense energy.
The rest of his set was a collection of original songs and covers, demonstrating his ability to take any song and make it his own. A highlight of the evening was when he performed one of the wildly popular tunes from his motion picture “Once”, “When Your Mind’s Made Up”.
I was hoping that Marketa Irglova would have made a special appearance (it IS the Hollywood Bowl, after all), but no luck.
The only criticism of the concert was that it was just too damn short. With the Hollywood Bowl strictly adhering to it’s 10pm curfew, Glen acknowledge to the audience that he had lost track of time, and that he was, unfortunately, out of it, promising that he’d come back and do a proper three hour show.
He closed with a traditional Irish folk song, “The Auld Triangle” and, lo and behold, he called up Chris O’Dowd to sing a verse with him up on stage. Thereafter, Sam Beam and The Head and the Heart each took turns singing verses with Glen to end the concert in a rousing fashion.
Though I wish he would have performed “Falling Slowly” (I have a really personal connection to that tune), and though I wish Glen’s set could have been longer, it was a perfect show for my first concert at the Hollywood Bowl for 2014.
I tried to get photo pass for this concert, but I wasn’t approved. The photos below were taken with my pocket-sized Sony Cybershot G.
There’s nothing I love more than free music. Now in it’s fourth year, Echo Park plays host Echo Park Rising; a three-day music festival showcasing the talents of local bands. With over 300 acts on the bill, I had to pick and choose the acts I wanted to see perform live. I think I chose … wisely.
Below are lists of acts that I was cable to catch. It’ll take me some time, but I’ll be posting photos and some brief thoughts. Keep checking back here to check out my posts!
On Thursday, August 21st, the Santa Monica Pier hosts the Mystic Braves and … wait for it … wait for it … the Zombies!
Formed in 1962, The Zombies were part of the “British Invasion” that swept the United States after The Beatles opened the doors. They scored a series of chart topping hits with songs liked “She’s Not There” and “Tell Her No”. Their album “Odessy & Oracle” was ranked by Rolling Stone Magazine as #100 of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
If recording artists like Beck, Nick Cave, Belle and Sebastian (and the list goes on and on) all regard The Zombies as major influences, it would behoove any music fan to see two of the original Zombies (lead vocalist Colin Blunstone and organist Rod Argent) perform music from their vast catalog. If you are a fan of rich harmonies and catchy melodies, their performance at the pier is not to be missed.
Also performing on the pier, opening for The Zombies, is Mystic Braves, a Los Angeles based psychedelic band really grooves with its classic, psych-rock sensibilities. Could the Twilight Concert series picked a better opening act to set the mood for The Zombies? I doubt it. I’m looking to get trippy (figuratively speaking) for this concert.
What’s up with the influx of music festivals invading Los Angeles county this summer? By my count, there are 12 just in the month of August alone! Don’t get me wrong. I love going to concerts, and I love getting a ton of bang for my buck with the local festivals, but sometimes getting out of dodge, and venturing somewhere new, is just what the music doctor would order to get a new perspective on top-shelf music.
For those of you looking to get out of town for a little weekend get-a-away, look no further.
On August 23 and 24th, 2014, the legendary Monterey County Fairgrounds (the venue with the longest consecutively running jazz festival- The Monterey Jazz Festival) hosts the second annual First City Festival.
With a line-up curated by Goldenvoice, there are a plethora of stellar acts performing on the three stages over the weekend, and because there are only three stages, there is the opportunity to catch bits, if not complete sets, of ALL of the acts set to perform.
Clearly, Beck, The National, Phantogram and The Naked and Famous will be the main draws for concert-goers, but don’t sleep on supporting acts playing earlier in the day. Here are some bands (in no particular order) that I would highly recommend catching.
This band is awesome live. Their front-man, Samuel T. Herring is a tremendous front-man whose live performance bleeds emotions through his gravelly singing voice, intense dancing and deep stares into the audience. Their latest release, “Singles”, is one of my favorite albums this year, and if you are a fan of new wave/post-punk, revival, I am almost sure that you will be smitten with this band.
Freakfolk, trip-hop, dream pop … call it whatever you want, but this sister duo’s music is airy and refreshingly delicate. Their 2:30 set time would be a great time to picnic on the grassy lawns, kick off your flip-flops and relax.
Tom Krell is a recording artist I simply can’t get enough of. Combining his R&B sensibilities with seriously deep, and emotional, sentiment, his music will move you. If he explains the meaning of the songs he perform, like I’ve seen him do at other performance, I guarantee you will be moved. Performing as How To Dress Well, his latest album, “What Is This Heart?”, is another album that I have on my “best of the year” lists. He should be playing with a full band, and that will only add to the intensity of his performance.
I’ve been meaning to catch this band for a long, long time. It doesn’t surprise me that they are signed to Stones Throw Records. Their sound is a throwback to the soul/funk/jazz sound that a band like Steely Dan had, but with a distinctly modern twist. Funky bass-lines, smooth harmonies with a sprinkling of electronic keys makes this a band I wouldn’t miss.
Combining rock instrumentation with strings and synths, this band’s electro-indie pop is as good as it gets. With only two albums under their belt, they’ve developed a loyal following, and there’s a reason for that …their music is good. Besides the good music, I’m also a big fan of the electric cello Nathan Blaz plays. You don’t get to see that too often in an electro-indie pop band.
Single day ($79.75) and two day passes ($159.50) are still available. CLICK THIS LINK to purchase tickets. The First City Festival website also has accommodation options available, but you can always find a deal for housing through other sites (Expedia, AirBNB, etc). If you and your friends are down for a little weekend getaway, going on a little road trip to a legendary performance venue to catch some awesome bands, for a terrific deal, sure as heck isn’t a bad idea.
My opinion? Wrangle up a few of your friends, get out of town, and do it.
It took me about 5 seconds to regret my decision not to dress up for Lady Gaga. I’d actually started – putting on a shiny velvet tank top, digging out costume jewelry, and getting out my lime-green faux fur jacket – but then I decided I was showing a lot of skin. Clearly, I had no idea what “a lot of skin” meant. The standard Lady Gaga audience look (for both genders) seemed to have required a stop at a West Hollywood “adult” store: cheek-bearing booty shorts, tiny bikini tops, teddies, and either 5-inch heels or shoes my friend called “tie-dyed Yeti.” I could have taken off my shirt and still had on more clothes than the people around me. Actually, I could have taken off my jeans, too, and stayed more conservative than a lot of the audience. Instead, I doubled down and put on my two coats, staying warm but looking ready to attend a Midwestern football game in November. As the lights dimmed I found myself wishing my recent visit to the specialty light bulb store had focused less on my halogen lamp and more on wearable lighting.
We’d arrived to hear the end of a DJ set that involved so much flashing light that I wasn’t sure if I’d end up hypnotized or developing epilepsy. It felt like we’d walked into an early-90s rave – all we needed was a whistle and a mini backpack (and the Teletubby-esque dancers later on were sporting exactly that). Just in case we hadn’t made the connection, “ArtRave” flashed wildly on the screens above the stage.
Lady Gag as Ursula, complete with tentacled backside.
Overall, the production values were low for an ostensibly lavish tour. As Dolly Parton says, “it costs a lot of money to look this cheap.” The lighting washed out the performers, and props included beach balls like the ones the ushers confiscate at Dodger Stadium. Inflatables that popped out of the stage seemed like a cross between Russian onion domes and those cheap paper Christmas trees that grow crystals when you get them wet. The stage curtain looked like it had been stitched together from white garbage bags, and the main set reminded me of the design my friend once cobbled together when all the director would tell her was that it should be “puffy and white.” With its lumpy blobs and ring-shaped piano, it also bore more than a passing resemblance to the Mos Eisley cantina. In the end, the whole evening felt like a cross between a visit to an upscale S&M club and an acid trip.
The costuming ran the gamut from the powder blue, tentacled Ursula look to a style my friend compared to Mufasa but that I thought made Lady Gaga look like she’d run off with Amy Winehouse’s (bleached) beehive. Though she had some impressive footwear, she managed to avoid falling off of her shoes this time. Throughout the evening, there was a long string of elaborate costume and wig changes, including a time she dramatically tore off her wig onstage and another point when she did the full change in full view of the audience.
S&M club prancing dancers? There was no danger they’d fall off the stage with that much glow along the edges.
Over and over, there were moments that were supposed to celebrate the “authentic self” but instead reeked of artifice. Each gesture and comment seemed forced and almost robotic: the double-middle-finger to the audience, calls to “grab a glow stick or get the F*** out,” and comments about how “looking good and being successful are two different things” ended up falling flat. At one point, it looked like she was trying to reenact the balcony scene from Evita. And who knew you could spend an entire evening doing butt poses? My friend summed up the evening perfectly, riffing on one of Lady Gaga’s lines: “Tonight we celebrate love. Tonight, we celebrate pretentiousness (oh sorry, ‘being our authentic selves’ by swearing and flipping people off). Tonight we celebrate Lady Gaga’s a**.”
Overall, it was hard to shake the impression that she just wasn’t having fun. Like Rihanna had done, she smashed some of her biggest hits into one power medley – getting over with “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” and “Telephone” as fast as she could. There weren’t backup singers, so the backing track was glaringly obvious: often, she didn’t bother holding the microphone near her face or pretending to sing. She’d apparently lifted a page from Kanye – her small-stage piano looked like a mini Fortress of Solitude, she wandered around in white outfits on a white stage (making her hard to see), and she launched into a series of increasingly pretentious rants. Like Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake, her production team had included a VIP bar area (complete with highly visible branding). We kept expecting her to jump into the bar and join the crowd for a cocktail, but she never did anything that felt remotely spontaneous or – for all her talk – genuine.
Children’s theater dance line meets Los Eisley cantina?
At the end of the evening, the crowd spilled out of the (very smoky) Staples Center, highlighting the fact that the people watching was the best part of the event. Surrounded by drag queens and a wide range of fabulous fans, it was like we’d walked into an all-night pride parade. The crowd obviously had more fun glamming up that Lady Gaga did performing. I love cheese and all things artificial, but in the end, Lady Gaga was outperformed by the Kia hamsters.
#DKLPHOTOS 