Review – Page 16 – #DKLPHOTOS

Ben Harper | Walt Disney Concert Hall | 11/18/13

I remember the first song I ever heard by Ben Harper.

I was a freshman in college, making new friends and discovering a semblance of independence. I participated in several student run organizations, and one of them was a vocal ensemble. A buddy of mine in the group invited me to hang with him and his housemates off campus. While kicking it, someone offered up a joint and we all sat there, “expanding our minds”, listening to Junta by Phish when my buddy got up and simultaneously asked me, “Have you heard this song?”

He opened up compact disc folder, pulled out a CD, and popped it into the player. Pecking the fast-forward button on the player with his index finger, the whizzing, internal, mechanical spinner settled on a track which opened with a soft, conga-beating rhythm. The song was “Burn One Down”, and the singer was Ben Harper. Talk about mood music. I was immediately drawn to the song, and after it had ended, my buddy started the disc, “Fight For Your Mind”, from the beginning with track one. We listened through the whole disc while talking about all things music.

On the way home, I stopped in at the college-town music store (which was replaced by a Kinkos after I had graduated … make sad face here …). I used the money I had earned working as a part-time beer server for fraternity parties to buy the only used Ben Harper CD that was in the rack, “Welcome To The Cruel World”, “sight unseen”. I would have bought “Fight For Your Mind” new, but money was a scarce commodity back then, and I just didn’t have much of it.

When I played that CD in my tiny boom box, in my tiny dorm room, the simple acoustic melody of “The Three Of Us” filled the room and captivated me. “Whipping Boy”, “Waiting On An Angel”, “Mama’s Got A Girlfriend Now” entranced me. “Forever” and “Walk Away” … my heart was spilling emotions from out of nowhere. I became and instant fan. 18 years later, and I’m still a fan.

Screen Shot 2013-12-26 at 4.22.13 AM — Ben Harper’s Setlist. Click To Enlarge.

I took two pages of notes about the show, but after reading this review and this one, I figured that I didn’t need to retell the stories Ben told or describe the audience’s emotions throughout the evening. That was already done by others, and eloquently so. But let me say … after being moved by his performance of “Forever”, a cover of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” and Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, in the “guitar like acoustics” of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, when Ben told the audience that he didn’t want the evening to stop, I could only wholeheartedly agree.

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.

UPDATED: 1/14/14: I found video online of Ben Harper performing Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” on Youtube.

December 26, 2013January 15, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: acoustic, alternative, alternative rock, ben harper, charlie musslewhite, concert, concert pics, concert pictures, contemporary, indie rock, photos, pic, pictures, Review, setlist, traditional rock, video, walt disney concert hall 1 Comment

Nine Inch Nails | Staples Center | 11/08/13

“Pretty Hate Machine” was a very important part of my teen years. Believe it or not, I used to play football – granted it was 8 man football, rather than the traditional 11 man game. Before every game, for the four years I played in high school, my Discman played the the same 3 CDs to get me pumped up to lay the smack down on opponents: Pearl Jam’s “Ten”, Metallica’s “Master Of Puppets” and Nine Inch Nails‘ “Pretty Hate Machine”. There was something about the visceral, industrial, aggressive sound of “Pretty Hate Machine” that got the adrenaline running in my viens. “Down in It“, “Head Like a Hole“, and “Sin” … yeah … you listen to those songs enough times, I guarantee it’ll get you amped as well. I saw Trent Reznor‘s band How to Destroy Angels at Coachella in 2013, but it wasn’t the Trent Reznor that I grew up with, and I left the set a little wanting. When Nine Inch Nails announced their Staples Center’s gig in support of their latest album “Hesitation Marks“, I jumped at getting tickets. The seats I and my friends got weren’t close to the stage. In fact, our seats were on the opposite end of the venue from the stage. That, however, wasn’t an issue … at all.

The show was amazing. It was an auditory and sensory experience. The music was played and performed expertly (you can find the setlist by clicking on THIS LINK), but it was the presentation which really, and literally, caught my eye. I won’t wax too poetic about how impressive the lighting was, because critics have already written about it. An article that I appreciated claimed that this tour is “at least a decade ahead of its time”, and I’m hard pressed to disagree. The article quotes Trent Reznor as saying that he “want[s] to make you hold your pee because you won’t want to miss something.” Mr. Reznor was right.

I usually love being up close to the stage for shows, but in this instant, I didn’t mind having seats in the rafters. It gave me the chance to take in the entire lighting effect, and it was truly glorious. As it turns out, Nine Inch Nails recorded their show at the Staples Center to release as a DVD, and 90 glorious minutes of that show is online on their VEVO channel for anybody to watch. I shot some video with my camera, but why bother putting that up when the video below is available.

The setlist covered everything from their big radio hits to rare b-sides. Perhaps what was just as impressive as the lighting for the show was my buddy that came with me. I love friends who are passionate about bands. My buddy knew the lyrics of all of the songs performed (including the b-sides) and expressed surprise and excitement when a rare song was played. My only regret was that they didn’t play “Sin”, but I can’t complain. I think everybody got their monies worth.

Photos of the show are posted below, but if you want to see them as a large slideshow on FLICKR, click THIS LINK.

December 21, 2013December 21, 2013 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: alternative, alternative metal, concert, down in it, head like a hole, hesitation marks, industrial, industrial metal, NIN, Nine Inch Nails, photographs, pictures, piggy, pretty hate machine, Review, setlist, sin, Staples Center, tension tour, Trent Reznor, video 2 Comments

Hiatus Kaiyote | Skirball Cultural Center | October 30, 2013

Hiatus Kaiyote is one of two bands who I’ve seen perform live 3 times this year. Clearly, I’m a big fan of their music. They blew my mind at the Del Monte Speakeasy in March, and amazed me at the Bootleg Theater in July. Performing for the last time in Los Angeles in 2013, I jumped at the chance to buy tickets to their show at the Skirball.

Once again, they delivered beyond my expectations. Like their show at the Bootleg Theater, their musicality was on full display. Though I knew all of their music, what I heard that evening was beyond unreal. They took the musical themes of almost every song, and improvised and jammed new life into them. It was as if the audience was being treated to master-class remixes of the original recordings. It was wonderfully brilliant. If you are already familiar with their music, you should check out the video snippets from the show below. I think you’ll catch my drift.

They played a couple new songs that they were working on for their next album (“Breathing Under Water” (titled “Breathing” on the setlist) and “Don’t Mind With My Atoms” (titled, I think, “Bordershiine” on the setlist). After their gig, I caught up with some of the band members who told me they were going to head back home to write and record their next album. That being said, I realized that their next trek through Los Angeles wouldn’t probably be until they support their next album. Their performance at the Skirball will hold me over for a spell, but I have a feeling that I’ll be jonesing to see them live by Spring of 2014.

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.

Add Hiatus Kaiyote on Facebook, and follow them on Instagram and Twitter using the handle @HiatusKaoiyote. You should follow them. You need to see them perform live. Do it.

November 27, 2013November 27, 2013 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: breathing under water, concert, concert pics, don't mind with my atoms, Hiatus Kaiyote, nai palm, neo soul, neosoul, paul bender, perrin moss, phographs, photo, pic, pics, pictures, Review, setlist, simon mavin, skirball, skirball cultural center, soul, soul music, video 3 Comments

Filter Magazine’s Culture Collide 2013 | Echo Park | 11/10/13 – 11/11/13

This year (2013), Snoop’s wife’s company, Boss Lady Entertainment, signed an artist from Poland named Iza Lach. I’m a huge fan of her sound/voice, so when I found out that she was slotted to perform several sets during Filter Magazine’s Culture Collide music festival, I was giddy. I was even more giddy when I saw the impressive number of foreign bands set to perform. I had a wedding in Santa Barbara to attend Saturday, October 12th, so I’d have to miss out on The Ravonettes, Alice Russell, Rhye, King Khan & The Shrings, and a handful of other lesser known acts, but I still managed to get a press pass (my first of the year!) to check out some of the bands playing Thursday and Friday.

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A post shared by Derrick K. Lee | #DKLPHOTOS (@methodman13)

Now, there are a lot a music festivals that go on throughout the year, all across the United States, but the Culture Collide festival is particularly unique in that it’s an extremely affordable way to see different kinds of bands from all over the world- 24 countries (including the United States) were represented this year. I sat next to a couple for Jacco Gardner who echoed that sentiment by telling me that they, “go to this festival every year. It’s only $30, and to get to hear great music from places I know I’ll never get to go? It’s totally worth it.”

Below are the bands that I was able to catch (click through the names of the bands to check out the entries that I wrote up). Hopefully this music festival has another go at it next year, as I certainly would attend, with or without a press pass.

Thursday, October 10th:

Wooster (US)
Tiny Ruins (New Zealand)
Maya Vik (Norway)
Iza (Poland)

Friday, October 11th:

Medicine (US)
Jacco Gardner (Netherlands)
Gemini Club (US)
Great White Buffalo (US)

October 22, 2013January 15, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: alternative folk, boss lady entertainment, culture colldie, culture collide 2013, filter magazine, folk, folk music, funk music, Gemini Club, iza, Iza Lach, Jacco Gardner, live concert performance, live confer performance, Maya Vik, photo, photographs, photos, pic, pictures, Review, reviews, setlist, snoop, snoop dogg, tiny ruins, video 1 Comment

Maya Vik | Culture Collide | 11/10/13

Click here to check out the other bands that I saw perform at Culture Collide 2013

I was washing my hands in one of the venues when I noticed the gentlemen next to me washing his hands wearing some really high-end ear plugs. Since I had recently looked into purchasing a pair of quality earplugs, I sparked up a conversation in the men’s room regarding the same.

The dude had a European accent, and after converting Krones to U.S. Dollars, we estimated that his ear plugs were between $800-$1,000. I thanked him for the insight, and applauded him for his dedication to concert going before heading off. Imagine my amusement when I noticed him behind the keys for Maya Vik.

From her Wikipedia page:

Screen Shot 2013-10-22 at 12.38.07 AM

It was a fun, energetic set that really had the small club venue feeling funky. When they covered Ready For The World’s Oh Sheila the small venue got warm and musty with moving bodies. If I could have, I would have attended her gig on Saturday. There’s nothing better to get the funk flowing than a good looking woman, slapping out funky bass-lines.

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.

Click here to check out the other bands that I saw perform at Culture Collide 2013

October 22, 2013October 22, 2013 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: bassist, culture collide, culture collide 2013, filter magazine, funk, Maya Vik, oh shiela, pics, pictures, ready for the world, Review, reviews, video Leave a comment

Tiny Ruins | Culture Collide | 11/10/13

Click here to check out the other bands that I saw perform at Culture Collide 2013

Hollie Fullbrook, a folk singer-songwriter from New Zealand, is Tiny Ruins. She made some waves in 2011 when the BBC Wold Service programme The Strand named her album first full length album one of the top five albums of 2011. With such glowing reviews, I marked it down as a set that I wanted to check out.

It was an intimate set in a modestly sized church. With just her voice and guitar, she filled the churches’ architecture with a soft, mellow, etherial sound. The lighting was subdued and appropriate, and the only criticism I had of the venue was that they didn’t turn-off the buildings fans prior to the start of her performance. A video clip of Hollie performing one of her songs is below, and you’ll note the fan noise in the background.

As it was my first time listening to her music, I wasn’t as committed to her lyrics, for which she is known, so I suppose that I didn’t appreciate the music as much as I possibly could have. When I have some more time, I plan on listening to Some Were Meant For Sea with an open ear. I won’t be able to attend her upcoming gig at the Silverlake Lounge on October 23, but for $8, I definitely think it’s worth the cover.

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.

Click here to check out the other bands that I saw perform at Culture Collide 2013

October 22, 2013October 22, 2013 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: bbc, concert, culture collide, culture collide 2013, filter magazine, folk, folk music, holly fullbrook, new zealand, photo, photographs, photos, pic, pics, pictures, Review, reviews, tiny ruins, video Leave a comment

Fiona Apple and Blake Mills | Walt Disney Concert Hall | 10/7/13

Fiona Apple and Blake Mills tour poster. — Fiona Apple and Blake Mills 2013 tour poster.

I first saw Fiona Apple perform live when I was on location at the Trump Taj Mahal in 2006 working on the short-lived, live-to-tape, VH1 Classics concert series Decades Rock Live! She was a guest artist on the episode featuring Elvis Costello, and she she sang a cover of Elvis Costello’s “I Want You” that absolutely blew my mind and gave me shivers. That one performance was, bar none, my favorite performance from the 8 episodes we were able to tape.

It wasn’t until 6 year later in 2012 that I was able to see her perform again, this time at the Greek Theater supporting her album “The Idler Wheel […]”. I enjoyed the show, but truth be told, I could have done without the groups of drunk girls, sitting around me, chit-chatting throughout the entire show. Apparently, at that show, concert decorum left the building early. To have to tell people to shut up during the quiet, emotional songs is something that I don’t think any concert goer should have to deal with.

When I heard that Fiona Apple was performing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, I knew that that was a ticket I needed to get. Not only is the Walt Disney Concert Hall a more intimate venue (it seats 2,265 as opposed to the Greek’s 5,870), but it also has superior acoustics and strict rules as to concert etiquette (i.e, strict food, beverage, noise and photography rules). I knew that this time around, I would be experiencing a difference type of Fiona Apple concert.

When I got to the venue, I made a b-line straight to the merchandise booth. For the concert at the Greek, I remember being literally one person late in getting an autographed lithographed poster for that show, taking a picture of the last poster that the woman right in front of me purchased, and I was trying to avoid the same thing from happening again. Nothing special was available, however, and I simply picked up the poster that you can see up at the top of the page.

The stage set up was sparse and simple. Instruments (drum-kit, upright bass, guitar rack, baby grand piano and a stand alone kick drum) were positioned on the stage with carpets under the center microphone and baby grand, and an empty blackboard at the rear of the stage. The players (Sebastian Steinberg on upright bass, Barbara Gruska barefoot on drums and Blake Mills on vocals and guitar(s)) took the stage, and before the music started Fiona announced, among other things, “I don’t do soundcheck,” and, “Now that we’re here, I’m taking the most risks.”

She walked to the chalkboard and began to write a series of words on the board (I wish I could have taken a picture of it, but per venue rules, no pics):

Screen Shot 2013-10-08 at 11.57.31 PM

The music of the evening was pure perfection. Fiona and Blake complimented each other’s sound and personalities, and it was a joy to see each of the players be so in tune with each other. The musical brilliance aside, I was particularly excited to see Fiona so comfortable to be performing for us. She was chatty and enthusiastic throughout the entire set, something that wouldn’t have necessarily been expected based on all of the recent gossip.

During “The First Taste”, she sprawled herself on the floor playing percussion on some items she “borrowed” from the hotel she was staying at. After, “The First Taste” she noted her haircut and giggled while stating, “When I get excited, I cut my hair,” and added, “I just wanna feel everything.” During Blake’s first solo song, she draped herself of the stand alone kick-drum and pounded away at it throughout the tune. After “Anything We Want”, she emphasized that the name of tour was the same, and at that point it truly felt like she meant it.

Her emotions poured out on “Regret”. The dynamics on the Blake Mills duet of “Seven” were chilling, especially when Fiona sat on the floor while Blake gently, and at a super pianissamo level, gently plucked away at his guitar strings … all eyes in the room were fixated, and you could feel the tension in the room from everybody worrying about moving around making the slightest bit of noise. When an audience member yelled out “Paper Bag” as a request, Fiona admitted that she totally forgot about that song. Before “Left Alone” she called Rex Reed a cunt for giving her father a poor review, and stoically stated, “That was for you dad.”

After the show concluded, I made my way back out to the front of the theater to meet up with a couple friends when I noticed some concert goers walking around the foyer with a poster that looked different that the one I had purchased before show. I stopped one of the patrons with the different poster and she told me it was a limited lithograph of Fiona’s original artwork, signed by both Fiona and Blake. I went back to the merchandise table where the line was considerably longer than before. As fate would have it, this time I was the customer who purchased the LAST one that was available. I guess Karma found it’s way back to me.

A lithograph of Fiona's original artwork signed by both Fiona Apple and Blake Mills. — A one of fifty lithographs available at the concert of Fiona’s original artwork signed by both Fiona Apple and Blake Mills.

I could totally care less about all of the tabloid fodder that’s out there about Fiona. Her music should speak for itself. And her music is simply, unequivocally, brilliant. In the intimate and acoustically superior Walt Disney Concert Hall, that musical brilliance was transcendent. I must have had the hair on my arms stand up at least 5 times throughout the concert, and I hardly have any hair on my arms.

Although I wish I could have taken some photographs, coming away with 1 of 50, signed lithographs for the show is definitely a worthy consolation prize.

Setlist compiled from taken from Laweekly.com’s website and setlist.fm:

Tipple (new song co-written by Blake Mills)
The First Taste
Every Single Night
Unworthy (Blake Mills)
Anything We Want
Curable Disease
Regret
It’ll All Work Out
I Want You To Love Me (new song)
It’s Only Make Believe (Conway Twitty cover)
Seven (duet with Blake Mills)
Dull Tool
Don’t Tell Out Friends About Us (Blake Mills)
Left Alone
I Know
Waltz (Better Than Fine)

I recorded some audio clips from the show, but rather than edit them to post here, I simply found some video that another concert goer had put up. The video is terrible, but at least you can hear some of the amazing I got to experience at the Walt Disney Concert Hall that wonderful Monday evening. Cheers.

October 10, 2013October 10, 2013 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: barbara gruska, blake mills, clips, decades rock live, dull tool, fiona apple, I know, left alone, Review, sebastian steinberg, setlist, video, walt disney concert hall, waltz 2 Comments

Depeche Mode | Staples Center | 9/29/13

Martin Gore and Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode performing at the Staples Center 9/29/13

Years ago, back in 2009, I got to see one of my favorite bands growing up, Depeche Mode, perform at the Hollywood Bowl. It was a concert that I hadn’t purchased a ticket for, but I was lucky enough to have friends who, for one reason or another, couldn’t go, and I was the lucky recipient. For that show, I literally had the “last seat” in the house (Section X2, Row 4, Seat 3), but it is still one of the handful of concerts that I have ever been to that I am sure will always be somewhere in my top 10 of all time. I’ll have to admit though, I could be a little biased simply based on the fact that Depeche Mode’s music was such an integral part of my growing up.

I remember how I got introduced to their music. While I was in elementary/middle school, I had a cool cousin who graduated from college and was trying to get a job in the film industry. During her job search, she spent a few years living at my parents house, and with her came her music collection. Though I only got to listen to her music in her car, when she found a job and moved out, she left a handful of albums behind. The Fleetwood Mac LPs were cool. The Billy Joel cassette was cool. But all of a sudden, I noticed a black double cassette (the first double cassette I’d ever seen), of some band I thought was named “Depeche Mode 101”.

When I popped in the first cassette, the first thing I realized was that it was a live recording (recorded at the Pasadena Rose Bowl). When I pressed play, I didn’t hear any music. Rather, it was the sound of an audience cheering like crazy. I was enthralled. Each song was something new to me, and whenever a song ended, and the crowd roared with cheers, I truly felt like I was at that concert. I would eventually find out that the band’s name was just Depeche Mode, and the live album was titled 101. The title of that album was fitting, as that album was basically my beginner’s course for a band that I would come to love so whole heartedly.

For some reason, I failed to purchased tickets to any of their shows at the Staples Center when they were released to the public. I checked online for tickets, but they were all exorbitantly marked up. It was a sad oversight, and I figured that I would miss out this time around … but again, the music gods must have been looking over me as another friend messaged me on the 28th about having an extra ticket for the 29th. Without hesitation, I said, “Yes”.

The seats were in the rafters of the Staples Center, but if I learned anything about Depeche Mode from the last time I saw them, seats anywhere in the venue would have been fine. Like the first time I saw them at the Hollywood Bowl, Andy Fletcher, Dave Gahan and Martin Gore did not disappoint. Their live performance was grand and filled with adrenaline rushing moments, contrasted with emotionally charged darkness. Dave Gahan strutted across the stage throughout his songs with such a bravado that one would never guess that he’s over 50 years old.

Though the tour is in support of their latest album, Delta Machine, they performed songs from every stage of their careers. Crowd, and radio favorites, “Personal Jesus”, “Enjoy The Silence”, “World In My Eyes” and “Just Can’t Get Enough”, and “classic” Depeche Mode favorites like “Behind The Wheel”, “A Question of Time” were performed, but what really stood out in my mind were the songs that Martin Gore sang solo. Subdued, acoustic and intimate versions of “A Question of Lust” and “Condemnation” were performed during the encore that moved me immeasurably. Those two songs, for me, epitomize Depeche Mode’s ability to reach into the listeners soul to question, consider and forgive all of the intricacies and follys of love. Where Dave Gahan is the bravado, Martin Gore is the soul. Their pairing is what keeps the yin and yang of Depeche Mode in harmony.

Setlist from the website setlist.fm:

Welcome to My World
Angel
Walking In My Shoes
Precious
Behind The Wheel
World In My Eyes
Should be Higher
John the Revelator
Higher Love (sung by Martin Gore)
Judas
Heaven
Soothe My Soul
A Pain That I’m Used To
A Question of Time
Enjoy The silence
Personal Jesus

Encore

A Question of Lust (Acoustic Sung by Martin Gore)
Condemnation (Sung by Martin Gore)
Just Can’t Get Enough
Never Let Me Down Again

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.

October 8, 2013 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 9/29/13, andy fletcher, concert, dave gahan, delta machine, Depeche Mode, depeche mode 101, highlights, live, martin gore, photo, photos, pictures, Review, setlist, Staples Center, video, video clips 1 Comment

Aloe Blacc | The Beach Ball Festival: Soul Revue | September 21, 2013

Click here to check out the blog entries of the other acts I was able to catch (Myron & E, Lee Fields and the Expressions, Maceo Parker and Allen Stone) at The Beach Ball Festival: Soul Revue.

Aloe Blacc performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]

My first exposure to Aloe Blacc‘s music was years ago (late 90’s) when he was performing as a rapper/singer in a hip-hop group called Emanon with the producer Exile, but it wasn’t until 2010 that I really started to get interested in his sound. The HBO series Entourage had just ended, and its fans (like me) were anxiously waiting for HBOs new series How to Make It in America, hoping that it would have the same kind of energy and characters of its predecessor.

I was always impressed with Entourage’s soundtrack, so I anticipated How to Make It in America to have as good a soundtrack. As soon as the show’s intro song played, I had to run to my computer and perform a google search to find out the name of the song and who performed it. It was Aloe Blacc’s “I Need a Dollar“, a modern recording with a vintage sound, a sound that I am very partial too, and strong social commentary.

As a native Southern Californian, his closing of the Soul Revue festivities was apropos. Backed by a full band with a terrific horn section, and dressed in a form fitted black suit with a fedora, his set was both visually and sonically the embodiment of traditional soul music. His doting fans lapped up the performance and clearly appreciated every theme of Aloe’s music which ranged from groove shakers to songs of substance.

During his set he called the well known poet, IN-Q, to the stage to recite a poem titled “85”. By that point in the evening, the camera in my battery was dead, so I couldn’t video record it, but thankfully, a video of it being performed at Witzend was posted Jan 11, 2013. A truly lovely performance.

IN-Q performing at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]

After his set closed, Aloe was cheered back to the stage for an encore. The audience clearly didn’t want the day of soul music to end, but curfew ordinances are curfew ordinances and the glorious day of soul music had come to an uplifting conclusion. I went backstage to get some water before moving on with my evening, and happened to see Aloe hanging out with some friends and/or fans. I “happened” to have his 12” single recording of “Get Down” in my backpack so I asked his manager if he could sneak me a signature. He graciously obliged, and not only did I get an autograph, but I also got a pic with Aloe . As I’m typing this right now, I’m wondering why I don’t have an LP copy of Aloe’s “Good Things” (would totally be worth having on vinyl).

Me and Aloe Blacc (with his 2006 12'' Single of "Get Down") at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13] — Me and Aloe Blacc (with his 2006 12” Single of “Get Down”) at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]

It was a terrific day of soul music, and I hope that the festival organizers can put together another strong line-up for the soul revue next year. Kudos are deserved for KCRW and The Echo for putting together a terrific lineup. It was a great way to end the summer.

Click here to check out the blog entries of the other acts I was able to catch (Myron & E, Lee Fields and the Expressions, Maceo Parker and Allen Stone) at The Beach Ball Festival: Soul Revue.

September 28, 2013September 28, 2013 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: Aloe Blacc, alternative r and b, beach ball, beach ball festival, funky, I need a dollar, kcrw, neo soul, R and B, reivew, Review, santa monica, soul, soul music, soul revue, the echo, throwback Leave a comment

Allen Stone | The Beach Ball Festival: Soul Revue | September 21, 2013

Click here to check out the blog entries of the other acts I was able to catch (Myron & E, Lee Fields and the Expressions, Maceo Parker and Aloe Blacc) at The Beach Ball Festival: Soul Revue.

Allen Stone at The Beach Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]

About a year ago, while searching the web for new music, I came across a youtube video of a white soul singer from Seattle, Washington singing a soulful, acoustic version of one of his own compositions. The chorus of the song, and the voice the singer, hooked me instantly. The songs was called “Another Break Up Song” and the singer’s name was Allen Stone.

On October 19, 2012, I was able to see him perform at The Fonda Theatre. His performance that evening was so good that it made it into the top 10 of the concert events I went to in 2012. Since I missed his early afternoon set at Coachella this year, I was ecstatic to hear that he would be performing at the Beach Ball Soul Revue.

If you are unfamiliar with Allen Stone, I would describe this self-professed “hippie with soul” as a throwback to those soul legends who sang lyrics embedded with social commentary. Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway … I’m talking the heavy hitters. Lofty comparisons for a relative newbie in the music industry, but with a tenor voice as soulful as his, and poingnant songwriting ability, it’s hard for me not to make them. Back in October 2012, I professed on my Facebook page that Allen Stone could be an artist that we’d see performing at the Hollywood Bowl or Greek Theatre sooner rather than later. I’m going to stick to my guns.

His performance at the Beach Ball was as good as I remembered him at the Fonda, if not more energetic. He fed off the energy from the crowd, who sang along to Allen’s more well known songs. The crowd loved his performance, and clearly loved the messages of love and togetherness Allen professed throughout his set.

After all of the concert festivities for the evening had concluded, I meandered to my “Cheers” (Ye Old Kings Head in Santa Monica) for a few drinks with friends. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Allen and his crew were tucked away in a corner of the bar. Being the gregarious person I am … though, I’m sure the double Dewars I had just consumed also helped … I walked over to Allen’s table and introduced myself. I recall telling him that I was at his show at the Fonda, that I enjoyed his set on the pier, and how I’m always hoping that I’d get to hear him perform “Another Break Up Song”.

Me and Allen Stone at the Kings Head after the Ball Festival 9/21/13 [ig: @methodman13]

I offered to buy him a drink, but he told me that it was his turn to be the designated driver. I think I may have bought his manager a drink though. Not wanting to be a leech, I told Allen that I was really looking forward to hear his next album, and snapped a quick pic before minding my own. A friend of mine who manages the Kings Head has offered to hang a picture of me and Snoop on the celebrity wall of the Kings Head, but I’ve always refused because Snoop’s never been to the Kings Head. I just may have to give him my picture with Allen.