singer songwriter – Page 2

Jagwar Ma | Twilight Concert | Santa Monica Pier | 8/7/14 [PHOTOS & REVIEW]

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

In conjunction with G’Day USA, the Twilight Concert series presented “Australia Rocks The Pier”.

The headliner for the evening was the killer Australian band Jagwar Ma. I first got to see them perform at Coachella, and after my time in the photo pit expired, I made it a point to keep up with their music because I was duly impressed.

When I found out that they were scheduled to perform at the Santa Monica Pier, I circled the date in my calendar. Seriously … I was pumped to see a full set. In fact, being a music dweeb, I even lugged my LP of “Howlin” (their debut album) to the pier on the off chance that I could get some of the fellas to sign it.

Their set was terrific. They basically played their entire album (excluding “Did You Have To” and “Backwards Berlin”), and even threw in a couple covers. I was especially impressed with their cover of Nirvana’s “All Apologies”. It was unexpected, but truly great to hear.

Follow Jagwar Ma on Facebook by CLICKING HERE

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

August 13, 2014August 13, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, alternative rock, Australia, concert, Concert Photographer, Concert Photography, Concert Photos. Concert Photo, concert pic, concert review, concert series, concert video, dance music, electronic, electronic music, Experimental Music, Free Concert, Gabriel Winterfield, house music, Jack Freeman, Jagwar Ma, JagwarMa, Jono Ma, Live Music, los angeles, Psychadelic Music, Review, santa monica, santa monica pier, set list, setlist, singer songwriter, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, Sydney, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts, video 1 Comment

Fascinator| Twilight Concert | Santa Monica Pier | 8/7/14 [PHOTOS & REVIEW]

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

In conjunction with G’Day USA, the Twilight Concert series presented “Australia Rocks The Pier”.

The second act performing on the Santa Monica Pier was Fascinator. Fascinator is Johnny Mackay, an Australian based in New York, whose music is an experimental, electronic, psychedelic trip. Though the act was probably better suited for a smaller club venue, I could tell that the audience was getting into it … the smell of weed permeating my nostrils was my proof.

The music, and performance, was a bit out there. With odd hat-masks, long full length garb, and a hype-man who danced around the stage, I could feel the groove, but kept sniffing the air to see if I could get a second-hand high. If only I wasn’t “working” …

Follow Fascinator on Facebook by CLICKING HERE

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

August 13, 2014August 13, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, Adult Alternative, Aussie, Aussie Music, Australian, Australian Music, concert series, concert video, electronic, electronic music, Experimental Music, Fascinator, Free Concert, G’Day USA, indie rock, Johnny Mackay, los angeles, Psychadelic Music, santa monica, santa monica pier, singer songwriter, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, synth pop, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts, video Leave a comment

Phebe Starr | Twilight Concert | Santa Monica Pier | 8/7/14 [PHOTOS & REVIEW]

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

In conjunction with G’Day USA, the Twilight Concert series presented “Australia Rocks The Pier”.

The first act performing on the Santa Monica Pier was Aussie Native Phebe Starr. Like the opening act from the prior week, Phebe had been the winner of a competition to perform for the Twilight Concert audience.

I arrived at the pier after she had already started her set, but was able to get into the photo pit for the last half of her set.

Her music is synth pop akin to Lykii Li and Sia. Though I only caught a portion of her set, I could see the potential she has in developing her sound. She is in Los Angeles to record music, and it’d be interesting to see how Los Angeles inspires her songwriting.

Follow Phebe Starr on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

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

August 13, 2014August 13, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, Adult Alternative, Aussie, Aussie Music, Australian, Australian Music, concert series, electronic, electronic music, Free Concert, G’Day USA, indie rock, los angeles, santa monica, santa monica pier, singer songwriter, Sounds like Lykii Li, Sounds like Sia, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, synth pop, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts Leave a comment

Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier

Free Concert Alert | La Santa Cecilia & Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta at the Santa Monica Pier | 8/14/14 [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!

On Thursday, August 14th, the Santa Monica Pier hosts La Santa Cecilia. I’ll be honest with you … before seeing them scheduled as a featured artist, I knew nothing about them. After snooping the internet a little, I come to find out that they recently won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album in 2014. Hmm … maybe this is a band I should check out. lol.

This Los Angeles based band has been releasing albums since 2009, and their music fuses Latin elements like cumbia, bossa nova, bolero, etc. with, rock, jazz and ska. If there’s one thing that I’m looking forward to, it’s getting my “first taste” of this band at the pier. My only regret will be that I learned French instead of Spanish back in high school.

Follow La Santa Cecilia on Facebook by clicking here.

Also performing on the pier, opening for La Santa Cecilia, is Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta; “a mambo big-band like you’ve never experienced.” I’m excited to see how big the band will be for this performance (I’ve read that the orchestra can stretch to 19 pieces), but I’m sure the pier will be dancing to their sweet mambo and cumbia sounds.

Follow Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta 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!

August 12, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, bolero, bosso nova, Concert Preview, concert series, cumbia, Free Concert, Grammy award, La Santa Cecilia, los angeles, mambo, santa monica, santa monica pier, Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta, singer songwriter, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts Leave a comment

Omar Souleyman | 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!

I missed Omar Souleyman when he played at FYF Fest in 2013. When a close friend of mine told me the next day that Omar’s set was incredible … <slaps had to the forehead>

When I heard he was playing the pier, I knew it was a show I couldn’t miss.

I’ve always been fascinated with foreign music. I barely speak French. I hardly understand Korean. I obviously know nothing about the Arabic language. But good music is good music. Omar Souleyman’s traditional, electronic, Syrian folk-pop music is a groove inducing, infectious rhythm than really doesn’t need to be translated.

Wearing large sunglasses, a thick mustache and traditional Syrian garb, it was just him and his DJ sending sonic waves out onto the pier and into the beach. Looking over the crowd, all I could see were hands in the air, and bodies gyrating to the beat.

Though the traditional meanings of his music may have been lost on the crowd, it really didn’t matter. The crowd was lost in the foreign sounds of one of Syria’s most prolific recording artists.

Follow Omar Souleyman on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

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

August 5, 2014August 4, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, Adult Alternative, arabic, Concert Preview, concert series, dabke, electronic, electronic music, folk, Free Concert, indie rock, kurdish, los angeles, middle eastern, middle eastern music, middle eastern songs, Oma Souleyman, santa monica, santa monica pier, singer songwriter, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts Leave a comment

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!

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!

August 4, 2014August 3, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, Adult Alternative, arabic, Aussie, Australian, Autralian, Concert Preview, concert series, dance music, electronic, electronic music, Free Concert, future soul, los angeles, neo-psychedlic, psychedlic music, santa monica, santa monica pier, singer songwriter, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts Leave a comment

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

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

July 29, 2014July 29, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: Anomaly, BET, BET Experience, BET Experience at L.A. Live, BETX, Christian, Christian Hip Hop, concert, Concert Photo, Concert Photography, concert photos, concert pic, concert pics, concert review, Crae, Crayola, Crazy 'Crae, Creazy, Creezie, hip hop, Hip Hop Music, Hip Hop producer, Instagram, Instagram Videos, Lecrae, Lecrae Moore, music matters, music matters stage, music producer, Presented by Nissan, producer, Rapper, Record producer, singer songwriter, soul, soul music Leave a comment

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

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

July 29, 2014July 29, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: BET, BET Experience, BET Experience at L.A. Live, Blues Music, concert, Concert Photo, Concert Photography, concert photos, concert pic, concert pics, concert review, Contemporary R&B, Elle Varner, folk music, hip hop, Hip Hop Music, Instagram, Instagram Videos, music matters, music matters stage, pop music, R&B, R&B Music, Rapper, singer, singer songwriter Leave a comment

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

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

Your Lies
Leaving
Life is bad
Easier
I Only Want to Be With You
Gotta Get Back
Why Can’t You
Look’n Up
She Knows
Should’ve Been
Dreamsome
Black Light Blue
Wind
Where I’m From
Call me up
This Road
Walking
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

July 28, 2014August 6, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: Americana, Annenberg Space, Ben Peeler, Brendan Buckley, Century City, Century Park, Chris Joyner, concert, Concert Photo, Concert Photography, concert photos, concert pic, concert pics, concert review, Country, country music, Country: Portraits of an American Sound, Ed Maxwell, Everso, Everso Records, folk, folk music, FREE all-ages outdoor concerts, kcrw, kcrw concert, Lisa Donelly, Midnight Rider, Outlaw Country, Sally Dworsky, set list, setlist, Shelby Lynne, singer, singer songwriter, The Annenberg Space for Photography Leave a comment

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!

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.