Friday 01.04.08: First Fridays w/ SEA WOLF @ Natural History Museum

First Fridays – Dinner, Discussion, Music & More

with:
Sea Wolf || Listen
Afternoons

@ Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007

FMI: http://www.nhm.org/firstfridays/

5:30pm – Tour
6:30pm – Discussion
7:00pm – Music

5pm / Adult $9, students (w. ID) $6.50, Members FREE / All Ages

Saturday 12.22.07: Isgoodmusic.com presents CHASE FRANK

Chase Frank || Listen

“The album, Winter Is My Summer, is a solo-crafted entity that follows closely along the lines of great bands like Portishead and the fuzz-crunchiness of Sonic Youth. The thirteen songs on her album prove that you only need one to make it happen.” – Long beach Magazine

with:
Pedestrian || Listen
Brutus Gets the Girl || Listen
All Wrong and the Plans Change

Tickets Available at The Door

Saturday 01.19.07: Metromix Presents OLIVER FUTURE

Oliver Future || Listen

Nothing sums up the essence of Oliver Future, and perhaps their mixed feelings about L.A., than the back to back dazzlers that close this suite. “Drowning Parade” is a soulful ballad that could be an Antony and the Johnsons outtake, with its smoky-lounge vocals, alto and tenor saxophones, and Wurlitzer piano. The gentle tune gives way to “The Slow Fast,” filled with scraping guitar riffs, techno beats, and punk rock screams “It’s a-a-a-l-l… o-o-o-n-n.” This record is on alright: on point, and on its way to being one the better surprise releases of the year. To hear for yourself, simply do what I did and put Pax Futura on the stereo. – Lost At Sea

with:
Casxio || Listen
The Forward
Thailand

Tuesday 01.22.08: Ranch Party w/ MERLE JAGGER

with:
Sarah Stanley and They Look Like Cousins
Merle Jagger || Listen
Psychedelic Cowboys || Listen

FMI: Ranch Party on Myspace

Tickets available at the door

Saturday 01.12.08: INFINITY, PINK MOCHI, RANDY KAPLAN

Infinity

Journey sing-alongs are normally reserved for moments alone in your car or an a cappella rock block in the shower. But at Spaceland Friday night, we screeched through the Streeet-light, Peep-pu-u-ul! of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” the staccatoed, Ooh, all night. All night. Oh, every night, of “Anyway You Want It,” the banshee cry I really LOVE you gir-rl of “Separate Ways.” Oh boy, did we sing along. Some of us hadn’t perspired this much since high noon at Coachella.

We were a mixed crowd of longhaired Samoans, classic-rock dudes, hair-metal queens, lesbians and a few hoochy mamas among the club’s indie regulars, all out to catch Infinity, the mustachioed, female-fronted Journey cover band. Singer Woody “Steve Perry,” with sideburns and a shag wig this side of “Oh Sherrie,” tore through song after song, while drummer Sherri “Steve Smith” Solinger, with a faux womb broom above her upper lip, hit the skins like she was going into battle. – LA Weekly

with:
Pink Mochi
Randy Kaplan || Listen

Tickets available at the door

Wednesday 01.30.08: Indie 103.1 presents CLUB NME w/ CASTANEDA / ROMAN NUMERALS / ASHER

Castaneda

If you take the time to wade through the clogged pores of the Los Feliz/Silver Lake indie music scene, parting the seas of pretension and expensively torn T-shirts, you’ll uncover a seed of truth. One band is talented, intelligent and confident enough to say, “We are not afraid to be a pop band.”

These hustlers among men are better known as Castaneda – five guys who just want to make you move your feet. Vega, Rob, Sasha, Dana and Warren won’t discuss their day jobs, but they’re more than willing to discuss in certain seriousness the fate of Castaneda.

With the band’s one-year anniversary coming up in December, they still remember fondly their first gig at Safari Sam’s. Their harmonious combination of electronic synthesizers, actual instrumental talent and sheer energy levels only make their pointed lyrics and mysteriously soothing vocals more potent. – Campus Circle

with:
Roman Numerals || Listen
Asher

Plus DJs Dia & Neil (War Tapes) spinning rock, indie, punk, electro & alternative

Dewar’s Drink Specials: $3 before Midnight, $1 after

Tickets available at the door

Wednesday 01.16.08: Indie 103.1 Presents CLUB NME w/ ARMY NAVY, THE PROCESSION, ENVY CORPS

Army Navy

Blending British pop melodicism with the grit of the Pacific Northwest, Army Navy recalls the sound of great acts like The Posies and Teenage Fanclub crossed with emotional touches of the The Smiths. Former Pinwheel co-frontman Justin Kennedy has moved on from sharing vocal duties with Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie, Postal Service) to showcase his own pop sensibilities. With its lush harmonies and blankets of guitar fuzz, Army Navy has created something truly unique: a delicate balance between melancholy and joyful resignation. – NME

with:
The Procession || Listen
The Envy Corps || Listen

Plus DJs Dia & Neil (War Tapes) spinning rock, indie, punk, electro & alternative

Dewar’s Drink Specials: $3 before Midnight, $1 after

Tickets Available at the Door

Dewar’s Drink Specials: $3 before Midnight, $1 after

Wednesday 01.09.08: Indie 103.1 presents CLUB NME w/ THE CORAL SEA, WAR TAPES, REPEATER

The Coral Sea || Listen

The members of the Coral Sea, led by singer/guitarist/primary songwriter Rey Villalobos, make atmospheric dream/art rock that reflects the city’s Mediterranean climate and purple-pink mountains. Rather than creating beautiful shimmering music to escape a rather bleak area — think of all the diaphanous shoegazer bands that sprung out of drab suburban England — the Coral Sea’s members write music that is the aural equivalent of a Santa Barbara sunset, sweeping colors and soft breezes rustling the palm trees. Though the band is essentially a straight-up indie four-piece, the string quartet the members incorporated into their music is what really makes them stand out. Synthesized strings are usually a nice touch, but when the strings are live, it’s a whole new experience, and Villalobos’s compositions are only stronger for having the quartet on board. Take Sigur Ros, Space Oddity-era David Bowie, Radiohead, U2 and Pink Floyd and add a splash of twee, and the Coral Sea is that sonic cocktail. And Villalobos’s sweet, clear voice is the sugar on the rim. – Prefix mag

with:
War Tapes
Repeater

Plus DJs Dia, Young Pop, & Jim Evens spinning rock, indie, punk, electro & alternative

Dewar’s Drink Specials: $3 before Midnight, $1 after

Tickets Available at the Door

Monday 01.28.08: Monday Night Residency w/ THE PARSON RED HEADS

The Parson Red Heads || Listen

The energy on King Giraffe can barely be contained — it’s as if the album can’t wait to blast through stereo speakers. From the bright and shiny beach-party swelters of “Days of My Youth” to the hectic, crashing waves of acceleration and stillness on “Mossback,” The Parson Red Heads tailspin listeners through a joyous mix of early ‘60s psychedelic-inspired rock.

Evan “Parson Parson” Way leads this group of troubadours and writes the band’s upbeat ditties about chilling with family, loving all and enjoying life. In “Forever,” there is a smile in his words as he instructs listeners, “Stand up straight, follow the rules / Don’t do wrong, don’t be a fool / There are things you don’t know.” This optimism comes straight from the music. – Perfromer Mag

with:
The Idaho Falls
The Monolators || Listen
Papercranes || Listen

FREE SHOW

Monday 01.21.08: Monday Night Residency w/ THE PARSON RED HEADS

The Parson Red Heads || Listen

The energy on King Giraffe can barely be contained — it’s as if the album can’t wait to blast through stereo speakers. From the bright and shiny beach-party swelters of “Days of My Youth” to the hectic, crashing waves of acceleration and stillness on “Mossback,” The Parson Red Heads tailspin listeners through a joyous mix of early ‘60s psychedelic-inspired rock.

Evan “Parson Parson” Way leads this group of troubadours and writes the band’s upbeat ditties about chilling with family, loving all and enjoying life. In “Forever,” there is a smile in his words as he instructs listeners, “Stand up straight, follow the rules / Don’t do wrong, don’t be a fool / There are things you don’t know.” This optimism comes straight from the music. – Perfromer Mag

with:
The Lonely H || Listen
The Shaky Hands
Francisco the Man

FREE SHOW

Monday 01.14.08: Monday Night Residency w/ THE PARSON RED HEADS

The Parson Red Heads || Listen

The energy on King Giraffe can barely be contained — it’s as if the album can’t wait to blast through stereo speakers. From the bright and shiny beach-party swelters of “Days of My Youth” to the hectic, crashing waves of acceleration and stillness on “Mossback,” The Parson Red Heads tailspin listeners through a joyous mix of early ‘60s psychedelic-inspired rock.

Evan “Parson Parson” Way leads this group of troubadours and writes the band’s upbeat ditties about chilling with family, loving all and enjoying life. In “Forever,” there is a smile in his words as he instructs listeners, “Stand up straight, follow the rules / Don’t do wrong, don’t be a fool / There are things you don’t know.” This optimism comes straight from the music. – Perfromer Mag

with:
Mezzanine Owls || Listen
Everest || Listen
Light FM

FREE SHOW

Monday 01.07.08: Monday Night Residency w/ THE PARSON RED HEADS

The Parson Red Heads || Listen

The energy on King Giraffe can barely be contained — it’s as if the album can’t wait to blast through stereo speakers. From the bright and shiny beach-party swelters of “Days of My Youth” to the hectic, crashing waves of acceleration and stillness on “Mossback,” The Parson Red Heads tailspin listeners through a joyous mix of early ‘60s psychedelic-inspired rock.

Evan “Parson Parson” Way leads this group of troubadours and writes the band’s upbeat ditties about chilling with family, loving all and enjoying life. In “Forever,” there is a smile in his words as he instructs listeners, “Stand up straight, follow the rules / Don’t do wrong, don’t be a fool / There are things you don’t know.” This optimism comes straight from the music. – Perfromer Mag

with:
Taylor Goldsmith
Golden Boats

FREE SHOW

Sunday 01.06.07: New Winter Garden Music w/ LILYS

Lilys

Since their formation in 1989, Kurt Heasley has taken the Lilys for quite a ride. With each album comes a somewhat different but appealing album while the frontman oils what appears to be a continuous revolving door of musicians and supporting cast. Perhaps the best complement the group could be paid is that they, much like the Rolling Stones did in their early days, have basically taken a style of music from across the pond and made it their own. The group’s previous album was the closest thing to Britrock from a Yankee band I heard in a long time, and this new album on reinforces that notion. And while it clocks in at under 40 minutes, the listening party for you will be about 55 to 60 minutes after finally realizing you’ve replayed the opening “Black Carpet Magic”. – Popmatters

FREE SHOW

Thursday 02.28.07: BRITISH SEA POWER / COLOURMUSIC / WHITE DENIM

British Sea Power || Listen

Could it just be a rhetorical question? “Waving Flags”, from British Sea Power’s forthcoming third LP Do You Like Rock Music?, doesn’t offer much doubt about the answer to the album’s title– the Brighton quartet likes rock, thank you, particularly dour, scruffy post-punk with surging U2 and Arcade Fire anthemics. – Pitchfork

with:
Colourmusic
White Denim || Listen

Friday 01.25.07: JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT / WILL HOGE / JEREMY FISHER

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit

Jason Isbell only contributed eight songs to Drive-By Truckers during his five-year tenure with the band, but his grit and depth were always a highlight—and with Sirens Of The Ditch, he finally has a disc all his own to show off. Sporting input from his former bandmates as well as legendary keyboardist Spooner Oldham, Isbell’s solo debut doesn’t stray far from his Truckers work, at least at its core. Instead of gargantuan guitars and Skynyrd-style solos, however, he wraps his craggy allegories in skeletal, arid arrangements that let his twang and prose breathe. Free of clutter and the Truckers’ overwhelming gravity, Sirens is the sound of a freshly liberated songwriter scouring his soul—and coming up full-handed. – AV Club

and:
Will Hoge || Listen

Is he the lonesome folkie lamenting a recent divorce on “Dirty Little War,” the honky-tonkin’ rocker of “Sex, Lies, and Money,” the blue-eyed soul man of “Midnight Parade,” or the Dylanesque balladeer of “I’m Sorry Now”? They’re all good tracks, and even better are country weeper “Silver or Gold” and elegiac “Washed by the Water” (the song the Band would have written if they’d be around to witness Hurricane Katrina). With its nicotine-stained vocals, evocative lyrics, searing electric guitar, and lush organ fills, you might even compare Draw the Curtains to that Springsteen feller. In the end, though, Hoge’s a lot like rock ’n’ roll; just a little bit more than the sum of his influences, equal parts Nashville and Asbury Park. – Harp Magazine

Plus:

Jeremy Fisher || Listen

Saturday 01.05.07: VEIL VEIL VANISH / APOLLO HEIGHTS / AMATEURS / FRANKEL

Veil Veil Vanish

There is a great desolation in Veil Veil Vanish, and what small glow does manage to pierce the gloom is sunless, more like the nimbus of a total eclipse than any kind of rational daylight. Singer Keven Tecon sounds almost too sensitive for this world, while Amy Rosenoff’s post-punk bass weaves a spider web to catch Tecon’s inevitable fall. Cameron Ray’s ominous guitar and Robert Marzio’s subdued drums provide the final ingredients of VVV’s somber spell. – Performer Mag

with:
Apollo Heights
Amateurs || Listen
Frankel || Listen

Tickets Available at the Door

Friday 12.28.07: THE ENTRANCE BAND

The Entrance Band || Listen

Guy Blakeslee is not the first musician to feel the cold chill of the grave on his neck, nor the first to evoke said shiver with eerie slides of blues guitar. His fourth full-length (the first on Tee Pee) may, however, be the happiest album ever written about death or at least the one you’re most likely to dance to, whirling gypsy style around the room. That’s because his contemplation of memento mori is unusually euphoric, full of ecstatic sweeps and jubiliant yelps. He may be staring death right in the eyes, but he’s happy about it—he can hardly contain himself.

Consider the opening sally of “Grim Reaper Blues”, a buzz of feedback exploding into great circling blues guitar riffs, the whole enterprise so enveloped in pitch-black echo that you feel you’re listening in a cave (or perhaps a sepulcher). Still there’s a party going on down here. Pass the flask, grim reaper, because Entrance is downright exultant in his howls and bends and slides. – Popmatters

Saturday 12.15.07: DYNAMITE WALLS / WAR STORIES / ASTRA HEIGHTS

Dynamite Walls || Listen

“The Blinding Lights Above” — Dynamite Walls, Self-released — Picking up where last fall’s eponymously named four-song EP left off —- literally —- the debut full-length album by San Diego’s Dynamite Walls is a confident slice of wall-of-sound pop melodicism. Sprinkled with more hooks than a strip of Velcro and a sheen to put a supermodel’s hair to shame, “The Blinding Lights Above” is a thick-pile plush 45 minutes of listening decadence.

With the two best songs off the EP (“Kiss and Ride” and “Seasons”) anchoring the new album, Dynamite Walls has fleshed it out with nine more strong originals that show a band with a consistent musical vision and the talent to deliver that vision to full fruition. – North County Times

with:
War Stories
Astra Heights || Listen

Plus DJ Carl Restivo (Satellite Party)

Tickets Available at the Door

Thursday 01.31.08: Indie 103.1 & ASCAP present – THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT

The Airborne Toxic Event || Listen

“Poetry you can dance to…nothing short of amazing.” LA TIMES

“Absurdly rich with talent…Jollett’s baritone could compete with some of the best in Britpop. Live, the group delivers total cohesion and unflappable energy.” LA WEEKLY

“These California art-rockers have written the best arty-stomp since ‘Take Me Out.’” THE FLY (UK)

“In a just and fair world, The Airborne Toxic Event would be indie rock favorites of critics and fans the world over. Maybe, just for a moment, the world will get it right for a change.” POPMATTERS

“Catchy as hell rock that is as smart as its literary allusions.” URB

with:
The Deadly Syndrome || Listen
Castledoor

Thursday 01.24.08: Indie 103.1 & ASCAP present – THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT

The Airborne Toxic Event || Listen

“Poetry you can dance to…nothing short of amazing.” LA TIMES

“Absurdly rich with talent…Jollett’s baritone could compete with some of the best in Britpop. Live, the group delivers total cohesion and unflappable energy.” LA WEEKLY

“These California art-rockers have written the best arty-stomp since ‘Take Me Out.’” THE FLY (UK)

“In a just and fair world, The Airborne Toxic Event would be indie rock favorites of critics and fans the world over. Maybe, just for a moment, the world will get it right for a change.” POPMATTERS

“Catchy as hell rock that is as smart as its literary allusions.” URB

with:
Radars To The Sky
Aushua || Listen
Venus Infers

Thursday 01.17.08: Indie 103.1 & ASCAP present – THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT

The Airborne Toxic Event || Listen

“Poetry you can dance to…nothing short of amazing.” LA TIMES

“Absurdly rich with talent…Jollett’s baritone could compete with some of the best in Britpop. Live, the group delivers total cohesion and unflappable energy.” LA WEEKLY

“These California art-rockers have written the best arty-stomp since ‘Take Me Out.’” THE FLY (UK)

“In a just and fair world, The Airborne Toxic Event would be indie rock favorites of critics and fans the world over. Maybe, just for a moment, the world will get it right for a change.” POPMATTERS

“Catchy as hell rock that is as smart as its literary allusions.” URB

with:
Radars To The Sky
The Adored
Sunday Drivers

Thursday 01.10.08: Indie 103.1 & ASCAP present – THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT

The Airborne Toxic Event || Listen

“Poetry you can dance to…nothing short of amazing.” LA TIMES

“Absurdly rich with talent…Jollett’s baritone could compete with some of the best in Britpop. Live, the group delivers total cohesion and unflappable energy.” LA WEEKLY

“These California art-rockers have written the best arty-stomp since ‘Take Me Out.’” THE FLY (UK)

“In a just and fair world, The Airborne Toxic Event would be indie rock favorites of critics and fans the world over. Maybe, just for a moment, the world will get it right for a change.” POPMATTERS

“Catchy as hell rock that is as smart as its literary allusions.” URB

with:
The Morning Benders || Listen
The Weather Underground || Listen
Davin Givhan

Thursday 01.03.08: Indie 103.1 & ASCAP present – THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT

The Airborne Toxic Event || Listen

“Poetry you can dance to…nothing short of amazing.” LA TIMES

“Absurdly rich with talent…Jollett’s baritone could compete with some of the best in Britpop. Live, the group delivers total cohesion and unflappable energy.” LA WEEKLY

“In a just and fair world, The Airborne Toxic Event would be indie rock favorites of critics and fans the world over. Maybe, just for a moment, the world will get it right for a change.” POPMATTERS

“Catchy as hell rock that is as smart as its literary allusions.” URB

with:
Canon Blue
The Henry Clay People || Listen
The Natural Disasters

Friday 01.04.08: YOU ME & IOWA

You Me & Iowa || Listen

Featuring a good mix of indie, pop, and dance rock, You, Me, & Iowa stand out from much of the LA indie scene. They make simple, fun, and meaningful rock music that could be adaptable by hipsters, teens, and college kids alike (and everyone else, for that matter). Their short, but impressive six song set featured a mix of songs from their debut EP Bigger Than Boston and a taste of new material from their upcoming, yet to be titled full length. Their lyrics are reminiscent of early Weezer circa Pinkerton with catchy indie pop melodies the likes of Death Cab for Cutie with a hint of prog thrown in to the mix. – Billboard Mobile Beat

with:
Thailand
Signal Hill
Calamity Magnet

Tickets available at the door

Wednesday 01.23.07: Indie 103.1 presents CLUB NME w/ THE TEENAGERS / RUN RUN RUN / MOSTLY BEARS

The Teenagers || Listen

Seeing the world through teen-tinted glasses The Teenagers (lead singer Quentin Delafon, guitarist / synth man Dorian Dumont and bassist Michael Szpiner) remind us what it’s like to be young. The lyrically ingenious Quentin interweaves snapshots of Johansson’s films as well as teen magazine style ?factoids? over beautifully crunchy guitar and soaring synths. This track is like reading the secret teenage diary of ELO with Kim Wilde for company. – Insound

with:
Run Run Run || Listen
Mostly Bears

Plus DJs Dia & Neil (War Tapes) spinning rock, indie, punk, electro & alternative

Dewar’s Drink Specials: $3 before Midnight, $1 after

Tickets Available at the Door

Wednesday 01.02.08: CLOSED

Tuesday 01.01.08: CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY

Thursday 12.27.07: CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY

Wednesday 12.26.07: CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY

Tuesday 12.25.07: CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Monday 12.24.07: CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY

Sunday 12.22.07: CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY

Friday 12.21.07: LILYS

Lilys

Since their formation in 1989, Kurt Heasley has taken the Lilys for quite a ride. With each album comes a somewhat different but appealing album while the frontman oils what appears to be a continuous revolving door of musicians and supporting cast. Perhaps the best complement the group could be paid is that they, much like the Rolling Stones did in their early days, have basically taken a style of music from across the pond and made it their own. The group’s previous album was the closest thing to Britrock from a Yankee band I heard in a long time, and this new album on reinforces that notion. And while it clocks in at under 40 minutes, the listening party for you will be about 55 to 60 minutes after finally realizing you’ve replayed the opening “Black Carpet Magic”. – Popmatters

with:
Ariel Pink
Holy Shit || Listen

plus DJ Dia spinning all night

Thursday 12.20.07: LILYS

Lilys

Since their formation in 1989, Kurt Heasley has taken the Lilys for quite a ride. With each album comes a somewhat different but appealing album while the frontman oils what appears to be a continuous revolving door of musicians and supporting cast. Perhaps the best complement the group could be paid is that they, much like the Rolling Stones did in their early days, have basically taken a style of music from across the pond and made it their own. The group’s previous album was the closest thing to Britrock from a Yankee band I heard in a long time, and this new album on reinforces that notion. And while it clocks in at under 40 minutes, the listening party for you will be about 55 to 60 minutes after finally realizing you’ve replayed the opening “Black Carpet Magic”. – Popmatters

with:
Mezzanine Owls || Listen
Winter Flowers || Listen

Plus DJ Dia spinning all night

Friday 01.11.08: THE BLACK HEART PROCESSION, THE MOON UPSTAIRS, PORT O’ BRIEN

The Black Heart Procession || Listen

San Diego’s Black Heart Procession traffics in spectral, timeless music; it could be the audio backdrop for Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” the score to a Fritz Lang silent film, or the soundtrack to some post-apocalyptic landscape. Since their debut, 1, in 1998, Black Heart has been steadily filling out their sound, which seemed initially constructed of nothing more than ghostly synth washes, reductive basslines, saw moans, keyboards, and singer Pall A. Jenkins’ yearning vocals (their second record, 1999′s 2, was almost percussion free). By 2002′s murder mystery narrative, Amore del Tropico, Black Heart had added a Latin twist and varied the funereal pace of their earlier records by emphasizing the guitars and punching up some songs until they practically rocked. Amore’s greatest conceit was sustaining Black Heart’s essence while adding layers of additional sonic textures from a host of contributing musicians. But Amore proved difficult to replicate live, so Black Heart’s co-founders and main songwriters — Jenkins and multi-instrumentalist Tobias Nathaniel — trimmed the contributing roster for the next record, leaving only themselves, drummer Joe Plummer (Magic Magicians, Modest Mouse) and Album Leaf members Jimmy LaValle (bass) and Matt Resovich (violin) to concoct The Spell together as a band. While such a shift could have signaled a return to pre-Amore minimalist sonics, The Spell is instead a pitch-perfect blend of Black Heart past and present, and a recording as accomplished as any that navigates similarly dark seas. – All Music Guide

with:
The Moon Upstairs || Listen
Port O’Brien || Listen

Monday 12.31.07: SWEET AND TENDER HOOLIGANS

Sweet and Tender Hooligans || Listen

The scene at the Henry Fonda Theater that night in late February serves to illustrate the point: the crowd prostrated themselves before the singer on stage, but it wasn’t even Morrissey they were shaking their gladioli at and singing effusively along with; it was a young Mexican American by the name of José Maldonado, the frontman of Los Angeles-based Morrissey/The Smiths cover band, Sweet and Tender Hooligans, performing at a “Totally 80s Convention.”

The combination of the music of The Smiths and Morrissey, the gung-ho performance by Maldonado and co. and the ritualistic adoration of the fans, transformed an evening of flaccid nostalgia accentuated by embarrassing 80s pop star look-alike contests, into a chimerical display of infectious music and raging hormones. What amounted to little more than a mass suspension of disbelief felt in some ways creepily like being at a real Morrissey or The Smiths concert. It didn’t matter to the fans that they were watching a facsimile; to them the experience was authentic — Morrissey was there in spirit, if not in body. – Believer

with:
The Frequency
The Snow

Complimentary champagne toast at Midnight & DJs spinning all night

Saturday 12.29.07: DIRTY SWEET, YEAR LONG DISASTER

Dirty Sweet || Listen

Dirty Sweet’s debut LP, Of Monarchs and Beggars, takes nothing more than having a pulse to get. Yes, it could be described as derivative of say, T. Rex, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thin Lizzy, or just about anything from the Dazed and Confused Soundtrack and of course, much later The Black Crowes. But they aren’t merely imitating, they use the dynamics of classic rock’n'roll: blues riffs, syncopated beats, the high hat, a little bit of southern rock and country, heavy basslines, etc. to construct their sound. – href="http://slyoyster.com/music/2007/dirty-sweet-its-not-just-a-clever-name/">Sly
Oyster

with:
Year Long Disaster || Listen
Get Back Loretta || Listen
Sea of Air

Tuesday 12.04.07: WHIRLING DERVISH, RED SKELETON, KID NAPKIN

Whirling Dervish
Red Skeleton
Kid Napkin || Listen

FREE SHOW

Wednesday 12.19.07: Indie 103.1 presents CLUB NME w/ THE REPUBLIC TIGERS

The Republic Tigers

Fast-forward to now. The Republic Tigers have signed with a new imprint called Chop Shop Records. They’ve got an E.P. coming out in December and an L.P. in March ’08. And although they’ve really only played the Kansas City area, they will be at The Hideout in Chicago on November 24th and L.A.’s Spaceland on December 19th.

This band is awesome and has a ton of potential. The next year has a lot in store for them and I’ll be keeping you posted. For now, I highly recommend picking up their E.P. when it’s released, checking out their tunes online in the meantime, and joining me at Spaceland — or wherever else you might be able to catch them. – Synthetic Sound Machine

with:
The Hugs || Listen

Tuesday 12.18.07: RANCH PARTY w/ COUSIN LOVERS

with:
The Cousin Lovers || Listen
Merle Jagger || Listen
Clyde Wrenn

plus a special guest

FMI: Ranch Party on Myspace

$8 at the door

Sunday 12.16.07: THE HARPETH TRACE, LISTING SHIP, CORREATOWN, GABRIEL HART

The Harpeth Trace || Listen

Their dreamy pop is timeless—not to say it fits comfortably in any time, but rather their desert folk songs seem to wander detached from time in a sort of psychedelic limbo. Josh K[a]sselman’s guitar chimes and vintage Brit-pop vocals provide the more summery feel, while underneath it—digging its heels in like a kid on the first day of school—swirls Rob Poynter’s brushed, arrhythmic drums, Barry Poage’s sluggy bass and some warped percussive piano. – The L.A. Alternative Press

with:
Listing Ship
Correatown || Listen
Gabriel Hart (of Jail Weddings / The Starvations)

FREE SHOW

Friday 12.14.07: CIRCUS MINOR

Circus Minor

CiRcUs MiNoR’s sound is a combination of dark optimism and ethereal energy, taking influences from The Cure, The Black Heart Procession, and Joy Division. The music is both thought provoking and uplifting while at the same time engaging and emotional. Their shows are an experience both visually and musically and not something to be missed.

with:
Idyllists || Listen
Shiloe || Listen
Hour of the Shipwreck || Listen

Tickets available at the door

Thursday 12.13.07: CLOSED FOR PRIVATE PARTY

Wednesday 12.12.07: CLUB NME w/ OFFICE, TIGER CITY, VIA AUDIO

The Office || Listen

With the Sept. 25 release of Office’s debut “A Night at the Ritz,” Masson and bandmates Tom Smith, Alissa Noonan, Erica Corniel and Jessica Gonyea will be bringing themselves to the world, dance beats and cheeky humor intact. Office’s glammy histrionics (think Pop Levi) and stuttery synths (think the Cars in stop-and-go traffic) put a hip-shaking twist on boy-girl vocal pop. The album was almost five years in the works. “Our greatest hits that no one’s ever heard,” Masson says with a laugh. – LA Times Buzz Bands

with:
Tigercity
Via Audio || Listen

Tuesday 12.11.07: DAVID BAZAN, J TILLMAN

David Bazan || Listen

Consisting of ten tracks — five songs delivered with full band instrumentation (with Bazan playing most everything himself), then repeated in solo acoustic format — the disc comprises revamped Pedro b-sides and material originally intended for the next Pedro album. Simultaneously noisy and melodic in a Flaming Lips kind of way, lead tune “Selling Advertising” is particularly caustic, taking lyrical swipes at online music site Pitchfork: “You’re so creative with your reviews/Of what other people do/How satisfying that must be for you…. So if it starts to get you down/Just pretend that you don’t make your living/From selling advertising.” Although still touring behind that and the rest of Fewer Moving Parts, Bazan’s been performing a new batch of songs in his current live set, armed with only an electric guitar, a husky, compelling voice that’s simultaneously sweet and gravelly, and a fervent power reminiscent of Bob Mould’s solo performances. – Westword

with:
J. Tillman || Listen
The Minor Canon

Friday 12.07.07: RADARS TO THE SKY

Radars To The Sky

Combining the traditional indie rock guitar-centered, multiple-part stylings of Built to Spill, early Modest Mouse, and Pavement with some more straightforward tunes in the vein of The Pixies and Death Cab for Cutie, with a hint of introspection a la M. Ward and Wilco, the band’s style hearkens back to what indie rock was meant to be, while keeping their sound firmly in the future. – Epitunes.com

with:
The Henry Clay People || Listen
The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra

Tickets Available at The Door

Thursday 12.06.07: MIDNIGHT MOVIES

Midnight Movies || Listen

Midnight Movies validate their nom de guerre by trafficking in a strain of the same type of late night eeriness that underlines classics like Eraserhead and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Their sophomore album, Lion the Girl, slated for an April release, is an alternately floating and driving affair. Schemel and Wood manufacture My Bloody Valentine-lite soundscapes that range from ominous and fractured to lazy and lilting. Olivier’s ghostly vocals always suggest an altered consciousness; it’s just not clear if she’s having a good dream or a bad one. “You saved me from the bats in the chimneys / I guess I should thank you again for that,” Olivier sings on the album’s closer, “Two Years.” – Spin.com

with:
Heloise and The Savoir Faire || Listen
Voxhaul Broadcast
Tim Myers || Listen

Wednesday 12.05.07: CLUB NME with BLOODCAT LOVE

Bloodcat Love || Listen

Bloodcat Love’s muscular, beer-soaked primitivism stops mercifully short of the clichéd theatrics that sabotage a lot of L.A. bands, and its danceability speaks to Hendrik’s years spent as a DJ, promoter and man about clubs. “Subconsciously you get a feel for what makes people move, and an understanding of what people emote to,” he says. “We do make music you can kick your heels to.” – LA Times Buzz Bands

with:
The Lieutenants
Hollerado || Listen

Tickets available at the door

PLEAS NOTE: RUMBLESTRIPS ARE NOT PLAYING. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HAD TO CANCEL THEIR SHOW

Sunday 12.09.07: The Onion presents: PUNK ROCK KARAOKE

Punk Rock Karaoke

with:
Greg Hetson (Bad Religion / Circle Jerks)
Eric Melvin (NOFX)
Steve Soto (Adolescents)
Derek O’Brien (Social Distortion)

and YOU!!!

With special guests:
Kidneys

FMI: Punk Rock Karaoke

Presented by

Saturday 12.08.07: THE CORAL SEA

The Coral Sea || Listen

The members of the Coral Sea, led by singer/guitarist/primary songwriter Rey Villalobos, make atmospheric dream/art rock that reflects the city’s Mediterranean climate and purple-pink mountains. Rather than creating beautiful shimmering music to escape a rather bleak area — think of all the diaphanous shoegazer bands that sprung out of drab suburban England — the Coral Sea’s members write music that is the aural equivalent of a Santa Barbara sunset, sweeping colors and soft breezes rustling the palm trees. Though the band is essentially a straight-up indie four-piece, the string quartet the members incorporated into their music is what really makes them stand out. Synthesized strings are usually a nice touch, but when the strings are live, it’s a whole new experience, and Villalobos’s compositions are only stronger for having the quartet on board. Take Sigur Ros, Space Oddity-era David Bowie, Radiohead, U2 and Pink Floyd and add a splash of twee, and the Coral Sea is that sonic cocktail. And Villalobos’s sweet, clear voice is the sugar on the rim. – Prefix mag

with:
The Playing Favorites (featuring members of Sugarcult and Lagwagon) || Listen
Light FM
Exitmusic

Sunday 12.02.07: YOU ME AND IOWA

You Me and Iowa || Listen

Featuring a good mix of indie, pop, and dance rock, You, Me, & Iowa stand out from much of the LA indie scene. They make simple, fun, and meaningful rock music that could be adaptable by hipsters, teens, and college kids alike (and everyone else, for that matter). Their short, but impressive six song set featured a mix of songs from their debut EP Bigger Than Boston and a taste of new material from their upcoming, yet to be titled full length. Their lyrics are reminiscent of early Weezer circa Pinkerton with catchy indie pop melodies the likes of Death Cab for Cutie with a hint of prog thrown in to the mix. – Billboard Mobile Beat

with:
Oso || Listen
Loverlee || Listen
Summer Darling

FREE SHOW

Saturday 12.01.07: ENTRANCE

Entrance || Listen

Guy Blakeslee is not the first musician to feel the cold chill of the grave on his neck, nor the first to evoke said shiver with eerie slides of blues guitar. His fourth full-length (the first on Tee Pee) may, however, be the happiest album ever written about death or at least the one you’re most likely to dance to, whirling gypsy style around the room. That’s because his contemplation of memento mori is unusually euphoric, full of ecstatic sweeps and jubiliant yelps. He may be staring death right in the eyes, but he’s happy about it—he can hardly contain himself.

Consider the opening sally of “Grim Reaper Blues”, a buzz of feedback exploding into great circling blues guitar riffs, the whole enterprise so enveloped in pitch-black echo that you feel you’re listening in a cave (or perhaps a sepulcher). Still there’s a party going on down here. Pass the flask, grim reaper, because Entrance is downright exultant in his howls and bends and slides. – Popmatters

with:
Tsk Tsk
Lord Jeff

Tickets available at the door

Sunday 12.30.07: RENO IN LA with NEIL HAMBURGER

RENO IN LA – a monthly night of variety and comedy

hosted by:
Neil Hamburger

with:
Quacker
Arthur Nakane

The best of Reno-quality entertainers, right here in Los Angeles!

All the glamour, celebrity, and excitement of a Reno casino showroom – for the first time ever in our little town!

Monday 12.17.07: Monday Night Residency – THE BINGES

The Binges || Listen

What can one say about the Binges… for starters there a straight forward four on the floor Rock-N-Roll machine. They have a great buzz right now around LA with there constant playing and promoting, touring with Priestess in Canada at the moment doesn’t hurt either. People ask me, JD do you think The Binges are the saving grace for the developing rock scene here in LA? My response, their on the right track. They have solid playing from all the players. Guitarist Mayuko Okai plays like Angus Young circa If You Want Blood and sister Tsuzumi. Okai kicks the bass just as hard. Drummer Skanky Smith is possessed by the power of rock-n-roll when he plays. Its either that or an epileptic seizure . Dylan Squatcho Mr. lead vox himself has the element of coolness and a laid back feel to him at times . All together one top notch band among the LA scene to watch out for and check out! – All Access Magazine

with:
The Ringers || Listen
The Harlots
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip

FREE SHOW

Monday 12.10.07: Monday Night Residency – THE BINGES

The Binges || Listen

What can one say about the Binges… for starters there a straight forward four on the floor Rock-N-Roll machine. They have a great buzz right now around LA with there constant playing and promoting, touring with Priestess in Canada at the moment doesn’t hurt either. People ask me, JD do you think The Binges are the saving grace for the developing rock scene here in LA? My response, their on the right track. They have solid playing from all the players. Guitarist Mayuko Okai plays like Angus Young circa If You Want Blood and sister Tsuzumi. Okai kicks the bass just as hard. Drummer Skanky Smith is possessed by the power of rock-n-roll when he plays. Its either that or an epileptic seizure . Dylan Squatcho Mr. lead vox himself has the element of coolness and a laid back feel to him at times . All together one top notch band among the LA scene to watch out for and check out! – All Access Magazine

with:
The Wildbirds || Listen
Codebreaker
This Moment in Black History

FREE SHOW

Monday 12.03.07: Monday Night Residency – THE BINGES

The Binges || Listen

What can one say about the Binges… for starters there a straight forward four on the floor Rock-N-Roll machine. They have a great buzz right now around LA with there constant playing and promoting, touring with Priestess in Canada at the moment doesn’t hurt either. People ask me, JD do you think The Binges are the saving grace for the developing rock scene here in LA? My response, their on the right track. They have solid playing from all the players. Guitarist Mayuko Okai plays like Angus Young circa If You Want Blood and sister Tsuzumi. Okai kicks the bass just as hard. Drummer Skanky Smith is possessed by the power of rock-n-roll when he plays. Its either that or an epileptic seizure . Dylan Squatcho Mr. lead vox himself has the element of coolness and a laid back feel to him at times . All together one top notch band among the LA scene to watch out for and check out! – All Access Magazine

with:
Biblical Proof of UFOs || Listen
Get Up Get Down

FREE SHOW