Summer Concert – Page 2

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

De Lux | 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!

Opening for Omar Souleyman was the Los Angeles-based, indie neo-disco band De Lux. I had gotten a little sampling of their music online, but listening to this band’s music live was something else.

De Lux is a favorite of KCRW DJs across the board (they are one of the few acts that ALL of the DJs play in their sets). I could hear why.

They may be a young band, but their sound is pretty damn sophisticated. A little synth-pop, a little electronic, a little disco, a little punk, a little funk … their music is a mish-mosh of styles that really blends together into a unique, almost throwback, sound.

I got to chat with a couple of the guys in the band after their set, and couldn’t help but rave about their sound. Though they’ve heard it before, I really emphasized my observation that their music really reminded me of the Talking Heads. Seaun Guerin, one of the founders and the lead vocalist, in particular, has a voice that’s as oddly wonderful as David Byrnes’ voice.

These guys are playing at the upcoming free music festival in Los Angeles, Echo Park Rising, August 15th-17th (TBD). I’m going to try and make it out for their gig. Hopefully, I’ll be able to snap some more pics of them jamming out.

Follow De Lux 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, alternative dance, club music, concert series, dance music, De Lux, disco, electronic music, experimental pop music, Free Concert, funk, funk music, indie pop, indie rock, Isaac Franco, kcrw, los angeles, Neo-Disco, pop music, pop rock, Pop Rock Sound, post punk, santa monica, santa monica pier, Seaun Guerin, sound like Talking Heads, Sounds like Talking Heads, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, synth pop, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

Follow The Slightlys on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

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

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

August 4, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, concert series, Darius Dudley II, David Marinelli, experimental pop music, Finneas O'Connell, Free Concert, indie pop, indie rock, lo-fi, los angeles, pop music, pop rock, Pop Rock Sound, Robby Fitzpatrick, rock music, santa monica, santa monica pier, set list, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, The Slightlys, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts 1 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

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.

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!

July 28, 2014July 27, 2014 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, Adult Alternative, arabic, Concert Preview, concert series, dabke, De Lux, electronic, electronic music, folk, Free Concert, future soul, 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

Yuna | Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier | 7/17/14 [PHOTOS & REVIEW]

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July 21, 2014August 12, 2015 by dklee13 Categories: ConcertsTags: 30th Anniversary, acoustic, Adult Alternative, concert, Concert Photo, Concert Photographer, Concert Photography, concert photos, concert pic, concert pics, Concert Preview, concert review, concert series, folk, folk music, Free Concert, future soul, indie rock, Instagram, Instagram Videos, Instagram Vids, king, Live Music, los angeles, Malaysia, neo soul, pop music, R&B, R&B Music, santa monica, santa monica pier, singer songwriter, soul, soul music, Summer Concert, Summer Concert Series, twilight concert, Twilight Concerts, Yuna, Yunalis Mat Zara'ai Leave a comment

KING | Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier | 7/17/14 [PHOTOS & REVIEW]

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

Opening for Yuna at the second installment of Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Concert series was KING, a trio of women whose soul infused electronic sound really impressed me. Relying only on their voices, and an electronic keyboard, the audience reveled in some soul music that has had the soul-community buzzing about them as of late.

They vocal blending was about as good as I’ve heard since my collegiate chorale days. Often times, I couldn’t tell who was singing, as their voices really meshed as one.

As the sun set, their jazzy vibe complimented it perfectly. Couples held each other a little tighter, and bodies were grinding slowly to their sensual sounds. I can only imagine what it would be like to see them performing in a small, smoky jazz club. That’s where’d I’d LOVE to see them perform next.

I wasn’t able to find a setlist for, or video clips of, their performance, but if you happen to know where I can find some, let me know in the comments and I’ll add them to the blog! In the meantime …

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