Charles Bradley | Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier 9/11/14 [Photos]

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

Charles Bradley loves everybody. Charles Bradley loves you. Charles Bradley loves me. And you know what? I love Charles Bradley. I love his spirit. I love his passion. I love his music. I won’t wax poetic about how much I his music moves my soul (I’ve already done that here and here), but I will say that if anybody is the “Soul of America” incarnate, it’s that man. Mr. Charles Bradley.

 

After he closed the Twilight Concert Series with a rousing performance of “Why Is It So Hard”, I went backstage with the hopes of getting him to sign a copy of a limited edition LP I had in my collection. As luck would have it, he was greeting some fans after his so I made my way towards him and asked him if he would do me the honor of signing my album.

 

His eyes widened with a sparkle of surprise and he exclaimed, “Even I haven’t seen this record!” I went on to tell him how I first saw him at FYF and also shot him at The Fonda, and he asked me for my name, proclaiming that he would try not to forget it. With nothing left to say, I simply said, “I love you, Mr Bradley,” reaching my hand out for a hand shake. He pulled me in for a hug, wrapping me in his arms and said, “I love you too, Derrick. Thank you.”

 

Getting a hug from the The Soul of America? No better way to end a concert series. Thank you Mr. Bradley. I can’t wait to hear what music you’ve got coming for us fans next.

 

CLICK HERE to put a little soul, and love, in your heart with some video clips of Charles Bradley at the Santa Monica Pier.

 

King James & The Special Men | Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier 9/11/14 [Photos]

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

I love New Orleans. I love its people. I love its food. I love its music. God damn, how I love its music. Blues, jazz, funk, dixieland … New Orleans has it all. On September 11, 2014, a bit of New Orleans came to the Santa Monica Pier.

 

King James & The Special Men is a rhythm and blues band that embodies the New Orleans spirit. Their raw, gritty, soulful music reminded me of the crazy, fun, nights I’ve had trolling Bourbon Street, drunk off my butt, wandering into the random, local venue that had live music spilling into the street.

 

Playing both covers and originals, King James and his Special Men played music that evoked memories of that one time my friends and me spent an evening at Mother-In-Laws when it was hosted by the charming Miss Antoinette (R.I.P.). As it turns it out, he was a regular player there,  playing for nothing “but free drinks and big ol’ sack of Miss Antoinette K-Doe’s red beans and rice”.

 

It was a grand performance by New Orleans stalwart, and I was very pleased that the Twilight Concert  Series got him to open for Charles Bradley.  CLICK HERE to check out some Instagram video clips from the concert to get a bit of that New Orleans flavor in your soul.

Free Concert Alert | Charles Bradley and King James & The Special Men at the Santa Monica Pier | 9/11/14 [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!

The Santa Monica Pier ends its 2014 Twilight Concert Series with one of my current favorites. Charles Bradley!!! Continue reading

Mexico68 | Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier | 8/28/14 [PHOTOS]

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

With 13 members in its collective, Mexico68 is an afrobeat band that does it right. Their tight-knit sound, and superb energy, really lifted the audience’s spirit, and had many in the crowd dancing to their sounds. Personally, I’m a huge fan a large, and loud, horn sections. They had 7 horns playing that evening, and I absolutely loved it.

Their brand of afrobeat, heavily influenced with Chicano funk, really got my music juices flowing. I would definitely go out of my way to see them perform if I’m craving that kind of music. You should too.

I couldn’t find a setlist online, but you can CLICK HERE to check out a collection of Instagram Videos of them performing.

 

 

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

Free Concert Alert | OK Go and Allah-Las at the Santa Monica Pier | 9/4/14 [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!

If you haven’t been at the Santa Monica Pier this summer to enjoy some of the free music they are offering with the Twilight Concert Series, you should try making it out this Thursday to catch Allah-Las and OK Go rock the beach.

 

OK Go, best known for their amazing music videos, will give the audience a chance to listen to music from the forthcoming album, “Hungry Ghosts”, which is to be released October 14th, 2014. I’ve got to give it to this band. With record labels letting go of artist’s with a loyal following (and not knowing how to capitalize on a band’s popularity with compromising the product in some way), OK Go’s upcoming release is an independent effort, with the album being distributed through the direct-to-fan platform PledgeMusic.

 

Check out the video below of the first single from the album, and make sure you head out to the pier to catch them perform live!

Follow OK Go on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

 

Opening for OK Go is Allah-Las, an L.A. based garage band that I recently caught at Echo Park Rising.  Though their style of music is quite different from OK Go’s sound, they should be appetizer for the audience at the pier. With their loyal fan base, I’d highly recommend getting to the pier early to ensure that you make it in before the venue reaches capacity.

Follow Allah-Las 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!

The Zombies | Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier | 8/21/14 [PHOTOS]

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

When I was approved to shoot The Zombies at the Santa Monica Pier, I was giddy. Being a supreme music dweeb, I was fully aware of their impact in popular music. Their sound basically redefined rock music.

I’d try to wax poetic about how amazingly (and truthfully, surprisingly) they performed on the summer eve, but Bob Lefsetz, a noted music writer, already wrote everything, and more, that I would have not so eloquently put pen to pad. CLICK HERE to read his stellar review.

The fact that two of the original members, Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent, both 69, are still in prime form was wonderful to witness. If you weren’t there, you missed out on a legendary performance, or legendary music, by legends. Your loss.

CLICK HERE to check out a collection of Instagram videos of some of the songs The Zombies performed at this concert.

The Zombies | Twilight Concert | Setlist

 

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

The Zombies | Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier | 8/21/14 [INSTAGRAM VIDS]

CLICK HERE to check out other acts I caught at the Twilight Concert on the Santa Monica Pier!

Below are Instagram clips of some of the songs from The Zombies set at the Santa Monica Pier as part of the Twilight Concert Series. Instagram’s embed settings are, unfortunately, too large for WordPress, but hopefully, you’ll still be able to click through to watch the video clips. Enjoy.

 

CLICK HERE to check out other acts I caught at the Twilight Concert on the Santa Monica Pier!

Mystic Braves | Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier | 8/21/14 [PHOTOS]

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

With the distinct honor of opening for the legendary The Zombies, Mystic Braves took the stage and served up a worthy appetizer of psychedelic rock to the masses. Now based in Echo Park, and signed to local label Lolipop Records, this band’s live performance, with their organ tinged sound, made me imagine what it would have been like if I had been alive to attend a Doors concert.

Band members Julian Decatenzeiler, Tony Malacara, Cameron Gartung, Shane Stotsenberg and Ignacio Gonzalez seamlessly played their brand of surf/garage rock with gusto and left the audience ready for the main course.

I couldn’t find a setlist online, but you can CLICK HERE to check out a collection of Instagram videos of some of the songs Mystic Braves performed at this concert.

 

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

Mystic Braves| Twilight Concert Series | Santa Monica Pier | 8/21/14 [INSTAGRAM VIDS]

CLICK HERE to check out other acts I caught at the Twilight Concert on the Santa Monica Pier!

Below are Instagram clips of some of the songs from Mystic Brave’s set at the Santa Monica Pier as part of the Twilight Concert Series. Instagram’s embed settings are, unfortunately, too large for WordPress, but hopefully, you’ll still be able to click through to watch the video clips. Enjoy.

 

CLICK HERE to check out other acts I caught at the Twilight Concert on the Santa Monica Pier!

Free Concert Alert | Mexico68 and Lee “Scratch” Perry at the Santa Monica Pier | 8/28/14 [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!

With over half of the concert series in the books, on Thursday, August 28st, the Santa Monica Pier hosts the East Los Angeles, Afrobeat band Mexico 68 and the legendary Lee Scratch Perry. Continue reading