Thursday 12.10.09: LEMON SUN / DIRTY SWEET / THE SILENT COMEDY / SPIRIT VINE

Lemon Sun || Watch || MP3

“…Packed with hard driving drumbeats and accompanied with Rob’s strong voice… the listener is then rocketed into the abyss of their own imaginations. Not to mention the heavy guitar riffs that seems to resonate and awaken anyone’s soul.” – Deli Magazine

“…Lemon Sun are a versatile local pop outfit with a sound that employs all your fave 60′s-jangle-harmony-beat conventions without the tired retro smarm…charasmatic guitar-pop without pretense. Refreshing.Keep it simple, silly!”
Amoeba Records

Dirty Sweet || Listen || Watch

At a time when the music industry is folding in upon itself—labels are disappearing, sales are plummeting, and even one of the biggest bands on the planet (Radiohead) is going it alone—San Diego’s Dirty Sweet are aiming for the stars. Well, maybe not the stars, but they definitely have their sights on the arena. They are, in the very purest form of the words, an “arena rock band,” one that is not soiled by the excess and attitude of the genre. Nope, the Dirty Sweet, much like their name implies, are a gritty rock band, one that solos, stomps, and hollers with the best of them. Granted, they look like they stumbled out of a time machine that was set to “Woodstock, 1969,” but their blistering guitar chops and howling vocals never come across as revisionist. The selling point might be how they can rock the bushy-mustache look without a shred of irony, in addition to getting away with wearing a leather vest (frills or no frills, it matters not) without a shirt underneath. Jealous? Yeah, me too. – Portland Mercury

With
The Silent Comedy || Listen
Spirit Vine || Listen

8:30pm / $8 advance, $10 day of show / 21+

Tuesday 12.08.09: Buzzbands LA & Onitsuka Tiger present PARADE OF LIGHTS (EP release party) / ARMY NAVY / EVAN VOYTAS / WHITE ARROWS

Parade of Lights || Watch

Long Beach quartet Parade of Lights — featuring former members of Polus (before drummer Anthony Improgo departed to play with Metro Station) — is readying its debut five-song EP. This early taste from Ryan Daly, Matt Frey, Randy Schulte and Mike Nielsen features a heartsick anthem, sweetly melodic and deftly arranged, the kind of pop-rock for the night after date night. – Buzz Bands LA

with:
Army Navy
Evan Voytas || Listen
White Arrows

Plus special guest DJ Ana Calderon

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Wednesday 11.25.09: Dramaturgy Presents Club NME with THE HARD TO GET / THE ROSS SEA PARTY / KID WHISKEY / THE DOWNTOWN TRAIN / GIN & FROLIC

The Hard To Get

The Hard to Get’s Looking Good EP plays more like a full length piece of vinyl, with peaks and valleys, upbeat bubblegum and introspective heartbreak all wrapped up into one. Smack in the middle, Good at That is an excellent example of Melissa Kaplan’s flawless guitar riffing and impressive vocal range. Dance Serene clearly demonstrates drummer Tim Lee’s versatility and captures a samba vibe indistinguishable from music that would come straight from the heart of Brazil. How LA indie rockers can even think of pulling off a track like that and make it work is something to take note of. If truth in advertising matters, The Hard to Get are big fat liars. I get it and I like it. -Jon Hershfield, Is Good Music

with:
The Ross Sea Party
Kid Whiskey
The Downtown Train
Gin & Frolic (acoustic set)

Records spun by Ned Casual

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 12.20.09: HELL YA! Holiday Party with COBALT CRANES / 60 WATT KID / MOSES CAMPBELL / THE ARMS

Live performances from:
Moses Campbell – 9pm
60 Watt Kid – 10pm
Cobalt Cranes – 11pm
The Arms – 12 AM

8:30pm / FREE with Formal wear / 21+

Tuesday 03.16.10: EFTERKLANG / SISU / 60 WATT KID

Efterklang || Listen || Watch || MP3

Efterklang inhabit another world, a world which, if the earth contained no human life, Parades would be fit to soundtrack. Their sound is not post-apocalyptic; it’s more symbolic of what came before than what will come after. It’s the sound of Mother Nature winding gradually along, where all is well in a land before civilisation, a time of passing serenity versus the bold and beautiful creation of life. All of the above was abundant in their magnum opus that is 2007’s Parades, a record which gained full marks on these very pages. – Drowned in Sound

with:
60 Watt Kid || Listen
SISU || Listen

8:30pm / $12 / 21+

Wednesday 01.20.10: CLUB NME with HAR MAR SUPERSTAR / NEON TREES / LITTLE RED RADIO

Har Mar Superstar || Listen || Watch

Sean Tillman keeps one foot in punk rock via Sean Na Na (which released Family Trees Or: Cope We Must in 2007), but the Minnesota-born singer has carved out an unlikely-seeming niche in the world of pop R&B as Har Mar Superstar. The shtick—pudgy dude strips to his underwear to perform slinky, sexy Prince-esque tunes—is so blatant it seems like it’d become tiresome quickly, but Har Mar pushes past novelty shock value with outrageous exuberance, tongue-in-cheek humor, and—his real secret weapon—genuine songwriting chops. The new Dark Touches, due in October, features guestwork from P.O.S., Neon Neon’s Boom Bip, and The Bird and The Bee’s Inara George. It also includes a couple tunes Tillman originally wrote for Britney Spears and The Cheetah Girls—redone here, straight-faced, with double-entendre lyrics like “I need a tall boy” unchanged. – Decider

with:
Neon Trees
Little Red Radio

8:30pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / 21+

Wednesday 12.02.09: KROQ Locals Only present Club NME with USELESS KEYS / SAMUEL STEWART / TWINFIGHT / WRONG WAY DRIVER

Useless Keys || Listen || Watch

Everyone’s got useless keys. Nobody knows where they come from, but you don’t dare throw them away in case they turn out to be important. Much like the new L.A. band Useless Keys. They feature former members of the Front, Molecules and the Green & Yellow TV, but they don’t really sound like any of those bands. Hazy, weary vocals sing druggy lyrics like “Arizona state highway/don’t let it define you” and “More valium, please/It helps me fall asleep,” as post-punk guitars spiral toward the clouds. There’s a celestial, Pink Floyd spaciness to songs like “It’s All Made Up,” from the Keys’ upcoming debut album. Psychedelic flourishes and a shoegazer storminess creep between the beats, which are mostly midtempo or slower, leaving plenty of room for head-nodding and trying to decipher such lyrics as “My baby’s got a shotgun … You never hide your hat the way I want you to.” – LA Weekly

with:
Samuel Stewart || Listen
Twinfight
Wrong Way Driver

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Tuesday 11.24.09: THE BIXBY KNOLLS / LOS NOVA / NORTHERN SKY

The Bixby Knolls

They deliver a slab of vintage rock and roll with a mountain of fresh significance. The north of England and the west of America meet at The Bixby Knolls. A blistering blend of British northern grit with a prevailing nod to great Western Americana.The aural pleasures of Arthur Lee and Love with Joy Division, The Clash with The Beach Boys, The Smiths and Oasis with Link Wray can be heard throughout these tracks.

with:
Los Nova
Northern Sky

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Thursday 01.14.10: THE BUILDERS AND THE BUTCHERS / BLUE GIANT / MIA RIDDLE

The Builders and the Butchers || Listen || Watch

The Builders and Butchers are built around vocalist Ryan Sollee’s Southern-Gothic inspired lyrics backed by a host of instruments, including mandolin, pump organ, violin, stand-up bass, keys and whatever else they could find to bang on or slap together. They revisit the Spanish Civil War on “Barcelona,” a song that features an excellent dose of trumpet that offsets the tension in Ryan’s vocals. It’s a brilliant composition and sign of the band’s progress. “In The Branches” is another winner that features a choir down the stretch, giving it a gospel vibe.

The music blends gospel, country, folk in a bouillabaisse of noise and sound that leaves you on edge, but wholly satisfied. Their bio has this to say about Salvation and I couldn’t have worded it any better: “The story of Salvation is a Deep Dark Well is that there’s joy and celebration through the darkness, there’s light in the hardest of times, and when you reach the bottom may salvation light your way.” – Hear Ya

with:
Blue Giant || Listen
Mia Riddle || Listen

8:30pm / $8 advance, $10 day of show / 21+

Wednesday 12.30.09: Club NME with MINIATURE TIGERS / ALL WRONG AND THE PLANS CHANGE / A B AND THE SEA

Miniature Tigers

Like the product of an upbringing heavy on TV dinners and Saturday morning cartoons, creative force Charlie Brand — with help from Rick Schaier (drums/vocals) and Eli Brandom (guitar) — exudes a uncanny knack for playful jingle-like melodies just hinting at an under-the-surface melodrama. And with debut Tell it to the Volcano, which follows a pair of EPs dropped this spring, Brand expands the walls of his intimate bedroom ditties to full fledged indie-pop mini-epics, steeped in melodious hooks — both instrumental and vocal — and an array of lyrical topics as eclectic as the Tube’s frequencies themselves. – Spin

with:
All Wrong and The Plans Change
A B and The Sea

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Thursday 12.31.09: Aquarium Drunkard & Web In Front present THE HENRY CLAY PEOPLE / LE SWITCH / THE MONOLATORS / AUSHUA / BALLOON BASS / TOM BOWIE AND THE HEARTBREAKERS FROM MARS

The Henry Clay People || Listen || Watch

With it’s footstomping gee-tar anthems and wistful golden streaks of pedal steel throughout, the Henry Clay People’s second LP, For Cheap or for Free, is an alternately witty and ferocious, touching and rebellious record, a song-cycle of twenty-something ennui set to crackling and electric music just as likely to encourage surging blood-alcohol limits as the lyrics do a smirking introspection that never takes itself too seriously. Unlike their solidly catchy and thoroughly indie’s debut, Blacklist the Kid with the Red Moustache, the People’s new record jumbles, blurs and builds upon its influences—a vivid cross-section that acknowledges a mindset where Tonight’s the Night, The River, GP and Grievous Angel, Tim, Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, or any record produced by Glynn or Andy Johns all share shelf space—so much so that while the styles may sound/feel familiar, the results they produce add up to one of 2008’s most enjoyable (and simply fun) late night rock ‘n roll records. You might be able to hear where the Henry Clay People are coming from, but the viscerally freewheeling music forces you to be more compelled by where they’re going—they haven’t reinvented the wheel, they’ve just started rolling it in a new and exciting direction. – Web In Front

with:
Le Switch || Listen
The Monolators || Listen
Aushua || Listen
Balloon Bass
Tom Bowie and the Heartbreakers from Mars

8:30pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / 21+

Saturday 12.12.09: PRINCETON / THE PARSON RED HEADS / THE COALS

Princeton || Listen || Watch

But Princeton — Jesse and Matt Kivel, soft-cheeked identical twins who trade off guitar and bass, as well as lead vocals; the keyboardist Ben Usen; and the drummer David Kitz — isn’t nearly as uppity as its reference points, or its colleagues. The band’s debut album, “Cocoon of Love” (Kanine), which will be released this month, is charming and frisky, with touches of the Cure and Leonard Cohen, and even some shoegaze pop. And onstage, the band was improbably tender, even a bit naïve, undercutting its lyrical hauteur at almost every turn. – NY Times

with:
The Parson Red Heads || Listen
The Coals

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Sunday 12.06.09: A Benefit for Against The Stream / Dharma Punx with SHARON TEMPLE / SIVA NOIR / JULIE THE BAND / PUPPIES AND KITTENS

A quartet of Los Angeles-based bands will perform in support of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society’s mission of making the teachings of the Buddha available to all who are interested, regardless of their ability to pay.

Siva Noir will headline the evening. Inspired by acts as varied as Garbage, Muse, Blondie and Concrete Blonde, the band combines a classical melodic sensibility with the dirty, raw textures of alternative rock. The bill is rounded out by college favorites Julie the Band, Sharon Temple, and Puppies and Kittens.

Julie the Band’s fervent indie rock is performed with depth, whimsy and a post-punk edge. Their live show is not to be missed, and features belly dancers, live strings and horns. Sharon Temple’s electronica pulls no punches, with unabashed lyrics and sexual dynamism reminiscent of Debbie Harry. Jeff Levitz, formerly of the Warlocks and the Brian Jonestown Massacre, formed Puppies and Kittens with songwriter Lauryn Tyrell and drummer Dave Krusen. The band’s charming, psychedelic-tinged songs create a unique sonic canvas for their tales of love and loss.

Against the Stream was founded by teacher Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx and Against the Stream. The center strives to create and sustain communities of healthy, accountable, wise and compassionate people from every walk of life, welcoming people from all racial, economic, sexual, social, political and religious backgrounds and preferences.

Furthering their belief that the path of awakening is attainable by all and should be available to all, Against the Stream offers weekly classes, daylong and yearlong programs, class series and special events. No one is ever turned away for lack of funds. Goals for 2010 include projects to feed the homeless, work with gang and prison populations, and those in recovery centers.

with:
Sharon Temple || Watch
Siva Noir
Julie The Band || Listen
Puppies and Kittens

8:30pm / $10 / 21+

Thursday 12.03.09: ANDY CLOCKWISE / TRIXIE WHITLEY / MARVELOUS TOY / GLOBES ON REMOTE

Andy Clockwise || Listen || Watch

Andy Clockwise might not be a household name where you live, but for me, he might as well be Bruce Springsteen. I’ve seen many incarnations of the Andy Band, as we call it, but his newest, tightest and most mature version is the finest. Andy is hard to describe. He’s a singer-songwriter from Australia with the musical ear and skill of Jeff Lynne and the heart and soul of the Boss himself. He’s a soft-spoken intellectual that puts everything he has into his music and his performance. The audience gets it, feels it and always responds.

There is nothing manufactured about Andy. You never ask yourself if you buy it because there’s nothing to buy; he’s not selling. He’s giving himself to the audience and the rest of his band mates. Local “hired-gun” and guitar maven Joshua Norton backs him well on the bass and keys while also serving as the glue that holds the many pieces together. – Lumino Magazine

Trixie Whitley || Listen || Watch

Trixie Whitley belted out songs as if that’s what she was born to do. She picked up the guitar and played as if that’s what she was born to do. Then, mid-song, she’d move to the drums and play as if that’s what she was born to do. Next thing you know, Whitley is hammering away on the keyboard as if that’s what she was born to do. Whitley IS music – no matter what she’s doing, playing, or singing – and her stage presence exemplifies passion. – Rock Is A Girl’s Best Friend

with:
Marvelous Toy
Globes on Remote

8pm / $8 / 21+

Tuesday 12.22.09: LEOPOLD AND HIS FICTION / MAGIC MIRROR / OJOS ROJOS

Leopold and his Fiction || Listen || Watch

Storytelling is an essential piece of Leopold and His Fiction’s sound. According to guitarist and vocalist Daniel James, the San Francisco-based band got its name from a short story he wrote about “a minstrel of sorts with a gift to elaborate on life with word and gesture.” Leopold and His Fiction’s latest album, Ain’t No Surprise, draws on everything from lost loves to “hollow street lights that still call your name.”

With its fuzzy guitar riffs, gruff but compelling vocals, and narrative lyrics, Ain’t No Surprise sounds a bit like The White Stripes or Jet, with traces of The Who or The Stooges. While the sound is certainly expansive, Leopold and His Fiction also manages to exude a certain kind of folk-tinged, backwoods charm that makes them much more than just a straight up rock-and-roll band. - NPR

with:
Magic Mirror
Ojos Rojos

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Monday 12.28.09: MERE MORTALS / THE 88 / VESUVIASONIC / SHIELD

Mere Mortals || Watch

Since the end of 2008, the reformatted Mere Mortals have continued to spread their esound across the cosmos, thanks to a busy schedule of touring and recording. The Band has recently competed a 2 week tour of Japan and on these shores shared the stage with Black Francis, BRMC, A Place To Bury Strangers, West Indian Girl, Spindrift and The Warlocks. Additionally, Mere Mortals were tapped to play at Joshua Tree’s ‘Clean Air Clean Stars’ and Las Vegas’ ‘Neon Reverb’ festivals.

Continuous touring aside, the band has regularly received rave reviews from the likes of LA Times, LA Record, Las Vegas Weekly, Las Vegas Citylife, LAist.com, LA Underground, The Onion and NME, who donned them, “…the best unsigned band.” Former Sex Pistol, Steve Jones, also championed the band on his INDIE 103.1 show and went on to say “Get your checkbooks out, record labels, and give this mob a deal… you’re so slow, some of you!”

Well, someone did notice. Early 2009 saw the band land a deal with the Japanese label, Zeami Stars, who just released (November 4th) a re-packaged ‘Rebel Radio’, the 2007 EP that will now boast 3 new tracks. ‘Rebel Radio’ was Mere Mortals breakout EP that garnered the band over 15 song placements in TV (network and cable).

with:
The 88
Vesuviasonic
Shield

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 12.21.09: MERE MORTALS / HELEN STELLAR / HEALAMONSTER AND TARSIER / SILVERPHIAL

Mere Mortals || Watch

Since the end of 2008, the reformatted Mere Mortals have continued to spread their esound across the cosmos, thanks to a busy schedule of touring and recording. The Band has recently competed a 2 week tour of Japan and on these shores shared the stage with Black Francis, BRMC, A Place To Bury Strangers, West Indian Girl, Spindrift and The Warlocks. Additionally, Mere Mortals were tapped to play at Joshua Tree’s ‘Clean Air Clean Stars’ and Las Vegas’ ‘Neon Reverb’ festivals.

Continuous touring aside, the band has regularly received rave reviews from the likes of LA Times, LA Record, Las Vegas Weekly, Las Vegas Citylife, LAist.com, LA Underground, The Onion and NME, who donned them, “…the best unsigned band.” Former Sex Pistol, Steve Jones, also championed the band on his INDIE 103.1 show and went on to say “Get your checkbooks out, record labels, and give this mob a deal… you’re so slow, some of you!”

Well, someone did notice. Early 2009 saw the band land a deal with the Japanese label, Zeami Stars, who just released (November 4th) a re-packaged ‘Rebel Radio’, the 2007 EP that will now boast 3 new tracks. ‘Rebel Radio’ was Mere Mortals breakout EP that garnered the band over 15 song placements in TV (network and cable).

with:
Helen Stellar
Healamonster & Tarsier
Silverphial

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 12.14.09: MERE MORTALS / THE MEETING PLACES / THE BLACK APPLES / THE SECRET 6

Mere Mortals || Watch

Since the end of 2008, the reformatted Mere Mortals have continued to spread their esound across the cosmos, thanks to a busy schedule of touring and recording. The Band has recently competed a 2 week tour of Japan and on these shores shared the stage with Black Francis, BRMC, A Place To Bury Strangers, West Indian Girl, Spindrift and The Warlocks. Additionally, Mere Mortals were tapped to play at Joshua Tree’s ‘Clean Air Clean Stars’ and Las Vegas’ ‘Neon Reverb’ festivals.

Continuous touring aside, the band has regularly received rave reviews from the likes of LA Times, LA Record, Las Vegas Weekly, Las Vegas Citylife, LAist.com, LA Underground, The Onion and NME, who donned them, “…the best unsigned band.” Former Sex Pistol, Steve Jones, also championed the band on his INDIE 103.1 show and went on to say “Get your checkbooks out, record labels, and give this mob a deal… you’re so slow, some of you!”

Well, someone did notice. Early 2009 saw the band land a deal with the Japanese label, Zeami Stars, who just released (November 4th) a re-packaged ‘Rebel Radio’, the 2007 EP that will now boast 3 new tracks. ‘Rebel Radio’ was Mere Mortals breakout EP that garnered the band over 15 song placements in TV (network and cable).

with:
The Meeting Places
The Black Apples
The Secret 6

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Thursday 12.17.09: AGAINST ME! / ROLL THE TANKS / O PIONEERS

Against Me! || Listen

Against Me! have finished recording their new album with producer Butch Vig in Los Angeles — and it’s got a title: White Crosses.

The successor to New Wave, their Vig-produced 2007 record, which earned Album of the Year honors from this very magazine, is set for release in 2010 on Sire Records.

“White Crosses” is also the title of one of the band’s new songs, which Gabel wrote during a recent stay in St. Augustine, Florida.
The album will be the band’s first with new drummer George Rebelo after longtime sticksman Warren Oakes left the fold earlier this year to open a burrito shop.

“I feel like we are constantly pushing ourselves to better what we did on the previous record,” Gabel said in September, while the band was still in the studio. “New Wave was a great album to make, and now we want to show another side of the band. The new songs feel like a natural progression of where we should be at.” – Spin

with:
Roll The Tanks || Listen
O Pioneers || Listen

8:30pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / 21+

Friday 12.18.09: Aquarium Drunkard presents FOREIGN BORN / BEST COAST / EL SPORTIVO AND THE BLUES

Foreign Born || Listen || Watch

Foreign Born are an L.A. indie rock outfit that exist further west and outside of the Smell or Silver Lake, a band that seems to have germinated over the years outside all semblances of scene in a city whose guitar music rarely sounds genuinely Californian. I’m writing from the opposite coast, but Foreign Born have made a record that feels like a conversation with the Pacific coastline and sounds like endless summer. – Pitchfork

with:
Best Coast || Listen
El Sportivo and The Blues

8:30pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / 21+

Friday 12.04.09: KCRW presents FINK / FAMILY OF THE YEAR / THE SWEET HURT (Acoustic)

Fink || Listen || Watch

Every track on Sort of Revolution would feel at home in a warm, European coffeehouse — you can practically smell the clove smoke and darjeeling aromas wafting through the speakers. The album’s opening title track is clearly its strongest and best exemplifies Greenall’s ability to turn a deceivingly simple guitar riff into a beautiful, haunting experience. Clocking at over six and a half minutes, Greenall patiently utilizes all of his musical space and allows his smooth voice to gently carry the listener. “Let me know when we get there/ If we get there” he pleads over a softly tapping bass and sporadic drum clacks, setting a dim lyrical precedent that’s developed throughout the album. Perhaps to repay Greenall for collaborating on his Evolver album, R&B sensation John Legend co-writes and plays piano on the next track “Move On Me,” a placid study in tension-and-release. Meanwhile, “Q & A” is a spaced-out, sexy joint that cleverly eludes over-repetition by playing around with various filters and studio effects, effortlessly conjuring lonely city streets on cold, existential nights. – Tiny Mix Tapes

with:
Family of The Year || Listen
The Sweet Hurt (Acoustic)

8:30pm / $8 advance, $10 day of show / 21+

Monday 12.07.09: MERE MORTALS / SKY PARADE / THREES AND NINES / SPECIAL GUEST

Mere Mortals || Watch

Since the end of 2008, the reformatted Mere Mortals have continued to spread their esound across the cosmos, thanks to a busy schedule of touring and recording. The Band has recently competed a 2 week tour of Japan and on these shores shared the stage with Black Francis, BRMC, A Place To Bury Strangers, West Indian Girl, Spindrift and The Warlocks. Additionally, Mere Mortals were tapped to play at Joshua Tree’s ‘Clean Air Clean Stars’ and Las Vegas’ ‘Neon Reverb’ festivals.

Continuous touring aside, the band has regularly received rave reviews from the likes of LA Times, LA Record, Las Vegas Weekly, Las Vegas Citylife, LAist.com, LA Underground, The Onion and NME, who donned them, “…the best unsigned band.” Former Sex Pistol, Steve Jones, also championed the band on his INDIE 103.1 show and went on to say “Get your checkbooks out, record labels, and give this mob a deal… you’re so slow, some of you!”

Well, someone did notice. Early 2009 saw the band land a deal with the Japanese label, Zeami Stars, who just released (November 4th) a re-packaged ‘Rebel Radio’, the 2007 EP that will now boast 3 new tracks. ‘Rebel Radio’ was Mere Mortals breakout EP that garnered the band over 15 song placements in TV (network and cable).

with:
Sky Parade
Threes and Nines
And a Very Special Guest

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Friday 11.20.09: SPACEHOG / SING ORPHEUS / THE MOOR

Spacehog

“Spacehog mixes glam-rock influences, such as David Bowie and T. Rex, into its wall-of-distorted-guitars alternative-rock sound. The quartet formed in New York City in 1993 when British drummer Jonny Cragg moved there and got a job killing rats in the basement of an espresso bar. He met guitarist Antony Langdon, also from the U.K., at the coffeeshop, and the two decided to visit topless bars and jam together. Langdon’s brother Royston soon joined the group as a vocalist, and they added guitarist Richard Steel to round out the lineup. Almost immediately after the lineup coalesced, they attracted the attention of Sire Records president Seymour Stein, and their debut album, Resident Alien, was released in 1996. It soon spawned the hit single and video “In the Meantime.” The Chinese Album followed in 1998. Three years later, Spacehog had a new deal with Artemis Records and issued a third effort entitled The Hogyssey.” – All Music Guide

with:
Sing Orpheus || Listen
The Moor

8:30pm / $15 / 21+

Thursday 11.19.09: JOHNNY ECHOLS’ TURN / THE QUARTER AFTER / DANDI LYON DARLING

Johnny Echols’ Turn || Listen

Having played in bands with performers such as Little Richard, Billy Preston and Jimi Hendrix, in addition to his guitar work on many recording sessions with Miles Davis, Johnny Echols is chiefly known as the lead guitar player of the psychedelic rock band Love, the group that he co-founded as a teenager with his childhood friend Arthur Lee.

After the original Love line-up (which also featured guitarist, Bryan McClean) disbanded after three albums, Echols spent the next few decades out of the spot light writing and recording before re-joining Love (which by then had become Arthur Lee backed by L.A.’s Baby Lemonade since 1993) at Arthur’s insistence in 2003, both in the studio and for several successful USA and UK/European tours.

After Arthur Lee lost his hard fought battle with Leukemia in 2006, Echols and Baby Lemonade took a few years away from Love’s music to reflect on the future, as well as work on their own projects before agreeing to take part in a 2009 Fall USA/Canada Love tour. The band had a blast back on stage and got to see some old friends again, not to mention the fans who witnessed a blistering set of Love classics, many songs of which had never been performed live before or at least very often.

With Baby Lemonade guitarist/singer, Rusty Squeezebox now away residing in England and Johnny pulling out songs from Love’s long lost, unfinished Gethsemane album, Johnny, along with the remaining states-side members of Baby Lemonade- Bassist David Chapple, Guitarist Mike Randle and Drummer David Green- thought it best to re-name this musical experience after a phrase that Arthur would always say when he wanted his guitarist to shine: it’s Johnny Echols’ Turn! Indeed it is.

with:
The Quarter After || Listen
Dandi Lyon Darling (from the Dolly Rocker Movement)

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Tuesday 11.17.09: SUPERSUCKERS / THE LAST VEGAS / COCKPIT / RIOT BRIDES

Supersuckers || Listen || Watch

Whether you were born with a tail or a pair of angel wings — or neither — the Supersuckers’ fire-and-brimstone rock and roll circus is guaranteed to get your blood up. From early punk blasts like 1994 Sub Pop classic La Mano Cornuda (translated: The Horned Hand) to the twang period that found the band backing Steve Earle on their eponymous 1997 EP, up to the forthcoming Get It Together, Eddie Spaghetti’s motley crew has lost none of its trademark piss and vinegar. (One new song is called “I’m a Fucking Genius.”) Like ex-Houston Buff Dizzy Dean famously said, it ain’t bragging if you can do it, and two nights of prime ‘Suckers at the Continental Club should have both band and crowd “Pretty Fucked Up” and then some. – Houston Press

with:
The Last Vegas || Listen
Cockpit || Listen
Riot Brides

8:30pm / $12 / 21+

Tuesday 11.10.09: THE SWEET KILL / BONE GUNN / KOZMONAUT / LITTLE BIRDS OF LOS ANGELES

The Sweet Kill || Watch

with:
Bone Gunn || Listen
Kozmonaut || Listen
Little Birds of Los Angeles || Listen

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Sunday 11.01.09: SO MANY WIZARDS / PIZZA! / OLD BLOOD / FORT WIFE

So Many Wizards || Listen || Watch

So Many Wizards is a solo project brought to listeners out of the Long Beach, California area, courtesy of Nima Kazerouni. The music in itself is very involved and moves along a wide range of – emotion? tempo? orchestrations? – something intriguing enough to wonder what’s in the figurative water. We’re tasting an essence of Brit rock, folk, and pop rock with an eclectic edge.

Los Angeles audiences have been exposed to Kazerouni’s homegrown, relatable style for some time. Whether live on in studio, his vocals can switch from subdued to powerful and back so quickly, quite like the keys and guitar he uses in accompaniment. His real talent, however, is working a sound different enough to keep the listener involved.

At times it’s almost like we’re listening to some instrument with fourteen letters in its name, or better yet, one that hasn’t yet been invented. Layers, harmonies, and do our ears real good and keep our minds inspired towards such creative designs – and that’s why So Many Wizards is our pick for the day.- Beatcrave

with:
Pizza! || Listen
Old Blood
Fort Wife

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Sunday 11.22.09: LILYS / WE BREAK CAMERAS / THE MINOR CANON

Lilys || Watch

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:
We Break Cameras || Listen
The Minor Canon || Watch

8:30pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / 21+

Saturday 11.07.09: JASON FALKNER / NICO STAI / WAR CHILDREN

Jason Falkner || Listen

Jason Falkner’s new album, I’m OK…You’re OK, is the best album that Falkner has ever made.

This is quite a claim, I know, so let me back up a bit. His two previous full-length albums, Jason Falkner Presents Author Unknown and Can You Still Feel?, were better than almost anything released by any alt-rocker in the 1990s. Full of gorgeous melodies, pop hooks, and unique arrangements, Falkner proved himself a capable, confident, and extremely talented young musician. (A member of Jellyfish for only one album, Bellybutton, and of The Grays for only one album, Ro Sham Bo, Falkner had already proven himself both as a songwriter and as an exceptional bass player.)

Both …Author Unknown and Can You Still Feel? showcased an artist who was both unique and comfortably consistent at the same time. His rich voice and vocal phrasings carried from one song to another, and his instruments were always played and mixed with both considerable attention to detail and an extemporaneous feel.

So what, then, makes I’m OK…You’re OK such a remarkable comeback? Partly, the album is enhanced by the sheer technical aspect of its recording; with the exception of drums on one track and backing vocals on another, Falkner played all the instruments himself. He also wrote all the songs and produced and engineered the whole thing. (Again, the songs benefit significantly from his casual precision.) The melodies are intact, too: “Stephanie Tells Me” has a beautiful, rousing chorus, and the opening track, “This Time,” loops and weaves as Falkner builds guitars, basses, drums, and vocal harmonies. There is always something surprising in every Falkner song, and this album contains twelve tracks with dozens of places where you, the listener, will perk up your ears and say, “Woah! I didn’t see that coming! I wish I’d thought of that!” (The Japan-only bonus track, “I Don’t Mind,” is a perfect example, beginning as it does with piano and vocals and then breaking into a mind-bending climax of both vocal harmonies and instrumental flourishes.) – Blogcritics

with:

Nico Stai || Watch || MP3

On the verge of becoming America’s next big Indie Rocker. Evoking memories of Bob Dylan and Post Sgt. Peppers Beatles, Nico manages to create the fullest sound of any solo artist in recent memory. Easily the most musically intriguing solo artist to come along since Sufjan Stevens, and on track to become one of the great artists to emerge from the Echo Park/Silverlake scene. – The Deli Los Angeles

plus
War Children

8:30pm / $12 / 21+

Tuesday 11.03.09: WARPAINT / SEASPIN / CORRIDOR

Warpaint || Watch

If you’re feeling bold, you might point out the possibility of Warpaint usurping Chan Marshall’s throne. As Cat Power delves deeper into “covers only” madness, it wouldn’t seem too out of step for another talented dream-pop songstress (or in this case, songstresses) with a penchant for slow-dissolve acoustic lilt and smoky harmonies to divert your attention. Warpaint’s “Billie Holiday” is in fact half of a cover, borrowing large chunks of the Smokey Robinson-penned 1964 classic, “My Guy” (a hit for Mary Wells) and rerouting the original’s giddiness to adopt a sort of apathetic haze that’s very much in need of a Xanax, or perhaps the victim of one too many. What Warpaint contribute otherwise (lullaby verses that give a shout-out to Lady Day, arresting vocal blending) is memorable, as the track conjures a palpable atmosphere, its subtle mix overseen by Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante. Instead of employing any sort of trendy gimmick, Frusciante has the good sense to lay things bare and let the voices, arrangements, and guitars speak plainly, hinting at what’s found on the remainder of their Exquisite Corpse EP. – Pitchfork

With:
Seaspin
Corridor

8:30pm / $8 advance, $10 day of show / 21+

Sunday 11.15.09: Hell Ya! Night with FERRABY LIONHEART / PAIGE STARK / CHARLIE WADHAMS / GRAHAM FOREST

Ferraby Lionheart || Listen || Watch || Mp3

Ferraby Lionheart, the singer with the impossibly imaginary name, whose sweet and earnest voice captured music fans and critics alike, with songs about love, life, fairy tales and more, is re-emerging with promises of a new album. Lionheart released the critically acclaimed debut Catch The Brass Ring in September 2007. Eventually after many months touring and time spent scoring a film (starring Susan Sarandon and Anton Yelchin), Ferraby parted ways with Nettwerk Records, and left his home in LA on a journey through Scandinavia in search of inspiration for a new record, ending up in his childhood home of Nashville, TN. Ferraby has returned to the do it yourself methods that gave him his start, building a studio at home and self-engineering whatever sounds may come from the little red-brick house at the end of Sweetbriar Avenue.

with:
Paige Stark
Charlie Wadhams
Graham Forest

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Friday 11.06.09: KARMA TO BURN / 16 / TOTIMOSHI

Karma To Burn

The threesome blasted through their numbered setlist (all of their “number” songs, that is), concentrating on later, post-Roadrunner/post-vocalist material. These guys definitely still have it, and I assume that if they had some more lead-time and some PR, these boys would have (and should have) been playing a venue twice the size (not that I’m complaining…. just meant a more concentrated dose of stoner-y metal for those of us in attendance). Hopefully they’ll come back again. – Brooklyn Vegan

with:
16
Totimoshi || Listen

8:30pm / $8 advance, $10 day of show / 21+

Thursday 11.12.09:NEW YORK NIGHT TRAIN SOUL CLAP with MR JONATHAN TOUBIN / MR IAN SVENONIUS

New York Night Train Soul Clap

All night dancing to the exquisite soul 45 magic of DJs:
MR. JONATHAN TOUBIN (New York Night Train)
IAN SVENONIUS (Chain and the Gang, Vice TV’s Soft Focus, etc.)

Plus a MIDNIGHT DANCE COMPETITION for a $100 GRAND PRIZE

Featuring MC Ian Svenonius, DJ Jonathan Toubin,
and this interesting cast of judges:
MIKE WATT (Minutemen, Firehose, Stooges, etc)
JENNA THORNHILL (Mika Miko, Silver Daggers, etc)
MICHAEL GERNER (Vietnam)
JESSICA PELETA (ESPs, Weird War, etc)
WENDY YAO (Ooga Booga)

New York Night Train’s most popular party (and contest), the Soul Clap and Dance-Off, appearing everywhere from Mexico to Israel in the last month, returns to LA. The LA Soul Clap will, as always, feature dancing to the exquisitely dynamic 45s of soul proprietor Mr. Jonathan Toubin, plus the Dance-Off will be presided over and guest DJ-ed by handsome distinguished MC Ian Svenonius (of Chain and the Gang, host of Vice TV’s “Soft Focus,” author of “Psychic Soviet,” and leader of Nation of Ulysses, Make-Up, Weird War, etc.), and a distinguished panel of local celebrity judges. Doors and dancing start at 10pm, the Dance-Off for a big cash prize is at midnight, and Ian and Jonathan get you down and party you up all the way ’til 2am. Dance with them!

$100 to winner of dance Competition!

8:30pm / $5 / 21+

Thursday 11.05.09: STILL FLYIN’ / YELLOW FEVER / HEARTS OF PALM UK

Still Flyin’ || Listen || Watch

It’s kind of cheating to call yourselves “a party band” when you number a gigantic 15 members. Fifteen!? No-one else could show up to see you, ever, and you’d still have a decent-sized party. To their credit though, San Franciscan ‘supergroup’ Still Flyin’ are a silly, dumb blast of a bash worth attending. There are, as you might expect, a plethora of musical styles – reggae, punk, gospel, shoutalong euphoro-pop – all fighting to be heard, but the likes of ‘Forever Dudes’ and – yeah! – ‘Aerosmith Take Me… To The Other Side’ are as much fun as you might imagine. – NME

with:
Yellow Fever
Hearts of Palm UK

8:30pm / $8 advance, $10 day of show / 21+

Wednesday 11.04.09: Club NME with MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON / THESE UNITED STATES / JESSE WOODS

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson || Watch || Mp3

Here’s what we already know about Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson: Alright, alright, alright! So he’s got a bunch of names… enough with all the name jokes, already. And yeah, he did some drugs once. Here’s what you need to know about MBAR: First and most importantly, he rocks. Secondly and arguably of equal urgency, he’s playing all over New York before hitting the road with TV on the Radio this summer.

I first saw Miles a few weeks back when he opened for fellow Brooklynites, White Rabbits, at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. As I walked past the merch-table, I caught a glimpse of white cotton tees that read MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON IS DEAD in black caps. “Oh, so morbid, so cool,” I grimaced. My shoes were giving me blisters, so I decided to jet the few blocks home and back in time to catch WR, clad in different shoes. I was halfway to the doors when an old friend stopped me and told me about “this awesome kid, Miles” who I apparently had to see. So I stayed.

Within the second song of his set, Miles played so hard he broke every string on his guitar. The damage left his hands bloody, but couldn’t wipe the crazed smile off of his face. “He must be wasted,” I thought. And while that was probably true, it soon became very clear that Miles’ smiles were very, very intentional as he wailed telling tunes of addiction, death and his own funeral. Unmistakably dark humored, earnest, and adored by an audience of friends and admirers who heckled him to play their favorite songs of his, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson live was worth walking home with blistered toes. – CMJ

with:
These United States || Listen
Jesse Woods || Listen

8:30pm / $10 advance, $12 day of show / 21+

Saturday 11.28.09: Part Time Punks & KXLU Present DUM DUM GIRLS / THE TARTANS / PEARL HARBOR

Dum Dum Girls || Watch || MP3

Hey kids, there’s even more lo-fi, garage-revivalist, distortion-riffic, cruddy, muddy, poppy rock’n'roll coming your way! This time it’s courtesy of L.A. fuzz-pop act Dum Dum Girls– actually just one girl who calls herself Dee Dee– who just played her first Dum Dum show (backed by members of Crystal Stilts, Blank Dogs, and Crocodiles) last weekend and is now signed to prestigious indie label Sub Pop.

According to this YouTube video from the debut performance, Dee Dee is not afraid to wear gothy dresses with long arm-tassels in the middle of the day. We salute her for that.

Dum Dum Girls isn’t a literal overnight sensation– not quite. There’s already EPs on Captured Tracks and Zoo Music and a 7″ on Hozac. And Pitchfork’s Marc Hogan had some kinds words for the track “Catholicked” back in February. – Pitchfork

with:
The Tartans
Pearl Harbor || Listen

8:30pm / $8 advance, $10 day of show / 21+

Saturday 11.14.09: GIL MANTERA’S PARTY DREAM / ABE VIGODA / LOVVERS / LE FACE

Gil Mantera’s Party Dream || Listen

The formerly happy hardcore duo has become a synth-rock trio with an expanded and matured sound: Party Dream has dyed their moody, danceable pop ballads in the dark and beautiful power of the electronic art rock of old. The addition of A.E. Paterra to Party Dream was a wise one. Working as both a drummer and producer for Dreamscape, A.E. he has furthered GMPD’s growth and expansion of sound. I caught the band’s most recent tour recently and was floored by how good they’d become. However, their performance still in many ways musically surpasses their studio work. Hearing all three members playing live instruments truly enhances their sound and, as proof of their maturation, the tracks off Bloodsongs that they performed were so much improved that I wish they’d re-record them. Even their ability to cover Stevie Nicks has been upgraded– they unleashed an awesome rendition of “Stand Back” from her 1983 solo album, The Wild Heart. Party Dream’s showmanship has gone off the charts. Mantera lighting his pubes on fire was one of many good-natured, zany antics, but this time the entire band came out in knock-off spandex Spider-Man costumes in all the wrong color combinations. Their clear-bodied guitar-weapons were furiously wielded and Donny’s ramblings were that of a mad man: “Pac-Man Jr. has a history of fucking my old ladies.” With all this newly-added class, Party Dream elevates the awesome energy I remember to the next level, right down to the silk-underwear striptease. – Consequence of Sound

With:
Abe Vigoda || Listen
Lovvers || Listen
Le Face

8:30pm / $12 / 21+

Wednesday 11.11.09: CLUB NME with THE DUTCHESS AND THE DUKE / GREG ASHLEY (of Gris Gris) / SEVEN SATURDAYS

The Dutchess and The Duke || Listen

“Campfire punks” Jesse Lortz and Kimberly Morrison, are releasing a new batch of tunes on Hardly Art called Sunset/Sunrise. It’s the follow-up to last year’s stellar introductory LP, She’s the Dutchess, He’s the Duke, and you can expect it October 6th. “Hands” interweave the duo’s vocals nicely over a Spanish guitar-esque waltz. Then they stoke the percussive fire for a bit and relax for the song’s glowing sunset (how appropriate). D&D recorded the analog-loving LP earlier this year with Gris Gris’ Greg Ashley in his Oakland studio, The Creamery. – Under The Radar

with:
Greg Ashley (of Gris Gris)
Seven Saturdays

8:30pm / $8 advance, $10 Day of Show / 21+

Saturday 11.21.09: MALBEC / ST. LEONARD’S / LOQUAT / OH MY STARS

Malbec || Listen || Watch || MP3

Every time I open my music player, I find myself heading back to what I know best- Bright Eyes, Death Cab, or Radiohead. But if you told me you find Miike Snow’s “Faker” a definite song to repeat, I’d say a chance on Malbec is one worth taking. Think the mellow vibe, similar background, but with a touch of something that makes you feel like you want to be in a cozy home.

What’s so heart stealing about this band? Every song on their released free EPs, The Answering Machine, does not disappoint, especially if the listener is looking for some mellow vocals and guitar with a touch of synth. As the band created music, they released at the very same time. The Answering Machine EPs come in a series of 5 downloads, each with a little of the band’s personality shown with the tracks that are simply messages that would be left on, well, an answering machine. The full length album, Dawn of Our Age, does not fail either. Touches of trumpet even appear to semi-liven up the beat while maintaining the relatively slow and relaxing yet foot tapping beat.

These past few weeks I find myself listening to Malbec on the 24/7 basis. In the recent months the song “Summer” has skillfully made its way the top 25 played list on my music player. If there’s anything you get out of this summer, it’s finding enjoyment out of the little things of summer- popsicles, lazy days, or Malbec. – AW Music

With:
St. Leonard’s
Loquat || Listen
Oh My Stars

8:30pm / $10 adv, $12 doors / 21+

Sunday 11.29.09: NEIL HAMBURGER / ANDY KINDLER / TIM HEIDECKER

Neil Hamburger

If Neil Hamburger wasn’t the Funniest Man in America, why would the record company keep letting him make so many albums? Can’t answer that question, can you? No, it’s beyond dispute, he is the funniest. End of debate. Don’t even mention Jack Kevorkian, Neil is waaaaay, waaaaaaaay more side-splittingly hilarious, and he’s a much bigger bummer. And he’s got a million of ‘em – why, if one of his jokes falls flat or makes you groan or feel like gagging, or say the next 80 or 90 “gags” don’t exactly make you howl with uproarious laughter, just wait, because Neil will pounce with just a killer, killer line that will make you pee in your pants and nudge the guy next to you so he spills his drink (and when he hits you, that’ll be funny too). You’ll be glad you shelled out your money and chose to spend your time, on a Sunday night, no less, with America’s funny man, Neil Hamburger. – LA Weekly

with:
Andy Kindler
Tim Heidecker

8:30pm / $8 / 21+

Monday 11.30.09: Monday Night Residency – THE HAPPY HOLLOWS / THE PITY PARTY / TWILIGHT SLEEP / TRAPS, PS

The Happy Hollows || Listen || Watch

Just because we all love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs doesn’t mean we don’t have a place in our hearts for another one-girl, two-boy band with slightly skewed aesthetics and an organic, visceral sound. Case in point: Our simply ecstatic disposition regarding the news of the release of the first full-length effort of The Happy Hollows.

The Los Angeles noise-pop trio is fronted by wild woman Sarah Negahdari, who Wired Magazine called a “killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines”. Titled Spells, this full-length effort comes fresh off the heels of 2008’s Imaginary EP and both were produced by David Newton, formerly of the Mighty Lemon Drops.

And while other female-led groups may have steered away from the noise-pop ferocity, Negahdari and company are going full force with an album chock full of effects, distortion and feedback, all built from the shredtastic and primal shows that the band, and especially Negahdari, put on. Despite their force, however, The Happy Hollows knows how to bring the love and show off some smiles with a side of snark and effervescent vocal work. – Consequence of Sound

with:
The Pity Party || Listen
Twilight Sleep
Traps, PS

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 11.23.09: Monday Night Residency – THE HAPPY HOLLOWS / DIOS / ONE TRICK PONY / REAL ESTATE

The Happy Hollows || Listen || Watch

Just because we all love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs doesn’t mean we don’t have a place in our hearts for another one-girl, two-boy band with slightly skewed aesthetics and an organic, visceral sound. Case in point: Our simply ecstatic disposition regarding the news of the release of the first full-length effort of The Happy Hollows.

The Los Angeles noise-pop trio is fronted by wild woman Sarah Negahdari, who Wired Magazine called a “killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines”. Titled Spells, this full-length effort comes fresh off the heels of 2008’s Imaginary EP and both were produced by David Newton, formerly of the Mighty Lemon Drops.

And while other female-led groups may have steered away from the noise-pop ferocity, Negahdari and company are going full force with an album chock full of effects, distortion and feedback, all built from the shredtastic and primal shows that the band, and especially Negahdari, put on. Despite their force, however, The Happy Hollows knows how to bring the love and show off some smiles with a side of snark and effervescent vocal work. – Consequence of Sound

with:
Dios
One Trick Pony || Listen

Real Estate
After several excellent singles, New Jersey’s Real Estate deliver on their full-length debut with a rich collection of evocative and haunting songs. They share tones with North Jersey indie rock titans Yo La Tengo and the Feelies, but they filter those influences through warm impressions of oldies radio. And despite the summery song titles and the beach balling associations that might follow these guys around, this music transcends the notion of seasons. It’s an album with songs about beaches that sounds best in the fall. This isn’t the kind of debut that hints at any limits in terms of sound, technical gifts, and most importantly, time. – Pitchfork 8.5

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 11.16.09: Monday Night Residency – THE HAPPY HOLLOWS / THE DRUMS / EVAN WAY / RANDOM PATTERNS

The Happy Hollows || Listen || Watch

Just because we all love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs doesn’t mean we don’t have a place in our hearts for another one-girl, two-boy band with slightly skewed aesthetics and an organic, visceral sound. Case in point: Our simply ecstatic disposition regarding the news of the release of the first full-length effort of The Happy Hollows.

The Los Angeles noise-pop trio is fronted by wild woman Sarah Negahdari, who Wired Magazine called a “killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines”. Titled Spells, this full-length effort comes fresh off the heels of 2008’s Imaginary EP and both were produced by David Newton, formerly of the Mighty Lemon Drops.

And while other female-led groups may have steered away from the noise-pop ferocity, Negahdari and company are going full force with an album chock full of effects, distortion and feedback, all built from the shredtastic and primal shows that the band, and especially Negahdari, put on. Despite their force, however, The Happy Hollows knows how to bring the love and show off some smiles with a side of snark and effervescent vocal work. – Consequence of Sound

with:
The Drums || Listen
Evan Way (of Parson Red Heads)
Random Patterns

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 11.09.09: Monday Night Residency – THE HAPPY HOLLOWS / THE SOFT HANDS / THE WIDOW BABIES / CASXIO

The Happy Hollows || Listen || Watch

Just because we all love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs doesn’t mean we don’t have a place in our hearts for another one-girl, two-boy band with slightly skewed aesthetics and an organic, visceral sound. Case in point: Our simply ecstatic disposition regarding the news of the release of the first full-length effort of The Happy Hollows.

The Los Angeles noise-pop trio is fronted by wild woman Sarah Negahdari, who Wired Magazine called a “killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines”. Titled Spells, this full-length effort comes fresh off the heels of 2008’s Imaginary EP and both were produced by David Newton, formerly of the Mighty Lemon Drops.

And while other female-led groups may have steered away from the noise-pop ferocity, Negahdari and company are going full force with an album chock full of effects, distortion and feedback, all built from the shredtastic and primal shows that the band, and especially Negahdari, put on. Despite their force, however, The Happy Hollows knows how to bring the love and show off some smiles with a side of snark and effervescent vocal work. – Consequence of Sound

with:
The Soft Hands
The Widow Babies || Listen
Casxio || Listen

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Monday 11.02.09: Monday Night Residency – THE HAPPY HOLLOWS / PEPPER RABBIT / DIRT DRESS / SPECIAL GUESTS

The Happy Hollows || Listen || Watch

Just because we all love the Yeah Yeah Yeahs doesn’t mean we don’t have a place in our hearts for another one-girl, two-boy band with slightly skewed aesthetics and an organic, visceral sound. Case in point: Our simply ecstatic disposition regarding the news of the release of the first full-length effort of The Happy Hollows.

The Los Angeles noise-pop trio is fronted by wild woman Sarah Negahdari, who Wired Magazine called a “killer hybrid of Kim Deal, PJ Harvey and Emily Haines”. Titled Spells, this full-length effort comes fresh off the heels of 2008’s Imaginary EP and both were produced by David Newton, formerly of the Mighty Lemon Drops.

And while other female-led groups may have steered away from the noise-pop ferocity, Negahdari and company are going full force with an album chock full of effects, distortion and feedback, all built from the shredtastic and primal shows that the band, and especially Negahdari, put on. Despite their force, however, The Happy Hollows knows how to bring the love and show off some smiles with a side of snark and effervescent vocal work. – Consequence of Sound

with:
Pepper Rabbit
Dirt Dress
Special Guests

8:30pm / FREE / 21+

Wendesday 11.18.09: Club NME with THE HIDDEN CAMERAS / GENTLEMAN REG / GENERATIONALS

The Hidden Cameras || Listen || Watch

The Hidden Cameras know all about dynamics – whether over the course of a song or a full album, their ability to ebb and flow, to build and drop, is masterful. “Ratify the New” begins like a spiritual cleansing, a lengthy purging drone to clear your head and thoughts, before the Gregorian vocal is revealed, all the while its ritualistic percussion building and building until the song reaches a fever pitch. It feels like a tantric release – bigger than just a pop song; more like stumbling across something strange and beautiful and sacred playing out in a field in the middle of the night. – Popmatters

With:
Gentleman Reg || Listen
Generationals || Listen

8:30pm / $10 adv, $12 doors / 21+

Friday 11.13.09: HEADLIGHTS / ANNI ROSSI / POMEGRANATES

Headlights || Listen || Watch || MP3

Here’s how it opens: with a steady humming organ, a twinkle of guitars and — shooting upward from the darkness — a soaring, pleading vocal. It’s dramatic and it’s perfect, the kind of introit bigger bands break their backs trying to create. The second record from Illinois trio Headlights is full of casual beauty, moments of pop elegance that arrive with natural grace rather than with blunt force and blaring fanfare.

Some Racing was recorded in a farmhouse outside Champaign, IL, and the songs it contains are, appropriately, airy and utterly cloudless. Vocalists Tristan Wraight and Erin Fein sing like they’re sharing secrets: their voices are low and cottony, gliding gently over lacy guitars and blinking vibraphone. Even when the tempo escalates — “April 2″ is shoved along by a walloping backbeat — the voices remain subdued.

The songs themselves are shimmering marvels; they don’t hurtle so much as hydroplane, speeding forward a few inches above the ground. Fein’s voice is light and cherry-flavored, and she drizzles it slowly across the length of each composition. Some Racing is the perfect tonic for fans of the small statement, a record for people who wished the world was full of more groups like The Field Mice. It’s music that’s meek but gorgeous, the quiet girl in the corner with the red lips and the pale skin who’s smiling and whispering over and over: “Hey. C’mere for a second.” – E-Music

With:
Anni Rossi || Listen
Pomegranates || Listen

8:30pm / $10 adv, $12 doors / 21+