Tag: pics

Chet Faker | Mack Sennett Studios | Red Bull Sound Select’s “30 Days In LA” | 11/29/14 [Review & Photos]

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

THE ACT: Chet Faker | Facebook | Twitter

SOUNDS LIKE: 

THOUGHTS:

Chet Faker. Girls love him. Guys wish they could write music like him.

I saw Chet Faker earlier this year at The Roxy. Musically, there is no question that Nicholas James Murphy a/k/a “Chet Faker” has the musical goods. His sound (soulful, downtempo electronica) is baby-making music, plain and simple. It’s still early in his career (he’s only released one full length album, “Built On Glass” and a couple of extended plays) so it’ll be interesting to see how his sound develops going forward.

What I was more interested in observing this time around was his actual stage performance. At the Roxy, Chet Faker spent the length of the performance behind his keyboards under dim lights. On a couple of songs, additional musicians took the stage to perform as part of a backing band. This time around, with Red Bull as the sponsor of the event (and presumably  a bigger budget), that his stage performance could have bit could a bit … more. The lighting at Mack Sennett Studios was definitely a step up from The Roxy’s lights, but on the large stage, it was again Chet behind his keyboards.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love his music. I even brought my LP copy of “Built On  Glass” just in case I could catch him for an autograph. But truly memorable  musical performances are not only auditory; there has to be a visual component to it as well … for me, it takes both aspects to make a show complete. Chet looked so isolated on the large stage. I was really hoping that he could have hired a backing band play his arrangements, or at least a some video screens to actually see what he was doing at the keyboard consoles. I mean, you can see moving around behind his instruments, but it would have been so much more effective if there were more “action” on stage. I mean, take Flying Lotus, for example. Flying Lotus performs behind his consoles, but he’s got an elaborate laser/lighting show going on around him simultaneously.

I’m not suggesting that Chet Faker needs some intricate laser light show. I just wish I could have seen what his hands were doing. There musicality and artisanship in watching a professional maneuver a drum machine and keyboards. It would have been nice to see the action on the keys.

SETLIST (unconfirmed)

  1. Blush
  2. 1998
  3. I’m Into You
  4. Terms & Conditions
  5. Intro
  6. Ciggs & Chocolate
  7. On You (with Goldlink)
  8. No Diggity
  9. Drop The Game
  10. To Me
  11. Gold
  12. Talk Is Cheap

VIDEO:

PHOTOS:

 

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

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James Supercave | Mack Sennett Studios | Red Bull Sound Select’s “30 Days In LA” | 11/29/14 [Review & Photos]

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

THE ACT: James Supercave | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

SOUNDS LIKE: 

THOUGHTS:

If you are the kind of person who likes to check out new bands in concert, it would behoove you to not limit your perception of said band on just one performance. Personally, if I even slightly enjoy new band’s performance, I do my best to try and catch them again at a later date. There are a myriad of reasons to do this: (i) because a band that you are waffling on just could have had an off night, (ii) different venues offer different atmospheres which could really impact a band’s performance, or (ii) over time, said band’s performance could have gotten better or worse.

I saw James Supercave earlier this year at the Santa Monica Pier when they opened for Cults. I enjoyed their performance then, and I anticipated that their performance this night would be equally enjoyable. I was wrong. They were immeasurably better!

This time around, they had an energy and stage presence that I don’t recall from the first time I saw them perform. Joaquin Pastor, the lead singer, seemed to exude a subdued confidence that I don’t recall noticing the first time around; actively interacting with his band through the set. Maybe it was because he wasn’t wearing sunglasses this time around, and you could really see the music’s emotion in his eyes. Whatever it was, it was something that I noticed.

His bandmates, likewise, seemed to have more energy as well, and under the heavy purple lights, I found myself enjoying their onstage movements … and their music … especially when the rhythm picked up.

I was hoping to catch the guys after the show to ask them whether or not they would have agreed with me about comparing the two shows, and their own personal thoughts about their performance, but I wasn’t able to. Oh well. I suppose I’ll have to make it a point to go see them again.

PHOTOS:

 

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

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denitia and sene. | Mack Sennett Studios | Red Bull Sound Select’s “30 Days In LA” | 11/29/14 [Review & Photos]

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

THE ACT: denitia and sene. | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

SOUNDS LIKE: 

THOUGHTS:

Opening the 29th Red Bull Sound Select 30 Days In LA concert at Mack Sennett Studios was the R&B duo denitia and sene. Denitia Odigie and Brian “Sene” Marc use synthesizers to bring out a pulsing rhythm over which they croon and coo over. Their latest release, “the side fx. EP” was released by Red Bull Sound Select.

As an opener for for Chet Faker, their performance was a solid appetizer. Although there were a couple of moments where the vocals could have been better in tune with each other, the soothing effect that their music had over the audience definitely brought the sultry and seductive air to the venue.

PHOTOS:

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

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Phosphorescent | Park Plaza Hotel | Red Bull Sound Select’s “30 Days In LA” | 11/23/14 [Review, Photos & Video]

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

THE ACT: Phosphorescent | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

SOUNDS LIKE: 

THOUGHTS:

Matthew Houck, a native of Athens, Georgia, is Phosphorescent. His music can be described as indie country and it has drawn favorable comparisons to Bob Dylan, with publications like the London Evening Standard declaring him “the most significant American in his field since Kurt Cobain”  (source: Allmusic.com).

His last album, “Muchaco”, was released in 2013 was critically well received and perhaps a bit more experimental than his earlier output. Americana sounds incorporating electronic instrumentation doesn’t necessarily seem to a logical fit, but it works. Backed by a full band, the instrumentation didn’t obscure the singer’s voice, which can be described as “soulful folksy” and seemed to inflect a deep rooted emotional history of life spattered with hardship.

I’ve read that his songwriting, especially his lyrics, is superb. Since I was consumed with adjusting settings on my camera throughout his performance, I frankly couldn’t focus on the stories being sung. But based on what I heard, I’ve definitely earmarked his music to listen to in the future.

PHOTOS:

VIDEOS: 

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

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Little Wings | Park Plaza Hotel | Red Bull Sound Select’s “30 Days In LA” | 11/23/14 [Review, Photos & Video]

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

THE ACT: Little Wings | Facebook

THOUGHTS:

Kyle Field is Little Wings. He’s been called a “musician’s musician” and his music has influenced a lot of popular artists (i.e. Feist’s named her film, Look At What The Light Did Now, after a Little Wings song). Continue reading →

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Shy Girls | Park Plaza Hotel | Red Bull Sound Select’s “30 Days In LA” | 11/23/14 [Review & Photos]

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

THE ACT: Shy Girls | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

SOUNDS LIKE: 

THOUGHTS:

I’m a sucker for new R&B music. When I heard KCRW play Shy Girls’ Shy Girls’ “Voyeur’s Gaze” on Morning Becomes Eclectic in 2013, I was hooked. When I saw that they were opening for a band named Phosphorescent, I immediately bought a ticket. I had no idea about the headlining act, but that didn’t matter. It had been close to a year since I saw them perform, and I was jonesing to see them perform again.

The performance was short, but it was everything that I anticipated: smooth vocals over a tight knit band playing music with an 80s and early 90s R&B vibe.

The first two times I saw Shy Girls perform live, they didn’t play the song that hooked me in the first place, “Voyeur’s Gaze”. When I had asked them about why didn’t perform that song since it was the song that KCRW decided to spin, they indicated that the arrangement was a bit too complex for them to play live. They remedied the omission this time around and it was, to my complete satisfaction, performed as a song in the middle of their set.

Apparently, I was the only one in the audience excited to hear the tune. Instinctually, I yelped out a very audible, “Yes,” when the opening vocals and keyboard chord progression were played. I got a few giggles from some of the audience members around me, and under my breath, but audible, I felt it necessary to qualify my blurt with, “Can’t help it, it’s my favorite song of theirs.”

I soon realized that the crowd wasn’t here to listen to Shy Girls smooth R&B jams. I further deduced that headlining act’s style of music was at the opposite side of the spectrum because if the audience wasn’t feeling what Shy Girls was putting forth on stage that night … well, they were here for something else.

And it’s a bit of a shame. Shy Girls is a Red Bull Sound Select artist. I would have thought that Red Bull, the host of the concert series, could have done a better job at procuring a line-up that was more consistent. I went to the Chet Faker 30 Days In LA show later in the month, and I can easily say that Shy Girls would have KILLED IT if they were one of the opening acts for that evening’s music. In fact, switching James Supercave from the Chet Faker night, with Shy Girls would have been my choice.

The highlight of the evening was when Shy Girls’ covered Brandy’s “Sittin’ Up In My Room” (a demo recording of which is above). It was simple and sublime. It was a performance of an R&B classic that anybody with an inkling of appreciation for type of R&B music would have loved. I just wish more people could have truly appreciated it.

VIDEOS: The Instagram videos that I uploaded somehow got corrupted. 😦

PHOTOS:

To Check Out Other Bands We Caught During Red Bull Sound Selects “30 Days In LA” CLICK HERE

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Shy Girls | The Spare Room and Bootleg Bar | 12/12/13 and 12/13/13

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I was driving around town while listening to KCRW when the silky vocals and opening keyboard chord progression of a smooth jam gently flowed through my car’s speaker circuits. A rhythm guitar stealthily crept in, sweeping into a late 80’s, early 90’s, drum program with a subtle flourish line added to the chords that caught my attention. I know it’s dangerous to fiddle with your phone while driving, but I had to open up Shazam to find out who the artist was. It was Shy Girls and the track was “Voyeurs Gaze”. A throwback to the smooth R&B I grew up with.

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When I got home, I immediately got online to listen to more tracks by Shy Girls. After listening to tracks from their latest EP “Timeshare”, I pulled out my credit card and purchased the LP. I’m selective about the vinyl that I buy, only purchasing records that I could let the pin drop and let play without having to get back up to skip tracks. For me, “Timeshare” was one of those albums.

After finding the artist’s Facebook page, I noticed that they had two scheduled performances the following week in Los Angeles, one at the Spare Room and the other at the Bootleg Bar. Being that the artist was from Portland, Oregon, I decided that this may be my only chance to see them perform for a while, so I planned on attending both shows.

I had a feeling that the shows would have been perfect for a date with a significant other, but c’est la vie en Los Angeles. The music is sensual. Being single, and living in Los Angeles (where convincing people that the music you like is in fact good is like pulling teeth), I’ll admit that I had second thoughts at the idea of going solo. I shrugged it off.

I was right. On both nights, Dan Vidmar and his band brought a mood I haven’t heard at a concert since I saw at Maxwell at the Hollywood Bowl. Like Maxwell, Dan Vidmar made good use of his breathy, falsetto singing engaging the audience to willingly become seduced. If I were at the show with a date, I would have made my move after the first song.

If “Timeshare” is the precursor to a full length album, there’s a lot for me to look forward to, and hopefully, by the time he goes on tour to support that album, I’ll have a date for the show.

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The lighting in the venues was extremely difficult to deal with, but I did what I could. Unfortunately, the Flickr slideshow below is not currently available on mobile devices. If you are on a mobile device, please click THIS LINK to get redirected to the set of photos.

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The Record Company | The Satellite | 11/15/13

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This year, I’ve been particularly lucky to get introduced to the music of a lot of new bands/recording artists that piqued my ears. The Record Company is one of them.

I  first heard their music and saw them perform live at one of the best house parties I’ve ever been too, and was subsequently able to catch their set on the main stage at Make Music Pasadena. Each time I saw them perform live, I was impressed with their sound and the way they commanded the audience’s attention, whether it was in front of a private party or hundreds of festival going patrons who were drawn to their sound. Their set at the Satellite was no different.

The Record Company seems to have had a pretty good year. Following them on Facebook, they’ve I’ve noticed that they’ve had a pretty substantial domestic and international touring schedule, playing festivals, and smaller venues, opening for, or sharing the stage, with artist like Meshell Ndegeocello, B.B. Kings, Neil Young, etc, all while recording their newest independent release “Feels So Good” and getting a getting a song synched into a trailer for a major motion picture (The title track of the album was used in the trailer for the Robert DeNiro/Michael Douglas/Morgan Freeman movie “Last Vegas”).  Their EP also made “best of” lists from local publications.

Not bad for a year. Not bad at all.

When a friend of mine told me about their CD release show, I couldn’t resist getting a ticket. I was fidgeting with my camera to get the best setting for the dim lighting of the Satellite as the audience cheered them on to the stage when I noticed that there were mostly gals up front. I made a mental note of that for future shows.

They jumped into their set with the blues-rock that drew me to them the first time I heard them play. Raw and gritty, soulful and fun, Chris Vos, Marc Cazorla and Alex Stiff tore the roof off the house. They humorously interacted with the crowd in between songs, and stirred rousing call-and-repsonses during songs. Perhaps the most revealing moment of the show was when the audience started singing along to one of the songs, and Chris Vos got lost in the audience singing to them … so much so that he acknowledged how unbelievable it was that their fans knew their music that well.

They invited a talented harmonica player to join them on stage (I think his name was Mitch and he played for The Lovers (?), and also had the two other bands who opened for them (The Janks and The Eagle Rock Gospel Choir) join them on stage for the stage-packed, inspiring finale), but truth be told, they didn’t need special guests as their music was all the crowd needed.

In 2014, do yourself a favor. If you’re into blues rock … or just into good times … and you see The Record Company scheduled to perform at a small, intimate venue, go. I guarantee you’ll have a good time. Plus, based on their 2013, I have a sense that these guys will be playing for bigger crowds sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, the Flickr slideshow below is not currently available on mobile devices. If you are on a mobile device, please click THIS LINK to get redirected to the set of photos.

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Iron & Wine | The Orpheum Theatre | 10/31/13

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I didn’t have much of a social life during law school, and that’s probably a good explanation as any as to why my music collection tends to lack albums released during that time of my life. Insofar as I didn’t have a television during that time, and the only recordings I listened to were recordings of lectures explaining aspects of civil procedure or property law, I relied on friends (mostly in law school) to tell me what was hip or “up and coming” in terms of music that was available.

Samuel Beam, professionally known as Iron & Wine, released his first album when I was in law school. A classmate of mine turned me on his music, and I used music from The Creek Drank the Cradle to help me fall asleep after hours of studying, hopped up on caffeine products. Beam’s gruff voice, and tender acoustic guitar playing lends itself to a soothing, mood-mellowing state of mind.

I’ve always been interested in seeing him perform live, and when I saw the announcement that he was to perform at the Orpheum Theater on Halloween Night, I figured that that would be a great venue to see him perform in, other than a grassy festival lawn or the Hollywood Bowl.

I bought two tickets as soon as their availability was announced, about 5 months in advance of the show. I wasn’t dating anybody at the time, but I figured that I couldn’t go to the show alone. I’ve been to these types of shows before. I had a feeling that it would be couples galore. Being overly optimistic, I bought two tickets with my fingers crossed that I’d have a special someone to ask. As it turns out, I did find a date, but I noticed during the show that we were literally the only couple not snuggling during the concert.

Iron & Wine's setlist for the show at the Orpheum Theatre 10/31/13
Iron & Wine’s setlist for the show at the Orpheum Theatre 10/31/13

The snuggling aside, Iron & Wine’s show was exactly what I expected, and more. Playing most of the show with a full band, each member costumed as a member of The Muppets, Sam Beam wooed the audience with selections spanning his entire catalogue. Playing over two and a half hours of his soul-soothing music, I enjoyed the show completely, but was particularly impressed when the band left the stage, and Sam Beam stood front and center, armed with only his guitar, Kermit tied to his microphone stand, with only two spotlights from the lighting tresses illuminating his position.

His solo set revealed to me the vulnerable and fragile tenderness of Iron & Wine’s music. Though the subject matter of his music tends to lean towards the darker facets of life and love, listening to his stories through lyrics, you always still had a sense of there being a silver lining through it all. I, like the rest of the audience, was drawn into Iron & Wine’s world, and enjoyed it all. Though, I probably would have enjoyed it more with someone to snuggle with… lol. I’ll keep that in mind for the next time I see him live.

Unfortunately, the Flickr slideshow below is not currently available on mobile devices. If you are on a mobile device, please click THIS LINK to get redirected to the set of photos.

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Laura Mvula | The Orpheum Theatre | 10/31/13

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Earlier this year, I hit a little bit of a rough patch. It was one of those times when life just didn’t seem to go my way. My loving dog of 13 years, Samson, passed away while I was out of state, I was having some personal issues I was dealing with, and the icing on the proverbial cake was that a show I had planned on attending months in advance was rescheduled such that I couldn’t attend.

The show that I missed was Laura Mvula at the Bootleg Theater in April. If you’ve been following my blog this year, you probably saw my first post about her music back in January. I followed that post up with additional posts in February and March because I was so excited by her sophisticated sound. As fate would have it, Laura Mvula ended up scheduling another show in Los Angeles, which was a breathtaking performance at the El Rey Theatre in September. It appeared as if the music gods were throwing me a bone.

I had purchased tickets for Iron & Wine back in June, and at that time there was no opening act listed. It was almost an afterthought, since I had been wanting to see Iron & Wine live for years. About a week or two before the Halloween Eve concert, Laura Mvula posted on Facebook that she would be opening for Iron & Wine on a series of west coast dates. Needless to say, I was enthralled. At this point, I thought the music gods were serving me a t-bone.

I barely got there in time for the first song of her set. Watching her perform in the beautiful and historic Orpheum Theatre was truly a musical blessing. The fashionably late arriving Los Angeles crowd steadily filed in to their seats during her set, and I could only think to myself that they were fools to miss out on her glorious music. Their loss.

She bantered with the crowd and mentioned that her favorite song was “Let Me Fall” (which, ironically, wasn’t on her debut album)  and her second favorite song was “Flying Without You”. She performed a subdued version of “She” which sent shivers down my spine. After she sang the title track off her debut album, “Sing To The Moon”, and having heard that she had just recently lost out on the prestigious Mercury Prize, I yelled out from my seat, “You deserved the Mercury!”  She giggled and said, “That’s funny.” Really though … she should have won that award.

Though her set was obviously shorter than her concert at the El Rey, it was still filled with the deep musicality and unabashed emotion that makes her music so appealing to me. I eagerly anticipate her sophomore album, and the next time she’s back in the United States to perform for her fans.

Setlist (written down by me during her performance):

  1. “Like the Morning Dew”
  2. “Let Me Fall”
  3. “Flying Without You”
  4. “She”
  5. “Sing to the Moon”
  6. “Father father”
  7. “Green Garden”
  8. “That’s Alright”

Unfortunately, the Flickr slideshow below is not currently available on mobile devices. If you are on a mobile device, please click THIS LINK to get redirected to the set of photos. To see the amazing pictures I took of her at the El Rey, please click here to see that blog entry (trust me, some of the pictures taken were amazing).

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